The Fire Ninja

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Ellie Hanson liked to pretend she was just your average 20 something year old at college. The kind of girl who went out on Friday nights and partied only to repeat it on Saturday and wake with a killer hangover that made you promise 'never again' only to then repeat the cycle the next week. Every single time. And sure there were certain things about her which were normal for the average college student, she was always behind in her work no matter how hard she tried to stay on top of it, she was always at least one class behind. She left all her assignments until the last moment and had to spend hours working until very close to the deadline working on it. But then there was other things that wasn't so common for her.

Like the fact that her activities outside of college included attending a Ninja Academy she had been training in since she was a little girl. Or the fact that her, not so twin, twin sister also attended along with her other two friends. That most of her friendship group were actually all outside of college none of them having attended and all had jobs whilst she was in education. 

Or perhaps it was due to the fact that the Ninja Academy was super secret in terms of location. The only way her parents had agreed to it was because they were kept in the dark about many of its aspects. This academy did not exist on any maps, never attended any local competitions and there was no such thing as a belt system so the parents could never have to come to see their children pass a grade. 

But Ellie had come to love it more than anything else she did in her life. If college got too hard she would try to sneak into the academy for extra lessons. She supposed she was lucky that they could always accommodate her requests, even if that meant sometimes she had to do one to one sessions with her and Sensei Morai or even the son of the school's other Sensei, Cam Wantanabe. Law was her passion, Ellie wanted to specialise in family law helping children who were like she had once been, caught in the system. She wanted to help those in foster care be reunified with their parents when the time was right, she wanted to help children find their forever homes and legally ensure it would happen. But Ninja school would be forever something she cherished and would probably never give up. It had taught her discipline, respect and most importantly how to value herself. It helped her find herself when she wasn't sure who she was, helped her adjust to becoming Elizabeth Hanson, finding who this new person was. 

Therefore, on the day when her parents had basically begged Ellie to go with her sister to class for once, hoping that by Ellie going along also that her sister would stop being late to class so frequently, Ellie decided she might as well. Her college class finished at 2:15 plenty of time for her to head to class considering it started at 3:30 and was about 20 minutes outside of Blue Bay Harbour. Her sister had given her a meeting spot, the same one she usually met the rest of their friends at, and the time she was meant to meet them 3pm. This gave Ellie more than enough time to switch out of the business casual clothes she had to wear for the mock court case they had been running that morning and into something a little easier to pull off. 

At 2:50pm Ellie stood waiting for her sister to turn up. She was aware Tori had been at the beach for most of the day considering the forecast had been more than ideal for surfing. She didn't blame her sister for wanting to head out and catch the waves in the good weather whilst she had the chance. Though as she had been waiting there for 15 minutes and now her sister was late, Ellie was starting to feel a little anxious. She hadn't been late for a class for nearly a year now, her sessions with Sensei Morai were always started a little before the other students and therefore she normally took herself there earlier. But today she had been told to join the class with the rest of the other branches of students hence the ability to join her sister. If she was able to be on time like ever. 

Though the familiar roar of a camper van brought Ellie down from her rather anxious mood. Especially when said light blue, more aqua if you want to be technical, coloured camper van pulled up beside her. Inside was the familiar blonde head of her sister Tori who seemed a little stressed more than anything. 

"Can you ever be on time Victoria?" Ellie mumbled as she climbed into the camper van.

"I don't know Elizabeth will you ever get that stick out of your ass?" Tori responded back and the two sisters took a moment to look at each other and smile. They did not mean anything truly hurtful with their comments, never could Tori being only slightly older had been Ellie's protector from the moment they had been introduced at the age of 5. The only person who could insult Ellie and get away with it was Tori and vice versa. 

"How was class?" Tori thought they might as well bide the time considering their other two friends were late. 

"Professor Callaghan lead us today." Ellie shrugged hoping that it would be enough for Tori to understand just how her day went.

"The creep who's always trying to sleep with the first years?" Tori wasn't incorrect, Callaghan did try to get the younger years to give him sexual favours in order to get prestigious summer internships. Something Ellie would never approach, regardless of the person. 

"Yeah that one. He kept calling me Elle all day. I have never been called Elle or introduced myself as it." Ellie whined, it had taken her a while to get used to Ellie and Elle just wasn't cutting it for her. 

"He was just being a prick. You know that." Tori tried to comfort her sister but before the girls could talk any more on the subject the passenger side door was flung open again as another familiar face entered the camper van.

