by Tiffiny Hall
Mum sits up and hangs her head again. She is enveloped in something that I’ve never seen on her before — shame. I worry about the Emishi ninja clan. I know that Mum used to work for them as an assassin.
‘Who’s my father?’ I ask.
She lifts her head. There are pearly tears poised like divers on the rims of her eyes. ‘Cat, I promise I will tell you. But right now, you have to figure out how to steal the Serpent Sword from your sister.’ She reaches over and kisses me on the forehead.
‘But how?’
‘Ask Jackson. He’ll know where all the young samurai are hanging out these days. He’ll be more help to you than I am. Get the sword out of her hand, then we’ll deal with how we’re going to hide a samurai on ninja turf.’
I can’t move. After being hit by all this information, I feel beaten. It’s too much to take in.
Mum squeezes my hand. ‘But first, how about some Hulk juice?’
‘Today I’ll definitely need it,’ I say.
Chantell runs towards me. It must be important because she would never approach a Gate Two unless it was an emergency. Her hair is static with hysteria.
‘Where’s Lecky? Is she coming? She’s been off Facebook for hours! Is she having a hair crisis?’ she babbles. ‘I have no one to walk through Gate One with. I’ve never walked in on my own. This is cray-cray!’
‘Do you mean crazy?’ I ask, puzzled.
‘It’s Lecky lingo, girl. Get with the program,’ she snipes.
I spot Jackson striding in my direction. The knots in my stomach loosen. His blazer sleeves are rolled up and his tie is loose around his neck. He wears sneakers with his school uniform, but he won’t get in trouble for it. There’s something so gentle and polite about him that the teachers can never bring themselves to tell him off. But today I sense urgency.
‘Hey, Rox. Good to see you home,’ he says. ‘We need to go.’
‘Go where?’ Chantell asks. ‘Actually, I don’t care what wave you’re surfing. Lecky is MIA and I have no one to walk through Gate One with.’ Her voice is so high-pitched it makes blood sing in my ears.
Jackson slides his eyes towards Chantell. ‘Cool story,’ he says. ‘Needs more dragons.’
Chantell blushes. ‘Don’t you even care that she’s missing?’ she asks, her voice cracking.
Care? It’s all I care about, but I have to act cool, otherwise the samurai at school will get suspicious and the last thing I need is more samurai interference.
‘Rox, we need to leave. Now.’ Jackson takes my hand, which tingles at his touch.
‘Where do you think you’re going?’ Chantell purses her lips and assumes the teapot position — hand on hip, shoulders back, chin up.
‘To get Lecky,’ he says.
‘You know where she is?’ I ask, the bright sun shooting into my eyes in fierce-coloured shards.
Jackson nods, then leans close and whispers, ‘They’re everywhere. We have to get moving. Now.’ I follow his gaze towards Gate One where a clan of kids walks through. They have the tall, muscular build and stony eyes of the samurai. Jackson makes the peace sign with both hands, then holds two fingers around each eye, imitating the ninja hood.
‘What’s that mean?’ Chantell asks.
It means it’s ninja time, but I don’t tell her that. Chantell gives up and wanders back to her Gate One sanctuary.
As I turn away with Jackson, I see Cinnamon crossing the road to school. Her kitten, Rescue, walks beside her on a blue leash. I wave at her and she waves back, confused to see us heading in the opposite direction to Gate Two. I make a phone sign with my hand and hold it up to my ear. ‘I’ll call you later!’ I yell across at her and she waves again.
Jackson leads me through the wide boulevards of Lanternwood. I know it’s wrong to skip school, but finding Lecky is essential and worth any punishment Sergeant Major can dish out.
Thoughts pound the pavement as I run. I think of Mum falling in love with the enemy and having a baby. She sacrificed her clan, her family and her dojo, all for love. I’ve never seen her so vulnerable as when she was sitting in her black kimono on my bed. She must really believe in me to allow me to go with Jackson to find Elecktra on my own. The mystery of our fathers is overwhelming. I touch my cold cheek and remember the smudge of Elecktra’s tears as she hugged me, so confused about her powers. We’ll be sisters forever. But now we’ll also be enemies forever. It’s too painful to think about and I try to concentrate on keeping up with Jackson.
