Rise of the Red Ninjas

by Rise of the Red Ninjas (retail) (epub)

  This whole ignoring thing might have something to it.

  Then the overhead speakers cackled.

  ‘This next song is dedicated to two very special students at Buchanan School.’

  My jaw dropped as I stared at the metal speaker on the ceiling.

  ‘Faith, this next on is for you from your very special someone …’ Oh …

  ‘Chase Cooper wants you to know you’ll live in his heart forever…’

  My …

  ‘No matter how old and gross the two of you get!’

  God…

  A slow jazz love song started playing. Obviously, someone else requested it, thinking it was funny.

  That was it. I was stuck in the corner of the skating rink. There was no way I was going to show my face now. I had water, and if I set up some traps, I could probably catch a few mice for food. I could live happily back there.

  Tales would be told of the creepy old dude who set up camp in the corner of the building. Parents would tell their children to behave or the skating rink man would find them and force them to drink gravy water from the fountain.

  ‘Chase?’ Zoe’s voice said.

  I didn’t answer.

  She rolled out from behind the lockers and pointed at one of the metal speakers on the ceiling where the music was coming from. ‘That’ll be hard to ignore.’

  ‘Who requested that song?’ I whispered, listening to the music.

  Zoe paused, folding her arms. ‘I saw Wyatt and Carlyle skating away from the DJ right before that announcement.’

  Something in me snapped. I skated past Zoe and flew out into the dining area of the skating rink. A few kids thought it would be funny to applaud me as I appeared.

  Scanning the room, I saw Wyatt and Carlyle off to the side, playing a game of air hockey. Pushing forward, I moved towards them.

  ‘Wait!’ Zoe shouted from behind me.

  I didn’t stop, but she caught up.

  ‘What’re you doing?’ she asked, stopping in front of me.

  ‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘But I think I’ll figure it out when I get there.’

  ‘You’re gonna start a fight, aren’t you?’ she asked, mad. ‘You know that’s what they want, right?’

  I didn’t answer, glaring across the room at my enemies.

  ‘Nothing would make the two of them happier than if you went over there throwing punches,’ Zoe said.

  ‘What am I supposed to do?’ I yelled. ‘Just ignore it?’

  ‘I know it’s tough, but yeah,’ Zoe said. ‘You could tell one of the teachers here.’

  I shook my head as I pushed her aside. ‘No. I’m not gonna tell on them. That’s just gonna make it worse.’

  Zoe slid by and stopped in front of me again. ‘Then at least think about this before you do it!’

  I sighed. ‘Fine, what do you mean?’

  ‘If you go over there and start a fight,’ Zoe said, ‘then you’re the one who started it. Sure you might get a little sympathy ’cause those two took it a little far, but it’s still you who threw the first punch.’

  I stared at Zoe, waiting for her suggestion.

  ‘And you know that those two want nothing but a reason to punch back,’ Zoe said.

  ‘Probably,’ I replied.

  ‘So do something different,’ Zoe said. ‘Make them play a different game.’

  Zoe finally caught my curiosity. ‘Like … a dance off or something?’

  ‘You dork,’ Zoe said, grinning. ‘No, but something else like that. Teasing and picking on you is their game, so what you need to do is change the game.’

  My cousin had her moments of brilliance, I’ll give her that. I swayed back and forth, thinking of another way to challenge Wyatt and Carlyle.

  Then Zoe rolled backwards and pointed at my rollerblades. ‘Those! Those are your answer!’

  I glanced down, curling my toes inside my rollerblades. And then I smiled.

  Zoe stood outside the DJ booth as I exited. The DJ was a cool guy, probably a junior or senior in high school, who also had a hint of a moustache. I told him that I was Chase Cooper and that the whole song dedication was a joke to make me feel terrible. The best part was that he said he was really sorry and that if he knew it was a joke, he wouldn’t have done it. And because of that, he agreed to help me out.

  ‘What’d he say?’ Zoe asked.

  ‘Just have to wait ’til the end of this song,’ I replied. ‘Which gives me a few minutes.’

  ‘To do what?’ she asked.

  I looked around the skating rink and saw Faith in the dining area. I gulped and started skating towards her. ‘There’s something I have to take care of.’