Shane Clark was one of those guys who still kept the jock attitude they developed whilst at high school. He was a nice guy, probably one of the nicest chad's you'll ever meet, but he peaked in high school. He had this air of arrogance still, that made you ponder just why he was friends with the Hanson sisters or Dustin Brooks considering they were all very different people. His on and off again girlfriend was named Chasity, she didn't really keep that nice Christian girl image for long, and they were currently off at the moment. All Ellie could hope was that he didn't spend most of his time whining about how much he missed her. 

"Boo, you miss me?" Were Shane's first words as he attempted to spook the two sisters. Though all he got in response was a laugh. Though he was also making them even later all Ellie could think was that they were still waiting on one person to turn up before they could even leave. 

"Where's Dustin?" Ellie asked the other two, not like she didn't already know most likely where he was, considering they normally travelled together she thought they might be more clued into why he wasn't here yet. Though as a yellow figure came running from over the green, Ellie's question was answered. 

"Last as usual." Tori commented as the same figure pulled open the back door to enter the camper van. The two bro's did their little handshake as Ellie quickly moved to the back seats. She had more than once seen the same handshake and knew what was coming next. And she didn't particularly want to get squashed. 

By the time Ellie had sat down in the back she was just lucky enough to not get kicked in the head as Dustin barrelled his way into the front seats. 

"How do you guys manage to be late every single time. I don't think I could manage it if I planned it." Tori posed her question to the two guys before making eye contact with her sister in the back. 

"That's because you're the reliable one." Shane explained as if it made complete sense. 

"What does that mean? The reliable one?" Tori bit back instantly not knowing if it was an insult or a compliment.

"In any group there are different kinds of people." Shane started on with the explanation and Ellie had a small inkling as to where this was going to go.

"Totally true, think about like... um the power rangers." Dustin supported his 'best bro' with this statement.

"Power rangers? You've gotta be joking." Tori chuckled as she spoke unbelieving what she was hearing. 

"Like okay, there's always like the mellow one the reflective dude." Dustin started his explanation following the many stories and comic books he had read about the elusive power rangers. Ellie knew way more than she thought she would about this group of superheroes considering it was one of the only things Dustin would talk about. 

"The risk taker, that guys supposed to be me." Shane turned the rear view mirror to face himself as he checked himself out in the tiny mirror. Before Tori snatched it back so she could see out of it properly. 

"Oh yeah right, and you Tori, you're just the logical one." Dustin continued his explanation proud that he had got the three in the front seat all sussed out.

"Hey what does that make me?" Ellie peeped up from the back seat feeling rather excluded from the conversation. 

"Lizbet, you. You're the mysterious sixth ranger who appears when really needed." Dustin responded without missing a beat.

"You guys have to lay off the comic books." Tori almost lectured the group as she continued on her drive to their location. 

The rest of the drive was pretty straight forward as they reached the location where they could leave Tori's camper van safely and embark on their adventure through the woods and to the waterfall which acted as a doorway to the academy. 

"This place always creeps me out." Dustin commented the moment they stepped foot into the forest.

"I heard that bro." Shane agreed

"You guys are so lame." Tori gestured as Ellie marched on ahead of the rest of the group already concerned that she was running behind. 

"Hurry up you guys we're already really like super late. Morai is gonna have my head. And it was a hair wash day." Ellie shouted back as she turned to look at the other three behind her. 

"As if you washed your hair today." Tori commented at her sister

"Yeah I was in the shower before you even woke up, some of us have lives you know." Ellie teased back.

"At least in mine I get to spend the whole day by the beach." Tori fired back as she raced to the front to be beside her sister. The two boys now trailing behind slowly. 

Upon reaching the clearing of the waterfall, Ellie was suddenly on edge. She wasn't sure as to why for a starters but considering just how quiet the surrounding area was, she was off put. It never was this quiet with students travelling in and out. She could even hear the sound of some of the woodland creatures which always greeted her. 

"It's quiet out here." Shane commented

"A little too quiet." Ellie added on as she turned to face her friends.

Suddenly something flew past her ear at a speed nothing should be zooming past. Ellie wasn't stupid though, she had keyed onto what was happening. They were going to be put through a trial. Probably the punishment for being late to class considering it had started nearly 15 minutes ago now. But before she could act, Ellie was pushed to the ground by two of the fast moving students travelling together at once. And as she stood back up onto her feet. The students appeared. There looked to be about a group of 15 to 20 of them at once all with the strange head covering and mask that meant Sensei Watanabe was running the session, Sensei Morai wasn't bothered about those parts of the uniform saying they always got in the way of her hair when she was a student and were more distracting than good. Though she looked at the other three students and shared a look. They had caught onto this being a test. And as she pulled away at her usual civilian clothes to reveal her ninja uniform underneath. 

