Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

*Thud*

*Thud*

Zane gets up from his bed and followed the sound.

As she walks down the hallway and turns to look for the source of the sound they suddenly find himself in the courtyard.

The sound was coming from the front gates.

“Who is it?”

The sound continues, the handles rattling.

Zane reached out to the handle.

The front gates burst open revealing a snake on fire.

“W-who are you! What d-do you want?!” Zane steps back and sputters out.

“Revenge!” The snake spoke, the snake had a staff with a scroll attached to it.

The snake blasted Zane.

With fire.

Zane’s vision suddenly changes multiple times.

An army of fire snakes marching.

A castle covered in ice.

A man with glowing eyes, clad in samurai armor holding a staff.

Fire snakes, marching in the city.

Kai’s fire being stolen by the snake.

Kai transforming into a snake and getting kidnapped.

An ice dragon freezing a village.

Zane’s vision settles on Cole, Nya, Lloyd and Jay.

No Kai.

Jay speaks.

“Zane, Wake up Zane! Cole is about to beat your high score!”

Zane sits up out of bed panting and looks to her left.

And sees Jay.

Zane shouts in surprise. “Ah! Jay! I just had a terrible nightmare.”

“OOh I'm afraid that it's not a dream Zane, it's real. Cole is about to beat your high score.” Jay says, tapping his hands together.

Zane shakes his head. “Not that. I had a nightmare, something terrible is going to happen. There was an evil serpent with a weapon, and they zapped me with it, and there was an ice castle, and a dragon, and the serpent stole-.”

Jay put his hand on Zane’s mouth to stop her. “Shh shh, relax Zane. It's just a dream.” Jay spoke in a reassuring tone.

Zane gently pushes Jay’s hand away and points at him. “It was a vision!”

Jay rolled his eyes. “Zane, when was the last time one of your visions actually came true.” Jay flicks his hand at Zane.

“All of them!” Zane shouts a little grumpy at Jay.

Jay tisked. “like which?”

Zane put his hand on his hip and points. “The titanium dragon, the green ninja, Lloyd's tree-”

Jay stopped Zane with a wave. “Ok ok but it might be different.” Jay opens the shoji door. “Now seriously, Cole is about to beat your Lava Zombie score and I don't want to miss it, so come on!” Zane follows.

As Zane enters the living room and sees Cole playing Lava Zombie.

“Get the guy on the left!” Lloyd points.

“Cole, you’re on fiyah!” Kai cheers for Cole.

Cole smashes the last zombie and the game ends and the TV displays the win screen.

Nya, Cole, Kai and Lloyd cheer.

“You did it!”

"Woohoo!”

“Alright!”

“Yeah! High score!”

Kai fist bumps Cole.

“That was awesome!”

Cole flexes his muscles and puffs out his chest.

“Lava zombie king baby!”

Lloyd high fives Cole, continuing to cheer for him. “Alright, Cole.”

“Good job Cole!” Jay cheers.

Zane smiles at Cole “Congratulations, Cole. That is quite an achievement.”

Cole turns to look at Zane. “Thanks, buddy. No hard feelings?”

Zane nodded. “Of course not.”

Cole sighs and rubs his arm. “Good, because my arm is pretty sore.”

“I'm sore from just watching.” Kai chimes in, smiling at Cole.

Lloyd nods in agreement. “Know what I'm thinking.”

All of the ninja all jumped up and cheered. “Hoooooooooot tuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuub!!!!”

Cole, Jay, Zane, Lloyd and Nya all sit inside the “hot tub” while Kai sits on the edge with only their legs in while reading a monster romance book with their glasses on.

Cole gently taped Kai on the thigh.

Kai looks up from their book.

“Kai, a little heat please, firefly.”

“Oh, of course. Rocky.” Kai smiles and looks down at his book to continue to read.

Steam rises from the water in the “hot tub”.

Cole sips from his soda guzzler hat and laid back and put his hands behind his head. “Ah, we needed this.”

“I can't believe we're back to this.”

Ninja looked up to Wu who suddenly appeared.

Lloyd farts, Wu looks at Lloyd disgusted, Lloyd smiles and shrugs. “What?”

“After every big victory, you get lazy, complacent, careless.”

Kai puts his bookmark in their book and puts it in their lap and looks down at the water.

Nya spoke up. “Uh, that is not true!”

Cole agreed. “We're recovering. We're resting our muscles.” Stretching his arms.

Wu rubs the bridge of her nose. "That was half a year ago.”

"Half a year! It's been that long?” Kai spoke surprised, looking up at Wu.

"You're sure?” Cole questioned.

“Yes!” Wu spoke.

Kai puts his hand above his head innocently looking at Wu. “W-well who's counting?”

“I am!” Wu's mad. “Look at yourselves!” Wu pokes Lloyd in the stomach with his staff “You're gone soft.” Wu points at Zane and Jay “You do nothing all day, but play video games, and eat cake.” Wu smacks Cole’s sandwich out of his hand. “And soak in this…this…”

Nya looks around before saying. “H-hot tub?”

“It's not a hot tub! It's the sacred Bell of Divinity. Out! Out! All of you!” Wu was very mad. “Emergency meeting. inside. three minutes!” And Wu leaves.

The ninja were chatting in the living room, stopping when Wu came in.

Wu walks pass each of the ninja.

Wu points at Zane. “You have become soft.” 