  I rolled up to the table Faith was sitting at with Zoe’s friends.

  ‘Hey,’ I said as smoothly as possible.

  She looked up, embarrassed. ‘Hey.’

  I pointed at the speakers on the ceiling. ‘So you heard that song dedication, right?’

  She nodded.

  ‘You know that wasn’t me,’ I said, rolling forward on my skates. The other girls at the table giggled a little.

  ‘I figured,’ Faith said. ‘Whoever did it is a real jerk.’

  I nodded, feeling those butterflies dance in my stomach again.

  This entire week had been one gigantic rollercoaster ride of emotions that left me exhausted. I hated that Faith was dragged into this whole thing. She didn’t deserve it – nobody did. I’d been fighting it this entire time, afraid of what everyone else was saying, but I realised tonight … who cares what other people think? Faith was awesome and I needed for her to know that. Other than Zoe, she was the coolest girl I’ve ever met … and it was time for me to ‘toughen up’.

  I slapped my hands together and started feeling twitchy. ‘Well, the thing is … I wish it was me that had dedicated that song.’

  The other girls at the table gaped.

  Faith looked confused, blinking at me.

  I started stretching my arms back and forth, I don’t know why. Nervousness maybe?

  ‘I wouldn’t have had the DJ say all that sappy stuff, but the truth is … I think you’re cool. That note that was hung up this week —’

  Emily pointed at the wall where a copy of the note was coincidentally hanging.

  ‘Yes, that one, thank you,’ I groaned. ‘I wrote that note for real. I didn’t mean for the entire world to see it, but I did want you to see it.’

  Faith blushed. I saw her grin as she took a sip of her soft drink.

  The speaker crackled overhead, and the music changed to a suspenseful tune played by an orchestra. The DJ spoke over the song. ‘Laaaaaaadies and gentlemen! Boys and girls, we’ve just had our first skating rink challenge issued!’

  Everyone in the skating rink slid to a stop and grew quiet.

  ‘If all of you would be so kind as to leave the skate floor, we’ll have our contestants ready themselves at the centre of the rink.’

  Immediately, kids rolled through the space in the brick wall and off to the sides of the skating rink, squeezing themselves in where they could.

  ‘Wyatt and Carlyle, would you enter the skate floor please!’

  I watched as the leader of the red ninjas and the pirate captain reluctantly rolled onto the hard floor of the skating rink. The colourful overhead lights continued to blink on and off.

  The two boys looked confused as they spoke to each other. They shrugged their shoulders as they looked at the group of spectators on the side of the skating rink.

  The DJ continued. ‘Chase Cooper, would you please join the other two contestants on the skate floor.’

  ‘Chase?’ Faith asked from her seat. ‘What’s going on?’

  I glanced over my shoulder. ‘I’m putting a stop to all this,’ I said boldly. ‘At least I hope I am.’

  I found my way through the crowd of kids until I came to the spot on the wall that was open. Putting my foot forward, I pushed off and rolled to the centre of the rink.

  When Wyatt and Carlyle saw m
e, they looked annoyed.

  ‘What’s this all about?’ Wyatt asked.

  Carlyle answered. ‘This scallywag means to challenge us in some way, cousin.’

  I spoke quietly enough so only the two bullies could hear me. ‘I know it was the two of you who put copies of note up in the school.’

  ‘Of course you do,’ Wyatt said. ‘Because I told you it was us, like, two days ago.’

  I folded my arms, rolling circles around them, and then I spoke louder, so everyone in the rink could hear me. ‘What’s that? You don’t accept my challenge?’

  The DJ in the booth played a sound effect of a baby crying.

  Carlyle clenched his fists. ‘What’s your game, matey?’

  Wyatt shouted at the spectators. ‘We never said we didn’t accept the challenge! Whatever it is, we’ll do it! We accept!’

  That was the cue for the DJ in the booth to list the terms of the match. ‘The challenge has been accepted!’

  The crowd slowly clapped, confused about what exactly it was they were applauding.

  ‘The match is a race around the skating floor – first place out of three laps is the winner!’

