You and your team soar high above the Endless Sea on your Elemental Dragons, taking in the salty sea air and feeling the cool mist on your skin. The mid-day sun shines down on you, making the ocean surface below you sparkle with multi-color reactions. Despite the beauty of the vast ocean below, your focus is on the mission at hand: finding the mutant Fangfish that has been terrorizing the ports and fishermen.
The playful banter and laughter of your fellow ninja fill the air as you fly alongside each other. Kai's laughter erupts as he passes Lloyd and shows off his dragon.
Lloyd snickers. "Getting ahead of yourself, Kai?" he grins mischievously as he speeds up. "I'm leading this charge." He rushes at Kai.
Kai looks back and gasps, pulling himself out of Lloyd's way immediately. He shields his face with his arms and yelps as he's splashed by the cold seawater. You can't help but grin at the camaraderie of your team.
Jay bursts out laughing at the soaked red ninja. "That's one way to cool off a hothead," he hollers.
Kai looks back at him with a smug smirk. "Hey, no one messes up my hair!"
Taking it as a challenge, you fly above him, your dragon upside down, and ruffle his hair, before flying off to fly beside Lloyd. Your laughter is heard from your tracks, "I second that!"
You and Lloyd race off from each other, both laughing like children. As you both enjoy the moment, you notice a red blur in the corner of your eye, causing you to grin. "Looks like Kai's not giving up that easily," you say to Lloyd.
Sure enough, Kai flies above you, sweeping under your dragon and splashing the water with his dragon wing in an attempt to spray you and Lloyd. But the two of you flew by before it could hit you two, and instead, the Nindroid got a face full of water when he was coming up behind.
Zane spits and coughs up the seawater.
Cole chuckles and flies beside him. "You okay there, Zane?"
Zane gives him a smile. "Affirmative. It'll take more than a little water to take me out."
As the group continues to fly, Jay suddenly spots the Fangfish below. His eyes widen. "Oh, what about a big fish? Incoming!"
Zane looks behind him and screams, "Oh, no!"
The massive creature lunges out of the water, its jaws snapping dangerously close to Zane's dragon's tail. The dragon flaps its wings frantically, trying to gain altitude as the fish continues to pursue them. Zane grips the reins tightly, maneuvering the dragon in a zigzag pattern to avoid being caught by the giant fish.
"There he blows!" Cole yells.
You block the sun from your face as you watch the fish swimming along the surface of the ocean. You whistle. "Now that's a big one."
"P.I.X.A.L. says this is the one."
"And now that he's taken the bait, let's reel him in and get him to the aquarium." Lloyd takes charge and guides everyone to where the boat rests on the sea.
"Let me guess, Kai. You caught one that big once?" Jay asks.
"Heck no. He was twice the size." The Fangfish suddenly lunges at Kai repeatedly as he dodges. "Whoa!"
Jay laughs. "He's almost as hungry as you, Cole."
"And twice as ugly as you, Jay." Cole retorts.
You holler. "Ow! Zane, give Jay some ice. Cause he's gonna need it!"
Everyone but Jay and Lloyd laughs. As the ninja race towards the fishermen's boat, you can feel the wind whipping through your hair and the excitement building in your chest. The sea air fills your lungs and the mist sprays your face as you fly through the air on your Elemental Dragon.
"It's time for the catch of the day. In line formation!"
Lloyd's order snaps you back to the mission at hand, and you quickly fall into line formation behind him. With the Fangfish hot on their tail, you can feel the tension in the air.
Cole's gasp alerts the group that the fish is gaining on them. "It's right behind us!" he shouts, urging them to move faster.
You can see the fishermen's boat getting closer and closer, but the Fangfish is still hot on your heels. You can feel your heart racing as you prepare for the final push.
As they near the boat, Lloyd calls out, "Now!" and the group scatters in different directions. You watch in awe as the giant fish leaps out of the water and lands on the boat, effectively caught.
The ninja cheer in unison, their shouts of victory echoing across the sea. You feel a rush of pride as you watch the mutant rest there in confusion on the deck.
"Now that's what I call hook, line, and stinker," Jay quips and the group erupts in laughter.
Despite the danger of their mission, you can't help but feel exhilarated by the thrill of the chase. As they circle the captured fish, securing it for transport, they share in the joy of a successful mission and the bonds of family.
The ninja reached the dock, and everyone, minus Kai and Lloyd, quickly jumped off their Elemental Dragon and landed on the boat, working together to undo the ropes that bound the mutant Fangfish. They move quickly and efficiently, aware that any slip-up could allow the massive creature to break free and cause chaos.
As you work, you can feel the thrum of excitement and adrenaline running through your veins.