Wu baps Cole’s sandwich out his hand again. “Lazy. Flabby”

Cole rubs his hand. “Ookay, getting a little personal.”

Lloyd put his hands up. “Nobody has gone soft, Master Wu.”

Cole sips from his soda guzzler.

“I promise you. We are in perfect condition.” Cole burps, not proving Lloyd’s point.

Wu spins around and slams his staff down. “Silence!” The ninja snap to attention, arms behind their backs.

Wu smiles and walks over to a box on a small table. “Since ancient times, the hills around this monastery have been populated by a species of highly aggressive predator. The first monks built the walls extra tall to keep them out. They failed.”

The box shakes.

“Many monks were lost.”

“W-what’s in the box?” Jay was scared.

Wu chuckles to herself. “In order to survive, the monks became faster, stronger, more cunning. They evolved into ninja. To this day, it is a test that every ninja must face.”

“Uhhh. T-test?” Cole is nervous and slurps his guzzler again.

Wu laughs. “To prove their courage, they must survive five minutes in a room with one of these.” Wu removed the look from the box and quickly left the room.

The box opens slowly

And revels.

A chicken?

“Bwa-bawk?”

Cole gasps before chuckling. “They had me going there for a second.”

Jay smiles. “Who knew Wu had a sense of humor?”

“What is that a-” Kai says before.

The chicken attacks with lightning.

Everyone screams.

“Ouch!”

“Oh, shit!”

“Fuck I looked it in the eye.”

Wu opens the door and the ninja fall out covered in small burn marks.

And the chicken back in the box.

Lloyd looks at Wu. “Heyyy we got the chicken back in.”

Jay agreed. “Yeah it's in…the box.”

Nya and Kai groan in pain.

Cole pants. “We're—we're sharp as ever!”

Wu shakes his head in disagreement. “You're weak and slow. A ninja's guard is never down. A ninja expects the unexpected. They are ready for anything.”

“Right!” Jay burps. Zane nods. “That's us!”

Wu chuckles and smiles. “We shall see.” And leave the ninja confused and with the chicken.

For the next few days Wu booby trapped the monastery.

Like putting darts in Jay’s dresser.

Spraying Kai from under instead of above in the shower.

Puting the chicken in the fridge to attack Cole when he gets a midnight snack.

Lasers in the hallway causing Lloyd to ninja over them only to get graped by a snaer trap.

Somehow putting Nya on the roof with her still asleep in her bed still.

Launching Zane off the couch when they try to beat Cole's high score at night.

Trap dooring Cole with cake when he gets a midnight snack again.

Nya opens the sliding door to the living room. “This has to stop.” Annoyed.

Nya goes over to Lloyd who was sitting next to Kai on the couch. “We have to do something Lloyd!”

Lloyd sets up. “Okay, okay. Let me think.” Waving Nya off. 

Lloyd thinks for a few seconds. “This is ridiculous. Let's just go and talk to him. Like reasonable adults.”

The team tried to talk to Wu and Wu told them to fight him.

When they try to refuse, saying that Wu is old and there sensei.

“Ah, is that why? You sure you aren't. Chicken?”

The fight ended with the ninja in a ninja tower with the chicken attacking them again.

The ninja tried to think of what to do.

Lloyd tried to get a quest tip from Wu but when he got to the courtyard where the others were training and when asked by Cole on how it went Lloyd said that Wu is in a mood.

No quest tip, gotta figure it on their own.

Maybe a chance of scenery?

Nope nothing.

All of the villains are either in jail, dead or took too much effort to find.

No villains except for…

Garmadon.

Wherever he is, he's not that much of a problem right now.

Maybe the commissioner?

Something always is happening in the city.

Nothing, just paper cuts and bruises from handling files, Cole somehow lost a fight to a filing cabinet.

The ninja piled into the living room agreeing to not talk about today.

They turned on the TV and it was the news.

“I'm here with Ninjago’s foremost archaeologist, Clutch Powers, who’s discovered an unknown pyramid buried deep in the desert of doom. Professor Powers, what can you tell us about the pyramid?” Gayle smiles at the camera.

“Absolutely nothing, Gayle. I haven't been inside and I don't plan to.” Clutch dismisses.

“But I thought-.” Clutch interrupts Gayle.

“You wanna know what’s inside? Traps. Booby traps. Butt loads of them. Pitfalls and blow darts, and fake tiles that collapse when you step on them, and big boulders that drop on you. No thank you.” 

“But isn't that your job? As an archaeologist? To, you know, explore and go on dangerous quests?” Gayle questions.

“Technically, yes. What's your point?” Clutch asked.

“Well, someone has to go inside.” Gayle said mad at Clutch.

“It would take a ninja to survive what's in there.- Do I look like a ninja?” Clutch says.

“-no.” Gayle admitted.

“Point made.” Clutch said.

That sounds perfect.

Lloyd stood up from the couch. “That's it's! That's our quest!” Excited.

“I'll pack my bag!” Nya says.

“Sunscreen! Bring lots of sunscreen!” Cole said.

“Ooh, this is gonna be so much fun!” Jay said.

The ninja cheered together “Ninja-go!” And leave the living room not hearing Gayle continue.

“Well, there you have it. Gayle Gossip, broadcasting from a mysterious secret pyramid. That's gonna stay secret. Because no one's going in.”

“And I got my hair done especially for this day. What a bust.” Gayle walks off screen.

