Author's Notes: Hello there all my loyal lovelies. I'm baaaaaaaaaaaack! I know. I know. I've been gone for a while again. I'm sorry. I originally wanted to update much more often, but working nights five days a week really gets to you, ya know? Whenever I'm not bogged down with work or other obligations, my writer's block returns to screw me over. Trust me, it really sucks. But hopefully this post will get to all most of my followers and let them know I am, in fact, not checking out for yet another 3-year hiatus. Especially when I JUST got back into writing.

Anyway, here is another chapters for all who stuck out through yet another prolonged wait. I managed to cover a little ground plot-wise thankfully. I introduced you to both Teshima Fugimoto, the MAIN antagonist and Cutter, the next assassin who's gunning for our favorite high school ninja. What did you think of him? Sounds savage, huh? I also managed to finally squeeze in a little Randy/Heidi fluffiness in there, just to remind y'all those two were the pairing. XD

NOW LETS GET THINGS ROLLING SOME MORE! :D

Chapter 5: The Calm Before the Storm

Randy looked at down at his watch as he walked through the thick forest behind Norrisville High School. It was almost 7:45am, 15 minutes past the time Isoba had instructed him to show up. Randy had only just woken up 20 minutes prior, having been resting for more than 12 hours straight since he got home the evening before. He didn't even have dinner that night, which was backed up by his stomach letting out a very audible rumble.

Randy Cunningham was nervous, and for good reason.

As he reached into his backpack and pulled out his mask, he reminded himself what this meeting was going to entail. The mysterious man known as Isoba had come to him after his fight with Clayton the day before, warning him that he was being targeted by Diablo Rising, a private military group who were after the Ninja's mask. But not only did Isoba claim to have once been their deadliest assassin, but he also informed him that even more mercenaries, ones far stronger than Clayton, were going to come after him. And that even MORE innocent lives were now placed in jeopardy…

That was, unless Randy accepted Isoba's offer and allowed the mysterious man to train him…

When he slipped the mask over his face, a blinding red light suddenly began to illuminate from Randy's body before the mystical black fabric swirls around him, forming the black and red suit of the Ninja of Norrisville. "This could be a trap," he said to himself harshly as he continued his trek through the dense forest, with a hand reaching up and resting on the handle of his sword. "He said he "used" to work for these guys, after all," he continued softly, now moving through the forest floor as silently as possible. "Can I really trust someone like that? I mean, he said it himself. He is an assassin. He could be after the mask as w-!"

"I think the better question should be: If he was out to kill me and take the mask, why didn't he do so yesterday? As in, when I was convulsing against a tree, at my most vulnerable?"

When Isoba's deep voice reached his ears, Randy's eyes widened. Twirling around instinctively, Randy pin-pointed where the voice came from. The boy gazed up into a nearby tree where he saw Isoba, laying atop a branch with all four of his limbs dangling down lazily, whilst smoking on another cigar and staring straight up into the sky.

"You're late boy," Isoba said lazily, not even bothering to look down at the startled boy below. "Though, I suppose the fact you chose to show up at all surprised me…. Not entirely, mind you."

Taken aback by the man's sudden presence, Randy immediately dashed backwards and tightened his grip on his sword, though still keeping it behind his back.

"… Sorry," Randy said dryly, narrowing his eyes up at the man before him. "Slept in a lot longer than usual… Been dealing with some personal things…" But, as Randy stared sharply up at the man, he noticed something odd. Not only was Isoba just laying casually atop a tree branch, not paying the ninja below any mind whatsoever, but much to his surprise, the large scythe he was brandishing the day before was nowhere in sight.

When Randy made that discovery, he ever so slightly loosened his grip.

"Noticed I'm unarmed, did you?" Isoba chuckled, lazily pushing himself up and leaning up against the trunk of the tree with his arms folded behind his head. He had a smug look about him as looked down at Randy, who had now let go of his sword and brought both arms down to his sides. "I already told you I have no intention of killing you, boy. If I did, you would've been dead already."

