After so many years apart, you wouldn't believe how attached a warrior can be to his favourite toy.
Randy tightly held on to Mr. Coo-Coo as he evaded an angry Omni's attack. The Omni was throwing fireballs and weapons at him in rage, but The Ninja evaded them with ease... while sparing a few moments to pat his plushie.
"Oh! Just toss him over here!" Howard called, having enough of the fact that he was being too over-protective of his owl.
"Don't lose him again." Randy instructed, handing Howard Mr. Coo-Coo before returning to his battle, "And stay safe!"
"800 years of waiting, and once more my plans were ruined by the sick bond of a wannabe warrior and his ungrateful FRIENDS!" The Omni complained as he launched more attacks at The Ninja, "AND AN OWL!"
"Leave them out of this." Randy glared as they clashed swords.
The Omni levitated his fallen weapons and commanded them to attack Randy from behind. But before they could and before Howard could warn him, Randy stomped his foot and another slab of the roof shielded him from the weapons.
"You have potential, Cunningham." The Omni smirked, "Too bad you're wasting it on a bunch of weaklings."
"Hana made the right choice too." Randy pointed out, "Even when others lose their ways, The Ninja will always be there to lead them back to the right path. Okay! I just totally thought of that! Wow. Nomicon is really getting through me."
While he was a bit distracted, The Omni turned invisible and tried to slash him from behind.
"Nice try. But never let your guard down." Randy reminded as he stopped the attack. A clang was heard and The Omni's sword reappeared a few feet away from Randy. He pushed the invisible Omni to the ground, causing him to reappear once more. Just when he was about to strike, The Omni blocked his sword with a black fan.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" The Omni partially hid his face behind the fan embedded with 9 different colored jewels on the tips, "It was a birthday present. Its a shame she never got to use it!"
Suddenly, the fan grew. The Omni waved it, summoning a strong wind. Everyone tried in vain to not be blown away, but some where unsuccessful. Luckily for them, Randy's scarf was strong enough to pull them in.
As he was busy pulling his friends in, his opponent's eyes began to glow red as a wave of negative energy surrounded him. The next everyone knew, a beam of red light was heading straight for the group... then Randy got in the way!
"NOOOOOO!" Howard cried as Randy landed woundedly and unconsciously on the roof. He rushed over and lifted his head up.
"Guys," Randy said weakly, unable to move, "I'm sorry I abused my Ninja Powers and took advantage of you guys."
"I'm the one who abused my powers, Ninja." McFist sniffed, "You're the real hero."
"And we're the shoobs to let you clean up our messes." Heidi cried.
"Wow. I almost feel guilty to do destroy you." The Omni leered, "Almost."
Black shadows lifted Randy by the foot. He wanted to fight back, but he was too weak. Howard and the others rushed over to help but the shadow pushed them back.
"You could've have helped me redeem my destiny," The Omni's eyes glowed red as he licked his lips, "but you just had to be another HANA."
"Hana and I..." Randy spoke weakly but bravely, "we'll do anything to protect the ones we swore to protect... even if some of them can be total shoobs."
"I'll remember that when I enslave every pathetic human being in this pathetic little world." The Omni taunted as he summoned a giant sword.
The group wanted to get back on their feet and help, but how could they? They weren't Ninjas. They didn't have brucetastic powers. All they were good at was being miserable and getting turned into monsters.
Heidi noticed the chained box containing the other Ninja Mask in front of her. She picked it up and tried to open it to no avail due to the Omni's chains. Luckily and unexpectedly for her, Bash opened it with his head.
She opened the box, revealing the Ninja Mask. It radiated with energy, almost beckoning Heidi to put it on. The others felt it too.
Yet, they also felt unworthy...
"CUNNINGHAM!"
They were snapped out of their daze and realized that Howard was the only one who wasn't tempted by the power of the Mask.
Mostly because he was too busy watching his best friend about to lose his head... literally.
Then... realization struck Heidi.
"Howard," Howard's eyes were filled with tears when he faced his sister. They widened in surprise when she raised the box containing the Mask in front of him, "You need to be The Ninja."
"No he doesn't!" Verminious called from afar.
"Shut up!" Heidi glared.
"Nope. He's right." Howard agreed, "Haven't you guys been listening? One time I was the Ninja, and I blew it! I blew it! I'm not Ninja-material!"
"Yes, you, ARE!" Heidi urged, "Randy trusted you with his identity. You're the only one who stood by him whenever crazy monsters and robots attacked. And whenever he messes things up, you never left his side while the rest of us acted like shoobs. You make mistakes, Howard Weinerman, but you also know how to make up for them, just like him. You are Ninja-material, Howard. You've always been that, and the bravest little brother a girl could ask for."
