Roxy Ran: Red Samurai Part 5

'Lecky, that's mean,' I say.

Cinnamon is so used to put-downs that she swallows her sadness, then jams it in her locker with a slam. She turns into the conversation and I wink at her. It's unusual for Elecktra to be at my locker asking me for help. I'm enjoying this.

'Was there anything else, Elecktra?' I ask.

'Yes. Well.' She flicks her eyes around and lowers her voice. 'I've come to realise that we're sisters.'

'Duh.' I roll my eyes.

'I mean, there are things I can do that you can't do. Like text while showering and cry about celebrity breakups. And there are things that you can do better than me,' Elecktra says.

I sense Jackson rolling his eyes behind Lecky's hair.

'Like what, exactly?' I ask with a sneaky smile.

She shakes her hands in front of her face, the bangles on her wrist chiming. 'I don't know, like kick and fight and know what to do when stuff happens.'

Jackson pokes his head around Elecktra's shoulder and narrows his eyes. He doesn't know about the samurai motorbike attack in broad daylight.

'Is English her first language?' Cinnamon asks me.

We laugh. Lecky glares.

'Spit it out, Elecktra,' I say.

'I want to start training, you know, like you?'

Jackson's surprised face appears over Elecktra's shoulder again. 'You? Train? You wouldn't last a nanosecond,' he says.

'I don't know what a nannasecond is, but it sounds cute and I bet I can dominate it,' she retorts. 'And we made a deal, Rox. You would help me with my training and I said I'd be your life coach. My first piece of advice is to take off that pumpkin jumper.' I look down at my orange knit. 'It's very year 2000,' she says and walks off.

'What's with her lately?' Jackson asks. 'The fruit thing with no hands and hanging out with Hero's clan?'

'Lecky's going through a lot at the moment,' I say.

'Did her favourite boy band split up?' Jackson jokes.

'I'm serious. She needs our help. Training will be the best thing for her. She needs the focus.'

'That's nice of you to help her,' Cinnamon says. 'Lecky never helps anyone else.'

'Well, we're sisters,' I say.

'She doesn't act like it,' she says quietly.

'One day it will pay off.' I cross my fingers behind my back. I'm hoping that Lecky's new powers will bring us closer together.

Jackson escorts Cinnamon and me to cla.s.s. As I walk down the corridor, I imagine walking arm in arm with Elecktra through Gate One, with matching red boxer shorts poking out from under our school skirts.

Riding on the bus with Elecktra is interesting. I thought people would think she looked crazy, in her cape sequined with rainbow stripes, but instead they look at her admiringly, as if she is wearing a designer piece straight off the runway. She's so pretty that I don't think people's eyes even register what she is wearing. The cape only illuminates her natural beauty: the colour in her hair and cheeks, the gold sparkles in her brown eyes.

We arrive at an office building. Elecktra sees a man entering it and chases after him.

'I'm here for the casting of the magician in the Natural Glow Vitamins commercial,' she says.

I cringe. I can already tell this is going to be embarra.s.sing. The man tries to speak, but Elecktra cuts him off.

'I haven't seen the previous ads. I'm on TV more than I watch it,' she lies.

The man's gla.s.ses fog a little. He's carrying a clipboard and a pen and wears a thin tie that seems to strangle his triple chin. He clears his throat.

'Lecky, I don't think he is the person -'

'You're probably wondering why I'm wearing this elegant cape?' she continues before the man can speak. 'As well as being gorgeous and talented, I'm also a future-Merlin-Award-winning magician.'

The man is now slightly amused. I doubt he knows about the Merlin Awards, or even cares. Lecky's dream has been to win a Merlin since she was six. They are the Oscars of the magic world, the highest prize for any magician or illusionist. I always believed that Lecky could win because I'd never met someone more out of touch with reality than her.

'I have a blog. It's going to make me famous. Blame my inner pop star.' She shrugs, then looks around. 'No compet.i.tion today? My show reel is doing its job!'

The man says nothing, now entertained by Lecky and her cape.

'I'm available to shoot immediately. I'm a size zero, with a one in front. Check this out,' she says, 'I can even do Ninjutsu.' She performs a series of percussive strikes Mum taught her, finis.h.i.+ng on a double body block to the man's nose. He flinches.

'As you can see, I'm fit. That's what vitamins are all about, being fit on the inside,' she boasts. 'I can make any disease disappear with a flick of my cape.' She smiles. 'Cla.s.sic me, talking about myself. Who are you?'

'I'm -' the man begins.

