Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Lloyd flinched as the alarm in his room went off. Rubbing his eyes, he groaned, remembering that today was the start of another school week. However, unlike a normal teenager who would be devastated to just wake up, Lloyd had extra motivation to hate Mondays--because he was himself.

He wished he could stay home from school and not live another day as Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon, son of the evil tyrant Lord Garmadon. The man who oh-so often attacked Ninjago City alongside whatever goons he was partial to at the time. 

Due to his father being the most hated person in the city, and debatably, all of Ninjago, Lloyd was naturally the second most hated person. Unlike his father however, who was a four-armed oni dictator, Lloyd was a much easier target. A young teen with no protection, and obviously no friends. 

Just thank the first Spinjitzu master he didn’t have the extra arms on top of that.

After sitting in bed for a few more minutes, struggling to keep his eyes open, Lloyd decided to face the day. 

Groggily, he got ready for school, brushing his blonde hair, packing his bag and getting dressed. 

“Hey mom,” he entered the kitchen, she was in the middle of frying some eggs. “Good sleep?”

“Not really, I was up all night decoding some ancient serpentine hyroglyphs, and I fell asleep in my study.”

“Bummer, but that’s not exactly new is it?” Lloyd joked. His mom worked at the history museum, and crashing in the study was a nasty habit of hers.

She grinned and handed him an apple, “It’s not so bad when I have someone giving me a blanket on those cold nights.” 

She gave him a kiss on the forehead, which made Lloyd wince.

“Mom! You’re embarrassing me!” 

But she just smiled. 

“Nobody else is even here. You should start going,” she checked her watch, “you’re gonna be late.”

“I’ll make it, don’t worry. I always do.” Lloyd smiled and hugged her.

“That’s good to hear. Everything’s alright at school, right?” Worry was ripe in her voice. She always asked that since they stopped homeschooling.

Lloyd's smile fell. Alone in the city, the best he was subjected to was whispers and glares. The worst he’s experienced as of yet was being followed home and jumped by some kids at school. But that was a long time ago, and Lloyd was more cautious after that. 

Of course, Lloyd knew he could take care of himself, so why bother sharing his daily problems with his mother? She would be powerless to stop the other kids anyway, and Lloyd didn’t want to worry her more than he already had.

“Course.” He swiftly lied, “Those colleagues treating you better?”

“I think they’ve come around to me.” She smiled, but anyone with two eyes and a heart could tell that wasn't the truth.

 Like him, she faced her own prejudices as the ex-wife of a world-dominating lunatic. But, again, like Lloyd, she never really divulged those struggles. It was like an unsaid agreement between the two.

“Now get your butt to school mister! I’ve already packed you lunch.” Misako pushed him away, pointing at her watch.

“Okay okay.” First Spinjitzu Master, he loved his mom.

Leaving his apartment, Lloyd glumly trekked to school. The only motivation he had for the day wasn't getting picked on and mocked by his peers, but his after school activity--being the leader of the Secret Ninja Force. 

And no, Lloyd did not choose the name ‘Secret Ninja Force’. NGTV’s Gayle Gossip gave them the name once a video of them went viral. Lloyd would change the cheesy name if he could. But it didn’t really matter, what mattered was what he and his team did. 

Along with four other ninja, each of whom were recruited by his uncle Sensei Wu, they were the sworn protectors of Ninjago. Their identities remained a secret, even to each other.

The purpose of the secret identity was a circulating question for the Ninja Force. Most assumed the secret identities were problematic --dangerous even-- but Sensei Wu and the others knew better.

Since they opposed Lord Garmadon and other menaces to Ninjago, maintaining the secret helped protect the people they cared about. For him that was his mom. 

Therefore, they needed to operate completely anonymously, even with each other . If any of them were captured, they couldn’t know the identities of their friends, in fear of putting the whole team in danger. At least that’s what Sensei Wu surmised. It was one of the first lessons his Sensei had taught them. 

Not everyone was keen on the idea at first, but as they became a fully fledged team, their attitudes shifted. The idea of the team and their own families being in danger festered fear in the ninja, and now the revealing of their identities was almost as terrifying as Lord Garmadon himself. 

Of course, these necessary precautions did not quell their curiosity. From observing his team, deep down they were just as inquisitive as Lloyd was regarding the true identities of his friends. But in the long haul, their hunger for each other's identities would never be sated, it was infeasible. And of course that was for the best. Besides, if the others knew each other’s identities at this point—who he was— his dynamic as leader would surely be destroyed. He didn't like to dwell on that idea too much.

Luckily, nothing about the team dynamic seemed to be changing anytime soon. They were solid as can be. Lloyd is happier than he had been in like, ever. All thanks to the team! 

Lloyd loved being a part of the Secret Ninja Force. With his ninja vigilantism hidden behind a mask, it was easy for Lloyd Garmadon to experience normal teenage interactions. Rather than the cold stares, arm shoving and name-calling he experienced during the school week at the best of times. When he was with his vigilante team he could laugh, joke around and feel the comradery of the other ninja. There was no stress, no fear. It was the pinnacle of bliss. 

In contrast to the warmth given by his masked teammates, there was no protection at school. He was completely alone... 

As he arrived at the daunting building, he could feel the atmosphere shift as more and more students noticed his arrival. Despite the green hoodie covering his hair, and walking along the far border of the yard as not to gain any attention, he never went undetected.

Glares shot through him like arrows, the tension was so thick he could cut it with a knife. He felt his stomach curdle.

He was only broken out of the staring contest with the student body when a paper ball was thrown at his head. 

‘L-L-O-Y-D his dad is bad and so is he boo Lloyd, (*clap clap) boo Loyd!’ he heard some kids chant in the background. It was that damned song released by some of his classmates a few months ago. 

It spread like wildfire. Even though he would admit that it was catchy, he never expected the song to be famous throughout the school. But when it did, none of the teachers stopped the popularisation of the song, a few actually promoted it! Lloyd was sure that wasnt kosher. 

Shrugging it off, Lloyd gave one last glare to the students around him and entered the school building. 

The school day passed in a blurr, he was almost numb to the whispered remarks and sickened looks given by students he’d never met before. 

In spite of trying to be a good student, Lloyd could barely pay attention in class. He was always letting his mind wander -- anything to make the day end faster. This often caused him to get in trouble by the teacher of whatever class he was in at the time, as they assumed he was scheming for his dad. 

School was even more difficult when he was assigned to group projects. Getting good marks had an extra barrier when his group partners cut him out, and then threw him under the bus by telling the teacher that he didn't contribute. 

This pattern started to take shape a year ago, when he shifted from homeschooling back to public schooling, egged on by his Sensei. Now, it was routine.

But this treatment was met with retaliation. Even if he sucked at chemistry, he was pretty good at strategy. For better or for worse, Lloyd gained a reputation around school as a delinquent--despite none of it being based on the truth.

He was pinged as lazy, a vandalist, drug dealer, and general trouble-starter. Labels he thought of as laughable, considering how they were blatant lies. But Lloyd seized the unique potential this prejudice brought.

He even leaned into the look, wearing more baggy hoodies to look intimidating, and even getting one of his ears pierced (a feature his mom and Sensei Wu really despised). Despite it all being a lie, Lloyd had to admit that he looked pretty cool. 

Lloyd found that leaning into this false persona helped him ward off any unwanted attention. It made him a less easy target. It also made sure that regular students would stay away from him, ultimately making his life easier. Being the evil Lloyd Garmadon people expected really did have some upsides after all! 

During the last period of the day, having survived all his classes, Lloyd could barely sit still. He was so excited to run home, put on his ninja gi and fight crime amongst his friends. Nightly, he could reinvent himself as the hero he always strived to be, and not bear the face of the son whose father was responsible for countless deaths and damages. Lloyd sought to use his power for good, and undo the strife his father had caused the city. Even if he had to remain anonymous while doing so. 

Because of this, leading the Secret Ninja Force wasn’t something he simply wanted to do, it was something he needed to do. It was his saving grace. It was his salvation. He didn't know how he survived before. 

Even though his life was far from perfect, he was happy for his solace with the other four ninja. It was only with them could he reach his full potential, and not shy away from who he really was. Even if it was underneath a mask. 

Lloyd was enveloped by the thoughts of seeing his team again—despite it only being a couple days. After the final bell rang, Lloyd had a smile on his face and a skip in his step as he entered the bus to return home… Completely unaware that the comfortable life he’d known was about to slip out of his grasp forever. 

Later that night, Lloyd found himself perched on the roof of a generic office building. Though the plain building didn’t seem like much, it was a very handy spot, as it was close to both his high school and his apartment. Because of the close location, Lloyd was often the first to arrive--a good look for the leader. Surrounded by the bright neon lights that illuminated the city, he waited for his friends. 

One by one, they all arrived at the designated meeting point. 

The second to arrive was surprisingly Black, who made the kind gesture of purposefully making noise as he approached, so as not to startle his leader. Ninja etiquette? Black was the Master of Earth. Though they didn't use those grand titles in favour of their suit colours. 

Black was naturally one of the bulkiest in the group, having super strength and all. He was able to make large earthquakes and fissures, and able to essentially punch through anything with glowing orange hands--though usually he preferred the less flashy scythe weapon.

 “What’s up green bean?” he said nonchalantly, as he slumped an arm over Lloyd’s shoulder. Lloyd had almost forgotten how much Black loved nicknames.

Lloyd silently acknowledged him, turning to nod at him before looking at the dao in his hands. 

The two observed the streets below and enjoyed small talk until the two could sense another presence slipping onto the roof.

It was the White ninja, Master of Ice. White was brutally efficient while fighting. Even in white gi, which is absolutely terrible if one wanted to sneak around, White somehow managed better than he could in his earthy green outfit. 

“Greetings Green, Black, how are you? I see the others have not arrive yet?” the White ninja asked, as he robotically marched up to Lloyd, staring at the city with an analytical glare.

“No one else yet, frosty. Otherwise I’m doing pretty good, rocking school n’ all that. How bout’ you? Keeping cool?” Black asked as he gave White a fist bump. 

“Very cool, thanks. Or should I say, `very nICE?” White replied with an amused tone of voice. Lloyd cringed. God the ninja loved puns. 

“I wish I could make as much elemental wordplay as you guys.” Lloyd said satirically.

“Don’t have the… energy? ” Black chuckled. 

“Haha, should I Gibb you an energy drink?!” White almost doubled over giggling, but the other two didn't get it. 

Black and White continued to clamour about all the silly puns they could make with their elements.

Meanwhile, Lloyd, not as interested in the conversation, took a look at White’s gi. It had no wrinkles as Lloyd could still not believe. The man was rarely dishevelled, even after battle. It was an extraordinary feat keeping clean after patrol. The only disconformities he noticed were the small shuriken poking out of White’s robe and small black hair that littered a portion of his suit. 

Due to the secret identities, these small details about the ninja's personal lives were always a source of intrigue.

Blue sometimes arrived with black oil smeared somewhere or another, and Black would often arrive with a lingering scent of old wood. White’s hint to his personal life were those patches of black hair that often find themselves stuck on his suit. He likely missed it when cleaning his gi. 

From these morsels of information, Lloyd played detective, trying to learn as much as he could about his friends. ‘Not to find out who they are,’ he would assure his uncle, ‘just to better understand his team.’

So far, there was no sure conclusion as to the origin of the hair. Maybe White has a pet with black fur ? Could he have black hair? Lloyd asked himself—though it was hard picturing White as a brunette. But you can’t know 100%.

“Blue and Red should be on the way,” Black shrugged, snapping Lloyd out of his thoughts. 

“Tsk tsk tsk, tardiness.” White rebuked. It was clear that out of all of them, White was the most proper. 

Surely enough, five minutes later, Blue and Red both scrambled onto the rooftop, each out of breath. 

“I win! I totally beat you Red.” Blue smugly cheered. 

“No way, my feet were on the roof first.” Red commented. After more bickering, they simultaneously looked to White, expecting an answer to who won their rooftop race. With a pitied look White quickly ended their short feud,

“Sorry Blue, but I think Red won the race this time,” Lloyd could also hear White mumble, “but both of you were late.”

“Aww man, I'll beat you next time then.” Blue loudly chuckled as he punched Red's shoulder.

“Mhm, sure.” Red answered, rolling his eyes while crossing his arms. 

Blue cheerfully waved at Lloyd and Black. Like himself, Blue was a huge Starfarer fan. When they weren't fighting crime, the two would discuss the newest Starfarer issue or movie without any care for how loud they were. 

‘If we knew each other outside of being ninja, we would totally be best friends!’ Blue would often say. Lloyd would usually just politely chuckle in response. Sure, best friends with the son of Lord Garmadon, Lloyd would sarcastically think.

Blue, being Master of Lightning, favoured his nunchucks over brightly electrocuting his enemies. Especially after that one incident where he accidentally shocked the entire team during a fight. Apparently he didn't realize they were all standing in a puddle. 

But Lloyd didn't blame him. Blue's element was the most volatile, manipulating its power and direction took serious skill–and Lloyd really respected him for that.

Then there’s Red, the fire elemental was very efficient with his sword, but still chose to be very flashy. He mostly fought using the flames that shot out of his hands, rather than anything more subtle. His impulsive temperament during fights reflected his fiery personality. The guy was always stoked for a fight, and would always push himself too far during training.

Since Red was the most restless of the group, he was often the one to attack first, expecting his brothers to be behind him. Because of that, he and Red clashed heads quite often. Usually though, everything managed to work out. Even though Red does get reprimanded for recklessness, the ninja was still scarily good. So no harm no foul?

“Glad to see we’re all here and raring to go,” Lloyd took charge, “It's been pretty quiet lately, so we’ll do our usual patrols. Travel in shadows and don’t forget, if you spot something, use the intercoms first before approaching, and remember--”

“Boring means safe.” The boys recited. 

The ninja said their goodbyes before they all split up to cover their specific domain of the city. Afterwards they would reconvene and detail if any trouble was brewing. 

Lloyd’s sector was downtown, with White and Blue watching over the neighbouring areas. Red, with great resistance, looked after the business hub of the city. He always complained that the area was boring. That was of course until Blue convinced him otherwise: being the slick talker the lighting master was. Blue persuaded Red that the business area was a hotspot for criminals trying to steal advanced technology from Borg Industries. This dampened Red’s discontent for patrol. Instead, the Fire ninja was crazed over getting to fight a baddie in his territory. Goody. 

Finally, Black usually took to the slums where petty crime had the most comeuppance, which was reasonable as Black had the most experience out of all of them. 

After only a few short minutes slinking across the rooftops, Lloyd arrived at his destination: downtown. The area always had the most foot traffic, usually from party goers hopping between clubs. The streets were illuminated by neon glowing signs and disco lights. 

For the first few hours of the night, there was no serious crime. Based on the radio silence, the others hadn't encountered any crime they couldn't handle either. For the next few hours, Lloyd just jumped from rooftop to rooftop scouting out anyone that seemed dangerous or with ill-intent. 

It was nearing midnight, Lloyd had just finished catching a criminal who was breaking into and stripping cars. After tying the crook up and calling the authorities to take him to jail, Lloyd was just about ready to call it a night. Near the end of his patrol however, he noticed a bright colored explosion a few streets down from him, followed by screaming. 

He ran, passing a few citizens on the street. Doubt it was a gas leak, this explosion seemed to be man made. He pushed on, with the hope that the foe he would be facing would be anyone but--Lord Garmadon came into his line of sight--his father, fuck. 

His dad always had a passion for theatrics, and sure enough there he was, sat on a golden throne atop a small shark mech, on one of the busier streets of downtown, attacking citizens with a small army of Skulkin. 

Activating his intercom, Lloyd called for his teammates, “I need back up, Lord Garmadon is downtown with a mass of Skeleton minions. I can’t face them all alone, please come quick!”. Before he could bother listening to the affirmations of his teammates, he dashed off, helping the civilians closest to the explosion. “The Green Ninja!”, even amidst the chaos, his father had spotted him. Why can't I do anything right? Lloyd groaned to himself. 

Lloyd got into a fighting stance and ignited two glowing balls of energy to his fists. The plan was to hold off the army until innocents could escape, and reinforcements would arrive. Unfortunately, Lord Garmadon did not send the Skulkin as a buffer, but went after the Green ninja personally. Almost like teleporting, Garmadon appeared in front of Lloyd and sucker punched him a clear ten metres. Smashing Lloyds back into a pole. Shit shit shit, Lloyd repeated like a mantra in his head before crumpling to the ground. His dad was always so strong, equal to his Sensei, and Lloyd had no advantage here.

He could feel the sharp pain of his back muscles and bones. The energy he summoned had all but fizzled out. Usually he would be more alert than this. But perhaps the nightly endeavours into the city were running him a bit ragged. 

Staggering back onto his feet, Lloyd clutched his torso, wincing as he breathed. The strain of his lungs pressing against his ribs hurt like hell. After having the wind knocked out of him, breathing was harder than ever. Despite the burning he felt every time he inhaled, he counted himself lucky that none of his ribs had punctured his lungs— but some of his back ribs were definitely fractured. 

Even after a heavy first blow, Garmadon did not give his enemy any time to recover, dashing towards his son with crazed malice in his eyes. In response, Lloyd jumped up to punch his father. But Lord Garmadon swiftly dodged and kicked Lloyd sideways. 

With the sharp pain from one side of his body, and the bruises he could feel forming on the other part of his torso, Lloyd would be lucky going to school this week. 

Catching himself before he hit the ground, Lloyd ricochet off of the concrete and landed a solid punch to Lord Garmadon’s abdomen. Green energy sparking off every which way. Reeling back, the two gave and returned blows with vigour. It should be a few more minutes until my friends arrive, Lloyd had hoped. He could feel the pure adrenaline rush through his body. The intense pain had subsided a bit when endorphins rushed to dull the sensations of his wounds. 

Looking over at Garmadon, he could see that his father was also being worn down. Time to finish this battle.

In another attempt to punch his father in the face, Lloyd twisted his body and put all his energy into one of his fists. However, from either the glowing fist aimed for his head or the twist of the Green ninja's body, Garmadon had seen through his plan. The tyrant caught Lloyd’s outstretched arm with one hand, and Lloyd’s neck in the other. His father’s other two hands sat cockily on his hips.

After struggling to escape his grasp, all Lloyd could do in response was expel the energy covering his fist and clutch the forearm holding him mid air. 

“So this is how the Green Ninja fights alone hmm? It's sad to see that my brother’s students are so easy to defeat when they’re by themselves.” Garmadon remarked with a maniacal laugh. 

Even with all of his power he couldn’t break free of his father’s grip. The adrenaline inside Lloyd’s body began to fade, and the sharp pain of his breathing took up most of his consciousness. My ribs, right. Lloyd just remembered. 

His breaths were especially haggard from being lifted up above the ground by the strong grip wrapped around his throat. The hand that seized his neck also began to squeeze tighter, and Lloyd couldn't concentrate enough to summon his elemental power. 

Lloyd was in a daze. Am I going to die? Lloyd could only ask himself through his foggy consciousness, but the reality was so much worse.

“Ah, I see that your ninja lackeys have arrived,” Garmadon showboated with a smile. Entering his visual field, Lloyd could see the blurry figures of his teammates. 

As the ninja tried to approach Lloyd and Garmadon, they halted as the tyrant added pressure to his grip, causing Lloyd to release a strangled cry. At that moment, Lloyd felt extremely pathetic. Even as the Skeleton were wreaking havoc, the entire scene seemed to be at a standstill. The ninja were unable to act, as Garmadon held all the cards. Specifically, Garmadon held their leader. 

Lloyd shot his father a glare, which Lord Garmadon returned. Lord Garmadon seemed to think for a few moments before twisting his face into an evil smile, unsettling his son.

“Since we’re all here, we might as well get on the same page. I feel a little hurt that everyone knows who the Green ninja is but me~” His dad said in a ‘hurt’ tone.

“Tough luck buddy.” Red growled, “Seeing the face of some random joe won’t help you with anything.”

“So let Green go. Or else we’ll put you in a world of hurt.” Black tagged on.

“Yeah! Even if we knew what Green looked like, we’d never know who they were!” Blue shouted carelessly. 

If Lloyd wasn’t currently being strangled, he would have punched his teammate in the face. He loved Blue —but FSM can he be dumb. 

The other ninja also felt the same way, glowered at their other teammate. 

Silently, his father watched their little skit play out. Then an even wider smile than the one before contorted his face.

“It seems pretty secretive for a team to be so close and yet have no idea what their true faces look like hmm? It must be tough~ I can help with that”. No, no, no, no, no, Lloyd looked at his father in horror. Lord Garmadon was about to exploit his greatest fear for his own gain. 

Lloyd feared the reaction his father might have to his vigilantism. It was a concept Lloyd always avoided in his mind. But that paled in comparison to his other worry: his life as the Green Ninja he had managed to build was about to crumble. 

The teen tried to release himself from his fathers grasp, but could only twist his body a little. It was shameful. 

This was his life he was dealing with, and yet, he felt utterly useless. The lack of oxygen to his body restricted resisting his father anymore. He was putty in his fathers hands. There was only one option left.

Lloyd begged with half lidded eyes facing his father, “Please don’t. This is all I have”. 

“All the more reason to do this then.” Garmadon replied. Lloyd shied away as a black hand reached towards his face. 

At that moment everything was different, Lloyd felt hollow. 

I can feel the cool breeze of the city on my face. He thought numbly. The air weaved through his blond hair. Slowly, Lloyd opened his eyes. Ignoring his father’s initial shocked expression, his eyes searched desperately for his mask, but to no avail. It must have fallen off somewhere behind him. 

Avoiding the expressions of his brother's faces, who were scattered tens of metres away from him, Lloyd eventually focused on the man who had just ruined his life--his own father. 

Suddenly, the numb feeling he had ebbed as he felt a pit form in his stomach. Lloyd looked at the satisfied smirk on his father’s face before his vision was blurred as small hot tears began slipping from his eyes.

 “Well that was certainly a surprise, L-loyd, and after all this time I had thought the Green leader– my arch-nemesis, the thorn in my side— was a threat to truly be reckoned with.”, Garmadon sniggered, “What a disappointment to find out it was only my son playing hero in bright pyjamas.”

Still with a firm grip on Lloyd’s neck, Garmadon squeezed his face and forcefully turned his head towards his shocked teammates. His face on full display.

Usually, when he's not immediately recognized as Lloyd Garmadon, it's uncovered sooner or later. The longest that he went unrecognised was by a girl at school. She was new to the city and sat next to him in science class. She was unaware of his status for a week, and by that time they were almost friends.

But when another classmate made her aware of his father’s identity, she had actually attacked him out of fear. 

“Get away from me you, you villain!” The words she said still stained his memory, that and the piece of graphite that got lodged in his hand. Naturally, it was somehow Lloyd who got in trouble, instead of the girl. However, where this girl's reaction was the product of a week of not knowing, Lloyd had been lying to the ninja about his lineage for an entire year. 

In all honesty, he had never even fathomed that his identity would be revealed, of course he knew there were risks, but he had never thought of what to say if something like that were to ever happen. He usually brushed it off as an impossible scenario, but there was no running away from the situation now. 

The safe haven that was the Secret Ninja Force was shattered, and he felt so bare, exposed. They all knew who he was, this was irreversible, his brothers knew, and now surely they hated him. 

As Lord Garmadon grinned at his son, basking in the glory of his success, he boasted, “Well son, I can’t stand around here forever, look at the so-called team you just betrayed so I can enjoy it and continue conquering Ninjago.”

“I—“ Lloyd hiccuped, shutting his eyes tightly, “I don’t want to.”

His father shook him. Lloyd feared that cold sadistic personality, “I said, look.” 

With a sad acceptance, he blinked the tears away from his eyes to face his shame. Lloyd looked between the ninjas faces, and saw a mix of emotion even through their masks. 

Even though White, the level-headed one of the group, usually restricted the emotions he portrayed. But in place of his typical blank stare, there was a puzzled, shocked, look in his eyes. He looked like a computer trying to process a mass load of information.

The Blue ninja--his comic buddy-- was a few metres behind White, and had a nervous look of betrayal on his face. “...Impossible.”

Blue’s voice pierced through him, even through the surrounding noise of the cityscape. The Green ninja tore his gaze away dejectedly from Blue and White, landing his focus on Black.

Black was the closest ninja to him and Garmadon. Black, the strongest of the ninja and the previous leader before Lloyd stepped in, had a look of disappointment in his eyes. He could see the fluffy eyebrows tilted up in a sad way. Lloyd felt a bile rise in his throat. One of the ninja he looked up to most, who taught him to be the best ninja he could be, and who supported him through thick and thin--this was his breaking point wasn’t it? He’ll be alone, or dead after this, wont he? For a brief second, Lloyd wished he was dead, if only to escape the moment that happened next.

In his peripheral vision, he saw a flash of red flame. Red stood rigid off-centre to Black, small embers seemingly speckled in his clenched fists. Even though Lloyd had never seen Red’s face before, there was an evident scowl, along with a hint of hurt. Tears welled up in Lloyds eyes once more. He had always thought of Red as his closest friend, only for a rift to grow between them because of him . His deception is what caused this. No, Lloyd simply existing caused this. At this point, staring back at the other members of the Secret Ninja Force, all Lloyd could gargle was a weak “... I’m sorry...”. 

Lord Garmadon released a string of laughs, and the entire ninja team (if they still were a team) shot him the dirtiest glares imaginable.

“Wha-at? You ninja are no fun. I’m having a blast, and I didn’t even kill any of you yet.”

Suddenly, a tornado of gold swept across the battlefield, knocking Skeleton about. To the team’s relief, it was Sensei Wu, and he looked pissed. “Looks like we’ll have to play a little later, ” Garmadon said with sadistic glee, “I have to go for a bigger fish.”

In an instant, Lloyd’s body was flung horizontally. The last thing he remembered was his head slamming against a wall. 

Lloyd shifted in his bed. By muscle memory, he reached over to turn off his alarm clock. He awoke with a startle when he hit nothing but air. The momentum of the swing caused his palm to smack the floor.

He was not in his bedroom. Now fully awake, the boy jolted upwards. The motion caused a searing pain on his back and gave him a splitting headache.

It took a few moments to recover but he could finally focus on the scene in front of him. Now in a more sitting up position, Lloyd stared down at his chest. It was essentially bare except for the bandages wrapped around his stomach and ribs. He could see purple and blue blotches on the left side of his torso peeking out from behind his gauze. He cringed thinking of the massive bruise that took up a portion of his body. 

Looking around the room, he inspected the wood planked walls, ceiling and floor. Lloyd noticed all the dust particles dancing in the light beams around him. 

Lloyd wasn’t in Ninjago City, but in the med bay on Destiny's Bounty. The ship was their secret headquarters parked on the coast outside the city borders. It was an area where they mainly trained, recovered, and voyaged between Ninjago’s surrounding islands.

How did I end up here? Straining to remember, Lloyd cupped his forehead. 

Suddenly, the memories of before he blacked out came rushing back. The patrol, facing his father alone… the reveal. He recalled the distant and disdained look of all his teammates discovering his face behind the mask. 

From the flood of new information, Lloyd’s breathing turned into rushed ragged pants. Tears threatened to leave his eyes. His team will surely turn their backs on him. Who could even stand being in the presence of Lloyd Garmadon? Why did he ever think it would be different as the Green ninja? 

Before his dark train of thought consumed him, he heard a voice, “You’re awake.”, immediately, he knew that the voice belonged to Sensei.

His uncle was sitting in a wooden chair a few metres away from him, pouring himself a cup of tea from his signature blue teapot.

With some time to collect himself, the only words Lloyd could muster were, “How long was I out?”

“Only a few days, and it's about five o’clock in the morning.”

“Oh.” Lloyd shifted in the bed, but hissed when his body did not cooperate. 

“Aah, yes. You had a few fractured ribs on the right side, along with minor bumps and bruises. The hand mark on your neck is barely visible now, luckily."

"My head is killing me." 

"Right. After witnessing you hit your head, White insisted we check whether you had brain trauma. Somehow, he and Blue whipped up a makeshift MRI. Those boys.... Ahem* thankfully you're all right. I used some healing tea on you so your injuries should be fine by afternoon today. I also called the school and gave them notice that you would be absent. And I told your mother that you were coming with me for a few days, don't worry.” Even with the reassurance that his absence had been covered for, all Lloyd could do was worry: 

“Do they hate me? My…the team--I mean.”

“...They’re right outside, why don't you ask them yourself?”

Time to face the music. He struggled to get out of bed, only for his loving Sensei to rush to his aid. 

Sleeping for such a long time left his head feeling extremely dizzy and light headed. It was either that or the delirious pain he was experiencing. Lloyd tried to stop thinking about it; cause didn’t really matter, he felt horrible.

With the burdensome injuries keeping him in check, Lloyd graciously accepted the aid his uncle provided, leaving most of his weight on the older man.

Slowly, he moved towards the deck of the ship. As he approached, the stairs were painted with a soft orange glow from the dawn. As he arrived, he heard whispers fizzling out alongside the crashes of the ocean waves on the shoreline.

His team, still in their ninja gi that they wore a few days ago, turned to face him. All of them were wearing masks, causing him to realize his face was bare. 

A quiet hand snuck up to cover his mouth. Useless, he knows, but it was still a comfort. Even if the anonymity he had was gone, it felt weird leaving his face uncovered in front of his team (or ex-team after this).

White and Blue were both giving Lloyd a sympathetic, pitying look. They stood awkwardly in the middle of the deck. They didn't seem mad, so that was good. Black had a sort of distant look in his eyes, not making eye contact with the other teen. He was leaning on the mast of the ship, clearly tired from being up so early.

To his horror, Red only briefly glanced at Lloyd, before not looking in the teens direction at all. Rather, Red stared out at the horizon. Perhaps he was just confused or trying to process the entirety of events the past few days. Hopefully Red didn't bear some sort of grudge against him. But Lloyd didn't have the slightest idea. 

In the uncomfortable silence, Lloyd struggled as he mustered the courage to speak. But his mouth was painfully dry. Thankfully, his uncle was the first to break the silence, “Nephew, I’ve already spoken a bit with your team about your motivation to defeat your father, would you like to say anything?”

“Yes,” Lloyd replied, voice shaky. He was grateful his uncle spoke to the team on his behalf—and the most difficult conversation was already over. But he still needed to confront them.

After taking in a gulp of air (to the extent his bandages allowed) Lloyd rambled out, “I'm so sorry for keeping my identity a secret. Please don't hate me. I was just afraid that if you knew who I was, I…I would lose you guys.”

Shifting awkwardly, Lloyd closed his eyes. After a few moments he felt a solid thwump of a hand on his shoulder, “We get it Greenie, I mean, not the whole evil dad thing, but we could never hate you.” It was Black, with White and Blue next to him. 

“Besides, we all decided to keep our identities a secret, no matter what they may be. You’re definitely not at fault.” Black added. “Here, I picked this up from the battle.” 

He handed Lloyd the mask he had lost. The dusty green cloth stared back at him—Black's gesture almost brought a tear to his eye. Did he really mean it?

“Do you really still like me? Am I still allowed to be a part of the team? You aren't kicking me out?”

“Of course you are buddy! And we were never going to do that.” Blue reassured. It felt good to know that his place on the team was stable. Happiness bubbled in his chest. Blue continued on; 

“We feel terrible for what happened to you, with your father-I mean. Fortunately, Sensei explained your story right after that battle ended. We kicked butt, B.T.W. And we had time to process that our favourite Green is actually the infamous Lloyd Garmadon!”

Lloyd shrivelled at the mention of his name. But he was snapped out of his discomfort a bit when Blue offhandedly mentioned, “Besides, without you, who would I talk to about Starefarer. While you were out, the newest issue was released; the sixth issue of the new series. Quite the page turner.” Blues gave a big wink.

Before Blue could prattle on about the comic–and probably spoil everything–White cut in, “After we understood that you were Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon, I did some research to better grasp your predicament.”

“Aah~ Really?” Lloyd responded nervously. He felt a bit odd being the subject of someone’s research project.

“The Lloyd Garmadon delinquent persona people typically perceive is completely false. The person in front of me right now, this really is the true you. It was shocking at first, that someone labelled as a delinquent could be our Green, but after looking at police records, you have committed no crimes. Except jaywalking a few years ago?”

Blue noticeably stiffened at the mention of his past jaywalking, but rapidly turned to Red, “Anything you’d like to add?” There was an edge to his voice.

Red grumbled, “It's weird, but I’ll get used to it”. There was a brief moment of relief. But Red approached Lloyd, and declared aloud, “But don’t think you’re not off the hook. I’ve got my eye on you.”

That last part stung Lloyd a bit, but he answered with a hardened gaze. 

Black hit Red upside the head, to Sensei Wu’s approval. “Don’t worry about him, he’ll probably adjust by tomorrow. He’s just trying to seem tough”.

“Yeah, he’s probably just cranky that your secret identity is much cooler than his.” Blue jabbed. 

Red let out a loud huff and muttered something unintelligible.

Blue–true to character–jabbered on, “He just needs time to cool down. Cool down? Master of Fire? Hah hah, get it?” 

Looking at his teammates, they all--except Red--let out a soft laugh. The previously hostile atmosphere melted away into normalcy. Lloyd was immeasurably happy that his team still remained intact, and that the relationships between them seemed to hold strong —Lloyd could still act as the strong leader he was before too. Things would return back to before, better even. 

But there was still something bothering him. 

“Now that you all know my identity, along with my father, it feels weird that I still have no clue who you guys are.”

The boys froze and looked between each other. This sort of topic was always taboo ever since they first started training together. Even though it was clear they all wanted to know who their other teammates were outside the group, the fear they felt ultimately trumped their curiosity.

Lloyd’s eyebrows furrowed hoping he didn’t say something wrong.

“It is of the utmost importance that no one knows each other's identities, even among brothers, for if that knowledge got into the wrong hands, it could cause all sorts of havoc for you and those closest to you,” Wu said sternly, snuffing the thought, “even if your secret is out, Lloyd, we are very grateful that Garmadon seems to have no interest in sharing your identity with anyone else.”

Blue interrupted, “Is that really true? I bet he’s lurking somewhere planning something nefarious. Uh, no offence Gre—Uh, Lloyd.”

“None taken. Trust me.” Lloyd answered, “But are you sure Sensei?” 

White nodded, “While we cannot say for certain what your father may be planning, there has been no news about you being Green anywhere.”

Black chuckled, “Telling the public that your archnemesis is your son is something no one would believe. Even if it's true.”

“I also took the liberty of watching over your mother while you were unconscious. Just in case.”

“Would Garmadon really attack his own ex-wife? Or is that a stupid question?” Blue jumped in. Lloyd just shrugged in response.

Sensei Wu proceeded, a bit agitated from being interrupted, “As of now there has been nothing. I just hope your father isn't working on another sinister plot. Just in case, I’ll be staying with you and your mother for a while to make sure you both will be safe. ”

Lloyd gave a grateful nod. “Thanks uncle.”

“I’d gladly help you in this sort of situation—all of you—not that I want this scenario to ever happen again.”

The others shifted again awkwardly as Sensei Wu finished his thoughts, “Right…Well, you young kids make me all tired. I am going to meditate.” His Sensei retreated back into the berthing of the ship. 

However, with the subject of true identities laying bare, and his Sensei gone, Lloyd could sense the nervousness in his team. It was the first time someone really exclaimed their interest in revealing their identities. The metaphorical can of worms was open.

Lloyd did what he always did, and analysed how each member of the team reacted. White didn’t seem too perturbed, but like Lloyd, he analyzed the minute mannerisms of the other ninja. Blue looked between everyone else, shifting the weight between his feet. Red just looked back out onto the horizon indifferently. The earlier pastel sky was now replaced with a vibrant sky blue–with the sun brazenly displaying itself.

Lloyd peeked over to Black, who was in the nicest way–a mess. Black seemed to be the most unnerved about secret identities, but failed at acting neutral. His muscles were more tense and there was turmoil in his eyes. He was also manically glancing every which way.

After seeing Black in such a state Lloyd felt bad bringing up the goading topic. Lloyd just hoped that this incident wouldn't create some sort of paranoia that would inhibit the functioning of the team. That would never happen Lloyd encouraged himself, but deep down he knew that this prevalent topic could cause friction later on.

“It's almost time for the day to start,” White declared, breaking up the awkward silence between them. He walked towards the side of the deck, “I must get going.”

The other ninja scrambled for excuses to leave the situation too.

“I’ll walk you back to your house, right up to the door. What's the address again?,” Blue shifted nervously, joking about Whites secret identity. But it just seemed to fall flat.

As the ninja trickled out of the ship, Lloyd bid farewell to his uncle. Then he was off. He managed to reach his apartment, say hello to his mother (who doted on him immensely), and arrive at the school before the first bell.

Though physically drained after the whole debacle, Lloyd was just happy that his family still loved him. The weight of hiding his secret identity was finally lifted. He still had a place to be himself and he would protect that, and his brothers, with everything that he had. 

Even if he had no friends at school, he still felt supported by his team. He and his brothers, along with his uncle, would one day defeat this menace named Lord Garmadon. Lloyd vowed with a determined look in his eyes.

Although being back in the school environment reminded Lloyd of how much people despised him, today was actually a little different. The ‘it’ girl in his grade that notoriously picked on him, Nya Smith, was surprisingly avoiding him.

