DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN RANDY CUNNINGHAM 9TH GRADE NINJA NOR LIFE AND TIMES OF JUNIPER LEE

It was a quiet ordinary night in the town of Norrisville. So quiet in fact that none would notice the strange going on in the home of a certain Goth boy. Julian sat at his desk like any other night going through his many magazines about the occult and supernatural. Nothing strange about that except that instead of his usual purple and lavender outfit, he was now completely white! A change that barely anyone has noticed or cared about. Also instead of his usual monster magazines that he normally reads, he was going through the superhero articles that he usually hates. "Ah, ectoplasm, a fine source of incredible power." White Julian read. "The only problem is that portals to the Ghost Zone are just temporary and I can only collect so much in the allotted time, barely worth the effort opening. Unless you have a stable portal like the one in Amity Park! Ack, it's guarded by Danny Phantom!" White Julian sneered turning to another page. "Well, well, the Magus Bizarre. That place should have some good items I can get my hands on. No, no, no, the American Dragon is there!" White Julian ranted again. Flipping through the pages he stopped at another article. "Glamrocks, though similar in appearance each have its own unique power. Argh, Shezow controls them all!" White Julian groaned in frustration. "Is there any source of power not guarded by the Ninja's super hero friends!" White Julian complained staring at the Shezow's mega crossover comic special with her, Danny Phantom, the American Dragon, El Tigre, and of course the Ninja on the cover.

Another oddity going on was this tiny voice coming from mirror in his room. "Let me out! Let me out of here please!" the voice begged. Not that anyone noticed that either except for the lone boy in the room.

"What is wrong, me? I thought you liked dark and spooky places." the White Julian chuckled. After another disappointing night he felt he could use a break, and there's nothing more relaxing than taunting his good half. Glancing at the mirror the image of the real Julian appeared banging on the glass.

"Please let me out, I'll do anything!" real Julian pleaded.

"Oh but you've done quite enough," White Julian said getting up and walking over to the mirror. "Like you I wanted out of there, and here I am. Of course you'll have to stay there in my place." White Julian laughed.

"Th-the ninja will save me!" real Julian insisted.

"Perhaps, but first he has to know about our little switcheroo, which so far he doesn't." White Julian mocked. "And I don't intend for him to find out!" he said with a more menacingly tone.

"What are you planning to do?" real Julian asked nervously.

"Simple, I'm in no condition to face off against him directly, yet. So I just require something to help tip the scales in my favor. A game changer if you will." White Julian explained. "Now if only I can find something that won't alert the Ninja or his allies." White Julian then went back to reading his articles not realizing that he picked up the wrong paper.

"Hey genius, that's the newspaper." real Julian teased. It may not be a wise move, but anything to annoy his evil counterpart is still a victory.

"I know that, I just wanted to read the comics." White Julian insisted trying not to look stupid. That's when this one picture caught his attention. "Orchid Bay City is holding a LARPing competition." White Julian read with great interest.

"Why would you be interested in LARPing when you are already a monster?" real Julian asked.

"It's not about LARPing, it's about this, me!" White Julian showing him the picture of the prizes. "First prize are these rare collectable magic stones."

"Look I enjoy a good LARPing as any other game nerd, but I never thought you'd be into it." real Julian mocked.

"Fool!" White Julian yelled almost turning into his monster form. "These stones are not just cheap playthings that you relish in. I can tell which ones are the real deal, and so I know that this one is the infamous Monkey's Paw amulet!"

"Monkey's Paw? You mean that evil wish granting item? I thought it was just a mummified paw." real Julian commented.

"That's what most people think, but in actuality it is a stone carved in a way that it looked like a tiny hand. Hence the reason why it got the name Monkey's Paw. With that stone in my possession, nothing will stop me!" White Julian laughed.

"But how are you going to get to Orchid Bay? I already asked my parents and they've both said no, and even if you managed to convince them to go, we don't have the money." real Julian pointed out.

White Julian jerked by this revelation. As powerful as he is there's no way he could make the trip all the way to Orchid Bay City, not to mention getting a hotel, without any money. He was about to discard the newspaper when another article caught his attention. "What do we have here, looks like the power of the printed word has solved my problems again. And they say newspapers are dead." White Julian laughed as he tossed the paper next to the mirror so that real Julian can read the headline: 'McFist's Grant a Wish Foundation begins'.