'I'm the face of s.h.i.+mmer Shampoo,' she interrupts.

'No, you're not,' I say. An elbow lands in my gut.

'Would you like to see my surprised face?' she asks the man, then, without waiting for a reply, she opens her mouth and cups her cheeks with her hands. 'I'm so surprised right now,' she says with taut cheeks.

'Great acting,' I mumble, beyond embarra.s.sed.

'We sell tyres here,' the man finally manages to say.

Elecktra frowns. 'You sell tyres?'

He pushes his gla.s.ses up his nose. 'Yes.'

'I thought you were a casting director,' she protests.

'No. No, I'm not,' says the man.

Elecktra stamps her foot. 'This is totally the second time this has happened to me,' she says, then points a finger at the man. 'Lucky you.'

'So, do you want to buy some tyres?' the man asks.

'We're going,' Elecktra says, pulling my arm. 'I'm over it!' Typical Lecky. She won't even bother to find the real audition place now.

'That went well,' I say, then shoot the man an apologetic look. He shakes his triple chin.

Elecktra looks back over her shoulder. 'You'll be seeing me around,' she calls, flicking her cape. 'On billboards.'

SIX.

Thursday afternoons are the busiest time of the week for our school nurse. Every Thursday we end the day with sport and heaps of kids try to fake sickies. If you're not sporty, then Hindley Hall is not for you. My geography teacher, Sergeant Major, is ex-military and keeps the students and staff in good condition. Mum sent Lecky and me here because she believes sport is important. 'You have to exercise your mind and your body,' she always says. Mum's philosophy is all about living in the Gym of Life. Meaning you have to be active all the time, take-the-stairs-not-the-lift kind of stuff. Lucky there's no skysc.r.a.pers in Lanternwood, otherwise we'd be in trouble. You'll never catch Mum standing still while waiting in a line - she'll be stretching.

Today Sergeant Major is hosting a mini Olympics, which will be great practice for the sports carnival next week. There will be sprints, relays, long jump, a water bucket race, balance beam and noodle toss. We used to do javelin, but with so many kids now studying martial arts, Sergeant Major thought the javelin was too much like a weapon.

I'm in the under-fourteens division and put my hand up for the sprints and noodle toss. Cinnamon is beside me, her wet hair pulled back into a high ponytail. It must have taken her ages to tame her curls into cooperation. She wears navy-blue knee-length shorts and a gold T-s.h.i.+rt.

'New uniform?' I ask.

'Nope. Just never worn it,' she says, smiling. Cinnamon hardly ever wears her sports uniform because she always comes up with an excuse not to partic.i.p.ate. The House captains and teachers never choose her to compete and she would never volunteer. I wish she would. Competing is such fun.

Elecktra is in the under-seventeens division with Jackson. She is dressed like an elite sprinter, with racing sungla.s.ses, a sweat headband and a pinned sign on her sports T-s.h.i.+rt that says OUT OF MY WAY. To top it off, she has turned up with one yellow runner and one neon orange runner. I have no idea where she managed to find odd-coloured trainers, but I bet everyone will be copying her next week. It'll be a Lecky trend for sure.

Sergeant Major gathers all the under-fourteens around him. The hairs on my neck spike as I feel Hero slither in behind me; I sense the dark shadow of his samurai aura before I see him. The shadows are thickening around school. Not friendly shadows but samurai shadows. The auras of samurai are not translucent like normal shadows, but smear across the ground like mud. It's as if samurai can sense you if you step into their shade. I glance across the oval and see samurai shadows standing across the gra.s.s despite the overcast day. I s.h.i.+ver. I turn slowly to look at Hero and his lead eyes are ready to meet me. They aren't wet like normal eyes, but matt like leather. His eyes scare me the most. They have no light.

'I need one more girl for the under-fourteens, four by one-hundred-metre relay,' Sergeant Major says, looking down at his clipboard. He is wearing his usual uniform: camouflage pants, black T-s.h.i.+rt and a whistle. 'Any volunteers?'

I'm running the four by one hundred metres with Poppy O'Leary and Tippy Ling. We volunteered because we are in the same House and often compete together. Poppy and Tippy are both Gate Two and we Twos try to band together. No one volunteers. They are either competing already or don't want to compete with Gate Twos. Sergeant Major surveys the group, then his eyes crease into a smile.

'Sold,' he says, pointing behind me.

I spin around to see Cinnamon's arm high in the air, waving. She winks at me.

'Awesome!' I say to her as Tippy and Poppy gather around.

