Sensei Laglia sat the tray down and sat down opposite Cam and Hunter. The Ninja and Samurai waited while he poured them tea. They were back in their civilian clothes again.
"I am truly sorry about what happened. But now you understand what has been happening to our students from both academies for the last few months. Sensei Palan will no doubt apologize as well." Hunter sipped his tea and Cam nodded.
"You stated as much in your letter. You also said something about us being conversant in fighting evil. Was there a particular reason for that?" Sensei Laglia sighed as he sipped his tea and then looked at him. He was a man of unassuming height and features, obviously of Maori origin, but there was a presence about him, a presence usually associated with the head of a Ninja Academy.
"A just under a few hundred years ago, when Europeans first came to New Zealand, they encountered our people. At first, relations were strained and tentative. Then, after a few years, others came including the first Fire and Ice Ninjas. They set up the two academies, at either end of each island, but then they hadn't even been up and running for a year when they encountered an ancient evil." They watched him quietly as they sipped their tea. "The Maori people had long been attacked and under the dark cloud of an ancient warrior called Te'poua. A warrior so evil and strong that the Maori warriors; themselves a force to be reckoned with; were hapless to protect their people. But the first Senseis of the Fire and Ice Academies had come prepared for anything, and with them they brought an ancient Japanese scroll that allowed them to seal Te'poua inside a vault deep under ground. When the scroll was finished being used, two seals had appeared, one each at each academy. Since that day until now the academies have been protecting those seals." Cam tilted his head slightly, looking at Sensei Laglia.
"And now you think something has broken through these seals?" Sensei Laglia shrugged.
"I don't know, and neither does Sensei Palan. The evil behind those seals has always been a constant background presence that we both sense." Hunter shifted slightly.
"And these problems started occurring when?"
"A few months ago they started becoming more and more frequent. We are at a loss to explain what is causing this behavior." Hunter and Cam exchanged concerned glances. Cam decided to bite the bullet so to speak.
"And what do you expect us to do exactly?"
"Well, between Sensei Palan and myself, we've managed to get the worst of our students to agree to outside mediation. But we think that you'll be able help with finding the root cause of these problems."
"You think the seal has become weaker some how, don't you?" Cam's guess was shrewd and Hunter smirked, his friend had gotten straight to the point once more. Sensei Laglia nodded.
"Yes that is the best theory that we can come up with." Cam looked at Hunter and Hunter raised an eyebrow and grinned at his friend.
"Well Cam, sounds right up your ally."
"Thanks Hunter, really helpful." Hunter grinned at Cam, totally unrepentant. Sensei Laglia watched their interaction back and forth and was curious how two such different Sensei from two completely different academies had become such good friends. But he knew it was possible; just look at his friends Watanabe and Omino. When they had been attending their final training as Academy Sensei the two of them were adamant enemies, yet ended up as good friends by the end of their training. So he just mentally shrugged, hopeful that these two would help them with their problem. Hunter just shrugged and grinned slightly at Cam.
"So, what is our next move going to be then Cam?" Cam thought a moment and then looked at Sensei Laglia.
"We'll need to speak to Sensei Palan and then we'll have to examine both seals. Then we can spend some time sitting down with the students and discuss what options we can do." Cam shrugged. "Until we get a look at the seals at both academies we'll be clutching at straws." Sensei Laglia nodded.
"That sounds reasonable. Sensei Palan sent a message earlier before you arrived stating he'll have students waiting at a location at the edge of the island to escort you to his academy." Cam nodded.
"Thank you Sensei Laglia. It couldn't have been easy for you to ask for help." Surprisingly Hunter chimed in now.
"And it couldn't have been easy to tell us what you were protecting." Hunter threw Cam a quick grin, his eyes sharing a fond memory with his friend. "We know how difficult that can be Sensei." Sensei Laglia nodded in thanks.
"I cannot thank you enough for your efforts to help us Sensei Bradley, Sensei Watanabe. Now, if you'll follow me, I will take you to where the seal on the Fire Academy grounds is located."
Cam and Hunter slowed down and stopped streaking suddenly. They stopped at the edge of a rather large cliff and looked around. Hunter smiled as he slung his back pack down to the ground and looked at Cam.
