A/n: Damn, it took me so long for this chapter. Anyway, hi, hello.
Life update: Classmates and co had us be prepared for Speech Fest, an event in school that stresses so many people. Like, this is one of the top three biggest performances in my school. Anyway, we got assigned to shadow dancing and I literally had multiple breakdowns because of those late-night meetings in school because I could not take being up on the mountain for too long without my bed. Also got overstimulation at one point. That was fun. We did not win, but we were a close pick. We were supposed to win.
Anyway, updates on the book, well, I'm trying to muster up the courage to do something. And like, I wanna change the cover but I don't really want to since there's this person who copied the cover I edited so now, I'm just putting it on for spite. I don't like having the same cover as others so that's why I usually have them custom-made.
Published: July 29, 2020
Edited: March 16, 2020
Danny's POV
"I told you it had poison!"
"It didn't have poison! The Midnight lady just had great timing!"
"Pretty sure it was because the cookies had poison."
Jake and Randy were going at it again and aside from the purple and green painted over my body, they're both giving me a headache.
"Can you both shut up?!" Nigel yelled, hitting Jake on the back of his head before he pulled the boy back so he could continue healing him. "Both of you are supposed to be teammates but you're bickering like bloody children," he scolded in his posh accent.
"Isn't your favorite hobby bickering like children?" Jake retorted, mocking his accent as he repeated what he said.
Nigel glared down at the shapeshifter and then pulled at his hair, making the shorter boy yelp. "Do not mock me, Long. I can make you feel excruciating pain the same way I can heal you."
Despite Nigel's hand, Jake pushed his face in front of Nigel and grinned maliciously, "If you're asking for a date, I would gladly accept, Thrall."
I exchanged glances with the others then we turned back to the two. We have no idea if those two were friends, rivals, or lovers. They acted nice to each other yesterday and the next, they're clawing at each other's throat. Then, they get up on each other's faces like this as if they were moments apart from making out. It was uncomfortably funny to watch. Finally, Howard spoke, "Is it just me or is there intense sexual tension between these two?"
Hilariously, both boys pushed each other away, and with flushed faces, they both began to sputter denials and excuses.
"We're not–!"
"He's not–!"
"I would never–!"
"But he's–!"
"All of you, quiet!" Nomi shouted from atop the stairs. The room grew silent at his command and we waited in silence as his feet descended the stairs until his face was visible under the shadow cast from the second floor's walls, then he scanned the room and each of our states. He came from above from Jake's guest room where Sun lay bedridden, returning to his casual outfit. Nomi didn't have the full capacity of the ninja, but he at least knew the Art of Healing which Sun desperately needed considering the beating she had gotten from the new villain. But even with the Art of Healing, Sun's body was healing slowly.
Nomi sighed as he stepped down the stairs and joined us downstairs. "What kind of attitude is this?" He asked but no one answered. He continued, "This is the attitude of children. A characteristic unbefitting of the prophesized ones meant to hold the gems. Guardians of keys, everybody!" I winced when I heard the heavy sarcasm dripping on his last sentence as he stared at the three of us in contempt. Guilt and shame twisted in my abdomen and I could do little to quell it. He crossed his arms and said, "From now on, you three are going to train under me. We'll align your schedules and try to get stronger." That doesn't sound so bad with the additional training Vlad gives me.
"But what if the art of the ninja isn't enough?" Howard asked and I and the others began mumbling in agreement.
"Then, we're going to find more mentors capable of overpowering this great evil," Nomi said with strong conviction. "And if that isn't enough, we have to actively look for the gems."
"I already have mine," Jake reminded, "We just have to look for the rest of yours."
"Can't we track them somehow?" Randy asked.
We all turned to Nomi and the mentor sighed. "Unfortunately, I couldn't help you with this. I have no tools for you to use to track down the gems."
"Then, we'll have to look for them the old-fashioned way!" Jake said with certainty. "I found mine on the first week of school. I'm sure it will turn up eventually."
"That would be the best possibility," Nomi nodded. He hummed and then voiced, "There is also a chance that the gems are not here in Norrisville. They could be somewhere else entirely."
"We have to go on a field trip or something?" Howard asked.