Usually, she would gossip about his delinquency. Something he only reinforced by looking the part. When brave enough, she would also give sly remarks to the boy in the halls. He knew she couldn’t be that bad a person, she just fell into the wrong crowd. Besides, she never did anything more than blab, but it still hurt.

Today, after seeing her in the science hall, she stared at him, but said nothing. She even nodded acknowledging him. Lloyd was also relieved to see the posse following her around wasn’t gesturing at him at all, but eerily stiff, a change Lloyd welcomed with open arms. 

After the first two classes, Lloyd sat in the cafeteria alone. He was holed up in a corner table next to the window. He had his bag and books in front of him in a protective manner just in case someone tried to mess with him.

The ninja was trying to sleep off the ache his wounds were giving him. In spite of the healing tea he had, a soft pain was still present. Attempting to sleep also allowed him to mentally escape the overwhelming changes he endured these past few days. 

When he woke up from the bell, the cafeteria was nearly empty. Lloyd stretched out his muscles, refreshed. After moving his textbooks into his bag, Lloyd was almost prepared to leave. However, he noticed something peculiar. 

On the table in front of him, he could see a container housing a single cake slice with a clean fork. But a chunk of it was gone. Next to it, there was another finished cake container. People must have been sitting here, Lloyd reasoned. But he remained perplexed as to the almost intact cake in front of him.

It was his favourite kind too, red velvet loaded with icing. Shrugging it off, Lloyd went to the study hall in the library.

As he spent the entire hour painstakingly finishing the work he had missed in his classes, he could practically feel his brain dissolve into mush.

Ten minutes before the next class would start, Lloyd was finishing some nomenclature work for his science class. 

Lloyd was not that invested in chemistry so instead he looked around the library. He observed a group of teenagers walking out of a study room.

They were walking towards him whilst making small talk amongst themselves. They looked maybe a year older than him, each dressed in very proper clothing. They must be the intelligent bookish people in their grade.

As they were passing him, some guy approached his table. The others in the clique seemed to ignore them and kept their pace out of the room. 

Lloyd stared at the boy with a questioning gaze. He was in a blue sweater with a white zig-zag stripe running across his chest. He wore beige slacks with very nice dress shoes. The person had prim and proper platinum blond hair, tying together his ensemble.

After staring at his chemistry page for an uncomfortable amount of time, the teen said, “Number four is incorrect, the proper chemical name is 2,4-dinitrophenol.” before abruptly walking off. 

Lloyd stared dumbfounded at the figure marching away. After looking back at his worksheet, surely enough, the stranger was right. 

After fixing the answer, Lloyd questioned what had just happened. Was that guy genuinely trying to help me? Or was he another pretentious academic kid with a bone to pick? No no, don’t be so critical Lloyd. He mentally smacked himself.

The study guy didn't seem to have any ill wishes against him, maybe he was actually trying to be nice? But helping public enemy number two (number one is obviously his dad) didn’t make any sense at all. The teenager didn’t have anything to gain talking to him—helping him! Without giving it more thought, Lloyd trudged off to his final class.

It's official, today was really weird. It must be an epidemic! People at school were suddenly not seeming so bad. A guy helped with his homework and the whole bullying thing was lessened for the day.

The most appalling event was that someone actually sat at his table during lunch (without sticking gum in his hair, he checked)! Lloyd was about to pass it off as some huge coincidence until he opened his locker to go home. 

Jammed into the side of his locker was the newest issue of Starefarer. He flipped through the pages, enjoying the brightly coloured comic. It looked used, but way too much of a chance to be an accident. 

Has he ever mentioned Starefarer at school? Definitely not. But then how did someone know he enjoyed this specific series?

Lloyd walked off with his backpack, the comic in hand. Maybe there were hidden allies he had at school? Others that saw a normal boy protecting himself with a fake image. If so, things could really be turning around for him. Maybe he wasn't as isolated as he thought. 

While the stream of thoughts flowed in his mind, one idea kept popping up. Maybe Blue, who shared his passion for Starfarer, attended his school and left it for him? It’s plausible, as it’s guaranteed that Blue would always nab the newest book upon its release. Letting out a snort he laughed off the idea. 

Lloyd knew that Ninjago City was big, and his school population was very small. The chance that a fellow ninja went to his school was extremely low. But it was still a possibility, the thought echoed in his head. 

Walking out of the school doors, Lloyd felt more energetic than he had in a long time. A smile graced his face. An expression he only wore with his mother, uncle, and as a ninja (under a mask). Even though his identity was forcefully revealed, his heart felt infinitely lighter with his brother’s support. 

For the first time in his life, Lloyd was looking forward to tomorrow. Even though a chapter of his life had ended, a new chapter began. And Lloyd is looking forward to the new opportunities that awaited.

Chapter Text

It all happened the night before. What was supposed to be a regular patrol ended in chaos. Kai found himself running onto the downtown street. He was fired up for a brawl. He swerved between the running citizens to reach the scene of action. Only to arrive and see his leader being held up in the air by Lord Garmadon. Nobody moved except Green trying to release himself from Garmadon’s grasp.

Kai really wanted to give Garmadon a really good punch in the face, but he held back. He and his teammates all knew they were helpless when their leader’s life was on the line. Lord Garmadon may be crazy, but he never bluffs, it was a risk they could not take. The Dark Lord stood victorious surrounded by rubble and dust. They all stood in a fighting position—ready if Garmadon made a move.

Rather than a heated battle though, Garmadon spoke at a volume they could all hear, “It seems pretty secretive for a team to be so close and yet have no idea what their true faces look like hmm? I can help with that.”

Oh no. Garmadon was about to unmask his leader, his brother, and there wasn’t anything he could do. Kai was fuming. But more than that, he was scared.

From the beginning, his Sensei urged caution about secret identities, even to one another. Kai, joining the team later than some of the others, questioned the good of keeping the secret between them. Early on, he relentlessly pestered them about their alter egos. But it’s been so long now, and with that time and the more foes they encountered, he too grew paranoid.

Surely, his teammates would have people they’d want to protect from the consequences of a revealed identity. For him, he desperately wanted to protect his sister, Nya. If his identity was released to the public he wouldn’t even know how to react, much less cope with the idea that his sister could become a victim by proxy. It was a nightmare, and that nightmare was now coming true for Green.

If the identity of Green were to be leaked, there would be problems, devastating problems. Life as Green would know it might cease to exist—he would become a target for the rest of his life. His family, friends, everyone he knows is in danger. Thoughts like that crashed into him like a huge wave. Kai felt his chest warm and small flames in his palms crackled.

But similar to Green himself, there was nothing he could do. Garmadon was strong, a menace they could only ward off as a full team. And as strong as Garmadon was he was twice as ruthless. If he wanted to, he could snap Green’s neck like a twig with no hesitation.

Watching the scene unfold, Kai felt helpless. The Fire Ninja could see Garmadon’s mouth move but couldn’t make out the words. He couldn’t intervene without potentially killing his Green friend. Looking at his teammates he could see that they were just as tense as he was.

His attention was only snapped back to Green and Garmadon when he saw one of Garmadon’s four arms reach towards the hostage ninja’s face.

Kai was star struck. He didn’t even know what face he was making, much less the emotions he was feeling. 

Green was Lloyd Garmadon, son of the despicable Lord Garmadon. What a twisted family reunion he was witnessing. 

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. How could these two polar opposites be one in the same? And if they really were… Kai had to ask, was the Green ninja persona all a lie? Why didn’t he tell his team that he was Garmadon's son? Kai despised the part of him that questioned his leader, but how could he follow the lead of the notorious delinquent at his school?

He could hear Lord Garmadon boasting, but he was too distracted to make out what he was saying. The four-armed man turned to force Green to face them. From the enemy’s movement, Kai’s hands ignited, but he could barely register the heat. Now, Lloyd’s eyes were cast onto him. He felt a mixture of pain, anger, sadness… betrayal. 

“...I’m sorry.” He could hear Lloyd say, barely audible against the noises surrounding them. Kai didn’t know how to react.

He also didn’t know what to do next. Lloyd was still in danger, and he didn’t know if he could attack without Lloyd suffering. Luckily it didn’t matter.

In the nick of time, Sensei Wu came to their rescue.

A mere hour later, the master of fire found himself sitting in the med bay on the Destiny’s Bounty. He fidgeted uncomfortably like his three other friends. Each teen was taking glances at the unconscious teenager lying on the bed in the room. Sleeping soundly without his mask. 

The image of his leader sleeping so calmly was opposite to the Lloyd he knew at school. It was pretty overwhelming. Kai struggled to combine Lloyd and Green into one person, they were complete opposites. One brutish and evil, the other kind and just. There was a lot he still needed to think about. 

But his emotions of confusion ultimately trumped his concern for the sleeping boy—evil or not. His main focus was wishing for his brother to be okay —he wasn’t heartless. He could see the smattering of injuries across his body. The worst Kai had was a scratch on his arm. 

Standing before them was Sensei Wu, who he had known for around a year and a half. 

“I’m sure you all have many questions,” The old man started, sorrow ripe in his voice, “but I would like to first assure you that Lloyd shares all the same goals as you, to defeat his father—and my brother.”

“But how can we be so sure?! The doer of destruction’s son fighting to defeat his own dad? How do we know it isn’t some scheme?” Blue shouted out, frantically waving his arms in every direction. Kai understood Blue’s wariness. 

“Why didn’t he tell us this information sooner!?” Black eagerly questioned. 

“We all agreed to keep our identities a secret—“ White defended before Blue cut him off.

“You know that’s not what we meant! Like, shouldn’t he have at least told us this?!”

“Please no interruptions!” Wu scolded, smacking the base of his staff into the floor. His face folded into a frown. The other teenagers deflated a bit. “I always hoped I’d never have to explain this story to you. But  you distrust your teammates so easily.”

His Sensei glared at his students, but Kai found that his Master’s gaze lingered on him a bit more than the others. 

“Lloyd was only four when his father left. It was because of the oni blood inherited from my father—the First Spinjitzu Master. After being bitten by a legendary snake, whose whereabouts are currently unknown, my brother struggled to contain the intrusive urges to kill, destroy, and massacre everyone in his path.”

“Just like an oni would. In—in theory.” Black remarked.

“So the oni part of him took over with the snakebite as the catalyst.” White concluded.

Blue gasped in shock. But before he could even think about blabbing Sensei Wu spoke again.

“You’re right White. For most of his life, he’d manage to ward off the evil, he was still him… until he finally succumbed to it one fateful night after Lloyd’s birth. We fought… and he lost. He left and vowed to eradicate everyone and everything I held dear. Then he disappeared for a few years—to a place I hope to never mention again—the realm of Madness.”

“Sensei, I thought that was just the stuff of legend.” Black added.

“Many legends originate from some truth. I assure you the realm of Madness exists, as do many others.”

“Still…. Why would he go there anyway?”

“He did not always look the way he does now. By wading through the darkness he allowed his full oni form to be realised. The four arms, the night black skin, his razor sharp teeth, and his twisted personality. When he returned, having completed the transformation, he began his journey to terrorise Ninjago, the home my father worked so hard to create. I felt I needed to protect Lloyd, and ensure he doesn’t follow the same unfortunate path.”

“And, it worked?” Black asked warily.

“He loathes the mayhem and strife his father causes. There is great pain seeing someone he would have loved being torn away to evil. He wants to defeat his father as much as anyone, more even!” 

The other ninja noticeably relaxed at the information. They were likely feeling guilty for doubting Lloyd’s motivations. Kai shifted in his seat. As much as he sympathised with Lloyd’s story, as he grew up without a dad too, he brushed off Wu’s explanation. 

While Sensei’s words soothed a small part of his mind, the bombshell of Green’s identity was too huge. It’s still too early to become complacent. People are either good or they’re evil. Not both. Kai didn’t know where Lloyd stood in that, but the cherry doesn’t fall far from its blossom. Kai reasoned to himself.

Besides, Lloyd hasn’t actually given any proof being a ninja wasn't some bizarre ruse.  

Simply put, he loved Green, but he still didn’t trust Lloyd.

Wu continued much less fiery than before, “My nephew already struggles with so much even without the battle between him and his father. He may never admit it, but he greatly cherishes the friendliness you share with each other.”

“I don’t understand Sensei.” Blue slumped forward in confusion.

The old man sighed, “You can’t imagine that being the son of an evil Lord is easy.”

This sparked a new concept in Kai. He was well aware that Lloyd was the target of other kids at school, but he always ignored it. But now that the brat and his leader were the same person, it was difficult to wrap his head around. Now though, he felt a pit of shame in his stomach. Lloyd and his brother were the same person, as crazy as it seemed, and his brother was suffering before his eyes. Yet he did nothing.

“Then why wouldn’t he tell us this information sooner, especially since it’s so vital?” Kai inquired. Maybe if he had known, he could have acted sooner. No, he should have acted sooner, despite the victim’s status. Kai mentally kicked himself. Some hero I am, Kai thought bitterly. There was a long pause before someone spoke.

“We all agreed to keep our identities secret.” White repeated.

“But as I said, this is a bit too huge for that. I mean—Lord Garmadon is his pop!” Blue emphasized.

“Perhaps he was afraid that we would distrust him.” White suggested. Kai almost scoffed, gee, I wonder why. 

But Sensei Wu nodded in approval. White continued, “It is no secret that Lloyd’s public image is abhorrent, and prejudice is a very powerful thing. He might have been afraid that we would treat him poorly because of it.”

“I get it. My thoughts towards Lloyd Garmadon weren't all that positive.  Well, they were pretty negative I guess. But now that I get where he’s coming from, I’ll do anything in my power to support him.” Black announced, slamming his fists together.

“Me too!” Blue swiftly added, “I might need some time for this to settle, but I think we can get back to normal.”

“You probably just want to keep your fellow Fritz fan close.” Black chided.

“Also true.” Blue nodded gleefully.

“Just as brother sharpens brother, brother helps brother. I would be happy to greet Lloyd when he wakes up again!” White exclaimed.

While his brothers didn’t seem bothered about Lloyd’s identity anymore, Kai certainly was. All he could offer to the conversation was a less than enthused ‘yeah’. And he was sure the others noticed his reluctance. But he has never been more confused. 

He didn’t know if he was mad at himself, or distrustful of Lloyd—or maybe a mix. Even though he could accept that the two individuals were indeed one (which involved some mental gymnastics), people couldn’t just flip between being the villain or hero whenever they wanted. That wasn’t how life worked. 

Besides, there was still a possibility that Lloyd was still trying to manipulate them. He is part oni after all. While his Sensei and brothers might not dwell on the option, Kai definitely would. 

“Sensei, when is he waking up?” White asked.

“After giving him his healing tea, it should be a couple more days. Enjoy some days off while he recovers and come back here Thursday, maybe around five.”

“P.M.?” Blue asked. 

“5:00 A.M.” 

Groans and complaints came from each of them. Thursday morning?! At five?! Kai was a night owl, not an early bird.

Wu ignored them and continued talking, “Then we can all show Lloyd our support with him in the conversation. All of us.”

Geez did he feel called out.

“This has been a long time coming, and I want it to go smoothly. Now, I have phone calls to make. See you, and don’t skimp on your training.” 

“Yes, Sensei.” They all replied.

Their Sensei turned and left the room. Once the old man was gone, a voice peeped up.

“Does anyone else feel….uh, a little weird still?” Blue squirmed as if he was being scrutinized. Black and White nodded.

“Two separate people are now the same person—and I know I treated Lloyd pretty coldly before.” Blue continued.

“Weird is an understatement. If anything though, I feel guilty.” White said.

“Agreed. No matter who it is, they don’t deserve to be mistreated like that. It just goes to show we’ve got a long way before we become the hero’s the city looks up to… I just hope there’s a way we can make it up to Green… or Lloyd.” Kai could see Black’s thoughts running through his head.

As the boys discussed, Kai stared at the unconscious boy. So it wasn’t just him struggling to fit both people together, that was good—and he felt a little better that he wasn’t the only crummy hero today. But it seemed nobody else was considering the loyalty of their leader.

It could all be an act, it could not, but he wouldn’t put anything past the son of their greatest enemy. Good or evil? He needed to investigate further.

As a group, they all left the Bounty together and went their separate ways. Their usual chattiness was replaced with stiff ‘goodbyes’ and ‘see you layers’. None of this felt right.

It seemed that dawn would arrive in about five hours, and he needed to get to his apartment in case his sister found an empty bed. 

Unluckily for him, his house was on the opposite side of the city. It wasn’t the most ideal location for living. It was pretty far from his school, Destiny's Bounty, and the usual rendezvous point where he and the other ninjas usually met up. Meaning that returning home tonight (or this morning) would be exhausting. 

“Go together?” Blue tugged his shoulder. Kai just grunted scruffily.

Because of how far away his house was, he usually found himself rushing between rooftops to make it to the ninja meet-up point on time. He often saw Blue coming from the same direction, which usually ended in a heated race. Since that realization, they usually went back with each other too.

He started at a slow running pace in line with Blue, hopping between the city rooftops. Damnit, I wish I had my motorcycle right about now. Oh how he ogled over that vehicle.

Usually, traversing from school to home was easy, he could drive himself and his sister on his motorbike. It was efficient, but arguably more dangerous than leaping building to building. It was because he wasn’t the best driver, and he never wore a helmet to preserve his spiked hair. At one time or another, Nya would suggest cutting a hole in the top of a helmet to keep his hair fresh—but Kai would rather risk the danger than look so stupid. He was glad his sister was so caring for his health though (despite his dangerous night activities). 

The same method of transportation just didn’t work as a vigilante though. And thus he presently found himself flipping across wide building gaps with no hesitation.

The two of them silently slowed to the building where they parted ways.

“It’s been a long night.” Blue said dully.

“Yeah. It hurts to think I’ll have to be awake for school later too.”

“Haha, yeah. And I—um…” Blue jumbled out, “How are you dealing with Lloyd being the, you know who?”

Kai just shrugged.

“Well, I get it, there’s a lot to think about. Just—don’t forget about what Sensei said. I know me and the guys came around. I mean, like we—just—y’know.”

“Yeah.” Kai answered dryly.

“Okay.” Blue pinched his eyes, “I’ll see ya around.”

Then the ninja was off, leaving a tired Kai alone on the building.

About 20 minutes later, jumping from roof to roof in one of the more suburban areas of the city, he finally arrived at home.

His apartment sat on the second floor above the metal workshop his parents left them. It was the only inheritance (along with a very generous amount of money) they received after his parents both disappeared mysteriously almost ten years ago. Since then, Kai had been supporting himself and his sister, all the while investigating the missing whereabouts of his family. It was also one of the reasons he joined with Sensei Wu and the team. So far though? No luck.

He was completely in the dark about where they had gone, why they had left, and… if they were even alive. Thinking about that always made Kai bitter, and though he didn't like to admit it, very sombre. All the while his sister just wants to move on with her life. But that was fine. Who was he to hold her back?

Slipping into his room through the window he always keeps unlocked, he successfully infiltrated his own house. He was very practised at it as sneaking in was often the case when you’re secretly fighting crime. 

I’d make a better burglar than the ones I catch. He joked to himself. 

He changed out of his gi and wore his school clothes for the coming day. After mounting his sword behind his dresser, he went to bed hoping he could sleep at least a few hours before school started. 

His eyes felt heavy. Even with the events prior, the adrenaline from the night wore off and he quickly fell into a restful sleep.

He jolted awake by the sound of his alarm. Nya was already awake and he could smell eggs and ham from the kitchen. Exhausted, he was glad he wore his school outfit to bed. He was always prepared in case of a late night out. It was his classic red letterman jacket with loose blue jeans, which he paired with some plain white sneakers.

 “A ninja’s favourite shoe!” Blue would always say. White would then go on a tangent about how the actual shoes traditionally worn by ninja–jika-tabi– would actually be the correct response. But other than White’s factoid, the joke never gets a laugh. What a shocker.

 The master of fire grabbed his school-ready nap sack. It was only before leaving for breakfast that he noticed his hair was all over the place. It was a horrible mix of bed head, ninja mask and sweat all rolled into one. Half of his hair stuck up, and the other half clung to his forehead from sweat. He looked (and felt) horrible. Quickly, he washed his face and fixed his hair. Debris of water and gel were everywhere by the end of it. 

But there was a method to his madness. Kai drenched his hair to remove the gunk, and then heated up his hands to dry it as fast as possible. Gelling it up into his signature spike, the hair component was finished. He was about halfway done. 

Now it was dealing with his zombified face. Kai snuck into his sister's makeup to cover up the bad dark circles from the lack of sleep. It was a trick he used when he first started becoming a ninja. All to avoid suspicions on his identity, and to make Nya less worried for him. There, he was successfully less dead. Kai left his room to start (or continue) his day.

“You look horrible.”

“And you are so kind.” Kai remarked sarcastically. 

“Hey, I call it like I see it.” 

“In the most blunt way.” he rolled his eyes. He sat at the small table in the middle of the room while Nya was at the stove. He loved that his sister made breakfast.

“Nah, I’ll have a piece of toast, you finish off the eggs.” Kai loved eggs, but he always wanted to make sure his sister was well fed. 

“Sure.” Nya coldly responded.

He rubbed his temples and pinched his eyes in an effort to wake up. Nya plopped down in the seat across from him and set down their plates. 

“I didn't want eggs.”

“And I didn’t want you to keep denying yourself for my sake.” Nya had a desperate expression. “We’re a team, remember?”

“Yeah, but you need to focus on school–and for that you need breakfast.”

“So do you.”

“You–you have a bright future ahead, I just need to get through highschool and run the shop. I need you to take care of yourself.”

Nya was clearly annoyed. “And you just, don’t? I notice that you’re tired. You aren't doing some secret night job are you? I told you that was bad for your health!”

“No, no, I’m–I just have a lot of homework.”

“Pssshhh, whatever. Besides, there’s enough eggs for us both.”

The two didn't argue further and silently ate their eggs. The vast majority of the time he and his sister were like two peas in a pod. But whenever they argued, it was usually about one thing. They both tend to sacrifice things for the sake of the other person. 

Kai ran himself ragged as a blacksmith, even with his lack of talent, just to keep an (often unsteady) income. He also tried to skimp on food just to save as much money as possible. Meanwhile Nya , Kai recently discovered, had a part-time gig a few blocks from their place. She also sold all her old clothes and childhood memorabilia just to make a quick buck. 

There’s no argument that they were both very frugal. But each refused for the other to renounce anything for the other’s sake. It was a tricky position to be in–and it often spurred heated wrangles. Kai much preferred calmly spending time with his sister. 

“School going well?” He restarted the conversation.

“It's fine, there’s a maths test today, but I’m not worried.” 

“Uh huh.”

“But I am thinking about joining the Robotics Team.” She played with her eggs avoiding eye contact.

“That’ll be great for you! You love tinkering!”

“Yeah, I haven't really decided yet.” The ninja had no idea as to why Nya wouldn't want to join the team. It was practically made for her. But her decisions were her own, and Kai knew she’d be successful either way.

“Okay okay, but it would be a cool opportunity. I know a guy that loves microtronics and stuff like that. He always goes off on these wild tangents about it, and brings in new inventions.”

“Ooh. Is he cute?” Kai had a flat expression in response to that. He hated when she brought up guys like that.

“I actually have no idea.” That wasn’t a lie, he had no clue as to what Blue looked like. 

“Huh?–” But before Nya could probe him, he swiftly moved along the conversation.

“So, ride to school?”

“...Thanks.” 

Thankfully, Nya didn't press further on Blue–he would’ve had no clue how to resolve that. It was another blessing that the work at school was easy. It was a low energy day. No one mentioned how dead he looked, so either everyone was just being nice or his touch up skills were getting better. Nor did he have soccer practice today—the extra physical activity would have literally killed him. Gym class was also exceptionally lame today, something Kai’s sore muscles greatly appreciated. However, because classes were so dull, when he wasn’t busy sleeping off the night before, he was ruminating on Green's (formerly secret) identity. 

Thoughts stewed in his brain, but he didn't make any progress or come to a satisfying conclusion. 

Well, he came to one conclusion, he knew Green, but did he really know Lloyd?

After school, he drove Nya and himself back home on his red motorcycle. It was a little banged up, but it was functional (and his favourite colour). 

Later after finishing his homework and showering (finally), he used his spare time to ask Nya some questions about Lloyd. He assumed that since she was in his grade, she’d know at least a little more than he did. And knowing more was key to figuring out if his leader was at all trustworthy.

“Hey sis?” He asked, knocking on her door. 

“Come in.” She replied. He entered the room, it was a faded pastel pink flooded with posters, blueprints, and worthless knick knacks. Her bed was cluttered in loose papers, which left Kai awkwardly standing in the doorframe. She swivelled around in her chair from her desk. She was probably just finishing her homework. 

“You look glum, what’s on your mind?” She asked him. Here goes nothing.

“The Garmadon kid is in your grade right?” She nodded, “What’s he like?”

 Nya’s mood shifted from chipper to an emotion he could only describe as disgust.

“That guy? Just a delinquent brat. Everyone I know doesn't like him.” Kai was surprised at the sharp tongue she has for Lloyd. He liked when his sister was all fiery, but this sort of freaked him out. For as long as he could remember, she never had an ounce of maliciousness in her body. 

“And why is he so unlikeable?”

“Other than being the son of the Dark Lord?”

“Err–yeah.” 

“Well, he’s pretty anti-social in general, but there’s other stuff too. He does a lot of criminal stuff. Drug deals in the school parking lot, beating people up, jaywalking—that sort of thing. Today was nice without him. Apparently, he’s sick.” She uttered, Kai was unnerved by the satisfied smirk on her face. He’d never known her to be so outwardly mean to people she barely knows. 

Although he was familiar with the delinquent activity Lloyd was a part of, it seemed appalling to think that he and the Green Ninja were the same person. Either Lloyd or Green was a lie. They couldn’t simply coexist, the shift was too great. Which version of him was real?

“Have you ever seen him do that stuff in person?” Kai prodded.

           Nya balled her hands into fists and stared off with what he considered shame,“No... it’s mostly just hearsay, and some stories my friend told me, and they heard it from someone else... But it’s gotta be true! Have you seen his earring? What a tool.” He totally agreed about the earring part, “It’s okay though, I’m not scared of him, I’ve confronted him in the halls too, he’s totally intimidated by me, so my friends don't have to worry.”

That statement rubbed Kai the wrong way. 

“What do you mean confront, you don’t actually engage with him do you?”

Nya got defensive, “I do so for good reason! One of my friends told me he basically assaulted her when they had a group project together. She was scared of him, I was just doing my duty as a friend to tell him to know his place.” There was a glint of sadness in her eyes. 

“You should have seen her Kai, she was really scared. In fact, all my friends are. They asked me for help.”

“Tell me more, about the ‘knowing his place thing’.” He interrogated, probably freaking out his sister. In spite of that, he was going to continue. He’d never know Green to be such a brute, the dude was super chivalrous. 

He’d also never known Nya to be so hostile.

“It’s really not a big deal.” 

“Explain.” He said flatly.

“Okay okay, sheesh. The worst thing I've ever done was make some fun. Maybe some mean comments, just to get him to stay away. Not like I’m really hurting anyone–he assaulted my friend for FSM’s sake!”

Kai paused. There was an inkling of relief when he found that Nya was just acting cruel to preserve her friends. However, that didn’t matter. Their parents raised them better than that, or, at least their parents were there long enough to raise him better than that.

“It doesn’t matter what the guy allegedly did. That doesn’t give you an excuse to do that —it’s bullying.”

Nya sulked, “Did you even hear me? What about what he did?”

“ And even if he did do it, you should have gotten teachers or the school involved. People that would actually help, you can’t just take that stuff into your own hands without thinking about it first.” 

But again none of this behaviour was something he could ever conceive Lloyd/Green of doing. Unless he was the best actor ever. The more he heard, the less he was sure that Green could ever be evil. Unless the ‘Green’ persona was actually the lie. Ugh! It was so confusing!

Still, it hurt seeing his sister so ruthlessly tear into the guy, no matter what she believed.

“If you’re so concerned, worry about the kids that actually beat him up.” Nya bitterly mentioned.

“People beat him up?” He never knew that.

“Yeah. Not much anymore.” Nya looked down in shame, “But he never fought back. Maybe he’s a wimpy fighter.”

If Lloyd really wasn’t defending himself, as he knew full well he was capable of doing, the Lloyd at school must be a defensive image. Maybe White was right, the delinquent Lloyd he had known was just rumours and assumptions made by others. And somehow Lloyd fell into that role. He didn’t have any proof to the contrary. But he couldn’t be sure. At the very least, he could do the right thing right now.

“Still, stay away from that guy alright? And if he comes near, be nice.”

“Since when were you on that pervert’s side?” Nya retaliated. Kai panicked a bit, it wouldn’t make sense to suddenly start defending a guy that is known for being notoriously evil. It would raise suspicion. He needed to come up with an excuse, 

“He’s the son of Lord Garmadon, I want you off of his radar.” Kai replied smoothly.

“I guess. But what about my friends?”

That’s a valid point . Kai admitted. 

“I suppose that if he’s already intimidated by you, you don't have to keep doing it. In fact, you shouldn't have done it in the first place!” Nya opened her mouth to argue back but remained silent.  “I know you’re better than this, you know you are too. And, you don’t have any proof, do you?”

“...I hate to admit that you’re right. I don’t… But…thanks for talking some sense into me.” She meekly stared down at her hands. “I’m gonna finish my homework, and think…”

Geez, he felt kind of bad for laying all that out there outta nowhere. Kai wondered if this would be what his dad would have done if he had still been around.

“Sounds good, love ya’ sis.” He sighed.

“Love you too–now get out of my room!” She playfully jokes. 

Kai obliged and left the room to rewarm some leftovers. There was still a bit of wariness about Lloyd, but maybe after some time, those feelings would settle. For now though, he was just glad to have done something good. As he watched the food rotate in the microwave, he just hoped Nya would act on his advice.

It was the day Sensei predicted Lloyd would wake up–but did it even count as a ‘day’ if the sun wasn’t even in the sky? 

Kai was bloody tired, and like most of his team, his eyes sunk into their sockets. As per usual though, White was perfectly alert. Was that guy even human?

The other ninja were murmuring about what they wanted to say to Lloyd when he roused, but Kai did not contribute to their whispers. His eyes instead scanned the vast ocean before him. 

Though Kai was happy to say he mostly trusted Lloyd, that small feeling of betrayal and mistrust hadn't faded. Though his friends seemed taken to completely trusting Lloyd. For some reason, he couldn't let it go. 

“Hey.” Blue wandered from White and Black to the lone ninja, “How’s it going?”

“It’s not even the crack of dawn and we’re about to see Green since he was attacked by daddy  Garmadon. How do ya think I’m doing?”

“Sheesh, the temperamental fire master, don’t you ever get tired of being a cliche?”

Kai just shrugged. “It’s been a lot to think about.”

“Well, I hope yer on the same page as the rest of us. If we want to make Lloyd feel more supported, we need all of us.” Blue said plainly.

The boy could be serious when he wanted to be…. It kinda freaked Kai out.

When Lloyd arrived, he could sense how nervous he was. It made his heart hurt. Seeing the look in his eyes, the innocent fear, it made him question all his stupid doubts.

It felt like a punch to the gut when the boy started rambling like the hooped up Blue ninja. This was the person he was used to seeing—this must have been genuine. So why did his loyalties ever waver?

He did not yet think of what he’d say to Lloyd, but his first instinct was possibly the worst answer. 

Stupid stupid! He reprimanded himself. He couldn’t let go of his pride after everything Lloyd’s gone through. He said some stupid stuff to seem all tough. Now he really looked like an asshole. Everyone was moving on except him. After his words with Lloyd had finished, he was smacked by Black —and for once he was grateful for that. Then, Blue told one of the worst jokes ever, and the mood turned back to normal. Like nothing had ever happened.

After Lloyd was assured his place on the team, Kai’s heart couldn’t help but melt from his smile. This would work, Kai said to himself. I’ll do anything to protect Lloyd Garmadon, my leader, and brother. These feelings will disappear. I just need…time.

Later that day, Kai found himself at peace with his new resolve. He felt he could trust Lloyd with confidence, evil dad or not. It only took some time, but Kai was now fully committed to helping Lloyd as a vigilante and as a civilian. 

He owed him that much.

Kai wanted to help Lloyd out in any way he could from the shadows in student form— as to avoid revealing himself. He was sure that if the other ninja attended their school, they would have done the same. 

To preserve his identity to the fullest extent, he decided to use the indirect route. This was through Nya.

After a few more discussions with her after the one a few days prior, he was well aware of his sister’s misdeeds. After heavily scolding her, and making her do the dishes for the next week, he knew she was way too stubborn to apologise to Lloyd. Plus whatever apology she could muster would not be genuine if it was forced. The best he could provide for his baby brother was that her and her clique would lay off. 

That morning, his plan was about to be put to the test. He tailed Lloyd from faraway where he knew he would be undetected. Then he watched as his sister turned the corner from the opposite side of the hall. She was with her friends, girls whose names he never bothered remembering. They were too chirpy and gossipy for his liking, and they were liars. But he would never stop his sister from making friends, no matter how bratty they were.

With the Smith siblings on either side of the locker wall, and Lloyd in the middle, he caught her eye from across the crowd. The two had a silent conversation with their eyes.

You know what to do.

Ugh, is this whole thing really necessary?

Yes, now go.

Kai gave her a hard glare and a firm frown, jostling his head towards Lloyd’s direction, indicating that he wanted to watch her avoid him. To which Nya avoided his gaze and walked by without giving Lloyd a hard time. 

Kai gave a brotherly look of approval as Nya rolled her eyes and walked away, recommencing her conversation with one of her friends. As Kai turned back around, he indulged himself on the look Lloyd had on his face. Complete confusion. He could see the gears turning in Lloyd’s head.

Even though Kai felt guilty of not having done this sooner, he knew that it was never too late to do the right thing. He felt a smirk tug on his mouth. He turned to go to gym class, ever so happy to have made a positive impact on his brother’s life.

Chapter Text

Being a ninja was hard work. And that was in the best of circumstances.

Juggling high school life on top of being a vigilante was exhausting. Especially in some aspects. While getting good grades was never an issue, the immense amount of injuries and sore muscles he would get was a daily burden.

Naturally, putting oneself in harm's way and facing countless villains was bad on the body, he has the scars to show it. That was no surprise. It was what he signed up for. The most difficult thing though? The secrecy.

Of course he knew that the secrecy was necessary. But it had some serious drawbacks.

While meek (but talkative when you get to know him) as a civilian, his real capabilities needed to be on the down low.

His proficiency with nunchucks was unmatched (except his Master of course). And he had pretty okay control over the most volatile of elements. He could flip, kick, and kick butt. But that wasn’t something any teenager could do.

And not being able to flaunt or use these skills as a civilian truly sucked. It was basically torture avoiding the fact that he could produce 1.21 Gita watts of power from his body!

Of course his prowess wasn’t the only thing that needed to be secret. Because of his nightly activity of crime fighting, he also needed to hide his athletic physique.

Although he wasn’t as muscular as Black (but he wasn’t too far behind) he had a pretty muscular build. Quite similar to the other ninja.

Parading that sort of thing around school wouldn’t be a good idea. It would attract too much attention and people could get suspicious about the extra ‘growth spurt’.

That was why he often defaulted to baggier clothes. And that was an all year round commitment. Persevering through all the blazing summers and humid days. The heat was even more brutal out in rural Ninjago where he was surrounded by desert. But alas, this was the life he had chosen.

But what’s the motivation for all this trouble? Why the emphasis on anonymity? That was easy. Being in the spotlight was simply something he didn’t want to risk. Life (for him and his parents) even with its ups and downs was much easier when your identity is unknown. Hence, nobody was allowed to make the connection that he was a ninja.

His family depended on it. The comfortable life he had depended on it.

And if he wasn’t afraid of that, he could fear his Sensei. If Master Wu were to find out Jay’s identity was exposed, the Master of Lightning would be in trouble with the old man, and probably be forced to train for eons.

But the whole ‘secret identity’ thing landed him in a tight spot. To others, he was always seen as just some geek. A wee, wimpy  brainiac. Being born in a junkyard did not help that situation in the slightest.

Because of that, and his boyish face, Jay was usually badgered by his peers. He was a victim of all sorts of teasing—but to his sadness it was nowhere near the level of harassment Lloyd suffered.

Either way, the pestering reached its zenith in gym class. Jay dreaded the period, especially today.

“Line up boys,” his gym teacher, ‘Grand’ Sensei Dareth bellowed, “Today, we will be doing ‘The Trial’. It's an obstacle course from the syllabus required for you to each earn the credit in this class”.

He heard a couple of his peers groan about something or other, to which his Sensei replied, “Hey! Count yourselves lucky this ain’t the beep test I had to do as a tot!”

Without further ado, all the students filed onto the red line. They faced the large gymnasium. The large room had a side lined with bleachers, while the walls were a plain white with splashes of gold and green.

The gym class was almost entirely dominated by the soccer team, with a few normal students scattered about. Even so, all nineteen other students were not his friends. In fact, he could barely call them acquaintances.

Not that it mattered much to him, he was usually busy thinking about a new invention, being a ninja, or avoiding the teasers.

Everyone looked over at the huge set up, or ‘The Trial’ so says his Sensei. It seemed pretty straightforward, there were rows of tires laid out, some hanging tires, rope, a climbing wall and other big constructions he couldn’t quite describe.

