QWYNN STILL REMEMBERED the very first day Blitz had been introduced.

She had just been promoted to an eleven-ranker, and she was quick turn her nose up at all those twelve rankers who still wore a plain, black suit. Qwynn now had a polished badge, and a knife. A real knife!

Then a new ninja arrived, with a horrible head injury. The rumors started. She was no more than four, yet had she already been in a battle? One of the craziest stories involved her being a spy for the Kor, expecting the Arth to take a child less seriously. But none really believed the tale. Spies were always first-rankers. And this child hadn’t even reached the height to be a twelfth-ranker.

Qwynn decided to continue her superiority act, assuming this child was still, at best, a lowly twelfth-ranker. But when Qwynn entered her first class, the history of Kor, she saw the child sitting in the far corner, slouching lazily and doodling in her book. Everyone stared at her, there was no denying it. The little thing raised her head to look at Qwynn, read something on her face, then sighed and continued her drawing.

Finally, the teacher arrived late, as usual. She started immediately, talking about the rise of the BlackWing Squad. Two sentences in, she realized that the class simply wasn’t listening. She swiveled her head around determined to find the root of the problem. It didn’t take long to realize everyone was whispering about the mysterious origins of the new kid. The new kid, however, was drawing and not paying attention. Perfect.

“Ms. Blitz, may I ask why, exactly, are you drawing?”

Blitz looked up solemnly. “I’m drawing a clock, ma’am. Very much like the one I believe you have on your wrist. I think that’s the purpose of it, right.”

The teacher pursed her lips. “That is no reason to vandalize Kor property.”

“There is no reason to arrive late.”

A snicker arouses from the students. The teacher had enough sense to stop the conversation if she wanted to maintain her high position of authority. “Pay attention. Now. And you’ll staying inside during break.”

Blitz sighed. “Yes.”

The teacher waited for the appropriate title.

“Woman.”

The class burst out laughing. Qwynn looked at Blitz, eyes wide. No one had ever disrespected someone at a higher authority. And here comes a four-year old, laughing at a teacher right in the face. The teacher stood up, red in the cheeks. She marched up to Blitz and held her by the scruff of her collar. To everyone’s greatest surprise, the child smiled wide, showing a missing front tooth. From the ragged flesh at the bottom, Qwynn guessed it had been knocked out by force.

The teacher marched her out of the room, probably to yell, but it wouldn’t change anything. Most of the class was now looking at Blitz with more respect than they ever gave the teacher.

Later that day, the commander herself walked into the lunchroom to talk to Blitz. The room went quiet. It was a great honor to have the commander come. She rarely visited anyone below second rank. And now she was visiting a tiny, rude, eleventh-ranker.

But Blitz didn’t even give Rhea a second look. She even whined, “Must I?” when requested follow the commander. Rhea ended up dragging a grinning child to her office, and the child waved unhelpfully at the stunned eleventh rankers as she passed, looking like open-mouthed fish. Qwynn could feel her own gaping mouth and bulging eyes.

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Blitz returned after dinner, during free-training time. She walked around, clutching a map in her hands. Qwynn had learned to be tentative when a newcomer was introduced. Offering help too quickly would make her a target as well. She stayed far away, staring at Blitz.

Blitz didn’t seem to mind. She wove around other towering ninjas, who were all studying, laughing, fighting, and staring. She stumbled into a training room with dummies and a punching bag. The floor was covered with a green mat, though it was of little use. No one took off their shoes when they came into the room, and the mat was nowhere soft enough to break a fall. The room smelled like a new car with a ting of lemon. Bright lights compensated for the lack of windows. It would be easy to lose track of time in this room. Qwynn was relieved to find that she wasn’t the only person following Blitz, as a mob of children came after, pretending not to follow.

Fatalty was training in the room. She always was. Most ninjas liked training in obstacle courses, but Fatalty liked throwing punches. The room was built as a dojo the size of a basketball court. It didn’t take long for Fatalty to locate Blitz.

Usually the first-day-punching was anticipated on day three or four. It’s hard to corner someone who avoids being seen. However, if an unsuspecting ninja, such as Blitz, triggered it early and under the right conditions, Fatalty wouldn’t miss the chance. Several ninjas cowered back, painful memories coming back to them. But most pressed on, wondering what the little ninja would do.

The first-day-punching was a great way to know someone. Flick had punched back, but she was too skinny and frail to do much damage. Zin and Arti had fell limp. Qwynn and most others tried to run or defend, but Fatalty always managed to catch them.

Fatalty wasn’t the only bully. Lucifay didn’t have the best reputation, and neither did Draka. They didn’t form a bully posse, but they did have a mutual understanding. Lucifay and Draka never interfered when Fatalty punched her victims, so Fatalty stayed away from theirs.

Blitz looked around the room, as if assessing the situation. Qwynn guessed she was going to run, but Blitz was too short and too little to run far. Fatalty threw her gloves aside, preferring to go bare-knuckled. She moved slowly, deliberately. Blitz looked Fatalty up and down.

To everyone’s surprise, Blitz positioned herself in a sort of pose. Her left leg was anchored in front, and her right leg was giving her support from behind, twisted into a ninety-degree angle. He hands were curled into fists, her right hand slightly behind her left. The corner of her mouth lifted into a relaxed smile. Slowly, she extended an index finger, waving it.

Bring it on.

Fatalty charged. Blitz leapt, flipping for show as she ricocheted off a wobbling dummy with a rounded base. Blitz was light enough to prevent it from falling back, but the dummy sprang forward, and Fatalty not reacting fast enough to step aside. The dummy slammed into Fatalty’s forehead, a dull thud echoing through the room.

A bruise would form. Some cheered on, but other stayed silent, afraid of the consequences. If Fatalty won, those who cheered wouldn’t meet a happy ending.

Blitz shimmied up a particularly tall Makiwara, a karate training post. On there, she could leap onto the top of a thick kick bag, steadying herself on the chain. Fatalty kicked the bag, but Blitz was long gone. She flipped in mid-air, catching a beam on the ceiling. Everyone held their breath. She couldn’t stay on the ceiling forever, but letting go would be suicide. Blitz seemed to have noticed it too, but she didn’t panic.

Blitz started swinging back and forth like a pendulum. She launched herself forward, aiming at the training pads. Qwynn held her breath. Blitz flipped, her head now leading. Landed on the pile, and Qwynn heard sighs of relief.

Fatalty lumbered over. Blitz regained her stance. Fatalty punched, but Blitz ducked. She punched again, at the midsection. Blitz blocked with a pad. Blitz seemed to have realized she didn’t have the strength to throw a strong punch, not without momentum. So she blocked.

Fatalty was getting desperate, kicking instead. She stretched her leg up for a roundhouse kick, but Blitz wasn’t there. She looked down, to see Blitz squatting. Her short leg swept under Fatalty, who was balance precariously on one foot.

Fatalty wobbled, her hand trying to break the fall. But all was in vain. She fell back squarely on the back of her head. Blitz stood up, brushing herself off. She wasn’t sweating, but her cheeks were red. She looked at the gathered crowd. Some tenth rankers joined in as well.

“Well, I’ll call that a successful training session.”

Then the clapping began.

Qwynn was clapping along, stunned. Qwynn wondered why Blitz was an eleventh-ranker. She was at least a ninth ranker, being able to flip and, most importantly, think in midair.

From that point on, Fatalty started training in obstacle courses.