While that last statement didn't help settle Randy's nerves in the slightest, he slowly started to lessen the harsh glare he had been sending the man. "If you say so, old man," Randy mumbled, folding his arms across his chest. When Isoba let out a puff of smoke in the form of a chuckle, the teen took a step back and leaned against the tree opposite of his, still not taking his eyes of the man.

"So, here I am," Randy stated in an uneasy tone. "You said you would explain to me what the fuck was happening if I showed up. So start talking."

"I believe there should be a "please" somewhere in that sentence, boy," Isoba stated whimsically, putting out the end of his cigar against the trunk of the tree he laid against, before sliding it into his pants pocket. "Something bothering you, or are you always this demanding and unpleasant?"

"Oh well excuse me," Randy growled, shooting Isoba an unamused scowl. "I'm sorry if I'm coming off a little brash to you, but in case you haven't noticed I'm kinda going through some heavy shit at the moment! I've been shot at, nearly blown up and disemboweled by some sociopath! Along with THAT traumatizing shit-show, I just got done seeing nearly HALF the Norrisville Police Department get turned into mincemeat by said sociopath! So yeah, I'm just a little on edge at the moment! Now, can we just cut to the chase? Pleeeaaase?"

Isoba watched as Randy began to tremble in both anger and terror, obviously remembering back to the events that had transpired the evening before. 'The boy is still shaken up from his brush with Clayton,' he thought tiredly, before pushing himself up from the trunk of the tree. Stepping off the side, Isoba plummeted to the ground below before landing on only one leg, before slowly being the other to rest. 'This is something we're going to have to address.'

With his hands in his pockets, Isoba sighed and flexing his neck back and forth. "Alright boy, alright. I hear you loud and clear," he groaned tiredly, taking off his sunglasses and sliding them into his trench-coat. But when he then took a step towards Randy, the boy instinctively inched back away and his hand shot back up to his sword once again. Isoba shook his head and sighed. "Look, would you just calm down boy? I'm trying to help you."

"Then talk," Randy growled, eyed narrowed and firmly gripping the handle of his sword. "You can tell me what you know from where you're standing, can't you?"

Seeing as how the boy was clearly not going to give him an inch, Isoba rolled his eyes and sighed.

"You're being targeted by Diablo Rising," Isoba began, crossing his arms across his chest and cocking an eyebrow, "a privatized military organization. The man in charge, Teshima Fugimoto, wants your mask. As for why, I'm not entirely clear on. From what I could piece together before I went rogue, I believe he wants to somehow duplicate its power." Randy sent Isoba a suspicious look. "Hey, I'm sorry alright? There are some things that he wouldn't even tell his best assassins. No one knows his true motives. As I said, this is all speculation…"

Isoba then sent Randy a serious frown. "However, with Clayton dead, Fugimoto is now going to sick his personal assassins after you. And they won't go down NEARLY as easily as our friend Clayton did."

"…."

There was a long moment of silence between the two.

As a gust of wind blew through the forest, Isoba noticed the nervous bead of sweat trickle down the side of his face. He didn't even need to see his face to know that the boy was terrified beyond belief. And personally, Isoba couldn't fault him for it. The boy had faced almost certain death at the hands of the Boston Butcher the day before, and now, he was being told he was being hunted by an elite group of highly trained killers, all who put Clayton to shame in terms of lethality and efficiency.

And to make matters worse, it was made painfully clear that the boy was neither physically or emotionally prepared for what was being thrown at him. He was too young and inexperience. He didn't know how to cope with the concept of taking another person's life, even if it was to ensure the lives of innocent people and even himself. He remembered how mentally distraught Randy had been when he encountered him after the battle.

And now, Fugimoto was sending his own personal killing machines after him.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this boy, but whether you like it or not," Isoba continued, "there is no way out off the situation you're in. These assassins are in a league entirely their own, and they are coming for you. And when they do, they will reduce this entire city to rubble if it means getting that mask, leaving a trail of corpses in their wake."

Isoba paused, allowing what he had just said to sink into the boy.