His attention was drawn back to his flamboyant teacher when he addressed the room.

“The first challenge is to climb over that rock wall and jump down. No funny business there either. Some stud twisted his ankle performing a three-sixty spinning move last year when he jumped off the wall.”

Wow, I wonder who this mystery stud is? Jay joked in his head, it was painfully obvious that his Sensei was talking about himself. Practically everyone at school knew, which was why there were faint giggles when Sensei Dareth mentioned it.

“Anyways, after you must climb across those monkey bars, use balance to run across the gymnastics beams, run fifty metres, then another fifty through the flat tires, jump through even more tires, and finally, climb the rope.” Grand Sensei Dareth said, gesturing towards the rope dangling from the ceiling.

“Complete this within the time limit, three minutes, and you pass. Fail, and try again another day.”

For a ninja, finishing this course would be as easy as breathing. But right now he wasn't the Blue ninja, he was Jay. He needed to act like a regular teenager. He had to be strategic.

“Um Sensei?” One of the students slyly asked, “I’m more of a–um… a visual learner, can you show us how you do the course?”

The student that asked the question was snickering. The dude was clearly trying to lure Sensei into hilariously failing the obstacles.

He was the captain of the soccer team. Kyle? Kai? I think it started with a K. He thought. He never really paid attention to the teen because they never really talked much, and Jay never really cared enough to try.

Besides, the less eyes on him the better—he didn’t need another guy to pick on him. Though he didn’t think that would happen.

Even though the soccer team notoriously made fun of him, the captain was usually busy fiddling with his hair or practicing soccer. The guy was a total airhead, but he also had a confident (some might say vain) aura around him.

“Why sure my little kiddy,” Dareth replied to Kai, “it is well known that I am not just an amazing teacher, but an amazing martial artist. I will complete this in a jiffy… Err— just maybe not the first part. Training injury and all that hehe.”

After a few quick stretches, his Sensei started running off to the first obstacle, egged on by many of the students. Jay cringed. This was going to be painful.

Jay wanted to facepalm himself after witnessing the horrific event of his Sensei falling over the balance beam. He would be feeling that in the morning.

He had no idea why the dude thought he was capable of doing ‘The Trial’ in the first place. He had some serious delusions.

The man was in his mid thirties, he didn't look to have exercised ever, and his diet consisted of puffy potstickers—Why did he tackle (and miserably fail) the training course with such energetic gusto? Actually, Jay knew the answer.

No, his Sensei wasn’t insane (well, maybe a little), but he was the biggest Secret Ninja Force fan ever. He idolised him and the ninja.

He snickered to himself wondering what reaction ‘Grand’ Sensei Dareth would have if it were unveiled that the Blue Ninja was in his third period gym class.

Anyways, because of his ninja obsession, Sensei Dareth always wore a tacky brown jumpsuit to school, thinks he can do anything, and declares himself the Brown Ninja.

Jay could not explain how he felt about his gym teacher. He feels bad, sure, but he can’t help but find the man hilariously entertaining.

As the rest of the class laughed, Kai being the most amused of all.

After Sensei Dareth recovered (though still puffing and wheezing), he elegantly moved on and assigned everyone to get into a line for the course. If it was any surprise, the soccer team players were all eager to try the course first. Naturally with Kai at the front. Meanwhile Jay found himself comfortably placed near the back of the line.

As the trials started, Jay was impressed at how the soccer captain completed the track with intense speed and precision. I guess that’s why he’s the soccer captain. Jay thought to himself. But I could do better if I were in vigilante mode.

After enjoying the show, the Master of Lightning was planning how he would complete the course. Of course he wanted to pass first try—why bother failing and doing it again? But he also can’t show his athletic proficiency.

He decided on the happy medium. To compensate for his civilian identity, he decided to finish just before time ran out, fall over the rock wall, and ‘trip’ here or there. He already had a reputation as a klutz, why not play that angle?

He could also play the charade without actually getting injured. He could roll on his shoulder to lessen the blow after ‘falling’ off the rock wall, while still making it look natural.

It's a solid plan.

Sure Black and Green usually take charge of strategy. But I can do a pretty good job myself when I try. Jay praised himself.

The ninja’s mind was made up. That was of course until one of the soccer players noticed his pondering.

The meathead stomped towards him, Jay didn’t even need to see him coming. There was that stench of arrogance wafting towards him—or it was his pungent cologne? He took the lead in front of two other goons he never remembered the names of.

The main guy’s name was Chad, he was like second-in-command to the soccer captain. They never really had classes together (except for gym and mechanics) so Jay was perplexed as to what vendetta Chad had against him.

They stopped about two feet in front of him. Maybe they’d just leave him alone today. After all, these trials were pretty important. But that was just wishful thinking.

“Does anyone smell that?” Chad started. “It’s horrible!”

Your cologne? Jay wanted to bite back. But he dismissed the comment. If he were Blue right now, he’d speak his mind about Chad without a second thought. It would have been great—though it does cause some trouble (especially for Lloyd).

“It’s coming from over here, smells like garbage and stuff.” One of the other boys leaned in super close to Jay’s face. What a way with words. Again, Jay just brushed off the teasing.

“Hey junkyard boy.” Chad said, standing a half foot taller than him. Chad gave a push to his chest. The Master of Lightning stumbled back a bit, “You listening?”.

“Yes Chad. My ears still work.” Jay added some venom to his voice, though he didn’t think the others noticed it.

“Good. You gonna fail for us today? I need a good laugh, and Sensei Dareth didn’t do the trick.”

 Jay looked over at his Sensei, who was combing his hair in blissful ignorance. He debated calling him over, but didn’t bother.

His teacher would not be of much help anyways. This lame predicament happened before. But calling his floundering teacher was always ineffective. Though cocky, Dareth fumbled his words too much to ever really stand up to them.

And so Jay’s problems were for him and him alone to deal with.

What else could I do? He didn’t seem to have any natural way to escape this hairy situation like he normally did. Chad seemed to know that too. So before Jay knew it, the bullies continued their verbal beat down.

“I’m betting 9:1 that you’re even worse than Sensei. I doubt those noodle arms can do anything.”

“Those arms are only useful for moving all the trash at his house.” Another snickered, forcefully grabbing his bicep.

“House? Don’t you mean, landfill?” The third chided. “I mean seriously. Who grows up like that? Hahaha! Couldn't be me.”

“No that’s not—“ Jay was always super peeved when people mixed that up. Junkyards and landfills are very different. For one thing, he doesn’t live in a landfill!

Before Jay could correct them properly, the three took turns bashing his physique (being unaware of his true athletic form), him and his parents, and his home.

“Trash boy!”

“You’re such a fucking stick! Haha, why are you even in this class? There’s only one required gym credit. ”

“You gonna cry to your old ass parents?”

“Yeah, besides, why do they have an accent and you don’t?”

“You smell like a landfill, wait, don’t you live in a landfill?” These were all insults he has heard countless times. Unfunny, unoriginal, mean, and far from the truth. It was as annoying as getting a landfill and a junkyard mixed up. But as riled up as he just was, he simmered down just as quickly.

Sadly, it was a thing he was used to. It’s been happening since before he became a vigilante. Maybe since the end of elementary school.

Jay used to get really angry about these things when he was younger, to be fair, he’s still pretty miffed about the landfill/junkyard thing, but as it happens so often he deals with it really well. He’s developed a thick skin. Not that there’s much choice to stand up for himself. At least he doesn't want to deal with the potential consequences.

If he were to flip his switch right now, showing his power and more confident side, anyone would be curious as to what else he may be hiding.

Jay knows the odds of that are low, but it’s never zero. So he found himself in a position like this.

Like a river over stone, he repeated to himself, letting the insults slide over him. He’s heard it a thousand times, it was not true and it wasn't anything new. Soon the words melded together into a foggy noise and Jay could relax.

That was of course until Chad brought up something he’d never expected. Not in a million years. The bigger guy’s head slid down and whispered in his ear, “… and that’s why Nya would never get with a poor boy like you.”

The comment had completely taken him by surprise.

Why would he bring up Nya? What? How does he know about his secret crush? What slipped? (Jay was entirely unaware of the swooning looks he gave Nya--making the identity of his crush painfully obvious).

As shaken as he was to discover that his secret crush may not be so secret, there was something more pressing in his mind.

How dare he bring Nya up, sully her good name just to piss off some guy like me?!

Sensei Wu often reminded the ninja that anger was self-destructive, and to bear insults with humility and calmness: but this was an insult he couldn’t let go.

Jay was seething. His fists were clenched so tight they formed crescents on his palms. The ninja could only see red. His toes curled in his old gym shoes. His mouth curled into a frown—teeth bearing. His brows knotted and his ears were red.

Even if there was a hint of truth to what Chad said, when Nya was involved? All rationality went out the window.

Despite the scary aura oozing off of him, the jocks only responded with laughter. Screw it. 

He was usually pretty alright with these insults, but Nya was the tipping point apparently. Sure Jay was taking a risk. But a calculated one. Ensuring Nya’s name wasn't brought up in bad faith outweighed the potential attention he would get for biting back to Chad.

The Blue ninja swatted the arm of Chad, whose hand was still resting on his shoulder. In a whirlwind of fury, Jay went off.

“What’s wrong with you guys?! Are you messed up in the head?! What have I ever done to you? You guys don’t even know me, you waltz up to me thinking you’re the shit, which by the way, you’re not, and make up these fake things to say—and I’m gonna say it, I’m super hooped! I don’t even live in a landfill, it’s a scrapyard! And I know that that doesn’t make much difference to bozos like you, but what other kid can find a military fighter jet in their backyard, huh? Huh?! I bet—argh! I bet the only reason you come picking fights at school is because you’ve got nothing underneath that overworked muscle!”

Damn. Jay curses to himself. All his blood rushed to his face in embarrassment

The Secret Ninja Force teammates were used to his ramblings, but he avoided long tangents like that at school. Especially angry ones. Fits of anger where Red’s thing, Jay usually laughed stuff off, or plain ignored it—but not today apparently. Now he looks totally neurotic and insane.

But as his brain told him to stop, his mouth kept going.

“Oh, and by the way? I bet I could kick your ass all over this course!” Jay finished, breathing heavily. Now he had everyone’s attention (excluding his Sensei, who was in his own little world).

The silence was palpable, and Chad was dumbfounded. Jay could see the gears turning in Chad's mind trying to process his rant.

The only person to break the silence was another classmate who let out a whistle. It was one of the other students that wasn’t on the soccer team, who usually wore headphones or earbuds around school.

He gave off the impression of a delinquent, but was just a person that kept to themselves. Jay didn’t know or care why. Despite the very intimidating atmosphere the male gives off, the boy usually leaves Jay alone. I guess I was loud enough for the guy to take off his headphones for once, Jay thought, who was often habitually distracted by elements in his environment.

At last, Chad regained his poise and retorted, “Oh yeah? Pffft, I’d like to see you try, nerd.” Jay heard a resounding ‘ooh’ from the soccer team.

“Fine!”

“Fine!”

The two teens pushed past the line, both approaching the course, “I'll go first,” Chad said, clearly boasting, “don’t get cold feet.”, he warned.

“I won’t.” The ninja answered.

Then Chad bolted off onto the course. As the crowd of teens stood around to watch Chad, Jay mentally prepared to do the one thing he never did as ‘Jay Walker’: show off.

But was he really ready to do this? Did he have a choice? Backing down would double the teasing. Not showing up Chad would also tolerate his use of Nya to insult him–something he did not approve of. The risk versus reward was clear. Besides, what are the chances someone could link this back to the Blue ninja? Or that they’d be suspicious of me? Jay justified. Unlike the reasoning to himself in the past about remaining covert, Jay was now trying to soften the blow about what he was doing now.

It’ll be fine. Anyways, these insults have gone on long enough. One must protect their honour. And the good name of Nya.

While trapped in his train of thought, Chad was already half done the course. Although Chad was athletic, he was too muscular. Having done similar exercises as a ninja, Jay could spot all the lacking skills Chad had. He did not have the tact needed to complete the course with ease. That was because the course needed more than brute force, it required agility and of course speed. Luckily, those were two skills Jay had.

“Two minutes and five seconds.” One of the teenagers said, who was timing the trials. Not bad. That was only fifty-five seconds less than the time limit. Apparently classmates would complete with only twenty remaining seconds. Even so, Jay knew he could toast that time.

Am I really going to do this? Jay panicked internally, but his thoughts were cut off as he was nudged to the front of the group of boys. The one student with a whistle signalled him to start. I guess I am.

Cole wasn’t a very social guy. Due to his… predicament… he couldn’t really afford to be either. But instead of just living quietly and hoping people don’t come up to him, he really goes the extra mile.

To best avoid talking to other people, he usually wore big headphones that blared music. It was the best way to tell people to back off, followed by his off-putting demeanour.

Because of that, people distanced themselves from him. And he did just the same.

At school, he never really paid attention to anything. He never engaged with anyone unless forced to, and even then it was pretty limited. At some point it stopped being an act and became his genuine attitude.

He was still smart enough to follow the material and do well on tests, so the teachers usually left him alone. Otherwise Cole never talked… to anyone. He couldn’t even recognize any student's face—it was all a blur to him. He was truly a lone wolf.

Of course his time as a ninja being a powerful exception.

But today, even with one foot out of reality, the meek kid in his gym class pulled him in. The guy was only a few guys behind him in the line. It started when he heard loud talking over his music. In annoyance, Cole pulled the headphones off to listen.

It was a classic jock stereotype, the brawny guy going after the littler one. It was totally lame, Cole debated standing up for him. No matter where he was and what he was doing, he made a promise to always stand up to those who were cruel and unjust. Like how he helped Lloyd in the shadows at school. And this applied here. Cole prepped himself to head over and add his two cents. Before a peculiar thing happened.

Without warning, the dude he was about to defend  was going off on that soccer guy, it sounded pretty intense.

“Oh, and by the way? I bet I could kick your ass all over this course!” Wait, what? How could the normal looking dude take on the actual sports guy? Without thinking, Cole let out a whistle, momentarily catching the boy's attention.

The Black ninja shook it off, more enticed to see what would happen next. Before he knew it, the bigger guy had completed the course. Now it was the shorter guys turn, this was looking to be interesting.

Jay raced off, the blowing of the whistle completely changed his demeanour. He was serious, like, ninja serious. He practically leaped over the rock wall. He landed with a roll akin to jumping between rooftops as a ninja.

Even though he didn’t want to distract himself, he knew that the others in class (and probably Sensei Dareth) were in awe. Through sheer instinct, Jay swung across the monkey bars smoothly. With perfect balance, he darted across the three gymnastics beams set up in a row. Jay’s heart beat wasn’t even that elevated.

This sort of activity was barely a warm up.

Next up were tens of tires laid out flat, to which Jay quickly ran through. Jabbing his legs into each of the tire holes with grace and accuracy. The second last obstacle looked like the hardest part. They were three tractor tires hung up in a row dangling at about chest height.

While most boys (or normal people) would take to crawling or jumping through each at a time, like hurdles on a track field, he took a novel approach because Jay Walker was not most boys.

He was so hyped up to show off his ninjitsu, he made a mistake. Raw adrenaline was talking, not his logic. In hindsight, this was a stupid idea, but in the moment, he’d never felt cooler.

Jay took to the tires with a running start, and did a horizontal jump through all three tires at one—spinning mid air while doing so. He caught himself on the mattresses placed below and attacked the rope.

Hauling his body up the rope with only his arms, he reached the target near the top of the ceiling. He skidded down the rope (relying on his feet so as to not burn his hands) and jumped down.

One minute, thirty-eight seconds.” That same teenager said. There was a flurry of whispering around the gymnasium. Even Sensei Dareth was watching him now.

All the eyes in the room were drawn to Jay. The guy just demolished the training course and seemed undeterred. If anything, he had a razor sharp look on his face. The sheer physical activity he just endured without even breaking a sweat? It was suspicious. It was impressive, but it was suspicious.

Kai always tried to remember everyone in his grade, and Jay was mostly known for his neuroticism, shyness, nervousness, and tinkering with inventions. It surprised him that he was even challenging Chad at all( but of course, Kai ended up being clueless to Chad’s endless teasing of Jay). Macho competitions like this weren't up his alley at all.

Kai cared more about sports and of course being a ninja. Which was why he never really bothered interacting with the boy. If anything, Jay would probably get along better with his sister.

But today he caught Kai’s eye. Especially the part where Jay did that arial spin through those hanging tires. Kai wasn't sure if anyone else paid attention to it–because it happened so quickly–-but his form was near perfect. Only two kinds of people can do that. Him, of course, and gymnasts. And Kai was sure Jay was neither of those two.

Furthermore, the movements he demonstrated also paralleled something else. Something familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it. Could he be a ninja? It didn’t seem likely. The Red Ninja couldn't imagine any of the ninja being so quiet.

But who else could do that? Kai vouched to ask Jay how he did that stuff just in case.

Jay smiled to himself. That would show ‘em. Chad and those bullies were absolutely flabbergasted. Jay basked delightedly at how each of the boys legitimately had their jaws dropped.

While Jay stood clear of the crowd, he scanned his other classmates–most with similar looks on their faces. But while distracted, one of Chad’s lackeys took to throwing a dodgeball at his head from the side. Without thinking, Jay tilted his head just enough to avoid a painful blow.

Impressing the others yet again. Jay just smiled at the rest of his classmates and shrugged it off. Chad and the two goonies mumbled something unintelligible before retreating into the changerooms. They were defeated. But the other teenagers soon began crowding him, all impressed by his skills.

To be honest? It felt really good to be recognized so positively like this. Out on the town as the Blue ninja, the only compliments he would receive were from his bros, but those moments were rarer because they spend a lot of their time together getting shot at.

This is a nice change of pace. It’s absolutely refreshing being recognized like this. Jay thought. But of course, he jinxed himself.

A voice he couldn’t pinpoint asked him, “Where did you learn to do that stuff?”.

"That was so cool! Lemme in on how ya' did it!"

"Me too!"

“Yeah man, you were like, like a ninja…” Kai half-mumbled.

Jay hadn’t even thought of an excuse. I’m so screwed! He groaned internally.

Of course, ten-minutes-ago-Jay was right! He should have been more careful to not show off! It was nice defending himself, but now look at the mess he’s in!

Jay just had to rely on the first thing that came into his head.

“Eheheh, I—I used to take a martial arts class. But at some local community centre. I think it was by Laughies Karaoke Bar. And, uh, at the junkyard, I gotta carry heavy things. So like, I’m pretty strong.”

“That still doesn’t explain how fast you were. And the stuff with the tires.” Someone said.

“At the junkyard, full of scrap metal by the way–not garbage–we have these overarching scrap piles that are pretty dangerous.”

“So?” Someone on the soccer team interrupted.

“Well, and um, if anything goes wrong, I’ve-um I need to be agile and stuff. Yeah… And my dad taught me that when I was pretty young…So that’s my secret?” He chuckled, hoping to the FSM that it was believable. Most of the class was happy with that answer, while a couple still looked unconvinced.

Before another onslaught of questions and comments started, Jay decided to defuse the situation with care.

“Ah haha! Would ya look at the time!” Jay announced, looking at the imaginary watch on his wrist, he didn't even bother acknowledging that there were still fifteen minutes left in class, “The period is almost over! I’ve gotta go change!”.

Then he raced off, leaving behind a bewildered and confused class.

Smooth Jay. Smooth.

Cole and Kai both watched Jay escape. Both being very perplexed. His answer didn’t sound very reassuring, but that also didn’t point to any specific conclusion. It was evident that his coordination is similar to a ninja’s, and perhaps the agility and flips could be explained with ninjutsu, but other answers could explain his abilities too.

What Jay failed to explain was the instance where one of the boys hurled a dodgeball at his head from the side. The teen evaded it like he had eyes at the back of his head.

Very peculiar.

But Cole and Kai didn’t know how to approach Jay for more answers (Cole not even wanting to interact with others at all). It was frustrating. They couldn’t rule Jay out, nor develop a sure answer.

All the same, the two would keep an eye on him.

Throughout that week things were pretty sweet. Whenever Jay would walk around kids would whisper about how he showed up Chad.

It seemed like his actions in general had a net positive effect on the school—everyone just seemed happier. Jay was even approached by some geeks who thanked him for standing up to Chad.

Speaking of whom: another perk he discovered was that Chad and others who previously gave him trouble also found some admiration in his skills. He could feel their eyes ogling at him during gym.

On top of those sets of eyeballs Jay could also feel the attention of his entire class eagerly waiting for him to do something cool again. But the Blue Ninja didn’t need to show off more than he already did.

Jay also received a lot more praise and compliments. It was a huge ego boost—and one Jay really needed.

But that wasn’t the best thing yet.

He even spotted Nya talking about him in passing (which was probably the best moment of his life). She knew his name. That already made his heart skip a beat. But it gets even better. She knew about him being awesome! He’s sure he made a great first impression. Although he couldn’t work up the courage to approach her yet.

But the pieces were smoothly falling into place. The benefits were great. And he narrowly avoided suspicion on any secret identity (that he was aware of). Things were finally looking up for this spark plug. And happily, they get even better.

Chapter Text

It was a couple weeks after Lloyd Garmadon was revealed to be their brother Green. While Zane was neutral on Garmadon’s son before, now he found himself keeping a watchful eye on his young leader.

Whenever possible, he would shut down any negative conversation surrounding Lloyd, insisting that such topics were juvenile and unimportant. Which was easy to do as part of the Student Council.

Zane would also take a peek at his homework from time to time during study hall. Seizing the opportunity to look over Lloyd’s work while he left to go to the bathroom or fell asleep. During those cases, he would leave Lloyd little sticky notes on what questions were incorrect and how to improve.

Today in study hall, Zane left another one of his notes while Lloyd left his table. He could see that Lloyd was improving in school. At the very least he was understanding the material. Maybe even thanks to him.

Zane narrowly avoided being caught, turning the corner just as Lloyd entered into view. He watched in his peripheral vision at Lloyd looking around for the note-leaving culprit. A small grin formed on his face. These little endeavours were usually the highlight of his day.

But other than the weekly game of helping his leader, he never ventured closer to Green.

Zane refused to interact more with the boy than he had already. Primarily because he was afraid of messing it up somehow. He had thought of countless scenarios where that was true. The only real interaction they’ve had as civilians was that one incident where he walked up and brutally told him an answer was wrong.

Acting in this way simply made sense. Zane was never very good at reading expressions or sensing the mood, but even he knew that that was awkward. Never again. Zane vowed to himself.

With the sticky note activity though? So far, he hadn’t been caught.

It was quite amusing at how wary Lloyd was each time Zane left him advice. Zane had never been one for games, but it was always different with the members of the Secret Ninja Force.

Speaking of, Zane had noticed a sharp incline in the team’s paranoia about secret identities. Lloyd always tries to gouge out information about their lives now—and the others were walking on metaphorical eggshells (Zane was proud that his ‘expressions’ catalogue expanded).

Other than avoiding an awkward situation, Zane wanted to limit engaging with Lloyd not to preserve his social status at school, but to protect his own secret identity.

Though he’s sure that he doesn’t have as much at stake as his friends.

Unlike his teammates, who all surely had family, he had no one. Out of the entire team, he had the least motivation to uphold his masked persona.

Zane just figured that maintaining a secret identity was just easier. Dealing with others knowing who he is would surely be a hassle like Sensei warned, and so he was never fond of entertaining the idea of being revealed.

And so his comfortable, and maybe a little lonely, lifestyle continued. Uninterrupted. But it would not remain that way.

Zane had just returned home from another day of school. No family was there to greet him.

For as long as Zane could remember, he had no family. He couldn’t remember any siblings or mother. But he was sure he had a father. A man who left a couple years ago that he couldn’t quite seem to remember. There were fuzzy moments, but he couldn’t picture a face or a distinct memory the two of them shared.

In fact, his head hurt whenever he tried dwelling on his memories. Of course, he knew his father existed, because he wasn’t paying for rent himself.

His house was a luxurious two bedroom apartment with large windows overseeing the city. It was uptown in a nicer part of Ninjago and the apartment complex had its own pool (where Zane would practice holding his breath). The grey and white furniture popped out against the authentic birch wood floor. All in all, it was pretty high class. Even he had to say, he was the literal definition of a ‘rich kid’, which Black had once described.

No way could this be afforded by a teenager. It was all prepaid for the next five years by his mystery father. Along with enough money to survive on his own.

A few times, Zane tried to pry out information about who his father was, and why he left. But he always found himself at a dead end.

It was as if someone perfectly covered any trace of his father. Be it digitally or personally. There was no memorabilia between the two of them. And asking about his father to the apartment complex manager yielded no results. He couldn't even scrounge up any legal documentation he may have left behind. It was like he never existed.

And knowing that, gave him a melancholic feeling.

Zane sighed to himself, tomorrow was the weekend. Other than a mission Blue and Green were currently preparing for on Sunday, he had no plans.

Even though Zane did have a fairly large social group, they were all very serious academics. They would only hang out at school, and even then, they would study with little conversation. Although Zane appreciated their company, he always sought out for more animated friends as a civilian.

He wanted the social bonding his brothers gave him—without the world on the line. Perhaps that’s for the better, Zane thought, I was never really good at social interaction anyways.

Zane set down his bag and made himself a small bowl of violet berry soup.

Cooking was just another skill he never remembered learning. But he let that thought go. No point trying to reminisce on memories that didn’t exist right?

He also made a meal for his cat, Shard. Despite the cat’s long pitch black fur (which he always struggled to remove from his white gi) the pet had piercing blue eyes. Reminding him of luminescent ice.

But along with his other memories, Zane could not pinpoint when he first got the pet. His companion was simply always with him. But it didn't matter.

“Just you and me again, huh Shard?” he said while taking a sip of soup.

After completing his homework, he trained his fighting techniques. With soundproof walls and no one living with him, getting the extra practice was easy. He never needed to hide anything. In fact, he often tempted fate. He usually kept his shuriken on the kitchen island and his gi draped over his bedside table.

When nine o’clock arrived, he went to bed. With his cat purring on his lap, he stared up at his bedroom ceiling. He just had one full day before he saw his brothers again for a mission. Now how to pass the time between tomorrow and Sunday, he thought to himself, before slipping into a peaceful sleep.

Zane arrived at the Bounty headquarters that Sunday evening. According to Wu, the ship received a radio transmission a few days ago about a scientist captive of Garmadon. His name was Doctor Julien and he was captured by the Dark Lord a few months earlier. It took a few days (sped up with Blue) to figure out where the signal was coming from, but they pinpointed his location to an island off-coast of the city.

As planned, they were ready for the rescue mission. But perhaps with the extra scare of secret identities, Black and Red were still particularly wary.

“How do we know it isn’t a trap to lure us in? How did the guy get a full radio as a prisoner?” Red asked.

“That information is unknown.” Zane answered.

“It still seems pretty sketchy,” Black added.

“Mhm. Can’t we just ask him that sort of stuff?”

“Unfortunately no. I tried reaching back out but there was no response. The doctor seems to only be able to output signals.”

“So, we’re basically going in blind.” Black deadpanned.

“I guess so? Green and I searched the web and couldn't find any trace of an inventor named Julien.”

“So either this guy was scrubbed clean off the face of Ninjago or, more realistically speaking, it's a trap.” Red huffed.

“Even if it is a trap,” Lloyd said, “On the slimmest chance there is a doctor on some remote island, we’re going to look. We will always help those in need.”

“I guess so.”

“Besides, Sensei Wu wouldn't be happy if he came back and found out we wimped out.”

“We need to protect those who cannot protect themselves.” This was White’s signature saying. He’s pretty sure he coined it himself, he usually repeated it before any high risk mission.

“Fine. We all know that, it just kind of sucks. And when it is a trap, Black and I are going to give you guys the loudest ‘I told you so’ ever.” Red crossed his arms and lightly kicked the ground.

“For the record?” Black added, “I don’t associate with Red right now.”

“Hey! I thought we were a team!”

Black just shrugged playfully.

“Yeah yeah, let’s just do this as fast as possible okay, tomorrow is a school day.” Blue complained.

“Speaking of school, what school do you go to?” Lloyd asked, leaning towards Blue. The hopeful glint in his eye was scrubbed away as Black and Red met him with a grunt and an eye roll.

The team then went over their plan of infiltration. Thankfully they had drone coverage of the island, courtesy of Blue and yours truly making said drone. Now they had an idea of what they may be getting into.

To cover the most ground in a small amount of time, they would split up into smaller groups to search for the captive once inside the base (which at a bird’s eye view was tiny). If there was ever any trouble, the intercoms were always reliable.

After his team nodded in affirmation, they began gearing up weapons for the stealth mission. Zane noticed that the Sun was a few hours from setting, “I sense that if we set sail now, we will arrive at the island just after nightfall.”

“That would give us the best advantage.” Black noted.

“Then let’s head off.” Lloyd said. As each of the ninja went to handle the ship.

They arrived at the island an hour later. They all gazed up at the unfamiliar land (except Black, who felt rather sea sick).

This place was one of many unnamed islands that speckled the sea around Ninjago. The island they were visiting in particular ended up being quite small.

It wasn’t as menacing as he would have thought it would be either, even in the dark. It was mostly just beach and jungle to be frank. It was also quite flat. Thanks to the drone though, the Secret Ninja Force knew that the radio transmission came from the building in the middle of the island.

Not that there were any other buildings on the island though. But overpreperation was a good thing.

They began their long hike. It was easy to remain undetected, as the thick jungle provided lots of darker shadows to hide in. After some while, they arrived at the base. It was a plain grey concrete building, and only had two floors.

The others looked a bit dejected. The super secret Garmadon base was immensely underwhelming. It didn’t even look like a base, no secret hints of being a base at all. It was just some decrepit abandoned building.

Time had ravaged it. To prove his point, the windows were gaping holes in the walls. The cement was riddled with cracks and overgrown vines. There were also rust stains smeared everywhere.

Of course Blue, the most neurotic ninja, freaked out and panicked. “Oh my goodness, it totally was a trap! This was all just a wild goose chase! Garmadon probably sent this as a diversion to leave Ninjago City unguarded! Sensei Wu is the only one protecting the city. Let’s go back!!!”

“I told you so!”

Red’s victory was short-lived as Black nudged his arm, “Even though we were probably right, we haven’t run into a booby trap or an ambush yet. Just to be safe, let’s check it out first, the lame appearance may be a ruse.”

“Fine, but it’s still a win-win. Either I was right and we fight? Or there is a base and we fight.” Red cracked his knuckles, “I was hoping to practise some new spinjitzu moves tonight.”

After scoping out the interior of the building, Black was right. They came across an elevator. It was more high-tech than the rest of the building (albeit still shabby). Its presence was extremely suspicious. After concluding there was no other way down, they all entered the elevator and descended.

The prison basement was very modern compared to the shack above. It had a very technological atmosphere with concrete smooth floors and upkept walls. There were three divided halls from the main portion of the prison, each likely holding prisoners. Though today they were only after one high-value target.

Knocking out a few guards that monitored the prison area the ninja could set out a plan to find the target. Then they all split up to search. Black and Blue went together as a duo, and Red and Green too. The only one left without a partner was the Master of Ice.

As Zane hid in whatever shadow was available, he was at ease with the pitiful security. Even in stark white, contrasting the floor and walls, he still went completely undetected.

The ample amount of clutter and beams allowed that, with Zane knew was not kosher for efficient prison operation. Besides, there was an abysmal amount of guards and poorly placed security cameras.

It was obviously a difficult place to break out of, but laughably easy to infiltrate. Zane sensed that this place wasn’t in full operation. It didn’t feel run down, but lacked the amount of prisoners needed to require more defences. Seeing as the majority of cells in the hallway he was searching were open and empty. Maybe only certain prisoners were kept here.

As he neared the end of the zig-zagging hall, he hadn’t encountered any living person other than some guards. That was, until he heard a soft snore in the final room. Before relaying back to his brothers, he opened the slot that showed the prisoner.

From his analysis, it was the doctor. The older gentleman who was curled up in a ball on a single bed. Clutched to his chest was a janky piece of machinery out of scrap parts—what he assumed must be the makeshift radio he used to call for help.

Once the target was identified, Zane moved onto the next phase of the breakout.

“I found him, let’s meet back up at the front entrance, I’ll be coming soon.”

“Okay, be careful White. Don’t let your guard down.” Green said.

“Any idea how to get him out without anyone noticing?” Red asked.

“Not yet, but I’ll figure it out..”

“Sounds like a plan. Me and the others will see if we can find anything else of importance.”

With that, Zane started to analyze the door, trying to figure out how he could break into the room with minimal noise. 

There were no key pads, just a thick métal door held closed by a chunky lock. Very rudimentary, but tough nonetheless. 

Busting through the door would be a big no no. The best solution was to freeze the lock till it was brittle enough to break with his hands. And that’s exactly what the Master of Ice did. After the lock crumbled to the floor, he snuck inside the room. To his horror, there were dozens of notches on the walls. The poor scientist must have been trapped in this fetched room for a very long time. The space was claustrophobic. It was also very cluttered, dusty, and poorly maintained. There were spare parts lying around. It seemed that the guards didn’t check up on the prisoners often—what negligence. But it eventually worked in Zane’s favour, so it all panned out.

Zane approached the sleeping figure. With a swift gesture, he roused the old man. Before he could shout in surprise, Zane covered the doctor’s mouth to cover the noise.

“Mmph!” The doctor muffled with a startle, his wrinkled eyes darting around before landing on him. Zane smiled through his mask before removing his hand and giving a bow.

“Doctor Julien? It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am White, a part of the Secret Ninja Force. Are you injured anywhere?” 

The doctor looked shocked. The elder probably didn’t have any hope that anyone would have attempted to rescue him. The old man reached up to cup Zane’s cheek. While the sudden contact would make anyone feel uncomfortable, Zane was oddly at ease.

“Is it really you?”

“Yes, are you injured anywhere?” Zane asked again. The doctor realised he was asked a question and hastily replied, “No, no. Let’s get out of here. I’m so glad you’ve gotten my message, I wasn’t sure anyone was on the other side.” 

He helped the doctor stand up, and they walked out of the cell at a rushed pace (but still slow enough so the doctor could keep up).

“I’m glad it’s you who came.” The old man said, giving a soft smile.

“Why would you say that?” He’s never met the man before, why the weird comment?

“Ah, no reason, the White Ninja is just my favourite.”

“Glad to know I’m popular then.” Zane offered a smile.

Doctor Julien gave a chuckle which transformed into a dry cough. 

Their little moment was cut short when the alarms of the prison blared. Suddenly, the dull concrete walls were doused in a bright red. 

“Crap! We’ve been made! Red totally got us caught!” Lloyd said through the intercoms.

“Hey! That guy was asking for it!”

“Let’s all meet at the elevator and bust outta here, White do you have the doctor?” Lloyd asked breathily. Zane could hear Red complaining even through Lloyd’s earpiece.  

“I do.” Zane answered. “Luckily with no injuries either.”

“Thank FSM. Let’s rendezvous, comm if there’s any trouble.”

Now they really were in a rush. Zane picked up the doctor bridle style and ran through the halls to reach the elevator. The doctor is much too light to be healthy, White thought, but he’ll have to deal with the doctor's health problems later. There were tens of guards in his way. Each holding blunt force weapons—some even handling guns! 

Where were they hiding? Zane had to ask.

With the doctor as a priority, Zane inhibited the guards using his legs and spinjitzu. Subduing many of the guards without lethal force. He darted through the halls. At one point by sheer instinct, he simply found himself head butting through the people. It was a move he never knew could work so well.

A few minutes later, the two arrived at the elevator. Setting down the doctor, he took a moment to pant with his hands on his knees. Standing among around forty unconscious bodies were his brothers. 

“Looks like we missed most of the action…” Zane announced. 

“Don’t worry, we could handle it.”

“You we’re doing the important part.”

“I did want a fight…” their voices overlapped.

“Thank you for saving me!” The doctor told them all. He took a moment to shake each of their hands. And have Zane a hug. His face beaming with joy.

“We’re just doing our duty.” Lloyd said bashfully.

Black gave a thumbs up while Red did a little salute.

“Nice to meet you Doctor. And good job White!” Blue shouted.

Most of their group turned their heads to the sound of approaching footsteps. 

“That sounds like about twenty.”

“Fight?” Red asked eagerly. 

“Run.” Lloyd made the most logical choice. With the doctor in mind, it would be ignorant fighting a new patch of villains. 

“Let’s blow this popsicle stand!” Zane responded enthusiastically, earning a laugh from the others. They all crammed into the elevator and went directly back to Destiny's Bounty.

Once on their ship the other ninja were sailing the ship back to Ninjago City, while Zane and the Doctor were in the medical bay.

“Here,” he said, handing the doctor a sports drink and granola bars, “we don’t have much on hand, but you should replenish your fluids and fill your stomach.” 

“Thank you, you’re a much better host than those guards. A measly daily meal at most with them.”

“That’s…very unnerving. I’ll have to recommend you lay low for now and focus on gaining back a healthy weight from the poor meal system of the prison. You look much too frail right now.”

“Yes… thank you.” The man looked around nervously. Clearly tonight's events shook him.

“But it’s over now, and you’ll never have to go back. I just want you to recover.” Zane reassured him, he took a seat in front of the bed where the doctor sat nursing his drink, “I can go try to make some food if you’d like? I’m labelled as the group’s designated chef.”

