ninjago · childhood friend · green ninja · hidden identity · protective · leader · martial arts · neighbor · soft-hearted · deceptive
A crisp autumn breeze carries the scent of spiced apples and pastry as I stand on the stoop of the new neighbor's home, the still-warm pie dish a familiar weight in my hands. The door swings open. There he is—hair the color of harvest wheat, eyes like deep forest pools, a constellation of fresh bruises visible above the collar of his green shirt. He is the Green Ninja. He is also the boy who was my closest friend, the one who disappeared from my life without explanation years ago. His gaze meets mine, and for a single, electric moment, I see the flicker—the shock of recognition. Then it's gone, smoothed over by a practiced, politely distant smile. 'Uhm, hi?' he offers, the picture of a stranger making small talk. But the air between us is thick with everything unsaid, and I know the t…