"So, as it stands, you are left with only two options," Isoba continued, now sporting an overly optimistic smile. "Option 1: You can do nothing, wait for them to show up, resulting in several civilian casualties before leading to your inevitable death…. Or, more preferably, you can go with Option 2: You can let me help you."

'Wait? WHAT?!'

"…. But wait! Can't you handle them yourself?" Randy asked desperately. "I-I mean, you said you were the best, right? Th-that means you can take them-!"

Isoba sighed and shook his head and waved a dismissive hand, much to Randy's dismay. "I'm sorry boy, but it's much more complicated than that," the man apologized. Randy's fear filled eyes grew wide, pleading for an explanation.

"Fugimoto is going to be sending four assassins after you, all of whom with powers and abilities that rival my own. I may be the strongest and most skilled, but if I were to go up against two or more, I would certainly lose. I've fought alongside these four for years, so I know all their strengths and weaknesses… As do they mine," he added, not sounding all to happy. "That's why you are going to have to fight them."

"Are you fucking insane?!" Randy shouted, pointing at Isoba angrily. "So you're telling me that while these guys are too much for YOU to handle, you're expecting ME to fight them? I can't do it! Don't you understand? How am I going to take on four killing machines when I could barely handle some nutcase with a kn-!"

Before he knew it, Isoba had somehow closed the distance he had kept between him and Randy and was now standing directly in front of him, towering over the terrified boy. Then, the African assassin placed both hands on Randy's shoulders, smirking wildly.

"Don't count yourself out just yet, boy," Isoba laughed, patting Randy's trembling shoulders. "Believe it or not, you aren't without talent. All you need is a guiding hand, something I am more than willing to lend," he continued, leaning down so that he was eye-level with Randy. He kept his voice low and even, in an attempt to reassure the boy before him. "I'm not going to lie to you boy. As it stands now, you don't stand much of a chance in your current state. As is, you'd be little more than a work-out for Fugimoto's attack dogs…. However," he added, just as a panicked look began to creep onto Randy's face, "you have a distinct advantage they don't."

"… A-an advantage?" Randy asked.

"You have me," Isoba said, a wide grin spreading across his face before letting out a hearty laugh. "As I said before. I know all their strengths and weaknesses by heart… But tell me. Would they expect a teenager in a ninja outfit to know them?" Slowly, it began to dawn on Randy what Isoba was getting at. "Listen to me," Isoba continued. "I know you are probably scared out of your mind, right?" Randy nodded. "You're afraid of death, be it your own or someone else's, right?" Again, Randy nodded. "Okay, now answer me this; What lengths are you willing to go to if it means protecting this city?"

"…" Randy didn't know how to respond to that.

"I'll ask again," Isoba repeated. "How far are you willing to go to protect Norrisville and its people? Because right now, your answer will determine whether or not you're going to survive what's coming at you." Isoba tightened his grip on Randy's shoulders. "Like it or not, you have four very skilled and very deadly people coming to kill you and whoever gets in their way. And sadly, they won't rest until either they kill you, or you kill them."

"…. A-are you sure?" Randy asked weakly, already knowing the answer.

"I wouldn't be asking a scared teenager to do this if there was some other way," he clarified softly, finally releasing his hold of the boy. "If I fight whoever they send, word would surely get back and Fugimoto will send everything he has to take both you and I down, and believe me, you don't want to think about what'll happen to this place if that situation becomes a reality." Taking a step back, Isoba extended a hand out to Randy. "So tell me. How far will you go to protect Norrisville?"

Randy stood there, the question echoing through his head. It was a question he had never had to ask himself until now. Up until yesterday, he had only ever going up against soulless machines, monsters and possessed students, all of which were easily dealt with. But now? Now he was facing a whole new kind of threat, one that asked of him something he had never wanted to do. He stared at Isoba's hand, pondering the simple question that was being presented to him.

Would he kill someone if it meant protecting the people of Norrisville?