Finally, the ropes are undone, and they depart from the boat onto the dock. They stood in front of the large glass aquarium that rested on the back of a truck. The crane moves in to secure the fish, and you four watch in awe as the Fangfish is lifted overhead.
"It's working!" Cole exclaims, his eyes shining.
The fish is put into a tank, splashing water on everyone. You all scream.
You wipe your eyes and flick the water onto the port. "Ugh. Now that tastes fishy."
Everyone groans but laughs at your horrible joke. You smile sheepishly, glad that today is going smoothly. As you exchange high-fives with your fellow ninja, you can't help but feel a strong sense of camaraderie among your team. Everyone is beaming with pride and excitement, and the atmosphere is electric with positive energy. You look out at the ocean, and you can't help but feel a sense of peace wash over you. Taking in the moment to appreciate the beautiful surroundings—the sparkling blue waters of the ocean, the warm sun on your face, and the cool breeze blowing through your hair—it's moments like these that make all the hard work and training worth it.
The fisherman approaches them with his camera in hand. "Would you mind taking a quick photo with us? It's not every day we get to see the ninja in action," he says with a grin.
The ninja exchanged a look and then nodded in agreement. "Sure, why not?" Cole shrugs.
The four lined up next to each other, arms around each other. Realizing they are missing two of their comrades, they look over to the fishing shop. The ninja can't help but burst out laughing at the sight of Lloyd in a headlock as Kai gives him a noogie.
Jay calls them over. "Hey, you two gonna get in the picture?"
They ran over to join the rest of the group, still laughing about their playful antics. Once everyone was lined up, the fisherman prepared to take the photo.
"No one's gonna believe this. Getting a picture. This is awesome!" Jay exclaims.
Just as the fisherman gets ready to take the picture, Zane stops him.
"Back. Back just a little further." The man is inches away from the edge of the dock. "Just a little further."
The man snaps a photo before falling into the ocean. Everyone winced when they heard the splash. Your eyes widen as everyone looks on in shock. The ninja whip their heads at Zane.
"Was that on purpose?"
"...maybe."
From down below, they hear a scream: "Hehe, you guys!"
Jay burst out laughing. "Oh, great! Who's gonna believe us now?"
They all soon laugh before they see the Fangfish slam its tail on the water. The ninja scream when they get wet again.
The ninja soar through the sky, feeling the cool breeze on their faces as they ride on the backs of their dragons. The Endless Sea stretches out beneath them, and they watch as it gradually gives way to the mainland. They glide over the archers of land, enjoying the freedom of flight and the sense of weightlessness that comes with it. As the adrenaline from the battle with the Fangfish slowly fades away, the ninja begin to relax and chat amongst themselves.
"That Fangfish was no joke," Cole says, shaking his head in disbelief. "I've never seen a fish that size before."
Jay chimes in, nodding his head in agreement. "Tell me about it. I thought we were going to need a bigger boat for a second there."
Zane, as always, speaks in a calm and collected voice. "It was fortunate that we were able to capture it before it caused any further damage to the ports and fishermen."
You nod in agreement. "Yeah, that fish was a real menace. I'm just glad we were able to take care of it."
Lloyd grins. "Yeah, but it was nothing we couldn't handle."
Cole strokes his dragon's neck. "That Fangfish was no match for us."
Zane adjusts his ninja mask. "I'm just glad we were able to capture it without causing any harm."
As they approach their destination, Steep Wisdom, the tea shop where Wu has retired as a Master of the Tea, the group lands outside. As you all talk about the Fangfish, you can't help but be amazed at the size and power of the creature.
"Speaking of the Fangfish, did you guys see the size of that thing?" you say, still in awe of the creature.
Kai couldn't resist adding his own two cents. "I'm just saying, it was big, but I've seen bigger," he says with a smirk.
Jay scoffs. "As big as your ego?"
Kai gasps dramatically and becomes defensive. "Zane, back me up here!"
Zane rolls his eyes. "Right."
Wu emerged from the shop carrying a cardboard box and immediately cut to the chase. "Ninja, you need to find customers," he declared, catching the team off guard.
Jay blinked at him in disbelief. "No 'hello, how's it going, glad to hear you saved the day ...' again?" He dismounted from his ride, which vanished in a puff of smoke.
"Yeah, Sensei." Cole jumps off his dragon and continues. "We're all a bit tired. You mind if we handle this tomorrow?"
The team dismounted their dragons and gathered around Wu, who placed the box on the ground. "We all have a stake in the success of this business," he reminded them. "And I need to afford those new uniforms you're all eager to see." He gestured to the box. "Which have arrived, by the way."
Everyone's depressing mood was lifted the moment he mentioned new uniforms. They all huddled around the box eagerly.
"What do they look like now?"
"New suits?"
"Sweet!"
