Chapter 1: Sorceress

Randy Cunningham, in Ninja mode, sneaks through the drawing Chinese trees, looking for his enemy. "Come on you big snake. Where are you hiding?"

A rustle alerts the Ninja, making him twist around and wait silently. Soon, a green snake with katana-like fangs slithers out and reveals the whole body is larger than a bus. It hisses at Randy, who says, "Let's see what a Twister Kick can do. Alright, knock the leaves off," he punches the air. "Spin the leaves around," He spins his arms. "And sound the horn." He claps, then jumps and swings a kick. A red tornado spins toward the snake and it gets sucked in, then is spat out and flies over the trees. Randy sighs and mutters, "Another skill received. C'mon Nomicon. I can pretty much do all these shoob tricks. Can we get to something way more powerful?"

Words are written in front of his face and he reads, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Okay, that is cliché there. Come on. I've been the ninja for over two years now, so I should be doing more than fist and kick tricks. Why not something like in that Shadow Warrior place?"

To answer, a screen pops up and shows him the skeleton, Dr. Driscoll, coming to life two years ago.

"Alright, I know the last time ended badly, but at least I fixed it. Just let me learn how to create, I don't know, a hurricane from my mind."

Suddenly, Randy's spirit is pushed back out of the book and into its body. After wiping the slobber, the Ninja says, "Fine. But I expect something better the next time." The boy shoves the NinjaNomicon back into his pack when the first bell rings. "Great. English. Much rather face all of Mcfist's robots altogether."

Miles underneath the school, a withered man wearing a brown cloak sits on a wooden chair on a rocky outcropping surrounded by a swampy lake. Green mist flows around the rock and golden chains clink as the man moves his hand around. In a croaky voice, he asks his friend Rat, "What should I do? It seems that the ninja knows all of my moves. And all I have to attack is my Stank."

The rat suggests something in squeaks and the Sorcerer answers, "I would, but my Stank doesn't affect machines."

The animal squeaks again.

"I don't think animals have a vulnerable side."

Squeak squeak.

"You should already know that, Rat. The ninja never seems to get vulnerable. Now, if I knew his or her secret identity, then I could Stank him or her."

The Sorcerer lifts his head and sniffs the air before grinning mischievously. "Mmm. Looks like I have a vulnerable teen. Now it's time for chaos." He creates his powerful green Stank and throws it up into the many pipes. The Stank travels through the dirty vents and heads toward the crying girl.

Randy snaps awake in English class when his friend Howard elbows him. "I know English is boring but usually I'm the one to sleep. What's bugging you?" he asks.

"Nothing, it's just, I'm just frustrated at the Nomicon. It keeps teaching all these beginner moves that I should've learned in my first year and it refuses to teach me other stuff."

"Well, and I know you'll hate me to say this, but maybe you're not at the next level."

"It's been two years!" Randy whispers. "I'm a junior now and I'm tired of being treated like a child by a book!"

In his backpack, a red glow escapes through the zippers. The ninja says, "Oh stop it. You know it's true." He slams his head on the desk when the bell rings. Everyone rushes out of the room and head to the lunchroom, but Randy takes his time on this day and Howard slows to ask, "Is there something else bugging you?"

"I've noticed that the Stanked teens and Mcfist's robots are getting stronger. Three times this week I came close the dying. So since the Nomicon isn't helping at all, I'm hoping for some help out in the field."

"Can I help?" the carrot head asks eagerly.

The two laugh hysterically and Randy says, "Oh man, I so needed that Howard."

"I knew that'll cheer you up. So anyway, what kind of help do you mean?"

"Well, I wouldn't mind if one of the teens would help, like maybe distract the monster while I slice its head off, or maybe another hero like another ninja or…maybe a female ninja."

"Aaaaah. You want some romance in your life, don't you?"

"What? Noooooo. I mean, I'm risking a lot by just having you know I'm the ninja, but if I have a girlfriend, how do you think the Nomicon will take that?"

