Legends of Ninjago Book 1: Brotherhood (Ninjago AU, Cole, Jay, Zane, Kai)

Chapter 24: The Vow of the Ninja

Kai was still very weak when Wu returned to them all, and each moment seemed to blur into the next. He was just so exhausted. Everything he'd done, everything he'd seen, not only left his mind throbbing, but also left his body so sore that he felt limp.
"Samukai and... Garmadon, have been dealt with," Wu had said. "Come. We must now return home."
Ann Jing had created four water beds to carry them, and Kai drifted off as they went until Nya was retrieved. She rushed to his side at once, checking his temperature, searching for any significant wounds, and generally just worrying about him. He smiled and tried to reassure her.
"Nya, we've won. We're going home," he said.
The large group had to fight their way to the vehicle room so they could get back home, which wasn't that easy with so many of their biggest fighters incapacitated, but Wu, Ann, and Keaton were still formidable opponents no matter what they were facing.
There weren't many Skulkin vehicles left thanks to Cole, Jay, and Keaton, but they did manage to find one large enough for all of them. Kai felt Ann lower him into one of the seats but his body fell to one side, landing on someone else's shoulder. A moment later he felt someone else lay their head on his shoulder and the warmth of all the bodies felt so nice and comforting after everything he'd just been through. They then sped away into the void, back to Ninjago before anyone could stop them.
Ninjago was in full summer bloom when they returned. Warm sunshine, green trees, vibrant flowers, birds, bees, and good food. News of Garmadon and Samukai's disappearance spread fast, and without any central leadership, the Skulkin army was completely disorganised. A few strategic moves by the Emperor and they began to retreat to the southern coast. Many celebrated in the streets, thinking that the war was finally over, and great parties were thrown, feasts and dances, to commemorate this great victory, while news reporters were baffled by mysterious sightings of wild fires, unnatural rock formations, sudden lightning storms, and ice where it shouldn't be. Little did they know, however, that their struggles had only just begun.
Kai first opened his eyes back in his room at the monastery where a sleepy Nya was waiting for him. She looked like she hadn't moved from his bedside for hours, maybe even days, with her hair all stringy and greasy, and her clothes all rumpled.
"Hey," he said with a smile.
Nya's head snapped up and she let out a whoop of joy as she tackled her big brother with a hug.
"Easy, easy!" Kai cried, wincing a bit. "I still need this body, you know."
"I'm glad you're okay," Nya said quietly. "For a little while I... I thought that... maybe..."
"What? You doubted your amazing big brother?" Kai teased as they pulled away from each other and he looked her in the eyes. "And after all of the incredible stuff I did, too. Did you, or did you not see me fighting Lord Garmadon?"
"Kai, he stabbed you," Nya pointed out.
He chuckled a bit and sat up straighter, then flinched as a pain suddenly flared up in his chest.
"What's wrong?" she asked, suddenly worried again.
Kai slowly reached down to grab the hem of his shirt, and when he pulled it up, a massive scar below his left pectoral was revealed. It still looked like it was scabbing over in some places and the skin around it was red. He poked at it gently with one finger and the pain bit back.
"Doctor Lee says it'll heal in time, but whatever the Fire Dragon did was kind of undone when we were in the Underworld," Nya explained.
Kai lowered his shirt and gave his sister a warm smile.
"It's all right," he said. "Like you said, it'll heal. How's everyone else doing?"
"Jay's still out like a lightbulb, but Cole and Zane have been up for a few hours. They actually stopped by to check on you a little while ago."
A happy feeling rose up in Kai's chest after hearing that, although he didn't quite understand why, and he decided that he would get up and return the favour to them.
He found Cole and Zane walking out of Wu's office on the fifth floor and they ran to meet each other.
"Hey, sleepyhead," Cole laughed, giving Kai a half-bro hug. "Finally done with your beauty sleep?"
"It's good to see you too," Kai said sarcastically.
"Is Jay still unconscious?" Zane asked as they began walking downstairs together.
"Yeah, he is," said Kai. "He's been through a lot."
"We all have," Cole corrected. "It was worth it, though."
"I mean... before, the coolest thing I'd ever done was fitting eight dumplings in my mouth, but now I can say that I've traveled to another realm, ridden on a dragon, and survived a flipping iceberg." Kai retold their adventures with such child-like enthusiasm that it almost sounded uncharacteristic of him. He couldn't help but notice this himself and he cleared his throat suddenly. "I mean, you know, it's... it's just really cool."
