Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

(Rose’s POV)

All I can say is that I am so glad we don’t have to rent that cramped apartment for an extended amount of time in the foreseeable future.  Forget thinking Dareth is a bit of an idiotic being, I literally have so much respect for the guy right now that it’s not even funny.

He’s kind enough to let us– all of us–remain at his place until we can get one of our own.  Aka, he’s letting five chaotic Ninja who all share one brain cell, an equally chaotic samurai, the daughter of an evil overlord who just tried to take over the entire COUNTRY, another recently redeemed evil lord, and said evil lord’s wife and brother, the three of whom form one of the most awkward love triangles that could ever exist, and the evil clone of aforementioned daughter of evil overlord all stay in his home for an undetermined amount of time.

So.  Much.  Respect.

Even more so because, while it’s not a one room, half bathroom apartment that we can barely all fit in, it’s not a large place either.  He basically lives above his dojo, the living quarters consisting of an open kitchen by the living room/space/area, which is where you come inside, two bedrooms (one is his and one is for any guests), and a bathroom.

We refused to take over his bedroom, even though he insisted at least one of us could share it, he could even give it up while we stayed and just sleep on the floor.  We all agreed though that he was being extremely generous as it is and that he should get to keep at least one room to himself.  So.  Uncle Garmadon, Aunt Misako, and Father have the guest bedroom as their space, and the rest of us just…crash in the living room.  We agreed to take turns sleeping on the sofa and floor.

Dareth also got us sleeping bags to use, I’m seriously reevaluating my whole view of him.

All of that aside, as beyond relieving as it is to actually have a place to stay until things are figured out…it is a small space for twelve slightly dysfunctional beings to coexist in.

And there is hostility in the ranks.

Fun.

I’m beginning to just take Kai’s seething glares directed at me and my clone as the new normal.  Honestly, it’s been a couple days, and I’m not even fazed by them anymore.  I feel like that should be a bad sign, but I’m just relieved to be alive so I don’t even care.

Also, we all agreed unanimously that it is beyond weird to call both me and my clone by the same name.  She also seemed to have some hostility towards being called by it, which is understandable, if it was the other way around, I would probably end up discovering that being referred to as a clone on an hourly basis was becoming an extremely touchy subject for me.

Lloyd and Jay just started calling her Bizarro.  The rest of us kinda just picked it up because we have literally nothing else to call her.  And at least she doesn’t visibly prickle whenever we call her that, unlike when a couple of us slipped up and called her Rose.  Jay gave up trying to shorten ‘Bizarro’ though.  Ro would never come across well for obvious reasons.  And Biz just didn’t…stick.  At all.  Literally none of us have encouraged that nickname because just…what.  What and why.

He kinda dried up after Biz anyways, so Bizarro is what we have been calling her for the time being.

Life has been…interesting, I’ll give that much.  We managed to retrieve some of our belongings from the crashed Bounty back on the Dark Island via multiple Dragon trips on the first actual day.  After the joy of the Final Battle faded, leaving pure exhaustion in its wake, and Dareth suggested we stay at his place, we kind of just all collapsed and slept for twelve or so hours.  So.  That doesn’t count as the first day.

Today is the second day, and once again, I shall say that life is interesting.

Lloyd, Kai, and Jay are currently playing video games and yelling incoherently at each other.  Incoherently because I don’t bother trying to understand the video game terms they’re using.  Nya is kind of just existing in the corner, along with Zane.  Sometimes the two of them talk quietly.

The grownups are discussing what our plans will be for the next week or so, laying out what needs to be done.  Dareth is teaching a class downstairs.  And Bizarro is kind of hovering near my uncle.  I’ve noticed she tries to stay with him as closely as possible, and she is definitely infinitely more relaxed with him than literally anyone else.  Not that I blame her.  I sometimes wonder if he’s sort of a father figure to her.  It would make sense, actually, and he has been treating her in a bit of a fatherly way.

I’m trying to give Kai and Jay some space.  Kai has absolutely no qualms with making it absolutely clear what he thinks of my having been forced into Dominique for that period of time, and Jay is on the fence between hostility and downright fear.  He jumps every time I come up behind him, and I don’t really want to push him over the edge if he isn’t already.

It was bad enough when this started.  I’d quite frankly had no idea what to do.  Everyone was yelling at each other.  Kai and Jay were on the side of not trusting a move I made, Nya, Lloyd, and Cole were adamant that I had been under my father’s control and it hadn’t been my fault (so were the adults, but they were much calmer about it and trying to get all of the others to calm down, but seeing as they had to raise their own voices to even be heard…that didn’t work too well.).  Even Zane had been trying to get the fight to break up.  It finally did when he shouted, because he’s Zane and he never shouts like that, and everyone had begrudgingly agreed to let things slide.

It’s still extremely tense though.  Hence why I am in the corner, and may or may not be hiding behind Cole.  I may be used to Kai’s glares now.  That doesn’t mean I like them.  If he can’t see me, he can’t glare at me.  It’s basic logic.

My boyfriend is currently flipping through some drawings he’d salvaged from the Bounty.  I’ve caught glimpses of his art before but wow .  I hadn’t realized he was so good at it.  He’s drawn the Bounty, mountains, my father, his father, himself-  Actually, most of his pictures are of people, though there are a few of objects or landscapes.  And while I may not recognize everyone, there’s at least one drawing of each of us in there.  None of Aunt Misako or Uncle Garmadon, but then we’ve all been ridiculously busy lately, he probably didn’t have time, and my uncle has been good for all of 48 hours.

He lingered on one in particular, of a young woman with the same thick eyebrows as his, the same raven dark hair pulled up in a bun.  I’d known he’d gotten some of his looks from Lou, but now I know it was from both parents.

“She was pretty,” I say, smiling a bit when I realize her eyes were the same deep brown as Cole’s are.

“She was,” he smiles as well.  “She used to dance with my father all the time on the terrace.  Sometimes I used to watch them.  They taught classes too, at my school.”  His smile fades a bit, “Before she got sick anyways.”

I quietly put a hand on his shoulder.  He doesn’t elaborate, and I don’t want to push him to.  I know how hard it can be to move on from grief, and even better how difficult it can be to talk about the source of your grief.  I know he’ll probably open up more eventually, but he should be the one to bring that subject up, not me.

Cole shakes his head, as if returning to the present, and moves on to the next one.  I feel my cheeks warm slightly, recognizing myself.  It’s a side profile of me with my mask off, looking at the stars from the Bounty’s deck.

I glance at Cole, and smirk a bit when I notice his own cheeks are a bit red, “I…was bored?  Do you buy that?”

“I’ll pretend to,” I shrug and lean against the wall again, watching him continue slipping through the pages.  “Have you ever drawn something with more than one person?”

“Not really…” his brow furrows a bit.  “I never thought about it.  Maybe I should sometime.”

“Maybe,” I hum slightly.  After a moment, I glance down, “Hey…um…”

Cole looks at me, “Yeah?  Everything okay?”

“Yes?  No?” I hesitate.  “I…have an apology to make.”

His brow draws together, “What for?  If this is about that whole Dominique thing-”

“No, no, not that, I know you’ve forgiven me for that,” I smile a little sheepishly.  “Something else.  Earlier.  I’d started out holding everything from you, and then I ended up dumping everything on you, and well…I never really took the time to get to know you.  What kind of things you like doing.  I guess I just realized that and…I feel bad about it.”

His mouth forms an ‘o’ shape, eyebrows raising in surprise.  He’s quiet for a minute, and out of the corner of my eye, I can see the subtle expression changes that tell me he’s thinking.  “I…see what you mean.  Though I don’t think it’s all on your end.  I didn’t volunteer very much info about myself.  I guess I’m just…not used to people being interested in what I like.”

“Your father?”

“Yeah,” he sends me a wry grin.  “‘Sides, you were there for me when I had to face him.  That alone would’ve been enough for me.”

“Maybe so,” I bump his shoulder amicably, “but I would’ve regretted not trying at least.  I mean, I just know that you like drawing.  And cake.  You have a very strong and strange obsession with cake.”

“ Everyone should have an obsession with cake.  It would make the world a better place.”

I sigh, letting my head fall to my knees, but grin anyways, “This is what I’m talking about.”

“You can’t resist cake.”

“I can.”

“Mm, nah, you can’t.”

“Of course I can.”

“What in Ninjago are you two talking about?” Nya suddenly laughs, standing in front of us and placing her hands on her hips.

“How Rose can’t resist cake.”

“ I can too- ”

“What in the name of-”

“Ai, can you guys quiet down, we’re trying to concentrate here!” Lloyd shouts from the couch.

Nya turns, “What part of concentrating entails turning to yell pointless orders at everyone?”

Jay groans, “ Nya !”

“ What ?”

“These are life and death stakes!”

“You’re all idiots,” Nya covers her face.  “Oh my goodness it’s a vidEO GAME !”

Cole and I share a desperate look as the three begin bickering, and then Kai joins in, all but roaring at them all to stop arguing and focus for heaven’s sake.

Zane’s meditating.  Bizarro gives them all a genuinely alarmed look, which, compared to the completely unbothered grownups, makes me bite back a laugh.

“Oh COME ON,” Jay screeches, “I just DIED.”

“It’s a freaking GAME, Jay!”

“Haha, next time pay more attention to the- KAI!  HOW COULD YOU!  BETRAYAL!  WAIT WAIT WAIT, JAY, NO NOOOOO, STOP WHY ARE YOU GANGING UP ON ME- DAD, HELP, I’M BEING MURDERED !”

“Boys,” Uncle Garmadon doesn’t even look up, his tone sounding as if he literally couldn’t care less.

I quickly get up, barely even registering Lloyd’s extremely offended gasp, and head out into the hall with Cole on my heels.  I shut the door, muffling the sound of pure and utter chaos.  We share one look before bursting into laughter.

When Dareth comes up to find us still wheezing, holding onto each other and the walls for dear life so we don’t take a tumble down the stairs, I’m certain he considered just turning around and going back down.

He didn’t actually do it until he opened the door for half a second.  He quickly shuts it again and goes downstairs, repeatedly saying the word ‘nope’.

“Guys, chill, it’s only Rose.”  I pause, realizing it may be a terrible time to walk into the kitchen, and stay hovering awkwardly around the wall.

“She tried to kill us-”

“So did I!”

“You were taken over by that Dark Matter stuff, Nya.”

“Well she was in the same situation.”

Jay joins in the conversation, “Actually…she willingly let the Overlord take over.  I just don’t know, Nya…”

“From what you guys told us, it sounded like she let him do that to protect you all,” Nya snaps.  “Come on, guys, it’s Rose .”

“Nya, ‘Rose’ lied to us about her entire identity for months.”

“She had her reasons!” my friend protests.  “And she did eventually tell the truth.”

“Only for her to hide even more about her identity from us,” Kai retorts.  “She was the daughter of the freaking Overlord and never once said a thing.  You can’t convince me that’s not suspicious!  Even if it wasn’t, she should’ve said something!”

“She should’ve,” Cole’s voice suddenly speaks, tone low.  “But at the same time, we all know why she didn’t.  We would’ve done the same in her shoes, you know that.”

“ Thank you, Cole ,” Nya sighs.

“I still don’t trust her!  And don’t even get me started on Bizarro.”

“Bizarro is different, guys,” Nya protests.  “She’s never earned our trust.  She has to work for it, and we all agree on that.  But we’re talking about Rose .  She’s actually been trustworthy.”

“Barely,” Jay mumbles, but Nya catches it.

“ Jay Walker- ”

“Nya,” Cole’s heavy voice says, “don’t.”

The samurai takes a deep breath, “Sorry.”

I blink, and edge backwards, deciding to retrieve some water later.  I freeze when I bump into someone.  Turning, I meet a pair of softly glowing, ice blue eyes.  Zane looks at me, then at the kitchen, listening as the argument continues.  He walks past me, and his calm, but clear voice cuts through the others’.  It only takes a moment for a begrudging silence to fall.  I release a breath, closing my eyes and mentally thanking the White Ninja.  Only Zane can’t keep the peace forever.

As much as I don’t want to think it, the thought whispers at the back of my mind, Am I tearing them all apart?

My interactions with Bizarro have been…awkward, at best, since Uncle Garmadon turned good.  I mean, how are you supposed to act, exactly, around someone who’s technically a clone of yourself?  Or vice versa…

Yeah, it’s awkward.  I try not to bring it up, and I try to treat her like a normal person, but it’s still awkward.  For the most part, she tends to avoid me.  And yeah, that makes things a bit easier when we’re not interacting, but it does feel kind of wrong to just leave it at that instead of making some effort to make her feel welcome.

I look at the glass of water in my hands, listening to the others’ snores.  Soft or otherwise. ( Looking at you, Cole. ) I am still very much a night owl, so I keep finding myself the last one still awake, and…with all the tension, it’s not very fun to be alone with my thoughts.  Cole’s stayed up with me a couple times, still, but not always.  I close my eyes, frowning.  One of the few times I wish I wasn’t a night owl.

It would be so much easier if I had the same sleep schedule as everyone else.  Then there would always be something to keep my mind busy and off of Kai’s hostility or Jay’s jumpiness, or Bizarro’s…everything.

At least she’s very clear about being as uncomfortable with us as we are with her.

I raise my head, feeling someone’s eyes on me, but don’t bother turning.  The person stands quietly for a second, then moves to get a glass of water for herself, now in my field of view.  Bizarro.

Figures that she’s awake just when I’m puzzling over how to act around her.  After a second as she fills a cup, I ask softly, “What are you doing up?”

“Can’t sleep,” she replies shortly.  “Why do you need to know?”  Her scarlet eyes peer at me, narrowed.

I shake my head, looking at my own water again, “Just curious.  I thought everyone else was asleep.”

“Unfortunately, I am as much of a night owl as you,” Bizarro snaps.  She takes a sip of water and leans against the wall.

I sigh and decide it’s probably for the best if I just approach the elephant in the room directly.  Father in heaven, help me please.  “Why do you hate me?”

The red eyes snap up, meeting mine.  I hold her gaze until she drops it, swirling the water in her own cup.  “Because I’m not you.”  I blink, but before I can ask what she means, she continues.  “I’m your clone , Rose.  As much as I wish, I’m not really my own person, and everyone expects me to be you.  An evil you, maybe, but still you.  It’s like I’m trapped being someone who’s neither me, nor you, and no matter what I do, no one will accept me.  Even if I managed to be you, I’d still be shunned because I’m not you, and even if I managed to be myself, and even I don’t know who that is, I’d still be shunned because I’m supposed to be you.”  She falls into silence then, taking another sip.

I swallow, letting her words sink in.  It makes sense, and it hurts because it makes sense.  She wasn’t born her own person, she is, quite literally, a clone.  A copy of an original.  Which means that she’s not herself, but at the same time she can never live up to what the first version was, leaving her trapped in an in-between space that still no one could be satisfied with.

“Oh.”

She huffs, a wry smile pulling the corner of her lips, “Sometimes I can’t stand to look at you.  Sometimes I feel like I can’t stop.  It’s more aggravating than anything you can imagine.”

“I…guess it would be,” I murmur, watching her.  “...I want to help.  I want to.”  I hesitate as she tilts her head just enough to let me know she’s listening.  “I just…don’t know how to.”

She shrugs, “Don’t blame ya.  For what it’s worth, sometimes I wish I didn’t hate you.  Sometimes I hate myself for hating you.”  Bizarro raises her eyes, her scarlet irises gleaming slightly in the dark, “But I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop.”

I nod slowly, “I understand.  Really.  But…even if we’re never friends, Bizarro, are you okay with us at least being…not enemies?”

We gaze at each other for a long moment.  Bizarro slowly dips her head in a small nod.  Then she finishes her water and steps out of the kitchen.  The burden on my shoulders doesn’t seem quite as heavy as before.

After hearing Zane breaking up yet another argument between the others, I sigh and lean my head back on the couch, closing my eyes.  At this point, I’m starting to think he’s the only thing helping us all keep together.

The couch sinks a bit, someone sitting down beside me as well.  I glance over, recognizing my adoptive uncle.  His cinnamon colored eyes return the look.  I’m going to have to get used to seeing him this way, I subconsciously think.  I’m so used to his pitch black skin and blood red eyes (not to mention the extra appendages), that sometimes I forget he didn’t always look that way.  His brown hair has turned gray, and his face is no longer as young as it was before, but I still recognize my father’s brother from all those years ago, if I look.

“How are you?” he asks, voice quiet.  Ever since the Final Battle, I’ve barely heard him raise his voice at all.  I’m kind of surprised by how calming his presence is.  It makes me wonder what our lives would’ve been like if he’d never been bitten by the Devourer, what would’ve been different.  What would’ve been the same.

“I’ve been better,” I shrug loosely, looking away.

He hums, “I appreciate you trying to reach out to Bizarro.”

I follow his gaze to the clone, who is currently fiddling around with her- my powers.  I shake my head slightly, “I’ve barely accomplished anything.”

“That doesn’t mean you’ve accomplished nothing.”  I look at the older man again.

He smiles wryly, “Wu’s not the only one to have picked up some wisdom over the years.”

I laugh slightly, “Fair.”

His eyes soften again as he looks at Bizarro, “I can’t say I regret creating her, without it being a lie.  However, the way she came into existence is one that has created many problems and struggles for her.  Ones I wish I could take away.”  He shakes his head.

I hum in acknowledgement, “I wonder…I wonder if she’s technically related to any of us…She’s my clone, does that mean she’s sort of my sister?  Does it make my father hers too?  Or…are you sort of her father, since you created her?  Would that make Lloyd her brother?  Or is she just…alone?”

Uncle Garmadon hesitates, “I’m not certain.  I can’t deny, however, that there are times I’ve considered her as something akin to a daughter, even if not quite that.  But biological family or not, you of all people should know that blood is not all that makes a family.”

I glance back in the direction of the kitchen, catching sight of Nya tossing a handful of flour over the boys, except Zane, who was wise enough to get out of the way.  Several startled and annoyed cries are the result, and then Kai and Lloyd try to tackle her and return the favor.

“Yeah.”  I watch as Nya darts behind Cole, trying to keep the bigger Ninja between herself and her brothers.  Jay shrieks, Lloyd accidentally making him fall over, and then the Blue Ninja joins in the fun, wrestling Lloyd to the ground before Kai doubles back and pounces on them both.  Nya laughs until Jay grabs her wrist, effectively pulling her into the chaos.  Cole and Zane just stand there, amused and keeping out of it, no matter how many times the others beg for help or backup.  Well, Cole tosses a handful of flour at the group when none of them are paying attention, and then casts the blame on a bewildered Zane.  My boyfriend catches my eye and winks slightly.  I let myself smile.