The ninja didn't see the tablet with the blue snake on it.

Chapter Text

After packing, Wu criticized them on were they would be going and how long.

Pixal suggested showing them the new underground base and the new joint tech vehicles.

Kai got an ATV and Cole got a motorcycle, respectfully themed of course.

Nya points to a large vehicle. “What's that?”

Pixal smiled very proud of herself. “It is a heavy armored six-wheeled mobile command vehicle. I call it the land-bounty.”

Pixal said something about an operation manual but the ninja didn't listen already driving off.

After getting to the desert of doom taking a lunch break, getting chased by giant beetles, Jay almost getting eaten by the biggest beetle, Zane getting eaten intentionally by the biggest beetle to get a part of the land-bounty out, the ninja finally got to the pyramid.

However when Zane was inside the biggest beetle he had a vision again.

It was similar to the recent one.

A pyramid.

A giant snake.

The fire snake in the underground base.

“Revenge!”

The snake blasting Zane.

But he was protecting someone?

The castle covered in ice.

The ice dragon attacking.

Zane herself in a snowy field.

Gayle Gossip was speaking to the camera giving the news that the ninja have come to explore the pyramid…with Clutch.

The ninja tried to get clutch to go in the pyramid with them but he was being an asshole about it.

Until he got a call from the explorers club.

After threatening to take his membership away Clutch agreed to take the ninja inside the pyramid.

The ninja and Clutch went deeper and deeper in the pyramid, accidentally falling for a stairwell slide trap and avoiding spikes by Kai distorting it with his fire.

After finding a skeleton they found a room lined with sarcophagi.

Kai when over to one to examine it visually making sure not to touch it, the sarcophagi have serpentine faces.

“Humm, this must be an ancient serpentine pyramid.” Kai mumbled to himself.

The team entered a hallway but a pillar blocked the way.

Cole easily picked it up to let the others pass. 

The team entered a large room with…a sliding puzzle door?

Jay and Nya were excited.

“Ooh, it's like a puzzle game.” Jay giggles. “I'm good at these.” Jay and Nya ran over to solve it.

Clutch, Zane and Kai went over to examine the ancient serpentine hieroglyphs.

Kai looks at Zane. “What does it say?” Kai asks as Zane scans it.

“Beware, ye who enter the serpent’s tomb. For her anger nearly did consume. All Ninjago until a foolish boy. With a staff of power her evil did destroy.” Zane Read out the warning.

Kai’s eyebrows scrunched together. “That sounds bad.” 

“A bunch of gobbledygook, who knows, properly just a way to keep people from opening it to take the treasure.” Clutch waves Zane off.

Kai gasps at Clutch and starts arguing with him about ancient warnings.

Zane released.

The snake.

Zane quickly turned towards Jay and Nya “No! Don't!” But they were too late.

The final piece was in place.

The door glowed, the whole tomb shakes, the door explodes.

Chapter Text

Out of the dust comes laughter coming from a serpentine that was a metallic blue.

They were wearing gold shoulder armor with cream fabric layered under with a gold undershirt.

The snake was holding a staff.

The one from Zane's vision.

The snake spoke.

“Free at last.”

Lloyd groans and looks up at the snake.

“Where iss he?” The snake speaks, pointing their staff at the ninja.

Lloyd gets to his knees.

“-Who?”

“-The treacherousss deceiver. The one who imprisoned me. Tell me where he iss, and I, Aspheera, will show you mercy.” The snake spoke.

Everyone else sits up and start to stand.

Zane whispers to Lloyd.

“I believe they is looking for the boy, mentioned in the hieroglyphs.”

“-What do I tell them?” Lloyd whispers.

“-Tell them the truth. We don't know.” Nya whispers.

Lloyd stands and addresses Aspheera. “Um, that was a while a ago.”

Aspheera lights her staff.

And hits Lloyd with a magic blast.

Jay charges his powers and yells. “let them have it!”

Clutch runs away.

The ninja attack Aspheera with their powers.

Aspheera keeps blocking using her staff.

Then she notices Kai and points at him.

“You. You are fire elemental?”

Kai smiles a little cocky.

“Yeah, and the name’s Kai.” Kai blasted Aspheera with his fire.

But it didn't work, she absorbed it.

‘Oh shit, what kind of snake is she?’ Kai thought to himself.

Aspheera smiles. “Your fire warmsss me. For too long I have been trapped in thiss cold, dark place. I will take your fire.”

“Oh, yeah?”

Kai tried to attack.

But Aspheera blasted everyone away and grabbed Kai with her magic.

Kai screams as his power is stolen from them.

Nya yells out her brother's name.

“What's happening?” Lloyd yells.

“She's stealing his elemental powers!” Zane stands up. “we must stop her!”

The ninja minus Kai yell “Ninja-go!” and spinjitzu.

Aspheera tosses them away with a more powerful spinjitzu.

Lloyd falls to the ground. “She knows spinjitzu.”

“How?” Jay rasps.

Aspheera comes out of spinjitzu and finishes draining Kai.

She transforms from blue to gold and lights up on fire.

Aspheera uses her magic to restrain the rest of the ninja on the wall with chains.

“I thank you, elemental. In return for your gift, I shall spare your live.”

Aspheera pulls Kai close with her magic and grabs his face to examine them.

“Hmm, yess, you would make a good prize, a good pet, a good servant.”