These are the streets on which I’ve followed Lecky to school, day after day; the streets we’ve bickered on, laughed through and defended ourselves against Mum’s surprise self-defence lessons. The streets map Elecktra’s and my relationship; our growing up together. I swallow a spike in my throat as I think about Lecky. Her stupid costumes and outfits, her silly boy-crushes I can’t keep up with, ridiculous situations she’s put me in like her acting audition with the tyre salesman. Then a thought reins me to a stop. What if Lecky never returns? What if the sword has stolen my sister? I’ll be lonely forever and nothing, not a single step, street or corner, will ever be the same again. I try to talk to Jackson, but he hushes me. He is focused on reaching the cover of the bush before anyone sees us.
We arrive at the bush through a short cut out of town. The trees are ghostly white, licked in shadow and streaks of silver. The lanterns hang high in the trees like fairy lights. They switch on at night to illuminate the boundary of Lanternwood. Anything beyond the limits of the lanterns is outside the protection of the Warrior Peace Code. I tremble at the thought. We are moving into samurai territory where we will no longer be guaranteed safety.
‘Are we going to Samurai Falls? Is that where Elecktra is?’ I ask.
‘Yes,’ Jackson answers. ‘The samurai claimed the Falls as their turf years ago. But we’re not just going to — we’re going in.’
My veins turn to ice. ‘We’re walking into our enemy’s lair to demand the return of my sister? What if she doesn’t want to come?’ My mind flashes to Lecky, her red hair slicing the wind, her flaming sword thrashing the night. I have to remind myself that’s not my sister.
‘Dunno. She will.’ Something in the simple conviction of his answer comforts me.
We duck behind the trees to change into our ninja suits, then hide our backpacks. We arm ourselves with nunchucks, stars and swords, then click on our utility belts holding water, food, rope, compasses and darts. We are well prepared, thanks to Jackson.
‘Stay close,’ he says, stepping outside of Lanternwood’s boundary.
I walk close enough to smell his scent — fresh laundry and pasta sauce. He stops abruptly and I crash into him.
He looks down at me, our faces almost touching. ‘Not that close.’ He smiles, then his eyes cloud and lose their light. He is tense and alert.
‘Are we there yet?’ I joke.
He smiles again, visibly relaxing. ‘Could take all day.’
‘Is that all,’ I say, but hope I can keep up. I take a slow sip of water, then swallow my fear. Be strong, I tell myself. I definitely don’t want to show weakness in front of Jackson.
We hike up rocks, our feet nimble in our ninja shoes. Jackson grips the rocks effortlessly with tarantula limbs. I climb easily too and we move up the hill swiftly like two eagles swooping along a cliff face. The bush has an eerie stillness like the school yard on Sundays. Under any other circumstance, it would be so beautiful to be running through the bush with Jackson. I would pack a picnic and we could spend the day chasing our ninja stars through the trees, practising our balance on branches and chopping wood with our hands. Ninjas make the best lumberjacks.
We reach the top of the hill and approach a deserted wall of stone, half-built and abandoned. Jackson speeds through a tiny opening that looks like a miniature doorway and I follow. On the other side of the wall the bush is denser. Branches swipe at my face as we race through it. In our haste, I nearly squash a lizard basking in the sun.
Jackson stops suddenly and
I crash into him a second time — I do admit a little on purpose. His back is hunched like a wild animal. The hair rises on the back of my neck. Jackson whips his head to the side and closes his eyes. I watch his brows pinch.
‘What?’ I ask.
‘We’re being followed,’ he whispers.
My heart stops. Every muscle in my body constricts. We spin around into a fighting stance. My fingers brush the comforting steel of my orchid ninja star.
Through the ivory tree trunks I see a black shadow flicker. Jackson steps in front of me and raises a protective arm. I brush it away. I’m the White Warrior. I’ll be the protector. Then that weed of fear sprouts where confidence should grow. What if my powers are not enough?
My mind scrambles back to the bush as I see another flash of shadow. Jackson tenses and it’s as if he transforms into a cactus: his body prickles, everything is hyper aware. Lowering my chin, I think of all the times Mum would surprise us with a mock fight on the way to school. We would have to defend ourselves and Elecktra was always so good at it. Another dark flash.