My father enters the kitchen and surveys the team with a mixture of disapproval and amusement.  He retrieves a cup of tea and lingers in the doorway, staff on standby in case anyone looks like they could use an admonishing whack on the head.

I feel my uncle’s eyes on me, and look away from the carefree scene.  The scene that would undoubtedly be much more tense if I made an attempt to join it.

“What’s troubling you?” Uncle Garmadon asks, a knowing gleam in his eye.

“I never meant to cause a divide between any of them,” I mumble, just loud enough for him to hear.  “I just wanted to protect them.  But now…Cole and Jay’s friendship is strained, so is Jay and Nya’s relationship, and even Kai sometimes snaps at Lloyd for no real reason.  It just feels…wrong.”  I rub my forehead, “Zane’s the only one who hasn’t really changed, but now he has to keep intervening before fists can start flying.  I don’t even dare step in the room if they’re all arguing.  I just…wish I knew how to fix it.”

My uncle nods, “I know.  I used to be the source of a lot of strife in the old Elemental Alliance.  It can be hard, knowing the people you love are at odds because of you.”  He rests a hand on my shoulder, “You just have to trust that the Lord has a plan.  It’ll work out eventually.”  I nod.

After the Royal Family pardons Uncle Garmadon for his crimes, things really begin changing.  It’s as if it was the cue for change to begin.  Before that, Ninjago City was being cleaned up, people were fixing what had been broken.  Now actual change is starting.  Whenever the news is on, I keep hearing about some Mr. Borg at the forefront of everything going on.

Lloyd’s being called on more and more often as the Golden Ninja and Ultimate Spinjitzu Master to accept honors, or help people, or attend charities, and all sorts of things.  He seems a bit frazzled by it all.  Not that I blame him.  I’m quite honestly impressed that he hasn’t imploded yet.  It does mean that he’s not…present with us quite as much as before, though.  I try not to let his increasing absences bother me.

Those aren't the only changes, either.

My father sets down his chopsticks, straightening in his chair and fixing his pupils with a look that clearly says ‘Pay attention’.  I quickly swallow the rice I was eating and set my own chopsticks down.  “I have an announcement to make.”

“What kind of announcement?” Jay asks.

“You all recall Darkley’s Boarding School,” he says.  Lloyd’s eyes wander to the ceiling awkwardly.  “Apparently after the school year ended, the current teachers decided they couldn’t teach the kids, specifically the previous Darkley’s students who are still struggling with their old ways, and even the principal has quit in favor of a job at Kryptarium Prison.  The Ninjago education board needs new teachers and a new headmaster, and I have applied myself, and most of you for the job.”

“WHAT?!” is the simultaneous yelp of shock.  We quickly subdue ourselves, though, when his eyebrows lower sternly.

“It needs to be done.  The school will close otherwise, and no one else so far has been willing to take the job.  What’s more, it comes with living quarters at the school, so some of us will finally be out of Dareth’s space.”  He gives the honorary Brown Ninja a nod, who, as saddened as he looks at the prospect of us leaving, simultaneously looks quite relieved.  Can’t blame him.

“But, Sensei,” Kai speaks up, stammering slightly.  His eyes wander, and I could’ve sworn that his face is turning almost pink, “we can’t… teach .  I mean, sure, we taught Lloyd to be a Ninja, but that’s not the same thing.”  Nya chews on the inside of her cheek, looking at him uncertainly.  “I-I mean, I don’t think-”

“Rest assured, Kai,” my father places a hand on the Red Ninja’s shoulder.  “I’ve assessed which subjects each of you would be best fit to teach.”  Kai hesitates, but sinks back in his chair.  I can’t help but notice he still looks extremely unsettled.

Cole’s brows furrow, “Wait, which subjects…?”

“Zane will be teaching science, Jay, mathematics, Nya, language arts, Kai, history, Cole, English, Rose, PE, and-”

Lloyd suddenly holds his hands up, looking both apologetic, torn, and nervous, “I-I can’t.  I just got an urgent invitation to something halfway across Ninjago, and I can’t say no.”

My father hums, stroking his beard, “Then we’re one person short…”

Dareth perks up a bit, “A-actually, this old dojo is um…well, let’s say that I have to sell it soon.  I just wasn’t sure what to do, cause I couldn’t raise the prices of classes enough to cover what I’d need, and I didn’t want to tell any of you.  But, uh, depending on what it is you need, I may be able to do that.”

“We need a social studies teacher…” my father hesitates.

Dareth brightens, “No problem.  I gotcha covered.”

“Alright then…” he nods slowly.

“Dareth, when are your payments due?” Aunt Misako asks.

“By the end of July,” he replies.

My aunt and uncle share a glance before she looks at us again, “Well, that’s alright then.  As it turns out, we were going to have a small monastery built, to train young students in martial arts.  The living quarters at the least should be done by the end of July.”

“What?!” Lloyd blinks.  “Why didn’t you tell me?!”

Uncle Garmadon smirks, “We just did.”

Lloyd huffs, “Not what I meant.”

“Wait wait wait,” Kai frowns slightly.  “What about Bizarro?”

“She will be coming with us,” my uncle assures him calmly.  The girl looks up for the first time in the conversation, a hint of relief shining through her indifferent expression.

“It’s settled then,” my father nods, “We will remain here until the month’s end.  That should give the Ninja plenty of time to work on their curriculums as well.”

“Oh boy,” Jay winces apprehensively.

Lloyd also grimaces, “I have to leave in a week max, so…”

“That’s quite alright, nephew,” Father smiles.  “We will miss you however.”

Dareth suddenly turns to my aunt and uncle, “Hey, some of the parents of the kids I teach have been asking me if I know a place they could switch to once the dojo closes.”

“We’d love it if you'd recommend us,” Uncle Garmadon smiles.  I sink back into the chair, mind spinning as the previous conversation picks up again.  I’m slightly startled when I realize that Bizarro and I are no longer the only quiet people at the table.  Out of the corner of my eye, I watch as Kai absently pushes his food around, a distant frown resting on his face.  Nya is also quieter.  She engages in the conversation, occasionally laughing, but not as much, and her eyes keep straying to her brother.  Finally Kai pushes his chair back and puts his plate in the sink.  He says something along the lines of ‘going for a walk’ before leaving.

“Why’s he so nervous about teaching?” I ask Nya in an undertone as we wash the dishes together.

Nya pauses, the hand she was using to scrub a plate clean stilling briefly.  Giving herself a shake, she shrugs, “Well…the truth is, our parents disappeared when we were young.”

It’s my turn to freeze, staring at her, “What?”

She smiles wryly, “Never mentioned it, huh?”

“No,” I manage, realizing this situation may be a lot more delicate than I thought.  “How young…?”

“I was three,” she continues scrubbing, “so I don’t actually remember much about our parents.  I only have one memory with them in it, right before they disappeared, but I can only remember what they said and did.  I can’t actually remember what they looked like, or sounded like.  Kai was five, so he remembers better than I do.”

“Wow…” I breathe, still staring at her, now in slight disbelief.  When she said young, I’d thought she meant like…maybe eight and ten or something.  Not three and five .

“His reaction was…well…” she sighs, pausing to turn and face me completely.  “We both continued to go to school as long as we could but…”

“But?”

“It got to the point where we didn’t have enough money for the both of us to go,” my friend sighs.  “He dropped out after third grade so I could keep going, and so he could find a way to get more money for us to live off of.  He never went back.  Didn’t even get to finish elementary…”

“Oh.”  Suddenly, everything makes a lot more sense where the Smith siblings are concerned.

She nods, turning back to the dishes, “My guess is Sensei gave him history as his subject because he’s learned so much of it just from all our missions.  But, um, don’t say anything about this, please?  He’s…sensitive about the subject, and it’s just kind of awkward for us to talk about it and receive sympathy when we’ve already accepted our lot in life and moved on.”

“Yeah.  Yeah, of course,” I’m quick to reassure her.  “I won’t breathe a word.  It wouldn’t be my place to bring it up anyways.”

Nya smiles at me, “Thanks.”

Lloyd plops onto the sofa next to me, closing his eyes and sighing.  I look at him, “Hey.”

“Hey.”

“Do you really not have anything to do today?” I raise an eyebrow.

His smile is tired, “Nope.  For once, I got nothing.”  He straightens a bit, blinking, “May as well, anyways…”

“Cause you’re leaving tomorrow?”

He hums affirmatively.  A moment of silence passes between us, acknowledging both our dread for the weeks to come.  My cousin turns his head, looking at me, a hopeful smile on his face, “Dragon ride?”

I smile, “Thought you’d never ask.”  The smile turns into an excited grin as he jumps up and runs out.  I follow right on his heels, up to the roof, and whistle for our Dragons.

It’s barely a minute before their answering roars sound through the air.  Ultra and Cloud swoop down.  The two of us leap onto their backs with ease and fly off, into, past the clouds.

“How about you take the reins on this one?” I pat Cloud’s neck, just happy to feel the wind in my hair, far above the ground, the clouds, and far away from Ninjago City, from the tension back at Dareth’s.  It’s…a nice break.

Ultra and Cloud dive, making me laugh and Lloyd shout, then they spin circles around each other.

“Easy there, Ultra!” Lloyd yelps, laughing.  “You’re making me all dizzy!”

“You’re not used to this, are you?” I smirk, shooting overhead and letting Cloud continue her antics.  Lloyd whoops, sending Ultra to chase after us with a bright laugh.

It’s not until he yelps and Ultra stops abruptly, almost throwing their rider, that I rein Cloud in and circle back to hover by them, “What’s wrong?”

“I-I don’t know.  I think he’s sensing something…” Lloyd looks at the four-headed Dragon, “Something’s wrong?”  Flame breathes out a bit of fire, causing my cousin’s eyes to widen.  “Fire.  Where?”  The Dragon roars.  “Go!”

I lean down, “You heard him, girl.  Come on!”  We shoot after Lloyd and Ultra, flying until I can faintly smell smoke.  The Dragons dive just below the clouds.  I catch sight of a village on fire, familiar green snakes raiding them, some running off with their loot.

“Venomari?” I frown.

“I thought those guys had all been defeated by the Stone Warriors,” Lloyd blinks.

“Guess not,” I flip on my mask.

“We need to split up,” he stands up, holding onto Ultra’s saddle.  “Ultra, you deal with the fires.  Rose, Cloud, you get the thieves.  I’ll take on the warriors.”

“You got it,” I flip on my mask and send Cloud past the town, overtaking the Serpentine.  I let myself fall backward off Cloud once we’re at a safer height, pulling out my sai and landing in a smooth roll on  the ground.  Turning, I take a stance behind the Venomari, Cloud landing in front of them and roaring.  They stop in their tracks, backing up and turning, only to see me.

I smirk, “Going somewhere?”  The four Serpentine release their loot and charge.  Cloud breathes out darkness over us.  I close my eyes.  I may not be able to see in the dark anymore, since I’d transferred my powers back to my father, but that never affected my ability to fight blind.  Flipping my sai out results in a cry of pain and someone falling to the ground.  Following the sounds the Venomari make, the hisses and movement around me, I easily dispatch them all.  As the cover disappears, the disoriented and thoroughly beaten Serpentine run, Cloud sending them a warning in the form of a thunderous roar.

I laugh moving to her side, “That was way too easy.”

She rumbles, a smile on her face, but then she freezes, raising her head.  Before I can say a word, she spreads her wings and takes off.

I blink, staring up at the Dragon as she flies away, “Wait-  Cloud, wait!”

Lloyd on his Golden Dragon swoops down.  I catch hold of the Dragon’s tail and it flips me up onto its back, behind my cousin.  I hold onto his shoulders, “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know, but Ultra just ran away from me too.”  He flies the Golden Dragon after Ultra and Cloud.

It feels like some sort of trance now, the steady beat of wings, the silence that’s fallen, the wind seeking a way past our masks.  I can see Ultra and Cloud ahead of us through the clouds, just barely.  Ninjago passes beneath us, rice fields, plains, deserts, ocean, mountains, rivers, jungles…

It’s just the beat of wings through the air as we follow our Dragons, following them all across Ninjago…

Until a barren, rocky shore comes into view.  Several hills form the rocky coastline, only small grass patches are any sign of vegetation.

Lloyd straightens, murmuring, “The Spirit Coves…”

I suck in a soft breath, the mist coming off the ocean dampening my mask, “No living person has ever seen this place…Except…us.”

Lloyd glances back at me, then shifts the Golden Dragon’s line of flight to be alongside the shoreline.  Ultra and Cloud come into view, perched on a rocky hill, gazing out over the water at the setting sun.  I realize then that we’ve been flying all day, ever since this morning.

I slide off his Dragon, landing at Cloud’s side, and he allows the Elemental Dragon to evaporate.  Walking up by Ultra, he places his hand on one of the larger rocks, jutting up and out.

I press my hand against Cloud’s shoulder, watching her longing expression.

Lloyd looks up at Ultra, “Miss home, huh?”  The softest of rumbles is the response.  Lloyd sighs heavily, “Go on, then.”  Flame reaches down, nuzzling him, the other heads all turning to give the Golden Ninja a grateful expression.

Lloyd smiles slightly, hugging Flame before stepping back and repeating, “Go home!”  Ultra lifts into the air, flying around us before forming the Spinjitzu-like vortex that will take them to their home realm.

Cloud rumbles quietly.  I close my eyes, feeling a lump in my throat.  Cloud nudges me gently, and I wrap my arms around her in return, pressing my cheek against hers.

I feel a tear run down my cheek, but I reach up, wiping it off, and step back from her, managing a small smile, “Go on, girl.  I know you want to.  Besides…I’m sure we’ll see each other again…one day.”  Her eyes brighten, just a bit, and she nuzzles me one more time before taking off and following Ultra to another realm.  Lloyd rests a hand on my shoulder.  Reaching up, I squeeze it lightly.

We watch the sun sink below the horizon, and I only shake myself into the present when the last rays are still brightening the sky.  “I…um…I hope you don’t mind giving me a ride.”

Lloyd smiles wryly, “I don’t.  Kai’s gonna kill me though.”

“He’ll kill both of us,” I shake my head as he summons the Golden Dragon, and climb on.  It’s gonna take all night to get back.  I close my eyes, resting my chin on my cousin’s shoulder.  “Maybe he won’t notice if we just…sneak back in.”

“Nah…he’s definitely gonna notice.”

Hours later, when we attempt to slip in while the others sleep, Kai definitely notices.  Let’s just say, I find it a wise choice to slip away and hide in the bathroom until the raging inferno he must’ve been holding in the whole day is expelled, waking everyone.  Of course, then Nya joins in.

Note to self…next time, tell someone where we’re going.   I sigh and settle back against the wall, preparing myself for the inevitable lecture my father will probably have prepared whenever I deem it safe enough to leave without being cornered by Kai.

It feels so wrong without Lloyd here.  Sure, he texts us as often as he can, but it’s not quite the same.  He’s not physically here with us.  Arguments themselves are…not as common, but the tension is still there and it’s painfully easy to feel it.  Each of Cole and Jay’s interactions carry underlying tension.  Even if both are smiling, it’s there.  And there have been brief moments when I could’ve sworn that Nya is trying to avoid Jay and Kai.  Maybe Jay more so than Kai, as the two siblings have been trying to help each other with planning curriculums.  Kai in general is more prone to snap at nearly anyone, what with his frustration towards me and being suddenly dumped into a role he has no idea how to play…I can kind of understand why he’s so on edge.  Without the leader, it feels as if they’re struggling to decide what to do or how to act.

Nya suddenly hops off the sofa, tossing a lesson plan to the side, and grabs my arm, pulling me up.  I yelp, “Whoa, wait, what- what are you doing?”

“We’re going shopping,” is her terse reply.

“ Why ?” I splutter.  “We were just working, Nya-”

“Because I may have forced the guys to get actual clothes they could teach in, but we lack those clothes.  Hence, we’re going shopping when we have a chance.”

I decide not to bring up the steadily raising voices in the background as she closes the door firmly behind us.  “What are you talking about?  We do have clothes that would work for that.”

“You don’t.  Not for PE.  And besides, I want to look respectable, not like my actual age,” she raises an eyebrow, “I’m only fourteen, remember?”

“Right…” I pause.  “Wait…what?”

She sighs, “Right…I was thirteen when Kai became a Ninja, remember?”

“ You were WHAT ?!”

A half hour later, after I process just how young Nya is, though I could’ve sworn she was older based on how smart she is alone, we’re firmly in the middle of Ninjago City’s bustle.  Nya’s pulled me into one shop in particular.  These clothes aren’t very PE like, so I assume Nya’s here for her own clothes.  It’s pretty much confirmed when she spots a red dress.

It has two layers, the inside, a plain red dress, and the outside, something like an overlay with black and gold trim.  There’s also a gold sash.  I watch her lift it off the rack, checking the size and price.

“I thought your favorite color was blue,” I comment.

“It is.”

“I thought you’d have a bit more blue in your wardrobe.”

Nya looks up, then smiles a little, “As long as I can remember, I’ve worn red.  It…kind of kept us close to our parents, in a way.  And now, I feel like it keeps me close to Kai.  It’s weirdly comforting in that way.  Don’t get me wrong, I love blue.  I just…like wearing red.  I’m used to it.”

“I guess that makes sense…” I hum thoughtfully.

She smiles, “I’m gonna buy this real quick, then we’ll get you something.”

“Right…just so you know, I have no idea what I’ll need for PE.”

“I’ve got you covered, no worries,” Nya pays the cashier and pulls me out of the store, her new dress safely in a bag.

My introverted self feels like I’m shrinking as the samurai girl leads me in and out of stores, picking and choosing different items before darting back out into the overwhelming business of Ninjago City.  People and noises everywhere .  The next hour feels like a crazy blur.

By the end of her quest, Nya proudly presents me with a purple t-shirt, a black, zip-up hoodie, black pants, purple and black tennis shoes (with socks to match), a black wristwatch with silver highlights (she shows me it has a stopwatch feature, which would come in handy during class), and, because apparently accessories are everything, a couple thin, silver bracelets.

I have to say, I’ve never owned an outfit like it before.  It was either traditional clothing, or traditional Ninja clothing.

This is the kind of outfit I could probably walk around Ninjago City in and no one would blink twice.

“I love it.”

The end of July, and we’re moving out and into what was formerly Darkley’s Boarding School for Great Children, which was formerly Darkley’s Boarding School for Bad Boys, and is now, officially, Wu’s Academy.