"Definitely not something I ever expected would happen to me," said Cole. Then he frowned. "When did you ride on a dragon?"
Kai's eyes lit up as he realised that there were some things they each didn't know about specific parts of their adventure and he eagerly told them both of how he tamed the mighty beast and fought beside him against Garmadon, before finally taking them to the Underworld. By the time he was finished, they had made it back to their rooms where Jay was finally up and awake. They all settled down his Jay's room and talked for a long time, recounting their tales and reliving their victories until the evening bell rang.
Between the four of them, they managed to eat six rice bowls, four bowls of tempura udon noodles, nine platters of sushi, and a healthy heaping of cooked vegetables, come dinner time that night. They talked and laughed together for hours at the table, and before long, Kai began to feel a familiar sensation welling up inside of him; an emotion that he hadn't felt in a long time. It warmed his whole body from somewhere deep in his stomach and sent tingles across his skin, until finally a wide grin spread across his face.
"You couldn't have sounded any corny-er!" Cole snorted at Jay, referring to their final battle in the Underworld. "'Lightning power blast!' Oh, look at me, I'm the thunder king!"
The table, being high on good feelings, erupted with laughter, and several tears of joy were shed.
"No, no, lightning king, please. If I was the thunder king it would have played out much differently!" Jay joked and everyone laughed again.
"But we need to come up with a name for our epic power move," said Kai, thinking back for a moment. "Maybe something like, 'ultra-elemental-wave?'"
"Or 'mass of flying mud?'" Jay suggested which earned him another round of snickers.
"Well, more like 'mass of flying frozen mud and energy,'" Zane corrected, rolling up his sleeves and leaning against the table.
"Too wordy, we need something snappy," said Cole, reclining a little.
"I got it!" Kai cried. "Whirlwind of power!"
Everyone laughed, but more at him than with him.
"I thwink I pwefer 'flering mass of mud,'" said Jay through a mouthful of prawns.
"Flirting mass of mud? What?!" Cole choked, and the laughter started again.
"Chew your food, Jay!" Kai chortled.
"I said, 'flying'!" Jay corrected, snorting up a storm like the rest of them, and nearly choking on his food, which only made the laughter worse.
Clearly they were lost to that blissful state of euphoria when everything seems funnier than it really is, but who could blame them? After all they'd been through, suddenly this moment came bursting in like a warm ocean wave on a cold beach. Kai especially didn't want it to end for all the flying mud in the world, but nights don't last forever. Soon the boys were forced to head to bed by none other than Ann who seemed both happy and anxious. She came in, told Kai that Nya was sleeping soundly in a very nice room they made up especially for her, and then asked them to meet in Wu's office immediately after breakfast the next morning.
When Kai turned off the lights and pulled his blanket over his shoulders, preparing for a very good night of sleep, a single thought pulsated through his head: I'm going home soon.
'Warm summer nights, good food, my own bed...," he thought. "Oh, well, I suppose it won't be that soon. After all, we do still need to find Mom and Dad. Man, I can't wait to show the guys Harper Vale, and the smithy, and the falls by the house, and.... and..." Kai's throat felt tight as he suddenly realised that what he was thinking about would never come to pass. He had assumed that the four of them would be together on his journey to finding his parents, but the others had lives too, and they'd probably be going home just like he was... some very far away... and they'd probably never see each other again... at least for a long while. Kai turned over to one side, trying not to think about that too much. It didn't matter, anyway. It was't like he cared about these guys very much. He'd be fine without them.
The next morning, Kai got up and eagerly headed down to breakfast where he gave a big hug to Nya and sat down next Keaton and Jay. Everyone was there—even Ann—and although it wasn't quite as fun as last night, it was still a very good last meal together. Or at least, Kai assumed that it would be their last, on account that Wu had summoned them to have what he presumed to be the 'farewell' speech.
In one, large group, chatting and laughing, the seven of them made their way through the monastery and up to one of the highest levels of the building. Ann opened the door, and they all spilled into the room where they found Wu sitting quietly at his desk. He smiled and his wrinkly face seemed to scrunch up happily.
"I'm glad to see all of you here, together," the old master said, rising to his feet. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but... well, all good things must come to an end at some point or another." He walked up closer to them and Kai could tell that he wouldn't like whatever it was that he was about to say. "You have all fought valiantly over these past weeks... with more bravery, honour, and resilience than I ever expected from such young ones." He looked over each one of them as he spoke, intending his words for everyone equally; even Nya, who hadn't been a member of the party for very long. "Seeing you here, today, knowing all that you have accomplished, even as novices, makes my heart swell with pride." Kai had to grin when he heard that. "But, as I said, nothing can last forever. Garmadon is gone for now, the Golden Weapons are under lock and key, and the Skulkin army is being dealt with. So you see, your purpose here has been fulfilled. The mission is completed. And now it is time for—"
"Sensei, with all due respect, you can't seriously be sending us home, can you?" said Cole suddenly. He stepped forward and approached his master pleadingly.
