-Chapter 309-
Faces of the Ninja
The restaurant was in shambles, all the patrons scrambling to escape. Behind the knife-riddled table, the echidna and the Shijin warriors stared at Kat in wide-eyed horror.
"I don't know what's going on," Kat began. "But whoever's behind this attack is after me specifically. The fact that they just tried to cleave my head off just now is proof."
"But, who'd be crazy enough to go after you in broad daylight?" Yao asked.
"Zan," Knuckles said, his fists trembling. "It's gotta be Zan. He's the Yurashian Egg boss and he has a personal grudge against her."
"No," Dulcy cut in. "Zan's forces are currently at war with our allies in the northeastern provinces. Besides…" The dragoness trembled as she clenched her fists. "If he were behind this, he'd make sure you and everyone around you knew he was behind it to make an example of them."
Kat grimaced as she read closer into Dulcy's words. "Yeah…that sounds like him."
"Well, if it wasn't Zan, who else is there?" Julie-Su asked.
"Ninja." Bunker stepped out in front of the table, pulling out a classic four-pointed shuriken. "Our mystery attacker is a ninja."
The group's eyes widened at the sight of the throwing star. Jian and Cinder were especially shocked.
"Hold up," Knuckles cut in. "A ninja? But I thought those guys were only in the Dragon Kingdom."
Kat shook her head. "There are ninja clans scattered all over Yurashia, Knux, even here in Chun-nan."
"But we've never even met any ninja, nevermind fought one! I mean…except for Espio and those Lady Ninja bots Eggman made."
"Ahem!"
All eyes turned toward Locke as he finished clearing his throat.
"Perhaps we shouldn't waste time on the who and focus on the situation at hand."
"Locke is right." Bunker nodded. "We can worry about our assailant's identity later. Once we've ensured they're no longer a threat." She turned to her oldest apprentice. "Dulcinea, take Jian and do a sweep of the village. You'll keep a lookout from the skies, while she works down below."
"Understood!" Dulcy bowed before turning to her partner... "Okay, Jian, let's…"
…only to find she was gone.
"Jian?" Dulcy looked around the restaurant, but she was nowhere to be found. "Ugh… Not again!"
"Onee-chan?" Cinder looked around, trying to find her, the others joining in.
"There!" Kat called out, pointing outside just as a black and white, bladed tail disappeared upward. "She's heading up for the roof!"
"[Dammit!]" Dulcy cursed as she darted out. "Jian, wait for me!"
And with that, she flew off.
"Well, if nothing else, they're both looking for our assailant," Bunker sighed. "Aiyaaa… what am I going to do with those two?"
"Sensei!" Cinder cut in. "Over there!"
Cinder pointed out the window, revealing another black hooded figure in a kabuki mask, this one with blue accents and a crying face, standing outside.
"Another ninja!" Knuckles shouted, prompting them to run off when they realized they'd been spotted.
"Crap! They're getting away!"
"We can't let them escape!" Wynmacher shouted as he got up. "I'll go after them!"
"No!" Locke shouted as he stood up. "I will go after the ninja, you will remain with the others and keep them safe."
Wyn looked at Locke, blinking in confusion. "H-Head Guardian?"
"Dad, are you nuts!?" Knuckles demanded.
"I have faced similar opponents in the past, son, I am more than capable of handling a few mere assassins," Locke said with confidence as he headed for the door.
"But sir…!" Wyn pleaded.
"You have your orders, Wynmacher!" And with that, he was gone.
"Gaaah…damn that old geezer…" Kat groused.
"C'mon, Julie, we gotta stop him, he's gonna get himself killed!" Knuckles said.
"Right!" And with that, they were gone as well.
"Alright…" Wyn began. "Come everyone, we need to get to safety."
"No…" Kat cut in, standing up herself. "You all need to get to safety, I'm going to hide out in the forest for a bit."
"Kathryn, no, you mustn't!" Lara pleaded.
"Sorry, Mom, but I have to, I'm the target. If anime has taught me anything, it's that ninjas work in teams to take down powerful targets. If they see me with you, the whole squad will fall down on us like a Jenga tower."
Lara winced in worry, but could not refute her daughter's words. "You're right… but, at least take Wyn with you for protection."
Kat shook her head. "Bad idea. Wyn's too big and slow, and his quills make him stick out like a sore thumb."
"And if you go alone, they'll fall down on you!"