"But you want one."

"It would be nice, but I haven't had success in two years. Unlike you, player."

"Hey! I am no player," Howard argues.

"Hmm, let's see." The ninja starts counting girls on his fingers while saying, "You've dated Alisha Park, Lexi Rifly, Tanya Webler, Petisha Quance, Wendy Pickle, that cute girl with the name that starts with E, Emily I think-"

"Alright! I get it! I dated a few girls in the past years but at least I can ask them on a date. Whenever you try to ask a girl out, it turns to a homework question."

"In my defense, my dad says I got it from him."

"Sure, blame your parents. Let's make a bet, shall we?"

"What is it?" Randy asks with a slight frightened tone.

"If you can get one date, one date, by the time Prom comes then I'll give you one hundred bucks. If you fail, then you get nothing."

"So if I get one girl to come with me to Prom, then I get a hundred bucks. Where will you get a hundred bucks?"

"Hello? I got a job at Taco John, remember?"

"Right."

Howard asks with a roguish smile, "So we have a deal?"

"You. Are. On." He states, shaking hands to seal the deal.

"Ha ha. You are so going to lose."

"I'm so going to win."

Unexpectedly, someone runs into Randy and spills her entire lunch on him. He shouts and looks down at his brown shirt that used to be red and the sticking pizza. The girl, who turns out to be Theresa Fowler, starts ranting, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry Randy! I didn't see you there. I am really, really sorry."

"Theresa, its cool." he says, peeling off the pizza. "I should've been paying more attention anyway."

The girl starts walking around Randy while still saying, "Anyway, I'm really sorry again. I'll see you in class." She then runs off in the library direction. Randy scratches his head with a confused look in his eyes and Howard next to him says, "You just lost your chance to ask her out."

"Are you kidding? I'd only ask her out if she was the last person on Earth. But uh did…she get prettier?"

"Prettier? What would make you say that?" Howard then widens his eyes in discovery. "No. You like her!"

"No I don't!"

"Yes you do."

"No I don't. End of discussion." The purple head zips his jacket and walks away from his friend to get lunch that didn't splatter on him. Howard grins and follows, saying, "Yes you do."

"No I don't!"

Suddenly the whole cafeteria is full of screaming kids. Randy quickly looks around for the source and finds a monstrosity tearing up the tables. It has beady red eyes and practically has knives for teeth; the whole body is blue with the shreds of jeans and a shirt and eight clawed tentacles flailing around, and large feet with claws.

"Looks like its Ninja 'o Clock, Howard."

"Dumb. You know, you really got to work on that."

"I have been," Randy says before ducking behind an overturned table. He takes the black and red ninja mask and slips it on, and red and black ribbons erupt and wrap the teen with red circles of ancient ninja knowledge swirling around, turning him into the Ninja. He flips over the table and says to himself, "Alright, now what is the thing you hold most dear?" He starts looking all over the monster for anything that could be precious but the Ninja didn't see a fist coming until it punches and Randy flies through the wall. "Kay. That hurt. Like a lot."

He soon is lifted up and comes face to face with the snarling monster with drool dripping down. The Ninja chuckles and asks, "Can we do that over?"

The beast roars and throws Randy through the wall and crashing into the garbage cans. He struggles to get up while saying, "Yep. Definitely getting more powerful." A clawed tentacle wraps around his waist and the Stanked victim throws her fist with Randy into walls and the ground and giving the Ninja a huge headache. While swinging, the monster let's go of the hero, who crashes through the wall again and land back in the cafeteria. Howard looks over an overturned table and asks, "Shouldn't this be a piece of cake by now, Cunningham?"

"Like I said before, they're getting stronger somehow," he huffs impatiently. "If I wasn't the Ninja, I'm sure to have broken all of my bones by now." The Ninja looks up and sees the Stanked monster walking toward the cafeteria. He takes a closer look and notices some familiarities. "Howard, I think that's Tanya."