Aspheera looks at Kai’s body. “However, I need to make you more, presentable.”

“The fuck you mean, witch.” Kai struggled, lightheaded.

Aspheera circled Kai and press the tip of her staff against Kai’s back.

The staff lit up in red.

Kai screamed.

Kai felt his bones snap, muscles rip and reform, their organs change, move and elongate.

Lloyd, Nya, Cole, Jay and Zane watch in horror as Kai is transformed.

Into a snake.

Well mostly into a snake.

Kai’s upper body was mostly normal, retaining his warm brown skin, brown hair and red eyes, added was scales near his eyes, pointy scale covered ears, scale covered hands with sharp claws and sharp teeth. Kai's lower body was a snake “tail” and is dark blue with patterns of charcoal black.

Aspheera finally dropped Kai from her magic.

Kai dropped to the ground unconscious.

Lloyd and Nya look at their brother unconscious and a snake, both were furious.

“You fucking bitch, I'm gonna kill you!” Nya yelled.

“You won't get away with this!” Lloyd yells along with her.

Aspheera let out a chuckle and she used her magic to wrap Kai in chains and drag him along with her.

She looks up to address the other ninja. “May you enjoy your time in this place as much as I did. Farewell.”

The snake slithered away, dragging Kai behind her.

Aspheera approached the man that ran away. “You.”

“Gumdrops.”

“Take me to the nearest village.” she asked.

“Village? There's nothing for hundreds of miles. Nothing until Ninjago city.” the man said.

Aspheera looks into the distance than at the man.

“Take me to Ninjago city.” she tells him.

“Uh…never.”

Aspheera points her scepter at man

The man pulls out an amulet.

“This is an ancient Minkan amulet of protection. You cannot harm me.”

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yeah, I'm sure. Pretty sure. I hope so. I'd be really bummed if he lied about it.”

Aspheera smiled. “Let uss find out.”

Aspheera starts chanting a spell.

Lava erupts from the tomb.

“Oh shit!”

Aspheera watches the man get lunched into the distance. Screaming.

Fire fang comes out of the tomb and Aspheera sits on her throne.

Fire fang picks the fire elemental up by the chains.

“Take me to Ninjago city, revenge shall be mine.” Aspheera laughs as she goes to Ninjago city.

Chapter Text

Pixal dropped the ninja down by the land-bounty and jumped out to get them out of their restraints.

Zane smiles at his partner. “How did you find us?”

Pixal gives Zane a smirk as he frees the ninja.

“The paperboy told us where you were.”

“Paperboy?” Nya questioned.

“Long-.” Pixal realized, stopped and looked around. “Where's Kai?”

“Kaigotkidnappedbyanevilsnakelady!” Jay said, panicking.

“What.”

“Kai got kidnapped by an evil serpent lady as a…sirvent.” Zane explained what Jay said to pixal, air quoting the last part.

Kai’s head was spinning.

'Fuck everything hurts so much.’ Kai thought to himself.

Kai gently opened their eyes.

‘The museum?’

Kai’s vision is very blurry.

Kai saw a very blurry Aspheera knocking down display cases in the serpentine exhibit.

Kai heard two voices talk to each other.

Something about good news.

Kai's eyes fluttered and suddenly he was on the floor in a different part of the museum.

The others were here and fighting Aspheera and her soldiers.

They were fighting over some scroll thing.

Kai's head aches as he tries to untangle himself from the chains.

“Here, we'll help with that.” The news camera guy and Gayle Gossip help unchain Kai.

Kai rubbed his arm. “Thanksss.”

'Great, now I have a serpentine accent.’

Gayle and the camera guy ran off while Kai crawled? slithered? Or whatever it is to more safe spot closer to his family.

‘Fuck everything is spinning and my head is killing me.’

Aspheera easily defended the others with a scroll thing.

She blasted the ceiling debris falling on them.

Aspheera left three big fire snakes to finish them off. Not even noticing Kai is gone.

Kai’s head was getting even more dizzy.

‘I have to save them. But how?’

Kai looked around.

And saw a fire alarm.

Kai managed with the last of their strength to pull the alarm.

The sprinkler system thankfully worked.

“Z-zane! now!” Kai yelled with the last bit of strength, after Zane destroys the big fire snakes Kai falls down.

Kai felt a pair of arms hold them, keeping them from hitting the ground.

The last thing Kai heard before passing out again was Cole's voice.

“I'm so glad you're safe now.”

Chapter Text

The ninja ran out of the museum.

Cole was carrying a unconscious Kai princess style.

Lloyd looks at the giant fire snake. “We gotta stop that thing.”

“Wait, Lloyd.” Lloyd turned to look at Zane.

“Aspheera has beaten us twice, with the scroll, she is more powerful than ever.”

“We can't just give up.” Lloyd argued.

“I'm not proposing that.” Zane shakes his head. “But master Wu taught us to think before rushing into battle. We need to know more about her and this deceiver. Perhaps then, we will find a way to defeat her.”

“You're taking ancient serpentine history.” Jay spoke.

Cole nodded. “Yeah.” Cole readjusted his hold on Kai. “Who do you plan to ask?”

“What about Scales?” Jay proposes. “Well, he's serpentine, maybe he knows.”

Nya puts her hand on their chin. “The serpentine don't usually get involved.”

Cole nodded. “Only one way to find out.”

“Ok.” Lloyd addressed the team. “Cole, Jay go down to the sewers and track down scales. Find out what you can. Since Kai is in no condition to fight, take them with you.”

