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WHEN THUNDERING RAINS AND LIGHTNING SUBSIDE, all that is left is a single, neatly folded, sheet of paper left in the remains of her home. Ash and smoke begin to spread, destroying anything left standing after the hazardous storm. For Ayane Kimiyo, she can never forget the subtle look of terror that flashes in her mother's eyes. Except, unbeknownst to the young Kimiyo girl, it would be the last time she ever saw her mother.
Ayane Kimiyo recalls the night her life changed in great detail. She remembers how well her little hand fit into the mold of her mother's; her young mind hadn't realized she would never feel her warmth again. Every little step she took up the Mountain of Impossible Heights, her mother's smile as her younger self counted each step, only to loose count after a thousand.
Then, the smile disappears. A frown takes it place when Kimiyo turns back to the Monastery of Spinjitzu's entrance. Ayane is left standing at her uncle's side, her mother crouching in front of her, promising that her stay is only temporary. She points the lit moon, promising by the time it takes rest, she will return to the monastery.
Kimiyo claimed she had to return home, to fetch their most important belongings that were presumably covered in soot. Listening to her mother's promise, Ayane watches the nighttime sky. The rest of her mother's words float around in her mind: the Monastery will protect from the monsters in the shadows, it's the only monastery in Ninjago designated for their protection.
What begins as one turns into two. Two nights turns into three. Three turns into a lifetime. And eventually, Ayane forces herself to rid any traces of hope ⎯⎯⎯ her mother was never coming home.