It’s quite an effort, moving not only our things, but also Dareth’s, so far.  It’s about a half day’s road trip from his dojo to the academy.  The poor guy parted from the dojo in tears once we’d managed to load the last of everything on top of the Ultra Sonic Raider, which is quite honestly the only vehicle we have at the moment, and the only one big enough to carry everything anyways.  That, combined with Dareth’s car (which Wu and Nya ride in), are just enough to make only one trip instead of extending it to several.  On top of that, we’d helped Uncle Garmadon, Aunt Misako, and Bizarro pack their own things (of which my uncle and Bizarro actually have quite little), Lloyd’s things that he couldn’t bring with him, and rent a car to get them to their own new home.

By the time we reach the academy, the sun is setting.  We move the boxes into our rooms, helping each other out.  I choose not to mention that Kai and Jay stay mostly clear of my boxes.  I set down the last box.  A necklace slips out from under my  kimono’s neckline, making me pause.

I straighten, gathering the pendants in my hand.  One, a silver, intricate, crescent moon.  The other, a round pendant, depicting a deep purple dragon with bluish wings against a purplish, cloudy sky.

“Open it, Ro, open it!” Morro bounces excitedly.  In place of training today, my father had decided to allow us to celebrate my birthday.  Even some of his students are here.  I’d already opened up their presents, and my aunt’s and uncle’s (supposedly it was also from my little cousin), I just have Morro and my father’s left, the same gift.

My best friend quietens as I start to peel open the wrapping paper, revealing a little black box.  I can feel his nervous gaze on me while I take off the lid.  A silver necklace greets my eyes, two pendants hanging from the thin chain.  A crescent moon, and a beautiful dragon.

I suck in a breath, lifting it out, “Wow…”

My father places a hand on my shoulder.  I look up at him, seeing his kind smile, and return it.

“It’s supposed to protect you,” Morro says quietly.  I look at him.  “So you can’t ever take it off.”

I look up at my father for confirmation, and he nods, “This necklace will indeed protect you one day.  It may even save your life.  You may not remember it, or recognize it when it does, but if you never remove it, I assure you that it will.”

I hurriedly put it over my neck and clasp the pendants to my chest.  I’m used to things like this being cold to the touch at first, but these are warm, and I’m not entirely certain if it’s only my imagination that it hums, or thrums slightly, with some kind of energy.

I look between my father and best friend, “I promise, I’ll never take it off.”

I never did.

“What’s that?” Cole’s voice brings me back from the memory.

I blink, looking up at him, “What?”

He gestures to the pendants, still resting on my palm, “What’s that?  I don’t think I’ve seen you wear it before.”

“Oh, no,” I smile sheepishly, “I’ve been wearing it ever since you met me.  A long time before that, actually.  I always wear it.  I suppose I’d just…forgotten about it.  I usually keep it hidden under my gi or clothes.”

“Ah,” he smiles a bit, leaning against the wall.  “What’s so important about it that you wear it twenty-four seven?”

“I’d promised never to take it off,” I shrug, sitting on one of the boxes.  “It was a present from Father and…well, and Morro.  For my eighth birthday.  They told me that it was supposed to protect me.”

“Has it ever?”

I stay quiet for a second, looking at the pendant, feeling its warmth against my chest.  Then I remember.  The day Dominique had taken control, had shoved my subconciousness to the back of my own mind and trapped me there.  To everyone else, including her, I was supposed to be dead.  I should never have survived that.  But when she’d taken control, when she’d shoved me back and stamped me down, trying to snuff me out like a bug, I’d felt the same warmth against my chest, keeping me present, keeping me alive.  Back then it had almost burned, an invisible flame fighting, clinging to life.  And I’d clinged to it, terrified that if I let the feeling go, I’d slip away.  I would have.

I blink, suddenly feeling a bit teary-eyed, but smile at Cole.  “Yes.  Yes, it has.”

He takes a look at my face and visibly chooses not to ask.  Instead he walks over and pulls me into a hug that I gladly return.

It’s officially our second day here.  Day one was spent unpacking necessities and getting used to the school’s layout.  Day two, we all agreed, would be spent unpacking the rest of…everything.  Just everything.

I’m currently trying to find my room again, when I hear a guitar.  Something I hadn’t really expected, to tell the truth.  I follow it, curious, until I find myself standing in the doorway to Cole’s room.  It’s a simple tune, just him picking it out on the strings, but it’s more than I expected.

“I didn’t know you played,” the words are out before I can stop them.

My boyfriend looks up, startled, then offers a sheepish grin, “Dad sent it to me.  After everything sorta calmed down.  I haven’t picked one up in years, actually.  Kinda surprised I remember how to play.”

I sit next to him, listening as he tentatively picks up where he left off.  “Drawing, dancing, and now music.  Is there anything you can’t do?”  I pause before answering my own question, “Well, I suppose you can’t cook.”

He scoffs, giving me a mildly offended expression, “I can too cook.”

“Your only culinary success was a bowl of punch,” I raise an eyebrow.  “You can’t cook, Cole, sorry, but it’s a hard truth.”

He rolls his eyes, “Yeah yeah.”

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, the only sound being the quiet music Cole’s playing, I ask, “When did you learn?”

“School,” he shrugs.  “And my dad helped me practice.  Back then it wasn’t as forced, you know?  Mom was still alive, he hadn’t started pushing me to follow in his footsteps…it was just something I enjoyed learning how to do.  Play music.”

“Is it just the guitar?”

“No, actually, I can play a lot of different instruments.  I have a musical family, so it was probably a given that music would’ve been a large part of school for me,” he shrugs, pausing so that silence falls, no longer filled with the guitar’s simple melody.  “The guitar was her favorite…I taught myself to play a tune she was always humming…She used to hum it to help me go to sleep when I was younger too.  I played it for her when…she was in the hospital.  Once.  It’s the one I was just playing.”

Recognizing the bittersweet smile, I place a hand on his shoulder, my arm behind his back, “You okay?”

Cole closes his eyes, but nods, “Yeah.  It doesn’t hurt as much as it used to.  Sometimes though…I wish she was still here.  I wish she could see how far we’ve come.”

“I know the feeling,” I murmur, resting my head on his shoulder.  “I also know she would’ve been proud of you.  I know I am.”  Cole just reaches up to squeeze my hand slightly in response, giving me a look that says a lot more than words could have.

We’re all settled into the Academy, and are preparing the school for the students that’ll arrive in about half a month.  I’m in the gym at the moment, checking off the supplies that my father had given me to look over.

Nya walks in, wearing her new dress.  It suits her, I admit, and it definitely gives the impression she’s older than she is.  She’s carrying my hoodie and shirt, a small smile on her face.

I put the clipboard down and take them, “What is it…?”  She just gestures for me to look at them, so I comply.  I pause, blinking.  On the left side of the hoodie, my elemental symbol is embroidered in silver and purple, and on the left shoulder of the shirt, it’s embroidered in silver.

“What…how?”  I look up, noticing Nya’s own signature phoenix symbol embroidered in black on her sash.  “You did this?”

“Not exactly.  I can patch stuff up, but I’m not very good at needle and thread beyond that.  I’m better with machines.”

“Then how…”

“I convinced Kai to do it.”

I stare at her incredulously, “ Kai ?”

“It really took a lot of convincing,” she smiles nervously.

“That’s not what I-  Well, yeah, it was, but it also wasn’t,” I slap myself to get my mouth working again.  “Since when could Kai do this ?”

“Since my last birthday, if I remember right,” Nya folds her arms.  “He got one of the others in Ignacia to teach him so he could make me a present.”

“Wow,” I blink at the articles of clothing in a bit of disbelief.  “I…didn’t know that.”

The ravenette smiles wryly, “Well, now you do.  But, uh, don’t tell him I told you that he did it.  He’d probably strangle me.”

I huff, giving her an amused look, “If it was literally anyone else except Lloyd he’d strangle them.  But you?  I can’t see that.”

Nya shrugs, “Fair enough.”

“I’ll keep the secret though.  Grandfather knows I should know how.”

“Thanks,” she grins, “I gotta scat though.  Sensei’ll get after me if I’m not doing what I’m supposed to.”

“Don’t let him catch you,” I call after her as she hastily retreats, grinning.  My phone buzzes on the seat I’d left it on.  Stepping around the bins, I retrieve it to see a text from my cousin.

Lloyd: Wut’s ⬆??

I roll my eyes and click on the text.  I get the feeling a million people would call me old for this, but I am still not used to using phones.  Never needed any up on the Monastery, never got one until after the Devourer attacked.

Rose: I was trying to take stock of school supplies.  Currently, I am just getting interrupted over and over and over by multiple people.

Lloyd: Mood :P u txt like Zane

Rose: And?

Lloyd: At least use emojis 🥺

Rose: I can’t make head or tail of them.

Lloyd: 😔😢💔

Rose: You’re such a drama king.  Can I get back to my work now?  Father will kill me if I don’t.

Lloyd: FINEEEEEEEEE

Rose: And Lloyd?  I may text like Zane, but you text like a petty twelvie.

Lloyd: I AM A PETTY TWELVIE

Lloyd: Well

Lloyd: I am ALMOST a petty twelvie

Lloyd: u know what I mean 😒

Rose: You’ll be twelve in a year.

Lloyd: That’s close enough!!!!

Rose: Whatever, Green Bean.

Lloyd: >:o NOT YOU TOO

Rose: What can I say?  Kai and Nya have a million nicknames for you, and they’re catchy.

Lloyd: oop- gtg  Fanswarmapproaching

Rose: That’s what you get for stopping to text your favorite cousin.

Lloyd: YOUREMYONLYCOUSIN

Rose: Exactly.

I smirk and turn the phone off.  It’s not the same without him here.  But the random texts are nice, even if they come at inopportune times.  I ignore the distant sound of an explosion followed by a distinctly Jay-like scream.

It’s not the first time he found Zane’s science supplies.  We all know he’ll be fine.

Chapter Text

(Rose’s POV)

“Okay, okay, everyone settle down,” I walk through the middle schoolers, collecting the two balls from the team leaders.  “You guys did great , but we’re gonna cool down now.”

“Aw…”

“With some slow-mo dancing,” I smirk as their faces instantly light up again.  “It’s exactly what it sounds like, you get to dance, just a bit slower than normal.  If you like, you can be silly while doing it, just keep it slow.  It’ll help you all calm down a bit.”

I put on some music using my phone (the amount of times I had to ask an amused Nya how…), and watch my class do their best to dance as slowly as is physically possible.  I manage to hold back my laughter, but I can’t resist a smile.

The bell rings, causing them all to jump up excitedly.

“You’re dismissed,” I smile, watching them all cheer and run out.

I head to the teacher’s lounge, stretching my arms over my head as I enter.  Cole waves briefly, “You are so lucky that you got the easy class.”

“It’s only easy because they have an outlet for their energy,” I shake my head.  “I’ve had some mini mutinies though.”

“First week of school and we’re already experiencing mutinies…” Cole shakes his head.  “What could go wrong?”

A dramatic sigh from Jay as he turns, glaring at the room, “All right!  Who took my pudding cup?  My name was clearly written on it.”

Cole finishes up the pudding cup he was eating from and tosses it in the trash with a smirk, “I didn’t see ‘Motormouth’ on it.”  I sigh and drag a hand down my face, Not even surprised…

“I’m telling the headmaster-”

“Leave me out of it!” my father cuts him off right there, getting himself a cup of tea.  “I’m on break, too.”

“Relax, Jay,” Kai rolls his eyes, tossing him another pudding cup, “you can have mine.”

Jay catches it, but still looks disappointed, “But this isn’t cold…”  On cue, Zane flips a switch in his arm and chills the cup.  Jay instantly brightens and digs into it, “Ooh, gimme.  Mm…”  The peace doesn’t last too long unfortunately, as he decides to go on a trademark Jay rant.  “Is anyone else chapped that Lloyd gets to be the Golden Ninja and fly around accepting awards while we’re stuck here being teachers with no powers?” he sighs.  “I miss our Elemental Weapons…”

Nya suddenly slips into the lounge and all but slams the door behind her, pressed up against it as a little boy’s voice floats through, “Hi, Miss Nya.  I like your dress, Miss Nya.”

I snort.  Nya shakes her head, “Why is it that when I teach, I get the feeling that none of the boys are listening?”

“Who knows?” I reply sarcastically.  “They’re boys.”

Jay walks over to her, “Hi, Miss Nya.  I saved you some pudding.”

Nya gives him a look, hand on hip, “What did we talk about?”

“Oh, right.  Boundaries,” he contentedly returns to his pudding.

“Hey, did you guys hear the news?”

And of course, the boys being who they are, immediately jump into fighting positions.  “There’s trouble?!”

“Danger?!”

“An emergency?!”

“Oh, a new menace?!”

“No…” Nya shakes her head.  “We got clearance for a field trip.”  The guys simultaneously groan.  She smirks, “Not just any field trip.  A field trip to tour Borg Industries .”

Jay gasps, “Not the Borg Industries?  As in, home to super reclusive savant Cyrus Borg?  Inventor of the hover car and eVeRyThInG eLsE cool iN THIS WORLD?!?!”  Zane kicks him.  Jay yelps and groans.

“Who cares about Cyrus Borg?” Kai asks, turning to fill a cup of tea, unaware the others are leaving.  “If you ask me, people should concern themselves with the lessons of the past.  Not waste their time on the disposable fads of tomorrow when-”  He looks up, noticing the conspicuous lack of people in the room.

I smile slightly, “Spoken like a true history teacher…For what it’s worth though, I agree with you.”

He scoffs, looking away, “Yeah, yeah, whatever.  Let’s catch up.”

As we all climb onto the school bus, I hear Brad speak up, tone annoyed, “Why can’t we take Ultra Dragon?  Or the Ultra Sonic Raider?”

Cole gets up, “Because they don’t have one of these.”  He holds up a microphone.  “Pretty cool, huh?  I’m on a microphone.  I am the MC.  The Mighty Cole.”

I shake my head in mild amusement as he dances, Dork.   Under his breath, Brad groans, “Mr. Cole is the worst.”

“I heard that!” He sits down in front of me annoyed.

I laugh quietly but turn to speak with Brad, “The real reason we’re not taking Ultra or the Raider is because Ultra is not here and because the Raider doesn’t have nearly enough space for everyone.”  The raven-haired boy sighs and slouches in his seat.  “Oh, and a little bit more respect for your teachers, please.”  He gives a long-suffering sigh and folds his arms.

“So we really are going back to the city,” Kai changes the subject.  “We haven’t been there since- Well, you know.”

“Yesterday is gone,” my father replies.  “Tomorrow has not yet come.  We only have today.  Or else this offer expires.  Get a move on, Nya.”

“Aye, aye, Sensei!” she salutes and starts the bus down the hill.

Nightfall finds us driving into Ninjago’s capital.  I feel my eyes widen as we drive under the sign stating ‘WELCOME TO NEW NINJAGO CITY (THE FUTURE IS WHAT WE MAKE IT)’.  I have never seen any place so high tech in my life.  It feels as though everything is glowing in some way, even the lines on the streets.

“Welcome to New Ninjago City,” the sign speaks.  “The future is what we make it.”  Huh.  Well.  Now at least I know how fish out of the water feel like.

“Wow,” Nya murmurs.  “You leave town a short while and-”  She cuts herself off suddenly, swerving to avoid some traffic and to turn into a separate lane…We all see the other vehicle coming and brace ourselves.  A second later I jolt forward, bumping into the back of Cole’s seat as we crash.  Turns out the postman is the other driver.

“Ugh!” he shakes his head, fixing his cap and glaring at our bus.  “Who here uses wheels anymore?  Get with the program!”

Cole climbs out of the bus, “Don’t worry, we’ll free you up.  Time for some old-school muscle tool.”  He lifts the postman’s vehicle up, moving it away from the bus.

A large robot thing walks over, “Stand back, pedestrian.”

Setting the vehicle down, he turns, frowning, “Who you calling pedestrian?”

Zane shrugs, “It appears our help is not welcome.”

“Well, I prefer traveling the old-fashioned way: on foot,” my father leads us out of the bus.  “Besides, it’s not like we can’t find where we’re going.”  I follow his gaze, seeing the tower that raises itself high into the skyline.  I could see it before we’d even entered the city.

“Kind of convenient that we crashed right outside,” I mumble as we walk past the robot.  Turning to Cole, I raise an eyebrow, “You do know pedestrian isn’t an insult though, right?”

“Yeah, yeah…” he waves it off.

Entering Borg Industries gives me the feeling of stepping into another world.  I had to ask Nya how to find music on my phone at least five times.  I cannot do technology.  And this is advanced beyond anything I’ve seen.  Unless Zane counts…?

Kai yelps behind me.  I glance back, do a double take, and stare at him, stuck in the automatic doors.  “Um…Do you need…”

He shakes his head, waving me on and struggling to get out, “I’m good- Don’t need help.”  I hesitate, but follow the others anyways.

A white and purple female robot with silver hair and green eyes walks down the stairs and stops in front of us, “Welcome to Borg Industries.  I’m P.I.X.A.L., Cyrus’s Primary Interactive X-ternal Assistant Life-form.  I’m sorry to hear about the traffic accident.”

“Wow,” Cole grins, “news travels fast.”

“We crashed right outside, Cole,” I remind him.

“Everything in New Ninjago City is fully automated and interconnected,” P.I.X.A.L. explains.  “Your antiquated bus should be ready shortly.”  She looks at Zane.  “You are Zane, a droid like me.  What does ‘Z.A.N.E.’ stand for?”

“I stand for peace, freedom, and courage in the face of all who threaten Ninjago.”

Jay interrupts, shaking the Nindroid’s shoulder, “She means your name , tin head.”

“I guess I’m just…Zane,” he says.  I look between the two, suddenly wondering if it’s possible for robots to have crushes.  I know one thing.  Zane can’t take his eyes off her.

“Permission to scan?” P.I.X.A.L. asks.

“Uh…” Zane fumbles slightly.  “Permission granted?”

Jay elbows Nya lightly, grinning, “Heh, check it out.  Zane has an admirer.”  The female samurai smiles.

P.I.X.A.L. scans Zane, speaking as she does so, “Your hardware is outdated, and your processor is slow and incompatible with ours.  Peculiar.  All droids must recharge our batteries, yet curiously, I’m unable to locate your energy source.  What powers you?” 

“I- uh…I don’t know,” he shakes his head.

“Mr. Borg would like to see the Ninja on the one hundredth floor.  If the others would follow me for the rest of the tour…”  My father and Nya herd the kids after the droid, the rest of us going to the elevator.

Kai grunts, finally freeing himself from the automatic door, “Seriously?!”  It’s not until we step inside the elevator that we realize Zane is still standing in the same spot, gazing after the other group.

“Hey, Zane, you with us?” Cole calls to him.  Zane snaps out of it, turning to look at us, then he runs over, entering the elevator just before the door closes.

(Nya’s POV)

P.I.X.A.L. leads us into a room filled with holographic images, testing hover cars, display screens, and three large VR video games, “Mr. Borg believes technology is the key to making our dreams come true.”