"I bet they're off the hook."
They savored the moment with anticipation as they watched Wu slowly pull out a shirt from the box. Only to reveal the Steep Wisdom logo: a blue teapot with a white dragon design in the center. The pale T-shirt was far from what the ninja expected from a new uniform, and they exchanged confused looks.
The ninja look dumbfounded at him. "Huh?"
"That's, um, nice?" You rub your hands together as you give Wu an awkward, lopsided smile.
Zane inspects the clothing closely. "Those do not appear to be ninja uniforms. They resemble work attire," he pointed out, looking at Wu for clarification.
"Very observant, Zane," Wu said with a chuckle. "We must focus on furthering brand awareness. And here are the fliers I want each of you to pass out in the city." He took a large stack of papers from the box and handed each of the ninja a thick stack of papers.
Jay hunches his shoulders back. "Ugh, if I have to pass all these out, I may be the one passed out!"
"Quite complaining." He snaps at the ninja before smiling as he passes out the clothing. "Everyone put on your uniforms. I need to know if there need to be any readjustments."
The ninja begrudgingly put on the new uniforms.
Once he gave you yours, you observed the design as you slightly stretched the material. You sigh and put down the stack of fliers. You took off your black belt with one hand. It was to put on the uniform easier because you were able to estimate it would reach mid-thigh length from the open cut on the bottom. You then wore the uniform over your gi and buckled your belt. You patted down the clothing and dusted off any dust particles before checking yourself out in your new attire.
"Is that all, uncle?"
He chuckled evilly. "You will also be wearing customized hats!" The retired teacher revealed hats that were tea kettles from behind his back. "Now these should really bring attention to you as you pass out the flyers." He places the hats on each ninja's head.
The ninja groan in embarrassment, but Wu refrains from laughing. "Now, come students. The shop is already finished."
Kai trailed behind him as the ninja entered the shop, "Aren't we going to look kind of dorky flying up on our Power Dragons with these things on?"
Your attention is given to what Misako is saying on the phone from behind the counter. "Yes, I see; and you need him right away?"
Wu sighed. "You won't be flying on anything. We're selling tea, not magic." he looks between his previous students. "Besides, you all have been relying a little too heavily on your Elemental Powers lately. Real powers come from the inside."
"It would be our honor, Sensei," his nephew smiled.
"Thank you. I'll let him know right away." Misako puts down the phone and looks anxious.
"Is it a big order?" Nya anxiously asked happily.
The atmosphere suddenly shifted as the old woman shook her head. "It's the police. They've asked for Lloyd. There's been a break-in at the museum."
Gasps escaped from everyone's lips, except for the elders who maintained their composure.
"Go on, I'll take your share." Cole offers.
Lloyd graciously nodded and passed his flyers to him, expressing his gratitude. "Thanks. I owe you one."
As he began to walk towards the exit, he was halted by his mother's voice.
"Aren't you going to kiss your mother goodbye?"
Lloyd grumbles. "Mom, we've... we've talked about this. I'll catch you on the way back."
You couldn't help but chuckle and teasingly extend your arms for a hug. "And what about my hug for goodbye? I can't be left hanging here."
Lloyd rolls his eyes and flushes even more in embarrassment, but drags himself over to you and obliges nonetheless. As you held him tight, wishing him farewell, everyone erupted in laughter.
After Lloyd's departure, the ninja began to make their leave, intending to summon their dragons, but Wu reminded them of his rule: "Remember, no powers."
Disappointed groans could be heard from the ninja as they stop in their tracks.
Nya takes the keys from the glass bowl and walks out. "C'mon fellas, I'll drop you off at Ninjago City."
"Thanks, Nya." The ninja choir.
They basically drag themselves to the minivan. The ninja piled into the van, grumbling as they settled into their seats. Nya started the engine, and the van roared to life as they began their journey to Ninjago City.
The van ride to Ninjago City was not as exciting as the previous adventure, and the mood inside was somewhat tense. You and the ninja were not thrilled about the task at hand, which was to hand out fliers promoting the grand opening of a new store.
"I can't believe we have to do this," Jay groaned, slouching in his seat.
"Tell me about it," Cole chimed in. "It feels like we're taking a step back. We're supposed to be saving the city, not promoting a tea shop."
Nya, who was driving the van, tried to lighten the mood. She looks back in the rearview mirror. "Come on, guys, it's not that bad. Think of it as a chance to connect with the people."
"Easy for you to say," Kai retorted from the passenger side. "You don't have to deal with the embarrassment of being seen in public like this."
She sighs and kept a smile on her face. "Besides, giving out flyers is important too. We need to spread the word about Steep Wisdom and attract new customers."
"But we're ninja!" Jay exclaimed. "We're supposed to be out there fighting bad guys and saving the day, not handing out flyers like a bunch of glorified paperboys."