"These woods are my home. I know them like the back of my hand. No one can catch me in there, not even ninjas."
"But…!"
"She's right, Lara."
"Master Bunker!" Lara shouted with a betrayed expression.
"Kathryn is stronger than she appears and she has trained with Sonic, who is much faster than a few ninjas," the tortoise explained.
"She might not get that chance to show it," Wynmacher said, placing his hands on his forehead. "I'm sensing a third presence."
"Another ninja?" Kat asked.
Wyn nodded. "Most likely. It seems they're…" His eyes opened wide. "Right outside the back entrance."
"Gāisǐ de," Kat cursed. "He'll strike the second we step out!"
Cinder thought for a moment, then snapped her talons. "I got it!"
-X-
Outside the restaurant, everything seemed quiet. Barring a few onlookers wondering what was going on a short distance away.
"What's going on?" one of them asked.
"I heard some loud crashing noises coming from the dining area," said another. "It sounded like fighting."
"Fighting?"
"It's gotta be Eggman! He's back to finish us off!"
"Shhh! Quiet! Do you want him to know we're here!?"
"Hey look, someone's coming out!"
The crowd turned to see Kat, Lara, and Wynmacher running out hurriedly.
"This way, quick!" Wyn shouted as he led the two off to the right. But just then, part of the wall near the restaurant fell away, revealing a third ninja hiding behind a curtain. Like their comrades, they were dressed all in black and wore a white mask, this one sporting an angry face with red accents, and like their comrades, moved with incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, they zipped from their position, instantaneously appearing a few feet in front of Kat and her family, who suddenly stopped in place.
"Mission accomplished," the ninja let out, sheathing their blade with a click, after which, Kat, Lara, and Locke, fell over, dead; to the horror of the onlooking crowd.
" You Guren! "
"Good Gaia!"
"Help! Murder! Murder!"
As the crowd fled, the masked ninja walked over to their fallen targets, stepping over Wyn and Lara until she got to Kat.
"Alright, Winters…" they began as they turned Kat over onto her back. "Now to take the so-called great power you're hiding away in your…WHAT!?"
The assassin froze in fright at the sight of Kat's face…which had broken apart, like a porcelain doll.
"No… it's a fake!"
"Shijin no Waza!"
The ninja looked down as the earth began to rumble. To their shock, the ground was beginning to bulge and crack, an orange light shining below.
"Jiiièhōkō!"
The lump of earth burst like a boil, launching the ninja away and expelling hot rock and ash everywhere.
"Kuso!" the ninja cursed, coughing heavily. "That little gaijin brat tricked me!"
"Hey! You can't talk about Ka-chan like that!"
The ninja looked up to see two clay discs flying toward them. She leaped backward, just before they could hit the ground, only for them to explode, knocking her away again and into the waiting branches of a nearby tree.
"Dammit…" the ninja grit out as they make their escape. "You little…!"
But, before they could, the branches came to life and grabbed her, pinning her to the trunk.
"Now, now, mind your words," Bunker said as she stepped out from behind the tree, her hands and eyes glowing with green energy. "There are children present."
Just then, Cinder popped out of the ground.
"Bunker-sensei, we did it! We caught the bad guy!" she cheered.
"That we did, Cinder, that we did," Bunker nodded in satisfaction as she patted the girl's head. "But we can't quite celebrate just yet. First we…what!?"
Bunker's eyes widened with shock. The branches were still wrapped around the tree, but the laughing masked ninja was nowhere to be found.
"Gone?" Bunker let out.
"But how!?" Cinder asked. "Your wood techniques are the strongest in all of Chun-nan! Who could break free from them?"
"Somebody very powerful, Cinder," Bunker replied, her eyes narrowing. "Very powerful…"
Just then, Bunker felt something tap her on the head. Something wet.
"And now it's raining," she sighed quietly, using her qi powers to create a large umbrella of leaves for her and Cinder. "[My, my,] today just isn't our day."
"Sensei?"
"Cinder, it's time to put your qi sensing training to the test." Bunker's eyes narrowed in determination. "We're going on a hunt."
Cinder nodded. "O-Okay…"
-X-
Meanwhile, Jian ran across the roofs, hopping from building to building as she kept an eye out for their attacker. She felt a tap on her head, then looked up to see dark clouds forming in the sky above her.