Bash cried at the touching moment while The Omni's lackeys gagged in disgust. Howard never seen his sister like this before, but she was right; Randy needed him. He just couldn't see his best friend die in the hands of a monster. So what if he didn't have powers? So what if the enemy was an all-powered beast who called summon giant scary weapons out of thin air that could wipe something (or someone) off the face of the earth with just one slash? He had to do something, but what? In a flash, the answer appeared in front of him...
"Yeah. I can't do it." He replied bluntly.
Heidi huffed in annoyance before quickly slipping the Mask on her brother's head. Howard tried to pull the Mask off him, but it was too late.
A wave of orange energy surrounded Howard, lifting him of the ground. Black tendrils slithered around him, forming into a black suit with orange markings.
The Omni was too distracted by the fat boy dressed in a black suit to butcher his prey, "No."
Once the transformation was complete, Howard flopped to the ground.
"Howard?" Randy asked weakly.
"What are you waiting for?" The Omni glared at his subordinates.
"Howard!" Heidi cried.
Howard turned around; The Sorcerer and Sorceress sent a blast of Stank towards Howard. He didn't know what he did but he summoned a weapon from his suit and directed the attack to the Omni's shadow, releasing Randy in the process. Having felt the impact from his shadow, The Omni dropped his sword and held his wrist in pain while Howard grabbed Randy with his own scarf.
"Howard... Thanks." Randy said weakly.
"Don't thank me. Thank my Ninja...Candy Cane?!" Howard, including everyone else, was surprised to find out that the weapon he used to defend himself was a Candy Cane. It even tasted like a Candy Cane.
At the Sorcerer's command, the Robo Apes charged. But before they could reach Howard, he summoned some... meatballs? Howard didn't know why. He just threw them at the Robots' feet, causing them to slip and slide. The Sorcerer and Sorceress charged at him, only to be pinned to the wall with... cucumber slices?
"Hey. You got some Gravy Fries on you?" Randy asked as Howard gently handed him over to his parents.
"Nope. Just some potatoes." Howard replied as he brought out some potatoes.
More Robo Apes came charging towards him, prompting him to throw the potatoes into the air and bringing out his Ninja... knife? Okay. There was something definitely weird about this suit.
Howard sliced-and-diced every Robo Ape on his way. In the process, he even sliced the potatoes. Julien grabbed the sliced potatoes while Viceroy pressed one of Otto's buttons, activating a solid hologram of a fryer to cook the fries in.
By the time Howard had sliced the last Robo Ape, the potato fries were completely fried.
"Got any gravy?" McFist asked. Howard replied by summoning a bottle of gravy from his suit.
"Okay Cunningham. Now I really need you to get better any second now." Howard tensed as The Omni began approaching the group, Hana's body radiating with energy.
"There has got to be an Art of Healing in this book!" Debbie quickly flipped the pages of the Nomicon.
"Have a Gravy Fry." Viceroy fed Randy a fry.
The Omni got closer and closer until he fire a huge blast at the group. Just as they were about to be fried...
"RANDY!" Everyone exclaimed in relief and surprise when Randy shielded them from the blast. When it disappeared, the Ninja of Norisville landed on both feet standing proud, and healed.
"Man! Those were some fries!" Randy happily exclaimed.
The others ate some fries, surprise by its deliciousness, prompting them to literally fight over the dish.
"Man! They should call you Chef Ninja instead of Flabby Ninja!" Bucky complemented as he punched Bash on the face for a fry.
"That's what they call him." The Omni flew into the sky while blasting them, "I call him Flabby."
"What's for dessert?" Bash asked as the Ninja's evaded the attacks.
"You." The Sorceress replied as she, and The Sorcerer surrounded the others.
"Don't worry about us, you guys! We can handle them!" Heidi assured as The Sorcerer blasted a hole on Viceroy's hair.
"But we sure could use some arson el." Viceroy added.
Randy tossed some weapons to the group, only for the Sorcerer to blast them into ashes.
"Never mind. We can live." McFist remarked, before he and the others ran.
No matter how many attacks he sent, the two Ninjas have always managed to block the attacks, and grill some barbecues.
"Nice try, Omni." Randy taunted as he bit on a Fruit Kebab, "But you can't out-power the Power of our Bro-tasticness!"
Howard high-fived him in response.
"Four can play that game." Once he said that, Verminious landed by his side, "Or more."
He summoned shadow copies of himself to aide him and Verminious in fighting the two Ninjas. Finally, Howard was able to bring out the full potential of his Ninja Suit; He shielded him and his friend with a giant chopping board. He made some shadows cry with his Onion Bombs. He even clashed with some shadows using a pair of numchucks which are actually stringed sausages (which he and Randy humorously called "Ninja Yum-Chucks").