"Most likely," Nomi nodded. "But before that," he snapped his fingers and smoke enveloped his body. His ninja garbs fit him gracefully and his eyes were filled with determination when he said, "I have to scour the city. You may join me at night but you must attend your classes during the day."
"Boo," Howard mumbled as he leaned back.
Randy looked Nomi up and down with worried eyes, but I guess he was unable to voice his thoughts as he turned away from his master. Nomi gave one last lookover at all of us, nodding, then disappeared with black smoke out of the door.
Once he was gone, Randy shifted uncomfortably in his seat and muttered, "I thought we freed him."
I placed a hand on his shoulder to try and comfort my friend. I knew what he was talking about. In the summer when we met, he asked for my help in freeing Nomi from the Nomicon. We thought we did it but then Nomi revealed his powers the way he did during the fight. I just hoped that Randy wouldn't blame himself for not being able to free Nomi completely.
Nigel pushed Jake away from him and then stood up. "I'm going to check on Sun," he excused himself and made haste upstairs.
It still bewilders me how Sun was important to all of this. I thought she was just an ordinary girl. But I guess that was how we all looked on the outside.
But whatever will come after this fight, I hope that we can brave through it together.
____
Randy's POV
I groaned as I cracked my back from the harsh training Nomi put us in. It was a week after the fight with the villain and at first, I was excited at the prospect of becoming more powerful but the training Nomi put us through was ridiculously straining. And seeing another poster of Battle of the Bands made Howard excited to the point he was pushing for us to start practicing.
"Everyone will know the name of the 'Secret Trio'!" Howard told us this morning.
"Isn't that the opposite of what we're supposed to be?" Jake chuckled and I couldn't help but laugh with him. Jake may be a pain in the ass most of the time considering our clashing personalities but I appreciate the times when we see eye-to-eye (even though I have to bend to see it hehe).
Anyway, right now, I'm in my locker, getting my things as school was letting out. I had to do something before meeting up with the others later for a group outing. We all had a hard week so Danny suggested to have us have a group hangout to try and de-stress. As much as Nomi protested, I was able to beg him to let us skip training this one day so we could all hang out. He relented and I'm excited for our day out!
As soon as I got my bags packed, I closed my locker and turned, but I did not expect to face Luna. "GAH–" My hand slipped and I almost let my bag go but I scrambled and caught it in my arms just in time. I smiled awkwardly at my crush and said, "Luna! Heeeeey... What's up?"
Luna smiled at me and said, "Well, I wanted to know if you're free today. I thought it pleasant to have a... What do they call it? A date? Yes! A date this wonderful afternoon." My heart leaped out of my chest once she said that. Luna? Wants to have a date with me? OH, CHEESE! I feel like I'm dreaming!"
I was about to say yes but then I remembered that i had a hangout with the guys. I winced when both schedules clashed. I really really wanted to go with Luna. Just her and me and wherever place time takes us! What a dream it would be to just be beside her all afternoon. But I can't let down my friends by ditching. Besides, we're supposed to go someplace cool today.
"I'm sorry, Luna," she said, and by the sound of my voice, her smile instantly fell and it broke my heart to disappoint her. "I can't go on a date with you today. But, maybe, you could come with us?"
"With you?"
___
"Why is she coming with us?" Jake growled the moment I brought Luna to the door. I stepped in front of her, protecting her in front of Jake just in case he would attack the girl. I know Jake won't but one can never know.
Howard glared at me behind Jake and said, "Yeah. That's a good question. Why is she with us?"
I glared back at Howard and sighed. This was their idea of having Luna being integrated into the group. Why were they being so hostile to a person that was supposed to be on our side? I replied, "Well, I invited her."
"Dude!" Jake yelled. "This was supposed to be a boy's night! And you know what that means?"
"No girls, Cunningham," Howard huffed. Jake and Howard glanced at each other before doing a small fist bump. It annoys me how they're both ganging up on me.
I rolled my eyes and glared at them both before I reasoned out, "C'mon, guys. Just this once. Luna's a nice girl and this would be a great opportunity to get to know her." I mouthed to them, 'Remember the plan.'
Jake signaled to me obnoxiously, 'I thought we agreed to cancel it.'
I signed back. 'No, we didn't.'
Howard signed back, 'Whatever way, inviting her is not bruce.'