"Rain..." she whispered. "I'm getting close. Dammit! Of all the times for this to happen, why now?" she cursed. "How did she even get here? She should've been executed or at least locked away forever."
"Jian!"
Jian looked over her shoulder to find Dulcy flying toward her.
"Oh great…" she muttered as the dragoness flew beside her.
"Jian, what the hell are you doing!?"
"What's it look like I'm doing?" the tigress replied irritably.
"You look like you're charging headfirst into battle like an idiot!" Dulcy countered. "You can't just run off on your own like that!"
"Your failure to notice my sudden disappearance says otherwise, ryu," the tigress snarked.
"This isn't the time for jokes, Jian! We have a ninja on the loose!"
"I have it under control, this doesn't concern you."
"It concerns my friend, so it concerns me!"
"If it does, then go back and protect her. This battle is mine, you'll only get in the way."
Dulcy narrowed her eyes. "Seriously Jian, I know there's been bad blood between our species, but…"
Dulcy perked as she caught something out of the corner of her eye. Something black and white.
"Over there!" she shouted as she pointed to the side. Jian followed her finger and saw her target: a black-clad ninja, the first.
"There you are!" the tigress shouted, suddenly gaining speed as she left Dulcy in her dust.
"Jian, wait! What did I just say!?" the dragoness called out as she flew after her, not noticing the tiny, black metal orb floating out from behind a tree behind her.
-X-
Meanwhile...
Kat ran through the forest as fast her legs could carry her, a feeling of nostalgia bubbling up from within. Old memories of her exploring the woods, pretending she was on a grand adventure in some distant land, or a hero rushing to save the innocent. The woods had been her second home, a haven of safety and security that came from exploring every nook and cranny. Unfortunately, that warm, pleasant feeling - much like the trip as a whole - had been tainted. Sullied by this trio of assassins in black pajamas looking to take her head. She wanted to do something, give them a piece of her mind; but she wasn't stupid. She couldn't just Robot Crusher or Phoenix them into oblivion. She needed to bide her time, soften them up, and most of all, trust her friends.
"They've got this," she whispered. "I just need to be patient and have faith."
She eventually happened upon a secluded part of the forest, a shallow valley hidden under the roots of a large maple tree. It was her favorite hiding spot, one no one could ever find her in; not even Jade knew about it. Kat quickly slipped through the gap in the roots, landing in the dirt before letting out a heavy breath.
"Safe for the time being..." She leaned against the roots, taking a moment to regain her bearings. "If I hide out here for a bit, I can regain my stamina in case someone comes for me. Let's just hope it's a friendly and not an enemy…"
She took a moment to look out at the valley from her little sylvan window, allowing that warm feeling to rise back up. Even after three years away, these woods were still her home.
"And this time, I'm going to protect it," she whispered. "Whether it's Eggman, ninjas, or whatever else decides to rear its ugly face."
Just then, there was a flash of lightning, followed by a clap of thunder.
"Whoa!" Kat clutched her chest, catching her breath. "Geez… that was loud. Looks like there's gonna be one hell of a storm."
She looked at her bracers, then rubbed her phoenix tattoo nervously.
"If you work underwater, let's hope this deluge doesn't hinder you…"
-X-
Meanwhile…
In another part of the village, amidst the steadily pouring rain, Locke was in the middle of his own ninja hunt.
"Damn it all…" he muttered. "Where did he go?"
He looked around, trying to find any sign that his prey had passed through, but found nothing. It seemed those stories Knuckles heard from the chameleon were true. But, he couldn't give up now. No matter what, he needed to find that ninja. Kathryn and Lara depended on it!
"Don't think you can get away from me that easily. You may have eluded my other senses, but none can elude the power of Chaos."
Locke closed his eyes and took a breath. As he did, the world around him began to hum and turn dark green as streaming ribbons of bright green energy swirled and twirled to and fro. Chaos. The spark of the soul in all living things.
"Let's see…" Locke began. "Bird… bird… villager… villager… bird… dog… fish… villager… bird… mole…"
Just then, his eyes flashed open.
"Behind me!"
Locke let out a battle cry as he spun around, his fist primed to fly into the face of his unfortunate enemy…
"Whoa! Dad, it's me!"
…only to stop centimeters away from Knuckles' gobsmacked face, an equally gobsmacked Julie-Su right behind him.