One Week Later

A large crowd of kids gathered outside the hospital awaiting latest news for one of their fellow students who has just been diagnosed with a terminal illness. In addition there was also a large gathering of news reporters including Howard's sister Heidi Weinerman doing her web show. "What's up Weiner nation, Heidi Weinerman here bring you the latest update on our classmate Julian who up until a few days ago was diagnosed with a mysterious illness. Now every kid from Norrisville High is here to give their support and prayers to him!" Heidi pointed her camera to the crowds of students who were cheering, not so much for Julian but just because they are on camera.

"Actually we're here because our teachers told us to be here, but hey at least it got us out of school!" some random student explained clearly not even knowing why he's even here.

"Anyways, we are waiting for word from his doctor...Oh wait I think that's him now." Heidi turned her camera in the direction of the hospital door when the doctors along with Hannibal McFist and Viceroy coming out escorting White Julian who was hooked up with all sorts of IVs as well as heart monitoring devices. Pretty soon all of the reporters started hounding the doctors with endless questions. Until the Nurses called for silence.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the Doctors started saying. "I don't know how to explain it, but it seems like this boy is inflicted with some unknown affliction."

"Is it serious?" one of the reporters asked.

"Will he be the first recipient for your 'Grant a Wish' program?" Another reporter asked McFist.

"Well as of right now we can't be certain of anything yet," McFist answered. He only started his 'Grant a Wish' as a publicity stunt. He didn't seriously think that there would be any takers.

Not wanting any hindrance to his plans, White Julian casts a spell on heart monitoring devices causing them to flat line, while he fakes a heart attack. "Oh my, this is bad, Nurse!" the Doctor ordered. Pretty soon all of the medical people were performing CPR as well as injecting him with medicine. While the audience held their breaths.

White Julian could keep up the charade going on longer, he thought it best to end it now. Using his powers again he restarted the machine. "I'm alright now, thanks to you fine doctors." White Julian coughed.

"Although I can't explain it, I believe this boy is terminal." the Doctors finally said.

"Are you sure. How do you know he's not faking!" McFist demanded.

"You did just see that this boy practically dying at your feet!" Viceroy said dryly.

"Fine, let's just get this over with." McFist groaned. "Congratulations, I mean sorry that you are dying. As you know I just recently started my Grant a Wish program to help make terminally ill people's wishes come true. In exchange for their organs after they croak. So if you have any special requests, like a toy, a vacation trip, meet a celebrity, please don't hesitate to ask." McFist grinding his teeth. He really hates doing nice things for others.

"Oh I really don't have much to desire," White Julian coughed. "I just wish I could go to Orchid Bay City and participate in the Grand LARPing event."

"Say what now?" McFist asked not understanding. White Julian handed McFist a pamphlet about the event. "That it?" McFist said after doing a quick calculation and realizing that this would barely cost him anything.

"That's it. That is all I want." White Julian smiled.

"Alright then, I'll book you on the next flight to Orchid Bay. First Class!" McFist promised. This prompted huge applause from the audience. Two in particular were very interested in what was happening.

"Cunningham did you hear that?" Howard asked his friend.

"Yeah man, poor Julian. I never would have guessed. He seemed so healthy a few days ago." Randy still choked up about the news of his sort of friend's illness.

"Not that! Didn't you hear, Julian got a free ticket to Orchid Bay City!" Howard said with excitement.

"So?" Randy said not getting what his friend was getting at.

"So, if we play this right, we can tag along on this trip as well! You know being his best friends and all." Howard said.

"Howard, are you saying that we should take advantage of Julian's illness? You know you've done some pretty wonk things in the past, but this is really has got to be the wonkest! I mean why do you even want to go to Orchid Bay anyways?" Randy asked.

"Are you kidding! Don't you remember, Brock Octane is hosting that event to promote his new film Grave Puncher II vs Davey Jones lockers!" Howard showed Randy a poster of the Grave Puncher movie where he's in an old deep sea divers suit with boxing gloves, punching some undersea monster lockers wearing with scuba masks. "This is our chance to see a sneak peek of it one week before the trailer comes out!" Howard said excitedly.

"I would like to see it," Randy said feeling mighty tempted. "What no!" Randy said shaking all thoughts from his head. "Sorry Howard but I'm afraid I'm going to have to draw the line here! We shouldn't take advantage of him like this." Randy said sternly.

