Winds of Change: Rising Storm

Chapter 4

Tempest walked into the training yard, glancing around for Kai, as Sensei Wu had directed. Kai wasn't there, but another boy was. He had short auburn hair, and was wearing blue ninja robes. When she first walked in he was in the middle of swinging a nunchuck at a fighting dummy while lightning expanded from the nunchuck. She kept on walking hoping not to bother him, but he saw her and stopped anyway.

"Hey!" He grinned, wiping his brow. "I'm Jay."

She smiled back, although hers was a little more forced. "Hi, I'm Tempest."

Jay nodded. "I know. Sensei and Kai filled us in."

"Us?" She repeated. "Oh, you mean the ninja. Sorry, I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this."

He gave her a knowing smile. "I understand, you get used to it though."

Tempest shifted uncomfortably. "I guess. Sensei Wu is trying to teach me all this stuff about elemental powers, but the honest truth is I like my simple life."

"Wait, elemental powers?" He sounded completely confused. "Do you..?"

She was about to answer, when Kai came out into the yard. "Sorry Jay, I have to catch Kai. Sensei Wu gave me instructions. Bye." She ran over to the fire ninja, not giving Jay time to stop her.

"What's up?" Kai asked as she stopped in front of him.

"Sensei Wu told me to have you teach me some sword fighting." She shrugged slightly as she spoke. "Of course if you're busy you really don't have to.."

He didn't pick up on her emphasized "really" however, and instead grinned. "I'm not busy. Plus, I'm the best sword fighter here. You couldn't have a better teacher."

Tempest rolled her eyes. "If you say so yourself."

He shrugged. "Can't deny awesomeness." Kai headed towards where Jay had been, a cabinet sitting in the dirt. The blue ninja passed Tempest as she went over to Kai, the red ninja pulling out two dull swords and giving Tempest one.

"The first thing you need to know is the four defense positions." He instructed, standing in front of her a blade's distance away. He held his sword straight up, so that it was positioned in front of himself. "This is stance one. Try it."

Tempest mentally rolled her eyes, and mirrored his hand position. "Good. Now, this position protects you from a side attack on either your left or right." He explained. Tempest nodded, and Kai slowly swung his sword against her's on either side.

"Next," he continued, changing his sword position so that it was horizontal. "This will stop a strike from above or below, but most people won't try a strike from below." Tempest mirrored the position, and he struck downward.

Before he could speak, Tempest interjected. "I'm pretty sure I know what's next. Diagonal defense from each side, right?"

He nodded. "Exactly. Have you fought with a sword before?"

Tempest blushed slightly as she answered, "No, but I've seen other people fight."

Kai grinned. "That's good, let's try going a little faster then." She positioned herself in the beginning stance and the two began to spar, faster as she got more comfortable with each strike.

"How did it go with Sensei?" Kai asked after a while.

Tempest slashed downward at his sword. "It was ok."

Kai parried and laughed. "Ok? That's Sensei for you. What did he do, tell you the fate of Ninjago rest's on your shoulders?"

"Sort of..." She said as she made a heavy strike to the left. "He was talking about all these elemental powers and wind, things like that."