Chapter Text
The night of the play began. All students are already seated, some students is in charge of make up while others are in charge of background movements. Finja that night is in charge of background music. As he was being busy, adjusting the bass and noise compression, Theresa approached him.
"Finja."
"Oh, Oba. What's up?"
"Randy and Howard will be on that stage. 20th Ninja asked me to warn you in advance."
"...They're on stage as...?"
Finja asked with a hint of fear in his tone... Theresa just pointed at the boys, Randy hanging on the ceiling with lights in hand while Howard is holding on the end of rope. Finja's face fell as he watched both boys struggled to balance.
"What the juice, Oba?!"
"Language. And be cautious."
Theresa disappeared before Finja could say anything. He sighed as he facepalmed before he looked up at them to glare. Randy and Howard give him shrugs before pointing behind him, which he turned to see Creek in his stage attire.
"Hey. Finja. Are you doing alright?"
"Absolutely! And I know you're going to rock on that stage right now!"
Finja said as he puts a thumbs up nervously, his face heating as Creek returned the gesture with his smile as he walked past him. Whistles sounded from the boys above, snickering as Finja fumed in embarrassment. Soon, the stage play started... Finja stayed cautious all the time... his eyes darting everywhere behind and in front of the stage... Dialogues and songs roll by in a flash... Surprisingly, the two boys above were doing great... Until a snarl of a cat sounded... Finja's eyes darted forward, revealing a feline robot in stance... Finja's eyes darted nervously, landing on a timid boy near the curtain.
"Yo, weird kid."
The boy turned around before being placed in front of the DJ set with the set of headphones on his neck. Finja just gives him a thumbs up before leaving quickly. Finja immediately pulls out his ninja mask, quickly transforming into his suit.
Just as the feline robot is ready to pounce, Finja quickly interjected, snapping its form backstage with his feet as he landed safely. The feline robot let out a roar as he lunged forward which Finja quickly handled by pulling its muzzle back with a rod nearby. This feline robot is stronger, perhaps fueled with some chaos magic. Just as he was about to lose grip, a kick sent it flying into a wall. When Finja looked up, he saw Randy in his ninja form. The way he knows it because of his height.
"Randy?!"
"What? A ninja isn't supposed to be far from his mask, ay?"
Before they could have a conversation, a roar was heard before it came charging towards them. Randy quickly pulled Finja aside, making it crush head first into a wall meant for the stage. Its impact let the stage shaking, sending confusion and shock across the room. Plop Plop noticed and quickly ran backstage to help his friend before being stopped by Howard.
"No, man. Let them deal with it."
"But—"
"No buts. Stay."
Finja and Randy managed to take the feline towards the gym, making enough room for attacks. Finja and Randy worked together, countering attacks as the feline fought them both. Just as they were about to defeat them, Amanda appeared... scrowling...
"Not like this, you'll win."
Amanda muttered as she waved her fingers and magic dust fluttered towards the feline. The feline, being filled by magic, let out a roar as he finds strength to knock both ninjas off balance, sending them flying towards benches.
"H'oh, boy... things are not looking good..."
"That witch.!"
Finja bit out as the feline approached, magenta smoke filling the gym as it approached the teens. Finja is taking his journal out, flipping through the pages while Randy struggled to stand up from the benches. A gasp of relief was let out from Finja as he finally get to the page he wanted to go.
And he had no idea right in that instinct. He threw his journal away in frustration. Randy saw it and quickly reacted to catch it, causing the feline to shift it's focus. Finja couldn't have the time to react as it charged towards Randy. Finja used his scarf as a rope as he threw it around the feline's neck and holds them like a cowboy would. Feline resisted, thrashing and snarling as it rolled...
"Man, this is way harder than I thought."
Randy muttered under his breath before he flipped through his journal. Same Nomicon, different books. Randy stared at the page where Finja was reading moments ago... His eyes scanning the contact and knew what he had to do. He puts the book aside, looking back to Finja who is still on the feline's back, trying to hold it down.
"Finja! I think I know a way to defeat it!!"
"Well, hurry up then! I can't hold it any longer!"
"You have to embrace it!"
"What?!?"
"You have to embrace it!!"
Randy shouted as Finja desperately tried to cling onto the back of the feline robot. Embrace this thing? What? Ohhh.... He think he gets it now... Randy must have seen the part where he wrote something while staring at Creek. Perhaps, it could work. Finja breathed in hopefully before wrapping his arms around the feline's neck... Its movement freezed, calming on impact, it still snarled at Finja but its movement aren't aggressive anymore.
"It worked!"
Randy celebrated as Randy rushed forward to embrace the feline too. The feline purred as it finally let down its guard. Finja slowly got off the robot and slumped against its body in exhaustion...
"You okay?"
"Yeah..."
Finja breathed in sharply... His head leaning on the feline's side... The feline is finally contained, finally putting it to sleep before turning it off by the button. They discarded their mask from their face.
"Welp, great fighting, Finja."
"Yeah, you too."
They high fived each other, their height nearly no difference due to Randy's hair... Just then, Theresa, Howard and Plop Plop showed up, pulling up the scroll given by 20th Ninja. Finja and Plop Plop stands on the side in confusion as Theresa drained the chaos energy from the feline's body... The scroll burned but Theresa didn't flinched. The scroll thrashed like a flame would as it formed into a portal... Theresa looked at Randy and Howard, expecting them to go. Finja and Plop Plop realized what's going on and smiled as they waved goodbye. Howard is already out the door but Randy walked back to give Finja a hug, which Finja returned...
"Thank you."
"No problem."
Randy said lightheartedly as he withdraws from the hug and headed for the portal, disappearing after the portal closes in...
It's been a week since it happens now. Randy and Howard got scolded for skipping school on the day of the attack (as their parents said) and Howard and Randy didn't defend themselves but go along with it. Now they're back in school, scribbling their summer essay... But the memory lingers beautiful... Wishing for a chance to bond with the younger version of his mentor...
(THE END OF THE EPISODE)