'Can I run last?' Cinnamon asks.

Tippy looks at Poppy, then at me. 'Sure,' she says.

'This is my first race. Ever,' Cinnamon says. I expect her to be nervous, but she doesn't seem to be. She looks pumped.

Jackson jogs over to us. He has proper sprinting spikes on - he always has the best gear. 'Good luck, Rox,' he says.

'Thanks. Hey, Cim is competing,' I tell him. Poppy and Tippy nod.

Jackson runs his hand through his hair and smiles. 'You'll kill it,' he says and I feel Cinnamon blossom like a thirsty flower in the rain.

'How's the wind?' he asks me, smiling. I glare at him. As if I'd ever use my powers to cheat in a race.

'You're up, girls,' Jackson says as Sergeant Major calls our race.

I see Elecktra out of the corner of my eye, watching Jackson speak to us. I wish she'd give up. He's clearly not interested in her, or her mismatched trainers. Elecktra sees me staring at her and goes cross-eyed. I gasp. She uncrosses her eyes and mouths, 'Joking!' I shake my head at her. She'd be stupid to use her powers here where everyone can see.

'Good luck,' I say to Cinnamon, hugging her. She is still composed, acting like a total pro. Poppy, Tippy and I high-five, then take up our positions around the oval. The school gathers to watch. I see Jackson across the oval and it makes me suddenly nervous; it's the b.u.t.terfly Olympics in my stomach again.

Sergeant Major stands at the start line. 'Ready. Set,' he booms.

I hold my breath, looking back at Poppy poised on the marks.

'Go!' Sergeant Major roars.

Poppy launches off the start line, churning herself forwards with her arms, not her legs. She is struggling in fourth place as three Gate Ones sprint ahead of her.

'C'mon, Pop!' I yell at her as she nears me. I hold my hand out behind me and when I feel her slap it, I sprint. My legs pump as my arms power me forwards. I keep my head down. When I finally look up, I'm out front and only five steps from Tippy. I slap her hand and she takes off. She's the fastest of us all with long gazelle-like legs; Little Athletics after school has paid off. Poppy and I cheer as she bounds forwards, leaving the Gate Ones in her stride and offering Cinnamon a head start.

Cinnamon looks anxiously behind her, but her knees are steady. Her eyes are on Tippy and with her pulled-back hair, she is all business. Tippy slaps Cinnamon's hand and Cinnamon sprints away. I'm cheering so loudly I sound like a frog. She holds her own with the head start, but soon the others catch up and overtake. I half-expect Cinnamon to give up, but she doesn't stop, her eyes remain focused on the finish line. A burst of red hair flies free from her ponytail and flaps in the wind like a red flag. Cim crosses the finish line in fourth place. I run towards her and give her the biggest hug.

'You legend!' I say, jumping up and down. 'That was your first race!'

'I have to keep up with you,' she pants, hands on knees. 'And I didn't stop.'

Tippy and Poppy join us and we group hug. We didn't win, but having Cinnamon compete feels like winning. Cinnamon glows more with satisfaction than sweat. I'm so proud of her.

'Rox, will you come with me after school?' she asks.

'Where?'

'Secret,' she says, giving me a toothpaste grin. She wipes the sweat from her brow and stares at it. I think sweating is a first for her too. She's full of firsts lately. As I watch her high-five Poppy, her red hair fighting free, I suddenly realise she's looking healthier. Fit even. She looks like she could make it through the gauntlet of Gate Two now without puffing.

'Are you going to enter the talent quest tomorrow?' Cinnamon asks as we walk over to the noodle toss. I shake my head. 'But you could win! Especially if you show some cool ninja moves,' she says.

'As if!' I say. 'I can't let anyone know I'm the White Warrior. I've already had one close call. Lucky Elecktra saved me.' A sudden wave of pins and needles shocks my body as I realise I've walked into a samurai shadow. A tall Year Nine with dirty yellow hair glowers down at me. I leap back into the light.

'Lecky saved you? What with - her hair straightener?' Cinnamon laughs.

'She did all right,' I say. 'And besides, she's being nicer to me these days.'

Cinnamon rolls her eyes. 'You wish.'

'Every year. On my birthday cake,' I say.

'That's your wish? You'd rather get along with your sister than have a pet?' she asks.

I think about this for a moment. I've yearned for a pet for years now, but Mum doesn't like animals inside and our yard isn't big enough. The only way I can pretend to have a pet is to visit the pet store with Cinnamon and hold the puppies, kittens and rabbits there.