Meanwhile, the others thought they lost the Sorcerer and the Sorceress.
"Oh boys."
Julien, Bash and Bucky gawk at the sight of the lovely girl in front of them, much to the girls' annoyance.
"Hey, waitaminute. You're that creepy lady." Bash managed to snapped out of it along with Bucky. Julien just continued to be mesmerized even when she transformed back into the Sorceress.
"Aw! Its a shame the Ninja isn't here to save your sorry, little butts." The Sorceress taunted, preparing to fire.
"Does the poor helpless pathetic civilians want their Daddy Ninja?" The Sorcerer taunted in babytalk, preparing to fire as well.
As the two beings cackled as they prepared their attacks, something snapped inside the group...
"What was that, Julien?" Heidi asked, a hint of mischief in her eyes, "You want to propose to the SORCERESS?"
"WHAT?!" Both beings cried in surprise.
"Bucky, now!" Debbie cried.
Immediately, Bucky brought out his guitar and began singing the song he sang to Randy earlier. The Sorcerer and Sorceress shielded their ears from the touching yet torturing melody.
Seeing his sister and friends in trouble, Howard tossed them a weapon which they tied the Sorcerer and Sorceress with.
"Agh! Taffy?" The Sorcerer hissed in disgust.
"Cherry flavored too!" The Sorceress added.
"I have enough of you, Ninjas." The Omni brought out a familiar Orange Stone.
"The Tengu Stone!" Randy whipped his scarf at The Omni in an attempt to get the stone, but The Omni anticipated the attack by grabbing the scarf and flung Randy to a whole. Just when he thought he was victorious, he stepped on something sticky, preventing him from moving.
"Have some Ninja Gumballs, Omni!" Howard taunted as he successfully retrieved the stone.
"Nice! Wait. What are you doing?" Randy watched in horror as Howard brought out, a carrot? And used it to pierce the Tengu Stone. In a flash of light, the Tengu was released a soared into the air, screeching, "What did you do?!"
"Just trust me. Hey Pretty Birdie!" Howard waved his arms at the bird demon to catch his attention. When he succeeded, he pointed at The Omni.
When The Tengu saw The Omni, his eyes widened in shock, "Hana."
The Tengu sniffed The Omni and glared at him, opening its beak to devour his opponent, but the Omni managed to hold it back. He tossed The Bird Demon at the two Ninjas, only for them to get out of the way.
"Hey, remember me?" Howard asked the Tengu. He replied with a snap of his beak, "Great. Look; I haven't been really hanging out with the real Hana, but I know she's your friend, and that guy is totally messing her up. She helped you, now we need your help saving her. The Tengu and The Ninja are forever linked. Their strengths are shared."
The Tengu looked back at the time he first met Hana; The young warrior had him on the ground. He was badly beaten. The girl raised her sword... only to drop it on the ground. Tears rolled down her cheeks. The Tengu never encountered a warrior who was hesitant to kill him. Was she... guilty?
The girl turned away, but before she could take another step, The bird demon called to her. She turned around; Tengu had held a few of his feathers in his mouth. He beckoned to the young warrior to take them. Once she did, he gave the bird demon a grateful pat on the head.
He never did trusted humans. He always believed that they were weak beings corrupted by their selfishness to evolve by stealing from others. Yet Hana... was different. Sure she wanted his feathers, but she soon regretted it. She spared him. She spared his life.
Still, he wanted to know what she was going to do with his feathers.
One night, he witnessed her fighting some monsters. She won, but she chose to spare them like how she spared him. He was glad to give his feathers to such an honorable warrior.
Then the Omni came...
He was using her. She spared his life and what did he do in return? He was going to use her. Not only in a revenge plot against her family, but also in taking over The entire World. It was unforgivable.
He aided in the battle only to lose her friend to that demon. He couldn't save her. He let the Norisu Nine imprison him in stone in order to pay for his debt, but it wasn't enough.
Twice he was released from the stone. Twice he possessed the fat kid. Once to aide the Ninja in battle, and the other to test him. The Ninja showed courage and honor. The fat one... well, he didn't like him. But right now, he could sense a burning determination inside of him. And it wasn't coming from the suit. Plus he did want to save Hana, so...
The Tengu rosed and gave Randy an approving nod. Randy nodded in return and the two Ninjas and the bird demon angrily faced the Omni and The Rat.
