The Ninja Quest (6 page)

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Authors: Tracey West

BOOK: The Ninja Quest
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“You're doing a good job,” you say. “Everyone is talking about the ghost.”
Pia's face brightens. “Really? That's cool. Maybe I'll leave now. It's kind of spooky in here.”
“No kidding,” you agree. “I'm looking for something down here, but it's hard without a flashlight.”
“No problem,” Pia says. “You can have mine.”
“Thanks!” you say happily. You shine the flashlight around the tunnel.
“I'm supposed to go that way, but it looks like a dead end,” you remark.
Curious, Pia follows you to the end of the tunnel. It's a wall of rock, but there's a penguin-sized hole just above your head that must lead to the other side of the tunnel.
“Can you please give me a boost?” you ask Pia.
“Sure!” she replies, and soon you're tumbling through the hole. You land with a thump on the Mine floor. You've landed in some kind of old storage room. Cream soda barrels are piled up against the walls.
You thank Pia and shine the flashlight ahead of you. The tunnel forks in two directions. You look at the map, but the fork isn't there. You're not sure which way to go.
If you go left, go to page 30.
If you go right, go to page 61.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26.
 
“I'm in,” you tell Pia. “What are we going to do?”
Minutes later, you start your prank.
“Whoooo . . . whoooo . . . whoooo!”
The penguins turn toward the Mine entrance and see a ghost floating out of the Mine. It's white and sways back and forth spookily.
“It's the ghost!” someone yells.
The frightened penguins run away. You and Pia emerge from the Mine, laughing. You draped the sheet over a rope and you and Pia moved it back and forth. Then you made ghost noises. It worked great!
“That was fun,” you say. “But now I've got to get back to my quest.”
You look for the map in your backpack, but it's gone! Pia helps you search the Mine, but you can't find it anywhere.
You're bummed that you can't finish your quest, but at least you made a friend. You and Pia head off to play a game of
Mancala
.
 
THE END
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16.
 
If you make friends with the black puffle, it might take time away from your quest. You decide to keep going.
Up ahead, the river flows underneath a pass that cuts right through a mountain. You check the map and realize that you have no choice but to follow the river inside.
It's dark inside the mountain, and the farther you go, the darker it gets.
“I should have brought a flashlight,” you mutter. It's difficult to see more than a few feet in front of you.
Then you take a step and, instead of touching down on rock, your flipper hits water. Startled, you plunge into the icy cold river. You can feel the strong pull of the water as it swirls and swirls around you. You've accidentally stepped into a whirlpool!
“Heeeeelp!” you cry, but there's no one around to hear you. You're a good swimmer, but you can't resist the pull of the whirlpool. The strong, swirling water pulls you under . . .
The next thing you know, you can feel that you're on dry land. You open your eyes and see Sensei looking down at you.
“Where am I?” you ask, sitting up.
“In the wilderness,” Sensei says, and you can see that you're back at the reflective pond.
“How did I get here?” you ask.
“That is not important,” Sensei says. “You have done well. But you need to strengthen your fire skills. I cannot allow you to continue.”
You frown. “Grub! I'm sorry I let you down. I really want to learn how to be a ninja.”
“There is another way you can help,” Sensei says. “The Dojo will need gongs. I can teach you how to smelt metal and make them. You will strengthen your fire skills that way.”
“Yes!” you say without hesitating.
Sensei waddles over to a wood chest and comes back with a dark, leather apron. “You will need this Goldsmith Apron.”
“Thanks, Sensei,” you say. You're sorry you didn't find the Dojo location, but making gongs out of metal sounds like a lot of fun—and you still get to help Sensei.
 
THE END
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 70.
 
Before you make your decision, you think about what Sensei told you: to remember what you had learned so far. The very first haiku you read sticks in your head:
 
“Alone you travel.
But when a friend offers help,
Do not refuse her.”
 
The choice seems clear. “Of course you can come, Amy. I don't think I'm supposed to do this alone.”
Amy grins. “Hooray!”
You nod to the mountain climbing gear on the wall. “We'd better stock up before we go.”
“Right,” Amy agrees. “Where exactly are we going, anyway?”
You take the map out of your backpack and show her. “We're taking a path through the mountains. We need to find a place where water, snow, and fire meet.”
“Hmm,” Amy says. “That could be a challenge. The grappling hook and boots are good for climbing. But it looks like there are a lot of snowy hills out there. Sleds or skis would make getting over them much faster.”
“How about the sleds?” you suggest. “I think they'll be easier to carry than the skis. Besides, I'm great at
Sled Racing
.”
“Yeah, but I beat you last time!” Amy teases. “Let's get them.”
Soon you're heading away from the Gift Shop toward the mountains of Club Penguin. You and Amy are both dragging sleds behind you.
It's easy going at first. You and Amy talk as you hike along. Before you know it, you've reached the mountains.
It's colder here, and you're glad that you're wearing warm coats. There are no other penguins in sight anywhere.
“It's kind of lonely out here,” Amy remarks.
You nod. “And quiet, too.”
You stop walking and cup your flippers around your beak. “Hellooooooo!” you call out loudly. “Is anyone out there?”
Your voice echoes off the mountains.
Out there? . . . out there? . . . out there? . . .
“That's so cool!” Amy cries. “Let me try. Hellooooooooo!”
Helloooooooooo!
“Let's try it together,” you suggest.
“Helloooooooo! out there!” you both yell.
You wait for the echo, but it doesn't come. Instead, a loud, rumbling sound like thunder fills the valley. But there's no storm brewing. It's something much more dangerous.
Amy points at the mountain peak to the left of you. A wall of snow is sliding down the mountain at rapid speed.
“It's an avalanche!” she cries.
Within seconds, a massive wave of snow will be upon both of you. You spot a cave in the mountainside and start to run toward it.
“Not there!” Amy cries out. “The snow will trap us inside.”
You stop, realizing she's right.
“The sleds!” Amy cries as the snow rushes closer. “We've got to ride the wave!”
You get your sled in front of you just as the snow roars past you. Instead of letting it knock you over, you hop belly first on your sled and leap onto the wave.
“Wooo-hooooo!” The island goes past you in a blur as you zoom across the frozen wave, traveling faster than you ever have before. When the avalanche finally stops, it pushes you forward and you tumble off your sled and into the snow. But you're safe.
“Amy?” you call out, jumping to your feet.
Amy waddles up, pulling her sled. “Right here,” she says. “That was scary—but awesome!”
“Definitely,” you agree. You pull out your map. “Let's see where we are.”
You're not too far off the path, which goes across a very wide mountain just up ahead. You show the map to Amy.
“It will take a long time to go around,” you say. “Maybe we should try climbing over it. We've got the gear.”
If you climb the mountain, go to page 38.
If you go around the mountain, go to page 51.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 40.
 
“I think the ladders might be safer,” you say. “Let's go back and get them.”
As you walk back to the site, you notice that pale, gray clouds are quickly sweeping across the sky. The air suddenly feels colder, and a wind is whipping up.
Amy looks up and frowns. “Looks like a storm is coming.”
Snow is starting to fall as you grab two ladders and head back to the ravine. It starts slowly, but soon it's coming down in sheets. You can barely see in front of you.
“What should we do?” Amy asks. “It's getting dangerous out here.”
You know Amy's right, but you're so close to your goal! You don't want to give up now.
If you keep going, go to page 42.
If you find shelter from the storm, go to page 53.

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