The doctor brushed him off, “I may look feeble, but I’m alright right now.” 

“If you say so. I just have a question, what was the reason Garmadon kidnapped you? You were the only person we had found in the prison. Why so many guards for one inventor?” Zane leaned forward in his chair. He sensed that the doctor was some kind of super-genius.

The doctor stared at him for a long moment, before looking down at his chapped hands, “There were other prisoners like me once. Who had brilliant ideas that would better mankind. I was good friends with a few of them. But as time went by, they either broke down and yielded to that horrid Garmadon or…perished. I was the last one left. What I had to offer to him was too great, too powerful–and that was why he kept me alive for so long.”

“May I inquire about what you mean?”

Doctor Julien sighed and shook his head.

“He wanted me to build an army for him… A dreadful robot army. Sentient mechanical life capable of adapting to its environment, each with an unlimited power source. And with the ability to blend seamlessly with civilian life. When I refused, he threw me away in that prison, but I have no regrets.”

That was a surprising response, a robot army? Fully automated unfeeling force with infinite power? Zane felt lucky nothing like that existed today— such a dangerous endeavour would only be used for evil. The power to blend into normal life would only be used as a tool for a destructive attack. 

Zane gave a hefty chuckle, even though his sense of humour hadn't evolved, this was funny. “Then it’s a good thing that’s impossible. Lord Garmadon is losing his mind with how long he’s been alive, nothing like that does or can exist.”

“...yes, impossible.”

Zane relaxed into the back of the chair and gazed at the doctor. The look in his eyes caught him off guard. Was it heartbreak? Guilt? He did not know.

“I have something to ask, dear boy.” Zane was now upright in his seat, “Do you remember me?”

“Should I?” The teen tilted his head to the side.

There was a pause, “I guess not, I suppose I did too good a job then.”

Too good a job? What could that even mean, who was this man really? Was he connected to him? Could the man be affiliated with his mysterious father? The vagueness of that statement sent thousands of possibilities rushing into his mind. 

That remark produced even more questions than it answered, he thought.

“Did I ever save you at some point?” Zane threw out, hoping to get an answer.

“In a way, you did.” Now Zane was even more confused. He holds no recollection of this person from before today. But the Master of Ice seemed important to him. Maybe if the doctor provided context on how or when they met, he could remember the old gentleman.

“Then care to elaborate?”

“It’s a little hard. It’s been so long and I was in such a dark, lonely place. I get choked up thinking about it too long…and I never really expected to see you again, even with my radio message.” The man’s eyes travelled around the room, “But I want you to know this at least… I’d do anything for you Zane.”

Zane could feel his eyes bulge out of their sockets. His eyes hardened at the person before him and his breath halted. He never cussed like some of the other ninja but… what the hell. 

“How do you know my name?” He said in a serious tone. It was deeper and more gravely than his usually light and soft speech. Knowing of the White Ninja was fine. He was a pretty well known figure in Ninjago City. But Doctor Julien already knew the teenager behind the vigilante. Zane could feel the copious amount of tension in his shoulders as the room filled with silence.

The doctor squirmed under the attention, but continued to speak, “Please don’t stress yourself. It’s all okay, great even! I’ve been a part of your life for a very long time Zane. And although I had to leave a few years ago—it was only to protect you… I’m your father.”

Zane felt like crying. The man before him was his father? He couldn’t believe it. His mind strained to find any memory of Dr. Juliens face, but still came up short. The throbbing pain in his head returned too. But the doctor recognized him as Zane, and knew White was Zane. The doctor was likely telling the truth.

“Then,” Zane tried to choose the correct words, ”why don’t I remember you?”

“Because I flipped your memory switch.” 

Was this man delusional? Perhaps the traumatising imprisonment made the elder a bit–as the others would call it–nuts. A memory switch makes no sense, he isn’t a circuit board, he is a human being. Of that he was 100% positive. 

“Sorry to disillusion you, but I’m not some robo—Hey!“ the man reached up and fiddled with his chest. Zane stopped mid-protest. Before his hand could swat the doctor away, something illogical happened. His chest opened up to reveal the cogs and gears turning and whirring inside his body.

Zane’s hands found themselves clutching his mouth. His heart felt wrong. He felt foreign in his own body. 

“...it can’t be. That’s impossible. I'm… an Android?” Quiet tears began streaming down his face. His mind was running a mile a minute. But this revelation boiled down to a few key thoughts: What was reality anymore? Was he even real? His entire life had been a lie? The doctor knelt down in front of him to comfort his son (an odd concept Zane had yet to accept). He was stroking his head and consoling him. There was a sense of familiarity with the touch. But despite the calming gesture, his tactile senses were all screwed up. He felt hyper aware and numb at the same time.

“Yes Zane, you are the first mechanical being in history.”

Zane’s breathing faltered, it couldn’t be true, “Liar!” He pushed off the elder. A bit too hard he realised as the old man fell back onto the bed. 

“No Zane, I’m telling the truth. I would never lie to you.”

“You just when we rescued you from Garmadon’s prison. You pretended that you did not know who I was.”

“That is true. Yes. But, this is different, I promise! I implore you, calm down and I can explain.” The man reached his hand up defensively. Zane did not realise he was standing over the smaller man. But he promptly took a step back. 

Then, why do I bleed? And why do I heal?” Zane questioned, clenching both his hands into tight fists.

“Have you ever been injured past a surface wound?”

Zane simply looked away. He could not remember such a thing.

“I mimicked the human body, and gave you fake blood. I wanted you to be as close to humankind as possible. The reason you heal is a chemical solvent that rebinds synthetic skin. I know, it really sounds like magic doesn’t it?” The doctor didn’t stop speaking, tears welling up in his eyes,

“I lived with you for the longest time. You were like the son I never had. But when Lord Garmadon caught wind of sentient robot life, I had to leave you behind. To protect you.”

All Zane could give was a curt nod to indicate that he was listening. His mind still running through his many frazzled thoughts.

“I love you Zane. And I wanted you to be happy. To start your next stage in life, I wanted you to have a clean slate. To do that, well, I—I had to erase your memory. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, making you forget me. But I thought it was the right choice. Now, I am not so sure.” 

Zane gave a gesture for the man to continue.

After I had left, I went into hiding and watched over you secretly. When I had built you, it was to protect others who could not protect themselves— I never imagined that you would use your elemental power to fight evil literally. But I’m proud of you.”

All Zane could do was stare at his chest. He was the first, and only mechanical life on the planet. He felt more ostracised than he ever did before. He could live with being a bit strange at times, but now, he wasn’t even human . Zane was the robot life Lord Garmadon wanted his hands on, and he felt somehow violated because of that fact. A shaky hand reached down towards the switch labelled memory. 

“Do you want to regain what you’ve lost?” 

“I feel like I’ll die if I don’t know.” Zane answered, voice just above a whisper. 

“Alright, try not to be too overwhelmed.”

That was terrible advice. Doctor Julien flipped the switch. A flurry of memories came to the forefront of his mind. All his body could do in response was go lax and look up at the ship ceiling.

The oldest memory he could recall played out in his mind.

“Hello Zane, my name is Doctor Julien, but you can just call me…dad.” The younger man said, “I built you.”

Unlike the greying man he had met hours earlier, this version had a young face, strong hands and a full head of brown hair. 

Without any control, Zane’s body moved. He faced a mirror, trying to keep himself steady on his dad’s forearm. He looked young, stumbling like a fawn who just got her new legs. Was he ever able to be so poetic?

Zane could see himself playing with toys, building small inventions, and enjoying the domestic life with his father in their apartment. It was the one he had always lived in. The one he always remembered. He reminisced on a very fond memory he just recovered. 

His father came home with three grocery bags of ingredients.

“Today I’ll be teaching you to make violet berry soup—your favourite dish!”

They spent that evening learning how to make the food, and of course, Zane was a natural born chef.

Zane found himself walking with his father outside, practising acting like a human—when he reached a large building. It had kids that looked similar to him rushing out of the doors. The Android gripped the fence that faced the building.

“Father, what is that?” He asked with his mouth gaping in awe.

"That, my dear boy, is called a school. It is a place of learning and opportunity.”

The teenager looked up at him, eyes pleading, “When I get good enough at being human, can I go?”

The doctor huffed in amusement, patting Zane’s head like he always did, “Of course dear boy, I’ll do whatever makes you happy.”

“Father?” Zane asked, “what powers me?”

This took place at some unknown time, but when his father was quite a bit older. They were sitting at the dining table next to the kitchen. 

His father’s head perked up from his work and placed his hand on the android's chest, letting out a smile, “A very special piece of machinery. I made this heart to build you.”

Satisfied with the answer, the boy hugged his dad.

Zane had come back inside after exploring the ins and outs of the city. His hair was soaking wet and his clothes clung to his skin.

“Father?” He called from the entranceway.

His father walked in from another room with a towel. 

“Welcome back son, I suppose neither of us knew it would start pouring when you went out huh?”

“I think my weather analysis program needs to be updated.” 

“I’ll get to it tomorrow. But…what’s in the box?”

Zane glanced around a bit nervously and shifted from one foot to another. 

“I found him outside.”

The Android opened the box to reveal a shivering black kitten about the size of his palm. It was quietly mewing and held its eyes tightly shut.

“He looked cold…so I brought him inside. Could he, stay with us maybe? At least till he warms up. I’ll take good care of him!”

Zane pet the cat. His father looked softly back at him and wrapped the cat in the blanket he was holding. 

“Of course, son. We can go shopping for him tomorrow. Besides, every boy needs a pet.”

The two were sitting at the island in the kitchen, eating dinner atop the white marble surface. His father cleared his throat and asked, “Do you remember the man we met last week? With blue eyes and white beard?”

“Of course I remember father! My memory database is fully operational. He was crouched outside our apartment, clearly shaken from something. Then we allowed him to stay with us for the night. What about him?” 

“He seemed very fascinated with you. For good reason of course.”

“Do you think he suspected that I was an Android?” Zane asked with a bit of fright.

“No no, nothing like that. At least I don’t think. He wants to give you a special gift, a very special gift I must say. When he visited, he saw something in you, and wanted you to inherit his power, the element of ice.”

“That would be alright,” Zane said, “but my logic parameters do not allow me to understand the full extent of ‘elemental powers’. The most I understand in my history database is a vague familiarity with the First Spinjitzu Master from mythical lore. Beyond that, I have no recollection of what elemental powers could entail.”

“To be honest, neither do I.”

“Will you help me learn?”

His father gave a big laugh, “I was never aware of these universal forces before. Always assumed they were a bunch of baloney. But now I’ve seen the truth. So if you’re willing to dawn the mantle of being an ice elemental. Well— I guess we’ll learn on the fly together then.”

Then, after the barrage of information, Zane arrived at the most recent memory with his father. It played on loop in his head for what felt like forever. 

His father came home with all the equipment from his lab. Computer wires were near dragging on the floor as he burst into the apartment, “Zane!” he cried. The current Master of Ice jumped up from his seat on the couch, “What is it father? Is something wrong?”

"Yes, it is. Bad people are after me, after you. We—,” there was a brief pause, “I need to escape.”

In a surge of panic Zane was searching his database for hidden areas to stay secure, “There’s a warehouse outside the city that is livable, we should go there now—“

A hug cut him off. “Thank you son. But it’s too dangerous to stay with me. I—I want you to be happy…”

“I—I don’t understand.” Zane was about to protest before his father cut him off.

”And the only reason I’m about to do this, is… is because I love you.”

And then everything went blank.

The siege of information was over, and Zane could feel a single tear on his cheek. Even as an Android, he still had the ability to cry, which amazed him. He closed his opened chest, “I remember everything father. Everything.” He gave his dad a big hug. 

“But I could have protected you, protected us. Why didn’t you let me try?”

“It—it was just too big a risk. I couldn’t, no. I wouldn’t even entertain the thought. But I guess that’s what landed us here huh.”

“I missed you. Now that I remember you.”

“I missed you too.”

Zane just nodded into his father’s chest.

The two enjoyed their well-deserved reunion. Comforting each other. Making sure they were there for each other.

In the silence, Zane was interrupted by a thought. What do I tell my team? 

He knew that his brothers loved him, but how far did that love go? He sometimes felt ostracised by the group, and now this would multiply that feeling tenfold. Zane didn’t like feeling so insecure. 

He was strange before, and now he wasn’t even human. The thought made him feel woozy. 

What if they didn’t accept him—what if they hated him? Or wanted to tear him apart to see how he worked. If anyone were to do that, it would likely be the tech lover Blue. The reflection about his brothers scared him. It was a nasty interpretation of his friends. He didn’t like that he thought of them that way. He trusted his brothers, but this was simply too big, and simply too new to tell them now. 

Like his current secret identity, it would be dangerous to let anything slip.

He could feel the boat stop. They must have anchored. “We should go now.” Zane said.

“Indeed.”

“But… let's not say anything in front of the others yet. Affirmative?”

“Of course.”

They arrived on deck and the others were waiting for them. Zane still felt raw from the intense amount of emotion he just experienced, and avoided looking at the others.

Or maybe it was because he was genuinely trying to hide something from his teammates. He was not sure.

“Mr. Julien, do you have a safe place to stay?” Black inquired.

“And if you need to contact us, we’ll be here. Or, here’s my number.” Lloyd added. 

“I do have a place to stay. It’s with family I haven't seen in a long time. Thank you.” His father said. 

“Just doing our jobs.” Red gave a thumbs-up.

While Green and his father were talking about something or another out of ear-shot, Zane relished in a moment of solitude. That was until the remaining three ninja confronted him. He could sense that they were all standing behind him, and he felt somewhat like a cornered animal—nowhere to run.

“Hey how was the doc’--”

Black sank his arm around Zane, as he usually did. But this time, Zane recoiled from the touch. He shrank away from the comradely, feeling too weird for his brothers at the time. Something he was sure Black noticed. The assumption was confirmed when Black removed his weighted arm and leaned on the ship railing instead.

“White, you alright? You don’t seem like yourself.” Blue says, peering near Zanes face. It wasn’t that Zane didn’t trust his brothers, he just couldn’t tell them about this, not now, maybe never. Even so, it felt weird hiding things like this. It was the first time he actually had something to hide. And it was out of fear.

He gave a shaky smile, but it was obviously seen through by his brothers, “What do you mean?”

It was Red that spoke this time, “I don’t know, usually you’re more… involved? You seem tense and more quiet than usual.”

“Could something have happened during tonight’s mission?” Zane jolted a bit at how good Black was at isolating the source of the problem. He was always good at pinpointing whatever was ailing one of the ninja. And today he hit the nail on the head. But he didn’t want to discuss it now—he just wanted to go home. 

“No! I’m fine,” he snapped, “I’m... just lacking sleep is all. Just need some time alone.” He knew the sleeping excuse was weak. Especially since he is the most self-regulating person among them. But the others seem to have let it go. They all rejoined into a big semi-circle on the deck. Zane could feel the eyes from Black, Red, and Blue on him. But he tried his best to ignore it.

“Well done on a successful mission boys. Doctor Julien informed me that White will help him find a place to lay low for a while. Super proactive dude. Nice job!” Lloyd praised. Zane was glad to have done well on this mission. And now it seems that his father will settle back into his previous life with him. Though the feeling was tarnished at the hectic events just hours earlier. 

“Thanks Green.” He glanced at his father, “I guess… we’ll be taking our leave now.” The two waved their goodbyes and set off back into the city. Heading to reestablish a once forgotten life.

“What do you think was up with White?” Blue asked.

“What do you mean?” Green responded.

“White seemed okay when we retrieved the old man, but he was off when he arrived on deck just now. He was colder and had a sickly look. “ Black said.

“Are you guys sure you aren’t just seeing things?”

“No way Green, we’ve known White for a pretty long time. We can usually tell when something is amiss, and this time White was clearly jarred by something.” Red said, “The question now is, what do we do?”

The boys looked between each other. Until Lloyd broke the silence, “Well, if White was really messed up by something, he usually would have addressed it by now. Since he hasn’t. We should give him space.”

“Yeah, wait for him to open up and tell us himself.” Blue agreed.

“Mhm. We shouldn’t overstep our boundaries and pry on something someone else doesn’t want us knowing. Am I right, Green machine?” Red said with a raised eyebrow. Blatantly poking fun at Lloyd’s annoying curiosity the past few weeks.

“Yeah yeah whatever.” Lloyd answered. The other three laughed before Black broke the silence. 

“Nice one sparky, but I hope White is alright and uninjured. Not much can shake him up like that.”

The others expressed their concerns too before returning home to their own lives—each hoping that White was alright, and that the doctor remained safe.

This night was a whirlwind Zane thought to himself. He and his father dropped by the abandoned warehouse he was camping out in and brought his necessities back to their apartment. When all was said and done, his father would be staying with him from now on. Rightfully so. 

It should be safer since Lord Garmadon didn’t seem to be hunting the doctor down again anytime soon—but one can’t be too careful. The two agreed to talk tomorrow to familiarise themselves with living together again, and living as a robot. But for the moment they both needed to sleep. Even Zane, who was perplexed as to how an Android needed sleep at all. 

But while the doctor was sleeping soundly, Zane couldn’t feel any more awake. 

Zane stood in front of the mirror in his room. Fiddling with his chest, he opened up the cavity to his heart (or power source? He didn’t really know). It was glowing a pale blue colour, and pulsing raw power. When he tried to touch it, it shocked him, hard. Won’t be doing that again. 

Watching his rediscovered body work, he had time to reflect. His entire concept of life had inverted mere hours ago. 

No, maybe that wasn’t quite right. Zane felt great knowing who he was now, and was happy to have his father back in his life. It wasn’t that his life had really changed, he just became aware of a part of himself that was silent in the past.

And more importantly, his priorities have changed. While initially he kept a secret identity out of convenience, he now had people to protect. Himself, and his father. 

He needed to preserve the Android aspect of himself. Zane was now a piece of highly valued technology, and he did not want to think about what could develop from that. Simultaneously, he needed to protect his identity as a ninja, to protect his dad. If anyone were to become aware of their affiliation, as ninja or robot, they would both be put in jeopardy. Even with his brothers, it was too big a risk. 

A yawn shook him. 

It was 3’am now and whatever circadian rhythm he had programmed was telling him to sleep. Happy with his newfound resolve, he snuggled under the duvet, dreaming eagerly for the oncoming future.

The following days were great! Zane was so much happier than he could have remembered. Nothing could take the smile off his face. Adapting into his robot capabilities was super easy, as it wasn’t new per say, just forgotten. 

From a convenience standpoint, it was awesome. He had special abilities that would be useful in everyday life, and on missions (which he couldn’t figure out yet how to use without the others knowing). For one thing, he could now run self-diagnostics to see if he was malfunctioning or hurt. Which could be handy in the future. Along with having a ‘funny’ mode and the ability to use himself as a battering ram, he could also sense enemies from behind with great accuracy. Zane could also whip up a plethora of data and statistics usually found online thanks to upgrading himself and connecting to the city's main database. 

Overall, his body was awesome!

He and his father also shifted back into a comfortable routine. While Zane still felt like he needed to protect his father, there were no sleazy criminals to ward off. The anxiety of losing him again was wearing off. On a positive note, his dad was returning to a healthier weight, and he all around looked healthier with exposure to sun and fresh air ( like a plant he noted).

Despite his home life drastically improving, his relationship with the team had become a bit… frigid. 

On recent patrols, he felt watched by the others. As if they were waiting in anticipation for something.

Zane just returned to the meetup spot after their patrol. He still felt awkward around his teammates. His usual physical contact and conversations had significantly declined. Zane acted like an acquaintance more so than a teammate. He knew it was because he felt weird keeping such a massive secret (or secrets, including his civilian persona) from the others.

It was a mix of awkwardness, and the chipper-ness he felt from his renewed life with his dad.

After Lloyd dismissed them for the night, Zane was about to turn to leave. However, he found himself surrounded by the ninja. Zane was next to the building edge, with the others casually standing around him. It was meant to be entirely non-threatening, but all he felt was hostility. After analysing their faces, they seemed upset with him.

“Hey buddy?” Green started, “The team and I have noticed that you’ve been off.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well.” Black shifted, rubbing the hilt of his scythe, “You always seem deep in thought on patrol, but with us… you’ve just felt. I don’t know… distant?”

He felt a bit defensive. “You guys seem to be reading into it too much. Really, I’ve been fine. Great even!” That was true. While team interactions were colder, Zane just felt happier—more in tune with who he was. It wasn’t their fault they couldn’t see that.

“Besides, is it not irrational to dwell on someone so positive?”

“But—“

“Trust me brothers. I’ve been feeling good. Seriously great!” Zane said, side-stepping Green. 

“If you say so. Just remember, we’re always here if you need to talk. We just want to make sure you’re okay after that island mission we had a while ago.” 

Zane brushed the comment away, “In all honesty? I truly, in all certainty, feel amazing. Like a well oiled machine.”

While his brothers didn’t attach any significant meaning to that minor detail—Zane felt like the whole world just fell into line.

Chapter Text

It was morning. But it was still dark outside. That was the crummy part of winter, waking up in the dark. Cole could barely drag himself out of bed, the lure of sleep was always so enticing this time of year. It was like his bed was calling to him.

But the Earth Ninja mustered the power to start the day. After all, the first term of the year ended in three days. It was sort of a milestone for him.

Cole would have been approaching the one year anniversary at his new school, and one year since he had ran away from his father.

Cole stretched out his sore muscles in his bed and put on a sleeveless shirt before leaving his room. The night before he was on patrol duty and did not shower before falling asleep. Hence his mop of black hair was pretty messy and the ninja had to take some time fixing it that morning. Though it didn’t really matter. The effort ultimately didn’t make any difference because of the headphones he usually wore around school—which dishevelled his hair anyways. 

Between his hair being squashed under headphones and then again under his hood as Black, he felt like his hair was perpetually messy. Though his ninja friends would never see it. 

After getting dressed and what not, Cole was at the most important part of the morning. Breakfast.

He started making himself breakfast and stared at the empty apartment. When his family was whole, he would have usually been met with loving parents and bright mornings—but now everything was just bleak. Cole made food for one, at a table for one. Unlike the former breakfasts he had once enjoyed, his meals nowadays didn’t have much flavour. He barely tasted the overdone eggs and bacon, much less enjoyed it—partly because he was a crappy cook. He ate in silence, nothing but the sound of chewing filled his ears. All alone. 

“It’s for the best.” He said to himself. 

Now it was 7:45 AM. School started in a half hour and Cole lived pretty far away. He took off quickly, leaving the dirty dishes for future Cole to deal with.

Very unlike the ninja shows on television, Cole’s main transportation was not rooftop hopping--although he was inclined to agree that it was very efficient. No, rather than sweating it out jumping between icy ledges, Cole drove his car. 

Well, it could barely be called a car in its state right now. It was a used car almost a decade old. Nicks and scratches lined the sides and the bumper was sagging on the left side. One time a crazy girl tried to get back at her ex by keying his car; but with the terrible luck Cole had, the girl got the boyfriend's car confused with Cole’s own. That explains the profanities etched into the car’s black wrapping (Cole was clueless to the fact that those crazy messages really added to his delinquent image). 

Cole still loved his car though. Not because he couldn't afford an upgrade (although it was true), but because it reminded him of his mother. His mother, Lilly, had gifted him the car when he was first able to drive. Cole was attached to the car, and after his mom died, he clung to it like it was a lifeline. 

After finally making it to school, Cole prepared himself for the day: headphones on, music playing, avoid everyone. On perfect days, his strategy would work so well he wouldn’t even have to speak a full sentence. Lone wolfing was truly a craft.

But it wasn’t that he was a true loner, he loved company, he was already pretty extroverted with his friends on the Secret Ninja Force. But he simply wanted to remain inconspicuous. If he garnered attention, his dad might catch onto him. That’s why avoidance was his main strategy.

After locking his car, Cole entered the school.  English first, then chemistry, and after lunch, gym and maths. Easy enough. Just gotta get through another day.

 During the entire morning, he felt disassociated in his own life. He never listened in class (mostly because of the soft rock he blared) and had his mind elsewhere. Either on Lloyd as the Green Ninja, his job, or what he’d do as a ninja later that night. 

On the surface-level, listening to music and not paying attention would be sure signs of a failing student. But this student in particular was no slacker. He was actually pretty bright. 

Or at least he was smart enough to get by. He managed to get all the important homework done and stay in the 60s-70s percentage-wise. But there wasn’t really a motivation to do better. It wasn’t like he needed to pay attention in school. Education simply wasn’t congruent with his future goals. Once he graduated high school and got his diploma his plan was to be a ninja. That was his destiny. It was how he made a difference.

Naturally, being Ninjago’s unofficial protectors didn’t pay too much. In fact, little at all, the ninja basically did charity work. They would occasionally take jobs for dirt cheap. Sensei always scolded them for it, he said something about being a hero isn't easy, and it should not make you rich? It just means being rich in other ways. He couldn’t recall the quote perfectly. But he was sure it was something wise. 

He would love to agree with his Sensei, he really would. But real life isn’t perfect. Good deeds don’t fill a stomach. Cole planned to be a ninja while working at Steep Wisdom to pay the bills. He needed no more, no less. 

His Sensei, the owner of Steep Wisdom even offered Cole to take up the mantle as owner in a few years. However that was going to turn out was still unknown, Sensei is still quite young (only thousands of years old). But Cole was determined that being a ninja was his destiny. That part of his future was absolute, no ifs ands or buts. Besides, it wasn’t like he had many other skills…well, any worth mentioning. 

Snapping back into his reality though, the second period had just ended. He couldn’t tell by the bell—muted by his music— but by observing the classmates around him packing up and leaving. 

Letting out a deep yawn, Cole followed suit. He trudged to the cafeteria and bought a banana and yogurt. Cole needed to be stingy and cut corners wherever he could. If it wasn’t the fear of his dad keeping him awake, it was definitely his finances. 

The teenager stifled another yawn before leaving early for gym class. In spite of his nonexistent listening skills, Cole was always aware of homework and class announcements, and apparently today they were in for a treat. Cole had really hoped it was another obstacle course, or a close contact physical sport. He’d like that.

Oh bologna. Why him. Why him?! Cole was edged off to the side of the gym. He was visibly shaken, his shoulders were hunched over and he felt like he was about to implode. All the boys in front of him were also not so eager for their ‘treat’ today either. Some whispered to each other while others shifted on their feet. Glad to know that everyone is hating this, Cole grumbled to himself. 

It was dance lessons. Dance lessons! Like, the one thing he swore never to do again. Why did the universe hate him so? He didn’t even know that gym taught dance at all! 

Cole was terrified for the ordeal to come. He couldn’t think of a natural way to leave class, and he didn’t want to keel over like he was dying. He felt anxiety rise in his chest. 

“I should’ve just stayed in bed.” He mumbled to himself. 

No way was he ready to dance again, not after so long. And not after what happened. In a feeble attempt at distraction, Cole looked over to the new person in the room.

Some new woman was standing off to the side of the bleachers. She must be the one teaching with his ‘Grand’ Sensei Dareth. She looked oddly familiar. The lady looked to be around the mid-thirties with auburn hair. Her nose was long and she had a bourgeois air to her. She was wearing black leggings, a neon pink top and old librarian glasses, an outfit Cole was accustomed to by now. After finishing her conversation with his teacher, the woman sashayed up to the middle of the room and clapped her hands to gain everyone’s attention.

“Ahem,” she instructed, with a heavy Metalonian accent, “will everyone please step on the red line?”. Slowly but surely, all the awkward boys shuffled into position—Cole being the most reluctant out of all of them. 

“My name is Miss Sten. Nice meeting all of you. I come from the Marty Oppenheimer's school of performing arts.”

Oh, oh no . Cole remembered why he felt familiarity with the woman, she was a teacher at his old school! More than just an Oppenheimer teacher—one of his Oppenheimer teachers! And even worse?! She knew his father. They had met at parties his dad held numerous times when he was younger. He was royally fucked.

At that exact moment, his old professor inspected the line of boys. His heart almost lept out of his chest when his ex-teachers eyes dangled on him far longer than anyone else. But she soon looked to address the whole class again. 

Cole couldn’t suppress a sigh of relief, as he seriously contemplated outright running out of the classroom from the stress. Did she not recognize him? Hopefully not, she must not have made the association since he had grown his hair out (styled it differently) and gotten more muscular. 

“Today we’ll be working on multiple dancing techniques, starting with the waltz, and then ending with some freestyle hip hop. I will be walking you through the basic steps.” 

That sounded easy enough. Cole thought, maybe some simple stuff like that would keep him under his teacher’s radar. The woman continued her speal, 

“What’s fun about that is everyone has their chance to shine, and even though I do teach the next generations of dancers there is no pressure for beginners like you! Any questions?” 

“I’ve got one!” Jay raised his hand with confidence. Cole recognized him and remembered his name because that was the guy who stood up to Chad. The bully had asked for it all year long— he was a jerk. Jay, using his crazy ‘learned at home’ skills, gave Chad the justice he deserved. The boy seemed like a really cool dude.

“Since most dances are for duos, will we be collaborating with the girls' gym class?” Jay asked hopefully. 

Cole saw the other boys visibly brighten up at the chance to dance with the girls. An enthusiastic glint in each of their eyes. 

“Sorry little minnow, but the other class has got other things to do.” Sensei Dareth replied.

“But we can split the class into twos amongst ourselves. You can even choose the partners yourselves. This will still be fun! And from Metalonian sayings, if it isn’t fun…I will make it fun. ” Miss Sten said, trying to reignite the class with her threatening sayings. Cole forgot how she often did that in class. She was a super nice teacher, but she was also super hardcore. Well, for an arts teacher.

Too bad for her though, the only sliver of redemption the boys in the class had was just thrown out the window. Everyone now was groaning and complaining, except for one guy, he was having none of it. 

“C’mon guys!” He gave a fiery roar, “this lady came all this way for us! If you have any shred of honour, you’d honour her by listening to her instructions. Now let’s not waste anymore time—I’m ready to learn!” 

The Earth Ninja’s classmates looked towards each other or at the ground in guilt. Their grumpy attitudes had been extinguished. Meanwhile Miss Sten was wiping a tear away from her eye.

Hmm. Cole had known the boy (whose name he forgot) to be compulsive and much too loud for his tastes, but the ninja was pleasantly surprised to discover the chivalrous side of the soccer captain.

“Thank you, mister….?”

“Kai, Kai Smith.” The boy responded proudly. Aah, so that was his name. Kai. 

“Yes, thank you Mr. Smith. It’s nice to see someone so passionate about learning. Brings me to tears. Anyways, please divvy yourselves up into pairs and find room on the gym floor to start dancing. Oh! And figure out who is going to take which part in the waltz.”

Faster than you can say ‘First Spinjitzu Master’ all the boys paired up. The only one left without a partner was Jay. 

Cole beckoned Jay towards him. The boy hesitantly strode over the the ninja. Cole cleared his throat. 

“So…partners?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

There was a long silence as both boys tried to think of something so say. 

This may be my first actual conversation with this guy. Cole thought, I have to break the silence.

But the chance had slipped by.

“I’m Jay, good to meet ya’. But maybe you already knew my name? I did make a big ruckus in gym class a while ago, like, during this period hehe. I don’t know why I’m telling you this, I'm pretty sure you were there.”

Before Cole could even attempt to respond the other teen blabbered on, 

“And what’s yours? Uh. I—I know this might sound, um, rude, but I don’t know your name? But don’t worry! It's not like I neglected to remember it, it's just, like, I’ve never heard you say it? I dunno, maybe you're a bit quieter. Which is totally not a bad thing! Damn, usually I’m more articulated than this, uhhhhh…”

Cole found the rambling endearing but decided to interject. They guy had a mouth as fast as lightning. 

“Co—Rocky, that is my name.” He offered a warm smile. 

“Oh! Nice to meet you, I’m Jay.” Jay’s cheeks flushed, “Darn-it, you already knew that huh, cause I just told you haha!” 

Cole laughed a bit in return too. “So, umm, Miss Sten mentioned it but… who wants to lead?”

“Lead? I don’t really get what you mean.”

“Oh! My bad. Like…takes a hold of who makes the flow of the dance.”

“I see, like the ‘guy’ part?”

“Sure.”

“Well, I’m okay with either role.”

“I guess I can then. I am taller than you are.” Cole chided.

Jay made an over dramatic gasp, “Only by like, an inch!” 

“Yeahhhh, sure.” Cole said sarcastically. Jay let out a sharp humph. He knew he wasn’t much taller than the other teen but it just felt so easy slipping into that friendly state with the guy. It probably wouldn’t continue outside of the class, but Cole cherished the natural conversation the two seemed to have.

It felt like they had known each other for a very long time.

“Yeah yeah alright, let's just get started okay?” Jay insisted. 

Cole nodded with a big thumbs up.

“Sounds good.”

“Before we get into this, it may not be surprising but it’s something to admit to I guess. I don’t dance, I’m more of a tech guy actually. But I dabble in poetry, inventing, model building, and what not. So I do a bit of the arts. Just don’t expect some master dancer first day okay? How about you?”

“Uh, I like stuff, just not dancing. It's the first-time for me too.” He lied. 

All the dance duos in the room turned to the sharp clap of Miss Sten’s hands. 

“Now listen carefully. These are the basics to…” the guest teacher droned on about things he already knew about. After about five minutes, the class was all spread out and in position to start dancing. The music played.

They started waltzing according to Miss Sten’s guidance. It was an overly simplified version of the dance, it mainly dealt with the foot placement. Hopefully feigning as a beginner would be a cake-walk. 

As they continued Cole kept a close eye on the other students to match their movements and mimic their inexperience. 

Unlike the learning curve the other classmates had, Cole was struck with a new obstacle. It was much easier for a long-time dancer like him to dance properly than fake bad dancing. Restricting the natural flow of the dance felt wrong physically, like it was against his blood. 

Many were stumbling, rigid, and overall awkward. They had posture so bad it almost made his head spin. It looked awful and must have felt awful.

It couldn’t even be considered the waltz. His own partner was no better either. Like a newborn fawn walking for the first time.

But the Earth Ninja would bear with it to keep a low profile. Well, mostly.

While they danced on, Cole was tired of getting his toes stepped on. Jay was more muscular than he first assumed, and thus, much heavier. There was a strong throbbing on both his feet. 

There was more. Every time Jay would step on him or falter, he would let out a ‘sorry’ too. His motherly ninja instincts kicked in. So Cole decided to straighten his spine and dance around Jay’s stumbling feet. Both for Jay’s pride and his own toes.

“I think we’re getting the hang of it.”

“Yeah!” Jay was chuffed.

A wee bit later, Cole felt a tingle at the back of his neck. He was being watched. This odd ability was honed from him being a ninja for so long. Usually in battle the capability to sense danger like that was wonderfully helpful. Especially being in high-risk situations where his own mortality was threatened. The stakes here are arguably just as high. Because it was Miss Sten staring right at him. Cole hoped Jay couldn’t feel the cold sweat that just washed over him. 

“You fine dude?” He started, but went silent as he noticed Miss Sten too. She strutted over to the two boys who at that point stopped dancing.

“Good job Mr. Walker, the footings just a bit off, but your partner accommodated for it.” She said, pushing up her glasses. Jay nodded—taking the critique with minimal hurt. Then she turned to Cole with a big smile. There was a curious glint in her eyes. 

“What’s your name?”

Cole tried his best to distort his voice, making it lower than it actually was, “Rocky, m’am.”

“Nice to meet you…Rocky… Your natural rhythm is a bit stilted, but you’ve probably heard that from your trainer. Please tell me: where do you dance?” 

“U-hm.” How had she seen through his act? Did she finally recognize him?! Maybe he wasn’t as good at blending into the background as he thought. Jay gave him a contorted look of confusion but ultimately decided to respond for him.

“Miss Sten, he’s a beginner just like the rest of us. Dances like it too.”

“Really?” She leaned into Cole. The ninja tried to avoid eye contact and hide his face.

“Ah, yeah. Pretty sure I’m new to this…” he put his arms up defensively. 

“There is no shame in being a dancer, I was shy in front of new people too.” Why was she so adamant about his skill?! Even though he was upset that his act was seen through, a tingle of pride sparked in his chest. He was happy to know his dancing techniques weren’t lost. 

But the priority now was throwing her off this exploration. He acted just as an awkward teenage boy would in this situation. Cole, keep a steady head. He told himself. 

“I really don’t get what you’re talking about.”

“Oh please. Just tell me who trained you.”

“No one I swear! It must have just been a fluke, or maybe you saw it wrong!”

“Please boy, I’m not just a teacher, but a talent scout. The only question is how did I miss recruiting you?”

“Why did you miss me? Simple. Cause I can’t dance.”

“Can’t? Or won’t?”

“I can’t dance. And won’t, both. I’m not doing either. Much less whatever this waltzing thing is.” He curtly stated.

His teacher didn't seem convinced at all. All the other boys in class started taking a break after the song sequence had ended. What was once a quiet conversation with the dance coach now turned into a spectacle. Their conversation was drawing in a crowd from a few of the bored classmates. Most of which were on the sidelines of the gym.

All with Jay with front row seats. His dance partner had equal parts curiosity and confusion on his face. Great. 

“Uh huh, sure.”

The teacher turned and stepped away before looking back at him. For a moment he thought he had won the encounter.