Cole and Jay nodded.

“Well, what are you gonna do?” Jay asked.

“We're gonna see if we can slow Aspheera down. And get that scroll back. Come on!”

Kai woke up when Cole and Jay were close to the sewer entrance and explained the plan.

Cole and Jay go down into the sewer, Cole puting Kai on his back to climb down.

“Aw. Why does Scales have to live in a sewer? Doesn't the smell bother him? Smells like Cole socks.”

“Hey!”

Kai let out a weak hissing laugh.

Cole adjusted Kai to hold them in a princess carry again and looked at him.

“You're lucky you don't have the energy to move.”

Cole and Jay continue walking down the sewers until they hit a three way fork.

“Shit, which way is it?” Jay says.

“I can't read serpentine!” Cole said.

“My head still hurtss and my vision is too blurry.” Kai spoke.

Kai heard a noise, something was coming.

“I hear something.”

Cole and Jay turn around to see three Hypnobrai pointing blades at them.

“Ah shit.” Jay mumbles.

“Hey watch it, I don't want to drop my boyfriend.”

“Yeah, and we're friends with Scales, you know.”

“Jay shut up. Not right now.” Cole says.

Jay, Cole and Kai heard the door open and Scales's voice. “Iss that we are? Fri- what happened to the red one.”

Scales pointed to Kai in Cole’s arms who was rubbing his head.

Cole sighs. “Evil serpentine lady long story.”

Scales shakes his head “Every time you come down here, it'ss because someone iss trying to destroy the surface world.”

Jay chuckles nervously. 

Cole sighs again “You're right. We're because someone’s attacking the surface world and we need your help. Okay? We need to know about Aspheera and the treacherous deceiver.”

“Aspheera iss part of our history.” Scales tried to put a hand on Kai's head but received an angry hiss from them.

“But thiss other name…treacherouss deceiver. This, I never heard. But there iss one who may know, follow me. He might even know how to help your red ninja.”

Scales leads Cole, Jay and Kai to a library and over to a venomari. “Thiss iss Acidicus. He runss our library. He lovess booksss.”

“Hello- oh my devour what happened to the red one.”

Jay sighs. “Long story.”

Scales speaks to Acidicus. “They wish to learn about Aspheera and the treacherouss deceiver. Oh and something to help their friend.”

“Aspheera. Who tried to overthrow King Mambo the fifth. And the treacherouss deceiver who betrayed her…yess…I know thiss tale.” Acidicus spoke.

Acidicus tells a story about the time of the first master.

A truce between humans and serpentine.

One child disobeying the law.

A boy among serpentine was caught.

He would've been punished but rescued by a serpentine girl.

The two become friends.

But the boy was evil and corrupted the serpentine girl.

He turned her against her king.

The boy betrayed her.

Acidicus notices that the fire one was squirming in earth’s arms.

Kai was nuzzling Cole, mainly nuzzling their face into the crook of Cole's neck and whining.

“Kai. I know you're touched starved, but I also know you don't like PDA, are you okay?” Cole spoke, adjusting Kai to let them get closer trying to comfort his partner.

However when Jay tried to rub Kai’s back to comfort the red ninja, Kai hissed at him and clung closer to Cole.

Acidicus sighs. “Your partner, earth, isn't feeling well. Their new instinctsss are seeking comfort and warmth. However I have a feeling that they are a little mad at you, lightning.”

Jay pointed to a scroll, trying to distract.

“That looks familiar.”

Cole gasps. “The scroll from the museum!”

“It is the scroll of forbidden spinjitzu.”

Jay just realized. “Oh, boy. I think I just realized who the treacherous deceiver is.” 

“Who?” Cole questioned.

“Ugh, think about it. How is super super old and treacherous to befriend a snake and betray her?”

Cole gasps. “Garmadon! We should go now.”

“Hang on.” Scales stopped Jay, Kai and Cole before they leave.

“Here.” Scales hands Jay a small stack of books. “Unfortunately fire’ss condition can't be fixed, the one who did thiss iss the only one who can reverse it. After hiss new instinctss settle, have them read these. It will help him adjust to their new body.”

Cole looked at one of the covers.

It was a biology book. A naga biology book, translated to Ninjargon.

Chapter Text

The three ninja plus samurai get back to the monastery through the secret elevator and rush to find Wu, with Cole assisting Kai slithering.

Wu was pacing back and forth waiting for his ninja and samurai to come back.

Cole, Jay, Kai and Pixal burst open the door.

Jay speaks first. “There's an evil serpentine sorceress called Aspheera attacking the city.” Jay slightly pushes Cole to the side.

Wu turns to look at the three. “Aspheera?” 

‘Why's kai a Naga?’ Wu thought to himself.

Kai nodded in agreement. “Yeah, Garmadon betrayed her and locked her in a pyramid for a thousand yearsss.”

Jay flecked his hand. “And she is tickled off. She’s not gonna stop until she finds them.”

Wu founded. “She is not looking for Garmadon.” Wu looked at her ninja. “She is looking…for me.”

Kai puts his hand over their heart, pointy snake ears pointing down. “What do you mean?”

Wu sighs. “In the days of my parent, the first spinjitzu master, there was peace between humans and serpentine. But it was a fragile peace. Humans were forbidden to enter the land of the serpentine and serpentine were forbidden to enter the land of humans.”