The students gasp, staring in awe at all the tech.  I gotta admit.  I’m pretty impressed too.

“Whoa!  Cool beyond cool,” Brad grins.

John shouts, “Awesome!”

“Uber-mega,” Brad continues to gush.  “I’m, like, wow !!!”

The VR screens turn around to reveal the games each person is playing, two of which seem to entail a ninja-based character fighting villains, and the last being some sort of flying game.  The students break out into an excited chatter, watching.  Brad’s the only one where I can actually make out his reaction: “Awesome!”

“Even now,” P.I.X.A.L. continues, “he is working on a Digiverse where the gamer will be digitally scanned in to take gaming to another level.”  Hm, not bad.

I pause, noticing the girls, Sally, Marla, Mary, and Linda breaking away from the main group and gathering around some kind of machine with excited squeals.  I head over, catching what Sally’s saying, “Whoa!  They have a Perfect Match console!”

“What’s Perfect Match?” I ask, joining them.

“It’s the latest craze,” Sally replies.  “It finds your perfect partner with flawless results.  You should try it, Miss Nya.”

I look at the machine decorated with half a million pink hearts doubtfully, but step onto it, “I doubt a machine could know someone’s-”

I cut myself off as the computer starts talking, “Hello, Nya.  You are an independent, self-confident young woman who refuses to be in a boys’ club.  Analyzing match now.”

“Of course it’s gonna be Mr. Jay,” Marla grins.  I smile.  The machine chimes and pulls up a hologram, making my heart stop.  No, no, no, this can’t be happening.   I stumble back off the machine as the girls gasp in equal shock.

I swallow, then straighten, cautioning them, “Promise you will not tell anyone .”  They nod, still looking between the hologram and me with wide eyes.  I shake my head and quickly walk away.  No, it can’t possibly be Cole.  That- that would be ridiculous.  Besides…there’s Rose……This is all ridiculous, and I should pretend it never happened.

Right?

(Rose’s POV)

The elevator door opens on the 100th floor, allowing us to enter the office, which is, unsurprisingly, also extremely high tech.  A man behind a desk smiles at us, “I would’ve guessed Ninja to sneak in a window, not use the elevator.”

“That would be if you were an enemy, which you are not,” I reply.  “Besides, even we don’t particularly want to be climbing up smooth glass for one hundred stories without anything keeping us from falling.”

“Fair enough,” he chuckles.

Jay gasps, “Ah!  Oh my gosh.  Are you-?  Are you-?!”

“Cyrus Borg?” he scratches his head sheepishly.  “Yes.  Unfortunately, when my parents gave me a name like that, my future in technology was…predetermined.”  he comes out from behind the desk, revealing his mode of transport to be a spider-like robot.  Ah…so his legs are paralyzed.  Interesting that he created his own way to get around.   Jay chuckles nervously after I hear Zane drop something.  I resist the urge to smack myself or one of them.

“Ah, yes, these,” Mr. Borg shrugs, not seeming to mind their surprise.  “Sadly, I’ve been disabled all my life.  But it’s nothing my mind couldn’t fix.”  He turns to Zane, “Speaking of which, my deepest condolences, Zane.  I heard about your father.  Oh, he was a brilliant mind.  He would have fit right in.”  That’s for sure.   I smile slightly, remembering the elderly man.  He would’ve spent the entire trip already being distracted and amazed at the technology surrounding him.

“Thank you,” Zane nods politely, “But loss is inevitable.”

“Today maybe,” Mr. Borg nods, “but not tomorrow!  Technology making the impossible possible.  The only limit to our potential is that which we don’t dream.”

“You seem to have taken that to a new level,” I allow, “I’ve never seen Ninjago City so advanced.  It’s admirable how you’ve been finding ways to rise above seemingly insurmountable challenges.”  He smiles.

“Isn’t this the same place the Overlord was destroyed?” Kai asks, looking around.  “Who dreamed up the idea of building a corporate headquarters here?”

“Ah, what better way to send a message to evil that we won’t cower to anyone ?” Mr. Borg looks around at us, “I see, or better yet, I don’t see the Golden Ninja.”  Better yet? I frown slightly, What is that supposed to mean?

“Oh,” Cole shrugs, “his hands are a bit full, but we can tell him to stop by when we see him.”

“No, no, no,” he quickly shakes his head.  “I’m glad it’s just you five.  I wanted to give you a gift.”  He moves over to something covered with a green cloth.

“A gift?” Cole brightens slightly.  “Won’t say ‘no’ to that.  It wouldn’t happen to be cake, would it?”

“Only you would ask if it was cake before seeing it first,” I laugh quietly, bumping his arm.  He shrugs sheepishly.

Mr. Borg unveils the apparent golden statue of himself holding a cane, and a recording plays, “The future is what we make it.”  Somehow that doesn’t even surprise me.

“Ha,” Cole tilts his head.  “So no cake.”

“Oh, wow,” Kai deadpans slightly.  “A statue.  Of yourself.”

“I know!” Jay all but jumps up and down on his toes.  “How cool is that ?!”

I give Cole and Kai a look, At least make an attempt at politeness, please , “Thank you, Mr. Borg, we appreciate the thought.”  He nods and smiles, going past us as we approach the statue.  How are we gonna get this out of here exactly…?  That’s what I’d like to know.

“The future is what we make it,” it repeats.  Ha…I hope there’s a button to turn that off…that could get old after a bit.

“Uh,” Mr. Borg speaks up behind us, returning to behind his desk, “I’m sorry to cut this short, but there’s things to invent.  I hope you can show yourselves out.”

“Ah, okay, of course,” Cole nods, glancing at Kai as we struggle to safely lift the statue.  “A little help?”

“Oh, yeah,” the brunet quickly rushes over and helps.

“The future is what we make it.”  This thing really had better have an off switch, I internally sigh.

“Guys,” Kai murmurs, voice low, “something weird is up with Borg.”

Jay shoots him a look, “They’re called artificial limbs, Kai.  I know you hate machines, but you don’t have to be rude.  We’re his guests .”

“Thank you, Jay,” I murmur.

“I mean he was acting suspicious,” Kai amends.  “Like he was scared.  He said we had to protect ‘them’ with our lives.”

“Well, now that you mention it, he was,” I frown.  “Did you notice when he mentioned Lloyd?”

“Yeah,” Cole frowns a bit, “And ‘them’?  Who?”

“I don’t know, but-”  The elevator door closes, making Kai pause and look back.  Without him helping support his corner, the statue slips.

Cole yelps, trying to stabilize it, but it’s too late; the statue falls to the floor, breaking open in the middle of its recording.  Jay glares at Kai, “Oh, great, now look what you’ve done.”

“It’s hollow,” Zane kneels next to it.  “There’s something inside.”

“Huh,” Cole gets down and pulls out a couple folded up gi.  “Why would he give us new ninja outfits?”

“Gi.  They’re gi,” I correct distractedly, frowning as I pull out another.

“Guys, hate to admit it,” Cole looks up at us, “but maybe Kai is onto something.”

“And what exactly are these ?” Kai pulls out two, golden, oddly shaped objects.

An alarm suddenly goes off, the lights in the elevator flashing red as a robotic voice comes on the speaker, “Techno Blades located.  Apprehend.  Will the assailants please stand down and drop the Techno Blades?”

“First you call us pedestrians, and now we’re assailants ?!” Jay snaps.

“Pedestrians is really not an insult, but I don’t like the assailants part,” I mutter.

Zane pushes some of the buttons in the elevator, “Nothing works.  Perhaps a malfunction?”

As he continues poking around, trying to find the source of the issue, Kai looks at the golden objects, “Guys, these must be the Techno Blades.  We have to protect them with our lives.”

“Have it your way,” the computer states.  “Goodbye.”  With that, the elevator drops.  And when I say drop, I mean drop .  My back is freaking glued to the elevator’s ceiling.  At least I’m not scared of heights.

“LET THE ELEVATOR HAVE THE TECHNO BLADES, KAI!” Jay screams, staring at the rapidly approaching ground.  “I THINK IT MADE IT’S POINT!”

“We have to get off this thing!” Cole shouts.

Kai’s expression brightens, “Going up?”  He struggles, then manages to launch himself off the ceiling, flipping and breaking the thing’s roof, making it out.

The rest of us share a look.  “Ninja, go!” we use Spinjitzu for the first time in what feels like forever.  The black tornado that envelops me feels almost like an old friend.  Outside I stop, grabbing onto the elevator’s edge.

“Now what?!” I manage to raise my voice above the wind rushing in our ears.

Zane looks over the side of the elevator, “There!”  We gather ourselves together, then just manage to make the leap onto a different elevator that’s going up.  I take a second to breathe.  Oh thank God.  Below us the speeding elevator explodes with a resounding boom.  I shudder to think that was almost us.  I blink and straighten, looking around at everyone.

Cole breathes a sigh of relief and starts handing each of us our new gi, “Looks like we just quit our day jobs.”

“How is it that none of us can ever keep up with a normal job for longer than a few days?” I ask.

Jay’s eyes suddenly widen, “Oh my gosh!  Our students!”

“Oh no…” I cover my face with my hands.

Cole grimaces, “We’re gonna have to find them.  Come on.”  We use Spinjitzu to quickly put on our gi and break the elevator’s roof to get in.  So much property damage.  Although I suppose there can be an exception when said property is trying to kill you.

The elevator doors open, allowing us to jump out, each with a Techno Blade in hand.  Jay suddenly chuckles, “Heh.  I gotta say it.  I love the new threads.”

“Priorities,” I sigh.  “Get some please.  We can be happy about the new gi after we get out of this death trap.”

As if on cue, three large robots come into the hall and aim their blasters at us.  “Oh yeah?” Kai takes a stance.  “Two can play at this game.”  I’m not entirely sure what his plan was, but I think he was hoping that the Techno Blade in his hand would do something.  It did not.  So he’s left shaking it in annoyance, “What’s with these things?!  How do we turn them on?!”

The robots advance, forcing us to jump back to a safer distance.  Zane looks around, “Here, let me try.”  He hits his Techno Blade against some sort of protected cord, only producing a dull clank.  “It’s not sharp.  Why even call it a blade?!”  We run from the robots in front of us, only to realize there’s two more waiting.  One shoots.  We all lean out of the way…and hear glass crack.  We look behind us at the window, now with spiderweb cracks criss crossing across the entire thing.

“Oh, snap,” Jay states.  And then it shatters.  The glass flies outward- I’m sorry whatever pedestrians are down there, I’m sorry your life was so suddenly cut off- and the wind current sends us flying outside of the building.  I scream.  Forget the pedestrians, we’re gonna DIE-

In my peripheral vision, Cole grabs onto something that looks vaguely like a rope, “GRAB ON!”  Zane twists around, managing to grasp at it as well, Kai grabbing his hand and Cole catching Jay’s foot.  I manage to grab onto Cole’s before I fall away, and the rope pulls taut.  Uh oh .  We swing back towards the tower.

“Ready to crash the party, guys?” Cole shouts.  The words are barely out of his mouth before we hit the windows.  Ow.   I’m slipping.  I suddenly register what that means and scream, grabbing for anything to keep from falling yet again, but my hands only meet air.  We’re all falling again.

We meet the ground a lot sooner than I anticipated.  I also didn’t anticipate it being clear ….I blink, realizing we landed on a window cleaner’s thing.  Ow.  Ow ow ow.  We all are gonna have bruised ribs, I just know it.

I wince, getting to my feet, and then Jay yelps, “Ow!”  His techno blade clatters to the floor.  The window cleaning robot that I just noticed turns its head.  The green eyes turn red and it starts moving towards us.  Cole kicks it off the platform.

“Well,” I stare at it falling down, “that’s taken care of.”

“Let’s get this thing down to ground level,” Cole says.  “We gotta find Sensei, Nya, and the kids.”

“What do you think is causing the technology to go all haywire?” I ask.

“Kai,” Zane speaks up as we start lowering the cleaning platform, “what was it exactly that Mr. Borg told you?”

“I told you, he said to protect them with our lives.  He must have meant the Techno Blades.  He said that all of Ninjago depends on it.”

“But what do they do ?” I ask.

“He didn’t tell me that,” he winces, “but remember when I asked him why they built where the Overlord was destroyed?  He told me that he never should have.  And that’s when Borg said ‘ he ’ was listening.”

“Do you really think it’s the Overlord?” Jay asks.

“But how?” Cole’s brow furrows.  “We all saw Lloyd defeat him.”

“Defeat, yes,” Zane nods.  “But can he be destroyed?”  I feel sick.

“Ro?” Cole asks.

I shake my head, “I don’t…know.  He’s an evil spirit.  I actually don’t know if he can be…”

Light suddenly shines in our faces, seeing some sort of helicopter flying next to us.  Jay yelps, “I don’t know if he can, but we can!”

“Cole, throw me.”

We all stare at Zane, Cole blinking, “Excuse me?”

“ Throw me !”  Cole doesn’t need to be prodded any more, grabbing the White Ninja and throwing him onto the copter.  Zane grasps onto the back of it, throwing it off balance so its missiles miss us by miles.  He jumps on top of it, then sees his Techno Blade’s handle extending.  He pulls it out, seeing the end become enveloped in an ice blue light.  He digs it into the copter, causing the whole thing to be incased in an ice-like substance.  For half a second, I’m afraid it’s gonna explode, but then it snaps away, revealing the vehicle has been completely altered in appearance, and Zane’s piloting it.

“What just happened?” Kai stares in shock.

“The Techno Blade must’ve hacked the Hover-Copter’s system!” Jay gasps.  “Zane controls it!”

“So that’s what these things do,” I murmur, ignoring the boys’ chorus of ‘cool’.  Zane waves for us to jump on.

“Wait,” I finger the rope holding up the aerial work platform, “I have an idea.  Cut the ropes.  We can tie this to the hover-Ninja-copter-thing for the students.”

“Oh yeah,” Cole’s eyes widen.

“Hurry,” Jay jumps onto the NinjaCopter cause that’s what I’m calling it now.  “We don’t know what kind of trouble they could be in.”  Kai gets onto the copter as well, the two of them reaching out and holding tightly onto the cords as Cole and I work to sever them.

I grimace, “It would be a lot easier if these Blades were actual blades -”  The cord snaps.  I yelp, almost toppling over the edge, but grab onto the edge just in time.

Jay groans from the sudden weight and begins tying the cable to the copter, “I think I’m gonna lose an arm.”  I flip up, grabbing hold of the NinjaCopter as Cole’s end snaps, and he leaps on.  Kai ties his end to the copter as well, and we’re done.

“Okay Zane,” Cole grunts as we each find a safe spot to hold onto.  “Get us to the others.”

Zane nods, sending the copter circling around Borg tower, all of us keeping our eyes peeled for my father, Nya, or any of the students.

“Wait!” Kai suddenly shouts. “Over there!”  We look where he’s pointing, Zane pulling up to the window, only to see the students stuck on some sort of treadmill taking them to a giant garbage incinerator.  A blaster nearly snaps my father’s staff in two, narrowly missing him and hitting another machine instead, and Nya’s running to some sort of panel, trying to turn it off.

Zane shoots, shattering the window, and the laser hits the panel dead on, just missing Nya.  The incinerator doors close just in time.  The White Ninja maneuvers the copter so that everyone can climb onto the platform.

We jump down onto its corners, waving them on as Kai states, “We need to get everyone to the bus.  I have an idea.”

“Come on, kids,” Cole urges them, glancing in the building.  “Jump on board.”  My father gets on behind them.

P.I.X.A.L., her previously green eyes now glowing red, runs after Nya as she jumps after us, grabbing onto the copter’s wing, “Come on, she’s one of them.  We have to go!”

With that, we fly away, getting back to the bus.  The kids run inside.  Nya quickly gets in as well, taking the driver’s seat as Kai talks, “Get to the academy as fast as you can, sis.  We need the Golden Ninja.”

“But Borg was relieved he wasn’t here…” I murmur.

“But what about you guys?” Nya asks.

“We must protect the people,” my father states.  Sure enough, technology all over the city is going haywire, chasing startled and screaming people.  A security mech suddenly slams into the bus, trying to tip it over.  Nya and the kids scream as we press ourselves against its other side, trying to counteract its force.

“I’m on it!” Cole shouts.  “Ninja, go!”  A blur of brown Spinjitzu shoots over our heads, jumping over the bus and landing on the mech.  The bus tilts back down firmly on the ground as the mech stumbles back, Cole holding a handful of ripped out wires above his head, “No one calls me pedestrian!”

“How many times do I have to explain that pedestrian isn’t an insult-” I mutter.

“I always said Mr. Cole was my favorite!” Brad shouts, the students cheering in relief.  Sure you did, kid…Sure you did.   Nya doesn’t dare wait a second longer, hitting the gas and getting outta here.

“Alright,” Kai says as we huddle together, “so these Techno Blades can hack into their systems.”

“So,” Jay raises an eyebrow, “what do you say we do a little hack-attack?”

“Zane, Kai, Rose, you take to the skies,” my father says, “I want Cole and Jay on the ground.  And I'll do what I can for the people.”

Cole laughs, “Anyone else feeling all tingly inside?”

“Ninja, go!”  We Spinjitzu out of the huddle, Zane jumping into the cockpit of his NinjaCopter.  Kai and I grab onto it as well, and he gets us in the air.  Zane pulls up by another Hover-Copter, letting Kai jump off and onto it.

I sigh, Why’d it have to be technology?  I can handle ancient evils returning from the past, not so much this.

“Rose, try to hack something,” Zane shouts.

“All I see are hover cars, and there are people inside those!” I reply.  “I need something else!”

He turns the NinjaCopter, meeting a bunch of hostile Hover-Copters and jet fighters, “It looks to me like you have more than enough to work with.”

“Yeah yeah, I’m on it,” I ignore the smug tone the Nindroid used and leap onto the closest vehicle in passing, which turns out to be a Hover-Copter.  I grab my Techno-Blade, watching the end turn purple, and bring it down on its top.  When the purple mist blows away, I find myself riding inside the vehicle, an array of controls in front of me.  “Just perfect.”  I grab onto the two levers in front of me and send the copter flying away from the sudden barrage of enemy lasers and missiles.

Zane’s voice crackles in over a com, “The controls are a bit simpler than they look, I promise.  The ones you need to worry about are the missiles and control.  I see you found the steering already.”

“Didn’t have much of a choice in that area,” I fly behind an enemy jet and have the satisfaction of seeing it blow up by a misplaced shot.  “How do I work the missiles?”

“The lever on your left should have a button.  When a target comes into view, the windshield will automatically activate visual aids to help aim.”