It would appear the students were going to attack those from their own branch of the academy. Only Ellie wasn't sure who was going to come for her. Considering she was currently the only student studying the fire branch of the ninja academy there wasn't anyone else to come forwards against her. Now it wasn't like she was this highly ranking student and that was why she was chosen to join the fire ninja branch, it was more something that was offered due to her birth parents, a family right which meant they were able to harness the power of the fire ninja which allowed her to study. If not she had been informed she was likely to be in either the air or earth branch of the academy. Sensei Morai was the only still practising fire ninja from the academy left hence the two woman's close relationship. 

Though her thoughts about who was going to attack her was answered when she was approached by students of all three disciplines. Her first train of thought was to avoid the water that was near them, for she didn't want the water ninjas to have an advantage over her, a big one considering water easily beat fire. So as she engaged in hand to hand combat against the water and air ninjas trying to keep them occupied she lost sight of the earth ninjas. Though that didn't last for long considering she saw the little streams of dust flying which indicated the ninjas were coming at her through the ground. 

And as they appeared to join in the hand to hand combat, Ellie started to realise she was being overpowered. Considering there was at least 6 to 1 it wasn't very fair in the first place but she had one thing up her sleeve she could use. Following the pose series she had been taught Ellie summoned what she hoped would be enough fire to get them to stop even if it was for a moment. The fire she was able to produce was definitely not her best work, she was a little distracted at present knowing her friends were fighting around her, and not doing brilliantly from what she could hear, and considering she was still hung up on being late. It was enough to cause them to back away for the time being. That was until she was hosed down from top to bottom curtesy to one of the water ninjas. 

"That was so not cool." Ellie groaned before punching the one responsible in the face. It was what he deserved she swears. He asked for it. 

Slowly but surely as she fought Ellie was pushed backwards in the directions of her friends. The group, as she took a moment to briefly look at them, did not look like they were having any fun. Or doing very well at that exact moment in time. Therefore, considering she was, just like her sister, soaked but in the best position to carry on fighting Ellie took to standing in front of her friends. She wouldn't allow them to continue on if they needed a couple moments of rest. And as she stared down the group of ninja's Ellie could only wait on their next move. Though this would never come.

As two eagles flew into the woods and down in front of the two group Ellie let out a sigh. She was aware this was a test yes, but she hoped the two Sensei's would appear later on when they were doing a little better. After all it took a little bit of warming up to actually be successful in a fight and obviously her sister and her two friends needed a little longer to warm up still. That wasn't wrong but it wouldn't look that way to the two sensei's. 

Ellie could only watch on as the two birds transformed into the Sensei's. Sensei Watanabe always dressed a little odd and carried this strange looking staff. He looked about as disappointed as he always did when he looked at most of his students. In fact Ellie wasn't sure she had ever seen him look relatively impressed or proud of any student he trained, even his son. He went to approach the four first. As Sensei Morai stood at the back of the group she looked as mystical as always her long black hair pulled into an complicated but still elegant updo, her robes this beautiful scarlet red colour with gold embellishments down the side. And a stunning smile that never seemed to vacate her features. 

"Shane, Tori, Dustin and Ellie. I am disappointed in all of you. I will expect a visit from you so we can discuss your lack of commitment to your ninja training." Sensei Watanabe's voice always sounded like he knew more than you did, he probably did but that didn't mean it hurt less to hear. He then walked off in the distance of the waterfall before activating the portal that took you through to the other side and to the academy. 

"That wasn't so bad was it?" Dustin forever the optimist tried to speak up hoping that he would be able to raise the defeated moral of the group. 

Though as he got no response the other two main branches of ninja training headed on forwards to go and speak to the disgruntled Sensei. Though Ellie hung back. The Sensei she personally trained under had still yet to approach and it would appear that she would wait until the rest of the group had left before approaching. Once the three were gone, Ellie was indeed approached by Sensei Morai who had a towel in hand which she threw at the student. 

"That wasn't too bad Ellie-Bellie. Could have been a little less distracted might have meant you didn't get doused." Sensei Morai was soon stood right beside Ellie her arm going to drape over the student who's mainly black uniform other than the white piping made her stand out compared to the rest of the students. 

"I'm really sorry Sensei I didn't realise we would be that late." Ellie rushed to apologise still not over the fact that she was so late to class. 

"Oh Ellie I wasn't talking about you being late being your distraction. A certain long haired earth ninja is your biggest problem." And Ellie turned to gasp at her Sensei how had she worked that out?

"How did you?" Ellie didn't know how to finish her question.

"You really give much more away than you think you do. Come on let's get you dry. We've got some extra training to do if you intend to stay focused during a battle." Sensei Morai lead Ellie towards the waterfall where the portal opened and the two fire ninjas walked inside.