October 24th 2020
Prompt: "DIE EVIL DEMON ARGHHH!!!"

Don't ask me what made me create that prompt. Honestly I don't know.
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   We lived in a jungle.

  You don't exactly get high speed internet there so what did you expect? Joey only knew about the ninja from the occasional book or news clipping we were able to find in the tiny, probably illegal, markets outside of our wood.

  So as he grew up I accidentally mixed up Santa Clause and the ice ninja, simple mistake. They're both...winter-ey. And maybe I also switched the tooth fairy and the one who annoys everyone. No big deal. Okay, and I might've also said the green ninja was the one who gifted the magical presents from the nature spirit. I wanted to get him off of my back, okay? Little brothers tend to annoy you so you throw off the first thing that comes to mind! Unfortunately, I didn't realize that young children had a tendency to want to catch the little spirits that bring the goodies. How was I supposed to know? You'd think a kid would reason that you shouldn't man-handle the thing that gives you presents when you're good, but I guess children are greedy at eleven years old.

  Mom and Dad were elemental masters who worked under an agency that helped decimate the illegal trade of vengestone and things like secret plans out in the middle of the desert. Of course that career also placed a target on your back and those you love so Joey and I were left in the care of our great uncle, Joseph. Unfortunately Joseph passed away a long time ago without anyone knowing it.

  I was always left to take care of myself and Joey after that. It was fine. I could hunt, I could gather, I was resourceful. The forest became apart of me as I of it. Joey loved exploring in the forest. He hadn't shown any signs of elemental powers so we all assumed he didn't have any. So while I honed in on my powers he raced around which might've been when he began plotting his sinister little kid plan.

  In my defence I have to do everything. Find the food, cook the food, clean the house, all while making sure none of us died and keeping our defences up. So some days I'm not totally paying attention to whatever Joey's doing. He used to just run around screaming "die evil demon argghhh!" and I had long stopped looking at the insects he brought inside. That proved to be a bad choice after fire ants found their way into my bed but that's besides the point.

  "Hey Kiara! I found a stream by the great oak!"

  "Mmkay." I replied as I folded laundry.

  "Hey Kiara! I going to go climb the great oak!"

  "Mmkay." I replied while I charted where our parents were.

  "Hey Kiara! I found a hornets nest and I'm going to knock it down!"

  "Mmkay." I replied while I nailed the treehouse so it didn't fall apart while we were sleeping.

  "Hey Kiara! I'm going to go catch a ninja!"

  "Mmkay." I replied while I did the very important job of sleeping.

  Usually he doesn't get up to that much trouble. Usually he just dawdles around and then comes back. Usually ninja aren't traipsing around a jungle for crying out loud! So imagine my surprise when he comes in and says:

  "HEY KIARA!!!!! I CAUGHT A NINJA!"

*********

Beeping filled the air, the sound of feet pounding against the bark of the huge branches that bridged the gap in between trees, cries fear of the creatures of the forest erupted, the sound of an army yelling orders as they stampeded through the jungle.

My figure ran swiftly through the trees, I stayed low, using the leaves of the canopy to disguise my shape as I stopped at the trunk. Heavy breaths were being suppressed as I looked from my hiding place, my hand gripping the beeping device and turning it off before raising the communicator to my lips.

"Position 713 report we have intruders, a squadron heading straight for the house. Traps are set, weapons ready, Joey is following protocol spider monkey." My voice was shaking. People were in the jungle, they were in my home, they were coming for me. I couldn't panic. I needed a clear head. But I couldn't help but feel fear. "Please come home mommy." I whispered softly as I clicked off the device. I leaned over the branch, hiding behind the trunk as I watched the captain direct the soldiers. They wore thin clothes meant for mobility instead of protection, weird masks covered their faces. My eyes widened as I caught sight of the symbol on their breast. These weren't good people. I could tell. They continued talking and I couldn't quite make out what they were saying, they're voices were brisk and accented.

"...spotted...south,..find...attack..."