Wu goes on to spin a tale of how he made a promise to Aspheera to teach her spinjitzu and how he and Garmadon had to defeat her to fix the peace by betraying her trust. And the scrolls of forbidden spinjitzu.

Cole, Pixal, Jay and Kai couldn't believe this.

“You're the deceiver?” Jay first.

Kai’s pointed ears pressed against the sides of his head. “What, what, what, let me get thiss straight. You broke your own parent’ss law, snuck into the land of the serpentine, and nearly started a war?”

Wu tries to defend himself. “It…it wasn't quite that-” Cole interrupts. “And you befriended her and thought it would be a good idea to teach her spinjitzu?”

“Well, it was complicated-” Pixal interrupts Wu, again. “And then you stole a dangerous scroll from your parent, the first spinjitzu master, and broke the law again to defeat her?”

Wu was silent for a few seconds. “Yes. Okay? Yes, I admit it all. What can I say? I was young and reckless. And, and…foolish.”

Wu looked down. “I never thought to hear her name ever again. I thought all of this was in the past.”

The monastery shakes.

“What the fuck was that?!” Pixal ask confused and panicked.

Kai looks and hisses at Wu slightly. “The past, catching up to uss.” Kai slithers off outside with the assistants of Cole and the others flowing.

The ninja perch on top of the monastery's gate, seeing the giant fire snake and soldiers going up the steps launching a fireball at them.

Jay, Pixal, Cole, Kai and Wu jumped out of the way and onto the monastery wall.

Cole scratches his head. “Looks like Lloyd and the others didn't slow Aspheera down much.”

Kai turns to look at Wu and hisses at her again. “Thiss iss because of you, Wu. You're our teacher, the one that'ss alwayss lecturing about responsibility, and-and true potential.”

Wu tries to reason with Kai. “I made a mistake. I never thought this would come back to haunt me or hurt any of you.”

A fireball hits the wall of the monastery causing it to shake.

The ninja look over the wall to see Aspheera and her army getting closer.

“I can't believe thiss!” Kai says in anger.

Another fireball.

“Get down!” Jay yells.

Everyone jumps down from the wall and into the courtyard.

Cole grasped. “You said your parent created two scrolls of forbidden spinjitzu, correct?”

Wu nods. “Yes We used them to defeat Aspheera, which made my parent very angry. They hid them from us.”

Another fireball dangerously close.

“-Hid them where?” Cole asks.

“-I don't know.” Wu shrugs.

Kai huffs. “Well, someone must have found them. Because Aspheera got one of the scrollsss at the museum.”

Another fireball hits the front gate pushing everyone back.

Everyone goes behind the golden dragon statue.

“So where's the second scroll?” Jay asked.

“If the scroll was at the museum, logic would dictate an archaeologist or explorer found them.” Pixal answers before forwarding her brows.

Jay, Cole and Kai gasp at the same time and yell. “Clutch Powers!”

“We should warn the others.” Pixal states.

Cole pulls up his comm to call Zane.

“Lloyd. Nya. Zane.”

Zane’s voice comes through the comm. “We are here. But we have bad news. We have lost Aspheera.”

“That's okay. We found her. She's attacking the monastery.” Cole spoke.

“What?” Lloyd questions.

“Yeah, that's not all. We found out who the deceiver is, and, um, well I'm just going say it. It's Wu.” Cole said.

Zane gasps while Nya and Lloyd yell “WHAT?!”

“It's a long story.” Cole continues. “But the good news is, we have a plan. We know how to defeat her. There's another scroll out there somewhere, and we think Clutch knows where it is.”

Nya nods. “Great. So where's Clutch?”

Pixal does a quick internal internet search. “He's at Ninjago city hospital.”

Zane nodded. “Heading to Ninjago city hospital. Please be safe.”

Zane ends the call.

The front gate rattles as fireballs hit it.

“Fire-fang, destroy the doorsss.” Aspheera directed the giant snake.

Kai and Cole grunt as more fireballs hit the gate.

Pixal puts out a small fire, while Wu hit a soldier off the wall with a rock.

“Well, those doors aren't going to hold much longer.” Cole said.

“-And we just replaced them.” Jay interjects his snake tail thrashing.

“-What do we do?” Cole asks.

Wu grips her bow staff. “We still have a few surprises in store.Pixal!”

Pixal nodded at the boys with a smile. “-Come on.”

The five run over to the monastery wall, Pixal tosses a wooden plank out of the way and touches the wall to reveal a hidden control panel typing in a code.

“When we renovated the temple, Pixal thought it would be wise to incorporate several new defensive measures.” Wu spoke.

An electronic bep was heard and the monastery's defense system was activated, two cannons coming out of rooks outside popped out first letting out water distorting two of the big ones, more cannons popped out and launched rubber throwing stars.

Jay, Cole and Kai look over the wall to see the action.

Jay cheers. “Rubber shurikens. Nice.”

Jay and Cole continue to cheer.

One of the snakes, probably her right hand, speaks to Aspheera. “The deceiver usesss hiss weaponsss against uss.”

“Bah. Parlor trickss for one who possessess the scroll of forbidden spinjitzu.”

Aspheera uses a spell to destroy the cannons.

Aspheera points her staff at the monastery. “Fire-fang, the doorsss.”

The giant snake fires a fireball at the gate distorting it. Cursing Kai, Cole, Jay, Pixal and Wu fly on to the ground.