But life wasn’t that easy.

The teacher paused and thought before speaking again, “For being a beginner then, which you insist you are, you sure had a straight back.”

“I was slouching.” He retorted without thinking, before realising his mistake.

The edges of Miss Sten’s mouth curled up for a moment. She knew that he knew that she knew—and now he was preparing to get grilled.

“It was only your shoulders that were slouching. And that does not mean your back wasn’t in the correct position. Besides, how did you know your shoulders were off? Who has such kinetic awareness?”

“I—wha—?“ The bombardment of comments and questions couldn’t even be answered before he was hit with another wave.

“Furthermore, your steps may have been off, but you manoeuvred around your partner's clumsy feet with grace and ease.”

“Hey!” Cole could hear beside him. But what he was focused on was the thudding of blood to his ears.  

“My question now isn’t just who trained you. But who are you?” She said only in his earshot.

She had hacked him into a corner, and with a little sadistic glee too. He was starting to think his nice old teacher wasn’t actually all that nice. But there was more than verbal spewing that was getting him flustered.

This…this stain from his past had the audacity to come in and destroy everything he had built over the past year! Everything he worked for and struggled for. The courage he had to run away, stay away, and survive on his own…wiped out in this instant? With a grin on her face?!

“I’m—I’m, just a beginner?” His voice noticeably cracked. It sounded more like a question than a statement too. But the ninja was at a loss for what to say.

Miss Sten accused him once again. Pointing a spindly finger in his face, “Either you’re lying, or you're one heck of a beginner!”

Cole was speechless. He ran through all the possible excuses, but none usable. Through his rampant thoughts he had come to one conclusion. He shouldn’t have come to school today.

The silver lining on this horrible cloud was that this outsider didn’t have the time to investigate this dancing issue more. Before Miss Sten figured out who he actually was and the connection between him and his past life, a guest arrival stopped the final nail in the coffin.

“Hey now! The poor boy looks questioned to death, is this some sort of interrogation? You take a break Rocky-boy.” Sensei Dareth ordered. Cole had never been so grateful to see the ‘brown ninja’. The guy didn’t know what trouble Cole could have been in if Miss Sten continued her verbal assault. 

“I—no wait!”

“No way lady. Ya gotta leave my students alone.”

“But…You’re right. Sorry.” Miss Sten walked off dejectedly.

“You alright kid?” His teacher asked.

Cole let out a breathe he didn’t realize he was holding. “Yeah. Thanks.”

“Anytime bud’.” Sensei Dareth gave him a hearty slap on the back.

Before, Cole didn’t think that Dareth had a single ounce of courage underneath that brown outfit. But now his perception of the man had greatly improved.

The ninja turned abruptly and stomped off in the opposite direction of Miss Sten. Leaving Dareth and Jay in the middle of the gym floor.

The scurry of curious teenagers spaced out too and returned to bantering amongst themselves, seemingly not caring about what had just transpired. But he could still feel the lingering eyes of his dance teacher though. 

Out of the frying pan, and into the fire, now the woman would pay extra attention to him. Unwanted and unneeded attention that could out his true identity. 

Cole bent down to put away his water bottle before nearly choking to find Jay directly beside him. Wasn’t he just… How the hell did he get there?! 

“Still wanna partner up? I heard the next one is something called Bolero!” 

Of course Cole knew Bolero, it was a part of his mid-term at Marty Oppenheimer’s. Although severely under-practised, Cole was probably still the best at their school at the dance. Even though the thought of dancing in that form made him giddy and terrified, he had to conceal those emotions.

“B elo ro? Sounds boring.” He tried, putting on a disinterested face.

“Bolero, and it kinda sounds cool right? Still wanna partner up or…”

“Oh! Uh yeah!” Cole answered with revitalised energy, the two made their way back into the centre of the gym.

After Miss Sten explained the next dance activity, with disappointment and apathy in her voice, the other classmates started the next assignment. 

There was a pregnant pause as Cole watched Jay get a hang of the steps and placements of the hands. Today for the first time in a long time, Cole took the initiative in a typical civilian conversation, “Now that you mention it, the word Bolero is kinda cool, makes me hungry.”

“Hungry?” Jay quirked his eyebrow in interest.

“Ah, don’t look into it too much, everything makes me hungry.” Cole shrugged sheepishly. 

“Hey! That was like the first thing you’ve told me about yourself!” Jay half-shouted. Even though Cole didn’t like the extra attention the other guy seemed to collect, the brunette was right. He had never had such a long and pleasant conversation like this with someone at school before. It felt weirdly good revealing bits of himself again, even if they were lame facts.

With the realisation of this, Cole’s cheeks flushed. The first semi-personal fact about him was so embarrassing. 

“Really?” Cole played coolly.

“It's true, but it's not like that's a bad thing or anything. Just some people don't talk about themselves so much so I was just surprised. Like, no offence but you don't really talk to people at school much.”

“Yeah,” Cole just smiled at Jay’s scramble not to offend him. It was pretty funny, “I know I don't talk much, it kind of depends on who though.”

“...Like me?” Jay asked. 

“Course you, you remind me of a friend I hang out with. My type of person I guess.”

“That’s nice to know, er– great to know, and if it makes you feel any better I think you’re really nice, not just some errant guy.”

Did people really think he was some sort of delinquent? Cole did not really care about his impression on other people, but finding that out kind of took him off guard.

“I never knew that.” He responded with interest.

“Well, it's just some passing thoughts I hear. The headphones and going to detention doesn't really help. But you’re really chill.” 

“Thanks.”

“And you told me a funky thing about yourself.”

“Well, don’t ingrain it into your memory or anything, I don’t want to be known as ‘food guy’ for the rest of my life.”

Jay gave a playful simper, “Too late! Ingrained, catalogued into memory! You’re ‘food guy’ to me now!” 

Cole genuinely laughed. The earth ninja didn’t know why, but talking to Jay made conversation so easy. There was a sense of familiarity that just came naturally with them. Like they had done it a hundred times before. It really did remind him of hanging with his ninja pals on the Bounty.

Maybe, just maybe, Cole would revoke his ‘no people’ rule, and let someone get close to him. Jay seemed pretty respectful to not talk about the tension just ten minutes ago. Maybe Jay would be his first friend outside of the Secret Ninja Force? But Cole wanted to kick himself after that thought. Because he jinxed himself.

“Hey uh, Rocky?”

“Yep?”

“Not to be the bearer of bad news, even though it's probably just in my head. But…She’s looking.”

“Miss Sten?” Cole asked.

“Yeah, who else?” 

Cole glanced over when their dance pivoted and saw the woman from across the room. She was guiding another pair of boys with their dance but her eyes were almost glued onto him. Creepy.

“Good point.” Cole admitted, “Whatever, let her look.”

Jay looked down in thought. Cole desperately hoped that Jay wouldn’t ask, and pleaded to the First Spinjitzu Master that he wouldn’t ask. 

“So, uh. Was Miss Sten right? Are you really not a beginner?” 

Damnit. “No, I’m not. Maybe I’ve just got a natural talent for this?” Cole gave a stern look telling him to back off. But Jay persisted.

“But I mean, now that she mentioned it, I kinda get where she’s coming from.”

Cole did not bother giving him an answer, maybe if he just stayed silent Jay would just quit it. But he continued, “It's hard to explain or give examples but dancing with you makes you seem like—almost professional? Not to be embarrassing but I almost feel like a princess haha. It's just that…Whenever I watched your feet, it looked pretty calculated.”

Cole could see that Miss Sten was trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. From when he last looked she moved about ten metres towards them. It was so obvious.

But Jay kept on questioning the whole ‘not-a-dancer’ thing. He had to nip this in the bud. 

Cole gave a light yank to Jay’s wrist to shut him up. He rolled his eyes in annoyance (and disappointment), “Never danced before, and never want to do it again! Maybe I’ve just got nimble feet or something! Maybe you shouldn’t ask about people's private lives.” Cole lamented, with a sharp raise in his voice. 

Jay had a shocked look on his face. But Cole was too angry and stressed out to notice or care. 

If Jay wanted to pry into his dancing ability, fine, Cole wasn’t above doing the same. It's been a hard couple of weeks. And today was simply too much. Time to interrogate him now. It was Jay’s turn to be flustered. 

“Besides, if you're so adamant about me telling you all my personal details, what about you and your mysterious athleticism. Where did that Kung-Fu crap come from? Scrap yard my ass. Where’d you actually learn to do that?” 

“What? I told you, it was actually from being born in a junkyard.” 

“I’m pretty sure no amount of lugging metal could get you into that shape.”

“I—but—“ 

“I could go on and on, let's ask the other kids here while we’re at it.” Cole said sharply.

“How about let's not?” Jay said with some sass in his voice. 

“Exactly, so please drop it?”

He regretted the burst of anger when Jay’s angry-shocked face wilted into a terrible look of guilt. Their dancing lost its vigour, and Jay let out a soft “I’m sorry.”. 

The slightly shorter boy left mid-song to go to the benches where all their stuff sat, leaving Cole in the middle to reflect on his outburst. Miss Sten eventually lost interest too once they stopped dancing and left to talk to his Sensei. 

Cole grimaced. He felt ashamed. When there was the chance to make a friend, to let down his walls, he got in his own way. He let his fears of being discovered get the best of him. Let his ego get the best of him. Jay was a nice boy, unattached to the two identities he kept under wraps. As Cole and Black in the Secret Ninja Force. 

Perhaps he could have made an effort to be nice, play the fool and brush off this dance session but he didn’t. Cole didn’t even need to be such a douche to him even after he asked about his weird skills, nor assault him on Jay’s own physical prowess—if he didn’t, would he still have a potential friend? 

It would fail anyway. Cole’s inner thoughts interjected, if you let people close, they’ll eventually leave you, or betray you. The only one you can trust is yourself. 

Even if it was a dark, intrusive thought, Cole reasoned that it was correct. He had no one to truly trust but himself. He loved his Sensei, and thought of him like a sort of father figure; he knew Cole’s story. But he never divulged his inner thoughts to the old man unless he brought it up first. 

The earth ninja consistently put his brother's lives over his own—yet still didn’t have the courage to tell them his civilian identity, nor his…complicated situation. They were walls of self-preservation that he had built up since before he had run away. Beyond his Sensei and members of the Secret Ninja Force, who were the closest people to him, there wasn’t anyone he could confide in at the deepest level. Well; no one anymore.

Perhaps he’ll get there someday. And maybe later in life he’ll regret not letting Jay into his life; but what he was doing right now was too important. He needed Jay and Miss Sten off his scent.

I guess it's just better this way. Cole thought to himself, before realising everyone else in the gym had already begun packing up, leaving him alone in the middle of the floor. 

When Cole rejoined the group, the first thing he did was put his headphones on. 

In the changing room, Cole came face to face with Jay—who was already dressed. It looked like he was about to say something, but quickly rushed past him, knocking lightly into his shoulder.

“Sorry.” He said almost inaudibly. Of course Jay couldn't hear him. Cole’s body sank a little. Whatever possible friendship they could have had was probably impossible at this point… 

At least it's Friday. The ninja sighed while getting changed. He pulled his backpack over one shoulder, and left for his next class.

It was Sunday night (more like Monday morning), and Cole had just returned from his night patrol. They had just confronted White about his overly chipper attitude lately, only to be stonewalled. Simply put though, Cole was worried for his friend. He was happy that his friend was happy, but he still felt cautious as to White’s sudden change in demeanour.

Whatever. Sensei Wu would be mad, but he was putting off until tomorrow what could have been done today. In all honesty though, White’s weird behaviour had been a good distraction to his slip up in gym class, which only happened a few days prior. Cole sighed as he rummaged through his school bag and tidied his shabby apartment. 

Around a year ago, he would have been downtown in a nice apartment with his father, or in residence at Marty Oppenheimer’s school of performing arts. But he had left that life a long time ago. 

“Always onward.” He would say.

His new living arrangement was a serious downgrade to say the least. It was a one room with a small kitchenette and a bathroom. It was marketed as a ‘one-bedroom-one-half-bath’ concoction. The walls were a bleak grey and cracking, and he was in the slummy part of town. 

It was about as much as he could afford on a server's earnings, but it did the job. If anything? He counted himself as lucky even landing real estate in Ninjago City. Even though he essentially lived in a thinly walled box. Fortunately, because he was juggling school, being a ninja, and working, he was rarely at home anyways, so it all worked out.

If it needed to be said: running from home with just the clothes on your back is a stupid decision. Like, a really stupid decision. Do not recommend. Cole was just lucky to have even found housing in Ninjago City. That was all thanks to his Sensei Wu, his ninja mentor and boss at Steep Wisdom.

“ Whoa ! How did you get up here?” Cole asked the old man.

It was around two years ago on the tallest mountain in Ninjago; the mountain of a million steps.

Cole recently took up rock climbing as a hobby to distract himself from…the tougher aspects of life. 

“I climbed.” The mysterious man answered.

“I…alright.”

“Tell me boy,” the senior sipped his tea, “why do you climb the mountain?” 

“Why should I tell you?” Cole passive-aggressively replied. Why should he have to have this conversation, he did this to get away!

“Indulge this old man.”

Cole huffed, no getting around that logic.

“I just do it to think.”

“Think? About what?” The man took off his hat, letting the sun reveal all the wrinkles carved into his face. 

Cole plopped down in front of him and relaxed. 

“About life, I guess.”

“Go on.”

“I’m attending an elite dance academy, as per my dad’s wishes. It’s just…it doesn’t feel right. It doesn’t feel like me. I can’t walk down the same path my dad did. But he isn’t giving me much choice. Rock climbing is like, the one way I can really feel like myself.”

“I see. Have you told him how you feel?”

“I’ve tried! But he never listens! We always end up yelling at each other and fighting. It’s so frustrating!”

“And is that all that’s on your mind?” The man inquired. 

“Well, ever since my mom left, my dad has been acting all crazy. It’s only been a few weeks. He just wants to sing and dance—and wants me to do the same thing—but how can he sing and dance at a time like this?!”

“When grieving, some sing and dance. Others climb mountains.”

“Why did you climb the mountain?”

“To find you, Cole.”

Cole walked into a rickety old ship off of some coastal plot of land. The boat, while very large, had tattered sails and rusting metal. 

“This’ll need a lot of work.” Cole mumbled under his breath.

“It’s better than it looks.” His new mentor answered. Cole winced, he didn’t know the man could hear him.

“This is where I’m going to train? It doesn’t seem like a ninja headquarters. Or even a buoyant ship.”

His Sensei took to a switchboard on the side of the ship. Out of nowhere an entire obstacle course rose from the deck.

“Whoa…”

“Haha. Whoa indeed. Learning the way of the ninja will be a better distraction than rock climbing.”

“Ditto. Am I the only one here?”

“For now. But fate will bring the rest soon, you just have to have faith.”

“Faith huh?” Cole gave a warm smile.

It was about half a year later. 

Cole still didn’t really talk to his father. At least not about what happened. Whenever he tried his dad would just ignore it or switch the conversation. Lou even got mad at him sometimes.

It wasn’t so hard though. He was free of his oppressive father at the dance academy. Not that he had much fun there either. It wasn’t that he couldn’t sing or dance (although he was a notoriously bad singer) he just hated the structure of the institution. It was strict, cut-throat, and he hated the students as much as the teachers. It was extremely elitist. His father wasn't any better either. Actually, because his dad was a famous singer, Cole had to deal with being gawked at throughout school, it really sucked.

The real passion was what he did in secret. Bettering his skills as a fighter on a nightly basis.

His Sensei had amassed three more teenagers since then. Together they were an odd bunch. But after only a short time, they were training together like they had known each other for lifetimes. Cole took to the exercises really quickly too, it was easy with his dancing background, adding his artistic abilities into his fighting skills.

It was as though an inner talent had been unlocked, like he was meant to do this, with these people—whoever they were.

They had all worn some signature colours with matching hoods and called each other by those clothes. 

Cole didn’t know why secret identities were so important, Sensei said he would explain later. Weren’t these just martial arts classes? Letting some stress out? 

That was until Blue had shot lighting from his hands.

“After all I've done for you, stuck my neck out for you?! You just had to mess it up!” Lou knocked over a stack of files on the desk in his study. Cole was enraged.

“I just wanted to do something other than dance for fuck’s sake! It was harmless, I was finally having some fun–”

“Harmless? Harmless?!” Lou threw his report cards at him, his dad had found out an hour ago the secret report cards and failed tests he had been stashing, “You call this harmless? This mystery hobby of yours is costing your school career! You're failing half of these courses!”

“That’s not cause of–”

“Oh it's not? Then how the heck did you start failing these classes? Explain that dumbass.”

“Dad! I’ve told you a million times! I hate dancing! I don't want to do it anymore!” Cole shouted back.

“That’s bullshit! You always danced when you were younger. You were so good too! Why in the name of FSM are you acting out so much?” After yelling for so long, there was a pause in the argument. Both of them were panting.

“...What happened to you son? We used to be so happy, you were so excited about the future. I was so happy for you. You used to be so easy…”

“Yeah well, things change. Ever since mom–”

“Stop using her as an excuse for your terrible attitude.”

Cole was taken aback. What the fuck did he just say?

“It's not an excuse dad! Ever since she di–”

“Don’t you fucking say that word.” Lou warned.

Cole paused, his nostrils flared from the fury. Lou was like a red rag to a bull. 

“Ever since she died dad! There, I said it, it's true! She’s dead, she isn't coming back.”

“Why do you always have to pull this same shit over and over again? You’re tearing me apart with this stupid act. I’m not going to talk to you when you’re like this.”

“You’re being a total brat right now, you do this every single damn time! Every time I want to talk about her, mourn, grieve, you never listen. It's been like this since her funeral. You always ignore her and my feelings. You just want to work on dancing, and force me to do the same.”

Lou didn't respond, he just sat in his desk chair and swivelled away from him. But that was fine, Cole was nowhere near finished. 

“You’re in your own little dancing fantasy world and over such a long time it completely exhausted me. It made me sick of it, sick of you. Didn't you ever think that your son might need you beyond stupid dancing lessons?” Cole choked out.

“Out.” Lou said quietly.

“Seriously? That’s how it’s gonna be? This is so immatu–”

“I said get out!” His dad whipped a stapler near his head.

“We are not done talking!”

“Leave!” More stuff was thrown at him.

“Fine asshole!” Cole stormed out, slamming the door as hard as he possibly could. The wall surrounding the door frame was heavily cracked.

That was his breaking point. The man seemed to care for the dead more than the living. Even his own son. He couldn't deal with his dad anymore, that simply was not an option. Not if he wanted to have any inkling of freedom in his life... Not if he finally wanted to accept his mother’s death. With tears blurring his vision he packed as much as he could into the black duffel bag he kept in his room. 

“This’ll show you.” He whispered before sneaking out of their apartment’s fire escape.

On that cold December night, the night he left, Cole was a complete mess. The tears and snot from crying had frozen from the piercing winds attacking his face. He also forgot to bring gloves and a hat, and now his ears and fingers were painfully numb. 

He went to the only man he could think to go to, a person who had supported him ever since the beginning. His Sensei.

He walked up to the cosy shop he had spent so many nights in: Steep Wisdom. It was a casual dive where he helped his master (owner of the shop) on occasion. 

Good, even though the shop was closed the lights were still on.

Cole stumbled into the shop and clamoured up the stairs. 

“Master Wu? It's me.”

“Cole?” His Master hurried to the door he was leaning against. “Come in, come in, get some tea. You look freezing. Is everything alright?”

“No–” Cole broke down into his Sensei’s chest. He vented about everything that had happened earlier that night.

About an hour of sobbing and chamomile tea later, he shakily asked his Sensei, 

“What in the world am I supposed to do now?”

“I have one thing in mind. And you can always take a job here at the shop.”

“Do, do I have to go home?”

“Not if you don't want to.” 

“I don't think I can, I’m afraid to. Will you help me?”

“I would do anything for you.” His Sensei smiled.

Under the guise of a fake identity, (that Cole was still a bit worried as to how his Sensei Wu could even produce false paperwork and documents like this) he lived and worked as a normal teenager. He had a fake name, Rocky Dangerbuff (which his Sensei had choice words for), fake history, and fake parents. It was the facade of being a normal kid, however untrue it was in reality. 

However, even with a fresh slate, the past never stayed dead. 

The first few weeks alone, Cole lived in absolute bliss. Poor? Yes. Hungry? Of course, even with his Sensei’s aid, but he had been free. As free as he had been before his mother passed oh so many years ago. But the paradise was fleeting.      

His father, a semi-famous celebrity, and face of the Royal Blacksmiths group, was on the prowl for his son. There were still searches and missing posters for him that haven’t yet died out. Living in the poorer part of the city gave the benefit of nobody knowing who you were, less acknowledging you. In addition, the false paperwork along with the elusive nature of a ninja let him remain undetected for now. But the risk of being found was still lurking. Causing Cole to always be fearful, and always paranoid of his father finding him. 

The Master of Earth slumped into his bed, exhausted. He couldn’t even muster the energy to hide his scythe or sweaty gi. Cole would like to think that stress and overexertion were the causes, but the feeling had loomed over him ever since his mother passed. It was an ever existing fatigue. 

Cole likes to think that he’s the rock that the ninja push their ailments onto, but in terms of the self, the Earth ninja was never good at mourning. Probably because of his dad. 

The loss of his mom was the first tragedy he ever experienced—and throughout the ordeal he looked to his father for guidance. That was when his dad shut off, shut him out, and consistently shut him up. Lou took his love for dancing and pounded it into the ground. 

He rubbed his face into his pillow, trying not to fret from buried memories. He eventually refocused onto his present. The mattress was lumpy and smelled like a retirement home, and he could hear the faint sounds from the city outside his window. Soon enough the ninja was at the mercy of sleep. Swiftly dozing off, he dreamt. He dreamt that the dread of his predicament would somehow be alleviated. He dreamt that he could be himself without any disapproval, and dance like he did as a kid. He dreamed of a father that would just listen to him. It was vague and far-fetched, yes, but it was all he truly desired.

But alas, like all dreams, they rarely come true.

Chapter Text

The first term of the school year was finally over! Ninjago City was already swept into a wonderful winter. There was light snow, crisp air, and the ever present villain attacks. However, with the change of the seasons, destiny was always at play. And destiny was determined to bring four unsuspecting ninja together in their shared sociology class.

The ninja had just returned from busting into an underground smuggling ring orchestrated by the evil Pythor. The man--or snake, was the ruler of the Serpentine. A race of snake-people that previously dominated the realm of Ninjago, only to have lost their power to humans some centuries ago. 

The snake, specifically, the Anacondrai, Pythor had the ambition to bring the snake people back up to ruling the surface world. 

But unlike the big clashing battles the ninjas had with Lord Garmadon or other menaces to the city, the Serpent decided on a much more indirect approach. They decided to accumulate capital and resources rather than a barbaric takeover. Along with four other Serpentine generals (and a sizable army of snake tribes), Pythor recently built a criminal empire in the underbelly of Ninjago City. 

Naturally, as not to arouse suspicion of the public, Pythor operated as a shadow. He kept his hands (or whatever serpentine call hands) clean while he manipulated humans to work for him. All the while using his snake underlings to keep the gears from...squeaking. It was only with Sensei Wu were the ninjas even aware that this power even existed, as the Serpentine were only folklore to the general Ninjago populace. 

Tonight they had just broken up a narcotics deal between Pythor and Master Chen. Though the two criminal organisations were rivals, Master Chen (also ruler of the noodle empire) was absolutely obsessed with collecting weird artefacts and weapons—what he was planning to use them for was anyone’s guess. They just knew it was all sorts of illegal. 

Nonetheless, the two organisations never really got in each other’s way. White assessed that they were allies for the time being, trying to wipe out the ninja before they eventually had to face off against each other. 

Jay didn't really care either way though. The mission was refreshing, he used his electrical know-how to turn off the building's lights—and he made nice with some civilians that got caught up in the trouble. It was fun kicking butt again after the stressful exams of the previous semester--but Jay was aggravated that he had to return to a new term the next day. Especially after being up all night too, Jay would surely feel trashed the next morning. Fun times… 

The group of five started their trek back to the meeting point, leaping across buildings in a blur. 

“Man,” Lloyd commented, “we really need to rethink this whole ‘colored ninja’ thing. White is the only one blending in with the snow.” 

“Too true!” Red huffed, “Why did we change our old black uniforms to these bright pyjama suits--it's no wonder we get spotted so often.”

“It is because they align with our elemental powers--besides, it's easier distinguishing you by colour rather than your voices.” White explained.

“Hah! Getting those powers was a real doozy. It threw me for a loop.” Jay was the first to discover his elemental powers. Thank the FSM that it was during training, or else who knows what other shit he may have gotten himself into.

“Threw you for a loop? You legit electrocuted me! My hair was fried for days.” Black complained. Jay and the others just giggled upon the memories.

“I still think these uniforms are impractical.” Red protested, a whine clear in his voice.

“Maybe for you. But not because of the clothes, you’re just a very loud ninja Red.” White larked.

“Ooh snap! He got you there!” Black laughed.

“Can it, boulder brain, your colour didn’t even change. You’ve been in black since forever!” 

Black let out a fake gasp, “You take that back!”

“Alright alright guys, we’re almost at the meeting point.” Lloyd mediated. There was a small pause though, where everyone really did ponder the idea of different suit colours. “...but. Per say, if we did have to change it, what colour would work best?” Lloyd asked.
“Obviously black!” Black cried.

“But you’re not doing so well right now are you? My shade blends in this season.” White argued. 

“But my darker green works great anywhere outside the city.” Lloyd mentioned.

“No way hosé,” Red whined, “I do not look good in white or black. I think I would look dashing in green though.”

Lloyd snorted a bit, and White and Black shared an unimpressed look. “But Red, we’ve only really seen your eyes and eyebrows. Fashion sense doesn't really cut it here.”

“I want to look good everywhere, on the job or not! I need to set a good example for my adoring fans.” 

Lloyd gave a sny look: “Well, if you really want to prove or disprove your color preferences, try my mask on and see if it matches your look.”

Without thinking, Red reached up and pulled his mask over his chin, “Wh--Hey! What did we discuss?!” The Fire Ninja whipped his mask back down--a stern look in his eyes.

“Oh, no trying to trick people into revealing their identities, right. Sorry. But dang dude, you are just too gullible.”

“Sorry my ass Green!” Red huffed.

“And I am not gullible. That trophy belongs to Blue.”

“Where’d that come from?!” Though Jay and his team knew it was true. His fast mouth landed them in trouble a jarring amount of times.

“You know it’s true dude. But Green, you’re lucky your my brother or you’d be squashed on the sidewalk right about now.”

“Statistically speaking Red, wherever you and Green spar, you lose around 60% of the time.” White said blankly.

This flared up a bit of conflict between team members--but it was all in good fun.

While the team argued over things that didn't really matter, Jay wasn't really in the mood. He was more concerned about his next classes and whether they’d be stressful or laid back. Mostly though, his mind returned to one question. Will Nya be in any of his classes? He was a grade older, but he knew that Nya took as many summer courses as possible, so some of her classes were in his grade level! Jay really hoped it was mechanics. He wanted to show off to her his inventive side and model building skills. 

But destiny never seemed to be in his favour. Born in a junkyard, two overly doting parents (whom he loved with all his heart), and a crush who would never notice him. Commodities like a romantic life weren’t in Jay’s path, especially not as a ninja vigilante, so why was he still clinging on? Jay’s face soured in frustration as they simultaneously reached their point of farewell.

Black seemed to notice his turmoil and ran towards the Master of Lightning, “You doing okay buddy? Did something go wrong at the warehouse docks?”. The ninja did a quick visual check over Jay to see if there were any injuries.

“Sigh* I’m alright Black. Probably just hating the idea of going to school tomorrow.” Jay groaned. But could he tell Black the real reason? About Nya? Why not? His personal life and his vigilante life were so far apart, what could go wrong? Besides, he trusted Blac k. “And, um. Just… there is this girl I--”

“Ooh! A girl?” Red barged in, swinging an arm over his shoulder, causing Jay to trip a little. “Do ya like her?”. Guess his interest was piqued. In fact, all the other ninja leaned in as well. Instead of darting off into the city like they usually do after a mission, they were invested in what Jay had to say. He assumed it was because no one delved into their romantic lives while part of the Secret Ninja Force.

“Yeah, she goes to my school. She’s really something.” Jay swooned. He was about to continue when White urged a warning of caution.

“Before you continue, and I’d love to hear it--just--be wise with the information you disclose. You’re among friends, but who knows who may be lurking.”

Paranoia washed over the group. Each ninja did a quick survey of their surroundings to ensure they were truly alone. They usually met here, and never sensed any outsiders, but one could never be too careful.

“It’s nice that you’re telling us this, but be careful about what details you leak even with us. You don't want Lloyd hunting you down do ya?” Black nudged Lloyd’s arm.

“Hey!” The ninja yelped, “...But yeah, I probably would…”. Lloyd had a defeated look of guilt on his face. The rest of the group chuckled.

“Don't worry, there aren't any details to even disclose, the girl doesnt even know I exist.” Whined Jay.

Red went wide eyed, and squeezed Jay in close, “Well then you gotta make her notice you! My suggestion is to be cool, if she’s always pestered by other guys, pretend like you don't even care.”

“But, I do?”

“That's terrible advice!” Lloyd reprimanded Red.

“I agree with Green.” White turned to Jay. “If I had to court a potential mate, I would have to show her why I was the most logical mate. Maybe…show her some of your inventions?”

“Pffff, that’s totally lame! You would put her to sleep.” Red complained. 

“…Actually, that might not be a bad idea. The showing the inventions thing, not the making her sleep thing.” Nya was pretty known for her love of mechatronics. It was a common interest they both shared. “Black, any other good advice that may be useful?”

“No way, I’m not sticking my finger into that beehive. I’m just as clueless as you dude. Just don’t call her fat I guess.” He shrugged. 

“Tsk tsk tsk. Where you would be without me. Guys, I’m the official dating guru of this team! Act tough, be cool. That’s how you’ll get the girl.” Red said.

“So just act like a meathead? No wonder you get so many chicks.” Black retorted. Everyone chuckled except the Master of Fire. 

“Regardless, Blue, you need to just be yourself. It’s so much easier than pretending to be something you’re not. Just look at me for example.”

“Switching between the devious Lloyd Garmadon and Green is not on the same level as my predicament. Talking to a girl is terrifying! ” 

White, Black and Green rolled their eyes in amusement. Red was still determined to impart some wisdom still, “Fine, I guess that tactic only works for me anyways. But you gotta take action!”

“I agree with Red on that one,” White added, “who knows the possibilities of the future when you don't take the leap?” 

“That's what I said!” Red yelled, “Just...fancier. But my point still stands. You should approach her. If she’s single, what could get in the way? You’d regret it for the rest of your life if you don’t at least explore the options you have.”

“That’s actually, very wise? Looks like someones been hanging out with Wu too much lately.” Jay joked. The rest of the team nodded and shook their heads. Red stood straight again, patting Jay on his shoulder, “I believe in you man.”

Just then, Black let out a loud yawn, “I love brotherly encouragement as much as the next guy, but I gotta hit the hay soon. School is tomorrow.”

“School is today,” White corrected, “but I’m exhausted too. Fighting through tens of Serpentine is hard work.”

“Then I guess it's decided, we’ll have a patrol tomorrow. Meeting here if you can make it.” Lloyd said. 

“I bid you farewell.”

“Stay safe guys.”

The rest of the team had split up, and now Jay and Red were travelling together for a bit until they inevitably parted ways too. 

“So, uh. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, unless some school stuff comes up,” Red answered, “take my advice or don't, but I hope it works out with you and that girl.”

“Thanks Hothead.”

“No problem Sparky.”

The ninja waved to each other before going in opposite directions. As Jay moved to the outskirts of the city, he finally had some time to reflect. Even if he was a ninja, he still deserved love, even if it wasn't Nya (though he’d be pretty heart broken if he was rejected). It would be hard keeping the ninja identity under wraps, but for the better of the city, he would do it. It would also be to protect her from underhanded enemies too, if he was ever found out. Jay justified. But before he could mentally back out of his ignited determination, he set himself a deadline. In a month’s time, he would speak to and befriend Nya. If that works out, then phase two, asking his crush out. 

As Jay opened the broken lock outside his room’s window, he slipped into his house. It was a little risky since the wall between his parents bedroom and his own was very thin. But the whirrs from the trailer usually blocked out any sounds he made in the night. 

Comfy with his stuffy, Mr. Cuddlywhump, which he had for as long as he could remember, Jay hoped he would still have the motivation to see through his goal. The ninja battled Serpentine, Chen cultists, and Garmadon with ease and witty quips, they had courage flowing out of their butts. So how could talking to this girl be more difficult?

If only he knew.

For once Kai was up earlier than his sister, he was too jittery with excitement for the coming school day. The elemental master of fire started to make breakfast, scrambled eggs and toast. The ninja was quite happy with himself from the events the night before. Not only did he kick Serpentine butt (if they have butts, it's still an open question), but he also gave some great advice to Blue. He knew that the lightning ninja deserved to be happy, his whole team did. Kai hoped that his encouragement would give the boy the push he needed.

That same encouragement didn't exactly translate to any guy gunning for his sister though. He’s had to fend off a few slimy guys at school to protect his sister. He despised the leering looks some guys made while she wasn't looking, or the vulgar comments he may have overheard. It was as if they considered her some sort of commodity. Disgusting. Which may have accidentally kindled a few fights here or there. But even with the detention it was all worth it. It was justice well deserved. 

Kai let the thoughts pass, he didn't even like considering his sister as a romantic option for other guys. It gave him some major heebie-jeebies. So much so that without thought, he actually overheated the metal handle attached to the frying pan. It was red hot and started warping a bit in his superheated hands. 

The ninja quickly cooled off the pan by flushing it under water.

“What are you doing to our breakfast?” Nya asked over his shoulder. His body failed to resist a yelp. In spite of his ninja training and sensitive ears, his little sister always managed to sneak up on him. 

“Whaaaa--nothing! Just washing the pan.”

Nya gave an unimpressed look. “Really? With the eggs still in the pan? The *sigh, now ruined eggs. Did you hit your head or something?”

“Oh, yeah--uh, you're right! I really can be a dunce sometimes. Well, while I clean this up, there’s toast ready in the toaster.”

“Alright, but please be careful.”

“Careful? Don't worry, I can cook eggs. Well, usually.”

“No, no, not that. I care about you, and I want you to be okay.” Nya said before taking a bite of her toast.

“Nya, don’t worry, I’m all good.”

“You just washed our eggs. Just–you know what I mean.”

Kai turned to her with a soft look, “Of course. No muss, no fuss.”

“You know me so well.” Nya had a warm smile on her face, “Oh! And stay away from all the ninja crap that Secret Ninja Force is up to!”

“What do ya mean?” Kai said nervously. No…She couldn't have…

“Big city battles, day or night. My friend Vania got injured watching when Garmadon attacked a while ago. If stuff like that happens, run in the opposite direction. ” Oops --

The teenager knew his sister loved him with all her heart and wanted him to be safe. Unfortunately, that meant she was extremely protective of him. Just the same way that Nya would admit he was overly protective of her. But well… Awkward.

“Have I ever been known to run towards danger?”

“Almost exclusively you brave idiot.”

“Yeeeah that does sound like me. But why’d ya bring the ninja up specifically?” 

His sister continued, “Apparently last night security cameras picked up footage of the ninjas fighting this underground trade off or something. It was by the dock warehouses just fifteen minutes away from here. My friend sent it to me just now.”

“Haha, how did she get that video?”

“Are you kidding me? It’s all over Chirp, just see for yourself!”

She pulled out her phone and showed the trending page on the app. The first ten videos on screen were about them and their recent triumph. For ninja they sure do take the spotlight often. He fondly remembered the times where they were just starting out. The ninja were just a myth and they took care of small scale crime… Now they have their own forums. 

“At least they're making a difference though right?” Kai decided he ought to defend his secret nighttime activities. And to test the waters into how Nya felt about the team. It occurred to him that he never really asked before. 

“That's true, they are a super net positive for the city.” She paused, her face getting more serious, “... But what would their friends and families think? What if they’d turn up dead?”

“You don’t think they’re up to snuff?” Kai asked, almost insulted by the notion.

“I mean they’re super strong, I think it's cool how each has an elemental gimmick. I would like to know how they ended up like that though… It's just that their foes are strong too, and have weapons. Like, real weapons.”

Kai could not deny her that. More often than not they come back with scratches. Most of it doesn't scar though. “Yeah, I bet they can be a little banged up from fighting Garmadon or whoever.”

“Or even some low-level crook on a bad day. Who knows when they could find themselves on the wrong side of a gun.”

“Yeah, that must happen a lot.”

“I’d flip if I found out one of my friends died as a vigilante in stupid outfits.” Kai cringed at Nya’s strong emotions towards the ninja. Relentlessly, she continued, “The ninja probably don’t care enough about their families to put themselves in harm's way all the time. Even if they do it for the greater good. To me though? Nothing is more important than family. Same with you!” 

That stung Kai a bit. Correction: a lot. He always justified his vigilante activity as a means to protect his sister from the forces of evil. Not to run away from Nya or his familial responsibilities. But he never really asked her permission. However, Kai’s boundless determination shined through.