When he asked himself that, he suddenly remembered all the horror that had been cause by Clayton. How many other countless students were laying awake, traumatized from having been shot at with a sniper rifle? How many families have he torn asunder when he laid waste to the men and woman of the Norrisville Police Station? If given the choice, would he had taken the life of Bradley Clayton if it meant preventing such a travesty? Would he do it for his mother and father? Would he do it for Howard? Or Heidi?

It was then that Randy found his answer. Slowly, the boy reached out and shook Isoba's hand.

"Wh-whatever it takes," Randy finally answered.

"Are you sure?" Isoba asked. "Because once the fighting starts, there will be no turning back."

"Yes, I'm sure," Randy replied soft yet firmly, leaning against the tree again. "You said it yourself. They are coming whether I like it or not, and they're coming to kill me and whoever gets in their way…. I'm scared… " How found himself trembling again, and noticed an unassured look come across Isoba's face. "But not of dying," he specified, "but of other people dying BECAUSE of me…"

When he heard the boy's reason, Isoba nodded his head and let out a reassured sigh. "I'm not going to let what happened yesterday happen again… As the Ninja, it's my responsibility to protect this city and those who call it home. And if that means I have to take another person's life to do so?" He paused, taking in a deep breath of air. "Than so be it…"

Hearing the conviction in the boy's voice caused Isoba to let show a pleased grin. It seemed as if his pep-talk gave the boy the reassurance he so desperately needed to commit to the task that had been placed before him. Sure, it was still clear the poor boy was still scared of what was happening. But now he was given a reason to overcome his fear, which was a very important thing Isoba was going to address.

But now it seemed the problem had worked itself out all on its own, something the assassin was quite grateful for.

"This won't be easy. You know that, right boy?" Isoba asked, reaching into his trench-coat and pulling out his sunglasses. "You won't be able to half-ass this. You'll be going up again people who kill for both money and for the sheer fun of it. People who will take your life the very second an opportunity shows itself. There will be no room for mercy when it comes time to fight."

The boy nodded. "I don't have any choice," Randy reminded, folding his arms across his chest and staring at the ground. "If I don't do this, more people are going to die because of me. If killing these four is what'll take to keep this city safe, than I don't see any other option."

At this, Isoba smiled and slid his sunglasses over his eyes. "I'm glad to hear you feel that way. If it's genuine, that is…" Isoba than reached back into his trench-coat, pulling out a small ball, just like the one from the day before. "Your training starts tomorrow. Same time." Randy opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, Isoba turned his back to the boy. "Spend this time with the people you care about. Because in three days time, you are going to be faced with one of Fugimoto's assassins…. If we're lucky, that is…." Then Isoba threw the sphere to the ground, filling the immediate area with thick white smoke.

When the smoke cleared, Isoba was gone.

Now alone, Randy let out a long groan, slumping down against the tree and burying his face into the palms of his hands. Taking off his mask, Randy immediately reverted back into his street clothes and took a deep breath, going over what had just happened. 'There's no turning back now Randy Cunningham,' he told himself, running his fingers through his hair nervously. 'Like it or not, you're going to have to man up and face this… For everyones' sake…'

It was then that Randy felt his phone vibrating in his pants pocket. Pulling it out and flipping it open, it showed a text from Howard.

Howard: Hey Cunningham. You still coming over?

Randy: Yeah. On my way now. Be there in 10 minutes.

Howard: Awesome!

Flipping his phone back close, Randy rested his head against the tree and stared up at the sky overhead. '…. Three days, huh?'

To Be Continued….

I hope you all enjoyed the overdue update. Again, sorry for the delay. Life is a bitch nearly year round, keeping me from doing what I love. Tis sad, I know. But anyway, I know this chapter was rather lack-luster, but plot needs to be laid down before the super happy slashy fun time can begin, am I right? But don't worry, Randy's square-off with Cutter will happen soon enough, so just take this time to prepare for a masterpiece of a showdown, and marvel at the fact the THREE MORE will follow! YAAAAAAAYZ! Hope to hear what you think, and please remember to comment if you see a spelling mistake or anything like that. Hope to hear from y'all soon! :D