Everyone quickly stands up and runs with Kai slithering and shouting. “Run!”

Pixal, Jay, Wu, Cole and Kai run into the monastery and into the living room, Pixal uses a shuriken to activate the hidden elevator to the underground base with everyone running in with her.

When the five of them got to the underground base Jay spoke. “We’ll have to make our way out though the vehicle bay doors.”

Pixal ran up to the camper to check the cameras. “Negative. We are surrounded. We cannot get out that way.”

“Great!” Kai hisses. “Now we're trapped.” Kai turns around and points at Wu with his scaly hand. “Another thing I blame you for.”

Cole goes over to Kai and puts hand on their shoulder. “Hey, maybe it's time to back off Wu, let's go take a breather. We need to focus on what to do next.”

Kai lets out a breath. “Fine, whatever.” Cole gently leads Kai away from Wu with a hand on Kai's back.

Wu sighs.

Pixal turns to speak. “Aspheera stole Kai’s powers and turned them into a naga, he feels useless now and that's why they're so angry at you.”

Wu hums and looks at Kai and Cole to see them nuzzling each other, Kai holding Cole’s hands in a tight grip. Cole giggles when Kai's snake tongue pops out to smell Cole and tickles his skin.

“Pix, if we can't get out of here on foot, what plan?” Jay spoke. “You usually have something up your sleeve.”

“Well, it's not complete yet, but there is this.” Pixal walks over to a control panel, presses a button to unveil an unfinished white and green mech.

Jay cheered.

Kai smiles and lets go of Cole's hands. “New mech!”

Cole noticed the tip of Kai’s tail wagging. 

‘It's cute that Kai loves mechs. Cole thought to himself.

Jay, Pixal and Kai raced over to the mech with Jay saying. “What are we waiting for? Let's go to work.”

Kai slithers on to the mech’s shoulder.

Pixal tosses Kai the shoulder guard. “Weld that onto the manifold.” Kai nods. “-On it.”

Kai tries to use his powers. Only to remember that they don't have their powers.

“Oh. right.” Kai says dejected “I'll just grab the welding torch, I guesss.”

Wu walks over to Cole sad. “If it weren't for me, he’d still be able to control the element of fire and…” Wu sighs as she watches as Kai has to use the welding torch. “They have paid the price for my mistakes.”

‘And they wouldn't be a snake.’ Wu thinks to himself.

As Jay, Pixal and Kai work on the mech, a control panel flashes green and beeped.

“Oh no, someone's called the elevator. Pixal?” Jay said.

Pixal jumps down to press buttons. “I've stopped it. But it's safe to assume they know where we are.”

“What do we do?” Cole questions. “I wish Lloyd and the others were here.” Jay spoke

“I guesss we're gonna have to fight them. Power or no power.” Kai spoke.

“No. I will pay for my own mistakes.” Wu spoke. “Alone.”

Cole tries to stop Wu. “You can't do that. Aspheera will destroy you.”

Wu speaks. “Perhaps that is for the best.”

Jay tries to stop Wu. “What-How can say that?”

Wu speaks again. “Because Kai was right. I cannot be your master. I cannot teach you to take responsibility if I run away from my own.” Wu looks at Kai. “You have paid for my mistakes, and for that, I am sorry. Allow me now to make amends.”

Kai stops Wu. “Wu, don't.”

Kai slithers down the stairs and approaches Wu. “I'm sorry I was angry.” 

Kai scaly ears point down, fidgeting their scale covered hands.

“We all make mistakesss. But giving yourself over to Aspheera would be another one. She can't be trusted. She'll be dangerousss and on the loose. And besidesss all that, we're a family.” Kai smiles. “We stick together. No matter what.”

Kai spread their arms for a hug.

Wu accepts a hug from Kai, from his now very scaly son.

Wu will never admit it to the others, but out of everyone Kai, Nya, and Lloyd are his favorites. All three are like the children she will never have.

Jay was sobbing over the hug.

“What?” Kai said, annoyed.

“That was beautiful.” Jay said through tears, smiling.

Cole smiles. “Let's get ready to kick some serpentine butt. Together.” Knocking his fist together and doing a little break dance.

The group of five cheer together.

Aspheera got to the vehicle bay doors, sending the big fire snakes to try and destroy it.

“Wow. She looks really angry.” Cole speaks.

“She is more powerful than I remember. Those doors will not hold for much longer.” Wu spoke.

Cole yells from over the computer to where Pixal, Jay and Kai were working on the mech. “Guys? How’s it coming?”

“That should do it, try to start up the mech!” Pixal yells.

Kai lifts up the welding mask after welding a few parts on the shoulder of the mech. “Give it another try, Jay.”

Jay starts the mech…only for it to fail and power down.

Kai tries to make it better. “It'ss okay. We can do thiss.” Pixal smiles and runs up to help “I hope.” Kai mumbles to themself.

Wu and Cole watch the trio work. Wu speaks to Cole. “We need the second scroll of forbidden spinjitzu. That is our only chance now.” Cole reassures Wu. “Don't worry. If it's at the Explorer's club, Lloyd and the others will find it.”

Chapter Text

The rumbling of the bay doors continue as pixal, Jay, and Kai work on the mech.

*Thud* *Thud* “Revenge!”

Kai lifts up the welding mask. “Wu?”

“That is the sound of hatred. And anger. So much anger.”