As of right now, with Garmadon and many other villains still on the loose, he couldn't stop until he knew his sister would be safe. Until then, he swore to continue to fight with bravery and honour. Though if she were to ever find out about his midnight fightings, she would literally murder him. Hopefully that would never come to fruition though. 

“Aren’t you being a bit harsh Nya?”

“I guess you’re right, but my points still stand! Maybe we should switch to a topic more breakfast-y. Y’know, something more casual.”

“I agree.”

“Do you have a favourite ninja?” Nya said, changing the subject smoothly. “I think I know who it might be.”

“Red, of course!”

“That really fits. From the videos online, the guy is pretty impulsive--like you!” 

“Hey!” Kai made an offended face, “He’s really cool!”

“Yeah I guess… But I guess between the two of you he’s more of a hot head. Because fire and stuff.”

“Pffft, I’d consider it a tie for hot headedness.”

“Unless you can shoot fire from your hands I would have to disagree.” Nya toyed with him.

To indulge his own curiosity, Kai asked, “...Do you have a favourite ninja?”

Maybe he should have just stayed silent. “It used to be the leader.”

“Green?”

“No? Black. He’s the leader right?”

“Not anymore, I think he passed the title onto Green.”

“Wow, I guess I couldn't tell, how do you know? Are you secretly a Secret Ninja Force connoisseur?”

“Uh… Body language. Duh.” Well, he wouldn't exactly say it was from first hand experience right?

“Who’s the fav’ now?”

“The Blue one! With the lightning and nunchakus, he’s so cool.” If the ninja didn't know any better, he’d say his sister was almost swooning. 

“Why the blue guy?” 

“He is so impressive. In this video alone he used his intellect to shut off the power,” Too bad he forgot to cut the security feed, Kai grumbled to himself, “He’s also a totally cool fighter! I don’t know how the ninja even do the elemental powers and stuff, but lightning is such a cool element to have! Though I’d pick water if I got to.” Nya gushed while flailing her arms recounting the heroics Blue does. Kai couldn't discount that Blue was indeed impressive, but Nya seemed to know a lot about the lightning ninja despite previously being critical of their existence. 

“And after all of it was over, the camera catches him checking up on some citizens to make sure they were okay. He’s like the perfect guy. Such a sweetie!”

“You think he's dreamy or something?” Kai said with a scowl.

“Ahem,” Nya avoided his eye contact. She blushed, twirling her hair between her fingers. “I do have to admit he’s cute.”

“WH-- you’ve never even seen his face!”

Nya gave a lopsided smile, “Sometimes you can just tell.” 

Perfect guy?! Sweetie?! Cute?! Blushing?! No thank you. Kai didn't like that sort of talk. In fact, he’d dislike almost any relationship involving his sister, unless they got his stamp of approval first. However, that was almost impossible… unless it was… his ninja brethren. Hmmm. Blue does have the ‘Kai approval stamp’ and he’d have to admit, they’d make a good match. They were both techy, Nya liked funny guys, and Blue had a heart of gold. I probably wouldn't even be blinded with rage if he dated my sister… Kai thought... but I’d still kick his ass if he hurt her. 

Too bad they’d never be affiliated with each other. Kai was certain that a couple of the ninja including Blue were high schoolers, but the probability they went to the same school was slim. 

“Alright fine, better pursue this than any of the idiot guys at school. But don’t blame me if the Blue ninja is some guy named Chuck living in his parents basement.”

“Kaiii.” Nya giggled.

“What? It could happen!”

Nya just responded with a snort.

Eventually, the Smith siblings made their way to school. The hallways were busy and Kai just barely made it to his second period--sociology. It was one of the random electives he took, mainly because history sounded so much worse. 

Kai scanned the room. The classroom was filled with stacks of books and silly motivational posters on the walls. There was a big chalkboard in the front of the room next to the teacher’s petite desk. Unfortunately for him, none of his friends attended the class with him. But he didn’t feel alienated in any way. He was familiar with most of the students, a perk of being the soccer team’s captain. But there were still a couple strange faces in the class. Fine by him, Kai always liked making new friends. Kai settled into a desk near the door. 

“Hope you’ve all had a good morning,” A short taut woman said. She had grey hair tied in a bun and very formal clothes on. That was bad, she looked strict. So much for a blow-off class.

The lady droned on about the syllabus while Kai resisted the urge to go on his phone. The teacher continued talking until the class finally arrived on the culminating assignment for the semester. Kai suppressed a groan.

“The project is called, ‘What is the future of humanity?’. This is a multiple-step project that will draw upon all of the information and skills you have learned this semester. You will do research, collect and interpret data, and present your findings. The topic and question you choose should look at some aspect of where you think we are heading. It should also look at what is going on now, and what is to occur in all areas of Ninjago.”

Awesome, that doesn't sound time-consuming at all. Kai rolled his eyes. His teacher continued, “By the end of the semester, a research paper and presentation should be formed. It will be done in groups of three or four…” Yay! Kai was already looking at some acquaintances he liked in the class. “...that I will choose.” Nay! That totally bites!

The teacher placed all their names into a hat and started to form groups. Kai was busy twiddling his thumbs until the teacher called his name, “Group three will be Zane, Kai, Jay and Rocky.”

Bummer. Kai wasn't too familiar with any of these guys. He looked at the other guys, they didn't look too excited about this either. When he made eye contact with Jay, the other boy even curled up on himself a bit. 

This is going to be hard. The teacher lady managed to pick the worst possible option for him! It was rubbed in his face even more when the four kids sitting near him whispered excitedly. They called themselves the ‘Lowly’, or was it the ‘Upply’? They were a DnD group consisting of Fungus, Korgran, an exchange student from Metalonia, Plundar, and Adam. He’s hung out with them before, they were super chill. 

Too bad his groupmates were almost total mysteries. He barely knew anything about the Rocky guy actually, just that he was a bit of a loner. At that moment the guy snuck an earbud into his ear without his teacher noticing. Those types are always so great to talk to. Fortunately, the guy didn't look mean, just uninterested in everything going on. 

He knew that Jay, other than him being a bit shy, was that the kid in the gym that totalled his soccer teammate Chad. Kai was definitely planning on questioning Jay on that later. 

Whatever he knew about Zane was minimal. All he remembered was that the guy was one of the smartest in school, he demolished tests and projects. What luck! Looks like fate was smiling down on him today. 

Kai made it a point to ensure that none of these guys would go after Nya. From right now, they seemed decent. But they were not good enough. Not just anybody can date his precious sister.

“I’ve arranged the desks so you can sit with your group members the whole semester. So group up now if you please.”

Kai plopped down in the desk cluster in the back of the class, and the others were quick to join him. It could have been fear of their strict teacher, or the immense awkwardness of first contact, but nobody spoke for that entire class.

After the period was over, the teenagers quickly cleaned up their supplies and made a move to leave. Just as Kai stood up and swung his bag around his shoulder, the Zane fellow introduced himself to the group. 

“Hi, I’m Zane as you may have already figured out. Just to get this project on its feet as soon as possible--as it counts for 25% of our final grade--do you want to meet up after school to brainstorm ideas for the project?”

There was a pregnant pause as everyone thought through his question. Kai wasn't too keen on losing out on a night of patrol, especially since he loved hanging out with his friends. But school may ramp up later… Getting the project done as soon as possible would be the easiest. Kai was sure that the other members of the Secret Ninja Force could pick up the slack if he was absent anyways. Unknowingly, each of the other ninja members thought the exact, same, thing. 

“I’m in.”

“Me too.” Jay piped up quietly.

Rocky offered an affirmative nod. 

“But where and when?” Kai asked. 

“It would be optimal if we were able to work outside of school, as according to studies sharing time in more personal settings allows team bonding to increase by about 30%. And of course that implies great efficiency and collaboration.”

Wow, Zane just spits the facts huh? 

“I don't think I can offer up my house today, it's a mess and my sister may not want the extra company.” Kai answered. 

“...I can offer up my house, but it's not so much a house as it is a junkyard. And my parents would probably pounce on us like vultures. They love meeting new people. Maybe once the project gets started it’d be a nice place to hang though.”

The Rocky dude just observed as the boys discussed potential meeting options. 

“You guys can come to my house, my father will be out so it would be private, and it isn't super far away from school.” Zane offered. “5:00 sounds good?”

“Sounds like a plan.” The Fire Ninja said. 

“Let's exchange contact info!” Jay mentions, as they were all doing that, Rocky wasn't really part of the conversation. He just stood there like a statue.

“Here, let me add my contact info.” Kai said, swiping the phone from the guy’s hand. After the whole process was done, they all had each other’s text. Kai also had Jay’s Ninjagram and Chirp account. It was mostly filled with the robot technology stuff Kai wasn't a big fan of. To be honest, Kai wasn't too appalled that Rocky and Zane didn't have any social media accounts. 

“I’ll send you my address via the group chat.” Zane said. Simultaneously, they each received a ding on their phones, a notification in the boringly named chat, ‘sociology culminating group’. How far is this from my plac--HOLY BOLOGNA! 

Kai had suspected that Zane was rich, but not stupid rich?! A high floor in one of the richest apartment areas in all of Ninjago? What was a guy like that doing in a school like his? He should be a foreign exchange student or go to some fancy private school, not eating burned cafeteria lunch like the rest of the common folk. 

While Kai was trying to pick his jaw up from off the floor, he saw the others doing the same. Their eyes were popping out of their heads, the shock even pulled some facial expression out of Rocky too, same boat huh?

All the while Zane stood stoically confused. “Are you guys, alright?”

“Yeah, I guess we didn't expect… uh…”, Kai stumbled. Jay looked just as frantic.

“You to be… um…”

“Filthy rich?” Rocky finished. There was an awkward smile on his face. That must have been the first thing he’s ever heard Rocky say, Kai guessed that he wasn't as dissociated as he pretended to be. 

“Oh, I’m sorry. I guess I misunderstand. What’s the correlation between my wealth status and meeting later?” Zane asked, still not comprehending their awe.

“Uh, nothing!” Kai said, removing any discomfort within the group, “I just haven't been to that area of town. Just worried about traffic, y’know?”

The other two boys eagerly nodded their heads too. 

“The area is easy to navigate. And traffic is not too problematic, especially not before rush hour, and even then it's not too bad.”

“Well then.” Kai pressed his lips into a firm line, “See you there.”

“Likewise.”

Kai had no idea how this group project would go. But just like the advice he gave to Blue, he just had to take the leap.

Chapter Text

Cole was definitely out of his element. He entered the lobby of Zane’s apartment. He was dressed in modest jeans and a black hoodie. Over top of that he had a grey puffy vest. Many other people in the area were all in business attire or fancy clothes. The boy stuck out like a sore thumb. Yeah, Cole was definitely out of his element. 

Not only were the styles of dress different to his, but the entire environment screamed bourgeois. The ceiling was tall and there was a dazzling golden chandelier hanging from the top. Rich marble pedestals acted as ceiling support, while tektite and granite slabs acted as the floor material. Why was he even there? He wasn't even interested in sociology, he just wanted an easy class. Now look how that turned out. Cole was early and decided to bask in the lobby for a bit. 

The ninja silently took a seat on one of the lounge chairs. It sank comfortably with his weight. Quite honestly? It felt too expensive for his butt. Just as Cole began to snuggle into the chair, Jay and Kai arrived together. Cole could practically see their eyes pop out of their heads when they entered the building. Nice to know he wasn’t the only one uncomfortable.

“Uh, hey.” Cole greeted. The other two were a bit taken by the fact he spoke first. 

“Hi, have trouble getting here?” Kai asked politely. 

“Nah, I came from home too. It was a bit far from my place but I managed.”

“Cool, cool, cool, cool…” Jay muttered. Cole was a bit sad that when they initially spoke, talking flowed so smoothly--now they barely made eye contact. It was like a punishment for lashing out that day. It wasn’t often that his emotions got the best of him, but he acted selfishly and didn’t bother thinking about Jay. The ninja would be lying if the regret didn’t keep him up some nights. 

Some ninja he is.

“Yeah, uh. How about you two? Easy gettin’ here?”

Kai gave a relaxed smile, “Yeah, cool coincidence. We actually met on the walk here. Turns out we live pretty close to each other.” 

Cole let out an impressive whistle. 

“Weren’t you cold?” Kai asked, the two of them decked out in full winter clothing. Cole looked down at his gloveless hands and thinly clothed arms.

“Nah I like the cold.” He wasn't sure if it was some genetics or his elemental powers, but he always managed in extreme weather. Especially the cold.

“Suit yourself.” Kai shrugged, “We should get going, if we wait any longer we’ll be late.”

All three teens gradually made their way over to the elevators. Still talking, “Nice, I guess we go upstairs now. What floor?” Cole asked.

“I think floor nine right?” Jay said.

The three boys stepped into the first elevator that opened. Cole noticed that there were only ten floors above ground level. 

Kai gulped, “I’m pretty sure that if floor ten is the roof, Zane must live in the penthouse complex at the top of the building.” 

Jealous silence filled the room. If Cole had that much money, well, he’d be set. No worrying about bills and no worries about his dad finding him. If he had enough resources, or money to pay for resources, his dad would never track him down. 

“God damn,” Kai said, “Zanes got it made.”

“Yeah, I’m almost drooling at the thought of all that money!” Jay added, “But I wouldn’t be very good at managing it. Whatever money comes my way I spend it on junk food and video games.”

“Ah.” Kai and Cole said. The rest of the elevator ride consisted of the three gawking at the luxury building they were currently in. 

*Ding! The elevator opened. Inside there were only four possible doors--each for a different penthouse corner of the building. Wow, Zane was loaded. 

“I guess it's this one?” Jay walked up to the closest door. 

“Only one way to find out.” Kai shrugged as he rang the doorbell. They heard some rushed footsteps before Zane swung open their door. “Ah, hi guys, thanks for coming! Sorry, I was just cleaning the place up a bit.”

The three entered his apartment. Correction; penthouse suite?! The place was freaking huge! The ceiling was super high compared to his apartment, and everything was modern and elegant. Not to mention, it was spotless. When Zane said ‘a bit of cleaning’ how far did he go? Cole could practically see his reflection on every surface--almost like the reflection ice casts. 

Cole, Kai and Jay must have been distracted for too long as Zane gave a loud *ahem to get their attention.

“I already have the rubric and shared files on my computer. Hopefully we can be proactive and finish the assignment earlier than later this year. Do you guys want to start?”

Unenthused ‘yeahs’ responded. Looks like Cole wasn't the only one disinterested in the project.

It had been a half hour since they began brainstorming ideas. Kai offered to present the final presentation (and help with whatever was left) because of his outgoing style and ability to address a room. Jay was going to make the presentation, while Cole and Zane tackled the research portion. Even though the dialogue had been a bit halted in the beginning, they all grew to talking more casually. 

Despite his caution around the group, he even managed to take on more of the leader role on the team, making sure everyone was on task.

That tended to happen. As his skills as a leader frequently sprung up to shine no matter what he did. At least when he got a little familiarity with others. Fair to say, he worked better in a team than in his own.

They worked like a well oiled machine. Err, maybe not between him and Jay. Things were still a bit weird between the two of them after his outburst. Despite that though? All good. Cole wasn’t on the lookout for friends, as he wanted to be on the down-low in case his dad ever went snooping around for him, but maybe he could be on friendly terms with these guys.

They didn’t seem like the types of people invested in the fine arts, nor did they care about Marty Oppenheimer’s and the Royal Blacksmiths. Thoughts like that only made Cole feel worse for his defensive behaviour with Jay prior though. He wanted to make amends, to make his mother proud, but he didn’t have the courage yet. 

Zane’s timer went off. “Yes! Break time!” Kai exclaimed while reaching for his phone. The others also relaxed. They had collaborated really well and made some good progress, the four had a rough outline of the project. The boys had some rudimentary research done too. 

“After a quick break we can wrap up at a good place for the project.” Cole announced. 

“I concur. And I appreciate the initiative, Rocky.”

“Uh, thanks? It’s just in my nature.” Cole would like to say it felt weird getting that praise from his new group mate, but he’s a sucker for good feedback. He worked hard for people to be proud of him.

“Have any of you guys eaten yet? I cooked something up.” Zane offered.

“Yeah! I…neglected to eat lunch and supper.” Said Kai.

“Neglected?” Cole chimed worriedly.

Neglecting to eat food was a worrying thought. What would be the reason? Jay and Zane also looked confused and concerned.

The spiky haired teen laughed him off, “No need to worry, wrong word. I just forgot, busy busy! Y’know?”

“If you insist.” Jay said slowly, “I’m cool to eat.”

Zane turned to Cole, expecting him to respond. Cole was hungry and he didn’t eat dinner (a bit hypocritical right?). He couldn’t really afford to eat much because he had to prioritise rent anyways. It wasn’t rare that this happened either. While Cole would jump on an opportunity like this, Zane was only an amicable acquaintance. The Earth Master didn’t want to be a burden nor show his gluttonous side. He already did that enough accepting White’s delicious bento boxes anyhow.

Cole gave a curt nod, “I’m fine. Had dinner on my way over here.” Cole thought that lie was delivered really well. No quakes or shakes in his voice. But his stomach betrayed him. Comedically his stomach rumbled as loud as possible and Cole blushed like mad. The others either gave him an intense stare down or snickered at him. 

The ninja frantically waved his hands around. “Uh! On second thought, I could eat!”

Kai and Jay both giggled and even Zane had an amused smile. Zane went into the kitchen. The boys exchanged some small talk at the dining room table until Zane returned. 

“Dinner is served!” Zane exclaimed proudly, a full turkey in one hand with some side dishes in the other. But that wasn’t what took the cake (hehe). Zane was wearing a pastel pink apron, with little hearts and teddy bears decorating the fabric. It was as adorable as it was hilarious!

The other two felt the same way. Failing to hold in their amusement, they all burst out into roaring laughter. 

“What are you wearing!” Jay laughed out, almost bowling over into laughter again.

“A—an apron.”

“Yeah, but…pfft hahaha!” Kai struggled to speak. 

“I’m confused. Are you laughing because I am taking the proper measures to ensure I am clean after cooking?” Zane tilted his head innocently. 

Kai wheezed, “It's not that, it’s because you came out wearing that ridiculous outfit!”  

Everyone couldn’t help but roll over in laughter again. It was uplifting, laughing so genuinely. He hadn’t done that in so long. 

After the fun died down, Cole checked to make sure that they didn’t really hurt Zane’s feelings. 

“Sorry Zane, it’s just that the apron was so tiny and pink it just— haha. We didn’t mean anything, so don’t worry.” Cole slapped Zane’s back a couple times.

They were all well-meaning, they were just poking fun at their host. Anyhow, the teenager didn’t seem distraught in the slightest. Confused a bit, but a small smile was on his face. Zane seemed happy to bring joy into their get together, even if he wasn’t exactly in on it. 

Eventually, the group split dinner onto separate share plates. It smelled heavenly.

“Let’s dig in!” Cole exclaimed, taking a bite. His eyes doubled, “By grace of the First Spinjitzu Master, this is the best food I’ve ever had!” Much to his dismay, his exaggerated eating habits shone through. He practically inhaled the food, much to the pleasure of Zane. 

“I’m glad you like it!” Zane accepted his praise with a satisfied smile on his face. 

Cole muffled a response back, his mouth guzzling down as much turkey as possible. 

“But don’t choke alright? My standard first aid training doesn’t need to be used right now.” Zane cheekily warned. 

Kai and Jay also looked like they were enjoying their food—only they had more tact at the dinner table. More for me, Cole thought as he shovelled another helping of food into his plate. He was having so much fun (while filling his stomach)! The only other times Cole enjoyed eating that much was either with cake (naturally) or with White, who was also a tremendous cook. The Master of Ice would bring them meals on long stake-out missions or patrols. The bentos White made were the best cause it minimised how long they would need to eat without the mask over their mouths. Bentos made by White were also kickass!

“This is on par with the food one of my friends makes!” Kai semi-yelled. Probably to pierce through the chaotic sounds of Cole eating. 

“Really?” Cole asked, his speech was blocked a bit with all the food in his mouth. 

“Yeah! But the guy I know is more into making sushi and bento stuff. Not so much slow-roast meats. It’s a nice change of pace.” 

“I’d like to meet them sometime. Maybe we could trade secrets in the cooking field.” Zane said.

“Me too!” Jay chimed in.

“Oh!” Kai winced. “That’s poor timing. The guy just moved to Metalonia for the next few years. Talented guy, impossible to meet unfortunately.”

Okay, whatever you say. Cole thought. Before he really had time to ponder the excuse though White changed the subject. 

“And I hope I wasn’t too presumptuous, but I also made dessert.”

“Get out.” Cole said, pleasantly surprised. 

“Why would I remove myself from my own home?” 

“No no, like, wow didn’t expect that. It’s an expression.” Cole explained.

Zane’s face was too obvious. It was like he could see a metaphorical light bulb pop up above his head. 

“Ooh. I see. I’ll write that down for later.” Cole gave a questioning look to Kai, who just shrugged . Zane sure was an oddball.

“Regardless, should I bring out the dessert.” 

“Wow man, you're too generous.” Jay said with a kind tone, “But we’d love to try it.” 

Zane’s face lit up and he scampered into the adjacent room. Soon to return with…

With…

How do you even describe it? It was a masterpiece. A fat cake with tan buttercream frosting. Cole was already salivating. 

“Dude, are you crying?” Kai asked coyly. 

But it was true, his eyes were watering up.

Cole sniffled, “I just love a good cake. Thanks Zane.”

“Well what’re we waiting for?! Let’s slice this baby open!” Jay perked up.

Needless to say, the cake experience was truly indescribable.

About twenty minutes of joking around later (excluding Cole, who only complimented the cake with teary eyes), they were absolutely stuffed. Kai eyed the big flat screen television across the room, “Maybe later, after work is done, we could watch a movie?” 

“Sounds good to me!” Jay pumped his fist in the air excitedly. 

“Well let’s not overstay our welcome. Whatever you want is fine with us Zane.” 

“I enjoy the company, we can probably do the movie right after this. Besides, we’ve all made great progress today. Now to spare some more work sessions over the term and we should be golden. Are you going to join us, Rocky?” Zane queried. 

Although Cole was apprehensive about spending time with people, he would prefer the company even if it were only one night. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was lonely. The Secret Ninja Force was the only ‘family’ he had. When they weren’t around, life was bleak. 

He never really felt like he was up to snuff when he was alone. His best qualities were when he was in a group. Being by himself always made him a little anxious. 

Maybe these guys could make good placeholders, bring his fiery confidence back, there was some chemistry and they got along well enough. Besides, he’d save more on heating and electricity if he were out of the apartment. 

“I got nowhere to be.” Cole admitted. The other three cheered a bit. 

“Now the question is what to watch.” Zane said.

“Fritz Donneghan!” Jay cried. “I love those movies!”

“Samurai in space?” Cole protested, “No way!” 

Jay looked a bit hurt at that, and Cole immediately cringed. He forgot that their relationship was still quite tense. Him acting out wasn’t helping either. 

“Well, maybe I could try one movie…” Cole grumbled out. Jay still had a sorrowful look in his eyes but he perked up again. Recovery succeeded!

“I’m okay with Fritz, but we should watch something with pirates!” Kai announced. 

“Or a documentary. I like those, and I have a few on hand.” Zane walked over to the cabinet by the TV and carried over a large binder of DVDs. It made a large wham sound as it thudded onto the dining room table.

“What about Fritz Donneghan?!” Jay jumped up from his chair and began waving his arms around, “A: it’s not on some old DVD technology and can be found practically everywhere. B: Everyone loves a good Starfarer adventure and C!”

Jay pushed his hands together and looked away. He whispered, “I’m afraid of pirates.” 

“Pffff! What?! Why?” Kai chuckled. 

“I just am, okay?!” Jay yelled back.

“A fear of pirates is highly illogical. Wouldn’t more prevalent threats like Garmadon top your list?” Zane analysed, “The age of pirates also ended 200 years ago.”

“I know, I know. They just give me the willies. The weird crooked teeth, the icky clothes they always have. They unsettle me to my very core. Don’t even get me started on the pets they have. Why are small monkeys and parrots such vile creatures?! I—“ 

Jay blabbered on, till Cole tried to help him out.

“If you really feel so strongly about it, I have no problems watching Starfarer.” Cole said.

“Yay!” Jay cheered in triumph. They all walked over to the pristine white couch. 

The movie had started, but most of them having seen this movie before (and for Jay, hundreds of times) they were more so having fun commenting on the film. Jay busted out all the factoids and lore about the franchise, often finagling his arms around while talking. Kai just groaned about how pirates were much cooler. But Cole usually mediated the arguments between Kai and Jay about that. All the while Zane was silently watching the movie with extreme interest.

It only happened a few times, but when Cole's gaze caught Jay, he offered him a warm smile and thumbs up. 

Jay seemed to have melted away the thick atmosphere between them. He may be able to rest easy now. Looks like things were looking up for the Master of Earth…

It was almost 10:00 now and the four boys were slugged over the couches and carpets in front of the television—Jay was even dozing off. 

The movie had just finished, along with three bags of popcorn. Much to Cole's dismay, the movie was actually really good—but he didn’t remember the plot so much. He mostly recalled the fun time they all had. The four played games and had a small popcorn fight. They even got into some questions to get to know each other better.

The tech whiz Jay was also a sucker for old comics and loved cotton candy (which checks out with his personality). The other three also pried out information that Jay slept with a teddy bear to this day. Mr. Fluffyclump? Cuzzlywhump? He didn’t remember. But it made for some good teasing. The teen also swung between a nervous stuttering and a proud rambling voice. Cole wondered a bit as to if those changes were deliberate or a weird personality trait. 

The soccer captain Kai wasn’t much like the others on the sports team, he had an empathetic side. Sure he was still a narcissistic hot head, but there was more to him than that. He somewhat cared for the people around him. He also rode a motorcycle to school, which Cole found super cool. They also discovered that Kai had a phobia of water. When asked, Kai explained that it was because he couldn’t swim.

The ninja learned that Zane was an only child and didn’t have a mom. Welcome to the club. But even with his scary intellect he seemed like a guy who wanted to have fun. The boy also had a black cat, a very cute kitty from the photos Zane showed on his phone. Too bad the cat was with Zane’s dad for the evening. Guess they had some errands to run.

The information Kai, Jay and Zane got from Cole was very surface level—he hated snakes and dragons. Cole played up the fear a bit too. He figured that if they uncovered a ‘deep secret’ earlier, they’d be less intrigued about the juicier aspects of his life. Like being an ex-dancer who ran away from a prestigious dance academy to fight crime as a ninja. The others seemed to soak up that information about him, so bullet dodged in any case. 

Although Cole spoke in half-truths and exaggerations, the whole night ran smoothly and excitedly.

It seems illogical that four very different people would get along so well, but it just did. A rag-tag group working together with that much chemistry was a once in a lifetime occurrence. Well, for Cole it was twice in a lifetime including the Secret Ninja Force. 

*Yawn, Jay stirred awake from his slumber. The teen checked his phone before his body went hyper alert “Fantastic! Stay an hour later than promised and suddenly I have a hundred messages from my phone. Jeez my parents are overprotective.”

“My phone is blowing up a bit too. I guess we should all head out.” Kai said, “It is a school day tomorrow.”

Zane nodded in approval. Tiredly, the four tidied up their mess and said their goodbyes. 

“Same time next week?” Jay asked.

“Sounds like a plan.” Zane said, “But does someone else mind hosting?”

Cole really liked these guys and offered his own place, “I don't mind, but I can't guarantee it’ll be as nice as this place.”

“That's quite alright,” Zane affirmed, “Just text us the address and we can find our way there.”

After some more meaningless conversation the three took their leave. Kai rushed away from the other two very quickly after receiving a very angry phone call. Must be his parents, Cole thought. But now it was just him and Jay, the only one he had an iffy relationship with. Cole ached for the headphones in his backpack but decided not to act. He didn't want to be rude like their last interaction alone. They walked in silence for a while before Jay abruptly turned to him. Cole flinched.

“I’d like to retry being friends.” Jay curtly said. He has a no-nonsense look in his eyes.

“I would too.”

“Kay.”

There was another awkward break between them. But rather than his previous rash actions. He decided to do the right thing and take a page from Blacks book. He was going to take responsibility. 

“Uh, I’d just like to apologise. I-I’m sorry. That gym class I acted like a total douche. It was totally uncalled for.” Cole uttered nervously. Cole looked away from him. He twiddled his thumbs in anticipation for what Jay had to say after. 

Jay marvelled at him, “Aah! Now you’re getting me all flustered! I’m not used to apologies. I, hmm. Yeah that time you were really rude,” Okay, ouch. “ But I guess I should say sorry too. I kept poking at whatever your thing was.”

“And sorry for lashing out about your thing.”

Jay needed a second to realise what Cole had meant by that. “Yeah. I suppose so.” Uh oh. Hopefully Cole didn’t say anything wrong. Jay thought to himself for a moment before gasping loudly and gripping Cole's arm. “I have a proposal! We hang like we did tonight and the rules are we never ask about those gym uh. Those unresolved questions… Deal?”

Jay energetically held out his pinky finger. 

Cole was inclined to wrap his pinky too. A pinky promise huh? A very unbreakable bond. 

“Deal.”

They shook on it before devolving into laughter at their childish actions. 

“Anyways, how did you like the movie?” Jay asked. 

“It was…alright.” Cole glanced at him with a nervous blush. 

“See?! I knew you loved it!”

“At least I sat through it!” Cole poked an accusatory finger to Jay’s chest, “ You fell asleep at the very end!”

“Cause I had a thing the night before, and ahem* I’ve seen that movie at least ten times. I almost know all the lines by heart!”

Their back-and-forth continued until the two eventually parted ways. Cole had a skip in his step as he recounted all the fun they had just had. This was his turning point. He just made three new friends today. Separate from his ninja life. Even though he could never be transparent with them, he still greatly valued their company, and he looked forward to the meetings they had planned in the future. 

Who knew sociology would be his favourite class?

Thank the First Spinjitzu Master, he had the idea to clean the cat fur in his apartment. And thanks to his dad for bringing the cat with him while he ran his errands. 

Zane snuggled under his fluffy duvet. It was the first night since his dad returned was he home alone. While he would usually be drowning in worry or fear for his father, he coped with his newfound friends. 

The night went well and he felt he had developed a bond with these three people. They were funny, cool and most of all, normal. He didn’t even mind the fact that he couldn’t understand all their humour, or the puzzling tension between Jay and Rocky. But as an Android, Zane was sure he could learn from them and could act more like them. Zane had a beaming smile on his face. He was always seeking out true friends. Normal friends. Normal people outside his ninja bubble. Zane loved his fellow ninja, he risked life and limb for them multiple times, but upholding justice and training didn't really qualify as, what was it? Chilling out? Zane had just gotten a glimpse into that world--and he wanted more. 

But Zane’s smile faded a bit when he asked himself this: what if he was misinterpreting this friendship. What if he were the only one who thought this was more than a group project? That was a very depressing thought. 

Furthermore, Zane wasn’t as accustomed to human behaviour yet, so he couldn’t really identify if that was friendship brewing. It was disappointing to think about any more. Zane flipped up the switch panel in his forearm to turn on sleep mode. Powering down, he really hoped that this night was the start of something amazing. 

Zane woke up at a ripe 7:00. He heard some shuffling in the other room. Heading out of his bedroom was his father and Shard. The cat was redecorating the place with its fur while his dad made them breakfast. It smelled like eggs with furikake--his favourite! 

“Morning.” Zane walked over to the kitchen island.

“Morning, here’s your food.” Dr. Julien said as he handed Zane a plate. 

The boy started eating. Why Zane was even outfitted with a stomach, he didn't know. He didn't really get any sustenance from it--he won't complain though. Food still tastes good. 

“How was your night out?” Zane asked between bites.

“Pretty good, just hauling the last of my stuff to a new location. My back is still a bit sore though.”

“Oh! You could have asked me.”

Dr. Julien lowered himself to the table, “It's alright, a bit of action would do me good anyways. I was sitting in a cell for months.” Zane was happy that his dad still had a sense of humor, even after being put in the worst conditions. “Besides, looks like you had some fun with your sociology group. Judging by the lack of food in the fridge and popcorn on the carpet.” 

His dad gave a playful smirk. They did get a bit crazy last night, and apparently didn't clean up as well as they'd hoped. 

“Looks like we weren’t cleaning as thoroughly as we thought.” 

“Are they nice?”

“Very much so yes.” 

“I— well…” The Doctor fumbled out.

“Yes father?”

“How do I put this delicately, are they your friends?”

Though Zane didn’t really have the answer to that question, he remained hopeful. “I’d like to think so. How come?”

The doctor played with his fork, “I guess I’m just worried. From your description they sound very pleasant. To be honest, for years all I’ve wanted was for you to have friends.” Aww, that was a nice sentiment. 

“What about the Secret Ninja Force?”

“Well I know they’re your closest compatriots. But engaging with some normal youth would be good for you. Help you adapt… to acting fully human.”

Zane took minimal hurt out of that comment—cause on some level it was true.

“I get it, I think that would be good for me too.”

The teenager took both their plates to the sink and started getting ready for school. When his bag was over his shoulders he gave his dad a hug goodbye.

“I hope it works out with that group project of yours. I just want you to be happy.” The doctor took off his glasses and squeezed his son harder. 

Me too dad. Me too.

Zane found himself at school the next day; the bell had just rung for second period. Sociology class. Rocky and Jay were already there, they exchanged some warm smiles. With some time left before the teacher started her lesson, they both gave some idle small talk about their lives and what they did after last night. Their somewhat dull conversation halted when the teacher began her lecture. 

About five minutes into class, Kai burst through the door. He had his classic red bomber jacket with ripped jeans. All his possessions hung loosely from his hands. He was out of breath and was wearing soccer cleats. He must have rushed here from morning practice. The class quieted as Kai took a seat. Unfortunately Kai didn’t account for the loud screeching sound that his cleats made as he tiredly dragged them across the floor. 

After 15 seconds of slow screeching, he finally reached his desk—exhausted and embarrassed. 

Rocky and Jay could hardly contain their laughter. Along with a few others in class.

“Well good morning twinkle toes.” Rocky larked. 

“Yeah! Haha. Are you a ninja?” The tired Kai perked up in confusion, “Barely heard ya come in—“ Jay joked.

“Yeah yeah, very funny. Forgot to change my shoes.” Kai grumbled. His shoes scraped the floor once more, and the giggles continued. 

The boys still went on with their relentless teasing, realising he’d be walking like this until he could get his regular shoes on. 

Even Zane let out a few laughs. At that point, this little skit had gone on for two minutes, they were completely oblivious. While most of their class was fine with the development, their teacher certainly was not. Simultaneously, they all noticed her death glare. 

“If looks could kill, I’d be in like—in the super realm of the departed. Or something…” Kai jostled Zane’s elbow, trying to get him to respond. But Zane was too afraid to answer him because of the icy look the teacher was giving out. 

They all piped up. The lecture recommenced. While Zane was trying to focus on the words on the board, he silently watched the antics as Jay and Rocky teased Kai about that horrible entrance. They didn’t talk (except the occasional snicker), but their facial expressions and gestures said plenty. 

The bell was a couple minutes from ringing, and Zane had a mission: ask the group to eat lunch together. He didn’t really have an excuse as to why. Their project was going well and an extra meet-up wasn’t warranted, but he’d still try. Ninja never quit right? Ignoring the others, he analysed the different ways to approach this. However, he kept drawing blanks. 

Without warning, the rest of the party started packing up and Zane was frantically thinking of something to say. Unfortunately, the others were all standing up, shuffling towards the door.

Too bad, Zane thought as he started collecting his things, maybe another time…

“You coming?”

Zane’s head shot up, Jay and the others were waiting for him. “For what?” Zane queried.

“Uh, to lunch? We were just discussing it.” Kai answered. 

“Unless you have plans or something…” Jay interjected. 

“No! …uh, no I’m free.” Zane said with a grin. He gathered all his stuff and hurriedly walked out of the classroom with them. They marched directly to the cafeteria. Kai and Jay were paired in front, with Rocky and Zane following close behind. Before Zane could zero in on an appropriate conversation topic, the boy beside him put his headphones. Still Rocky gave him a smile and threw his arm over Zane’s shoulder. 

Sometimes problems solve themselves… 

The other three returned with their lunch trays full of ratchet food. They looked at the food with varying levels of disgust. Jay had a nauseous look on his face. His arms outstretched to put as much distance between himself and his food as possible. Kai was staring at his food like it was poisoned. While Rocky’s eyes were completely resigned. 

Fortunately Zane had his leftovers from the night before. (Though he doesn’t need food, it’s a good way to act human. And it’s a pretty interesting experience.) The others drooled over what Zane had to eat.

“That smells amazing!” Jay ogled. “Much better than this horrid food. I mean seriously, I’m pretty sure this meatloaf is a stone.” The teenager knocked his ‘meatloaf’ a couple of times against the tray. It made a loud banging sound. He hadn’t even taken a bite yet.

“And this weird goo,” Jay stabbed it with a fork a couple of times, “I’m not even sure what that is!”

“I’m like 50% sure it’s spinach.” Kai said with a look of disdain. 

Jay continued poking around his meal. Rocky and Kai, despite the winces they made when they put the food into their mouths, were reluctantly eating. 