‘Are there panthers in the bush?’ I ask quietly.
‘Who’s there?’ Jackson calls.
Silence wisps through the trees again. The sun throws daggers of light that splinter off tree bark and into our eyes. For a moment I’m blinded, then there’s a whoosh and a silver bird flies towards us. Jackson and I duck. The bird smashes into the tree trunk behind where our heads were. We spin around. It’s not a bird, but a ninja star. I rip it out of the tree. There is an ‘E’ in the centre of the blades.
‘Emishi,’ Jackson says, looking around. ‘Yep, this is definitely Emishi. The most powerful ninja clan in the world.’
I crouch beside him and whisper, ‘Why are they attacking us?’
‘They’re not,’ he says. ‘They’re sending us a message.’
We see the black shadow flash again, but at a safe distance, then disappear behind a tree.
‘Let’s go,’ Jackson says. We stand cautiously. Nothing happens. Jackson turns around and speeds off. I wait, peering into the trees. The black shadow flickers again, this time closer. I turn and follow Jackson.
‘Hey, what message?’ I call after him.
‘Protection. The Emishi ninja is here for your protection. Aren’t you the White Warrior?’ he calls over his shoulder.
Suddenly it hits me. I’m the ninja security blanket. I’ve been so consumed by the effect of Elecktra’s powers I’ve forgotten about my own. I’ve not only the responsibility to protect my family but all ninja clans. The weight of the realisation chokes me. I cough.
I try to keep close to Jackson, stepping quickly in the shadows of his footsteps. My breath pants hot in my hood, my toes connect with every rock under my feet. The bush fades to swampy purple as the afternoon descends. Every now and then I hear the Emishi ninja behind us, keeping guard, and it makes me smile.
I’ve heard Samurai Falls is built on a rare piece of jade rock and that when the sun sets, the water glows green. I hope we make it in time for sunset. I start to daydream, remembering a sunset a few years ago when I stayed back at school with Cinnamon to celebrate International Left-handers’ Day. We ran a left-handed egg-and-spoon race, then competed in a left-handed tug-of-war. Cinnamon and I are both right-handed, but we wanted to offer our support, and with free Slurpees being handed out and a chance to win a Doll’s Dream House in the raffle, we couldn’t resist attending. We didn’t even care that all the dolls only had left arms. The sun was setting by the time we finished, and Cim and I sat on the playground swings and watched the sky flush pink, then streak with opal. The sliding colours are the best kind of magic I know. I’m so glad we have a kaleidoscope sky and not the green moon of the Cemetery of Warriors. Those warriors are missing out big-time.
A blood-curdling scream from behind us splits apart my thoughts. Instinctively Jackson and I turn and rush towards the sound. We run so fast Jackson trips over and I overtake him. He is by my side in a flash and we slip between the skeletal trees. I see something red glitter in the distance. The flash of colour stops my heart. Lecky? As we run closer, I see the red hair more clearly. Has Lecky had a perm?
Jackson and I skid to a stop when we see Cinnamon peering at the ground, her cheeks cupped in her hands. In front of her is the Emishi ninja, lying on his back, an abandoned sword nearby. I run to the ninja’s side and lift his head onto my knees. His eyes are closed. I pull down his hood to reveal his mouth and blood trickles along his nose. I bend my face to his.
‘Still breathing, he’s only been knocked out,’ I say, looking up at Jackson. ‘He’ll come to.’
Jackson pulls off his ninja hood and crouches beside me. He studies the sword’s red leather handle. ‘Samurai,’ he says.
‘Great, our protector is hurt. What hope do we have?’ I panic. ‘The samurai will be waiting for us.’
Jackson shakes his head. For the first time he seems uncertain.
‘What are you doing here?’ I ask Cinnamon, turning to face her. She stands in her navy school blazer, her choir badge gleaming, and stares at me with clear blue eyes. I realise I’m waiting for her to cry, but she doesn’t. She has that same determined look that she had the day she threw out all her lollies in French class.
‘Elecktra is like a sister to me too. We’ve sort of grown up together. So if she’s in trouble, I want to help. And … I also wanted to be brave,’ she admits. ‘Like you.’
‘You could have got yourself killed!’ Jackson says. ‘There’s a real difference between brave and crazy.’