“Got it, thanks,” I swerve my copter around, spotting another hostile one.  Several blue circles appear on the windshield dancing around it.  I wait till they line up, then press the button.  The result is a successful ball of flames.

A red jet shoots overhead, chased by a missile.  Several more are shot from the streets below, and I hear Kai’s frustrated tone over the com link, “Can you guys handle that?”  A warning beeps in my ears, a holographic screen popping up to show a couple missiles on my tail.  I quickly send the copter into multiple sharp twists and turns, barely avoiding them.

“On it!” Jay’s overly cheery voice replies.

Something explodes behind me, and pieces of shrapnel from a copter that was tailgating me fly past the window, “Thanks, Zane!”

“No problem, sister,” his NinjaCopter shoots past.  “I could use some help as well.”  I willingly lock onto the jet fighters following him and send them down in flames.

“We have to get the Techno Blades out of the city,” Kai says.

“What about my father?” I ask.

“Which one?”

“Ha ha.  Hilarious.  The one with an unhealthy obsession with tea and a long white beard.”

Zane interrupts, Thank you, you amazing robot , “Rose is correct.  We can’t leave without him.”

“There!” Kai suddenly shouts.  “I’ll pick him up and meet you guys at the intersection of Wilfert and Fleming.”

“The intersection of who and what?” I shout.

“Just follow the explosions on the ground,” Cole finally comes in on the intercom.  “Jay and I are heading there now.”

“Thank you for being helpful,” I dive, catching sight of the blue tank and black mech.

The intercom crackles again, Kai speaking up amidst the sounds of lasers being fired, “I can’t find a place to land!”

“Just leave it to my father,” I reply.  “ The one with the staff, if you need me to clarify .”

“Yeah yeah.  I got him now.”

I spot Zane landing in the intersection Jay and Cole stopped in and pull up next to him.  Kai joins us all a second later, my father climbing off his fighter.  What seems like a million more Hover-Copters and security mechs hem us in on all sides.  Zane shoots several down, but there are more to take their place.

“There’s too many!” Cole shouts.  “We’ll never get out!”

“Keep fighting,” Kai states.  “They’ll have to run out of batteries at some point.”

“Well, I’m not so sure about that,” Zane backs up, narrowly avoiding several lasers.

“They just keep coming,” I grunt, shooting down a couple copters, only for more to replace them.

A golden light suddenly shines above us, nearly blinding me.  I blink rapidly as it fades, leaving a gold mist floating around the ground.  The red lights on the aggressive machines flicker back to green and they cease the attack.  Looking up, I see my cousin’s Golden Dragon flying down; the guys cheer, greeting him ecstatically.

He lets the Elemental Dragon evaporate, landing in our midst with a chuckle, “Robots versus Ninja?  Heh.  Dare I ask?”

I hop out of my Hover-Copter and run over to him alongside the others, “Hey there, cousin.”

“All right!” Cole laughs.

“You are a sight for sore eyes,” Kai states happily.  But that’s when I hear a voice that’s all too familiar, and that I’d severely hoped I’d never hear again.  I’d thought it had been silenced forever.

“ So… ” I suck in a sharp breath, looking up at a screen, where a pair of yellow eyes surrounded by a sort of red and purple substance peer out at us, “ you couldn’t help yourself.  The Golden Ninja, we meet again. ”  This is why Borg was relieved Lloyd wasn’t with us.  It’s true.  He’s back.

“Overlord,” my cousin’s tone darkens.  “I defeated you once; I’ll defeat you again.”

“ Oh…I don’t want to fight… ”  Around us, machinery whirrs, the previously purified robots returning to battle mode, the green lights flickering back to red.  No no no, please…   “ I just want your POWER!!! ”  The golden mist Lloyd’s powers had left behind is absorbed into the mechs and copters as they advance once again.

Lloyd starts forward, but my father blocks him with his staff, “No, Lloyd, your power is only making them stronger.”

“But how do we fight?” he asks.

“We don’t,” Kai responds before my father can.  “We need to get you and the Techno Blades out of the city.”

Cole casts a wary eye to one of the screens the Overlord’s face is displayed on, “I don’t think he’ll let us leave.”

“When has a villain ever let us leave?” I point out dryly.

“Fair point.”

“I have an idea,” my father states, “but I don’t have much time to explain.  Listen close.”  We huddle together, listening as he continues in a low voice.  “You’ll have to give me your Techno Blades.  They’ll be hidden in a cloth I’ve got, and once they come after me, I’ll discreetly drop them in Kai’s jet as he passes.  They’ll be distracted, and you can all get out of the city without any of them being the wiser.”

“But what about you?” I protest.  “I’m not leaving without you.”

“For the sake of all Ninjago itself,” he fixes me with a lingering look, “you will have to.  I will be alright, daughter, I promise you that.”  I nod, despite the sick, twisting feeling in my chest that warns me he won’t be.  Because he’s right.  If it ever came down to it, it would be his life or all Ninjago, and as much as I hate it, we’d have to choose Ninjago.

“Let’s go,” Cole states.

“Ninja, go!”  We Spinjitzu into each of our vehicles, using the bright tornados as a cover for slipping my father the Blades.

As I get my hacked copter off the ground, splitting away from everyone else, Kai’s voice comes in on the com, “I hope this works.”

“At four point two percent chance of success,” Zane states, “I’d say our hope is slim.”

“That’s why it’s called hope, Zane,” Jay tells him.

“Besides,” I speed up, “it’s our best shot and our only shot.”  The screens depicting my biological father’s eyes flash by in barely decipherable blurs, but I feel his gaze boring into me all the same.  I manage to get my vehicle to slip between two of the pursuing robots at the last second, and now I’m free of the city.  At fair distances, I can spot Jay and Cole, Lloyd, and Zane.  Kai makes it out of the city a second later, waving a hand to let us know the Blades were safely transferred.

We all group back together, speeding away from the city as quickly as we can, even as the sky begins to lighten.

“We have to go back for him!” Lloyd shouts.

“Yeah,” I frown, “I’m not leaving my father there any longer than I need to.”

“We will go back,” Kai states, “but only when Lloyd is safe.”

“But-” Lloyd starts.

“He wants these weapons,” Cole cuts him off, “and for some reason, he also wants you.  Remember, this was Sensei’s plan.  They can’t break him.”

“Yesterday has gone,” Zane says.  “Tomorrow has yet to come.  We need to worry about today.”

“You said it, Zane,” Jay agrees.

“We will come back to New Ninjago City,” Zane continues, “and when we do, we’ll be ready.”

“But for now, we find some place safe to hide,” Kai finishes.  “They’ll be looking for us.”  I press my lips together, the Overlord’s voice echoing in the back of my mind.  It seems as if no matter how far I run, he always catches up.  Kai’s right.  He will be looking for us.

Chapter Text

(Rose’s POV)

Kai, Zane, Jay, and I use shrubs to cover up our vehicles.  Cole being Cole, he uses entire freaking trees to hide his mech from view.  Earlier this morning, Nya had caught up to us, relieved to see we were all okay.  She was worried about my father, but then, which of us aren’t?  I breathe in, squaring my shoulders.

Lloyd sighs in relief, “This is a perfect place to lay low.  No robots, no cameras, no problems.”

“I wouldn’t say ‘no problems’, Lloyd,” I point out.  “There may not be any robots or cameras, but we still have to figure out what exactly is going on back in New Ninjago City, and find a way to stop it.”

He rolls his eyes, “You know what I mean.”

“Still,” Nya speaks up, coming over with the others, “if any aerial drones pass overhead, you better wear this.”  She tosses him a new, folded up gi.  It had been in the statue with ours, but we never actually got a chance to give it to him till now.  “It will scramble their signal so they can’t find you.”  He nods and uses Spinjitzu to switch gi.

He looks down at the green and gold gi and laughs a bit, “Yeah, this is sweet.”

“Lloyd?” a familiar, motherly voice gasps.

“Mom?” Lloyd pulls down his mask, smiling, and turns, revealing her walking up to us behind him.

Her face brightens, and she runs up, hugging her son tightly, “Oh.”  Lloyd returns the hug before they both pull away and Aunt Misako looks around at us, “What are you all doing here?”

“The Overlord’s back,” Lloyd states grimly, “and New Ninjago City has fallen under his control.  He has Uncle Wu.”

“Wu’s tough,” Aunt Misako reassures him, glancing over to me as well.  “There’s a reason he’s lived as long as he has.”  I smile a little to let her know I’m grateful for the assurance, even if it doesn’t do much to lessen my worry.  After all, my adoptive father isn’t being held captive by just anyone, but my biological father.  That in itself is…It’s not good.

“Well,” Lloyd brightens a bit, “where’s Dad?”

“Yeah,” Kai raises an eyebrow, “where’s ‘Lord Garmadon’?”

“He no longer goes by ‘Lord’,” Aunt Misako tells him.  “Here, he is Sensei Garmadon, and he won’t be back until this evening’s lesson.”

“Uh,” Jay blinks, “did you just say Sensei Garmadon?”

“Yes, Jay, she did,” I shake my head.  “Why is that so surprising?”

“Well-”

“I’m glad he’s on our side now,” Zane shrugs.  “With Sensei Wu gone, we could use the help.”

“Come in,” Aunt Misako gestures for us to follow her, “but your weapons are not allowed.  Ever since Lloyd saved his father, Garmadon swore an oath to never fight in hope to make up for his evil past.  It’s an oath he takes very seriously.”

Kai pulls out his Techno Blade, conflicted, “But we were supposed to protect these with our lives.”

“And never let them out of our sight,” Jay adds, frowning.

“You guys go on ahead,” Zane says, “I will stay back and watch over them.”  The poor guy has barely finished talking before Cole, Jay, and Kai are giving him their blades, with choruses of ‘Haha, yeah!’, ‘Thanks, Zane,’ ‘You’re awesome,’ ‘You’re the best,’ and ‘See ya.’

He sighs, looking at the blades in his arms.  I hesitate.  He looks up at me, “What are you waiting for?  You are likely going to have to run to catch up.”

“Well…it just feels wrong,” I shake my head, looking after the others, but shift to lean against a tree.  “Do you mind if I stay back with you to keep an eye on them?”

Something in the Nindroid’s eyes shifts, and he gives me an almost giddy nod, “I would enjoy the company.”

I smile in relief, “Thanks.”

Zane shakes his head as we start back towards the vehicles, “No, thank you .  I was…”

“Not looking forward to hours spent just sitting and watching some bars of metal with nothing else to do while everyone else has fun at my uncle’s new monastery?” I ask, grinning.

“Well, yes,” he smiles sheepishly.

“Don’t sweat it.  I’d be bored out of my mind pretty quickly too,” I shrug.  “Besides, it may as well also be me saying thanks for not hating me.”

“You are my sister,” Zane states firmly, “and what Cole and Nya and you kept saying made sense.  I believe you did not intend to cause anyone harm the last time we faced your biological father, so why should I hate you?”

I smile slightly, “Fair point.  Still, thank you.”

“You’re welcome, sister.”

(Nya’s POV)

As we walk inside the walls of Garmadon’s monastery, I spot a group of kids playing around with a ball.  One girl shouts, “Pass the ball to me!  Yeah!”  A second later, the ball is kicked way off course, rolling towards the rest of us.  My brother catches it and spins it on a finger.

The kids brighten, seeing our group, and run down the path.  Kai tries to return the ball, but they all run past him, Cole, and Jay and gather around Lloyd, chattering excitedly with cries of ‘Oh, wow!’ and ‘It’s the Green Ninja!’  Jay snickers, saying something to Cole and elbowing him, and Kai just tosses the ball back to where the kids had previously been playing before they join Lloyd.

“Hey, hey!” Jay grins, giving some of the kids a high five.  Cole lets a little girl jump on his arm, lifting her up with ease.

“I recognize that look.”

I start, turning to see Misako watching me with a knowing twinkle in her eye, “W-what look?  I wasn’t looking!”

“Two boys, one heart,” she states.

“Am I that obvious?” I grimace.  “What do I do ?  Jay’s the only one who makes me laugh, but Cole…Cole’s not Jay.”  I sigh, “ And Rose and Cole are together so it just feels wrong to be feeling this way, but I don’t know how to make it stop either.”

Misako shakes her head, “I can’t say that I’ve ever been in quite the same situation before.  All I can say is that I’m sure things will work out eventually.  Maybe the best thing to do is to leave it be.”

(Rose’s POV)

I have to say, even though at first I was curious about what the others may be doing, I don’t regret staying back with Zane.  With another person there, it doesn’t quite feel like we’re just watching bars of metal.  On top of that, I’ve realized that I’ve never really had an extended one-on-one conversation with my teammate, and it’s actually been really nice being able to just chat with him about whatever comes to our minds.

It’s also worth ‘missing out’, solely because of his innocently grateful expression earlier.  And to top it off, I don’t have to deal with guilt or a sense of impending doom filling my gut because I left the Techno Blade out of my sight.  Not that I don’t trust Zane with it, no.  If I had to, I’d trust him to take care of it with absolutely no hesitation.  But knowing that I’m supposed to protect this thing with my life makes it feel wrong to leave it behind, even with someone I trust, when I don’t actually have to.

My point is, the list of pros to staying back with Zane and the Blades just keeps growing in my opinion, and now, I don’t even really consider missing whatever the others are doing to be a con anymore.  It’s actually really nice, and I’d barely even noticed when the sun sunk below the horizon, leaving the world shrouded in shadows and a chill that barely penetrates my ninja gi.

I breathe in, smiling and leaning against the tree at our backs.  I may have had a weird relationship with my element in the past, but right now, when I don’t actually have it and therefore, don’t need to worry about it fluctuating or being stolen or whatever, it feels nice.

Zane, who’d fallen into a similarly peaceful silence, raises his head, frowning a bit, “They’ve been gone for some time.”

I shrug, “My aunt said that Uncle Garmadon wouldn’t be back until evening.  Well, I’m pretty sure it’s evening now, so they’re probably just talking to him.”

“I suppose that’s true,” he relaxes a bit.  “Do you think the Overlord will be able to find us here?”

I sigh, grimacing, “If anyone can, he can.  I don’t like thinking about it.  I just hope that something is figured out, and we all get out of here before he can.”

“So do I,” Zane hums thoughtfully.  “You are doing alright, right?  With your biological father being alive after all, and Sensei Wu…”

“I feel like I’m doing better than I could be,” I say after a second of thought.  “I trust my father.  My adoptive father, that is.  I know I’ll see him again.  And as for my biological father…let’s just say I’ve come to terms with his general existence, and I’m content with disowning him.  Although it would’ve been nice if he’d had the courtesy to stay dead.”

Zane laughs, “That was a joke, right?”

I smile wryly, “Yes, Zane.  It was a joke.”

(Nya’s POV)

It had been a bit startling when we went inside with Misako and the students and come across an equally startled Bizarro Rose.  I’m not certain why it was exactly that we hadn’t expected to see her here, maybe it’s because we thought she’d be with Garmadon, wherever he is.  In any case, all she did was bow her head respectfully and help herd the students to a classroom.

We join them there, sitting down with them in a line.  Bizarro remains standing by the door, quiet, but I catch her glancing at us a couple times.  I can’t tell if it’s from curiosity or some sort of malicious intent.  It probably doesn’t help that her eyes are red.

After a moment, we can see Garmadon’s silhouette through the paper door, but…he has four arms???  I stifle a gasp.  The door is suddenly slid open by a short man, who steps to the side and bows to a completely normal-looking man.  I sheepishly smile, realizing it had only looked like he had four arms with the shorter person in front of him like that.

Garmadon smiles, spotting Lloyd, “Ah, my son.  So glad you could join us.”

“Hey,” Lloyd brightens, “it’s been a while, Father.”

Jay whispers to Cole (I’m sure he thinks he’s being quiet, but the room itself is so quiet that most of us can hear him anyways), “Check out the new Sensei.  Looking sharp.”

“Silence!” the staff comes down and bonks the Master of Lightning’s way in a very Wu-like manner.

“Ow!” Jay yelps, rubbing his head.  I bite my lip to keep from laughing, but can’t stop myself from smiling.  I can definitely see the family resemblance now.

“Close your mouth, and open your ears,” Garmadon scolds Jay before turning to begin the lesson.  “Tonight’s lesson is the Art of the Silent Fist.  To fight without fighting.  May I have a volunteer?”

“How about me?” Lloyd gets up and walks over to Garmadon cockily.

“The Ultimate Battle: Round Two!” I joke.

“Attack me,” Garmadon states before adding, “but please, no powers.  I happen to like my monastery.”  The students laugh.  Lloyd shakes his head before charging at Garmadon.  For a second, it looks like he’s gonna land a hit, but then Garmadon side-steps, resulting in the Green Ninja bumping into a table and doubling over in pain.  Ouch.

“You see,” Garmadon calmly places his staff on the ground and lets go, letting it stand on its own, “the key is balance.”  He takes hold of it again, eyes scanning the row of students, “Let your opponent fight himself.”

Recovered, Lloyd attacks him again-  Or rather, he tries to attack him.  Garmadon dodges each punch or kick with ease, barely exerting any effort.  It’s…actually really cool to watch.  Lloyd tries to tackle him, but Garmadon merely ducks underneath and stands abruptly, sending his son flying and tumbling onto the ground.

“Let the enemy tire himself,” Garmadon continues as if he’d never been interrupted.  Lloyd jumps back to his feet, now frowning in frustration.  He leaps forward, going into a flying kick.  Garmadon actually yawns before ducking into a roll at the last second, leaving a startled Lloyd to fly overhead and slam straight into a column.  I make out a muffled sound of pain from him before he falls to the ground and stares at the ceiling dizzily.  The guys cringe.

“Pupils,” Garmadon says, eyes twinkling mischievously, “I give you the most powerful ninja in all the land: the Golden Ninja.”  I chuckle along with the students, though Cole, Jay, and Kai facepalm.

Frustrated, Lloyd gets up and begins to summon his golden energy.  Garmadon raises a calming hand, “Easy, son.  It is only a lesson.”

Lloyd’s eyes widen slightly, and he quickly lets the energy dissipate, “Sorry, I-I don’t know what got into me.”

“You let the anger take over,” Garmadon places a hand on his shoulder.  “I know that feeling well.  Now, let’s divide into groups!”  I stand up and turn to the black-haired girl who was sitting beside me.

She grins excitedly, “So, aren’t you the samurai that helps the Ninja?”

I throw a simple punch that she dodges, “Yep, that’s me.”

“Wow,” she returns the favor, letting us both practice avoiding attacks smoothly.  “My friends back home will never believe me when I tell them I got to train with Samurai X.”

I laugh, “Oh, who knows?  Maybe they will.  I mean, you’re being taught by the former Lord Garmadon himself.  I don’t think that’s too different.”