"What? How can that thing look like…Oh yeah, your right. It does look like Tanya."

While getting up, Randy asks, "Do you know what's most dear to her?"

"Hmm." The carrot head taps his chubby chin then says, "She always wears this bracelet. Said it was special for some reason. I wasn't listening."

"Got it. Bracelet." Suddenly, a tentacle wraps around his waist and he whines, "Not again."

Tanya throws the Ninja out of the school and he crashes into a tree, making it shake every time he crashes on a branch. Soon, he collapses at the base of the trunk and says, "I've got to finish this before she kills me." Randy reaches into his suit and takes out his Ninja Tripping balls and waits. The monster roars and charges after him, the moment he was hoping for. He throws the balls while yelling, "Ninja Tripping Balls!" out of habit, and the silver spheres split into many tiny versions and rolls underneath Tanya's tentacles. She slips and slides until crashing on the ground and the Ninja jumps over her and looks at her wrists to find a soft glowing necklace. He was kind of disappointed at the necklace. It looked like it came from a cereal box.

Either way, the monster was distracted so he swings out his katana and says, "Ninja Slice," before slashing the necklace. Randy expected to see the green Stank fly out and return to the vents in the school but instead a purple fume floats out and swirls around the Ninja, giving off a sweet smell of pine and his mom's famous Noodle Soup. Not the usual stink of a garbage dump and gym socks combined with hints of rotten meat. Randy starts to feel hypnotized from the smell, eyes starting to droop, but the aroma finally leaves to the school. The Ninja shakes out of his reverie and asks himself, "What kind of Stank was that? Smells more like Perfumed."

A groan reminds him of Tanya on the floor and he offers a hand. She takes it and the Ninja asks, "You okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks Ninja."

"No prob. Eh, sorry about your bracelet."

She looks back on the grass and finds the bracelet in pieces. "It's alright. I was starting to get tired of it anyway."

"Okay then. Smoke Bo-" From out of nowhere, the same purple fragrance punches him a few feet away, making Tanya gasp. Randy groans and pushes himself back up, muttering, "Please tell me that wasn't another Stanked victim."

He hears a melodic chuckle from behind and he turns to find someone floating. And a beautiful someone.

The girl in front of her looks like a witch with her long, black V-neck shirt showing part of her cleavage, which is covered with interlocking strings, and a dark purple vest. She also has tight black jeans with purple swirling designs all over, high heel boots of black and purple, and long gloves with long purple nails, and a purple cape reaching down to her ankles with the same colored small shawl wrapping around her shoulders. In her hand is an ebony staff about the length of her whole body and topped with a crystal ball full of swirling purple and black angel wings stretching out. She also has a purple witch hat with a large brim that covers her black hair and most of her face. Randy could only see her bright white teeth, which clashes largely with her dark suit, and even that is shrouded by some sort of shadowy veil.

All in all, Randy thought she was hotter than the sun.

But he collects his composure and asks, "Who are you?"

She gives off another melodious chuckle and answers with a voice of honey, "I'm known by many names, Ninja, though I'm not as popular as you. But that is how I like it. I'm able to sneak on people without them being the wiser."

"Okay. Your name is again?"

"Oh. Alright. You can address me as the Sorceress. Maker of Nightmares and Horror."

"Sorceress?" Now Randy is in high alert. "You're not related to the Sorcerer, are you?"

"Why, I'm the descendant of the Sorcerer! But unlike his rancid Stank, as he calls it, my aroma let's everyone be mislead by their desired fragrance and thus I'm able to control them."

"So you're the one who's been trying to kill me?"

"Yes. But my attacks aren't as frequent as my ancestor and I spent most of my time studying. And I only choose the people most shattered. They're easier to influence."

"Influence? Don't you mean corrupt?"

"No Ninja. I would tell you why but that's not how I roll. Instead, I want to learn how you work. And the two years were very well studied." She finishes with a malevolent sneer.