Both sides charged at each other. The Tengu wrestled with the Rat while Howard and Randy clashed with The Omni. Aware of the link between The Tengu and the suits, The Omni decided to "even the playing field" by taking control of The Rat and inflicting pain on The Tengu and The Ninjas.
Howard felt pain before, but nothing like this. It wasn't like those schemes he and Randy come up with to become popular only to end up in disaster or ruined by a monster, robot, etc. Nope. It was way worst. He could see Randy trying to fight off the pain. If the Ninjanomicon said that The Tengu and The Ninja are linked, then are The Ninjas link to each other? Could Randy feel what he was feeling? If he could, then they're doomed, cause right now he was freaking out.
No. Not right now. Not ever. He chickened out too many times. Its time for him to man up and take the Monster Shoob down.
He took a fighting stance. Randy followed and so did The Tengu. The two Ninjas once more clashed with The Omni while The Tengu wrestled the Rat.
"It's no use, Cunningham." The Omni taunted, "I know all your tricks. I taught you, everything."
"Not everything." Howard grabbed The Omni by the neck... before giving him a noogie.
Randy, his parents and friends laughed at the sight. It was even more funnier with The Tengu giving The Rat a noogie. The Omni managed to get Howard off of him. Verminious did the same with The Tengu. But before they could attack, they found themselves slapping themselves.
"Why are you hitting yourself? Why are you hitting yourselves?" Randy chuckled as he telekinetically made The Omni and The Rat hit themselves repeatedly. The others joined as well, even The Sorcerer and The Sorceress.
"ENOUGH!" The Omni bellowed in rage. Using his wings he took to the skies. The Rat followed before he was encased in a blazing black aura just like his master. Once they were filled with energy, they headed straight for their enemies.
The Tengu and The Ninja are forever linked. Howard and Randy repeated in their heads as they went to Ninja Rage mode along with The Tengu.
Then, Verminious struck The Tengu.
Or so he thought.
The Tengu had The Rat by his snout before he flung him into the sky. Before he did, The Omni cut off his link with Verminious and began clashing swords with Randy and Howard in Ninja Rage.
"Enough Omni!" Randy grabbed The Omni by the arms. To everyone's surprise flaming wings emerged from Randy's back, allowing him to take to the skies with his enemy.
The Omni managed to free himself from Randy's grip and the two engaged in an aerial battle. Howard and the others could only watch helplessly as Randy face illusionary copies of The Omni in order to battle the real Omni.
The Omni gave it his all, but Randy was not cracking, no matter how many illusions, attacks, weapons and/or taunts he sent. They were not as worst as the time he was Stank'd and turned against his friends.
Randy felt his blood boil, but he will not give in to The Omni's berating. He just stood his ground and fought back with his own spells and childish pranks. (He turned invisible once and caught the Omni by surprise by tickling him)
"Uh, Cunningham?" McFist asked nervously.
Randy was shocked to discover the hordes of Monsters making their way towards the school. Plus they look hungry.
"The Mask, Cunningham. The Mask, or them." The Omni smirked.
Randy was torn on what to do; If he handed over his mask, then the Omni would get Howard's mask. And if he has all 9 mask in his possession... Then if he doesn't, then his friends and family would...
"I..." Everyone tensed at what Randy was about to say. The Omni just smirked, knowing he'll get what he wants.
Then, Randy's eyes glowed white, "I have a better idea. Ninja... I-HAVE-NO-IDEA-WHAT-THIS-IS-BUT-MAYBE-LATER!"
The Omni was unprepared of what happened next; Randy thrusted both hands on his chest, engulfing everything in a ray of white light. When the light died down, the monsters were turned into unconscious humans, and Randy was falling down, unconscious.
"Cunningham!"
The group scrambled in order to catch the falling Ninja. They sighed in relief when Viceroy caught him.
"Cunningham, wake up!" Howard rushed towards his best friend's side, "You owe me a lot of Gravy Fries Buster! Wait a minute. I have unlimited supply. And that's not Cunningham."
Surely enough, Viceroy did not catch Randy, but rather...
"Hi. I'm Hana."
Viceroy immediately let go of 'Hana'. The group's gaze turned to the sky where they watch in Horror as Randy almost plummeted to the ground, if he wasn't rescued by a monster with a lion head.
"I pretend to be dead for one hour and you just let your best friend fall like that?" The Creep asked in disbelief as he let Randy's parents take their son before reverting back to his human form, "Hana?"
"Creep!"
The group was surprised when The Creep enveloped their enemy in a warm hug. Plus he didn't hesitate. What was wrong with him?
Suddenly, black smoke appeared, surrounding a large shadow with glowing red eyes. The group huddled in fear at the ominous cackle echoing from the smoke. Then, from it emerged...