"Hey, let's not knock the paperboys," you chimed. "They do important work too."
Zane nods in agreement. "I understand the importance of advertising, but I would prefer to be doing something more... active."
You all grumble in agreement as the van drives through the busy streets of Ninjago City. As you approach your designated location, you see crowds of people walking by. The van finally came to a halt on the street, and the ninja stepped out into the bustling city. The destination is at one of Ninjago City's large intersections. Nya wishes the ninja good luck before driving back to the tea shop.
They all take a moment to look around and assess the situation. The busy intersection is filled with people rushing to their destinations, cars honking, and engines revving. Some pedestrians are glued to their phones, while others are carrying heavy bags and briefcases, hardly taking notice of the ninja holding stacks of flyers.
Kai groans. "This is going to take forever. How are we supposed to hand these out without using our powers?"
Zane chimes in. "Perhaps we could offer a trade. Give a flier and receive a piece of candy."
"But we don't have any candy," Jay points out.
"Anybody else got any ideas?"
"I have one. We be charming and hope that will be enough. I mean, we are all good-looking enough." You shrug and walk off, crossing the sidewalk to get to the town square.
Jay turns to Cole. "Your boyfriend really is of great help."
Cole rolls his eyes and smacks his deck on the ginger's head. "At least he's contributing instead of complaining. Get to work." He departs from the group, and the rest split up in the area.
As you lead the way, you feel a bit nervous at first, but you take a deep breath and put on a confident smile. You approach passersby with a friendly greeting and offer them a flyer, explaining that it's an advertisement for a new tea shop in town.
Some people take the flyers without much interest, but others stop to chat with you and ask about the tea shop. You use your charm and charisma to engage with them, highlighting the unique tea blends and cozy atmosphere that Steep Wisdom has to offer. You also mention the expertise of the Master of the Tea, Wu, who retired there and makes the best tea in all of Ninjago City.
As you continue to sell the flyers, you become more comfortable. You start to use humor to lighten the mood and make people laugh, which helps break the ice and start conversations. Some people even start to approach you and ask for a flyer, which makes you feel even more successful.
As you walk around the large intersection, you notice that some people seem to be in a rush, while others are more relaxed and open to talking. You adjust your approach accordingly, making sure to be respectful of everyone's time and energy.
One woman you approach is initially hesitant, but you offer her a flyer with a smile and start to chat with her about the tea shop. She seems genuinely interested and asks more questions, which you answer with enthusiasm. By the end of the conversation, she thanks you and says she'll definitely check out Steep Wisdom.
Another man you approach is on his phone and barely acknowledges you at first. But you keep up your friendly attitude and make a joke about how the tea shop has Wi-Fi too, which makes him laugh. He takes a flyer and says he might stop by later that day.
As the afternoon wears on, you start to feel more and more confident. You're even able to convince a group of teenagers who were initially dismissive to take flyers and promise to check out the tea shop. You begin to feel a sense of satisfaction at the number of flyers you've given out and the number of people you've convinced to give the tea shop a try. You even get some compliments on your sales skills, which boosts your ego.
As you approach the intersection, you notice that the guys are huddled up in the center, looking a bit defeated. The area is a bustling rest stop with people walking by in all directions, making it a prime location for flyer distribution. With a raised eyebrow, you walk over to see what's going on.
Kai is the first to speak up, rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I see no one else is having any luck."
You can't help but feel a bit smug as you chime in. "I am."
Kai responds with a playful push to your face: "Fuck you, you lucky bastard."
You remove his hand and stick your tongue out at him, teasingly. "Jealous that I'm more successful than you at pulling customers?"
Cole pulled you away and rolled his eyes humorously. "Yeah yeah. We get it. You're charming. No need to rub it in our faces."
You can't help but let out a mischievous cackle, feeling a sense of satisfaction at your success in the face of their struggles.
Jay lets out a frustrated sigh as he watches people avoid him like the plague. "Oh. It's as if they think I'm passing out a communicable disease. I mean, sure, I have a cold sore, but it's hardly contagious."
Cole screams, and the rest of the team takes a step back, wary of getting too close. Jay looks at them in confusion. "What? What!?"
Cole scratches his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe if we use our powers, we can get this over with," he suggests.
Zane shakes his head. "Sensei gave us strict instructions not to use our Elemental Powers."
Kai smirks and inspects his nails nonchalantly. "Well, Sensei's not here, and what he doesn't know won't hurt him. Count me in. What about the rest of you?"
There's a brief moment of silence before everyone else erupts into cheers and takes off in different directions. You're left standing there alone with a fourth of your deck of flyers. Feeling a bit dejected, you decide to take a break and observe what the others are doing to draw in potential customers.
