Serendipity
Dustin couldn’t believe he was lost. He was supposed to be in meditation by the Koi pond, and he must have gotten turned around somewhere, because he’d just found a maintenance shed. After two months at the Wind Ninja Academy, you’d think he’d be better able to find his way through the maze of formal gardens and practice areas better than he was currently. It didn’t help that Sensei Genim kept assuring him that he’d find his way soon enough, and that “an Earth ninja, in full control of his powers, is never lost.” Not when he was looking for a pond of goldfish and found a shed full of fertilizer instead.
Dustin considered the path he’d been following for a moment, then decided to see if he couldn’t retrace his steps and figure out where he’d gone wrong this time, or at least find someone who could direct him to where he needed to be.
He started jogging, worried about how Sensei Genim would take his tardiness after he’d been transferred from the sunrise class that most Earth ninjas took to the midmorning class mostly intended for overflow students or students with special circumstances.
Dustin skidded around a copse of trees and slammed into someone who must have been running from the other direction. Dustin stumbled backwards, tripping and falling flat on his back with a yelp. He took a moment to just breath and try to organize his thoughts before he sat back up to see who he’d crashed into.
The other boy was about his height, with straight, short black hair and dark skin. He wore the red of an Air Ninja, and just behind him was a girl in Water blue. Dustin, however, was more aware of the Air Ninja than he was of the boy’s companion. From the way the boy carefully met his eyes, Dustin thought he must have similar thoughts.
“Hey,” the Water Ninja said, “are you guys okay?”
Air Ninja barely glanced at her, “I’m fine Yvonne.”
“What about you?” the Water Ninja, Yvonne, asked sharply. Dustin glanced at her and shrugged a little before he started to climb to his feet. “What does that mean? Can you not talk or something?”
Dustin kept his irritation to himself save for a quick frown at the girl, even as he reached to offer the Air Ninja his hand. The Air Ninja glanced at Yvonne, then at Dustin’s hand before he reached out and gripped it. When he was standing, he gripped Dustin’s shoulder, “Hey, I need you to use your words, dude.”
There were no real words for what Dustin felt upon hearing those words. It was as if each piece of the phrase had been somehow framed in vibrant red, and they echoed around him in a single moment of clarity. Dustin didn’t think he’d ever experience something like that ever again. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to.
Dustin swallowed before blurting out the first thing he could think of, “I don’t know what they are!”
Then he groaned, backing up a step, because surely it was impossible for him to have embarrassed himself any more than that particular gem. It was worse than that time in the school play when he’d freaked out over forgetting his lines so badly that he’d gotten sick all over half the cast and two thirds of the scenery. He could barely bring himself to look at the Air Ninja, only to be frozen at the look of amazed recognition on the boy’s face.
“I’m Shane,” the Air Ninja announced, offering his hand.
“Dustin,” Dustin said firmly, taking Shane’s hand.
“This is…” Shane trailed off.
“I know,” Dustin agreed.
He might have stood there for hours, mesmerized by Shane’s face, but the clock at the top of the Academy’s primary building began to chime the half hour, snapping Dustin into reality. “Oh no, I am so late,” he breathed, backing away from Shane.
“Late for what?” Shane asked.
“Meditation at the koi pond,” Dustin said, he rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. “I’m kind of lost.”
“I’ll show you the way,” Shane offered.
“Shane,” Yvonne snapped.
Shane glared at the girl, “You go ahead and tell Sensei Byrd that I’ll be there soon. He’ll understand.” He gave Dustin a shy smile, “Come on, Dustin, let’s go.”
Dustin squeezed Shane’s hand and let him guide the way, away from the maintenance shed.