"Air is needed for all things. You could not have water, fire, or life itself without it. Feel the presence of all things on the air. Do you feel it?"

"Uh, no," I say slowly.

"Focus, Elaine!" Madam Mistaké scolds.

I groan. "I have! I have been focusing. But air is just air. There isn't any presence on it," I say, annoyed.

Madam Mistaké rolls her newspaper and hits me on the head. "Ow," I mumble, rubbing my skull.

"Go inside and take a break. Come back when you're ready to learn."

"Yes, Madam," I mutter.

I am ready! She told me the whole story, the elements and the purpose of them. It's been a week since the snake incident, and I've gotten nowhere.

I grumble and organize the tea on the shelves.

Someone clears their throat and I turn around.

"Cole!" I say, walking around the counter to meet him.

"Where have you been?" He exclaims. "We've all been so worried! You haven't been returning my calls and the snake attack on town makes matters worse."

My stomach drops with guilt. "Oh my god, I'm sorry. I've been super busy lately and I haven't had much time to do anything."

"Busy? You work at a tea shop that gets like two customers a day."

"I had three yesterday, actually."

He sighs. "Hang out with us tonight? We've missed you."

"Yeah of course. Is seven okay?"

I hear a cough from the back room and I groan.

"I mean eight."

He laughs. "Yeah, we'll be here at eight. I thought your shifts ended at five?"

"I've been cleaning the shelves in the back. It takes a while," I say, hoping to convince him.

"Oh okay. Well, I'll see you at eight?"

"Yeah, see you then!" I say. He waves and exits the shop.

"The master of the earth. Nice boy, nicer than the one before him," Madam Mistaké says.

"You knew the original Masters?" I say.

She laughs. "Of course, I was one myself."

"Wait, which element?" I ask.

"What is in the past, is in the past. Now, how about more training on your mind?"

I follow her into the back once again. She burns incense on the opposite side of the room and motions for me to sit.

I cross my legs and she places a smallish box near the incense.

"We'll start with a strong scent, then gradually make the scents weaker and weaker until there is none."

I nod and close my eyes.

"Feel the air. Smell the incense that surrounds the open air. Feel the air around the flame. What does it feel like?"

"It's hot," I say. I could feel the warmth in my palms, my hands burning as if I was touching it.

"Good. Keep your eyes closed and imagine the candle in your head."

A small flame is pictured in my head, lighting up the darkness of my mind.

"Can you sense what is around the flame? Any pictures pop into your mind?"

"The box."

"Good! I want you to grab the air surrounding the box. It's just like pushing the air like you did last week, but this time pull."

I do as I'm told, and I feel a tugging sensation in my gut. Suddenly, a box is in my hands. I gasp and open my eyes.

"Good job, Elaine!" Madam Mistaké says.

"Wow, I did it!" I mutter. She chuckles. "Open the box."

I examine the wooden box one last time and pull the top off it. Inside was a folded, gray uniform. It had gold armor as well.

"It's just like theirs," I mumble, awestruck.

"Yes, and it is yours," Madam Mistaké says.

"I-I'm a ninja?" I say in astonishment.

"Not quite. But you are on the path to be."

"Wow," I murmur. She chuckles.

"Go catch up with your friends," she says.

"Really?"

"Yes. Go, before I change my mind!"

"Thank you!" I say and bow politely.

I grab my wallet and head for the door.

"I expect you early tomorrow to train!" She says sternly.

"Yes, Madam!"

-

"Why'd she let you out early?" Cole asks once we've all sat down.

"She said I've worked hard today and deserve a break with my friends. But I'm not nearly finished yet," I say.

"Well I'm glad you're here now," Nya smiles.

"Me too. You guys are ten times more fun than my job," I say.

"Why don't you just quit?" Kai asks.

"Yeah, you said you don't get any customers anyway," Zane says.

"I couldn't do that to her. Besides, I need the job too," I respond.

"Pass the soy sauce?" I ask Kai. He goes to hand it to me but it falls out of his hand. I catch the bottle before it hits the table, surprising everyone.

