Ninja Hero?

Yellow streetlamps illuminated the sidewalk, beacons for Lucia as she walked along the street at night. This way was supposed to be a shortcut, but she was beginning to wonder if it would be better to turn back while she still had a chance. Graffiti-lined buildings loomed high above to wall in the claustrophobic stretch of road. The wind howled, bringing forth images of monsters and hungry wolves. Tree limbs reached out like skeletal hands and pierced the horizon, their swinging in the air the only movement on the empty street. Lucia wasn’t naive; she knew what could happen to young girls in places like this. Shadows danced in corners and alleyways, hiding who knew what. She quickened her pace, more than a little spooked by this part of town.

A figure appeared. Lucia yelped. Poised on the roof, staring back at her, dressed in...was that a ninja suit? The sight of it triggered something in her brain, rumors that had been going around about a mysterious vigilante who lurked in the shadows, watching over the streets. This “ninja hero” was supposed to patrol the quiet areas of town at night and wear a green and gold ninja suit in order to conceal their identity. This part of town was quiet. It was nighttime. Lucia focused on the figure on the roof. Her eyes rolled down his outfit. Green and gold.

Her eyes widened. It’s the ninja!, she thought. Fear melted away and gave forth to excitement. This was a real ninja, the hero that people were talking about. He was the one who swooped in to save others from danger. And he was standing right there! She took a quick look around, making sure that their location hadn’t been compromised. The coast was clear. Turning back and waving her arms wildly above her head, she whisper-shouted, “Psst! Hey! You’re the ninja!”

She pointed to herself, “I’m Lucia! Thank you for doing the...the ninja stuff! Fighting the bad guys! You're great!”
@Saberteck

Lucia grinned like an idiot as the ninja swung down onto the street. He was like spiderman! She should get his autograph or something--Or was that just for celebrities? Then again, this guy practically was a celebrity, at least by her standards.

“Well, I was out shopping,” she said, then looked down at her empty hands, “Not really shopping, more like window shopping, I guess? They have loads of cool shops downtown, so when I save up some more money I’m definitely going on a shopping spree! Except, I probably won’t get anything from that weird potion shop. I’m pretty sure there was some sort of cult hideout underneath it.” She shivered remembering the haunting chants and questionable stains. Never again.

“But now I’m heading back home! Honestly, I was kind of scared walking home alone, but knowing that someone is looking out for us makes me feel a lot better! Thank you very much,” she bowed. That was probably how ninjas showed their appreciation.

“And of course you’re a hero! You’re all, bam, wha-pow, huaaaah!” With each word, she sent a punch flying through the air. As she froze in a pose with her fist stretched into the sky, her eyes took on a look of sudden realization. She thought of something even better than getting an autograph. The small girl turned to the ninja, grinning, eyes wide. “You know karate, right? D’you think you could...teach me your ways?”
@Saberteck

Lucia had to wonder if maybe she’d gotten the wrong ninja. He kept denying it, saying he wasn’t a hero. Maybe he really wasn’t, but his outfit was spot on, just like the rumors described. She narrowed her eyes and leaned in, eyeing the details of his dark suit. If he wasn’t the real ninja, then that could only mean…

“Is this cosplay?” She asked bluntly. Looking at it that way, things made a lot more sense, although his incredibly detailed outfit and spot-on acting was masterly. Lucia hummed in appreciation. “Oh, it looks so good! Did you make it yourself? Is there some sort of convention going on?” She took a few steps to the side, circling around the ninja. The costume looked authentic enough to fool her, and she was impressed.

Her head flew up at the question. “Lucia!” she answered again, “Just your average Manta Carlos citizen, except with an appreciation for ninjas and/or ninja impersonators! And who are you? Or, actually, don’t tell me! It’s better that way, more in-character.” She nodded, agreeing with her own idea, and gave the anonymous cosplayer a conspiratorial wink.
@Saber

Not cosplay, huh? Lucia straightened her back and struck a Thinker pose. Dare she say she was beginning to run out of ideas, unless maybe this guy just had a really unique sense of fashion, and liked to stand on roofs for fun. But she didn’t have much time to linger on that possibility when the ninja interrupted her train of thought.

His behaviour, everything he said - it made Lucia think she had a pretty good idea of what was going on at this point. She pushed on.

“Different--Yeah, I get that a lot,” Lucia said with a smile. Leaning forward a bit, she pointed a finger at the ninja. “And I think you are, too! You know, there are rumors going around about you. They talk about this vigilante ninja guy, and they say that he does lots of good. That he stops bad people from doing bad things. Keeps the streets safe. They could just be rumors, and nothing else, but they also could be true. And if they are, then I’d say that ninja sounds pretty heroic to me.”
@Saber