  ‘Another race, eh?’ Carlyle asked, grinning. ‘I won’t lose this time, son. A Norwegian obstacle course be one thing, but rollerskatin’ be somethin’ I’m quite skilled at.’

  ‘Good,’ I said. ‘So this should be easy for you.’

  ‘So what do I get if I win?’ Wyatt asked.

  I stopped, skidding my rollerblades on the ground. ‘Nothing except the satisfaction of beating me in front of everyone. And this time without the use of fists.’

  Wyatt glanced past me, at the kids of Buchanan. ‘And what do you get if you win?’

  I smiled. ‘The same thing that you’d get.’

  ‘It’s too late, you know,’ Wyatt added. ‘I’ve built another ninja clan, stronger than yours. The red ninjas have already risen to power behind the scenes. We’re bigger than you think and control more than you know.’

  ‘Maybe,’ I said, rolling backwards. ‘But right now I’m only concerned about beating you in this race.’

  Wyatt made eye contact with his cousin and nodded. Carlyle smiled as he rolled on his skates to a line on the floor. I saw Zoe lean against the wall of the skating rink. Faith was right next to her, smile so huge that the area around her actually looked brighter.

  I wished that Brayden were there. I’ll have to give him a call to let him know what happened.

  ‘Racers to the line,’ said the DJ.

  Rolling up to the line, I leaned forward, waiting for the DJ to start the race. Wyatt and Carlyle were standing right next to me, tapping their skates on the floor and taking deep breaths.

  Over the speakers, the DJ spoke. ‘On your mark…’

  I shut my eyes.

  ‘Get set…’

  Slowly, I exhaled, feeling my toes again in my rollerblades.

  ‘Go!’

  Immediately, I felt an elbow in my back. Then my face said hello to the floor. Carlyle had pushed me down!

  The crowd shouted at Carlyle’s sucker punch, but I couldn’t let that stop me. I launched myself off the ground and started running on my rollerblades. Without anyone else in the rink, I could swing my arms out without worrying about hitting anybody.

  Wyatt took the lead with Carlyle right behind him. They were nearly ten metres ahead of me, which doesn’t sound like a lot but when you’re only racing three laps around a small track, it might as well be a hundred kilometres away.

  Carlyle looked over his shoulder and laughed. ‘See ya!’

  I rounded the first corner with ease, leaning my body into the turn and stepping my right foot over the left. As soon as I hit the straightaway again, I jumped forward with each push to gain as much speed as I could.

  The DJ shouted over the speaker system. ‘Off to a vicious start, Carlyle knocked Chase to the ground, but the ever determined Chase keeps pressing on!’

  I looked ahead of me. Wyatt was already on the other side of the track. My legs burned as I skated harder than I’ve ever skated in my life.

  ‘Carlyle is racing strong, but it looks like Chase is catching up to him to – oh! And Chase passes Carlyle by the skin of his teeth!’

  If the spectators cheered, I couldn’t hear them. I was in the zone, like a ninja on rollerblades. If it were possible to catch fire, I think it would’ve happened.

  ‘And Chase takes second place with ease at the start of the second lap! Wyatt still holding strong in the lead!’

  Once I passed Carlyle, it was almost like he just gave up. He kept skating, but I flew ahead of him like it was nothing. Glancing to my left, I put my sights on Wyatt. I was gaining on him, but I wasn’t there yet.

  I saw Wyatt look over his shoulder at me. Once I rounded the turn again, I kept my head down and powered through. At this point, my thighs were killing me!

  ‘It looks like Wyatt might’ve pushed too hard at the beginning folks, because Chase is catching up quickly at the start of the third and final lap!’

  I rounded the second to the last corner, and saw Wyatt’s shadow on the floor. He was close enough that I could smell his deodorant and hear his heavy breathing.

  Once the path straightened again, we were neck and neck, throwing our arms and skating as hard as we could. Just one more corner and …

  ‘Chase and Wyatt are in a dead heat, competing for the championship to … something! Chase pulls forward slightly as he takes the last corner. Wyatt swings out wide, but brings it back in, tightening the curve!’

  I shut my eyes and gave it my all.