"Okay, can you three stop it?" Danny said, glaring tiredly at the two groups. "This is stupid." He turned to me and pointed at her. "Randy, you cannot just invite anyone you want on our outings. This was supposed to be a night for us, not just for you." I felt guilty when he put it that way. "As long as you don't bring another guest on our next trip, we're cool."
I sighed and rubbed the back of my hand. "Okay– Wait." I turned to Danny and hope began to slowly rise within me. "Does that mean I can take Luna?"
Danny gave a nod and that was all the confirmation I needed.
"WHAT?!" Jake and Howard protested.
"YES!" I cheered happily and Luna smiled beside me, although I knew she was a little confused with the conversation. "Hold on, I need to get something upstairs." I glanced at Luna one more time before I dashed upstairs, remembering I left my watch there.
__
Danny's POV
I was unsure of my decision. I could believe Jake's suspicions of Luna being some sort of supernatural being that came to meddle with our affairs, but I also didn't want to upset Randy again. Besides, if Luna was to be trusted, then this could be a chance to prove that she could.
Jake glared at her and Luna glared back to match his hostility. Jake pointed at her and said, "You may have Randy fooled, but you can't fool us, whatever you are."
Luna sneered at the gesture and turned away with a posh scoff. "Have you been taught no manners? Pointing at people is rather impolite," she said with her Asian accent similar to when Nomi got out of the book. Japanese? The way she structured her sentence reminded me of Vlad when he was still evil.
"Don't do that manner shit on me," Jake cursed as he marched towards Luna and met her eye to eye, being almost the same height as her. "What are you after, Luna? If that is even your real name."
It was quiet and Howard and I watched the interaction. We shared a look and then I sighed. I followed after Jake and tried to pull him away from Luna before he flinched back away from the girl.
"What the–"
"Guys, I'm back!" Randy said as he ran down the stairs, almost tripping on his shoelaces.
He looked at the scene in front of him and it unsettled me to see him glare at Jake. Did he think Jake did something to Luna? Seeing the scene, the rational person would say it would be the opposite. He folded his arms and said, "I hope you aren't making Luna uncomfortable, guys."
"Us? Make her uncomfortable?" Jake laughed and then pointed at Luna with a glare towards the girl.
I tried to cut in. "Jake–"
"She's the one making us uncomfortable!" Jake spat out and Luna glared at the young boy.
She took his finger and flicked it away from her. She said, "Do not point your finger at me, Long."
"Guys, please," I finally stepped in, looking back and forth at the two characters and then at Randy. I sighed and said, "Let's just... Let's just calm down for a bit, okay? It's a rarity for us to relax anymore, so, let's all just get along for this one time."
Jake and Lunar glared at each other for a moment before Luna turned her head with a preppy huff that somehow reminded me of when Vlad's cat was grumpy and Jake folded his arms as he looked the other way.
"Well, now that we got that settled," Howard stepped up beside me and then crossed his arms. "We'll need some ground rules."
He pointed at Lunar first and said, "You, missy, are to not do any weird stuff around us and Randy especially, alright? Or else we're going to leave you behind the dust, no matter what Randy says."
"Hey!" Randy yelled and he tried to defend Lunar but then Howard pointed at him.
"You, sir," Howard stressed, "You are to not put any of us down just because your pretty shiny gem is with us." He glared as Randy looked away, obviously guilty. Howard continued, "And, you are to have fun while keeping your guest in check. Understood?"
Howard didn't even give him time to answer as he went to Jake next. "You, especially, behave." Jake was about to protest but then Howard bonked him on the head. "Exactly what I meant." He huffed and then crossed his arms. "We know you don't like Luna. It's not rocket science. But Luna's Randy's friend and I don't want you fussing over how she stole your friend or anything. Don't provoke her, don't fight her, don't growl at her."
"What am I? Some dog?" Jake growled and once again, Howard bonked him.
Randy and I had to hide away our laughter at how ridiculous this scene was.
Howard turned around and clasped his hands with a smile. "Alright! Now that we all got that settled, let's go!"
Howard left first. Jake and Luna glared at each other before Randy took Luna's hand and guided her away from Jake. Once they were gone, Jake began to rant to me about how stuck-up of a person Luna is, how dare she intruded, and all the other things one would say when they rant about someone. I sighed as I followed the others to our first destination of the hangout. This would be a very long day.