You witness Cole lifting a purple car that nearly hits him, using his super strength to spin it around. His catchphrase is "Feeling tired? Out of strength? Then get a pick-me-up at Steep Wisdom!" A group of onlookers cheer him on, impressed by his display of strength and humor.
As you turn to face the sound of a blowtorch, your eyes widen in surprise. Kai had drawn in his own crowd with his fiery display. The torch in his hand illuminates a teapot made entirely out of flames on the road, leaving the crowd in awe. "Steep Wisdom. The hot new place!"
But Jay is not one to be outdone. "Ha! You think that's a crowd? Check this!" He channels his lightning powers to change all the electronic billboards in the area to the Steep Wisdom logo. The crowd roars with excitement as they see the promotion for the tea shop. "I know, it's shocking, right?"
"If we're going to use our powers, you may as well do it right!" Zane summons his Ice Dragon to create an ice sculpture of a teapot. He then takes to the skies, showcasing his mystic dragon to the citizens of Ninjago City. Their cheers can be heard from afar.
However, just as things were going well, a sudden wind swept through the area, extinguishing Kai's fire and scattering the flyers that the ninja had handed out to the crowd. The electronic billboards also revert to their original state, leaving the crowd disappointed.
You feel a shiver down your spine as you recognize the strange wind that appeared five months ago. Memories flood your mind, and you take a sudden moment to reflect on how far you've come since then: your body has been through a lot, but you've managed to make progress. Your broken ribs are almost completely healed, and the fracture in your dominant wrist from being a prisoner of Clouse has been treated and is slowly improving. Your wounds and bruises are still in the process of healing, but you're making steady progress. You've also managed to improve your relationships with the elemental masters and your team, thanks to the trauma bonding.
Kai tries to blow on his torch but fails. The Fire Breather scoffs at him and takes back the torch, walking away. "You're such an amateur."
"(Y/n)! You messed up—" Kai tries to set his hand ablaze mid-yell, but nothing happens. He pauses, staring at his hands in concern. "My powers. They're not working!" He shouts to the others.
Jay runs over to them. "Mine either!"
Your eyes widen, and you whip your head over to where Cole was standing.
He gives you three a confused look. "What do you mean? My powers are—Uh-oh." His arms become weak, and just before the car could crush him, you send a gust of wind to lift the car, but it's sent flying into the air uncontrollably, shocking everyone.
You shout in concern at your mistake and use your wind to propel yourself into the sky to reach the car's height. Once you're in front of the vehicle, you pull the driver out of his seat after urging him to unbuckle his seat belt. Holding onto the driver, you quickly try to figure out a way to prevent the car from falling on anyone. Fortunately, the wind listens to you this time, and you're able to float yourself, the guy, and the car down slowly. Everyone sighs with relief when there's no damage until all your attention is drawn to the screaming gradually getting louder.
A metal object comes crashing down from the air and smashes a hole in the ground.
The ninja huddled around the outline of their friend. Kai whistles. "Whoa. I think he just broke the sound barrier."
Zane groans as he crawls out of the hole. "I told you we shouldn't use our powers."
Jay loses his cool. "What powers? Where did they go? We have to see Wu!"
The ninja burst into Steep Wisdom, their panic palpable as they scanned the tea shop frantically for the man.
"Sensei!"
"Something's happened!"
"It's an emergency!"
"We need you!"
"It's important!"
Misako looked up from the register, her eyes alight with surprise at the sudden commotion. "Boys, not so loud. Can't you see we have our first customer?" She gestured to a mother and daughter standing nearby, admiring the tea blends on display.
The little girl looked at Jay with wonder in her eyes. "Wow, the real ninja! Oh, can you shock me?"
Jay raised an eyebrow at her strange request. "Uh...not now, kid. Maybe later, okay?" He leaned in to whisper to Misako. "Where's Wu?"
Just then, the old man appeared from the back of the shop, carrying a bag of tea leaves. "Sensei!" Kai called out, his voice strained with urgency.
Wu turned to face them, his expression calm but curious. "Yes?"
There was a moment of awkward silence as the realization of explaining to Wu how they knew of the loss of their powers flew over their heads. None of the ninja said anything, not wanting to rant themselves out. Sensing their hesitation, you nudge Kai with your shoulder, encouraging him to speak.
Kai fidgets uncomfortably, shifting his gaze to the side before finally mustering up the courage to make eye contact with their mentor. "We were getting the word out..."
"...and there was this wind..."
"Not mine."
"...and our powers disappeared."
"Not mine."
Wu's stern voice cuts through the air, his expression darkening. "You were using your powers?" he asks, fixing his gaze on the group of young ninjas standing before him.