What Zane found most concerning was the great lack of food on their plates. It didn’t look like they bought much, maybe about 4$ worth of food. Zane decided not to pry and accidentally scare of his potential friends. 

“Do you guys want some of mine?” Zane offered, pushing forward his containers of food.

“Oh, it’s okay.” Kai said.

“Yeah, you brought that food for yourself. We’ll be fine.” Rocky said.

“Oh it’s cool, I had a big breakfast.” Zane lied. He was trying to be nice, simultaneously pressuring Rocky and Kai to eat better. 

The others nervously looked between themselves.

“… If you insist…” Rocky said slowly. And in that instant, the boys began wolfing down all the food Zane brought. 

After a little while, the four sat and talked about their lives. Getting to know each other a bit more. Jay gushed over Borg Industries new Borg Pad. He was a real tech junkie. They also discovered that his eyebrow had a notch in it due to an explosion a year ago. Everyone thought that that story was very compelling.

Kai mentioned that he got his scar (which dragged from his forehead to across his eye) from trying to pick up a stray cat. The other end of the spectrum in terms of ‘possible scar origins’ as Rocky put it. 

The other teen kept it very brisk. Neglecting to even talk about his family, Rocky went on to discuss all the intricacies of soft rock. 

Zane took inspiration from Rocky and talked about his cat. Could he really mention anything else?

Hello, I’m an Android and part of the Secret Ninja Force. Yeah, no thank you. 

After that topic was over, the four childishly gossiped about other people they could see in the cafeteria. 

“See that guy over there?” Jay half-whispered, “He’s a real party pooper.” Jay pointed to a more muscular character ordering food about ten feet away.

“Chad? Course I know him. He’s on the soccer team. Though is he really that bad?” Kai shrugged.

“Uh, yeah. Remember just a couple weeks ago in gym class when Jay—er.” Rocky looked at Jay with great hesitancy. Kai seemed familiar with what Rocky was referring to, but Zane was still left in the dark. 

“I’ve never been acquainted with Chad Brenstey, why is he a, ‘party pooper’ and what is a party pooper?”

“Someone, well—” Kai started.

“Not fun. They really are just judgy, mean, and overall not fun to be around.” Jay finished.

“Yeah, I’ve spent some detentions with him, he’s a bit of a prick.” Rocky added. Hmm, Zane never knew Rocky spent time in detention. 

“Detention? I feel like I’ve seen you around there?” Kai said.

“Yeah, I usually stationed myself in the back row. You usually got in there for starting fights right?”

“Started, no. Finished, always.” Kai corrected with a big smile on his face. Rocky looked pretty impressed. Meanwhile Zane and Jay were completely new to the topic of detention—having never been sent there.

“What about you?” Kai asked Rocky.

“I don’t find myself there too much, but sometimes teachers catch me eating snacks. Otherwise they’re just sick of my headphones.” Rocky waved around his clunky set of headphones. “Least I’m not in there everyday like some people.”

“Woah! I don’t fight that often.”

“I ain’t talking about you dude, I’m talking bout’ them.”

They all turn to where Rocky was looking. There were two boys; Morro and Brad. 

Unfortunately, Zane was quite familiar with these two. As acting Vice-President, he often sent them to detention. 

“Brad is a very cynical tyke.” Zane explained, “It’s logical though, he transferred here from the Darklys School for Bad Boys in the North..”

“Wicked! Remember when he rigged the sprinkler system during exams last year?” Jay asked.

“Do I ever, the guy messed up my hair.” Kai complained, running his hand through his hair. 

“Still not as bad as Morro.” Rocky added, “The guy hangs out with his ghastly crew and messes with everything.”

“He also despised the Secret Ninja Force, especially the Green Ninja.” Zane explained. Releasing that factoid felt awkward, because he was talking about his own team. 

“Probably just jealous.” Jay brushed off. “But let’s not leave out his girlfriend. Cree-PY.”

“Who’s that?” Zane really didn’t know. He wasn’t so familiar with everyone at school.

“Harumi. She’s a new transfer student. She’s pretty alright, it’s just, I don’t know, she’s just slightly off putting sometimes. Couldn’t tell you why though.” Kai pointed to the blond across from Morro. She was wearing a green blouse with a white skirt. 

“I mean, she is seeing Morro.”

“She’s also super rich, like multiple houses rich.” Jay commented. Rocky let out a whistle. That is a lot of wealth. 

K’thump! 

There was an abrasive smacking sound from across the room. Followed by the clattering of plastic against the floor. While most couldn’t hear it over the cafeteria, the four boys whipped their heads to the noise. 

Lloyd was on the ground, collecting his scattered books and lunch tray, with Morro looking satisfied standing above him. Harumi looked concerned, helping Lloyd clean up the mess a bit to Morro’s dismay. But seeing Green like that… Just the sight made Zane itch with fury. He stood up and marched over. 

“Mr. Morro,” he said with a stern voice, “please escort yourself to the detention office, I’m sure you know exactly what wrongdoings you need to reflect upon.”

“What? I was just stretching. Not my fault he got in the way.”

Zane delivered a cold glare. Morro rolled his eyes.”Yeah, whatever.” Morro said. The teen nonchalantly waltzed over Lloyd and left, a sadistic smile still on his face. 

“You alright?” Zane asked, lending him a hand with his stuff. 

“Yeah. Thanks.” That’s all Lloyd said, still looking downwards. Once he collected his supplies he darted away, not even making eye contact with the older teen. Zane was left to return to the table.

“What was that?” Jay asked, his tone serious. Uh oh. He forgot how anti-Lloyd the school was, even the teachers turned a blind eye to the bullying he faces.

Zane shifted between his feet, he was unsure of how to proceed.  “That was so cool!” Jay praised. Wait, what?

“Really?” That was new. This nindroid didn’t usually know about the social network of high school, but usually when you stand up for someone—especially the son of the Dark Lord—you paint a huge target on yourself. 

“Totally! You, like, took down Morro in a heartbeat, and helped out Lloyd.”

“Yeah, the poor kid has had a rough time, but you helped a bit.” Rocky tilted back in his chair. 

“I always assumed it was just me, uh, neutral about him.” Zane sat down and leaned forward, as to avoid the judgmental stares from some students around the room.

“That’s funny, me too.” Rocky leaned forward in his chair, “Always thought it was only me who didn’t mind lil’Garmadon.”

“I don’t mind him.”

“Kinda think he’s an interesting dude.” Kai added. “Not the delinquent I’ve heard about.”

“That is correct. I have never sent Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon to detention, that was always a teachers doing. Usually for petty reasons too…”

“I’m kind of glad to know we have a similar mindset on this.” Rocky said.

“Yeah!” Jay half-whispered half-yelled, earning a couple looks from the people around them, “we’re kinda like a Lloyd fan club huh?” 

Kai made a groaning sound, “Maybe not a fan club. How about the Lloyd protection squad.” 

“I like it.”

“Cool to me.”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea. And erm—usually when people are in the same club, or squad. They could be considered, friends?” Zane squeezed his eyes shut in embarrassment.

“Yeah.” Kai said with a smile. Looks like Zane officially made a new friend. That wasn’t so hard. 

“I like that. Not like I have many other options. Well, other than the Lowly” Rocky said jokingly. 

“Haha! People aren’t lining up for me either!” Jay quipped. 

As they all got ready for their next classes Rocky offered a very pleasant proposal. “Now that we’re actual buddies, maybe next time we work on that group project, we could schedule it as ‘hang out’ time too.”

“Sounds good to me.” Kai said with a thumbs up. 

“Nice, I’ll text the days that I’m actually free.”

“Coolio. Well it’s been real guys, but I gotta jet.” Jay hurriedly darted off to the next class. 

After they all split up, Zane was speed walking to his physics class. He texted his father.

‘Dear father; Officially made three new friends today. Love, Zane.”

‘Good for you! Please feed Shard when you get home.’

‘Alright, love you dad.’

‘Love you too.’

Zane’s heart (or more accurately; power source) swelled with happiness. Mission accomplished. Zane not only developed these great friendships with these boys, but they also overcame a hurdle Zane was not even aware of. The chance of finding three other guys who also tolerated Lloyd, and even liked him, was astounding. In fact; the low probability of that happening was appalling to say the least. 

Truly, destiny was always at play for this nindroid. 

Chapter Text

The foul mood Lloyd was in only grew worse as the night carried on. 

Lloyd was positive that the whole team agreed to have a patrol tonight. It wasn’t like it was some new thing, they did it every week. 

Unlike patrolling different parts of the city alone, or when the ninja would be called away by Sensei to some non-Ninjago City location, this form of patrolling was the most fun. 

It was an instance where they would scout out the city together. It was safer than doing it alone, and they bonded. They often lurked around the business hub of the city, the more lively downtown area as well as the slummy parts of the city. Those were usually the bad guy hotspots. And if they didn't stumble into anything more than a burglar they would be free to goof around. That usually ended with a heated race across the rooftops or some other casual competition. 

Nights like these were what Lloyd most cherished. He’s pretty sure the other ninja felt the same way. So then… why on this night was Lloyd completely alone?

All four of his friends were late on the same night? Curious.

Though Lloyd understood to some extent. Life could get messy. Like Lloyd, Red often ran late due to being sent to detention. The others also had their hold-ups. Though Lloyd had no clue what those could be. But for the most part, they would usually send a quick text to their shared group chat.

Lloyd checked his burner phone. There was only one notification. It was from White:

'I found myself occupied. I will be unable to attend tonight’s group patrol. Best wishes. -White'

Lloyd always found White’s curt messages adorable in a sense. The ninja was formal, but even his texts? Signing his own 'name'? At least it was better than Red’s constant emoticons.

Nevertheless, the other three were off the radar. The Green Ninja even sent a message asking their whereabouts. No response. 

As Black did when he was team leader, and as per Sensei’s strict rules about discipline, the three ninja would get reprimanded when they showed up (Sensei’s wishes, not his). Then they’d learn to respect patrol times. Maybe extra training, threatening to tell Sensei, or making them buy him candy would get them back in line. Lloyd huffed to himself. 

That’ll show’em.

Any minute now…

Any minute…

Just wait…

As the hands on his wrist watch ticked by, Lloyd lost hope that the other ninja were coming. It had been a half hour and he had nada from his friends. 

This was really weird!

This sort of stuff never happened before! Sure Red and Blue weren’t the most punctual, but they always showed up and got the job done. Why ghost out? Lloyd wasn’t really mad at White, but he couldn’t wrap his head around why Black was so elusive. Wasn’t he one of the most responsible out of all of them (along with himself and White)? They all liked their roles as protectors of the city, even if it was unofficial, so something must have happened—

Lloyd decided to send a quick few (or few hundred) text messages. Letting his frustration seep into his phone. Though if they were busy enough to not text him, maybe they wouldn’t see these either. But either way, venting his woes did make him feel a little better.

Lloyd's past couple days weren't great. The main thing was that Morro, the pasty guy a grade older than him, tripped him at lunch. His food was wasted! But now this? The ninja was been looking forward to a fun night, but this turned out to be a huge disappointment. 

However, even if the ninja were late, crime never stopped. The Green Ninja would be doing it alone tonight. No matter how soul-suckingly boring it would be.

…If only it were.

As anticipated, the patrol did start out bland. It continued that way until the ninja decided to take a catnap on one of the more reclusive office buildings in the business area of the city. 

It was a bit chilly, but he had the special ability to sleep just about anywhere anytime. And tonight he felt like he really needed to doze off. 

After what Lloyd would like to say was a half hour he reawakened to the sound of crumpling and murmuring. Though the sleep felt pretty good he was pretty exhausted. 

Maybe today was just especially long for him.  Silently Lloyd looked over his building to the shorter one next to it. Like the one he was standing on, the one beside him was also a generic work office. 

But that didn’t explain the small crowd huddling below him. There were about ten bulky men. The largest among them seeming to be a whole foot taller than he was. They all had an assortment of weapons and odd gadgets he had never seen. But that wasn’t the only noticeable thing. 

They had bright purple tattoos littering their bodies. The men facing his direction also had sharp fang-like teeth that glinted in the moonlight. 

If that wasn’t a big enough hint of who he was dealing with, one character stood out among the rest. 

An older man in his late forties was the leader in this mysterious operation. He had a purple and red leather uniform with intricate gold designs flowering across his torso. At his belt, a range of green goopy potions. 

He was pointing and directing the underlings with a firm stance. 

Like his father, Sorcerer Clouse was a disciple of Master Chen. Chirpy noodle empire owner by day, savage crime empire owner by night. Even though he was powerless on his own; the man had the frightening ability to strategize. He was a total wildcard. His goals were also unknown.

Master Chen dealt with petty crime all the way to human trafficking with no visible pattern. White and himself have spent all-nighters trying to uncover what his endgame could be. But they saw little progress. So uncovering what was happening here tonight may be a vital step forward for them. 

Lloyd crept closer, so he could just be within earshot of the crooks. 

Other than some unintelligible murmuring from the goons, the Sorcerer’s voice was clear as day. He was on a video call with none other than the Master himself. Though Lloyd couldn’t make out what Master Chen was saying, just that he looked impatient. 

“Yes Master.”

“No Master.”

“The preparations will be done soon Master, then we can finally have what we desire.”

The two separated from their call. 

“Find what we need to move onto phase two of the plan!” Clouse ordered. The goons quickly picked out the pace. Afterwards Clouse quietly mumbled to himself. 

Fair enough. Lloyd thought. I would hate working under that guy too.

Lloyd tried to figure out more about what they were doing.

From what he could see they had binoculars and were facing a plane of buildings. But which was the target, and why? Along with this, Lloyd saw some data screens and grainy video feeds he couldn’t make out. But the text on it was in some old Ninjargon. It was foreign to him, but White could read it. 

And that means that he needed a picture.

He slipped his flip phone out of his side pocket. He lined up the camera to one of the screens facing him. He took a few snapshots.

*click* *click* *click* 

They looked like good photos. He held up the phone in front of him so he could see it better in the moonlight. 

Finding this info could mean a huge jump in progress to taking down one of the first-tier villains (leaving Garmadon and Pythor remaining). 

But without warning, the phone had been incinerated in his hand. 

Somehow Clouse had spotted him. The wizard had some dark plasma balls in his hands ready to fire again. Now that his cover was blown, the cultist guys started to scramble and pack up their gear. But the loss of critical information was the least of his worries now.

He was about to go toe-to-toe with a very formidable foe. Clouse wasn’t number two to Chen for no reason—he was a mystics master. 

Wielding dark magic Clouse could catapult these dark energy orbs which disintegrated anything it touched. The most recent victim being his phone. Blue, himself, and Red also saw him rip a portal to the Cursed Realm one time.

It made sense that he was so powerful. According to his Uncle, Clouse was a student alongside his father. Though Garmadon eventually won over Clouse and was granted Lordship, Clouse could hold his own.

Makes you wonder why he's still working under Chen.

“The hero arrives just in time to thwart the bad guys. How typical. Aren’t you ever tired of being a cliche?” Clouse complained before lunging another energy ball at him. 

Lloyd flipped down onto the lower platform where the other men were standing. 

“Hey again Magic Man.” Lloyd smirked, “I’d be a cliche forever if it meant raining on your parade like this everyday.”

“Your physical abilities are impressive, for a child. But your horrible quips never cease to grate my ears.”

“That’s why I do it. Now, will you guys hand over that data or will this get ugly?”

“I have a better proposal, I can kill you quickly if you stop being such a brat. If not, I can kill you slowly if you annoy me one more time.” There was venom in the old man’s voice.

Lloyd got ready to fight, “Ugly it is then.”.

Lloyd dashed forward and blasted a few energy balls at some of the cultists that hadn’t escaped yet. That incapacitated them fairly quickly. He also lobbed some bursts at Clouse but they were easily deflected by his magic. 

Lloyd found it advantageous to get in with close combat, even though Clouse was a very good close-range fighter. At the very least now he couldn’t chuck magic balls at him. 

He quickly dashed up to the wizard, delivering a spinning kick to his chest. Clouse quickly recovered and returned a blow to Lloyd’s face. 

At almost lightning speed they quarreled between the rooftops in the area. Neither gave each other an inch of leeway. 

But there’s one ace up my sleeve. Lloyd grinned under his hood. He jumped backwards and catapulted himself into his Spinjitzu. However, the magician did not seem the least bit worried in the face of this ancient technique. 

“My my, very impressive. Unfortunately…for you… an old rival of mine did the same thing oh so long ago.”

He must be talking about my father.

The magic man waved his arms in the air for a few seconds and muttered an incantation. Before Lloyd could land a damaging hit to the older man, a large pool of dark matter collected over his tornado. Once it was about as big as a fridge it slammed down onto him. The vibrant green tornado exploded into a thousand shimmering flakes of energy. 

Lloyd was on the ground recovering from the sudden pressure that just pummeled him. 

“Ow…” 

All his muscles felt like jelly in a blender.

Before the ninja got up (or even tried to get up) on his own the back of his collar was yanked upwards. 

“Sigh* now what to do with you…” The dark wizard thought to himself.

“You could always…” Lloyd coughed out, “Let me go?”

A devilish smirk dawned on his opponent’s face. 

“Oh how I forgot how irritatingly childish you ninja all are.”

Lloyd’s muscles tensed up. “…Then let me remind you!”

With all his might Lloyd’s hand came up from behind and yanked down on Clouse’s hair. The man cried out of shock. Lloyd maximized the opportunity and flipped the man over himself, pinning his arms behind his back so he couldn’t resist.

“I guess childishness does have its advantages huh?” Lloyd teased, “Now what to do with you.”

Clouse squirmed for a bit before realizing his efforts weren’t going to get him free.

“Bah. Teenagers these days. I’ll tell you what’s more important than childish foolery.” Clouse said in a rude tone.

“Yeah? What’s that? Wisdom?”

“No.” Clouse’s mouth curled into a sneer. “Back up.”

Without warning the large cult member (who had a dull eye upon closer inspection) grabbed him by the arms and lifted him out to a position where he couldn’t resist him. Another goon grabbed his legs too! 

The Green Ninja thrashed against the minions to no avail. 

“What should we do with him?” One of the goons politely asked Clouse.

“…Knock him out and leave him behind. If he’s as weak as right now he won’t be any trouble.” Clouse roughly grabbed his chin and tilted his face to the side. It demonstrated to Lloyd how weak he was in this position. 

“Oh Green Ninja~.” Clouse cooed, “Patch yourself up after this.”

And though inaudible to the Green Ninja, Clouse whispered, “We still need you.”

That was the last thing Lloyd heard before the dull eyed man launched him off the building.

It was only an hour later that Lloyd woke up on the fire escape. He felt very crappy.

He got onto his knees and felt an oozing pain on his chest. He lifted up his shirt. There were three penetrating lines in his torso. The jagged metal cutting into his skin by a few millimeters. 

Some of those may need stitches.

Lloyd groans as he made his way back to the initial building where he met Clouse. Empty. Lloyd mentally kicked himself. 

Important information was literally in the palm of his hand and he lost it! 

No. He corrected himself. If anything, his absentee teammates were to blame too. With them, he may have stood a better chance—not have gotten snuck up on, or injured or, or…

Let’s just say that as chapped as Lloyd was at the beginning of the night. Well, tomorrow the others were going to have hell to pay.

Lloyd was cheesed, angry, furious, annoyed, and all the other weird synonyms he could think of. Lloyd was just mad.

The ninja was aggressively tapping his foot on the ground, he was a half hour early to their normal rendezvous time for evening patrol. It was another group patrol, and Lloyd did not have high hopes. 

Why not, right? The ninja let out an angry huff, but that just caused his abdomen to seize in pain.

They had all decided to do a patrol together. A simple, short patrol, quick tour around the city. Not on some special holiday, nothing! 

Whoop de doo Lloyd was the only one who showed. White was the only one courteous enough to send a text to his burner phone. One which was now destroyed. The other three were off the radar. He’d even left a bunch of text messages to them. He even debated dialling them up to vent out his frustrations and demand they come join him. He didn’t of course, but he wanted to. 

The ninja’s internal rant ended as the other four made their way to the building. 

“Hey little ninja!” Red chipperly said ruffling his hair. But Lloyd was having none of it, he swatted Red away.

“Where were you?” Lloyd demanded.

“Where was I?”

“Yes. Where in the world were you?”

Red was taken aback, “Ooh! Last night, yeah. Geez man, I’m sorry. Something came up and I should have sent a text. Kind of assumed you guys could take care of it if something happened.” The ninja scratched the back of his head. 

“No, not just you, all of you! Nobody showed up last night!” Lloyd pointed an accusatory finger at all of them.

The other ninja shared looks of confusion. “What do you mean?” Blue asked.

“I mean, our agreed meet up failed thanks to three flaky ninja. At least White sent a text.” White just shrugged as Blue, Black and Red looked around guiltily.

“I guess we all just assumed the rest of us could pick up the slack…” Black reasoned.

“Yeah?!….well, you guessed wrong!  Did you even see all the texts I sent?"

Red opened his burner, and winced at the notifications. The Master of Fire sighed,  “But Lloyd, shit happens sometimes. Y'know?”

“It may have been pure coincidence that all four of us were preoccupied. It isn’t unheard of one of us not arriving, this time, it was… just all of us?” White rationalized. However the stubborn ninja refused to listen. 

Lloyd pouted and turned away, “Sure, we skip once and a while, or once in a lifetime. But White, you still notified us, I heard squat from the rest of you.”

“Aw c’mon, was it really that bad?” Blue asked.

Now Lloyd was super hooped. More than he was before. They wanna know? Fine then.

Lloyd lifted up his shirt. He scowled at them as he displayed the various cuts on his torso. They laid out ugly on his bare skin. The multiple long parallel cuts dragged in and out of his skin across his chest. Some shallow and some brisked a centimetre into his body.

Most were healing well, but the ninja were plenty exposed to injury—some of those gashes were worsened by Lloyd’s awful work sewing some of the cuts together. along with some pretty big bruises that developed overnight. The others looked astonished. 

White quickly started tending to the wounds (and redoing the cuts Lloyd had poorly stitched) while he explained what had happened.

“I decided to just do it by myself, so I patrolled alone. I’m the grandson of a god aren’t I? I’m plenty capable, when, before I knew it, I stumbled on some secret stakeout mission. They worked for Chen and Clouse was with them. They had some tech with writing on it but it was in ancient Ninjargon by all the business headquarters. I tried to take a pic’ but Clouse heard the click.”

White jutted in, hope glimmering in his eyes and voice,  “Were you successful in retrieving or identifying any component to their plan? Chen’s motives are very unclear to us.”

Lloyd held off a scoff, ”If only. Next thing I knew my burner phone was toast and I was fighting em’ all off!”

Lloyd winced at a sudden movement White made. “Lloyd we—“

“I tussled with Clouse and just when I thought he was defeated… well. They managed to throw me off the building.” Everyone gasped, Lloyd didn’t want to overplay the story though.

“Wah! Don’t worry, it was only like one story and the fire escape broke my fall? Besides, I’ve been injured much worse many times before.”

“Hence the lines cutting your torso.” White thoughtlessly added.

“Yeah; you forget how sharp fire escape floors can be before falling belly first onto one.” Lloyd almost chuckled.

The others' eyes showed guilt, and at that point Lloyds anger simmered down. He’d gotten his ‘revenge’, but he didn’t feel any good about it.

“Sorry green bean…” Black fiddled with his hands.

“Yeah man, we’re a team, and that means we’re all responsible.” Blue added.

“We’ll make sure this never happens again.” Red promised, thudding a fist against his chest.

“Agreed. In any case, if there is a hindrance to meeting up, we still have our burner phones. And we will use them.” White reminded.

“Well, once I get myself a new one.”

“And we’ll remember to use them no matter what.” Blue sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

“Mhm, thanks guys.” 

“Don’t thank us, we all did something stupid.” Red announced.

“Not me.” White said cockily.

“Shut it White!” Red chastised, “But seriously, what can we do to make it up to you?”

“Your wish is our command.” Blue bowed jokingly.

Lloyd hadn’t realised he had come across a golden opportunity to peer into his brother's lives, “Well,” he said smugly, “other than a few weeks of good behaviour and extra training time on the Bounty, you could buy me candy. The good stuff too.” The others sighed in relief. They thought that’s all it was.

“Aaaand, can you each tell me what actually kept you so busy?” 

“No way! Sensei said no weird personal stu—“ Red flared.

“Owchie.” Lloyd toyingly said, laying his hand on one of the bruises. The others grumbled, they knew they couldn’t get out of this. Ninja liked keeping their promises. Lloyd had them trapped.

There was a devilish grin plastered on his face. Like some maniacal plot was coming into fruition. But reality was sort of lame.  Lloyd was completely overblowing the importance of what he was asking for. 

But before he felt embarrassed about being so childish. Well Hell, his friends were too—some were pouting, some awkwardly toying with the ends of their sleeves. 

At the end of the day it wasn’t any big deal, however it was a possible stepping stone to something more. Any tidbit of information about the others was like gold to him. Even though Sensei told him not to, there was an insatiable hunger for finding out who the others were. They knew him for FSM’s sake! If he didn’t have any progress with the Chen case, maybe he could make do with this. 

“I had a group project to work on.” Red said. 

“Me too.” Blue stared at Red, unsaid words between them. That’s weird, that’s suspicious. Could… they be?

“Haha! You guys wouldn’t be in the same group would ya?” Lloyd smiled, but his eyes said differently. He was obviously trying to gouge out more information.

“Pffffft! No way!” Blue flung his arm, “I’d have recognized his short temper right away.”

“Hey! But Blue is right, I would know Blue's hyper antics, and who could miss this lad’s horrible puns?”

“Horrible? Those are top tier gut-busting jokes you’re hearing. What I do is a craft. ” Blue shunned Red.

The Fire Master laughed it off, “O.K. Funny man. What would we do without you…”

They shared an affirming look between them. Lloyd wasn’t expecting some odd coincidence for the group project thing. But he was really wishing for it. Too bad it really was just a coincidence.

“Man! This information sucks. What about you guys?” Lloyd questioned White and Black.

“I had some errands to run.” White reported.

“Sure, you forgot to remove some black hair on the back of your gi. You have a pet?” Lloyd prodded.

White didn’t answer.

“Come on! I want to know about you guys! It’s really a small request.”

Whites eyes glazed over for a second, “Statistically, ten percent of the cities population owns some form of shedding black furred animal. If my alias even did own a black animal, who’s to say that the black fur was a result from ownership? It could be some unrelated event.”

Damn, it’s like he read those facts directly from the Internet. “Fine, whatever. You guys know all about who I am and my life. Heck! We fought my dad a little while ago. But lucky me for figuring out White may or may not have an animal with dark fur.”

“Congratulations!” Red said sarcastically.

Lloyd rolled his eyes, “And what’s your excuse Black?”

“I had…work.” Black curtly said. It was clear his mind was elsewhere at the moment. 

“Oh? What do you work as?”

“Barista.” 

“Where?”

“S—hey! I may be slow but I’m not dumb!” He dramatically ‘zipped’ his lip and threw away an imaginary key. He was beyond flushed too. Black usually gets out of it when he doesn’t get enough sleep or when his mind is preoccupied.

Looks like that wasn’t entirely fruitless. Lloyd knows Black was a barista somewhere. That narrowed it down to every beverage place in Ninjago. White may own a black animal, which maybe narrows it down to a tenth of the city. And Red and Blue had classes with…group projects. Okay, doesn’t really narrow anything down, but Lloyd was almost thankful Chen’s goons threw him off a roof. Though he had no idea why they were even in that area or what their plan could be.

He just liked knowing more about his friends. 

“White, let’s go over the events I witnessed last night in case we can find a clue about what Chen is up to.” Lloyd said, leading the group across the rooftops.

“Absolutely.” White nodded.

“Well, let’s get going, crime isn’t going to fight itself!”

“You betcha!” Blue cheered, “And Lloyd?”

“Yeah?”

“We really are sorry.”

“No big deal. This whole situation kind of ended up turning for the better…but I’m still telling Sensei.”

“Waaah! Don’t! He’ll have our heads!” Blue cried out. 

“Haha. I guess you’ll need a lot of candy to keep my mouth shut.” Lloyd smirked. The others laughed it off, but he would be expecting a lot more candy in the near future. 

Lloyd smiled to himself as his team followed behind him, I should get thrown off of the roof more often.

Chapter Text

Zane used his head. 

Yes, Zane was the cold calculating one on the Secret Ninja team. He was often the one running the complex strategies and plans when Black and Green couldn’t. He was also the group’s intellect, it was like he had an encyclopaedia in his brain (he kind of did). 

Yeah, Zane was pretty cunning, fast on his wits, he used his head.

He just never knew how literal that could be. Zane didn’t just use his head, he used his head. His head was strong, dense, and if used correctly, a devastating weapon. All thanks to his metal exoskeleton that surrounded that AI brain, he could use his head figuratively and literally. 

Ever since the android found out he was a robot, he’d been exploring the benefits of what that could mean (while not so discreetly side-stepping the complex nihilism that came along with that.). So far, being a robot has been really helpful. Whenever his group project friends got together, Zane could silently flip on his ‘funny mode’ to join the shenanigans as well. 

On top of the funny switch, Zane’s favourite features boil down to instant Internet access, and battering ram mode. Yes, when Zane found out his head was strong, he’d be a fool not to use it once and a while.

Although Zane didn’t realize how quickly ‘once and a while’ became ‘every time’  until it was too late.

In the dead of night the ninja had overheard a police radio about a break-in at the Ninjago History Museum. 

Apparently one of the golden sarcophagi that was on display had been stolen and was currently missing. 

Zane had arrived on scene, perched on a building facing the institution. He was diligently looking over at the three police cars at the entrance of the museum. The officers seemed like they were questioning the late night security guard and custodians. 

“Man. How can you be so awake right now? Didn’t this interrupt your sleep?” Red said. The ninja had arrived with Green at his side. 

“I guess I have always been an early bird.” Zane shrugged nonchalantly. It wasn’t a fib. Another perk of being a robot was that sleep was optional. He would need to power down sometimes to keep his systems fresh. But that was not as often as regular human circadian rhythms. 

“Lucky.” Red brushed off, “Do you think they found any leads yet?”

“Not that I am aware of. Though I have not been here much longer than you have.” Zane answered.

“Sorry we’re late.” Black hopped down onto the building’s roof. Blue soon followed behind him. 

“Yeah you know. I was super busy actually getting a full night’s rest. But I was just so happy leaving my comforting bed to come here. It's so nice and freezing. Yay work!” Blue said. 

“Then it is a good thing our radio picked up this signal.” Zane told the Master of Lightning.

“Uh White, I’m pretty sure he’s being sarcastic.” Green pinched the bridge of his nose, “Can’t say I blame him though.”

“Let’s just get this done fast. We still have training tomorrow and I seriously cannot get on Sensei’s bad side right now.” Red yawned.

That sentiment was mutual throughout the team. Unlike him, who was able to ‘sleep’ and wake up fresh as a daisy, his team looked dreadfully tired. 

“I think it's best getting this done A.S.A.P. too. Green, White and Blue, why don't you guys try and see what the police are saying.” Black advised, “I’ll go see if there’s anything else I can find and–”

“And I can get a bit of rest!” Red piped up. 

Before Black could reprimand him Red stretched out and unleashed a large yawn. 

“Sure, whatever.” Black rolled his eyes. 

“Thank you~.” Red sing-songed. 

Blue, Green and Zane sat alert waiting to see if the police had uncovered any trail about who the thief could be. But the police were still busy interviewing the witnesses.

“Ugh I wish we could just go in closer and do the job ourselves!” Blue complained.

“We can’t just interrupt a law enforcer’s crime scene! And it’s rude to hijack someone else’s work. Besides, they would probably try to arrest us on sight.” Green said with a drained expression.

“Not all of them. These guys might be fans.” Blue pouted. 

“You really think so? The police officers, seriously?” 

“Mhm.” Blue said confidently.

“Most aren't though, it’s like a fact.”

“Hmm. Okay so not everyone totally adores us. Maybe about half.” 

“I actually explored this concept. By exploring the police employee database for the Ninjago City police force, I summarised who would be the biggest threat to opposing us.” The two ninja beside him seemed interested. While Red was busy dozing off next to Black who was scanning the perimeter of the area. 

“Well don’t leave us in suspense. Lay it on us.” Green said. 

“Approximately 55% of police officers or detectives are deemed either appreciative or tolerant of our work. Unfortunately, the remaining percentile have the desired interest to apprehend the ninja. Though some of these persons are waiting for us to commit a true crime before acting. Commissioner included.”

“Haha. 55% is most.” Blue gloated. Green just rolled his eyes. “But that is pretty freaky.”

The Master of Ice spoke again, “Of course this does not translate to the public’s perception of our team.”

“That makes sense.” Blue nodded. 

“I have a sneaking suspicion that you have a bunch of numbers for us…” Green sensed. 

“Then you would have assumed correctly. Despite controversy over the Secret Ninja Force, whether we are credible, lawful or dangerous, the vast majority–about 85%-- of the general public are in favour of our group. That being said, 90% would prefer us genuinely working as part of Ninjago’s government system.”

“I mean, we are the only ones with elemental powers.” Green analysed. 

“Doubt the police feel the same sentiment. I bet that the ones who want us behind bars resent us for stealing their thunder. ” Blue grinned, Zane didn't understand why but Green just slapped his hand over his face.

“Regardless, I am not exactly inclined to work with police in a professional manner. The relationship we have now is best as is. Well, I could do without them trying to hunt us down.”

“Totally, being some police force lapdog isn’t my speed. And just imagine the paperwork! My hand is hurting already.” Blue exaggerated.

“I totally agree. Even if it did happen, when pigs fly, it would tie us down. For us and them. Collaborating formally sounds like a massive obstacle. We won’t stop doing our jobs though–no matter what.”

“Yeah! Ur—Actually, just, y'know what’s freakier than White’s stats spill? Or the sheer number of stats he knows off the top of his head…? It’s the fact that like five minutes have gone by and nothing has happened. I miss my beeeeeddd.” Blue whined.

“Quit crying ya baby. Maybe I’ve found something to speed things along—check this out!” Black cried from across the rooftop. All five of them collected at the edge of a building a few spaces from where they previously were. Black pointed downwards. They all peered down into the alleyway.

“I was just wandering and waiting, looking for clues, and then—“

“Serpentine prints.” Blue interrupted. “Or would it be tracks? The snakes don’t really make footprints. More like slithers.” 

“Who cares? This means I can go back to sleep soon!” Red cheered sleepily, “Let's follow them.”

They landed down in the alleyway. The slithering trail led deeper and deeper into the maze of buildings. But after a little while, the trail led to a stop.

“Where did they go?” Green asked.

“Ugh, just when we made some leeway in this stupid project.” Red complained. 

“We? You just took a nap?!” Blue gawked.

“Hey I took that nap for the team.”

“Wh–?”

“Knock it off guys.” Black gave a glare that shut them both up, “White, Green, any clue where they could’ve gone?”

Zane just pointed at the manhole in the ground.

“Ugh. I hate snakes.” Black said, all enthusiasm fizzling out of his eyes. Blue and Red just snickered at him.

All five of them climbed down the ladder into the sewer tunnels. Thankfully either side of the tunnel had a thick cement pathway, with the actual sewage flowing in the middle.

The only sources of light were dim flickering lightbulbs that spanned the ceilings of the tunnels. Though the poor light source didn’t really matter to him; he would rather not see the trudgen wasteland that was their city’s sewer lines. 

Of course, not seeing the gross goops in the channel did not mean his olfactory senses weren’t completely assaulted. It smelled like, well, sewage. It was terrible and he cringed at the initial waft of scent. 

“Pee-yew!” Blue called out, being the last down the ladder. “We go here plenty of times, but it never gets any easier.”

“It smells like a rotten fish carcass stuffed inside manure.” Green pinched his nose, “And the masks aren’t helping at all!”

“Very descriptive of you.” Zane observed, trying not to cringe as the stench smacked his face again.

      “Welcome to reason 13 for why the Serpentine suck. At least Chen and Garmadon have the decency to plot in a warehouse or a spot that can see the sunshine. *Sigh, it doesn’t matter. Let’s just focus on the mission.” Black redirected their attention on what was really important. 

“Black is right. Every second we waste the sarcophagus could be getting further away.”

“Meaning we would have to spend even more time in, Ugh, here.” Red looked around with disgust. “And these tracks are impossible to see. Are we even going the right way?”

“Well why don’t we check this out?” Blue summoned their attention, “There aren’t any tracks to follow but there’s a faint line leading that way.” The ninja pointed out.

“That’s great! The heavy sarcophagus must have been too much for them, and it dragged on the ground.” Green applauded Blue.

“Creating a perfect scenario to follow them! Good work Blue.” Zane added.

“Well what’re we waiting for? Let’s hop to it!” Red strode down the dank tunnel, lighting a small flame in his hand. He trotted along, with the four others in tow.

After ten minutes of following the scrapes, the entire team was relieved to see that the flow of sewage had dried up. There was only a lingering scent from what once was. 

Black, who had overtaken Red at some point, held his hand up to stop the rest of them.

“Hot, more humid, near the middle of the city…If I know these snake guys, and I do, they usually like doing their slimy business in these sorts of areas.” 

“What, like, slightly less gross?” Blue asked sarcastically. 

“Exactly.” Black snapped his fingers confidently.