She grins, sidestepping a kick, “That’s true.”

“Ow!” I instinctively turn to look at Jay when he yelps.  Before I can blink, my training partner has shoved me into a pillar.

I stand up, raising an eyebrow at her victorious expression, “Looks like I’m gonna have to up my game.”

(Rose’s POV)

I nearly jump out of my skin when Zane gasps sharply, “They’re gone!”

“What?” I blink, bringing my gaze down from the sky.  Then I realize the same thing he had.  The Techno Blades are missing.  “What in the-”

Zane stands abruptly, turning to scan the forest.  I stand as well, pulling my mask up.  “There!”  He darts after a shadowed figure.  I run after it as well, keeping to the ground while he takes to the trees.  Zane knocks the figure to the ground, forcing them to drop the Techno Blades.  The figure turns, revealing herself as P.I.X.A.L..  Oh no.  If she’s here, then…my father knows where we are.   I run up to them.

“What?” Zane pulls his mask down.  “P.I.X.A.L.?  What are you doing?”

“Discontinuing an old droid,” she states, red eyes narrowing.  She gives him a punch to the stomach, making him double over, and flips back.

He catches her foot when she tries to kick him down, however, “You may call me old, but not slow.”  I grab the Techno Blades up while she’s distracted and get behind a tree.  P.I.X.A.L.’s thrown against a tree before Zane grabs a rope from a wheelbarrow that had been abandoned here and throws it around her.  She screams, struggling against it.

I sigh, seeing it’s secure, and come out, carrying the Techno Blades, “Zane, if she’s here, then that means my father-”

“-knows where we are,” he nods, frowning as he double checks the rope.  “I thought the same thing.  We need to warn the others.”

I look at the Techno Blades in my arms, “Guess Uncle Garmadon’s gonna have these inside his monastery walls after all.”  We quickly hurry to the monastery.  Our teammates, my aunt and uncle, and Bizarro Rose are already running out of the door when we walk up.

Cole blinks, “It’s P.I.X.A.L..  But how did she find us?”

“How about we take her apart to find out?” Kai growls.

“Please,” Zane stops the Fire Ninja from approaching the female android, “she was only doing what she was programmed to do.  She may hold many answers, but perhaps there is an easier way.”  He pulls out his Techno Blade, activating it.

“Wait, would it work on her?”

He shrugs, “There’s only one way to find out.”

My uncle suddenly steps forward, protesting, “No, I-”

“Ah, relax,” Jay stops him.  “Ain’t a weapon, only hacks into things.”  Zane touches the Techno Blade to P.I.X.A.L.’s forehead.  Sure enough, she’s covered in a sort of ice crystal before her eyes turn back to their former green.

She gasps, blinking and looking around, “Where am I?  Why am I tied up?”

Zane moves to untie her, “You were under the control of the Overlord.  How did you find us?”

P.I.X.A.L.’s brow furrows, but then she seems to recall everything, “They’ve mined Sensei Wu’s memory.  The Overlord knows all of your hiding places.”

I look at her sharply, “What do you mean they ‘ mined his memory ’?!”

“My brother,” Uncle Garmadon speaks up, “is he…is he okay?”

“Yes,” P.I.X.A.L. states, “but the Overlord wants your son.”  I turn to Lloyd, who suddenly looks very worried, Oh no.   “His Golden Power is the only way he can escape the digital realm and become real.”

“Ah, yeah, let’s not let that happen,” I wince.

“Why did Borg give us the Techno Blades to protect?” Kai asks.  “Why are they so important?”

“Because together they can reboot the system, wipe the master computer clean, and destroy the Overlord virus for good.”

“Wow.”

“Cool.”

I hold my Techno Blade out, “You’re telling me that these can get rid of my biological father forever?”

“Yes.”

I give the blade an appraising look, “I love these things so much now.”

P.I.X.A.L. suddenly gasps, eyes widening in horror.  Nya frowns, “What is it?”

“I didn’t come alone.”

“Uh,” Jay glances around, “who else is with you?”

“Nindroids.”

“ Nindroids ?!” we all yelp.

“What do you mean ‘Nindroids’?!” I throw my hands in the air.  “I thought Zane was the only Nindroid!”

“Where are they?” Jay turns in a circle.  “I don’t see any of them!”  A moment after he says that, one appears on the roof and laughs, pointing a katana at us.  And just like that, we’re suddenly surrounded by ‘Nindroids’ on literally every side.  Oh come on !!!

“Six versus eighteen,” P.I.X.A.L. counts.  “Probability of survival too low to quantify.”

“Yeah, well our probability of survival has never stopped any of us before now,” I state before running at a Nindroid, throwing a punch.  “Also, I think you miscounted!  There’s nineteen droids if you’re including that guy up there-”  I slide under a weapon, turning and kicking the Nindroid into the air, “and nine of us including you.”

“I cannot fight.”

“Eight of us then!” I turn and promptly duck under a really weird looking weapon that I have no name for.

“But what about the Red Ninja’s sister and the Golden Ninja’s father?”

I duck and roll, moving to tackle the female droid out of the way of a swing that would have decapitated her if she had been paying attention and not being confused, “The Red Ninja’s sister is Samurai X and my uncle is a Sensei and used to be Lord Garmadon.  I think they’re fine.”

“Whoa!” Zane yelps, flying overhead and crashing into a rock before falling out of view.

I wince, That’s gotta hurt.   “Zane’s down!”

Jay knocks one down, “These Nindroids are so much fast–”  Before he can finish the sentence, he’s punched in the face by another droid.

“And Jay is too,” I sigh, getting back to my feet and running over to the dazed Blue Ninja to keep the one who knocked him down busy.

“Nice kick,” Cole shouts behind us.  “Now see mine.  Ninja, go!”  I glance over, noting how they don’t have a way to counter Spinjitzu.  That’ll work.

“Ninja, go!” I let the black tornado envelop me, sucking up a couple Nindroids and throwing them into the rocks.

Green light shines from the right.  Before I can call out, Nya stops Lloyd, “No!  Your power only strengthens them!”

He nods, “Ninja, go!”  Jumping into the air, he uses Spinjitzu to come down on the Nindroids attacking Zane.  He picks up our unconscious and damaged teammate, looking around worriedly.

I catch a black fist heading for my face and throw the droid away from me.  A glance upward reveals more Nindroids at the top of the cliffs over the waterfall.  They jump off the side, sprouting mechanical gliders.  “Oh, this just keeps getting better and better.”

“We need to get out of here!” Nya shouts.  We all run into the monastery, following her.

“We’ve got you now!” a Nindroid growls behind us.

“There’s a back exit just down this corridor on the right!” my uncle shouts.

“Got it!” Nya turns sharply, throwing open the doors for us to pour out.  The roar of the waterfall fills my ears as we come outside onto the platform.  I can feel its mist on the upper part of my face.

“Now what?” I shout over the roar of the falls.  “I don’t see any stairs, guys!”

Jay gestures to the Nindroids still in the front who are running to the Monastery’s entrance, “Anyone want to clear a path?”

“Yeah…” Cole looks at the water wheel at the waterfall’s base, “I’ve got an idea.”

“Well, what is it?”

“Use the autopilot on our vehicles to make them think we’re escaping in those, draw them away.  We’ll be in that,” he points to the water wheel.

I sigh, I hope nobody gets nauseous easily…

We jump from the platform to the water wheel, climbing into the different bucket things and holding ourselves there.  I press a button on my Techno Blade when we start rolling, then hang on for dear life, closing my eyes and biting down on my tongue to keep from screaming.  I can feel the wheel’s momentum picking up, the ground flashing inches from my face, and then we’re flying through the air.  I tighten my hold, Don’t let go, don’t let go, don’t let-   I nearly lose my grip when we hit the ground again, my whole body jarring from the impact.  Ow.   Over the wind rushing in my ears, I can hear our vehicles engines start up and speed away, followed by someone shouting ‘Attack!’

When the water wheel comes to a stop, falling on its side, I stay put for a second, breathing.  Oh my sixteen realms…oh man…that was crazy…

I don’t stumble out until I hear Cole’s voice, “Won’t be long until they figure out we used autopilot.”  I sigh and force my eyes open, letting the world stop spinning for a second before fully trusting my legs to hold me up.  “We should get a move on.”

“I’m coming with you,” Uncle Garmadon says suddenly.  “If the Overlord wants my son, I’m not letting him out of my sight.”

“I will too,” Bizarro Rose murmurs.  I start.  It’s the first time she’s talked since I’ve seen her again.  “Unless you’d rather I stay behind…”

Uncle Garmadon shakes his head, “We would be glad for the extra help, Bizarro.”

“I’ll stay back and look after the monastery,” Aunt Misako smiles at him before turning to go back.  The rest of us start to head in the opposite direction, away from both the Nindroids and my uncle’s monastery.

“Wait,” Lloyd suddenly calls out.  We turn to him.  “If he wants me, and the Techno Blades are the only things that can stop him, shouldn’t we split up, just in case?”

“Good thinking,” Nya nods.  “Zane’s Falcon knows the secret location of my Samurai X Cave.  You and your father go and take what you need to get as far away from us as possible.”

“Secret cave?” Jay stares at her in shock.  “I thought we knew everything about each other.”

“Well,” Nya grins, “a girl’s gotta have her secrets, right, Rose?”

I smile wryly, “Don’t bring me into this.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

“What are you guys gonna do?” Lloyd asks, frowning.  “Those Nindroids aren’t gonna let you step one foot into the city.”

“Yeah, Nya,” Jay looks at her.  “What are we gonna do?”

She smirks, “We’re gonna shut down the power.”

I’d had doubts about us hitching a ride on a random circus train, but then we came up on a Nindroid blockade, and the magician was able to hide us in a ‘magic box’.  It really just had a secret compartment that we all were just barely able to fit in, but it works.  And because it works, I’m choosing to ignore the foot in my stomach and the elbow in my face.  At least I know I’m not the only one struggling here.  The others are making various noises of discomfort as well.

“Why is the clown hiding in here too?” Jay mumbles.  “He’s not being searched for by the Overlord.”

“I don’t know, Jay, but shh, they’re here,” Nya’s voice sounds strained.

I hear the top of the box open.  No light floods into the secret compartment, but I know we’re all holding our breath anyways.

The magician chuckles, his voice slightly muffled, “No Ninja.  Wanna check up my sleeves?”

Footsteps leave the car we’re in, and a moment later the train lurches, moving again.  We all breathe a collective sigh of relief.  The magician taps the box, so Kai lifts the fake bottom and then the lid, jumping out.  Nya climbs out next, then Cole and me.  Jay gets up last with the clown, who honks a horn in the Blue Ninja’s ear.  Jay shakes his head, grimacing.

“We can get you just outside of the Storm Farms,” the magician tells us, “but you’ll have to get to the power substation on your own.  Good luck,” he pulls out a magic wand as the clown honks his horn, “and abracadabra!”  With a poof of smoke, both of them disappear.

Jay coughs, waving the smoke away, “Show off.”

“So,” Cole turns to the samurai in our midst, “Nya, shutting down this power substation.  Can we really destroy the Overlord and his Nindroids by simply flipping a switch?”

“Cripple them, yes,” she nods.  “Destroy, no.  Once we’ve powered down his army, we still need to reboot the central computer with the Techno Blades.  And don’t forget, since he knows we have them, they aren’t gonna let us just waltz in.”

“Whoa whoa whoa,” Jay holds up his hands, “wait a minute.  If shutting down the power turns off everything connected to it, wouldn’t that mean P.I.X.A.L. too?”

“Oh…” I frown, “I didn’t even think of that…”

“Well,” Cole winces, “if Zane hasn’t figured it out, don’t tell him.  If we’re going to come across more Nindroids, we need to be on our A game.”

Kai looks around, “Speaking of which…where is Zane?”

“I think P.I.X.A.L.’s repairing him,” I say.  “He took a bit of a beating when we fought those Nindroids.”

“Oh, right,” Kai nods.

“So…” I look around, “what do we do now?”

“Um…wait to get to the Storm Farms, I guess,” Nya shrugs.

“...Right,” I blink.  “I’ll…go see how Zane’s doing then.”  I head back through the train-like vehicle, my thoughts somewhat scattered.  Is it bad that I already miss my cousin?  It’d really only been a less than twenty-four hours that we had together before we had to split up again, for much graver reasons.  I hope they’re doing okay…

I spot P.I.X.A.L. coming from the opposite direction and wave a bit, “How’s Zane?”

“His repairs are complete.  Your friend should be capable of fighting again,” she states.

“Thanks, P.I.X.A.L.,” I smile at her.  “We appreciate it.”

“Gratitude is not required,” she shifts, eyes downcast.  “It’s just what I was programmed to do.”

“Maybe, but we’re still grateful for the help you’ve been giving us,” I tell her truthfully before continuing on.

The last car presents me with Zane sitting on some sort of stool, leaning on his knees and appearing deep in thought.  I walk over and sit by him on something that could be considered a makeshift bench, “Hey.”

He raises his head, blinking, “Oh.  Hello, Rose.”

I look over his face for a second, then sigh, “Alright.  Spill.  What’s wrong?”

The Nindroid’s expression turns slightly sheepish, “I…It’s…about P.I.X.A.L..”

“We all know that you’ve been crushing big-time on her, yes,” I raise an eyebrow.

He ducks his head, “Oh.”

“You’re not very subtle about it,” I smile a bit.  “What happened?”

“I just…I do not know how to act with her, and I fear I may have accidentally offended her.  I did not intend to, but…”

“Ah,” I nod.  “It’s alright, it’s easy to do for anyone.  Just catch her later and explain you hadn’t meant whatever you said in the way she took it.  She should understand if you take the time.”

Zane blinks, “How do you know this?”

I shrug, “Basic social interaction.  I know I’m not really an expert at that either when it comes to strangers beyond being polite, but I do have a family.  I think that counts for something.”

“Yes, I suppose it does,” he smiles wryly.  “Thank you.”

“Anytime,” I return it.

“Something is troubling you as well, I believe,” he states suddenly.

“Oh, that,” I shake my head, looking at the floor.  “I just miss Lloyd, is all.  And I admit I’m a bit worried about them out there with my biological father after them…but at the same time I trust them to stay safe.  It’s not really anything serious.”

Zane nods, “I think we all miss Lloyd.  It has been a while since we were all able to simply ‘hang out’.  That is the term, right?”

“Yes, Zane, it is.”

“Right.  But it has been quite some time, and you didn’t get to spend much time with him recently.  And considering he is family, it makes sense for you to be worried and miss him.”

“Yeah, I know,” I sigh.  “But thanks for the confirmation.”

“Of course.”

(Bizarro Rose’s POV)

It feels like the three of us have been running for hours, following the Falcon.  Oh wait.  That’s exactly what we’ve been doing.   I’d nearly forgotten there could be so much sand and dust in one place.  It’s getting into my clothes way too easily.  I think I miss my Ninja gi.  At least it did something to keep the sand out whenever we went into the desert or canyons or whatever.

The Falcon screeches, swooping down and landing on top of a giant skeleton.  Of what animal, I’m not certain I want to know.  After the Grundal mess-up, I’ve had my fair share of giant skeletons, and this one is even bigger than the one from the museum.

“Ah, of course it leads us to a bone-dry skeleton,” I sigh, giving the Falcon a doubtful look.  “What, are you trying to tell us that it’ll be our skeletons out here next?”

Lloyd laughs slightly, wiping his forehead, “No.  Look.  The Samurai X symbol.”  He points to a brown circle in one of the creature’s ribs.  As we get closer, I can make out the design, a samurai helmet with two katana crossed in an x underneath.

“I knew that,” I mumble, crossing my arms as he presses the button.

Something rumbles, and then the skeleton’s mouth opens up.  I stare at it.  I’d like to know how Nya managed to make it do that…And of course we have to walk inside the mouth of a long dead, gigantic monster.   We go over and look in.  Circular blue lights line the way down, but it’s dark otherwise.  The Falcon chirps, flying over and landing on Lloyd’s hand.

It feels like these stairs go on forever before we reach a short hallway that ends at a door.  I look at it, no catch or knob in sight, “How do we-”  Before I can even finish my sentence, it opens by itself, letting us inside.  Oh.  Automatic.  Of course.

We step through the door and… Wow .  A walkway lined with blue lighting goes to the center and largest platform with computers and something covered with a red cloth in the middle.  Scattered around the rest of the cave are more raised, lit platforms with all sorts of vehicles and mechs kept on top of them.  Below is a drop that I know none of us want to take, so we stay firmly on the walkway.

“Whoa,” Lloyd’s eyes widen, staring around the cave.  “How did Nya have time to build all this?”

“Who knows?” I murmur, uncertain whether or not I even should have answered.

Regardless, Lloyd gives me a small smile, “Maybe I should’ve been a samurai instead.”

“If only the prophecy had been about a Green Samurai instead of a Green Ninja,” I reply sarcastically.  He laughs.

My master pulls the red cloth off of what is apparently some sort of weaponized car.  Huh .  My master shakes his head, “Why must everything have so many weapons?!”

“Says the man who had four arms to possess the Golden Weapons,” Lloyd smirks, walking past him.

“Ha ha ha, I deserved that…” he mutters.  I restrain a smile.  Lloyd starts to climb into the driver’s seat, but my master quickly jumps up and stops him, a mischievous twinkle in his eye, “I swore off fighting , not driving .”

“I feel like we’re making a grave mistake letting you drive…” I sigh, climbing in behind him while Lloyd claims the chair/perch on top of the car.

I wasn’t entirely incorrect, because Sensei Garmadon immediately starts the car off at full speed for the exit, which only just opens for him in time.  “Yee-haw!” he shouts excitedly, sending us flying over a canyon.

“Where to now?!” Lloyd shouts over the wind.

“As far away as possible!”

(Nya’s POV)

I slip into the car that works as a sort of kitchen, hoping to grab a snack before we reach the power farm.  We’ve been on this circus train all day; it’s once again turning to night.  I pause though when I recognize a certain dark-haired boy.  Okay, okay…you can handle this, Nya, just act normal .

Still, I hold the newspaper in my hand just a little higher in case my cheeks start turning red as I pass him.

“Hey, Nya, how are our kids?”

I freeze, fumbling with the newspaper and dropping it, Wh- why would he even, what-   “Our kids?  Why would we have kids?  We’re not even married, let alone-”

“I mean our students ,” he looks up from the Starfarer comic in his hands, sending me a slightly disturbed look, “weirdo.  Ever since we left the school, I’m worried for them.”

“Oh,” I relax, but still mentally slap myself.  What is wrong with me?  Of course that’s what he meant, because that’s what any sane person would mean.  “Dareth’s looking after them.”  I pick up the newspaper, forcing my hands to not drop it again.

