Siren's Song

2

Alisha pulled her long curls back into a loose bun, secured by the black mask she pulled over her face. She nodded at Cole, Jay, and Zane. The four tiptoed into the monastery, and Alisha pulled them aside. "Now, it's time to figure out what Sensei's been keeping from us. He's been training you guys to be ninjas and helping me continue my original training. But he's been acting weird these past couple of weeks. And we're about to find out why."

The three boys nodded back at her. "We'll follow your lead," Cole assured her. She grinned beneath her mask, checking the straps holding her spear in place. "Let's go."

They jumped to the ceiling rafters, noting Wu's nightly meditation before continuing. They stopped by a bathroom, watching a kid in red pajamas brushing his teeth. Alisha glanced around to the others, nodding her head when one of them, probably Jay, made a motion pointing down. They stealthily dropped into the corners of the room, readying weapons. Somehow, the kid didn't notice them, too caught up in his thoughts. "Take this! And this! And this!"

His last exclamation trailed off as he realized he was pointing a toothbrush at Cole, who held his weapon threateningly before him. All around him, the other black-clad figures closed in. Realizing the situation he was in, his face fell. "Oops."

A moment passed, the four warriors holding weapons to the weaponless boy. He grinned suddenly, catching Jay's shoulder and using it to get into the rafters. Alisha scoffed, casually leaping up and meeting the kid there. His eyes widened as she chased after him, the other three not far behind. They converged on him in the courtyard, weapons flashing in the moonlight.

The kid was smart, triggering the training course to use it to his advantage. It worked as he fought off Cole, Zane, and Jay. But he forgot about Alisha until she had crept up behind him and pulled him into a headlock. His first instinct was to go limp, throwing himself to the floor. It worked, and he slid right out of her grasp. She snarled as she tackled him onto the ground, trying to punch him in the face.

Alisha had the stranger pinned beneath her until he grabbed her ankle and twisted her off. She hissed in pain as her back hit the wall of the courtyard. Zane took over, both him and the new guy fighting on the ground. When Mystery Dude pinned Zane, Jay, Cole, and Alisha piled on top to subdue him. Until they heard a voice shout. "Stop!"

The four black-clad figures shot to their feet, bowing with respect. "Yes, Sensei."

The strange guy in red frowned. "Wait, they're your students too?"

When Wu nodded, he continued. "This was my final test, wasn't it?"

Jay cut him off. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! You never said anything about a fifth. It's always four. The Fantastic Four, Ghostbusters, The Beatles-"

Alisha hit him in the head. "Those are my references!"

Cole sighed. "Uh, what he's trying to say, Sensei Wu, is that the four of us have trained together. We're solid," he explained. The new guy scoffed. "Didn't look so solid to me."

Zane spoke up next. "Master, what is the meaning of this?"

Wu's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Each of you have been chosen. Each is in tune with elemental properties. But first, ninja-go!"

He shifted into Spinjitzu, and in a blur of light, all five had more colorful gear. Alisha watched the other four gape at their new outfits, expecting to remain in her training gear. Except when she looked down at herself, her eyes widened. She wore the navy blue combat suit of a siren lieutenant, accented with brighter blue seams and matching boots. A glance down at her back revealed a matching long cape. The blonde reached a hand up to her head, feeling the lieutenant's headpiece across her hairline. With her complete change in attire, she realized she wasn't wearing a hood like the others anymore, but instead, a fabric mask that covered her mouth and nose. Her blonde curls had escaped their loose bun, remaining in a ponytail down her back. (See the top image for a better idea. Not perfect, but it's close enough to what I had in mind)