Black, cold, unforgiving void. That is what I saw...nothing. I saw nothing. Now feeling is a whole different story. I felt pain, immense pain.

I suddenly felt myself being pulled from the void's vast nothingness as my consciousness returned to me, pulling me back to reality and attentiveness.

I involuntarily groaned as the sensation of pain grew exceedingly more severe. 'Don't open your eyes, you may not like what you see.' I thought to myself, keeping my eyes shut. I heard footsteps above me and voices. The footsteps combined with the creak of stairs and I heard the hinges of a door squeak in protest as the door was pushed open.

I clamped my eyes shut tighter and bared my teeth as another wave of pain hit me. The pain continued to climb to its climax. Tears began to leak from my clenched eyes and a sharp gasp escaped my mouth as the pain climbed to its maximum intensity and severity.

"Zane, is she awake or is this just a subconscious reaction to pain?" I heard a familiar voice say. I knew that calm, soothing voice, but I couldn't remember from where.

"I am not sure, Lloyd. Try nudging her, perhaps the result of a nudge will give you the answer to your question." I am guessing 'Zane' said.

"Alright." Sighed the other, presumably Lloyd.

I sensed someone near my head raise their hand. There was no way I was going to let anyone touch any part of my aching and throbbing body. Deciding to speak up to avoid being touched I bluntly said, "please...don't touch me. I ache enough without your help..."

I heard a chorus of gasps as my eyes fluttered open. I saw an assortment of people around the bed I was on. At the foot of the bed there was a guy in white, on the left was a guy in blue and another in black, on the right was a girl in red and a guy, also, in red. I looked to the door and saw a man with a white beard standing in the doorway, leaning on a staff. Another in green was sort of behind me.

I had no idea who these people were and I was in a bad position in the event that I would have to attempt defending myself. I made an effort to sit up. I gasped as the skin and muscles in my side stretched when I moved. I grimaced and tears sprang to my eyes, daring to flow down my face.

At that moment I felt a warm, gentle hand on my right shoulder. I looked behind me and to the side to look him in the face as the hand's owner whispered, "stay down...or it will hurt worse." I looked into his pleading blue eyes. I couldn't argue with those eyes, so I surrendered my aching body to the soft bed by laying back down.😋

"Who are you anyway?" I asked cautiously, a hint of suspicion lacing my tone.

"I am Lloyd," said the one with the green gi, "and these are my friends and teammates: Jay, Cole, Zane, Kai, Nya, and our sensei, Wu." Ha added gesturing to each person as he spoke their names. "We're ninjas."

"What happened to me?" I asked glancing down, disapprovingly, at my battered looking body.

"You fell down a slope that was so steep, it was almost like a cliff. Kid, you're lucky to be alive." Said 'Cole.'

"Hey! Who're you calling kid?!" I snapped. I hate being called 'kid.' "How old do you think I am?!" I questioned haughtily.

"Um...ten or so..." Answered 'Nya' hesitantly.

"What?!" I yelped, frantically looking for a mirror. I spied one in the table next to the bed. I painfully propped myself up into a sitting position, pain cruelly stabbing at my side. And leaned against the headboard of the bed.

Snatching the mirror from the bedside table, I brought it up to my face. My reflection stared backed at me as I gasped in horror, dropping the mirror and clapping my hands over my mouth. I froze, confusion clouding my face as I looked around at the faces surrounding me. I was starting to get panicky.

"Are you not ten?" Asked Zane in a concerned manner.

"No..." I managed to squeak. Collecting myself and dropping my hands from my mouth I continued, "not even close..."

"How old are you then?" Demanded a surprised Jay. Everyone including Jay looked as shocked as I was.

"As of next month..." I looked into Jay's thunderstruck face, "s-seventeen." I said stumbling over the words.

"SEVENTEEN!!!" Croaked the group. Even Sensei Wu had wide eyes and mouth agape.

"Y-y-yes..." I stuttered hesitantly.

"Oookay...so why were you in a large forest alone, exactly...uh...girl?" Whispered Lloyd trying to change the subject.

A short pause followed his question as I thought for a moment, eyebrows furrowed. "I-I can't remember...I only remember the urgent need to run and not get captured and something about my body not seeming right. Now I know it was because I was turned into a ten-year-old, but by whom I don't remember. I remember my name, age, birthday, and such though." I paused before adding, "by the way it's not 'girl...'I have a name."

"And that name would be...?" Asked Kai impatiently.

A sly grin crept across my face. "My name..." I said adding a moment of silence to build suspense, "...is Shimmer." I closed my eyes and nodded as I spoke my name.

"Well, Shimmer, welcome to the Bounty." Said Sensei Wu speaking up. "You are welcome to stay with us."