Sticks and Stones (Randicon)

Different

The ending of the summer season was quickly closing in, but summer vacation for the students in Norrisville had long since gone.

The fall wind was slowly inching closer on Randy's heels as walked in a steady pace to Norrisville High for his first day of Junior year.

Now being in the 11th grade and no longer a Sophomore, he didn't really feel much different other than slightly tired from his last night's restless sleep.

There was nothing out of the ordinary for Randy, like always, his walks to school were quiet and calm. Just like the two years before this.

However, this time around just felt...different.

Perhaps it was the slightly more flowery smell in the air, or maybe the anxious feeling in his stomach that had been there the past two weeks.

Or maybe...

It was the fact that high school was coming and going way too quickly for his liking. It felt like just yesterday he was at home getting ready for freshmen year, finding that box and note in his bedroom and meeting them for the first time.

Randy hated admitting it to himself, but the thought of giving up being the Ninja had been terrifying him to no end.

Especially as of late.

Not just because of the thought of giving up the powers the ninja suit gave him, or the view he got every time he flew by the city's sky scrapers, or even the adrenaline rush he felt everytime during an intense fight.

Not even those feelings were strong enough to sway him away from his true goal and duty as a ninja. Defeating the Sorcerer and his own personal goal of getting closer to...them.

The Nomicon.

Ah yes, his beloved teacher and guidance. Randy had been fighting alongside them for two years now and yet he still knew so little about them, whoever they were. Randy had tried to make progress in their relationship before once upon a time in the past but to no avail.

"He just won't let me in." He reminiscence. "I know the Nomicon's focused on defeating the Sorcerer, I am too, but even then you need to learn to make bonds with the people you fight with no? " He sighed, "Maybe he just doesn't like me, I haven't excatly been the best student when it comes to his teachings after all."

Randy shook his head,

"No way even the Nomicon isn't that cruel and besides even if it's true, I'm not going sit around and wait for them to ignore me, I'm going to show them I'm someone worth remembering!"

With new found determination, Randy adjusted the blue glasses sitting on his face and took a large gulp of his coffee for extra confidence."I'm going to show him what I truly got!"

~~~

On the other side of the school, Nomi Norisu was leaning against the schools famous 800 year old cherry tree, reading their favorite book for what seemed like the 9th billion time. Pulling up the collar from his baggy blue jacket, they ran a hand through his vibrant red hair letting it flow loose and free in the lingering summer breeze. Nomi sighed in frustration as they caught one of the falling petals of the tree in their hand.

The world continued to change right before their eyes and yet Nomi could see no difference....800 years and it seems as if the same petals fell from this tree again and again.

"I've been running in circles my whole existence and I see to find no end. The Sorcerer's presence is getting stronger every decade....and I fear at this rate he could find the chance to escape when I'm off guard and-" Nomi couldn't even swallow that thought. "No, that won't happen, I won't let it. I need to continue this facade for a few more years. I see potential in my current ninja, more than I have ever seen in any of my students before....but will he really be enough to defeat him?"