Song: Family System - Chevelle

The next few days come and go. The minute I agreed to help Elizabetta, we started training right away. I expected my brother to let me take over, but I was wrong. He wants to do everything. I quickly resign from any major advice and hang back, feeling a bit out of place.

Though Elizabetta isn't great, at least she knows how to stay balanced. Believe it or not, one of the hardest things about Ninjutsu is keeping your footing. She makes it look easy. Must be the ballet.

On another note, it's tough listening to Michelangelo's lessons. He describes things in an unprofessional way and his advice is always along the same lines.

I try stepping in when his teaching gets too far off course. However, he simply brushes off my tips and continues teaching Elizabetta how he perceives things; with little to no sense. I know he just wants to feel important, but that doesn't make it any less irritating.

The worst part is that Elizabetta doesn't seem to understand what Michelangelo is saying. He has to show her every position, every angle, every movement he makes, all because he doesn't know how to explain it. Sure, she's just a beginner, but he could use real names instead of 'The Mind-Blowing Superhero Punch' or 'Cat-And-Mouse Space Flip'. Like, what?

Five days of training equals five days of listening to Michelangelo. As it passes, I actually feel like I lose some intelligence. I hear my brother's words go in one ear and brain cells go out the other.

On the night of the fifth day, I can't take it anymore. I told Michelangelo that the girl is his problem, but it's too difficult to stand by and watch it. Elizabetta clearly hasn't learned anything. Properly, at least. I can tell she's trying her best, though. She really wants to understand our ways and I am going to help her do just that. Without Michelangelo's interference.

I creep into the room Elizabetta is staying in. She is lying on a mat with her back to the door. She looks peaceful; far different from her usual, stressed-out self. I almost hate to ruin it. But it's for a good cause.

   Bending down, I touch her arm and gently shake her. She responds immediately with a confused, sleepy noise.

"Lizzy," I whisper. She doesn't answer, so I shake her again and repeat myself quietly. "Lizzy."

"Mmm?" Elizabetta rolls over and rubs her eyes. She looks up at me and jerks away in surprise when she realized who it was. "What are you doing here?"

"Come on, get up. I'm taking you to the surface," I say.

She raises her eyebrows as her green eyes clear. "Why? Is something wrong? Where are the others?" The concern she has for my brothers is impressive, considering she only just met us.

"Nothing is wrong, just follow me and bring your dagger," I reply swiftly.

I help Elizabetta to her feet. She pursues me dully at first, then vibrantly as we get out of the lair and into the sewer tunnels. She eventually ends up at my side, the skip in her step betraying her excitement.

We reach a manhole cover. I motion for Elizabetta to stop, then I remember that she doesn't understand my sign language; only my brothers do.

I glance at her and whisper, "Stay here."

At her nod of agreement, I climb up to the manhole and examine the surface. The sky is filled with stars and the streets are dark. Not a soul is in sight.

   I leap out of the sewer tunnel and look back down at Elizabetta, having to remind myself that she still can't read my hand signs. "Follow me," I tell her softly.

   She climbs out of the manhole slowly, though she is obviously trying her best to be quick.

   "It takes practice," I inform her once she is beside me. "Now, come over here." I lead her to the side of a building.

   I watch her gaze trail up the structure. "What are we doing?"

   "We're going up."

   She looks at me and her eyes widen, but she doesn't protest. I know in this moment that she isn't one to admit weakness; I'm going to have to go easy on her in training.

   I launch my grappling hook onto the roof and tug it until it finds a hold. I hold out one of my arms to her. "Come on."

   Elizabetta wraps her arms around my neck awkwardly as I pull her to my side. Making sure she won't fall, I slowly pull myself up the building. I ignore the feeling of her nails digging into my shoulder. She will get used to grappling buildings eventually if our practice session works out.

   At the top, Elizabetta appears relieved to have her feet on foundation again. She gets away from me as soon as she can and sits down on a ledge. I can see her legs quivering.

   I smile to myself and put my grappling hook away. I choose to pretend that I didn't notice. She wouldn't appreciate me pointing it out.

   "Alright," I say in a business-like tone. "Since Mikey isn't the best teacher, I've decided to do a training session with you. If it works well, then maybe we can continue. If not, then we will figure out how to get Mikey to explain positions better."

   "So that's what this is about." Elizabetta looks even more relieved. "I thought we were going to rob a bank or something."

   I smile. "I have enough green without needing it in currency, too."

   She laughs at that.

   I stand in middle of the clearing and remove my twin katanas from their sheathes. I put one foot out, keeping the other directly behind and firmly grounded. It's almost like walking a tight rope; it requires a lot of balance.

   It's a comfortable stance, but when I was younger it was the most excruciating feeling in the world. Elizabetta will need to learn this first. It will help her stay standing when an enemy tries to trip her up.

   "Do this," I command her.

   She positions herself with ease, but the pained look on her face tells me it's a struggle to stay in it. She holds the pose as long as I make her; a good five minutes. Once I tell her to release, she does immediately. Her legs are shaking more than before.

   I ignore it once again. I need to find her breaking point- or at least, how far she'll go before she asks to stop.

   "Try this." Starting in the same position, I lift one leg and spun around with it out. I land back into the first pose.

   Elizabetta copies me. She lands with her feet only slightly off-center. She gives me an unsure smile.

   "Not bad," I praise. "Just make sure you land exactly as you started."

   She repeats it a few times until she stops perfectly on her feet.

   I grin at her. "Next, when I come at you like this"- I run at her with my katanas pointed upwards and stop a few centimeters away- "you trap my weapons against me with your own."

   Elizabetta nods, a flicker of nervousness in her eyes.

   I back up and charge at her again, my katanas extended. Elizabetta catches my weapons with so much intensity that it takes me by surprise. She's stronger than she looks.

   She pushes against me and forces me backwards. I regain my footing and push back with equal amount of force. She meets my gaze with an expression of amusement and determination.

   I loosen my hold against her on purpose. She pushes me back again. She continues until I am leaned against a roof-ledge wall and can't move anymore.

   "Ha! I win!" She smiles at me.

   Suddenly, I summon enough energy to shake her hold. She stumbles backwards, but I grab her arms and flip her over the top of me. She lets out a small scream of fright.

   I make sure she lands on her feet on the ledge behind me. I turn around and look up at the amazed look on her face.

   "You're gonna teach me to do that, right?!" She looks like an overly-excited kitten.

   I laugh and releases her arms. "If you want to learn that," I reply.

   "Well, duh!" Her eyes are lit up with astonishment. "Those are the kind of moves that can impress anyone; including angry, old people!"

   I laugh, but it doesn't last long. In her excitement, she takes a step back, right off the edge of the roof. She doesn't even have a chance to cry for help as she plummets toward the cold, hard ground.

   I throw myself at the edge yelling, "LIZZY!"