Ninjago: Ripped World

6: The Dojo

                 

'Who's walked mud into the dojo? Master Wu asked.

'All of them' said Cole with a chuckle. He knew it was because of him that they had walked through the scattered earth from the rose bush on the sidewalk and steps. 'Don't worry guys, I've got it he said and went to grab a dustpan and brush'.

Master Wu, settled into his explanation of the days training followed by a few choice parables to inspire them.

As master Wu talked, Kai leant over to Jay and whispered. 'So I've got a few new moves you could help me with.' Jay screwed up his face. 'I'm practicing an awesome new flame, roll and kick and need a subject to help me get it juuust right.'

'Kai. My man. You know I would love to, but my lightning can be a little erratic at times. I wouldn't want it to blow your foot off as it connects with my head'.

Kai chuckled. 'Glad to see you're up for a challenge Jay'.

Jay slumped his shoulders and whined. 'Why?'

'Jay?' Enquired Master Wu. Is everything alright?

'Uh, um...'.

Zane helpfully piped up. 'Master Wu, Kai is needlessly harassing Jay because he doesn't want him to be in love with Nya'.

'What the?' Kai exclaimed. 'Zane, you suck up!'

Jay slapped his forehead, Cole Guffawed and spilt the dustpan contents onto the floor.

'Pardon?' Replied Zane, turning his head to Kai with a look of confusion.

Wu slowly bowed and shook his head. To the team, he looked exasperated, but was hiding his laughing eyes and smile behind his coolie hat and long white beard. He may be an old man, but he always found his Team to be vibrant and amusing. They kept him young as he attempted to teach them to grow up.

He took a breath and recomposed his Zen like persona. 'Well, that's good its out in the open now. Please begin. Cole, could you bring me some tea when you return from depositing that rose bush earth in the trash.'

Cole stopped momentarily, struck by how Wu could have known about the Rose Bush. 'Yes Master Wu'. He replied as he scanned the room with his eyes, looking for hidden cams.

Master Wu settled onto a bench to observe the training.

When Cole returned, all four Ninja were engaged in an improvised skirmish. There were no villains or heroes. It was a big free for all, an exercise in quick thinking and even quicker footwork. As the Ninja spun, jumped, kicked and punched; they would use every trick in their collective knowledge of fighting manoeuvres to evade or make contact with each other. They had sensor pads on their chests, back, legs and arms and even one on their head shields. A good old-fashioned competition worked wonders for this group of over energetic friends. Their reactions were lightning fast and the sensors were working overtime. Sensei Wu never imagined any of his students would really manage to escape many blows as their minds were so focused on the attack and scoring points. None of them would see the subtle art of simple evasion. And anyway, who said the point of the game was to score points, not him? 'Teenagers' thought Wu. 'Always asking for permission to make their own choices yet too eager to rush to the wrong ones'.

Wu's contemplation was abruptly disturbed. The Ninja stopped mid fight. A tremor had hit the building.

'Cole, was that you?' Asked Lloyd.

''Yeah Cole, we're not supposed to be using our powers'. Continued Jay.

Wu spoke up for Cole, who stood with his hands on his hips, looking disbelievingly at his teammates. 'I would say not, my young students. This tremor did not emanate from your teammate. It is from a force external to this building. Please remember what you have felt just now and in the future consider your response, before blaming another'.

'Thank you, Master Wu'. Cole said with an unbelieving look on his face, directed at his two now sheepish looking teammates.

Zane had begun to scan the area for a sign of what the tremor might be. 'I have picked up radio signals, reporting a disturbance in the Ninjago Bay area, more specifically the Moss Dunes.

'What kind of disturbance' asked Lloyd.

'Unclear... Descriptions coming in. Swirling glass window, floating, a great wind.'

Wu interpreted Zane's rudimentary description into thoughts of his own. 'It sounds like a Realm Jump of some kind. They take different forms, but this is what it could be'.

'We've gotta get down there!' Lloyd was pulling off his training robes and reaching for his team Gi.

'Yes'. Replied Zane. We must get down there now. A person has been dragged into it'.

'Just one? Think how many it could take, hurry, we have to go now!' Lloyd was frantic to get moving. His brothers' hot on his heals, pulling on their garments with a little assistance from Spinjitsu it took a split second. Lloyd threw the window open in the Dojo and leapt up onto the sill. Using it as a mid level springboard he propelled himself upwards, catching hold of the ground level railings, which he swung his body over gracefully. His teammates followed and as they ran along the street, they each individually summoned their elemental dragons. Pulling up into the sky over Ninjago City, their Dragons were now a regular sight, but no less dramatic for it.

Zane continued to scan information on route to the Bay, but riding elemental dragons meant it took barely minutes before they arrived to see the phenomena for themselves. As they came in to land, the Portal presented itself to them. It was a glassy apparition, with a swirling face of liquid cloud. The howl of an otherworldly wind was blowing along the ground, whipping up the sand and making it difficult to stand.

'Anything else you can tell us Zane?' Shouted Lloyd.

'I'm picking up images' He replied. 'Camera footage is being released online but, that can't be?'

'What?' Shouted Lloyd. The other Ninja started to look troubled. If Zane sounded unsure, you knew there was a real issue.

"Its Nya, he said. The Portal took Nya'.