"Whew!" the younger scion of Edmund let out. "That was close…"
"Knuckles!?" Locke exclaimed. "What is the matter with you, boy!? Sneaking up on me in the middle of using Chaos Sense!?"
Knuckles winced sheepishly. "Yeah… that was a dumb move on my part."
"You think?" Julie-Su chimed in.
"What are you two doing here?" Locke demanded.
"We're here to stop you from waltzing pingas-first into the ninja's clutches like an idiot, what's it look like?" Juie-Su snarked.
"You were supposed to stay behind and protect Kathryn! I gave explicit orders that I would handle this."
"Okay, first, you gave Wynmacher those orders, not us," Knuckles corrected. "Second, even if you had, I wouldn't have followed them anyway because they're stupid-ass orders that are about to get you killed!"
"I told you, I can handle this!" Locke snapped. "What's important is that you keep Kathryn and your mother safe!"
"Kat can take care of herself, and these guys aren't after Mom," Knuckles refuted.
"And what's stopping them from using Lara to get to her?" Locke asked testily.
"Look, if you're worried about Mom, she'll be fine. She's got Master Bunker and Wynmacher looking after her. She'll be…" Knuckles paused something in his brain clicking. "Wait a minute…"
"Knux?" Julie asked, waving a hand in front of his face. "Hey, Knux, you okay?"
"You first started acting all weird when Mom introduced us to Wynmacher… Is this…" Horror flashed across his face. "Great Gaia… Dad, tell me you're not doing what I think you're doing!"
Locke stiffened. Of course his son would figure him out!
"I…I don't know what you're talking about…"
"Knux, what's going on?" Julie asked.
"Nothing is going on!" Locke snapped.
"Oh no," Knuckles said, stepping forward. "You're not getting out of this one! Seriously, I can't believe that you're actually trying to…!"
Just then, Knuckles' eyes went wide as he felt a pulsing sensation flow up from the earth and through his body.
"MOVE!"
Without a second thought, Knuckles shoved Locke and Julie-Su, just as several large, wooden bars erupted from the ground, trapping him in a makeshift cage.
"Knuckles!" Julie cried out.
"Son, are you okay!?" Locked called out.
"Yeah, I'm good," Knuckles replied.
"What is this?" Julie asked, tapping one of the wooden bars.
"Looks like some kind of trapping jutsu," Knuckles deduced. "Don't worry, I can smash out of here no problem. Stand back!"
As Locke and Julie-Su backed away from the cage, Knuckles wound up his arm before thrusting it forward in a powerful, cleaving hook, smashing through the bars.
"See?" He brushed off a few scraps of bark off his arm. 'What did I tell you? No prob…Bzzow!"
Knuckles shook his hand in pain.
"You alright?" Julie asked.
"Yeah…stupid log just shocked me, I'll be…" Knuckles stopped as he processed what he'd just said. A log - a wooden log - had shocked him… with electricity. Before he could even ask how, he looked down at some of the scraps of bark he'd shaken off. To his shock (pun not intended), the bits of plant matter were sparking and crackling with electricity.
"How in the…?"
A louder crackle and a brighter spark greeted his ears and eyes, bringing his attention to the bars he'd broken, which were crackling like damaged power lines.
"What the…?"
He cautiously approached the somehow electrified wood and took a closer look to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. Fortunately, the wood was indeed not sparkling. Un fortunately, that's because each of the wooden bars had something inside of them that was : a piece of paper marked 稲妻, the Ryuese kanji for lightning. A piece of paper that anyone who'd watched Shinobi or Tachibana: Part-Time Ninja knew were explosive tags… and he'd just triggered them.
"Oh fu–!" Was all Knuckles had time to say before the tags released their collective energy in a powerful explosion, sending thousands of amps of electricity through the echidna's body.
"No, Knuckles!" Julie-Su cried out before suddenly falling over, clutching her chest.
"Julie-Su!" Locke cried out as he went to check on her, only for a streak of electricity to briefly zap him too.
"What? How!? She's not anywhere near the…" His widened as he realized what was happening. "The Soultouch…it's forcing her to experience Knuckles' pain…"
"Fascinating…" a female voice drawled out.
Locke looked up as he saw a figure round a corner. It was the ninja, cloaked in black, face hidden behind a white mask with a crying face accented in blue.
"I heard tales of the echidnas' unique ability to share their feelings, but I didn't know that applied to the feeling of pain." The ninja let out a sniffle as she lifted her mask partially, dabbing her eyes with part of her cloak. "Such a terrible burden to bear…"
Locke watched as the ninja blew her nose into her cloak, cringing in disgust.