  ‘Chase and Wyatt are side by side, givin’ it everything they got and… and… it’s a tie! They came in at a tie, folks!’

  Wyatt cheered with his fists in the air. Carlyle skated to the side of the rink, clapping. Resting my hands on my knees, I let my skates roll to a stop. I felt irritated that I didn’t dominate this race. Wyatt started skating to join Carlyle.

  But the DJ kept talking. ‘The race ends in a tie, but here at this skating rink, we don’t allow ties. Chase and Wyatt to the centre of the rink, please, for the tie breaker!’

  Catching my breath, I turned my skates and pointed them at the centre of the rink. I looked at Zoe, but she shook her head, letting me know she had no idea what was happening. Faith was still next to her, clapping and shouting along with the other students.

  ‘You should just give up now,’ Carlyle said as he sailed by me. ‘There’s no way you’ll win this. What’s the tie breaker? Another silly race?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ I said honestly.

  The speaker cackled, and the DJ’s voice came through loud and clear. ‘Shoot the Duck!’

  The entire skating rink exploded with cheers and screams of excitement.

  Have you ever played Shoot the Duck? It’s this insane game at skating rinks where everyone skates in a circle until the DJ says, ‘Shoot the duck!’ Then everyone drops down and skates on one foot, while holding their other foot straight out in the front of them. You can’t touch the ground with your hands or your other foot or you lose. You know what skill works best with this game? Balance.

  Wyatt started skating around the track. I waited until he was on the opposite end before I started moving. The sound system had a wacky song playing over the speaker system.

  As I rolled past the first turn, I kept my eyes on Wyatt. He was staring straight back at me. My legs were still shaking from the race, but some of it might’ve been because I was nervous. Balance wasn’t one of my strong suits, and I suddenly wished I had trained it more.

  I passed Zoe and Faith on the side. Over the shouts of other kids, I could hear them cheer me on.

  And then it came.

  ‘Shoot the duck!’ yelled the DJ into the microphone. The music instantly shut off and the crowd grew silent.

  I lowered my body slowly, and then stuck my left foot out. My muscles burned like someone hit them with a hammer! Keeping my foot off the ground, I rested my bod
y on my bent leg, which is so much harder than it sounds. I wrapped my arms around both of my legs and hugged tightly, doing my best to keep balance.

  Looking across the rink, I watched as Wyatt stuck his foot out too. He was using the same tactic of hugging his legs as I was – I guess ninjas think alike.

  My foot started to wobble, and I brought my attention back to my extended leg. I didn’t need to worry about Wyatt – I only had to focus on myself … and the powerfully ugly pain in my thighs! My legs! They were cramping! Another couple of seconds, and I was going to be out of this contest!

  Suddenly, the silence ended with a single scream followed by another eruption of cheers. When I looked over, Wyatt was laying on the floor of the skating rink, clutching his legs in pain.

  ‘Cramp!’ he screamed. ‘Craaaaaamp!’

  I let myself drop to the ground and clutched at my own legs. I didn’t want to say anything, but it hurt like crazy, and I screamed like Wyatt. ‘Craaaaamp!’

  ‘We have our winner!’ the DJ said from his booth. ‘Chase Cooper has defeated Wyatt at Shoot the Duck! Make sure to congratulate him ’cause he’s actually not going to receive a prize for it.’

  The students laughed. Zoe skated out and helped me to my feet. I did my best to stand, but my legs were trembling from pain.

  The DJ spoke once more. ‘Speech! Speech! Speech!’

  And the crowd joined in the chanting, slowly lowering their voices so they could hear me. I didn’t want to give a speech! All I wanted to do was stop Wyatt and Carlyle from picking on me, and to do it without fists!

  ‘I think they want to you say something,’ Zoe said.

  ‘You think?’ I asked.

  Thankfully, Wyatt broke the silence. ‘Why don’t you marry Faith in front of all your new fans?’

  I guess it was his way of being a sore loser, to tease me even after my victory, but honestly at that point, I truly didn’t care. Wyatt was on the ground, defeated. Carlyle had lost in the first round, so what did I care about the pirate?

  But Wyatt kept going. ‘Why don’t you give Faith a victory smooch?’