The Ninja thinks, That can't be good. And the way the Sorceress talks, it's like music to his ears, making him just want to give up, but he shakes his head. That's one of her talents. She uses sweetness in her voice to hypnotize people. But she's not getting through the Ninja.

"Well you'll find that I'm full of surprises, Sorceress. Such as this! Ninja Twister Kick!" He twirls in the air and kicks out, sending a small cyclone to the witch. She points her staff at the tornado and purple aroma shoots out of her crystal to envelop it and averts the twister around her and back at Randy. "Uh oh." He quickly jumps out of the way before his twister can suck him up and takes out his katana, saying "Sure, you may have your voodoo, but can you handle close combat?" Randy jumps again and swings at the Sorceress but she blocks it with her staff. She pushes him back a swings, knocking the hero back. "If anything, I'm more dangerous in close combat."

"Oh really?"

The two clash again hard, but brief. The Sorceress knocks the katana out of the Ninja's hand and grabs his neck, floating up. Randy looks around at the shrinking world and chuckles nervously. "I don't suppose we can start over, can we?"

"No Ninja. It's time for your demise. Goodbye and good riddance!" She points her staff at the hero's face and starts humming and glowing. Randy widens his eyes in fear while thinking of a way out. He reaches into his suit and takes out his flash balls, screaming, "Ninja Flash!" Upon contact, the balls explode in blazing white light making the witch grunt and move her free hand to cover the flash, but it also held the charging staff. So instead of obliterating the Ninja's head, it obliterates a large part of the cafeteria and the a few classes. Randy kicks up at the Sorceress's face and making her let go of his neck. He celebrates for a second before realizing he's about ten feet off the ground, but with quick thinking Randy grabs his scarf and yells, "Ninja Scarf Save!" sending it to a pipe sticking out. The red scarf wraps around it and the hero swings safely back in the ground. "Whew. That was too close."

"You're not out of danger yet, Ninja!" The witch yells. She shoots out another ray of fragrance at him, but Randy jumps over it and says, "Well it's been fun, but now I have to take a leave. Smoke Bomb!" He throws the smoke bomb on the ground and a red cloud erupts around him. The Sorceress throws her purple aura at it but the smoke disperses and reveals that the Ninja vanished. She scans the area for him with a glowing staff but doesn't see him around. "Another time then, Ninja." She says before disappearing in a purple cloud of her own.

In the school, the Ninja looks over the destroyed wall and finds the coast clear. He sighs and takes off his mask, letting the suit vanish back into the mask. "Oh man, that was too close."

"Mr. Cunningham, what are you doing here?"

The secret hero looks and finds Principal Slimovitz walking toward him with Theresa, which surprised the teen."Principal Slimovitz!"

"I evacuated the school ten minutes ago. Now tell me why you are still doing here."

"Well, I-I-I was…watching the action take place," Randy excuses.

"Hmph. Well both get back home before the school collapses on you."

The two teens run out of the school and to the city while the principal walks to the parking lot toward his car only to find it crushed like a soda can. "Aw, come on!" he screams.

Near the city, Randy and Theresa stop and catch their breath and the ninja asks, "What were you still doing in school?"

"I was studying in the library, trying to finish some homework I forgot. What were you doing there?" she breathes.

"Watching the ninja battle a witch."

After they breathing returns to normal, both say, "See ya." And walk their separate ways. After a while, Randy finds the game store and enters. He finds kids, teens, games, controllers, and consoles, but no Howard. The teen scratches his head and thinks of any other place his friend could be, and instantly thinks of the food court. So he walks to the mall and heads to the food court to find his friend hitting on a girl again. Randy rolls his blue eyes and leans against the mall wall, watching the show with a smirk. He looks around the court and finds Theresa and Debby near Little Caesar's Pizza place.

When the girls leave, the Ninja walks toward his friend and asks, "So what'd you ask the girls, player?"

"I just asked if they wanted to go to Whoopie World with me. Sadly, they said no," Howard answers before eating a taco. "So, how'd the fight go?"