"Who are you?" he demanded. "Are you one of Robotnik's soldiers? An agent of one of the clans here? Talk!"
The ninja replied with a low, pitiful moan as she fiddled with her robes.
"Ohhh… I was afraid you were going to ask that," she groaned. "Now I gotta tell you that I'm not gonna tell you, then you're gonna get mad, and then you're gonna hit me, and then I'll have to hit you and I really don't wanna do thaaat…"
Locke glowered in contempt as the ninja trailed off into a bout of whiny mumbling. He couldn't believe what he was witnessing. What kind of warrior behaved like this? Bad enough she and her comrades tried to harm his family, but this!?
"Still, this is useful information." the ninja let out a loud snort. "Now, I can kill you more effectively; so you needn't suffer."
Locke stiffened in fear, then narrowed his eyes as he let out a feral snarl, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his fists.
"The only one who will be dying is you!"
He rushed at the sad-masked ninja, pulling his hand back for a powerful, megaton punch. But, despite this, the ninja wasn't even preparing to dodge. Even as Locke's fist flew closer and closer toward her covered face, she remained still as a statue.
"What is she doing?" Locke thought. "If she doesn't evade or counter, she's going to get her skull turned into cotton candy!"
"Unryougan…"
Right as Locke's fist was about to connect, mist began pouring from the eye holes in the ninja's mask, which rapidly formed into a large, pillowy cloud, blocking his attack entirely.
"What the…?"
"Oh dear…" the ninja whined. "You're upset…" A pair of bright, blue lights shone through the clouds. "Now I have to hurt you."
-X-
Meanwhile…
Jian raced across the rooftops with renewed gusto. Leaping, jumping, and parkouring her way to her target. Eventually, she arrived at the rooftop of one of the larger buildings in the village.
"Okay…" she whispered, looking around for any sign of her target. "I know you're up here!" she called out. "There's nowhere else to run. So, how about we stop this stupid game of tag and settle this?"
Her only response was a soft, childish giggle. Jian tried to find where it was coming from, but there was nowhere to hide.
"Dammit... stop screwing around with me! If you want to fight, then fight!"
Jian wanted nothing more than to run out and start striking, but she knew all too well how dangerous her opponent was. If she made one careless move, one little slip-up, she'd be dead and the others would follow soon after.
"Jian!"
Maybe sooner than she thought.
Jian turned around, seeing Dulcy's tall, green, and pink form flying over to her.
"Finally, I thought I'd never catch up," the dragoness sighed, wiping the sweat from her brow.
"Ryu…" Jian grit out, not the least bit happy to see her.
"Jian, what the hell's got into you?" Dulcy asked as she made to land. "You…"
"No!"
"Huh?" Dulcy stopped, confused.
"Get the hell out of here, now!" Jian snapped.
"What?" Dulcy couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jian demanded.
"What am I…? I-I'm here to help you!"
"Weren't you listening? I don't need your help!"
"Jian, what the hell's got into you?" Dulcy asked. "You're acting…weird."
"I'm fine, Dulcinea." Jian replied, practically spitting her comrade's(?) name. "Now, get lost."
Dulcy shook her head. "As Kaitian and her friends would say 'No fugging way'. I'm not going to let you face some crazy ninja assassin on your own. I'd be leaving you to die."
"If you don't want me to die, then leave," Jian retorted. "I know this may be difficult for a pompous, flying newt like you to understand, but you're sticking your snout into things that not only don't concern you, but are way out of your league. If you stay here, the only thing you'll be is a loud, obnoxious target. So do us both a favor and get lost before you make things worse, like you always do!"
Dulcy narrowed her eyes and bared her fangs, her nostrils practically chimney stacks.
"Alright, that does it!" she roared, stomping onto the ground.
"No, you fool!" Jian cried out.
Another childish giggle echoed through the rooftops, snapping Dulcy out of her rage.
"What the…?"
"Get down!" With a surprising amount of strength, Jian leaped at Dulcy and tackled her to the ground, just in time to avoid several beams of electricity flying through what would've been her chest, head, and stomach.
"Yokatta…" Jian sighed in relief as she tried to regain her bearings.
"Tā mā de!?" Dulcy shook her head, regaining her bearings. "What was that!?"