Jay waved it off. "Yeah, I know. We're terrible students, but what happened to our powers?!"
You step forward, pushing Jay aside as you speak up, "And I still have mine, but for some strange reason, I can barely control it!" you explained, your voice tinged with anxiety.
A sudden spurt of violent wind causes the doors to open with a bang and fill the shop. Everyone turns their heads in surprise, looking at you with a mixture of fear and awe.
You clench your fist as frustration rises within you. "I'm telling ya, it ain't me! It's not my wind!"
Wu's face pales, and he looks between each of his students with growing concern, his hand clenching the brim of his hat. "If your powers are gone, then something must have happened to..." he trails off, his eyes widening as he notices a figure across the courtyard.
"It's Lloyd!" the girl cries out, pointing in the direction of the cloaked figure.
"I know that wind..." he murmurs, his eyes locked on the figure approaching them. "That's not Lloyd!" he shouts, but his words fall on deaf ears as the ninja rush out of the shop in pursuit of their comrade.
The wind began to howl fiercely around the group, causing the atmosphere to shift quickly from peaceful to ominous. The gusts of wind blew in a sinister way, stirring up the air and creating an unsettling feeling among the group. As the wind picked up, dark clouds rolled in and obscured the moon, shrouding the area in darkness. In the distance, a windmill started to turn, its rusty blades creaking loudly.
"Step aside," Lloyd commanded, his voice sounding deeper and more commanding than usual, startling everyone.
"Lloyd! What's going on with you?" You shouted, confused, and concerned by his sudden change in demeanor.
"I want a word with your master," he answered.
Jay was taken aback by the change in Lloyd's voice. "Whoa, Lloyd's gone through puberty," he remarked, trying to lighten the mood.
"What's happened to him?" Cole asked, clearly worried.
"I sense some kind of foreign entity has taken over his body. So the question isn't what, but who's gotten into him?" Zane was confounded, trying to make sense of the situation.
You gazed at the young boy with concern. "What happened at the museum?" you whispered, before looking at the Nindroid. "You don't think it could be an Anacondrai General spirit? But I thought they all returned to the Cursed Realm?"
Kai clenched his fist and stepped forward. "Whoever you are, whatever beef you had with Sensei, you have with us. Give us back our friend!"
The entity inside Lloyd merely cracked its neck and cackled, causing Cole to express confusion between the ninja. "How are we supposed to fight a friend?"
"Let me show you!" Lloyd's skin turned green, and his blond hair turned jet black as he charged at the ninja, laughing. He jumped into the air and blasted them with a gust of wind, but with a swift movement of your hand, you changed its direction. You were surprised, wondering how Lloyd could possess wind, something he had never done before.
The hell? He can use wind? But he was never able to summon it.
"Great, we don't have powers, (Y/n) can't control his, but he does!?" Jay cried out in frustration.
'Lloyd' gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, then blew the others away before you could react. In a blink of an eye, he rushed towards you and held you by the neck.
"You. You're my replacement?" the entity spoke to you, its words piercing your mind.
You tried to pry his hand off your neck, feeling the pressure building up in your throat. Your vision began to blur, and you could feel the blood rushing to your head. "What?" You croaked and gasped for air.
"He thought he could just replace me with six meaningless students, but to train another Master of Wind? Does he really think he can fix his mistake and try again as if nothing happened!?" a devilish smile grew on his face, "Heh, I don't think so."
As the entity released its hold on Lloyd, your eyes widened at the slight glimpse of the ghost before it went into you. Lloyd's body collapsed onto the floor while your body stood there in silence, limp. Zane and Kai rushed to aid Lloyd while the other two checked on you. They tried talking to you, but you were unresponsive.
Suddenly, you inhaled sharply before clenching your head in pain. "Get out of my head!"
Cole's heart was pounding as he watched 'you' struggle with the possession. He had never seen anything like this before, and the fear of losing you was too much to bear. But he knew they had to act fast, or it would be too late.
As the others stood back, trying to figure out how to help, Cole called out your name. "Come on, (Y/n), you can fight this!"
'You' abruptly paused and dropped your hands to your sides. A wicked grin grew on your face as you slowly craned your head at them. "He's not here at the moment," 'you' said in an eerie voice.
The wind howled around them, and debris flew in every direction as 'you' increased your power. The other ninja struggled to dodge the onslaught, and the wind blew them away, causing them to crash to the ground. Suddenly, a wooden pole ripped from the entrance of the grounds and was hurled toward them. They scattered in all directions, barely avoiding the deadly projectile. The ninja were terrified of what 'you' were capable of.
As 'you' raised your arm to attack once again, your other arm grabbed it and forced it down. You struggled to regain control of your body, grunting in pain. "You're not, argh, going to hurt them. Not on my watch," you managed to say through gritted teeth.