Wu sighed. "Young Cole, you're still only a child, with a bright future ahead of yourself. I would not wish you to continue to endure the horrors you had to bear witness to on this journey ever again."
"But... we'd still be able to see each other again, right?" Jay asked, his eyes flooded with sadness.
That seemed to be the question that Wu had been dreading to hear. He sighed again and remorsefully said, "Unfortunately... no."
"What?"
"Why not?"
Wu raised a hand and they all quieted.
"The entire purpose of the masks you wore, and the secrecy of our mission, was to protect your identities from certain... unsavoury characters," he explained. "Having you meet together—especially after an unknown number of Skulkins found out your identities—would only arouse suspicion."
"So, what, we just go back to our boring old lives and pretend this never happened?" Cole countered. There was hurt in his voice, Kai noticed.
"Yes," said Wu. "You needn't concern yourselves with these stressful matters ever again."
"But I don't want to leave!" Jay exclaimed.
"Neither do I," Cole chimed in.
"And we still need to find my parents," Kai reminded him, inching closer to Nya.
"Now that the war is over, my village is safe," Zane said, stepping forward. "I have no other calling. I would be honoured to train under such a renowned master." He dropped down on both knees and everyone stood stock still.
"Me too," Cole agreed, dropping down beside Zane. "I've never been good at anything my whole life until now. I don't want to give that up... I don't want to give my friends up. Please, allow me to be your student."
Jay was quiet for a little while, deep in thought, then said, "I've never really had... friends before." He looked around and his eyes found Kai, then Nya, and finally Ann and Keaton. "I may have a lot to learn... but I... I just have this feeling... a feeling that... this is where I belong." And he knelt beside Cole.
Kai nearly felt choked up as realised that he knew exactly what Jay meant. That feeling from the night before... it was belonging. The reason he couldn't quite identify it was because the last time he felt it was well over two years ago. He realised that he had been kind of a jerk when he had first met everyone, way back when, but things were different now. They had fought beside one another. Saved each other's lives. Something like that... you don't just throw it away.
"I'm staying, too," Kai said confidently. "To find my parents, to fight beside my friends... my brothers," he looked Wu dead in the eye. "And to protect my home from any other warlords or monsters or knuckle heads who think they can mess with us."
Kai knelt, bending over until his face nearly touched the floor, but like the others, he wouldn't pull up from his bow until he heard Wu's answer.
"Please, Master Wu. Be our Sensei," said Cole.
Kai thought he heard Wu make some sort of whimper and he thought that maybe they had moved him with this staggering display of loyalty. The seconds ticked by, each one seemingly longer than the next, and Kai thought he might explode with suspense as he waited for Wu's reply.
"You must commit your whole self," Wu warned.
Kai and the others looked up with baited breath.
"You will face unimaginable dangers, and many horrors," he continued. But none of them flinched. "It will be the hardest thing you've ever done. You may not see your families for months or years at a time." Only Jay seemed to waver, but merely for a moment. "This is a decision that will define you for the rest of your lives. Come now, do you really expect me to believe that after a few weeks you're ready to pledge yourselves to the way of the ninja?"
"Yes," all four of them said in unison, confidently and boldly.
There was a new feeling swirling through Kai's gut now. It excited him and gave him the courage to say, "I know now that this is my purpose. I know that it won't be easy... in fact, there'll probably be times when I hate myself for making this decision... but I'm here to stay."
"We're here to stay," Zane corrected.
Kai looked at him and smiled, then turned back to Wu who seemed utterly stunned. He gave an uneasy laugh and said, "Let's see how you feel after a month of intensive training." They all grinned as Wu walk over to a shelf with many drawers near its base. He opened one and pulled out four neatly folded shozoku in black, white, red, and blue. "I had a feeling I'd be needing these," he muttered. Then he walked back over and looked each of them over very carefully. "Do you, Cole Becket, Kai Rayson, Zane Julian, and Jay Walker, swear to commit your undying loyalty to the way of the ninja? To never betray your master, brothers, sisters, or Emperor to the enemy no matter what it may cost you?"
Together they said, "I swear."