“Uh…Are you okay?” Cole asks.  I look back at him.  His gaze is on the newspaper in my hands.  I look down, then realize my hands are shaking, which is also making the newspaper quiver.

I groan and walk over, sitting down across from him, “No.  I’m confused, and I don’t know what to do.  When we went to Borg Industries, I found out my perfect match isn’t Jay and is supposedly you, and now I can’t stop thinking about it, but at the same time I still like Jay, and I know you’re with Rose, and everything’s just messed up, and I have no idea how to act anymore, so I’m stuck with all of this constantly swirling around in my brain and making me all dizzy and confused all the time, and I just want it to stop.”

Cole blinks rapidly, “Uh, wow, that is…a lot.”

“I know ,” I sigh, letting my head fall onto the table.  “And now this is just awkward because I probably shouldn’t have told you all that…Sorry.  Is it possible for you to just…forget I said anything?”

“Uh, not really unless I was brainwashed,” he laughs slightly.  “Sorry.”

“No apologizing, this is all me…” I mumble.

“Um, I, uh…I don’t really know what to say to all…that, actually,” he says.

“Yeah, I don’t blame you…”

He hesitates, “Have you told Jay?”

“Ha, tell me what?” Jay walks in, looking at me curiously.

“Nothing!” I squeak instinctively, sending Cole a ‘please don’t say anything, this is awkward enough as it is’ look.  He seems to catch my drift cause he just looks down at his comic.

My brother comes in a second after and pauses, looking between us all and seeming to sense something’s off, “Ha, oh, hope I didn’t interrupt anything, ‘cause we’re here.”  Oh thank goodness.

(Rose’s POV)

The circus train leaves us right outside the Storm Farms, just like they said.  There’s so much electricity in the air that I can feel my hairs standing on end.  Jay must be loving this…   Storm clouds boil overhead, flickering with lightning that occasionally arcs down in a shower of light and sparks to crash onto the electrical power lines.

One in particular strikes a little too close to us for comfort, startling P.I.X.A.L., “Aah!”

Zane touches her shoulder, “Careful.  They farm the electricity that’s in the air.  This is where all of Ninjago gets their power.”

Kai looks at the power station, frowning, “Looks like we have a welcoming party.”  Sure enough, I can spot the faint glint of the Nindroids’ metal visors and arms on the walkways.

Nya chews her cheek, thinking, “The only chance we have of getting in there is to stay out of sight.  There’s no way we can take them all on.”

“You mean we get to be Ninja for a change?”  Jay jumps in a circle, “Whoo-hoo!”  I smile a bit, He’s got a point, actually.  We almost never actually get to act how ninja are supposed to act.  Stealth missions don’t often work out for us…

“I’ll stay back,” P.I.X.A.L. says.  “I’m not built for stealth and cannot assist you.”

“Be safe, and stay out of trouble,” Zane nods.  “I’ll see you later.”  The android smiles.

We make our way to the power station, using the hilly landscape to keep out of sight.  As we’re waiting for a signal that it’s safe to dart to the next sheltered spot, I glance at Zane, “So, how’re things with P.I.X.A.L.?”

He just smiles slightly, “Your advice was helpful.”

“Glad to hear it,” I nudge his arm before darting through the brief open space at Nya’s signal, my teammate right behind me.

It’s not long before we reach the power station itself and climb up the outside supports.  We hang on under a walkway, listening to a leading Nindroid giving out the orders to some other droids, “Keep your eyes out for Ninja.  The Overlord says they are sure to be coming.”  I share a glance with the others.  That’s somewhat unfortunate.   “Look at you, last one off the factory line?  Ran out of metal, eh?  I will call you…Min-Droid.”  The Nindroid laughs and is joined by the others as they walk away.  Well that’s just mean.  Poor Min-Droid.  Oh well.

As the footsteps fade, we all flip up onto the platform, then onto a higher one and run to the first door.  Jay slides it open so we can dart inside.  Inside the substation is a multitude of computers on the sides, and in the very center of the space is a glass column, containing a beam of light and electricity that lights the entire space with ease.  Wow…

“That’s the substation’s core,” Nya whispers, pointing to it.  “Shut that down, and it’s lights out for the Overlord.  Now if only we knew which switch…”  We all quickly split up, Zane closing the door behind us, and begin the search for the switch.  Or button, as it may be.

As I’m scanning over the controls, soft music begins playing from Jay and Zane’s corner.  “We say, ‘Go go!’”

“Hey, I love this song,” Jay grins, bobbing his head to the music.

“You’re gonna see us rip into it.”

“Turn it off!” Kai hisses. “They can’t know we’re here.”

“We just jump up, kick back, whip around, and spin-”

“Pfft.  Buzzkill,” Jay grumbles, switching the music off.  I shake my head.

“None of these buttons are doing anything,” Cole frowns.  “There has to be an easier way.”

“Yeah…” Kai looks at the substation’s core, “like maybe just… hack the system?”  He takes out his Techno Blade and hits the core, but nothing happens.  “Argh!  Stupid technology.”

Cole joins him, “This can’t be harder than it looks.”  One attempt later that leaves him vibrating: “Okay, definitely harder.”

I give them a look, “You can’t hack glass, guys.  It’s glass .”

“Button, button,” Jay grumbles, beginning to just hit random buttons and switches, “who’s got the button?!”

“Be quiet,” Cole shoots him a glare.

“I am being quiet,” Jay turns to return the look.  “ You be quiet.”

“Guys, neither of you are being quiet,” I sigh.  This is why stealth missions never work for us.

“Well, I don’t hear you being quiet,” Jay folds his arms.  Just then, alarms go off, all the lights flashing red.  What-

Nya quickly turns to a computer and does something technology-related.  A bunch of camera’s switch on, showing outside the room, “Nindroids!  Our cover is blown!  Seal the doors, and find a way to shut it down !”

Zane’s eyes zero in on one of the screens, “P.I.X.A.L.!  Don’t seal the door.  I’m going out there!”

Jay grabs him, “Are you crazy ?!  We barely fixed you up the last time you fought them!”

“You didn’t fix me, she did!” Zane points at the screen.  Cole pulls the door open to let Zane dart out, and quickly shoves it closed behind him, but not before a tiny droid tumbles inside.  It beeps, then quickly picks up its dropped katana and points it at us.  I’m gonna take a guess and say that’s Min-Droid.

Jay throws his hands up, “Argh!  Great.  Now they come in fun size!”

(Bizarro Rose’s POV)

We stop to take a water break when we reach some rice farms.  Sensei Garmadon stays in the car, leaning back with a tired sigh.  Lloyd and I head over to a clear stream of water.  Lloyd leans down to drink straight from the stream.  I just cup some in my hands and lift it to my mouth to sip.  Seeing as I’ve had no water since yesterday night and we spent so long running through a dry desert earlier, this drink feels like the most refreshing one I’ve had in my entire life.

I can’t keep back a relieved sigh, cupping more water into my hands to drink more, then I wipe my mouth and chin with my sleeve, getting rid of the water that escaped and dripped down.

Lloyd raises his head, doing the same and smiling.  He looks like he’s gonna say something before his brow furrows, focused on something in the water, “Huh?”

I follow his gaze, only to see the reflection of a mechanical dragon flying overhead.

My master’s voice is clipped when he calls us, “We need to go!  Now !”  We scramble to our feet and make a break for the vehicle.  I vault into the backseat, Lloyd jumping over head to land in the seat on top, simultaneously closing the windshield.

Sensei Garmadon struggles with the controls, “Come on, start !”

Lloyd suddenly grabs a joystick by his side, and the car turns on, a bit of green energy flowing over it.  My master quickly turns us around and drives away from the mechanical dragon at full speed.

Lloyd shouts behind us, “Argh!  He’s gaining on us!”

“Well,” Sensei Garmadon looks around at the buttons nervously, “maybe this thing has an afterburner.”  He presses a random button.  I glance back, only for Lloyd’s chair to turn around and fire at the dragon.  “Curse these weapons,” my master grumbles, turning Lloyd back around.

The dragon avoids the missile, moving to the right.  Even as I watch, more jets come out of its side, allowing it to speed up.  This is not good.  Not good at all.

(Rose’s POV)

We try to keep Min-Droid busy while Nya frantically searches for the way to turn off the power core, but the droid is on a mission and it’s sticking to it.

“Hack him with the Techno Blade!” Kai shouts.

Cole repeatedly tries to get his Techno Blade in the spinning circle of katana to hack it, “Argh!  I’m trying !  I gotta hand it to the little runt.  He doesn’t know when to quit.”

Min-Droid abruptly stops his spinning, fixing Cole with a red glare, “ Quit ?!”  He blinks.  A red laser shoots from the right eye, forcing Cole to leap to the side.  The laser crashes into the power source’s glass, cracking it.  I straighten, Huh?

“Ah, that’s it!” Kai’s eyes widen.  “Fight without fighting!”

“This is no time for a lesson, Kai!” Jay snaps.

“No, he’s right,” I say, eyes still locked onto the cracked glass.  “It’s how we can shut down the power!”

“Hey, Half Pint!” Kai shouts, jumping in front of the power source.  “Over here!”  Min-Droid shoots another laser.  Kai dodges with a yelp, but it hits the glass, cracking it further.  “We need to provoke him more.”

“Or more Nindroids…!” Cole brightens.  “Nya, open the door!”

“I see where you’re headed!” she runs over to the door and throws it open before darting out of the way, allowing the Nindroids to pour in.  Immediately they start shooting at us, not knowing that’s what we want.

I flip over several lasers, hearing Nya’s excited cheer over the noise, “It’s working!”  Lights out, Father.

(Bizarro Rose’s POV)

It’s really inconvenient for this thing to have found us while we were at a bunch of rice farms…we can’t go off the road.   I twist in my seat, trying to see it better.

“Look out!” Lloyd shouts as it dives in, a saw emerging from the wing.  He ducks, the blades chopping off the flag just over his head.

My master struggles to maneuver the car away, “This is why I took an oath of peace!”

(Rose’s POV)

This glass…is way too strong, I duck under a laser, taking note of the cracks all around the column.  Min-Droid suddenly jumps forward, aiming a flying kick at Jay’s face.  Jay throws himself out of the way at the last second, sending Min-Droid crashing through the glass and into the power source.  The little droid starts spinning rapidly, the power flashing and getting out of control.

One “Uh oh,” is our only warning before lightning arcs out of the power source, followed by a plasma blast that makes my entire body feel like it’s being electrocuted for a split second, tingling with more energy than it should be.  The computers turn black, and the Nindroids stop in their tracks, falling to the ground.  We did it.   I suck in a breath, We actually did it.

(Bizarro Rose’s POV)

Some sort of weird energy flashes past us, making my bones tingle, then the mechanical dragon falters, crackling with electricity before the red light in its eye fades.  Our car slows, stopping as it hurtles overhead, crashing into the ground.  A sigh of relief escapes my guard, and I slump back.  That was…not something I ever thought I would experience.

“Yeah!” Lloyd whoops.  “All right!”  My master laughs in relief.

(Rose’s POV)

“We did it!” Kai cheers as we leave the substation.  He pauses though, the gleeful expression fading into something more solemn, and he holds out an arm to stop the rest of us.  Following his line of sight down the platform, I realize why.

P.I.X.A.L. lies on the ground, Zane kneeling at her side.  Oh no…

“This is why I wanted to stay back,” P.I.X.A.L. murmurs.  “So you would not s-s-see this.”

“You knew this would happen?” Zane asks, just as quietly.

“Your mission was important,” she states.  “I-I was not.  I am to assist.  I assisted.”

“You’re using up your reserve,” Zane tries to stop her.  “Don’t say anything more until we find you more power.”

She shakes her head weakly, “You’ve destroyed the only power source in Ninjago.  Power will all be nonexistent.”  I cover my mouth when the android suddenly grasps my teammate’s hand, “We are not so different, are we?  We are…compatible?”  Oh my heavens, this isn’t happening right now, please tell me this isn’t happening.

“Yes,” Zane nods, “yes we are.”  P.I.X.A.L.’s smile fades with the light in her eyes, and her hand falls to the ground, motionless.  Kai lets us walk forward then, but none of us say anything.  Nya and I merely place our hands on the White Ninja’s shoulders in a show of support and, hopefully, comfort.  I want to tell Zane it’ll be okay, that we’ll find a way for P.I.X.A.L. to come back, but at the same time, I’m afraid that if I do, I’ll be making a promise I can’t keep.

So I just watch the dulled, green eyes.  I’m sorry, P.I.X.A.L..  If there’s a way, we’ll find it.  If not…I’m sorry we couldn’t find a better way.

(Bizarro Rose’s POV)

The remaining lightning in the air crashes behind us, a stark contrast to the rising sun peaking through the mountains in front of us.  We climb out of Nya’s car and look at it.

Lloyd hesitates, “Do you think it’s safe to go back…?”

“They may have turned off the power,” my master shakes his head, “but they still need to reboot the system.  Until we know the Overlord is gone for good, we need to keep moving.”

“Great,” I remark sarcastically.  “Another long, unpredictable and completely aimless walk ahead of us.  Can’t wait.”

Lloyd smiles a bit, “Well…let’s get going then.”  We share a glance, then start forward, continuing down the path.  I hope the Ninja can get rid of that virus soon.

Chapter Text

(Bizarro’s POV)

“We underestimate the importance of balance,” my master states.  “When it’s there, we’re at peace.  When something is off, everything falls.”  I watch him place yet another rock onto the precariously balanced pile Lloyd’s carrying across his arms, shoulders, and back.  This feels like a bad idea.   “Ninjago is no different.  It put too much faith in technology, allowing the Overlord to return, and because of your friends, now the world is without power.  When one relies on something too much, we become weak, vulnerable, imbalanced.”  The Falcon flies past, releasing its ever familiar cry.  I turn to watch as Sensei Garmadon continues, “In order to find your full potential and unlock your true power, you must find your own balance.”

“I’m already the Golden Ninja,” Lloyd grunts, “how much more power do I need ?”

“You’ve only scratched the surface!” my master tells him, adding yet more rocks to the pile.  “You have the potential to move mountains ; power of the First Spinjitzu Master.”

“The Ninja destroyed the power substation,” Lloyd protests, “essentially destroying the Overlord and his Nindroids.  Why can’t we go back?”

“Essentially?” Sensei Garmadon lifts a boulder as large as himself.  I eye the pebbles he’d been stacking before.  There’s no way that’ll work.   “Until the Overlord is fully erased from the system, we must not go back, but forward!”  He throws the boulder onto the pile.  Lloyd’s eyes widen as he yelps, falling to the ground as the rocks tumble around us.  I look at the blond head of hair peeking out of the pile of rocks.  That really did not work.

My master looks down at the mess, “If you can’t move mountains, I guess we’ll have to move over mountains.”

Lloyd struggles, then bursts up, making the pile of rocks fly away, and looks at his father with a raised eyebrow, “Oh, yeah?”

The older man jumps down, “And this next one looks particularly steep.”  We watch the Falcon fly along the treacherous path.  Well.  This’ll be fun.

Lloyd sighs, “You sure we can’t go back?”

I shake my head, starting on the path, “You don’t know how the Overlord works, Lloyd.  He wants to lure you in in any way he can.  When you feel most secure, that’s when he strikes.  We’re not going back until he’s gone for good.”  I remember watching as the Overlord lulled my master into believing he was the one holding every card, waiting to throw him over until the last moment, until that first missile of Dark Matter had been fired.  “The Overlord has almost no good qualities, and those he does have, he uses in a dark way.  That includes patience.”

Lloyd looks down, brow furrowing, “Wow.”  My master rests his hand on my shoulder, squeezing it lightly before letting it drop.  I smile a little.

(Rose’s POV)

I struggle to pull something that looks relatively important out of a giant pile of junk.  How on earth is this stuff so stuck in here?!

I catch my boyfriend’s voice from the large piles behind me, where he and Kai have been searching, “We’ve been digging for so long, I think I forgot what we’re looking for.”  I start to call it out, but my mind goes blank.  …Actually I think I may have forgotten too.  That’s slightly unfortunate.

“A jiggly compact compress converter,” Kai replies, tugging on some sort of handle.  He pauses, looking slightly bewildered, “Or was it a compress compact jiggly converter?”  He shakes his head and pulls harder, “Whatever it is, if it can get us back to New Ninjago City any sooner, it’s worth finding.”  The piles they’re by suddenly rumble  threateningly, tilting in towards each other.  I blink, That’s…not good.   The piles collapse in on the two Ninja as they scream.  Uhhhhhhhh……….

“We shut off the power thinking we could just waltz in,” Jay rambles from above me, “but nooooooo .  We didn’t stop to think we were a bajillion miles away !  Hey!  A compact converted jiggly compressor!”  So that’s what we were looking for.   Cole and Kai pull themselves out of the pile of junk, looking just about ready to collapse.  At least they’re okay.   I climb up the stack.

“Ah!” Mr. Walker brightens.  “Great find, kiddo!  Now all we need to adapt that hover-copter’s power supply to solar power is an upside-down router deroutermabob and a whiz bang automated amplifier!”  I stare at him blankly.  I’m…I’m pretty sure those things don’t actually exist …

Cole and Kai groan in unison not far behind me before Kai states in a purely bewildered voice, “I’m starting to think they’re just making this stuff up.”

“Here we go again…” I mutter, scanning the enormous tower of nearly worthless things for anything that looks relatively like a inside-out routermabob or a whiz bing autopilot converter.  Yeah, I’m 99% certain that I’m mixing them up already.  Searching for hours in the desert heat and sun on precarious piles of junk for things that don’t even sound like actual things tends to fry your brain.

“Could we at least take a water break?” Cole sighs.  “I think I’m starting to see spots.”

Jay blinks, looking at our half dead selves, then sheepishly rubs the back of his neck, “Ah, right.  Hey, Dad, do you think we could-?”

“Sure, son.  Let’s get down from here,” the elderly man beams at us, already starting down the pile.  And we just got up here… I mournfully begin a much more cautious descent than the father and son.

When we do get down and inside the Walkers’ trailer, the first thing we hear, and definitely the last thing any of us expected to hear, is P.I.X.A.L.’s voice stating that, “The Perfect Match for Nya isn’t Jay, but Cole.”  I pause just inside the doorway, blinking.  Uh………Could this day get any weirder?

Jay makes a strangled noise before gasping, “Cole’s her perfect match?!”  Everyone’s heads snap toward us, their expressions all visible representations of ‘Uh oh’.

Nya stands up nervously, reaching for his hand, “Jay…”

The door opens behind us as Cole and Kai enter with quite possibly the worst timing in history.  Cole glances around at the silent trailer, “Ha, it’s so quiet in here.  What did I miss?  Another signature Jay Walker gut buster?”

