~*~*~*~
Our team was shuffled to the sidelines by the teachers. The only ones allowed to stand in the rings were the competitors. It didn't take long for Jian-Sho's students to get everyone where they needed to be. I watched and saw how everyone had a place. The spectators were to stand or sit on the sidelines. The competitors had to wait their turn to enter the ring and wait around the perimeter of the red ring line.
As for the judges, they each sat at the end of a ring, five of them lined up in a row on top of tatami mats. Each judge looked like they were at Akira's skill level or higher. They were either second-in-commands, established teachers, or grandmasters of their clans.
In other words, I had to be sure to impress the big shots of the shinobi world! Yikes!
“Kaze-San!” I yelped. I tugged my team leader's shirt.
Kuroi groaned, “For spirit's sake, be a man! Whaddya want?”
“How are we going to do this? Who's competing in what?” I asked.
“I dunno! Our freaking sensei up and left us!” Kuroi growled.
“She's right behind you,” Luna then said.
Kuroi turned his head around. Akira was behind him, just as Luna had pointed out. “Sensei, lovely to see you,” Kuroi nearly snarled.
Akira smirked, “Sarcasm doesn't earn you points, Kaze-San,” she retorted. She stepped into view for all six of us to see her. “There are three events and six of you. Usually there are seven members that a teacher brings, but as you can see, we're one short. Yami-San and Meko-Chan, you two are doing weapons. Luna and Cassie-Chan, you two are doing open hand kata. That leaves Nigaru-San and Kaze-San to spar.”
I felt my heart drop down to my stomach. “S-Sensei!” I exclaimed, “I'm not very practiced with my bo staff kata.”
“And I forgot my shurikens,” Tabby added.
Akira shook her head. “Looks like you've already failed me and we haven't even started yet,” she muttered darkly. I held my head down in shame. “Okay,” Akira said, “Yami-San and Nigaru-San do weapons kata. Looks like one of you will have to do two divisions instead of one.”
Kuroi puffed up his chest. “I'll do it. I'm the team leader, after all.”
“You most certainly are not doing it,” Akira snapped. Before Kuroi could argue with her, she continued, “Nigaru-San, you will do weapons and spar. Got it?”
“Yes, Sensei.” Hanran seemed cool with the plan. He'll have to compete twice, how can he be so cool about it?
Akira nodded, finally satisfied. “Good. I'll be a judge today so the six of you can't bother me.” She turned her back to us and started to walk away.
I looked at Cassie, who shared my shocked expression, then I looked at Tabby, who was just as miffed as I was. “Wait, Sensei!” I called out.
She stopped walking away and looked at me right in the eyes. “What?”
“Uh, er, um,” I stuttered.
“Out with it, bro!” Luna whispered to me, elbowing me in the side.
“Don't you have any words of encouragement for us?” I then asked the shinobi woman. I let out a big breath of relief that I got the question asked. While I still had my bravery in check, I also said, “I mean, we're about to do something we've never done before. Isn't there anything you can tell us?”
Akira blinked once, unaffected by my plea. “Don't screw up,” she stated plainly.
With that, our teacher left Sector 7 all alone.