Cinnamon flinches. ‘I’m sorry, Jackson,’ she whispers.
‘Hey, don’t apologise to him,’ I say. Jackson stares at me, surprised; I ignore him. ‘You are already brave — eating healthily, adopting stray animals, taking up and loving sport, dealing with Gate Two,’ I remind her. Cinnamon smiles.
Jackson begins to pace. ‘So did you see the samurai?’
‘He was too quick and I was behind the bushes,’ she says.
‘It’s too late to turn back and take you home. I can’t protect both of you,’ Jackson says. It’s the first time I’ve ever heard him be gruff.
‘You don’t have to,’ I say and stand up to put a hand on his shoulder. He simmers down at my touch and smiles at me weakly.
‘Where are you going?’ Cinnamon asks.
Jackson seizes the samurai sword and slides it into the back of his black belt. ‘Samurai Falls,’ he says.
‘But that’s where Hero will be.’ Cinnamon freaks out at the mention of her tormentor’s name. I can tell she is rethinking her quest for bravery. Maybe fighting samurai is a bit of a leap — perhaps she should begin with telling the teacher she is being bullied. But then she pulls back her shoulders, raises her chin and clenches her fists tight. I remember what Mum said when we made Ninja Meringues: ‘You’re terrified of the person your new powers force you to become.’ I hope that I’m becoming that person now, and using my courage too, like Cinnamon.
Jackson and I gently drag the Emishi ninja into the bushes, where he will be safe until we can find Lecky and get some help.
‘So what should we do?’ I ask, nodding towards Cinnamon.
‘Hide her,’ Jackson says. ‘She’ll be safe.’ Safe enough, I hope.
I take out one of my silver orchid ninja stars and hand it to Cinnamon. She accepts it delicately like a precious jewel.
‘If you see anyone in red, throw the star. Red is the enemy,’ I tell her.
Cinnamon crouches down in the bushes and clutches the star beneath her chin.
‘We’ll be back when this is all over,’ Jackson says.
She nods. ‘Be careful.’
I can’t believe I’m about to walk into trouble. Again! But Lecky is my sister. Sister blood runs deeper than bad blood, doesn’t it?
THIRTEEN
When we arrive at a thick wall of trees, the sun slowly slips out of the sky, a pink coin gliding through gold fingers. We thread ourselves through the trunks like a black wind.
A waterfall explodes in my ears, thunderous and a bit ghost-like, with echoes that whisper all around. The water smells like earth and mists into the air with the aroma of rain falling onto hot stones. I follow Jackson through the thick shrubbery. I’m excited we’ve made it just in time for sunset.
We stop in front of a fence of branches. Jackson’s eyes smile at me, then he reaches forwards and peels back some of the branches slowly. Instantly our faces light in an emerald glow that blooms from the gap in the trees. Before us powers the largest waterfall I’ve ever seen. Neon green water rushes over cliffs of jade rock and pools in peacock eddies and swirls below. The colour of the water is amazing; I’ve never seen so many shades of blue and green. Water blasts over the cliffs in a powerful stream, but there is also a second column of water rising beside it. This waterfall has a current running in the opposite direction, up to the sky, as if it is being called by the clouds that are low and hungry, feeding from it. I’ve never seen a waterfall run backwards before. But anything is possible outside of Lanternwood.
‘Brilliant, isn’t it?’ Jackson says. We turn to face each other. There is a soft heat flowing from him. His eyes are the same colour as the water; they call me in. I can’t resist any longer. I lean closer. I feel the air between us squash and suddenly our chins are almost touching. I look up into his eyes, brimming with green rapids. He gently pulls down my ninja hood to reveal my lips. I reach up and pull down his ninja hood to expose his mouth. Then I close my eyes, lean in and we kiss. He holds my lips for a moment, drawing the breath out of me. I feel like the water diving over those cliffs, the crashing currents, the hungry clouds. Jackson lingers, then pulls his lips away and rests his forehead against mine.
‘Just in case something happens,’ he says.
I smile. If I die today, I’ll die happy.
Samurai Falls has guards either side of the waterfall and sentries hidden among the cliffs. They are all armed with swords. There is a gong next to the samurai on the right of the waterfall. I hope it won’t be beaten as we’ll be in big trouble then.