"What?" I say, grinning. Cole chuckles and shakes his head, taking the soy sauce from me when I'm done.

"Okay, okay. What about this?" Jay says, filling his cheeks with air and pulling his ears.

"Uh, confused bird?" Kai guesses.

"Ooh! Monkey!" Cole shouts. Jay nods and Cole pumps his fist in the air as Kai glares at him.

"How's the apartment, El?" Nya asks me, ignoring the three boys.

"I love it," I say with a smile, but it soon falters. "It's expensive though."

"I could imagine," she huffs. "It's crazy in the city now, since it's grown so much."

"If you ever need anything, come to us," Lloyd says. Nya and Zane nod.

"Thanks, guys," I say, smiling.

"Cole!" Kai groans, throwing his chopsticks at him.

"Hey! It's not my fault you suck," he says, throwing the wooden stick back at him.

"How old are we again? Twelve?" I joke. Lloyd laughs.

"What?" I say, confused.

He just smiles and shakes his head.

"Yeah, we better go before we get kicked out," Nya says, glancing at the waiter who was glaring at us.

"Good idea," Jay says.

"Where should we go now?" Kai asks once we walk out, but I could tell he already had something on his mind by the playful expression he wore.

Nya sighs. "She doesn't want to do that."

"Do what?" I ask.

"Kai found a lake to swim in. It's dirty," Zane responds.

"It's not that dirty!" Kai defends.

I laugh. "Okay, let's go."

"Yes!" Kai explains.

Cole sighs. "We'd have to go back to our place to get bathing suits."

"No we don't! We'll swim in our clothes, duh," Kai says. Lloyd rolls his eyes.

"We can stop at my place. Nya, I can get you a sports bra." She smiles gratefully at me.

"What about us?" Zane says.

"Would you like a bra as well?" I say. Zane frowns and looks at his chest.

"As I am a male, I seem to not have any-"

"Okay, Zane. That's another example of sarcasm. You remember our conversation about that?" Cole says, placing a hand on his shoulder. Zane just looks confused.

"Zane doesn't really understand the concept of jokes," Lloyd whispers to me.

"I see," I mutter.

We reach our hotel and I guide Nya to my room.

"How do you like the boys?" She asks.

"They're sweet. Pretty crazy but they're cool," I say, digging through my bag for my extra bra.

I find it and throw it to her along with a pair of shorts, and she goes to the bathroom to change.

"They seem to like you as well," she says, stepping out of the bathroom. The throws her t-shirt over it and we walk back outside. The two of us trail behind the boys as Kai leads the way towards the lake.

We finally get there and the boys take off their shirts, Nya undressing as well. I feel embarrassed, but I also take my shirt off. could fell myself turning red from all

the sudden attention. Yet I couldn't help but check out each of them too.

Jay pushes Cole into the water and Zane shakes his head, following after them.

"So you guys are siblings?" I say yo Kai and Nya, breaking the silence.

"Uh huh," Nya says.

"Who's older?" I ask.

"Me," Kai says.

"Sometimes I forget that," Nya mumbles. Kai splashes her and she splashes him back. Lloyd chuckles.

"What about you?" Kai asks. "Do you have any siblings?"

I look at my hands. "No," I say.

"Being an only child isn't bad," Lloyd says. I shrug.

"Hey, guys!" Cole shouts. "Come this way!"

"Chicken fight!" Jay says, putting Nya on his shoulders. Kai climbs onto Cole's shoulders and Zane steps aside.

"Uh, no thanks," I say.

"Ah, come on, El!" Cole says.

"Climb on," Lloyd says. I smile, blushing slightly and climb onto his shoulders.

"Okay, but you guys are going to lose," I say, grinning.

Nya pushes Kai and he frowns. "Hey, let's not target people!"

"C'mon, El. Help me push Kai off," Nya says.

Lloyd walks over to Kai and I push on Cole's shoulders.

"Hey!" Cole says.