"What's happening to him?" Jay ask.
"He's trying to take control." Lloyd weakly groans. His vision was blurry as he tried picking himself up.
Kai held him. "Who's 'he'?"
"Morro."
"You're so annoying—you're too stubborn. Just submit—no!"
"We have to help him," Cole declared.
"But how?"
"I'm sure Master—"
Zane began, but Morro whips his head at them: "Wu? That old man," he sneered.
Immediately, their guards were up, and they quickly acted. Everyone but Zane and Lloyd charge at him, but Morro easily fends them off with your strength and agility. He kicks and punches them away, leaving them scattered on the ground of the tea shop.
Cole winces as he gets up and assumes his position. "We may not have powers, but we still know a little thing called Spinjitzu! Ninja, go!"
But Morro responds by launching a tornado of equal size at Cole, throwing him back into the wall, and causing him to scream in pain. The air around the possessed ninja grows bigger and wilder. Jay tries to use Spinjitzu, but he's caught in a whirl of wind, lifting him off the ground. Morro blasts him with his wind power, causing him to collapse next to Kai.
"Our Spinjitzu is worthless against the wind," Kai shouted.
Hovering over Lloyd from afar, Zane throws shurikens at Morro, but he easily deflects them with a chuckle. "Shurikens? Cute. Try this on for size!" Morro breaks off the propellers of the windmill and launches them at the ninja, scattering them and leaving debris all over the courtyard.
Morro drags Cole towards him, despite the earth ninja trying to plant his feet, and sends a blast of air, flinging him back near the pond. He then summons a tornado, large enough that it towers over them, dragging all of the ninja into it. The ninja scream as they are tossed around before Morro expands the wind and repels them across the courtyard.
Morro scoffs in disbelief at their defeat and smirks. He then heads towards the shop before your legs suddenly buckle. "You're not going anywhere! Stay down—you stay down! I'm the one who's in control—"
Your hand slams onto your throat, and you proceed to choke yourself. Your actions anger the ghost, and he tries to take back control over you.
You idiot! Are you trying to kill yourself?
You grin when you start seeing white spots.
Just enough to pass out.
The doors of the tea shop slam open as a whirlwind of air surrounds your body. Nya gasps as she watches in disturbance behind the counter, while Wu screams out your name in horror as he sees you choking yourself. The appearance of Wu only makes Morro stronger, and he takes back his control over you.
Morro releases his hold on your neck and takes a deep breath. As he looks up, he tilts his head with a smirk "Hello, Master."
Wu freezes upon hearing that voice. A voice he knew that he thought he would never hear again. He stares at 'you' in horror as 'you' begin to crawl on the floor, inching closer to the shop.
Morro uses the wind to lift himself to his feet and marches into the shop, calling out for the tiresome old man. "Oh, Master Wu. I got your reunion gift." He laughs maniacally before abruptly falling silent. "Now all I need is for you to give me what I came for."
"Get out!" Nya screamed.
Morro narrowed his eyes at her. "Go stock some shelves before you get hurt."
Nya grits her teeth. She slams her fist on the counter and returns his glare. "I'll take you on anytime," she threatens.
Wu steps in to prevent her from escalating the situation. "Stay back, Nya. It's me that he wants."
Morro scoffs. "Not you. Just your father's staff."
He slams the doors of the shop shut, causing the glass containers from the shelves and wall decorations to shatter on the ground as the whole building shakes.
Wu jumps onto the counter, ready to strike, and challenges him. "You want the staff? Try to take it."
Morro growls and launches at Wu, breaking the counter in two as he slams him onto it. The former teacher and student engage in a fierce battle over the staff around the shop, ending with Morro pinning Wu against a shelf with his own staff.
"You've gotten old. You used to be a great Sensei. Now you're just a petty shopkeeper."
Wu glared at him as he grunted. "With age comes wisdom." The man broke free and launched himself out of the hold. However, in doing so, his father's staff rolls along tea powder, revealing a secret message engraved on it.
He gasps at this new discovery. "A secret message engraved on the staff."
Morro raises to his feet. "The staff of the First Spinjitzu Master." He uses wind to grab the staff, but Nya knocks him down with a shelf, causing the staff to fly into the air.
Nya smirks with pride and dusts her hands. "I do more than stock shelves."
Wu catches the bamboo staff. "Yes. Now we leave."
Morro's eyes burn with fierce determination as he screams at the top of his lungs and releases a gust of wind that escapes his body, throwing everything back. "Give me the staff!"
He chases after them behind the building, where the bounty is parked in a cavern. He uses his power to boost his speed and jumps at Wu with his arm wheeled up to throw a punch, but he is tackled in the air, causing both bodies to be thrown onto the grass. Morro immediately jumps to his feet, ready to fight once again.