"Whoopsie!"
The two Shijin Warriors watched as the air rippled and sparked, revealing the ninja they'd been pursuing in all her black-cloaked, white-masked glory.
"My Raioukan trap missed!" the ninja whined childishly as she stomped her foot. "Ooooh… I knew I shoulda used more tags!"
Dulcy looked on in confusion, unsure of what to make of their adversary's attitude.
"But that's okay! That means I can finish both of you off myself! Doesn't that sound like fun!?"
-X-
Meanwhile…
In another part of the village, Cinder and Bunker stood close together, searching for the angry-masked ninja. The rain had picked up considerably, the sky above them thick with dark storm clouds everywhere they went. The villagers had shut down their stalls and returned home. This was good, as it meant they were less likely to be caught in the inevitable clash, but it gave the town an eerie, barren air about it; a feeling not helped in the slightest by…
KRAKOOOOOM!
"Kyaaaaaaaa!"
"Goodness!" Bunker clutched her chest, letting out a harsh sigh. "[By the Ancients]… I felt my heart stop for a second there."
A foul scent filled Bunker's nostrils. The smell of smoke and burning fabric. Looking down, she saw Cinder clinging to her tightly; face buried in her robe, her eyes slammed shut, and her body glowing with heat.
"Cinder…" Bunker called out, giving her pupil several gentle, but urgent nudges. "Cinder, your qi!"
Cinder's eyes shot open. As soon as she saw what she was doing, she stepped back, her aura swiftly dying down.
"Sensei…" Cinder let out. "Wh-What…?"
"You were startled by the lightning and lost control of your powers," Bunker explained. "You nearly set my robe ablaze."
It was then that Cinder noticed the damage she'd done. The damage was minuscule, just a few small holes and some singe marks; but to Cinder…
"Eek! I'm so sorry!" she cried out.
"It's alright, dear, accidents happen."
"But… I'm a Shijin Warrior," Cinder said. "I'm not supposed to get scared of thunder like a little kid."
"Now, now," Bunker soothed. "Even Shijin Warriors can get scared of things too, dear. I used to be scared of thunder too when I was your age. Heck, I'm still scared of thunder." She let out a comical yelp as another boom of thunder echoed through the village, followed by a hearty chuckle. "See? The important thing is that you can face your fears, even when you're afraid."
Cinder smiled. "Arigatou, Sensei." She turned ahead, pointing ahead with renewed courage. "Now, let's go catch that bad ninja!"
"If we can catch her," Bunker thought to herself as they resumed their search. "Whoever this ninja is, she's skilled. Even my own qi sense can barely perceive her. What's more, she hasn't even attempted to strike again, despite having ample opportunity to do so." She scowled, racking her brain for some kind of answer. "Just what is going on here?"
"Sensei!" Bunker was pulled out of her thoughts by Cinder pointing off to another part of the village. "Over here, we haven't been this way yet."
"Hmmm… that we haven't," Bunker mused. "Good eye, Cind-!"
Before Bunker could finish, her leaf umbrella collapsed, drenching her and Cinder in the rain, which was now practically pouring.
"Ó, tài bàngle…" Bunker cursed.
"Awwww… my uniform!" Cinder whined. "Stupid rain…"
"Indeed…" Bunker shook her head. "Seems Mother Nature wants to pick a fight with us as…well…"
Bunker paused, her eyes darting about as she searched the village. From where they came…to where they were going.
"Sensei? What's wrong?"
"Cinder, are you sure we haven't gone that way?" Bunker pointed toward the section of the village they were heading for.
Cinder nodded. "Uh-huh! I'm 100% sure!"
"And it's been raining the entire time we've been searching? Everywhere we've been?"
"Yeeeeah…?" Cinder regarded her sensei worriedly.
"So, the whole village should be soaking wet, right?"
Cinder nodded again. "That's what happens when it rains."
Bunker nodded. "So, why is that section of the village completely dry?"
Cinder gasped, her head turning toward the part of the village they'd yet to explore. Sure enough, the rain hadn't even touched it.
"But…how?" Cinder asked.
"Cinder, stay close to me and ready your qi sense," Bunker commanded.
"H-Hai!"
Bunker and Cinder closed their eyes and began taking deep, slow, even breaths. They repeated this process for several seconds, their minds' eyes opening up to the hidden spirit of the world: the world of qi. They could feel the energy all around them. From the grass and soil beneath their feet. From the trees and rivers surrounding the village. From the villagers hiding away in their houses. From every drop of rain beating down against them. And from the very clouds above.