Kai jumps down from the mech. “We won't let her get you, Wu.”

Cole agreed. “Yeah, she'll have to go through us first.”

“Affirmative.” Pixal punching his palm.

*beep* *beep* “Pixal, come in!” Nya was calling. “Pixal?”

Pixal runs over to the computer to answer. “Nya, where are you?”

“I'm with Zane and Lloyd. We have the second scroll. Repeat. We have the second scroll.”

Kai, Cole and Jay cheer.

Pixal smiles. “That is most welcome news.”

Wu points her staff at the moderator. “Nya, tell Lloyd to be careful with the scroll. It is very dangerous. The less any of you handle it the better.”

Nya nods. “I understand. We'll be careful.”

The underground base shakes. Aspheera is getting close to destroying the door.

“What was that sound?”

“The structural integrity of the doors is failing. You have to hurry, Nya.” Pixal tells Nya.

The underground base continues to shake.

“Hold on. We're coming!”

The screen shuts off.

The underground base shakes again.

“Aah! What do we do?” Jay said, panicked.

Cole looks around and spots a hole with a drain and ponts. “In there! Come on!” Cole grabs Wu by their arm.

Cole moves the drain.

The underground base shakes again.

Wu went down first followed by Cole.

“Pix, come on!” Kai says trying to get Pixal hurry up.

“I just need a few more seconds.”

Jay jumps in.

“We're out of time. Pixal.” Kai warns him.

The doors exploded open.

It was a little cramped considering Kai’s body took up a lot of room, but Kai squished his body together as much as they could.

Jay, Cole, Kai and Wu hear Aspheera and her hinchsnake talk.

“What trick iss thiss?”

…

“A tricky trick.”

“Where are they?” Aspheera shouts. “Show yourself, Wu! Face me, if you have the courage.”

Aspheera taps her staff on the drain causing dust to fall.

Causing Jay to almost sneeze but Cole stopped it.

Only for Jay to sneeze anyways.

Aspheera tosses away the drain and finds them.

Aspheera smiles. “At least. I dreamed of this moment, Wu. I dreamed of it.”

Pixal comes up behind in the mech. “Keep dreaming.”

Aspheera turns around. “-Eh? Oh shit.”

“Get away from them, you bitch!” Pixal smacks Aspheera away with the mech hand.

Aspheera sits up and points at Pixal. “Who are you?” 

“Pixal. And you should step away from my family.”

The mech steps forward.

Jay pops head out first. “Yeah!” followed by Cole. “Let her have it, Pixal!”

The mech jumps forward to attack Aspheera uses her staff to attack but gets blocked and blasted back.

Kai pops out now. “What are we waiting for? Let'ss get out there and help.”Kai slithers over Jay to get out while Cole simply climbs out.

Kai, Jay, Pixal, Cole and Wu ready to fight.

During the fight Aspheera uses her staff to grab a selectates to throw at Pixal causing her and the mech to fall down.

Aspheera uses her staff and when Pixal tried to block it the arm of the mech but it was destroyed causing the mech to fail and shut down.

Jay, Kai, Cole, Pixal and Wu were quickly overwhelmed and lost, getting forcefully to kneel down in front of Aspheera.

Aspheera smiles. “Finally I'll get my revenge!”

Aspheera slithers over to Kai and caresses them. “My pet. I'll let you take one of your friendss as a companion, so you won't be so alone.”

Kai made eye contact with Cole. If this was the end, Kai wanted to be with his own boyfriend.

Thankfully Zane the others came in to save the day.

“Aspheera!” Lloyd shouts while wielding the other scroll, the staff lighting up with green energy.

“The second scroll? Impossible!” Aspheera shouts.

“I'm full of surprises.” Lloyd spoke cocky.

Lloyd and Aspheera fought spinjitzu to spinjitzu, staff to staff.

Lloyd falls to the ground, dropping the staff which Jay picks up to fight Aspheera, the staff lighting up with lightning.

Jay falls to the ground, dropping the staff which Cole picks and fights Aspheera, the staff lighting up with earth.

Cole falls to the ground, dropping the staff which Kai picks up the staff.

The staff does nothing when Kai picks it up.

Aspheera snickers at Kai.

“-Kai!” Wu shouts.

“-Look out!” Zane warns.

Aspheera knocks Kai into Wu, dropping the staff.

Zane picks up the staff. The staff lights up with ice.

Aspheera uses her staff to destroy the mech and points it at Kai and Wu.

Zane charges forward. “Leave my family alone!”

Zane froze the snake soldiers Aspheera and the base.

The other ninja look around stunned.

“Holy cow.” Nya speaks.

“How'd you do that?” Cole questions as he helps Kai stand.

Kai and Jay shivered at the cold of the frozen base.

“It is the power of the scroll of forbidden spinjitzu.” Wu answered

“Zane. Give it to me.” Wu spoke gently.

Zane hesitates for a second.

“Zane!”

As Zane gave Wu the scroll Aspheera attacked.

“Look out!” Kai yells.

Aspheera charges her staff and launches a blast.

Zane pushed Wu out of the way, taking the blast.

“Oh! Zane!”

“Zane!”

“No!”

Kai couldn't focus on who was speaking.

Zane was gone. He couldn't protect them.

He couldn't protect them.

He failed.

He failed.

He failed.

He failed.

He failed.

He failed.

He failed.

He failed.

He failed.