"We need....kill.....destroy..."

"Catch.....green...."

In between were muddled words as I reached in my pack and tried to find my satellite dish so I could try and pick up what they were saying. Suddenly there was a loud horn blaring through what was once the beautiful peace of my home.

There were loud cries of excitement and my grow furrowed as I tried to figure out what was going on. Orders were made, yells of urgency erupted and some took off in a totally different direction while others stampeded on.

Why were they going that way?

I didn't have time to think about it as I became aware of them going on the path to our home. I unslung my bow from my back and notched an arrow, running nimbly after them over the branches and racing towards the core of our base. It was a house in the trees, a beautiful construction of multiple buildings with hanging lanterns and porches that lead to each other.

"Joey, a troop is going to the west post I need you there." I yelled into my communicator as I skidded to a stop on a platform in one of the trees.

My eyes narrowed as I focused on the moving shapes, the arrow wasn't meant to kill, a mechanical arrow that latched on and sent an electrical charge into the victim. I released the arrow, my hand going into my quiver as I shot a volley of arrows towards the assailants.

Many of them went down but more carried on, I slung my arrow, whipping out my knife as I leaped. I felt gravity take its course and I grabbed one of the long vines hanging from the trees, sailing down as I felt it tense in my grip. I landed on the forest floor but unfortunately I landed unbalanced and ended up stumbling. The soldiers didn't seem to notice me at first until I threw the knife into the Captain's head. Chaos erupted at they stampeded around ungracefully, one moved to tackle me but I bent low and the soldier flew right over me. I let out a flurry of well aimed kicked, going for the head, stomach, groin and knocking over as many as I could. I was skilled in combat and had a large range of agility. Both skills stated as I fell back on my hands and pushed off, flying into the air as I wrapped my legs around his neck and elbowed my attacker in the head with ease before spinning off him.

I paused panting as I stared at the array of bodied on the ground. I heard the screams and tell tale signs of soldiers to the west being caught in Joey's traps. Feeling satisfied I moved back into the treetops, going towards our radio so I could report this to my parents so they knew we were okay.

*****

Days went by and we slipped back into our normal routine. Joey kept his traps around and he was hoping to catch an animal to use as his pet. I humoured him, hoping it would keep be a rabbit and not a poisonous snake but I let his have his fun.

"HEY KIARA! I CAUGHT A NINJA!"

"Mmkay." I replied but this time he jiggled me around.

"Come see!"

I sighed but I hadn't been spending much time with him. Stupid karma. I slipped into the tone people used when talking to children. I hope he used the dummy instead of the jaguar this time. "Alright."

"Come see! Come see!" I laughed as he dragged me through the trees. We darted through the forest until we made it to the trap. Thankfully it was much bigger than a jaguar. But my brow furrowed when I realized this thing was actually breathing. Big, huge, rasping breaths. My eyes widened when I made out the figure in the net. I swore loudly and my brother's brow furrowed, not used to such vulgar language after the word holy. I quickly grasped the rope attached to the pulley systems and pulled the jet thwarts me, steadying the person in there on a branch before cutting him loose.

"Joey, I need to you come with me and promise me that you won't try and catch random people again." I said in a firm voice.

Joey pouted. "I didn't catch him." He said hotly. "He was in there when I came!"

My face scrunched with confusion as I pulled the nets away from the person inside. He was young, about my age, blood covering his face and clothes, eye lids closed but twitching as his eyes moved around frantically under then. I glanced down at the dirt covered garb he was wearing.

Oh my god. I thought. My brother actually caught a ninja. I swore again as I pulled him free, his unconscious body bumping against mine as I rested him down and checked his pulse. Suddenly he stirred and I unconsciously reached up to cup his cheek as I stared in wonder at the boy. His eyes opened and I was struck by the greenest eyes I've ever seen, wide with fear and confusion. I slowly became aware of the colour of his gi.

"Oh my freaking God." I gasped. "I think you just attacked the green ninja."