Cole takes a stance, ready for a fight. "I won't let you take him," he declares fiercely, his eyes fixed on Morro.
Morro's eyes narrow as he studies Cole, his lips curling up into a sneer. "You think you can stop me? Stop me from completing my mission? Without your powers, you are nothing!" He taunts, his voice dripping with disdain.
Cole gives a fierce roar and charges toward Morro, determined to protect the old man at all costs. But Morro is prepared, and he quickly blocks Cole's attack, easily deflecting his blows.
The two engage in a furious battle, their movements swift and precise. Morro's wind powers give him an advantage, and he sends powerful gusts of wind toward Cole, making it difficult for him to get close. Despite his best efforts, Cole is unable to land a single hit on Morro.
The bounty's engines suddenly roar to life, its jets igniting as it begins to slowly ascend into the sky. Two of the ninja are looking over the deck, while Nya has taken the wheel and Wu and Kai are tending to a semi-conscious Lloyd.
"Cole! What are you doing?" Zane shouts frantically, his eyes widening in horror as he watches his friend continue to fight.
"Is he crazy?" Jay mutters to himself, shaking his head in disbelief.
Cole ignores them, focusing all his attention on you. "I won't let you win!" he yells to Morro, lunging at the ghost warrior with renewed vigor. But even as he attacks, he knows that he can't keep this up forever.
The duo tries to convince Cole to abandon the fight and get onto the bounty before it's too late.
The air is thick with tension as the battle rages on between Cole and Morro.
The sound of the anchor dropping between Cole and Morro echoes loudly, causing the ground to shake. The impact throws the two ninja back, separating them for a moment as they jump out of the way. The duo feels a sense of hopelessness wash over them as they realize that they are unable to reach Cole. They watch helplessly as Cole continues to fight valiantly against Morro, knowing that he is risking everything to save you.
Morro taunts the ninja, "Foolish ninja. Why would you try to take me on all by yourself?"
"Because I promised to take care of (Y/n)!" Cole responds with determination.
Morro lunges at Cole with a punch, but his body is abruptly halted. Cole hears grunts coming from you and watches as your body staggers as if in pain. He pieced together that you're still fighting to regain control of your body.
"I know you're in there, (Y/n). Fight him!"
As your vision clears, you're able to see Cole clearly. You're relieved that he isn't badly hurt, causing you to smile weakly.
Seeing the smile on your face, Cole's face lights up with a smile. He has hope that you're able to take back control of your body. He whispers your name, "(Y/n)?"
You chuckle weakly, still struggling to regain control. "Get out of here, Cole," you manage to say.
Cole's expression slowly drops as confusion takes over. "What?" he whispers, unable to comprehend what you mean. Suddenly, the world around him spins, and he feels weightless as he's lifted up into the air, flying toward the bounty. His body is then slammed onto the deck, and he hears a sigh of relief from Jay and Zane, who caught him mid-air.
As adrenaline pumps through his veins, Cole scrambles to his feet, rushing towards the edge of the deck, desperate to get back to you. He looks over the railing and catches a glimpse of you, knowing that you're still conscious. Despite the distance, he can feel your eyes on him, and he knows that you're looking up at him. In his head, the message, 'got to get to him' repeats excessively in his mind. He tries to jump off the deck, but Jay and Zane grab him, holding him back, much to his displeasure.
As you softly gaze at the bounty, you feel the wind turning calm before gradually becoming more and more aggressive. Your head spins as the air swirls around you, tugging at your hair and clothes. You try to keep yourself under control, but Morro overpowers you.
"NOOOOOOOO!!!" Morro screams in frustration, his eyes burning with rage, the wind working up around him. He pants heavily and tightens his fist, the veins in his arm bulging as he glares at the fading ship.
"Why is nothing going my way!?" He growls through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse with anger.
"You are a useless, pathetic, ninja! You messed up everything! I should've stuck with the squirt." His words echo in your ears, making you feel a mix of fear and anger.
Suddenly, Morro releases you from your prison, and you collapse on the ground, gasping for air. You watch as his form chases after the bounty, his figure growing smaller and smaller in the distance. You weakly raise your hand, trying to summon wind to hopefully vanquish him, but your hand drops. You groan out a weak, 'no' of your own as you struggle to get up. You feel like you're in and out of consciousness, the world around you hazy and unfocused, but you're still awake.
You lay there on the ground, catching your breath as you realized that you'd been left behind. You feel a sense of despair wash over you as you wonder if your friends will be able to defeat Morro without you. Your heart races as you try to stay conscious, your mind foggy with exhaustion and pain. You can feel your body trembling with each labored breath, and you wonder if you'll ever be able to stand.
...To Be Continued