Roots of Earth ~ A Ninjago Fanfiction

Chapter 66: Ronin Meets Dr. Shadow

"So basically what I do every day of my life?" Liana interjected.

"Also, don't talk."

She bit back a smile.

"The world is given life by four main elements: Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Water makes the plants and animals grow and thrive on the planet. Earth provide homes for all the creatures of the world. Fire gives heat and light. Air gives us breath in our lungs and breathes its own life into every plant, animal, and human."

Oh-kayyyy, I get it, I graduated first grade. She held her tongue.

"There is one fifth element, one that very few in Ninjago have ever wielded: pure energy. This is the power of the First Spinjitzu Master, who used the Four Golden Weapons—the Sword of Fire, the Nunchucks of Lightning, the Shurikens of Ice, and the Scythe of Quakes—to create the world as we know it. His power was passed down to his sons, and then on to his only grandson, Lloyd."

Yeah, Wu, everyone knows the story. The media's done a pretty good job informing the world about the ninjas' powers and origin stories. Still Liana kept silent. Despite her sarcastic thoughts, she knew that Wu was reminding her of these things for a reason, and the best thing she could do at the moment was at least try to listen.

"It is from these four main elements and the fifth power that all other elements are spawned. Lightning is connected to fire. Ice is the offspring of water. Nature is in tune with earth. Wind is a result of air."

"So where the heck does stuff like Speed and Gravity come in?" she interrupted before she could stop herself.

She thought she could feel Wu gazing sternly at her, and she flushed. "As I said, all have their connections to the main elements. Perhaps speed is the sibling of lightning, to match its swift liveliness. And it could be that gravity is related to energy, for it is one of the largest sources of pure energy within the earth."

"So everything's connected," she concluded.

"Exactly." She thought she caught a note of approval in his voice. "That is why, Liana," he continued. "We will be experimenting with the four—or five, if it comes to that—main elements, so that we may figure out what your elemental power may be."

"I still don't think I'm an Elemental Master, though," she muttered, more to herself than to Wu.

"If you cannot look at the evidence Matilda has pointed out and see that there is something more than mere coincidence at work here," Wu returned simply. "then you are a fool, and much less intelligent than you first struck me to be."

Liana didn't know how to respond to that. Wu continued. "When I trained Kai, Jay, Zane, and Cole in the ways of Spinjitzu and how to wield their inherited elements, they had the Four Golden Weapons to summon up the spark of their powers and to allow them to control them. They were not able to use their elements by themselves until Lloyd sacrificed his Golden Power for them. Of all the Masters, Nya was by far the fastest in learning to control her raw element.

"We do not have the Golden Weapons to encourage your power." Liana heard Wu shifting in his seat and reaching for something. "But, we do have the raw elements of the world all around us."

He placed something in her hand, then her other hand. Liana flexed her fingers and felt the thing or things that were sitting in her palms.

"It's... dirt," she said.

"That's right. I want you to sift this earth through your fingers. Then I want you to dig a small hole in the ground in front of you."

"And then?"