IMG_3868Ninja Venne Wang dropped down from above. She spied her target with narrowed eyes.

IMG_3870Silently and swiftfully the skilled ninja crept down, careful not to make a sound.

IMG_3871Phew! Made it! Venne rejoiced silently to herself.

IMG_3872She then spun around like a top doing a 180 and pressed herself flat as she could against the nearest wall.

IMG_3873And that’s when spotted Emelie Rose Hope Bennett.

IMG_3874Venne had her eye on this mysterious person for days now. She always disappeared, alone, away from the others at the same time each day for the past two days. Such mysterious behaviour was not to be overlooked. What was Emelie doing? Definitely hiding something, that was for sure. But what? That’s exactly what Venne determined to find out.

IMG_3877Emelie Bennett has just entered the room. The sun hiding behind a cloud gave her the perfect cloud covergetaway. She looked back behind her quickly as if to make sure nobody was watching her.

IMG_3881Most definitely suspicious, Venne noted mentally.

IMG_3882The sun appeared again and Venne could clearly see Emelie had knelt down and fished for something underneath the drawer.

I have to get a closer look! Venne decided. There was no stopping her, dangerous as it was.

IMG_3883While Emelie’s back was still turned, Venne darted swiftly to the other side of the room near Emelie.

IMG_3884Venne hid in the closet and peeked out of the closet door. Aha! She’s pulling something out! Venne noticed, her eyes widening.

IMG_3885What was it? It appeared to be… a small piece of pink fabric and a blue spool of thread with a needle tucked into it.

IMG_3887As soon as Emelie faced her direction Venne hurriedly pressed her back against the clothes. She closed her eyes and silently pleaded, please don’t see me! Please don’t see me!

IMG_3888Venne finally found the courage to peek out again when all became mostly silent.

IMG_3889Emelie had sat down and cleared a space on the drawer to set her materials down. What on earth was she doing?

IMG_3891Before Venne could watch any more, a random dog appeared out of nowhere and started barking directly at her!

“Shh! Shoo, shoo! You’ll give me away!” Hissed Venne urgently, trying in vain to quiet the pup.

IMG_3892Venne heard Emelie stand up from the chair. Venne’s heart dropped to her stomach and she immediately dove behind the clothes rack for cover!

Although… err… Venne was still in ninja training academy… heh, heh, and, hadn’t, um, fully grasped the concepts of hiding in a closet.

IMG_3893The relentless barking brought Emelie over.

“Chloe?” Asked a bewildered Emelie. “Is that you?”

IMG_3894Venne reluctantly crawled out of her not-so-safe hiding spot. Seeing as there was no other option, she raised her hands to the sky in surrender and defeat. “I surrender! I just ask that you spare my life for my dear sensei’s sake!”

IMG_3895“Chloe?” Emelie asked again.

With a sigh, I, your beloved Chloe Zoey Carter, not the brave ninja Venne, shook myself out of my imaginiation. “Yeah?” I answered normally. At first I thought she would laugh as she studied my outfit like all the others did when I was playing some awesome, action-packed, dramatic game, but she didn’t.

“You’re a ninja,” she finally concluded.

IMG_3896I grinned. “Yup! My name is Venne Wang, Ninja of the North Kingdom.” Then my smile faded. “Well…” I faltered. “Not a very good one, actually. If this was real life, I could be captured and sentenced to death by the enemy. Or if I’m luckier, be sent to a dungeon or someplace like that.”

Emelie didn’t laugh this time, either, like everyone else did when I explain what I’m doing. “Well, lucky for you, I am a very kind enemy. Want to join me for a chat?”

“Sure!” I responded, trying to be cheerful. However I was still dissapointed by my failed efforts and didn’t feel so epic anymore.

IMG_3897Emelie sat down while I flipped the calendar, which I noticed was still on the February page.

“So… why were you spying on me?” Emelie asked. She wasn’t angry, but curious and rather amused.

I responded, “I’ve been really curious about why you’ve come back here at a certain time every day for the past couple of days. I wanted to find out why. Of course, I could’ve just asked you, but it was ever so much more fun and dramatic to pretend I was a ninja and do it that way.”

Emelie smiled. “Well, the past two days I’ve been brainstorming ideas for Josefina/s birthday present. And today I’ve finally figured out what to make her – I’m embroidering a handkierchief for her in a flowery pink. I’m still on a hunt for aquamarine thread, however, because aquamarine is her birthstone. I was actually just deciding whether or not to go ahead and embroider it with navy blue or keep searching for aquamarine thread.”

“I know where some is!” I piped up. “It’s in Madison’s extremely cluttered sewing stash in her loft bed closet. I dared to go in there once and regretted it for life. But if you’re brave, you’ll find some in there. You just have to keep your eyes open for it.”

IMG_3898Emelie seemed delighted. “Thank you, Chloe! I love how observant you are. That’s a good quality in a ninja, you know.” She added.

I sighed after marking off the correct number of days on the calendar. “I’m a terrible ninja! Ninjas aren’t supposed to be seen.”

“But you displayed very good qualities. You were observant when others were ignorant of me slipping off to work on Josefina’s birthday present. You were silent and sneaky. Honestly, I never even knew you were here until Coconut gave you away!” Emelie argued.

“But Coconut still gave me away, and that’s very bad for a ninja.”

“All ninjas have their days,” Emelie reassured me. “But they have to be brave even when they’re captured. And in the meantime… practice on those hiding skills!”

IMG_3899At this we both laughed. I noticed Coconut innocently coming up to me. I sat down and cuddled her.

“Well, Coconut, you aren’t very good for ninjas,” I told her as she gave me these adorable puppy kisses that melted my heart. “But I love you so much just the same!”

Do you like ninjas? Or how about adventuring?

Until the next adventure,