Finally, Kai tumbles off Cole's shoulders and falls into the water.

Nya turns towards me and reaches for me. I grab her hands and we push each other.

"You got it, El! Push her off!" Lloyd exclaims.

"No! Nya, do something!" Jay shouts.

I feel a small tug in my gut, and I push Nya's shoulders. She falls into the water with a splash.

"We did it!" Lloyd says. He lets me off his shoulder and I turn to see his grinning face.

"We did," I say, giving him a high five.

"That was so weird," Nya says, surfacing from the water. "Like, I just fell."

"It was probably Jay's weak arms," Kai says.

"Hey! I'm very strong," Jay says, flexing his biceps. Cole scoffs.

"Sure. And by the way, I let you win. I'm much stronger," Cole says.

"Actually, I believe I remember seeing Kai fall first," Zane says.

"Whatever," Kai says, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, yeah. You guys are just sore that we won," Lloyd says. I grin.

We all climb out of the lake and shiver, since none of us brought towels. Luckily we warmed up on the walk back to my apartment.

"Let's head back. Wu's probably wondering where we're at," Lloyd says.

"Who's Wu?" I ask.

The group exchanges glances with each other. "He's my uncle," Lloyd says finally.

"Oh, cool."

"Anyways, we'll see you later, El," Cole says, waving goodbye.

I chuckle. "Bye," I respond, and head to my room.

-

"Did you have fun last night?" Madam Mistaké asks me as I walk into the small tea shop.

"Yes, we went swimming," I respond, placing my things down.

"Follow me," she says. "Do you have the suit?" I nod.

"Put it on and meet me outside."

I put the clothes on and stare at myself in the mirror. I hadn't tried it on yet—it was strange seeing myself as a ninja. I take one last glance then head outside.

"Today, we will practice movement."

I grin, excited when she turns around.

"Close your eyes and feel the air. Hear the leaves shaking in the wind, the same wind that the birds glide on. Become aware," she says.

I could feel the air surrounding everything outside. There's a tree to the right of me, and a squirrel is sitting on its branches eating acorns.

Suddenly, I sense a sort of disturbance, and I take a big step to the left. Good thing I did or Madam Mistaké would've broken my shoulder.

I never thought an old woman could move so fast. I'm taking steps in every direction, dodging her punches and blows. I lean back, forwards, step to the side, duck, and jump over her kicks.

"Good!" She says. I grin and open my eyes.

"Jump over me," she says.

"What?"

"Do it!"

She charges at me, a spear in hand.

Oh god, oh god.

Okay, El. Feel the wind. Uh, the air surrounds the air.

Okay, no speech. Leave that to Madam Mistaké who is going to run into me.

I ignore all the logical thoughts in my mind and I run towards her. I jump.

I fly into the air, and duck my head into my stomach. I flip over her and grab the spear doing so. I land flat on my feet on the other side, crouched and ready for attack.

"Holy shit," I mumble.

"Language!" She says and hits me with a newspaper. Where did she even get a newspaper?

"Sorry. But I did it!" I say.

"Yes, good job. Now again!"

For hours, I trained with Mistaké. It was amazing, the feeling of being in the air and moving so swiftly. It's like the wind was in control of my body.

At eight thirty, I'm leaving the tea shop and running to the docks, my suit still on and my identity concealed.

I jump onto the roof of the small building like I did a few weeks ago, and I watch the boats return from the sea.

Someday, I want to go out and see the ocean. I want to be on a boat and have the water spritz on my face as we glide across the top. I imagine it often, as naive as it may be.

I see a burst of color across the dock by the wooden ship. I narrow my eyes, but I couldn't see anything else, so I shake it off. I'm probably just imagining things anyway.

A couple minutes later, I see it again. This time closer to me. I swear I could see a person jumping between the wide pegs on the dock, watching me.

I jump off the roof and run to my apartment. I don't want to risk anyone seeing me.

I take a quick shower, then hide the suit at the bottom of my closet. I climb into bed and close my eyes, hoping for a peaceful sleep.

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