"The clouds!" Bunker shouted.
"Sensei!? Look!"
Cinder pointed upward, prompting Bunker to follow her finger.
"Great Gaia…"
At that moment, everything clicked. A large vortex of clouds had appeared in the sky directly above the two Freedom Fighters. A vortex that had been slowly building up for the past several minutes, pulling in all the qi around and forcing it down as a rainstorm. The more qi it'd been gathering, the bigger and harder it rained, and all in one spot: theirs. But that wasn't what caught Bunker's attention. She was looking at something else: a light. A light that was rapidly flashing in the center of the maelstrom.
Another thunderclap roared through the sky, this one louder than all the others…
-X-
Meanwhile…
Lara and Wynmacher watched as several, massive bolts of lightning crashed down from the dark clouds amidst the rain. Rain that poured down from three patches of storm that had formed over the city.
"Dear Aurora…" Lara whispered fearful for the safety of her daughter and her friends.
"So, this is the power of qi arts." Wyn swallowed nervously. "Fascinating. Terrifying… but fascinating."
"To control the weather as if it were nothing... How could Kathryn have gotten mixed up in something like this?"
"Such is the life she leads, Lara," Wyn replied. "She chose the path of the warrior. A path wrought with hardship and enemies."
Lara shook her head. "Still... she is a child. She shouldn't have to do this."
"No, she should not. But, life does not always go how we hope or wish it." Wyn clutched Lara's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Something we are both familiar with."
"I know..." Lara sighed, looking out into the storm. "I'm just worried is all."
A short, but bright flash emanated from the forest outside the village.
"Seems you are not the only one," Wyn pointed out. "Despite her words, Kathryn fears for her friends' safety."
"Poor thing…" Lara looked out to the forest, then toward the sky, offering Aurora a silent prayer for everyone's safety and… "Wait…"
"What is it, Lara?"
"Those clouds…" Lara pointed out toward a patch of clouds close to the woods. "It's raining over the forest."
Wyn followed Lara's finger, squinting his eyes. It took him a few seconds, but sure enough…
"You're right..." Wyn replied. "But, I thought the storms were made by the ninja?"
"So why is there a fourth storm?"
Just then, Wyn and Lara stiffened; their eyes as wide as dinner plates.
"Because there's a fourth ninja!"
"Kathryn..."
-X-
Meanwhile…
Kat grimaced worriedly as the storm raged outside, her hands practically strangling the grip on her bat. Even under the cover of her rooty hideout, she was already soaked to the bone. She tried to focus on her qi, circulating it through her body to try and stay warm. However, as irritating as the cold and noise was, that's all it was. The true source of her worry was something far more personal…
"They're fine…" Kat told herself, her voice shaking slightly from the cold and stress. "They're going to be fine. Knux, Locke, and Wyn are Guardians. Mom's somewhere safe by now. Julie-Su used to be a Dark Legionnaire. Shizun's one of the strongest fighters and qi-users in Chun-nan. Jian's an ex-assassin. Cinder can blow things up. And Dulcy's a freaking dragon… This isn't… like before…"
Her phoenix tattoo began to give off a soft, orange glow, which prompted her to hug it tight to her chest. She turned into the dirt wall of her hideout, trying to stifle the light.
"Thank you for trying to comfort me, but now is not the time for a light show…"
She looked out from the gap in the roots, checking to make sure nobody saw her.
"Okay, good…" she sighed, confirming she was in the clear. "Now please stop glowing. I cannot afford to be caught."
"Too late."
Kat's blood ran as cold as the rainy afternoon air. She dove through the roots as a sword sliced through them like they were butter. She ended up landing in a shallow pool of water that had gathered in the valley, quickly scrambling to her feet as she readied her bat. Her opponent turned to her face, revealing the final masked ninja. This one's face covering bore a serene expression, accented with green.
"Wang Kaitian…" the ninja said, her voice calm and devoid of emotion. "Kathryn Winters. Wild Kat of the Freedom Fighters… I've finally found you."
Author's Note:
Well, things have certainly taken a dramatic turn. Who are these mystery ninjas? Why are they after Kat? Will the Echidnas survive this? You'll have to wait until next time!
Don't forget to R&R.