The Missing Ninja {Completed}

Chapter Eight

Jade slid down the trunk of a tree by digging her fingernails into the bark, landing on one of the lower branches that wasn't completely on the ground yet. With a worried exhale of breath, she hooked her knees around the thin strip of wood and fell backwards, putting all trust in her legs, so she was upside down. Her hands reached behind her and slid the familiar pipe from her back, holding it in front of her face, "What are you?!" she screamed, frustrated, with only the calm sound of water from the river in response.

That is, until, there was the crunch of a branch, "Could it perhaps be a Techno-Blade?"

On instinct, Jade flipped from the branch and landed in a coiled crouch, the blade discarded by her feet. Without thinking, she flung up her hand, palm out and flat as if to hold off intruders, and something strange happened.

As her hand moved into the air, a wave from the river followed the movement and attempted to splash over her uninvited guest. The issue with that was, though, he put up his hands and the water fell around him, no drop getting on him, "Calm down, there! Didn't mean to scare you."

Frightened by the fact the river just tried to protect her from imminent danger, Jade fell back and scrambled backwards until her back hit a tree. She snarled feebly, although she was so freaked there was no energy to fight this blonde young man who posed no immediate threat, "I-uh... I..." her brain was fried.

He chuckled. Chuckled, brushed off his blue... Ninja Gi.... And sat beside her, "You look confused."

Jade gulped, "I-I am. Do... Do you have any idea what jusst happened?! I mean, I jusst-"

"Controlled water," he finished for her, but then he frowned, "You didn't know you could do that?"

She violently shook her head, "Uh-uh. Not until... Whatever I just did."

He smiled, showing off his gleaming pearly whites, "Instinct. You became frightened, and did what you did in an attempt to protect yourself from harm. It's how I found out my abilities as well," Jade shrugged in agreement, and then the strange boy looked around the woods, "So... If you don't mind me asking... Why are you in the woods, by yourself, screaming at a metal bar?"

Jade scowled and stood up, "You knew what that was, though. You said it yourself that it's a Techno-Blade. Tell me what a Techno-Blade is and why a team of Elemental Ninja are hunting them all. They're already in possession of four of them."

"Then why don't you go give them the fifth?" he asked, standing as well. He folded his arms behind his back and presumed to walking circles around Jade, looking her up and down, "Are you not one of them? Or are you un-mastered like us?"

"Uss?" Jade questioned, "There's only one of you, what do you mean uss?"

"Follow me," he nodded, reaching for her hand, only to have her violently pull back. He sent her a confused look.

"I don't know who you are, and you don't know who I am," she explained, voice shaking, "Shouldn't we learn the otherss' name before we go anywhere?"

He nodded, putting all his weight on his right leg as he shook some hair from his dark green eyes. Jade had to admit: he was very handsome, "Alright, you've got a point. I'm Lar," interesting name, "Your turn."

She couldn't help but smile a bit, "I'm Jade. Now we can go," before she went anywhere, Jade hopped over to where the un-opened Techno-Blade lay in the tall grass and scooped it up, sliding it into the holder on her back. Happily, she turned her brown and green stare on the boy: he didn't even flinch at her two different coloured eyes.

"Shall we?" he asked with a small grin as he grabbed Jade's hand and pulled her along.

*.*

"Okay, okay," Jade laughed, glee running through her system: it's been forever since she felt this light and cheerful, "Can you tell me now where you're taking me?"