Jay freezes, then whirls furiously, “Oh, you !”  Cole blinks, taken-aback.  “Backstabbing, no good-”  The Blue Ninja cuts himself off with an infuriated yell, leaping at him.

“What’s wrong with you?!” Cole struggles against him.  I flatten myself against the wall, staring across the trailer blankly.  Apparently this day can get weirder.

Kai sighs heavily, “I hope Lloyd is faring better than us.”  No kidding.

(Bizarro Rose’s POV)

We crest another rock formation only to come across a broken bridge.  I look at it for a second.  “...Oh well.”

“Hey,” Lloyd shrugs brightly, “who needs bridges when you can manifest a Golden Dragon to-”

My master interrupts him, “You rely too much on your Golden Power.  Let this be a lesson.  Center yourself, and move the mountain with your mind .”

Lloyd blanches, “What?  Move that ?  Are you kidding?!”  He turns on his heel and starts right back where we came from.  Welp.  Hope there was some turn we missed not too far back.

“Find your balance,” Sensei Garmadon grabs his shoulder and turns him back around, “ Concentrate .”  Lloyd sighs, then walks to the edge, holding a hand out towards the mountain.  The top of it rumbles, then cracks, splitting into multiple different boulders.  I feel my eyes widen.  Whoa.  The squirt’s actually doing it.   The boulders move through the air, hovering over the chasm…but then something goes wrong.  They seem to be trying to resist Lloyd’s command, or…something like that.  He’s visibly straining, and they’re all but vibrating in the air, refusing to move any lower or closer.

They explode.  Of course they explode.   The blast sends him flying back into us, and the rocks tumble down the mountain, the cracks and rumbles growing ever more distant as I listen.

The three of us get to our feet.  I look at Lloyd’s stormy expression, hesitate, then attempt to reach out, “Hey, you almost did it-”

“This is pointless !” he grits his teeth, looking across the chasm.  “ Especially when I can do this!”  He jumps in the air, summoning the Golden Dragon, and creates a golden bridge before you could say ‘Spinjitzu’.  Lloyd lets the Dragon evaporate and lands in the bridge’s middle, “I’m not the First Spinjitzu Master, and I never wanted to be.  I’m the Golden Ninja .”

My master facepalms, sighing, but follows him across, “I know.  I was once like this too.”  I watch my feet carefully crossing the bridge, both to keep from misstepping and falling, and admiring the white dragon design that crosses it.  Honestly, the only thing that worries me is the possibility of the Overlord coming across it and figuring out which way we’re going.

(Rose’s POV)

Ultimately I end up sitting hunched over in a corner with my hands over my ears.  I don’t need to hear what had rapidly transitioned into Jay and Cole rapid firing insults at each other while Kai and Zane try to pull them apart.  What a mess…

The worst part of it is that it turns out Cole and Nya knew about this beforehand.  They never properly acted on it in any way, but it’s the fact that neither thought to mention something to me or Jay that stings.  So much for trust, my mind mutters wearily.

The trailer suddenly shudders, then jerks upward.  I stumble, looking up at the others as Kai stammers, “What was that?”

“And why do I feel like we’re no longer on the ground?” I murmur, cautiously standing up, keeping my hand firmly on the wall.

Mr. Walker opens the door, hanging tightly onto the edge with Kai right next to him, “The machines haven’t worked since the outage.  What’s powering it?!”

“Nindroids!” Kai shouts.  What?!   “Better question is, what’s powering them ??”

The trailer is suddenly swung harshly around, sending everyone flying around the trailer before we’re pinned to the floor.  I bite back a scream and focus on breathing, tuning out the others’ screams.

“They’re after the Techno Blades,” P.I.X.A.L. says.  Lasers suddenly start blasting through the sides of the trailer.  Mr. Walker pulls Mrs. Walker down, out of the line of fire.

“Yeah, well they almost hit my mother !” Jay shouts.

“Ooh, don’t worry about us, sweetie,” Mrs. Walker says as her husband helps her strap on some kind of jetpack.  He’s already wearing one.  “We prepare for every type of situation.”

“Did you make one for me?” Jay asks.

“Uh, sorry, honey,” she sheepishly smiles.  “You hardly ever come to visit.”  The pair put on helmets and goggles.

“Yeah,” Mr. Walker chimes in, “good luck, kiddo.  And watch over the junk while we’re gone, will ya?”  Just like that, they fly out of the hole in the trailer, leaving a trail of bubbles behind.  It’s official.  My life could not possibly get any stranger.

“I blame you for this!” Jay shakes Cole roughly.

Cole pulls away, “What did I do?!  You’re the one who wanted to stay in a junkheap full of Nindroids!”

“ Enough , you two!” Kai suddenly snaps.  “We may not have our Elemental Powers, but we still have our Spinjitzu!”  He turns to P.I.X.A.L., “Are you gonna be okay?”

“I may not be built to fight, but my protective reflexes should suffice,” she nods.

“Great!” Nya comments.  “Cause you’re gonna need ‘em!”

The trailer suddenly stops spinning in circles, sending us flying upward, then it swoops back down the other way.  When we reach the top again, I hear something snap off.  We’re suspended in midair for a split second, and that’s when we make our move for the hole, jumping out and summoning our Spinjitzu, “Ninja, go!”

We make it out safely, landing on the crane, but…there’s only one problem.  Zane and P.I.X.A.L. aren’t with us.  “Where’s Zane?!” I shout.

“He didn’t make it out?” Nya looks back at the trailer.  A Nindroid crests a pile of junk and starts firing at someone behind the trailer.  Ah, well I guess there’s my answer.

“We have to help Zane!” Jay says.

“ Finally , something we agree on!” Cole replies.  The two jump down from the crane and run over to the trailer.  Nya swings down to the cockpit to get rid of the driver.  Kai and I climb down more safely, just as I hear Cole and Jay cry out, falling into some sort of pit.

When we reach the ground, Cole shouts, “Hey, someone stop this thing!!!”

Nya hits the mini droid repeatedly, “Bad Nindroid, bad Nindroid!”

“They’re trapped!” Kai runs to the thing they’re in, and I sprint over to the controls, then freeze, staring at them in bewilderment, Wait………WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE TECHNOLOGY?!?!?!

“Sensei,” Kai gasps.  My eyes snap up.  For a second what I’m seeing doesn’t register.  My adopted father stands over the Red Ninja, a silver hat on his head, a cyborg-esque mask covering half his face, eyes as red as the characters on the black staff he grips tightly.  His beard is stained black, and his clothes turned black and cyborg-esque as well.  No…   “What have they done to you?”

With a shout, my father strikes Kai right across the face, then kicks him into the air, screaming.

“Nya!” I call, eyes fixed on the two.  “I could use some help over here!”

“I’m on it!” she drops Min-Droid and races over, leaving me free to intervene in what is my father repeatedly beating up Kai.

He blocks a hit from my father, “Guys?!  A little help?!”  My father throws him against a pile of junk.  Kai ducks out of the way of another strike that somehow starts up the jet behind him, leaving it flying into the sky and leaving only a cloud of dust and sand behind.  I run up and deflect the next strike with my Techno Blade.  Kai sighs in relief.

“What’s happened to you?!” I keep deflecting each of his strikes, backing up.

“Whatever happened to him, I don’t think that’s our sensei anymore,” Kai states.

“Why-” I duck under a swing and return with a kick of my own, “-is it-” he blocks my blow and strikes back, “-that all my-” I sidestep the staff, grabbing hold of it and swinging myself over behind him, knocking him away, “-family members keep TURNING EVIL!”

“I don’t know, you tell me!” Kai takes a stance as my father gets back up.  Oh boy…

I run forward, but can’t block the staff in time and find myself flying through the air, landing on top of some sort of jet.  A second later, Kai’s thrown into it as well.  The piles on either side of us creak ominously.  That’s not good.   I suddenly realize I’m slipping.  And that’s not good either-   I fail to grab ahold of literally anything and fall down, landing on Kai.  Good news: it meant neither of us were hit in the head with my dad’s staff again.  Bad news: I fell on Kai.

“Ow,” he mumbles into the ground.

“Sensei Wu!” Cole suddenly shouts.  I roll off my teammate, breathing for a second.  Now that I’ve stopped crashing into things, ow, that hit to the ribs did nothing good for them .

“What happened to him?!” Jay cries.

“He’s turned evil!” Kai spits sand out of his mouth.  “Help us!”  My father turns back to us and promptly swings his staff.  Kai ducks, and I barely roll away in time.

“But he’s our sensei!” Cole protests.

Kai grabs his Techno Blade and blocks a hit, “Not anymore.”

“More like Tech Wu.”

“Oh!” Jay and Cole charge at him.  “Bad Sensei, bad!”  I take a second to close my eyes and give up on life.  Remember when I said earlier that my life couldn’t get any stranger?         ……………Yeah, I lied.

When I manage to make my head stop spinning enough to get up, Cole, Jay, and Kai are chasing my father up a treadmill thing, and Nya’s stuck in the arms of a mech.  I get over to Nya and pry open the mechanical arms just enough for her to slip out, despite my screaming ribs.  Why is it always my ribs?!  Every.  Single.  Freaking.  Time.

The guys suddenly cry out and tumble down the treadmill, landing in a pile on the ground and sending the Techno Blades flying into the air, landing at my father’s feet.  Before he can pick them up, the crane rumbles, moving to hover over him, Zane and P.I.X.A.L. in control of it.

The giant magnet turns on, securing the blades and causing him to get stuck as well.  Kai laughs, “I always knew those two had a magnetic attraction.”

“Really?” Nya folds her arms, giving him a look.

I shake my head, leaning against the mech wearily, “Maybe just stick to fire puns…you’re good at those.”

Kai huffs, “It was a perfectly fine pun, thank you very much.”

The arrow comes out of nowhere, slicing right through the magnet’s rope.  Kai dives out of the way just in time to avoid being crushed, the Techno Blades scattering on the ground.  My father flipped off as soon as the magnetism switched off, landing by a hooded, white figure wielding a bow.

“Whoa!” Jay shouts.  “Who is that ?!”

My father takes a stance, but the stranger puts a cautioning hand on his shoulder, “Enough!  The Overlord will be pleased.”  The pair get in a hovercopter and fly off.

“Uh, seriously, who the heck was that guy?!” Jay throws his hands in the air.

“ Or gal,” Nya places her hands on her hips.

“Who cares who it is?!” I straighten up, wincing, but manage a glare in the direction of the retreating hovercopter.  “They turned my father evil!”

“And if we want to save him,” Cole looks at me, “we’ll need to find out who this stranger is.”

“Perhaps I could have that answer for you in a few moments,” P.I.X.A.L. says, scanning where he’d been.  She picks up a small, white object.

“What is it?” Cole asks.

“It’s obviously a clue, dirt clod,” Jay snaps.

“I know it’s a clue, but it’s so small.  I just want to know what-”

Nya shoves them apart, “Stop it, you two!  P.I.X.A.L., can you analyze it?”

“The sample is far too small,” she replies, “but given time, I should have an answer.”

“Then we should waste no more time and get back to the city,” Zane says.  “I’ll use my Falcon Vision to warn Lloyd of our findings.”

“I thought taking the power out would give us the upper hand,” Nya sighs, “but now they have it, and we don’t.  I guess the power has only shifted.”

“Don’t worry, sis,” Kai says, “we’ll get Sensei back.”  The whole exchange, Jay and Cole kept on bickering.

I grab my hair and yank them away from each other, “Will you just stop it ?!  This isn’t helping anything!”  I instantly regret moving so fast, as my ribs complain loudly.  Wincing, I lean back against a pile of trash.  I hate this so much.

“What happened?” Cole asks.

“Just bruised a rib,” I grumble.  “I’ll be fine.  Can we just get back to the city now?”

His brow draws together, “Alright.  But if it gets worse, you’ll tell us.”

“I may be stubborn, but I don’t have a death wish,” I shake my head.  “I’ll tell you.  Now let’s go .”

(Bizarro Rose’s POV)

It’s hard for me to tell if the sky is darkening because it’s nearing the end of the day, or if that’s just the clouds playing tricks on me.  In either case, I hope we get past this mountain before we can’t see.  Seeing as we’re scaling a cliff’s side, that would be extremely unfortunate.

A small stone falls down past us.  When I look back up, Lloyd’s face is looking down at his father, “Wish you still had four hands?  It would’ve come in handy.”

“Your potential is great,” my master tells him, “not your sense of humor.”

Lloyd chuckles anyways, “Still won’t let me use the Golden Dragon?”

“Still won’t,” he climbs up next to his son.  “If you want to harness the power of the First Spinjitzu Master, you must focus on your balance, and find your center.”  I follow close behind him as he continues to the top, then take a deep breath.  Man, I hate climbing these things.

“Uh…Dad?” Lloyd calls.  We glance at each other, then look back down at him.  He’s paused by a large nest, containing a surprisingly big baby bird.

“A Ravture youngling,” Sensei Garmadon breathes in sharply.  “Don’t touch him!  It needs to learn to fly on its own.  Keep climbing.  Slowly.”  Lloyd follows his instructions, but the bird walks along the edge of its nest, curiously watching him, then it tumbles over the edge.  Lloyd lunges, grabbing its leg and pulling it to safety.

“What have you done?!” Sensei Garmadon hisses.  “It’s going to know someone has touched its young!”

“‘It’?” Lloyd looks up nervously.  “Who?”

My master looks up, “Daddy.”  A giant bird approaches the mountain, releasing an echoing cry.  Ah.  Perfect.

“Uhh….” I call down to Lloyd, “Lloyd?  He sounds angry.”

“He was going to fall!” Lloyd protests.  “I was trying to help!”

“Unless you speak Ravture, there’s no use trying to explain,” my master jumps down.  I slide down behind him as the furious Ravture father lets out another chilling cry.  “Hurry!  We need to climb to shelter!  There!”  He points to an overhang below us and quickly starts climbing over.  I do the same as another cry comes, this one closer.  I look back in time to see Lloyd still in the nest.

He ducks under the talons, almost dropping the baby bird over the edge, but grabbing it again in time, “You’re not gonna fall on my watch!”

“Your compassion is not helping!” my master shouts.

“It’s a baby bird , Lloyd,” I roll my eyes.  “They have to fall before they can learn to fly!”

The Ravture father cries out, aiming straight for us.  My master tries to duck under the talons, but loses his grip.  “Dad!” Lloyd screams.

I summon my powers, shooting out a tentacle of darkness to wrap around a jutting out rock, jumping down and grabbing ahold of his hand.  We ram into the side of the mountain roughly.  He clings back onto the mountain.  I do the same, letting the rope dissolve.

Lloyd starts climbing down toward us as Sensei Garmadon grunts, “I take it back.  I do want my four hands.”

“Not the time,” I grumble, searching for a way back up.

Lloyd starts to summon the Golden Dragon, but my master stops him, “No!  Do not use your power as a crutch.  It will only weaken you.”  The Ravture calls again.  I look over sharply, Not again-   “It’s circling back-!”  The giant bird snatches him off the cliff, flying away.

“MASTER!”

“DAD!  NO!” Lloyd blasts the bird, but that causes my master to fall.  I try to catch him with Darkness, but my powers aren’t fine-tuned enough.  I can’t reach that far or that precise yet.  Nonononono-   I stare at his receding form.  No……

Suddenly the clouds begin to part, giving way to a stone formation rising above them in the shape of a hand.  Sensei Garmadon lands in its palm.  What in the…?   I look up, seeing Lloyd lower his hands, a relieved smile on his face.

Behind me, my master’s voice is lowered in awe, “You just moved a mountain , son.”  I climb up onto the ledge Lloyd’s standing on.  The little Ravture youngling squawks, teetering on the edge, then tumbles over.

Lloyd gasps, “No!”  I just smile, waiting for him to notice as it starts flapping its wings frantically, slowly but surely moving in circles, then its fall stops completely.  Lloyd’s worried face softens into a smile, noticing.

“Looks like you’re not the only one who’s grown up,” my master comments, smiling.  The Ravture flies up to our level again, looking at Lloyd and trilling softly before turning to join its father in the skies.

I create a few tentacles of darkness to let Sensei Garmadon walk safely across to us, then Lloyd creates stairs in the mountain’s side.  I shake my head.  That’s just plain incredible.

“After you,” Lloyd gestures for us to go first.  I shake my head, but walk behind my master, Lloyd coming after.  We have a long way to go yet.  But hey, at least we have stairs now.

A moment later, the Falcon circles over and lands in front of us on the staircase, cawing.  Its eye glows blue.

“Hey,” Lloyd looks at it excitedly, edging forward, “the Ninja have sent a message.”

The Falcon summons a hologram of Nya, “Lloyd, we’ve got some bad news.  We’ve had a run in with a mysterious someone who found a new way to power Nindroids.”

The hologram switches to Jay, “And he turned Sensei Wu evil!  He had a black beard !!!!”

“We have a suspicion this person may have stolen the hard drive containing the Overlord and has reawakened him,” Nya continues.

“And now that the hard drive has gone missing,” Kai adds, “we can’t reboot the system.  Our Techno Blades are useless.”

“But the stranger left a clue:” Nya’s hologram disappears to make way for a white object, “a white scale.  That’s right, we think it may be Serpentine.  We’re headed to New Ninjago City to get to the bottom of this.”  She reappears, “We thought you should know so you can keep your distance.”

“Long story short,” my original appears, holding her side with a bitter expression, “we’re not doing so good.  We hope you guys are doing better than we are.  We’ll be in touch if we find out anything else.”

“Over and out,” Nya ends the transmission.

“Aw, great,” I place my hands on my hips, “this just keeps getting better and better.  It was bad enough the Overlord was back with an entire Nindroid army, without involving the Serpentine as well!”  I huff.

“We haven’t seen the Serpentine in forever,” Lloyd murmurs.

“We must not go back,” my master tells him, “but forward.”  He points down the mountain, at a gap in the clouds.  The ground below is hidden entirely by thick trees and foliage.  “Hiroshi’s Labyrinth: miles of jungle so dense, all who enter are never found.  We must not rest.”

“Okay,” Lloyd smirks a little.  “Let’s get lost.”

“Was that supposed to be a pun?” I ask.  “If you’re making puns now-”

Lloyd snorts, “Eh, not exactly.”

“‘Not exactly’?” I roll my eyes.  “You can’t say ‘not exactly’, that was a yes or no question-”

“Kids,” Sensei Garmadon smirks, “let’s just keep going, shall we?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Lloyd grins, continuing down the mountain with us close behind.  I hide a smile and look down at the jungle below.  All who enter are never found, huh?  Well then, I guess that’s a pretty good place to hide if you don’t want to get found.  I just hope we can find a way back out again.