"So, what do you think?" Cam sighed as he looked around and then he sat himself down on the grass. Moments later Hunter sat down next to him and looked at him.
"About what?" Hunter rolled his eyes and grinned at him.
"Gee Cam; you're supposed to be the smart one." Cam shook his head and sighed in frustration. He was really starting to get sick of everyone expecting him to solve everything in two seconds flat. He had thought he'd proved himself as more than brains time and time again but sometimes, sometimes it was hard to shake that tag.
"Hunter, I'm getting a bit sick of being called that." Hunter looked at him a moment, his expression startled and then he nodded, his eyes not leaving Cam's face.
"Sorry Cam, I didn't realize that you felt like that. I promise to cut down on the smart one cracks okay?" Cam looked at him a moment, seeing the seriousness in Hunter's blue eyes and he knew that his friend meant it. Cam gave him a tiny smile and put his hand on Hunter's shoulder a moment.
"Thanks Hunter. That does mean a lot to me." Cam removed his hand after a long moment and then looked back out at the view. "Sometimes I just wish." Hunter studied him a moment and then spoke softly.
"Wish what Cam?" Cam paused a moment but then continued, knowing that he could trust Hunter with his feelings.
"Just wish that everyone didn't expect me to solve everything all the time. I'm more than brains you know."
"I know that Cam, trust me, out of everyone around here I know that. I'm sorry if I made you feel like that." Cam looked at him and then shook his head, giving Hunter a tiny smile.
"That's okay Hunter. I know you didn't mean it, you were being you. It's okay, really." Hunter shook his head and grinned at Cam.
"Cam, it's not okay; I was taking you for granted, again. I'm sorry about that." Cam just laughed softly.
"At least you know you're doing it. The rest of the guys don't even realize that they're doing it half the time. It's getting to be more than a little frustrating you know." Cam gave Hunter a small smile. "At least you always say thank you or please. That's always appreciated you know." Hunter opened his mouth to say something but suddenly they both sensed something. Springing to their feet as one, they turned and took up fighting positions.
"You feel it too huh?"
"Yes I do, strong and close." Suddenly the bush land in front of them erupted in flames and sheets of ice, going back and forth in a dance of deadly beauty. The two of them ducked instinctively as a sheet of flame passed over their heads.
"What the?!" Hunter blurted out as they got back to their feet, resisting the urge to swear. Cam shook his head as the Ninjas came into sight, fighting back and forth with each other.
"Fire and Ice Ninjas again, looks pretty serious this time around between them." Hunter was studying the fighting.
"That it does."
"Think they are the ones sent to meet us?"
"Could be, but maybe not looking at the way they are getting into it."
"Think they might listen to reason?" Hunter looked at him and raised his eyebrow.
"Probably not but what the hell, you only live once right. Want me to get their attention?" Cam nodded, his eyes not leaving the fighting Ninjas. The fighting looked particularly intense and it was slowly getting more so.
"If you don't mind please Hunter, I'd appreciate it." Hunter grinned, relishing the chance to have some fun.
"Be my pleasure." Holding his hands in front of him, his left hand holding his right as Hunter began to concentrate and concentrate hard. Sparks began to crackle around him and suddenly he flung his hand out, a blast of pure thunder erupting from his hands and landing in the middle of the fighting Ninjas. They all of a sudden stopped fighting and turned to stare at the two of them. Hunter lowered his hands and muttered softly to Cam. "Okay, your turn. Make it good." Cam stepped forward slightly.
"I'm Sensei Watanabe from the Wind Academy; this is Sensei Bradley of the Thunder Academy. We're here to help you solve..." Whatever Cam was going to say next was lost as suddenly there was a shout from a Fire Ninja, as he threw his hands out towards them both.
"No! This is our fight, no one else's! We don't need outside help to solve them." And with that, a blast of hot flame emerged from his hands and headed directly to the two Rangers and without thinking both of them had taken a step backwards, towards the edge of the cliff�
Catch an ALL NEW Power Rangers Ninja Storm, NEXT WEEK!!