"Do you swear to report to your master, whoever it may be, any and all knowledge which you possess? To divulge all new information, skills, and weapons to him without question?"
"I swear."
"Do you swear to never speak a word of what you see or hear in your acts of espionage and spying to any living soul besides your intended superiors? To be bound in silence even with your own family?"
"I swear."
"Do you swear to honour the way of the ninja, by never stealing, cheating, or killing unless explicitly ordered to? Never using your newfound skills for personal gain?"
"I swear."
"Do you swear to never pass on your knowledge to any who have not pledged themselves to the path you now take on? To never disclose this information even to your own blood?"
"I swear."
"And are you prepared to die for your cause, your country, your mission, and each other?"
"We are!"
Wu looked stern as stone, and yet so proud at the same time. "You have each proven yourselves in your own right. May you all find honour and nobility on this new path. For now, you are no longer your old selves, but young warriors." He moved closer to Cole and placed his bamboo staff on his left shoulder. "Cole, Ninja of Earth," and he handed him the black shozoku. Then the staff moved to Jay's shoulders. "Jay, Ninja of Lightning," and he was handed the blue shozoku. Again, the staff moved. "Zane, Ninja of Ice," and he was given the white shozoku. Finally, it was Kai's turn. "And Kai. Ninja of Fire."
Kai reached out with both hands and held the soft, red fabric in his hands. He knew that he was getting way in over his head, but something inside of him wouldn't let himself go quietly. Although, holding his new uniform now made everything feel very real all of a sudden, and he swallowed hard.
"From this day forward until the day I die, you are my students and I am your Sensei. You have pledged your lives and your honour to training under my command and serving your country. I will see you all bright and early tomorrow morning when the first bell rings." Wu smiled and then dismissed them.
Kai rose to his feet, but before he followed the others out, he turned to look back at Sensei Wu who smiled again and nodded. Kai returned the gesture and exited the room hardly realising what had just happened.
"So I guess we'll be seeing a lot more of you two," Cole said to Ann and Keaton, trying to sound casual. "Well, uh—I mean, not seeing you, just—like, seeing you around. Not in a creepy way, either, just a normal, average, seeing sorta way. Is it getting hot in here?"
"No worries, Cole," Zane said casually as he walked up behind him and manifested some ice cubes that dropped down the back of his shirt. Cole shrieked and jumped up and down until the ice plummeted to the floor. "Cooler now?" Cole playfully shoved him away and Kai couldn't help noticing that Cole's face was completely flushed.
Ann smirked. "Yes, I suppose we will be seeing more of each other."
"Welcome to the family, big bros!" Keaton exclaimed, clinging onto Cole as they exited the stairwell. The boys all laughed.
"So... is being a ninja really as hard as Sensei Wu made it sound?" Jay asked nervously.
"Oh, no," Ann answered, and Jay sighed in relief. "It's much, much harder. All of you will be pushed to your mental and physical limits, until you can fight off an enemy twice your size with one arm tide behind your back." Jay suddenly turned a pale shade of green.
"Oh, yeah, yeah, I can see how that's a little harder," said Jay nervously.
Ann turned her neck so she could see him. "You think?"
After a while of walking, however, Nya pulled Kai into another room. She looked unsettled and nervous, writing her hands together constantly.
"Kai, are you sure about this?" She whispered. Kai should have known that she'd have mixed feelings about all of this.
"Nya, it's the right thing to do. After some training, I'll be able to protect you, no matter what. We won't have to be separated ever again." He moved to lay a hand on her shoulder, but she pulled away.
"You said that everything would go back to normal. You promised," she said, tears brimming her eyes. "Doing this... this ninja thing... you'll be here for years! Didn't you hear those oaths you swore?"
Realisation suddenly dawned on him. He had promised that... but he had just sworn an oath.
"Things will go back to the way they were... someday," Kai reassured her. "It's just... a little farther away now." Nya seemed more upset now than ever. "Hey, we're still together, aren't we? I'm not gonna let anything else happen to our family. And you can bet I'm never gonna stop until I find Mom and Dad."
Nya didn't say anything at first. She just looked away, fighting back her tears.
"Just don't do anything stupid," was all she said.
"Come on, you know 'stupid' is my middle name," Kai replied.
Nya tried to smile, but ended up bursting into tears instead. Kai grabbed her and held her close as she slowly soaked his shirt. In this moment, Kai secretly swore another oath; he swore that if it was ever within his power, he would keep Nya safe. No matter the odds, no matter the distance, no matter the sacrifice. This was his greatest and most selfless duty above everything else. He promised.