"Aw come on Cunningham, don't think of it like taking advantage of him. Think of it as coming to support him in his time of need. Besides, he owes us for all the stuff he's put us through." Howard argued. Randy thought about it for awhile; recalling how Julian tricked them into helping him look for the golden doctor's note, when he invited them to join the monster klub, and how annoyed them in Snow-Klahoma. Making seem more and more that Julian does owe them.

"Maybe you're right, but I better shloomp it," Randy decided as he ran for a more private location. Ducking behind a tree, Randy opened the ninja-nomicon and immediately collapsed on its pages. Randy found himself falling down from the sky and landed in the middle of an old Japanese town. "Okay nomicon, my uh frie...acquaintance sick, so he get's to go on this Bruce trip; and Howard was like, we're his friends so we should get to go as well. You know to support him in his time of need. So what do you think?" Randy asked.

The nomicon showed an image of the ninja walking down the street, when he encountered an individual wearing foreign clothes. Naturally the ninja started laughed at said individual who retaliated by attacking the ninja. As the smoke cleared from the fight, an inscription appeared saying: 'A ninja must always respect its citizens'.

"Respect its citizens?" Randy repeated out loud trying to puzzle it out. "Okay, Julian is a citizen and therefore I must show him proper respect by going with him and giving him my support." Randy once again interpreting the message to fit his own agenda. "Thanks nomicon!" As always the nomicon ousted him without clarifying the meaning of the lesson.

"So what did it say?" Howard asked dryly knowing most likely the book said no.

"It said I should respect my citizens, so I guess we should show Julian proper respect and support him during his time of need." Randy quoted.

"Good enough for me," Howard said excitedly as he and Randy ran up to the where Julian and McFist are.

"Who are these shoobs?" McFist demanded.

"Mr. McFist, we happen to be best friends of our poor pal Julian here, and we would hate to see him off alone. You know without us to support him!" Howard started fake crying for dramatic effect. Naturally Heidi and anyone else who knows what Howard is really like began groaning in disapproval.

Now McFist may not be a smart man, but he is a suspicious one, and something told him that this boy is not to be trusted. Still he couldn't flat out refuse the request, not while every news crew in Norrisville is watching him. Luckily there is one way to see if they were telling the truth. "Is this true? Are these freeloaders friends of yours?" McFist asked Julian.

"Well," White Julian thought about it for a bit. True he has no reason to bring Randy and Howard along; but as he thought about it he recalled how Randy first brought the ball to his birthday exposing him to the dark powers, and how they abandoned his human side in the maze of mirrors allowing him to escape the Land of Shadows. If anything Randy and Howard are responsible for his being here, and it would be wrong not to pay them back for everything they've done. "Yes, I owe everything to these two and I would very much appreciate it if you could allow them to accompany me on my trip." White Julian said weakly.

"Fine whatever," McFist conceded, giving the order to buy tickets for the boys. Seeing as how their plan worked, Randy and Howard preformed their signature slappage in celebration. Unaware of the malicious intent brewing in the mind of their benefactor.

"Celebrate now boys, for when I get that stone, you will be the first to suffer my wrath." Julian whispered to himself.

"You say something buddy?" Randy asked due to his heighten hearing he got from his ninja training.

"No nothing!" Julian insisted. No suspecting anything Randy left with Howard leaving Julian alone. "My plan is working perfectly. With no ninja and no pesky superheroes living in Orchid Bay City, there is nothing that can stop me now!" Julian laughed manically.

Over in Orchid Bay City, a young girl with reddish-pink strip on her hair and a Juniper flower on her shirt was busy wrestling a giant Minotaur. "Alright you mess with the bull you get the horns!" the girl yelled grabbing the Minotaur's horns.

"But technically I'm a bull and I'm the one with the horns. Shouldn't I be the one saying that?" the Minotaur said pausing in confusion.

"Yeah and I'm messing with you and I just grabbed you by your horns," the girl explained.

"Ah gotcha," the Minotaur nodded in understanding before resuming the fight. The girl lifted the Minotaur by the horns, started spinning around, and threw the monster over the horizon.

"That was awesome!" a little boy came out cheering.

"Indeed Juniper, one of your finest works." a little pug dog with a Scottish accent agreed.

"Thanks Monroe, Ray Ray. All in a days work for the Te Xuan Ze." Juniper Lee said with a smile.