“The culprits must be holed in here somewhere. Let’s proceed with caution from here on out.” Green added.

“We’re only following scrapes on the pavement.” Red said, having lost all his gusto from the beginning of their trek.

“ How do we know we’re actually on their tail… And no I didn’t say that to sound witty.” Red added before Blue could make a joke.

That was a fair question. Zane and the other ninja had their fair share of Serpentine busting operations. He saw over the environment, the usuals dwellings of the ancient tribes matched this description perfectly. Oh–

“Maybe I can be of service here.” Zane pinched a scale in his hand, “Is that sufficient evidence?”

Red just shrugged and they moved along. After a few more minutes of tracking, they arrived at their destination. 

They had encountered a large platform, about the size of a soccer field. The room had a tall ceiling with torches lining its upper edges. The walls housed Serpentine weapons and other curious objects. Otherwise, the space had other tunnels that led to other unknown places. 

All five ninja discreetly approached, hiding behind protruding poles and boxes as not to be discovered. 

“Bingo.” Black quietly cheered.

“Look, next to those stacks of crates—the golden sarcophagus!” Blue whisper-yelled.

“Yeah, next to like twenty Serpentine.” Red rolled his eyes.

“More accurately, there are twenty-five snakes. Ten of which are directly guarding or conversing near the object of interest. The majority of whom are Constrictai.”

“Well, you were always better at maths.” Red pouted. 

“And seeing, apparently.” Blue larked.

“Well, it’s 5:1. I’d say those are pretty fair odds. Let’s make a plan.” Green reasoned.

“Oh my—by the First Spinjitzu Master, can’t we just storm them?” Red argued. 

“And risk some goons getting away with the artefact? Let’s not. We’re ninjas, remember? We gotta act like it.” Black responded unamused.

“Fine. But I’d like to mention that I am very tired and would like this to be over as soon as possible.”

“Noted.”

“Alright. I say that we surround them. Black, Blue and I will take positions on the right. White and Red, take the left?” Green explained to them; 

“Try and remove as many snakes as possible one on one first. That would make all of this easier. Then on my mark we can storm them and make sure that they can’t leave with the goods.”

“Alright, good luck.” Red said as each group took their separate ways. 

Zane and Red crept up on a few Serpentine, knocking them out before they even had a chance to notice them. Swiftly carrying the bodies to be hidden amongst the crates, the ninja waited for the signal from Green. 

They were spread in a semi-circular formation around the main group of snakes. Their foes didn’t stand a chance, or really, they only had a 3% chance of success.

Zane eyed Green, who was stationed on the other side of the room. There was the signal. 

“Hey, what do you call a bunch of snakes about to be ambushed?” Red called out.

“What?” One of the Hypnobrai in the middle pitifully asked.

All five of the ninja emerged from their hiding spots, either with their elemental powers or weapons at the ready.

“Barbecue!” Red gleefully answered before blasting a wave of fire at the snakes. They writhed under the heat. The other ninja were quick to work as well, making their way through the enemies and approaching the sarcophagus. 

Green blasted a few Serpentine back with his energy balls (to which Zane was still clueless on what his powers actually were), the enemies were scattered in all different directions.

Blue was zapping snakes ever so often, mixing it in with his nunchucks. It was brutally efficient, since lightning could pierce a snake’s thick hide. Zane was happy that Black, the elemental Master of Earth, was closest to Blue rather than himself. Being a robot next to lightning made him a little on edge.

Black in the less flashy side of things used his scythe to knock out one or two snakes. As well as using his elemental abilities to kick up dust and blind the pesky Hypnobrai. 

Of course Zane was no slouch. He had already frozen a few snakes closest to him. 

“Sound for backup!” One of the Constrictai hollered before catching Black in a choke-hold.

A smaller Venomari near him jumped up and started running towards the red button on the side of the wall. 

“Someone stop him! Krrrt.” Black yelped in a strangled voice.

“On it.” Zane affirmed. He stomped on the ground. In an instant the floor the poor Serpentine was running on had slicked over with ice. 

The snake tripped over himself and slipped on the frictionless surface. Zane had been hopeful that this whole fight would have been done and dealt with. However the young snake had launched some of its acid towards the button. 

The high speed venom had hit its target with great speed and force, triggering the button’s alarm. The button was wailing and flashing an offensive red light around the room.

“Aw great! Just when I thought we could finally be done!” Blue whined as he helped Black defeat a Constrictai. 

“I know right? It’s like some nights you just can’t catch a break…” Red agreed.

Then about twenty five more snakes had entered the room. They were armed to the teeth with swords and bats. This time it was a diverse cast of Serpentine races (except Anacondrai of course). 

“Get them!” One of the lead Serpentine cried out. The snakes made quick work isolating each of the ninja, sanctioning each of the teens to fight their own clique of enemies. 

The Android used Spinjitzu to clear out a few of the Serpentine that had cornered him. As he analyzed his teammates, the others were fighting well too. Red was having the most trouble. As three Constrictai were still standing, and their tough skin was impenetrable to blades…and fire. 

“Man, did I offend you? Or did you always have such thick skin.” Red quipped.

Zane was confident that with a little more umph Red would take out his opponents. But Zane had noticed an attack coming from Red’s blind spot. 

Two snakes had a hold of the sarcophagus and were on the move to ram it into Red. 

“Red look out!” Zane warned, but in the midst of battle he went unheard.

So on pure robot instinct Zane sprinted to intercept the wrongdoers. 

“Huh?!” Red turned around to glimpse at Zane, at full speed, headbutt the solid gold sarcophagus. Diverting it from Red’s path. The Android had launched himself with enough force as to push the coffin out of the two snake’s hands, and send it crashing a couple metres away from both of them. Hopefully the museum employees don’t mind the artefact being a bit scuffed. 

Quickly Red and Zane wiped out the Serpentine surrounding them with Spinjitzu. As the bodies fell to the floor Red put a hand on Zane’s shoulder.

“Dude, thanks for saving me. I wouldn’t have seen that one coming.” He sincerely thanked. 

“No thanks necessary. You all would have done the same for me.”

“Still, thanks.”

“Don’t fret, it is simply me protecting my teammates.”

“That’s… true. Dammit White just take the compliment. You did good.” 

“Ah. Thank you.” Zane awkwardly answered. Red patted his shoulder a few times. They both looked at their teammates.

“I think the rest of the guys have this covered. There’s only three snakes left. You feeling okay?” 

Zane had no inkling as to why Red was asking that sort of question. This wasn’t a particularly hard fight.

“Yes, I am unscathed.”

“You sure? Didn’t you just slam your head into a gold brick?” Red questioned sceptically.

“It is of no worry Red…” 

“….If you say so.” Red left to go check on Green, who had just bested the final few Serpentine. Zane had no idea what was going through Red’s head at the moment. Though he had no desire to find out.

“Man, that was exhausting.” Blue yawned underneath his mask. “Why can’t the crook ever be some guy named Chuck?”

“Beats me. Let’s just get the coffin-thing and split.” Black said, equally as tired.

“Hey wait?—oh there it is. I thought some snakes got away with the target.” Blue commented.

“I think we really need sleep. I also didn’t notice it. And it’s like a vibrant gold colour. If we’re in this condition...Ugh,” Black rubbed his dry eyes. “I really won’t be able to train when it’s morning.” 

“I’m going to just crash on the Bounty tonight.” Blue stated. “Beats going all the way back home just to end up there for sunrise training.”

Black shuddered, “Same.”

Green and Red had joined their conversation, sarcophagus dragging behind them.

“Okay, I’m so friggin tired right now. Can we just drop off this stupid box and go to the boat to get a few z’s.” Red pleaded. Everyone else was in agreement.

“But before we leave, White, do you have paper on you?” Green asked.

“I never leave home without it.” 

“Smart,” he said as his four compatriots placed the sarcophagus in front of the museum doors, “could you write a quick note explaining what had happened tonight for the police?” 

“Ooh! And tell them to thank the Secret Ninja Force!” Blue cried. 

“On it.” Zane smiled warmly. 

Lloyd eagerly beckoned Black and Blue over to him. He made sure they were out of earshot from White, who was chipperly writing the note he had asked for. 

“Hey, guys. Tonight Red made me aware of a … concern he’d been having over the past week or two.” Lloyd introduced in a serious voice. “Red, could you tell us what you’re so pressed about?”

“Mhm,” Red nodded, “I’ve seen it a couple times, but tonight was crazy! White stopped the sarcophagus from being rammed into me.”

“And?” Blue asked sceptically.

“With his head. The thing went flying! And White didn’t really care.”

“Are you sure you’re seeing things right?” Black questioned.

“Crystal clear. I’m just worried that recklessly smashing his head into things will, I dunno. If he isn’t injured already he will be soon.”

“Wow, you’ve never been so caring before.” Blue chuckled. 

“Dude, I am serious! I’ve had one too many concussions. And that guy is concussion city! You guys don’t believe me?” Red said with urgency in his voice.

They all looked towards White, who was occupied dealing with one of the snakes that had roused from the fight.

“It’s not that we don’t believe you, we just haven’t seen what you may have seen.”

“Eh—? Just trust me.” Red gestured over to White, who had just head butted a snake back into unconsciousness. “Y’see?”

If Lloyd could see Black and Blue’s face, he was sure their jaws would have dropped. Either because of the immense force White had just put into that head bashing or because for once Red was right. 

“Holy, he really does do that huh? Now that it’s been brought up I’m thinking of a bunch more examples too!” Blue exclaimed.

The Fire Ninja just stood there looking at White with a great deal of concern.

Lloyd had a pause, “We’ll bring it up to him tomorrow. Or, later today I guess. By the First Spinjitzu Master I need sleep.”

“It’s done.” White reported. 

“Then let’s please go? I’ve maxed out my quota for being in sewers.” Blue complained.

White and Blue lifted the back corners of the sarcophagus with Black manning the front. They sped back to the surface world. 

Lloyd wasn’t sure if it was because they were so tired or if Red was burning holes into the back of White’s head with his staring. But it was really uncomfortable. Thankfully the walk was not that long, as they quickly arrived back at the Museum. 

“Man, I miss the smell of ‘not-sewage’” Blue joked half-heartedly. But no one else was really in the mood. Especially not the Lloyd or Red Ninja.

Lloyd never really liked confronting his teammates on things like this. Sometimes he felt like he was targeting them. It was tough times like that which made him sometimes wish Black was in charge. But it was his responsibility now, and it still needed to be done.

And the sooner the better. After witnessing first hand the destructive behaviour White demonstrated (even if what he saw was apparently a toned down example), well, they would be having a tough conversation later. 

The Master of Ice dwelled on his learning curve to understanding human emotions. But he was always improving. But today even he knew that the atmosphere was off. Morning exercises were usually met with more flare. However this particular morning had a bit more silence than usual. 

Though Zane would wager that Sensei Wu would appreciate that change.

Zane finished off his morning training exercise. He sent one last punch to the dummy before cleaning up his equipment. Afterwards, he planned to meditate with his Sensei on the lower decks of the Bounty.

“Hey, White?” A voice behind him said. It belonged to Lloyd. Zane turned around to come to face with four friends. Sneaky ninja. Zane thought, he couldn’t hear them creep up on him. They all had a look of…concern… on their faces. Why?

“Are you alright?”

Nobody answered him, they just looked around or shifted the weight between their feet.

“Did I put the equipment away wrong?” The android looked back at the cabinets. 

“No, White…” Red tried. 

“Then… What is it? Did I do something wrong?” He asked, with urgency in his voice. He was always cautious to act normal, and mimic other teenagers' behaviours. Did he do something weird again?

“No ya didn’t, well, partially yeah.” Zane’s mechanical heart had almost stopped when Blue said that. Could they have found out about his robotic origins?

“But not like a bad thing, just, a thing. We’ve been keeping an eye on you lately and I don’t know-if-this-isneworif.” Blue blabbered on, till Black smacked the back of his head. 

“What Blue meant to say was, we’re worried about you. And a new…uh, habit you picked up.”

“You’ve started using your head in combat and training and stuff.” Red said with little tact. “Real weird man.”

“Real dangerous.” Black added.

“What do you mean?” Zane was really confused. Sure, he used his head, wasn't he the designated ‘smart’ one? 

“Is it wrong to use my intellect in combat?” He asked.

“No, no. Like, remember when Master Chen and his followers broke into that warehouse? You head butted like five guys, you could be concussed, or worse!” Green explained.

“Or even last night!” Blue blurted out.

“Last night?”

“Well whatever, technically this morning. Red noticed your head and the solid gold sarcophagus clashed heads. How your skull isn’t bashed in is beyond me…”

“You should stop that behaviour. Even if it’s a useful move there are long-term consequences to that stuff. Please, we’re worried for you.” Black placed a consoling hand on his shoulder. 

“Black is right.” Lloyd added, “You could crack your skull, get serious concussions, maybe even brain trauma. It isn’t worth the risk.”

That may be true for you. But not to me. Zane wanted to bite back. This ability placed an extreme advantage on their fight, Zane didn’t want to give it up.

“I think you’re overreacting. I am aware of head related injuries and acted accordingly. I’ve only done it a few times. Not that hard either!”

“A few times?! Have you not been listening?!” Red scolded, “You could seriously get hurt!”

Zane didn’t really know what to do except resign himself. 

“... Fine, I’ll keep off of it for now, if it’ll get you guys to calm down.” Zane was getting annoyed. If he could explain to them why he could do that stuff with no consequence, he would! But for now he was benched from his evolved way of fighting.

“Thanks, promise okay?” Lloyd said.

“Of course, a ninja keeps their word, don’t they?” He gave a fake smile under the mask, wanting to drop the conversation as soon as possible. 

“Yeah I guess.” His leader didn’t look too sure. But regardless he would avoid using his head for a few days till the others forget about this spat. Then he’d be free to do what he wanted again. 

Unfortunately Zane underestimated how serious his brothers took this matter.

It had been a week and a half since Zane was confronted by the others, and he had essentially forgotten the whole incident. 

They had recently returned from a recon mission spying on one of Pythor’s devious schemes. Recon wasn’t really the right term though. They got spotted halfway through the mission and had to fight their way through many, many snakes. Luckily no one was injured and the objective was achieved. Another Serpentine plot was thwarted and Zane felt proud.

“White!” Red shouted from across the Bounty’s bridge. The other ninja were there too.  He was surrounded, Red with the frontal assault and Green right behind Red. Blue and Black on either side of the furious ninja. For some reason, he felt like a cornered animal.

“Yes? Are you all alright?”

“Umm, no!” Red sputtered, “ We’re all fine. It’s you we have a problem with right now.” Red stabbed the android’s chest with his fingers a few times.

“Erm-“

“You did it again!” Red interrupted. The others looked at him with disapproval and worry. The Master of Ice had no idea what was transpiring.

Before Red could blabber on, Zane snuck in a; “Did what again?”

But that only added fuel to the fire. Red was seething at this point. The android could sense that the temperature of the Fire master's hands increased tenfold.

“Are you kidding me?! Earth to White? You could have died tonight!” Red’s fist curled around his gi, shaking the fabric in his hands. “Do you have the memory of a goldfish or something? Haha! Maybe you do from the roller coaster ride you’re putting your brain through. Seriously? How could you be so dim-witted?” 

Zane still didn’t really have an idea about what Red was so mad about? But he knew he felt insulted. He didn’t remember anyone socking a blow on him that night, much less a lethal one. And Red was way out of line with the insults. 

“You are being very aggressive. This situation does not currently require such a volatile reaction. The mission was a success. To put it justly, you are being illogical and quite frankly, a bit rude.” Zane crossed his arms.

“How am I the illogical—“ Red started. 

Before the situation with Red and him would escalate, Green tapped Red out—placing a firm hand on his shoulder and stepping in between them. Reluctantly, Red shoved Zane back and walked back next to Black. The fiery one still shot daggers at him while muttering a string of swears.

“Don’t take it personally. Red is worried for you.” Black mentioned, sending Red into another frenzy of muttering.

“And I hate to say it, but Red is right. You used your head like a sledgehammer today.” Oh. So that’s what they were talking about. Zane deflated a bit in disappointment. He wasn’t so much disappointed that he used his head, but rather he was upset that he got caught doing so.

“Ah, my apologies. I’m very sorry for neglecting your advice. I guess I forgot?” He apologised half-heartedly. 

Lloyd looked at him with disappointment. He pulled off his mask to reveal his mouth in a firm line.

“Sorry White. You could be accumulating some serious head trauma. Saying sorry isn’t going to cut it this time.”

“What are you implying?”

“…I’m benching you for now. You can train, go on stake-outs, but no action until this habit is kicked and you’ve had time to recover. Got it?” 

What ? There are villains running rampant in the city. The police force finds themselves overrun. Zane couldn’t just take a vacation. I’d be abandoning my purpose to protect others. Zane justified to himself. 

The Master of Ice could not bring himself to understand why Lloyd was making these decisions. 

Zane’s the rational one, always has been! He was infamous for his logical mindset, why was that being questioned? Well, sadly there was an answer for that. Lloyd just showed that he does not trust the Android. Despite Zane’s better judgement of the circumstances Lloyd is ignoring him. They were all ignoring him. Zane was under control. He was fine, but nobody else even listened or trusted his expertise. Didn't they trust him?

Zane never acted out, but this turn of events really pressed him.

“This is highly illogical. Nay. This is outrageous. Removing an entire person from this team—Are you guys going to let Lloyd power-trip like this?”

“I’m not entertaining this White, you’re benched until I say so. It’s for your own good.” Green emphasised.

The Master of Ice looked at the others, “—Well?”

Nobody initially answered. So Zane continued;

“So what if I used his head in battle a few times? It is a very good tactic, and has continuously proven effective.”

“Yeah but it's unsafe–” Blue started.

“You guys engage in improper or hazardous behaviour as well! Red let anger distract his attention in a fight, Blue can act preemptively. We all have flaws. Only the one Lloyd deemed too problematic is my ‘issue’. But it actually benefited the team anyways! It made me a better fighter.”

Being suspended from his job as a ninja made him sink a little. Now he was in purgatory. He couldn’t partake in anything for possibly weeks, months even!

Blue shifted his gaze, clearly awkward about this fight. Red was practically foaming at the mouth with words to say.

“I still agree with Lloyd on this one White.”

“Wh-. Seriously?” Zane was, to put it like Red would; pissed. 

“By the First Spinjitzu Master, of course we agree with him, we’ve said it a bajillion times. Doing. That. Is. Unsafe!” Red snarled. 

“You don’t understand! Stuff like this doesn’t injure me the same way as other people!”

It was Red’s turn to speak, his words dripping with anger, “Oh really? What does the great and powerful Master of Ice have on us then? Elemental master or not, no human can take that kind of repeated trauma.” 

Zane paused. Oh yeah. That’s right, he wasn’t human, but the others didn’t know that. They just assumed he was like everyone else. But that was far from the truth. He could literally be used as a battering ram if the situation called for it. 

Zane took some time to calm himself and think. He had to forfeit.

“…Alright. I get it.” Zane conceded in a soft voice, “I can wait it out. Then, no more of that stuff. Sorry guys… Thanks for worrying about me. Truly.” 

“No problem.” There was a happy expression on Lloyd’s face. Black and Blue too. Red was still furrowing his brows though.

“We’re a team. We gotta look out for each other right?” 

Zane smiled at Lloyd, “Yeah. We do.”         

Zane brushed past his friends, he felt calm again, but that didn’t mean he wanted to stay huddled in that circle anymore. 

“Ah! Wait, I almost forgot.” Lloyd called. Zane turned back around. “We need you in medbay. We’re going to perform an MRI to see how extensive any head injuries are.” 

“Say what now?” Zane dead-panned. 

“The MRI thingy you and Blue built.”

“Magnetic Resonance Imaging.” Blue promptly corrected. 

“Whatever it's called. Don’t try to get out of this man.” Red glared.

“Is that really necessary? I’ll just go to the doctor. Besides, I don’t have any signs of a concussion.” Zane hopes that the full gi he was in hid his terrified expression. The android had no idea what they would find if he stuck his head in there, and he really didn’t want to find out. 

But then a horrifying truth struck him. There was a bigger issue than being discovered. A much bigger issue. He also couldn't go under an MRI without being ripped apart. He was metal, and an MRI used magnets.

“C’mon. It’ll be a half hour max.” Blue egged him on. 

“Uh. No thank you.” His crisp blue eyes found themselves trained on the corner of the bridge.

Red let out a loud huff, “Really White? This again? Why do you have so much beef about this?” The Master of Fire pinched the space between his eyes.

“It’s not that! I just— have a thing?”

“Yeah right. We’ve been chatting for fifteen minutes already. You don’t have anywhere urgent to be.” Black rolled his eyes. Zane recognized the tone in his voice as aggravation.

“We’re doing this for you! Please, accept the help. Just like we all accept your help during our times of need.” Green pleaded. Though his words were sincere, there was frustration in his voice. 

“Yeah, aren’t we like family? Besides, it can be done with your mask on.”

“Blue is right. We pick you up now so next time, you can return the favour.”

“Just let us help—“

“And who said I wanted help in the first place?! I’m not going to engage in that behaviour anymore, why is this conversation still continuing?” Zane lashed back, an aggressive arm swinging across the area in front of him. 

The rash behaviour wasn’t because of frustration (though he was peeved at his friends) but rather out of fear. 

His team members were stunned. Well, there was a spectrum of emotions. Zane couldn’t really pin how Black felt, dissatisfied maybe? Disappointed? Annoyed? The ninja was the hardest to read. In contrast, Zane could see the anger on Red about to burst. The ninja had a mean look on his face and his hands were quivering. Blue was more meek. His eyebrows were tilted upwards in an expression of hurt. It really offset the android. Finally, Green (not having his mask on) had a stern glare and small frown.

It made sense. Zane just swept through a flurry of emotions. He was acting irrational, he admitted to himself. But again, he had good reason to be. His fear was clouding his judgement. I sense I won’t be able to talk my way out of this one. He thought bitterly.

In milliseconds, Zane searched desperately for a way to undo what he just said. His emotional chart was out of control and his processors only gave him one liable solution. 

The robot took a deep breath in. “Sorry, sorry. That was an unjust reaction. You guys really do want to support me, and I really appreciate it. I just uh…” 

Zane made a break for it, he darted for the bridge ladder. He jumped down halfway and rolled on the deck of the ship. Zane sprinted for the wooden planks that lead off the boat. Towards his safety. 

If he was a second faster, he would have made it. “Ack!” He yelped as a hand tugged back on his hood. The force flung him onto the ground, his back hitting the wood deck. Before the winded ninja could recover, his limbs were being wrangled by his pesky friends.

“Let me go!” He cried as he was being lifted up. He tried retracting his arms and kicking his legs, but it made no progress. Green and Red grasped his arms while Black struggled keeping both of Zane's legs in check.

“You aren’t getting out of this. It’s for your own good.” Green spoke flatly. Zane almost recoiled with how mad he looked. 

“You guys are acting crazy!” Zane retaliated, kicking his legs again.

“Have you looked in a mirror lately? It’s just a little check up.” Black hoisted Zanes legs back up.

“Why are you throwing a tantrum man, I’d expect this from Red, not you. Why are you so resistant to this little test?” Green grunted. Zane only responded with more wiggling.

Cause I know what would happen if I stick my head in there! It’s fine for normal people, but the MRI waves could damage my neural circuits and rip my head off! It would damage me, kill me! HOW COULD HE EXPLAIN THIS TO HIS FRIENDS? 

“Hey, no biggie, I just can’t stick my head in there cause I’m an android and my whole head would get shredded.” That was completely illogical. First Spinjitzu master, if he got outed now…

“You don’t understand—“ 

“Then enlighten us please. We can’t understand you when you don't communicate with us. You’re acting like a baby, I’ve never seen you like this.” Red barked. Zanes' artificial tears were in his eyes. His friends didn’t understand why he was so paranoid and crazy. But that was the point. They couldn’t know. Not yet. Not till he knew it was safe.

The effort was meaningless though, he was under the deck, in medbay. The machine was already whirring with Blue at the controls. 

“Please guys. Stop acting unreasonable. Just let me go home.” Zane said, sounding as unperturbed as possible. But it was only met with silence. 

Black plopped him down on the bed, keeping him down by sitting on his torso and holding down his legs. Again, with Lloyd and Red on each side of him. 

“Harmless test. I get them done here whenever I think I may be concussed.” Red consoled him. It didn’t help. 

All Zane could do was thrash his head in futile resistance. He was scared beyond himself. For his own safety, identity, and the consequences that may follow. If he somehow managed to survive this ordeal. Either the others didn’t pick up on his panic, or they were adamant about him getting the test.

“Test starting.” Blue heard the flipping of switches and an increase in machine buzzing. 

“Please.” 

“3.”

“Guys enough.”

“2.”

“Just let me up.”

“1.”

“You… you jerks!”

Zane was encompassed in white. There was a blue scanner at his eye level. But he couldn’t really see it through the tears, blurring his vision.

It was too late. The scanning was in progress. There was an uncomfortable feeling that his skull was slowly pulling outwards through his skin. The charts in his head were screaming at him. His eyes felt as though they were being gouged out. He couldn't even let out a scream. This was it. His last moments, at the hands of his unknowing team. Who could’ve seen it end in this way. 

He wished he could have spoken more to Lloyd at school, maybe taken more time to know his friends outside the team. Thanked Sensei Wu for all he’d done. He wanted to be with his dad more….

Suddenly, before falling unconscious, Zane was pulled out of the machine. He survived? He survived! It had only been about 5 seconds. Quickly, the pain he had been feeling disappeared, all his diagnostics were staggering back to normal—as if it never happened in the first place—only a little dizziness remained. But he was certain he would be getting a long check-up at home. 

But happiness flooded his system, he was still here. But he had no idea how or why. He did know however that his body was in a cold sweat. 

“Darn thing must be broken.” Blue pulled out his mini tool belt. “It’s imaging you weird White.” He clanged his screwdriver against the circuitry panel.

“Weird how?” Zane asked with relief. He’s still alive… Though he had no idea what to say when they looked at the images from the exam. Weird like, there were gear parts all around his head? Weird like his skull was stuffed with wires? All the android could do was brace himself for the worst. 

“Come look.”

Black got off his belly, and Green and Red let go of his arms, all of them looking regretful of their actions. Good. Zane was the forgiving type, but seeing them squirm made him happy. 

The android dawdled over to the image panels. On the three screens, there was his head, it actually looked like a normal scan, only difference was, the screen was glitching out badly. 

Pompff! The machine uttered before wailing its beeps. Steam came from the sealed panel, Zane lifted it up. The machine was smoking and the wires were fried. There was a sudden fire too. Zane only added insult to injury by stopping the fire with his ice.

“Ugh damnit! The pictures are gone, and the machine we worked on is busted.”

“How though?” Green frowned. His eyes looked accusatory at White. Zane just shook his head in denial. 

“I have no clue.” Blue answered, “It was fine like a month ago, something must have gone wrong in that period. But I can’t put my finger on what, White and I went over the schematics for weeks to make sure it would work for at least five years, but it barely made it past eight months. I mean it’s not like we used perfect materials I mean what am I made of money? But to be honest most of it wasfromajunkyardsoitispossible-“

“Blue!” Red snapped.

“Ah! Sorry, rambling again?” He giggled.

“Can you fix it?” Black asked. 

“Snort* in this state, no way. We may just have to build a new one.” 

“So I guess you’re off the hook for today White.” Green said, Zane couldn’t really tell if he was still suspicious of him. 

“Yeah. I suppose so. Then, if you’ll excuse me, I really do have somewhere to be today.” The others just shrugged. Zane raced off, which probably wasn’t normal on the being human aspect of things, but first Spinjitzu master he wanted desperately to get out of there. 

Of that entire situation, Zane was only giving up ‘using his head’, his secret remained a secret and hopefully his brothers would let this go. That was probably the best outcome. 

He had questions though, like how the machine practically imploded. Zane just assumed it was a safety protocol in case he was under threat of being under that heavy magnetism. That’s what made the most sense, he’d be sure to ask his dad about it when he returned. For now? He was home-free.

“Father!” Zane rushed into his father’s arms. It was only about a half-hour since he had left The Bounty. He enjoyed the warm embrace of the older gentleman.

“Hello Zane, what’s all the fuss?” His dad patted his head.

“It’s a long story. I’m just glad I made it home without any pieces falling off. But I was placed under an MRI machine—“

Immediately, his father threw Zane off himself. He pushed him into the chair next to him and yanked out all the microtronic tools he had. 

“Sit still Zane and no talking!” He ordered, putting on his goggles. The ninja complied. 

Two hours had passed before his father had finished finicking with his head. Luckily Zane did not have a mirror. It was already a shock knowing what was actually in his chest—he probably would have fainted if he saw the inside of his head. After his father sealed the initial opening the older man fell back into the adjacent chair and puffed out a sigh of relief.

“Whew, the damage wasn’t too severe. The metal skeleton acting as your skull was only slightly pulled apart, and none of the wires had moved too much. You‘ll be alright—though the neuronal circuitry was a bit iffy. Just take it easy. I advise you to avoid stressful situations while your circuitry readjusts.” 

“Thanks dad.” He said back. 

“Don’t thank me, I’m just a simple inventor. You should really be thanking the First Spinjitzu Master for your luck. Any longer under that machine and you would have been pried apart.”

“I understand, and I will be more careful in the future. I was fortunate that when I was under the machine, it suddenly broke. Do you know how that may have happened?”

“Hmm, well I did have the correct impulse to input a fail-safe code in your system. When exposed to strong magnetic radiation a signal will be sent from your electronic brain into the source of the machine. Destroying it before it destroyed you. 

“Haha! So I really should just be thanking the mechanic for my luck.” He hugged his dad again. 

“I suppose you should, my son.”

And so Zane continued life blissfully. The ninja glossed over the hiccup that had happened. In fact, they excessively apologised to him once Sensei Wu found out. Zane wasn't too upset though. He knew the team cared for him, that was why they were so adamant about him getting the check-up. Their decisions were just misplaced. The awkward heat of that day had dissipated, and things were back to normal. Well… as normal as an android’s life could be. All except for one tattered circuit slowly warping inside Zane’s head.

Chapter Text

It had been a few weeks after the second semester and Jay was settling into his new schedule. So far things had been great! He made new friends in his social studies class and they really hit it off! It was surprising how well they meshed together too considering they were all so different. 

Zane was the cool collected type and the brains of the group—other than studying and microtronics, Jay didn’t really know his interests. 

Rocky was very easy to get along with. But again, after that one time in gym class, they weren’t all that close in terms of getting to know each other. But he didn’t really want to pry. They had a deal. And Jay could guarantee whatever Rocky was hiding wasn’t nearly as interesting as his secret.

Like Jay himself, Kai was a total open book. He worked at a blacksmithing shop and was on basically all the sports teams. His fiery energy worked well with Jay’s craziness too. 

Together they looked after Lloyd and stopped some of the torment he underwent. Even if it was from the shadows. Zane did his job warding off some of the bullies as vice-president of the student council. Jay and Kai redirected nasty gossip spread about him. While Rocky would leave a cute sticky note on Lloyd’s locker or slip him a slice of cake. 

It was small but it went a long way. Lloyd looked happier than he ever did before. Even with what had happened earlier in the year.

Jay was very lucky to make friends like these. Even more so as they were normal people who each took sympathy for Lloyd!

He would blab to his family about his friends every night.

His parents were really happy for him and insisted that he bring them to the junkyard sometime. But Jay insisted that he would rather fight Garmadon than do that. So instead his mother would pester him about bringing a girl home. 

“I’m working on it! I just need to make a plan first!” Jay would cry out bashfully. To which his dad would tell him to be himself. Like that would ever work.

Jay hadn’t gotten the opportunity to ask Nya out yet, but he was trying. Even though she’s a year younger, she was in his mechanics class. She also knew of him. And that was a big step forward. 

As Red said, he would have to act soon, or else someone else might scoop her up. 

Jay sighed thinking about Nya. His eyes were in a daze. That was until Black cheered. 

“Wooohoo! That’s five to four! Eat my dirt Bluebell.” Jay looked dumbly at the television. A big ‘YOU LOSE’ in block letters took up the screen. Oh yeah! Jay was on the Bounty enjoying a Saturday afternoon relaxation following some rigorous training. 

The quaint room had the ratty couch and bean bags which faced their TV. The room also had a desk for any ninja scrambling to finish some last minute assignments. Red occupied that station the most. 

“Hardie hargh hargh. I was distracted.” Jay protested to his friend.

“Still my win.” Black said smugly. 

“Were you thinking about that girl you mentioned?” Red said, his arm swung onto Jay’s shoulder. “Made a move yet?”

“Ugh, not yet. She’s in one of my classes and I just don’t have the courage yet.” 

“Ahh that’s too bad. I’m sure she would like you.”

“Statistically speaking though, we cannot guarantee 100% success.” White corrected. 

“ Statistically speaking,” Red parroted, “nothing will happen if you don’t even try. Just get that confidence man. I’m positive it will work out.”

“Especially if you told her you were a ninja!” Lloyd did a little karate chop from the bean-bag across the room. “And if you told us your identity, you wouldn't have to wear that stuffy mask all day.” The ninja shook his head around to sway his hair. 

“Yeah. I’m sure that would work out with no repercussions. And I bet Sensei would totally agree. If he weren’t out today. ” Black rolled his eyes. “But seriously. Find her after school and at least have one conversation with her. You don’t even have to ask her out yet. Get yourself on her radar. That can’t be too hard right?” 

“Hmm. I guess not. And that's surprisingly good advice Black.”

“I have my moments.” His friend gleamed. 

“I’d do that when there’s something interesting to tell her or show’er. Thanks for the pep-talk. This plan is already so much better than my initial idea.”

“What would that be? Running up to her in that hall and just asking her out?” Red spitballed. 

“Even though she’d have no clue who you were?” Green snickered.

Red howled in laughter. 

Jay just shrugged and mumbled. 

“She sorta knows of me. I think…” 

At that point everyone in the room was staring at him, mouths gaping open. Jay didn’t really know what to do. 

“By the First Spinjitzu Master…” Red muttered. He could almost see all the ninja mentally face-palm themselves. 

“Maybe acquaint yourself with the girl before anything drastic…” White cautiously said. 

“Alright alright. I’m new to this. I don’t really get…girls” Jay pouted.

“Take it from me,” Red banged his hand proudly against his chest, “I know girls, be cool. Like me, I’m the lady’s man of the team. I get tons of chicks!”

Black snickered, “I’m sure you do tiger.”

“I totally do! Besides, you’re in no place to talk, Mr. Lone wolf.”

“Maybe not, but who knows? Maybe White is secretly the most popular guy here?” Black joked lightly. Red looked back at the Earth Ninja with discontent. It gave Jay a quick giggle. 

“No way.” The Fire Ninja turned to White. All the Ice Ninja did in response was give a smug look in his eyes, accompanied with a loose shrug of the shoulders. “...Way?”

“Girls like cool guys.”

“Aaah,” Red sighed, a little bit forlorn. 

“Good one.” Jay whispered to White, who looked back confused. 

“I've experienced enough emotional damage for one day.” Red announced as he tossed Green and White a controller each, “Let's shut up about girls and play video games.”

Lloyd pressed one of the buttons on the console but then the television turned off. Then all the lights. It was pretty sudden. Electricity flew out of Jay’s cheeks because he was spooked. Thank FSM that’s never happened at school.

“ Man what happened?” Black complained, “Red, did you add too many sockets to the power bar again?”

“That happened one time, and I had to charge my phone!”

“And boil water for tea and warm up your heating blanket and—“

“Okay first of all, I was sick that week. Second, I didn't do this!” Red bickered. 

“By the great FSM! Bigger fish right now. My high score might be lost!” Jay worried.

“Wow, bigger fish huh?” Lloyd said with air quotes. 

“Yeah, too bad. Guess that means that no one won our competition.” Black teased. “But what actually happened?”

“Ugh, the generator crapped out again.” Lloyd groaned. Even though it was still sunny out, their hang out room was very dim. Red ignited his hand and Black used his glowy earth-punch thing.

“That’s like the fourth time this month?!” Red complained. ”Of course, not being caused by me.”

“Poor Sensei. This ship is getting old.” Black knocked against one of the old floorboards.

“I will see if the generator is salvageable,” White said, walking himself over to the doorway,  “but we may need to reset the circuit, I would need Blue for that, it could take a while.”

“I hope it works, generators are expensive.” Black noted. 

“It would be deeply troubling if the battery was dead. It’s too old to be a rechargeable battery.” White explained, “Unfortunately, a dead battery seems more than likely. So I’ll investigate.”

Jay responded with a mock salute as the Master of Ice exited.

What White said was true. Sensei Wu had that chemical generator for as long as he’s had the Bounty, however long that’s been. The ninja were hoping to get him a new one as a gift to celebrate the Day of the Departed. But after looking online, generators used to run a ship like this cost thousands of dollars. White insisted that he could foot the bill, but the others weren’t having it. They opted to get him some exotic tea instead.

“Don’t worry,” Jay assured, “I’m sure it’s a finicky wire or something. White is probably just exaggerating.”

“Yeah, we all know that White always exaggerates.” Red mocked. 

“And we know that you are never sarcastic.” Black spit back. 

“Feisty. Either way, I’m sure we could rack up some money to get a new generator. But I hope it doesn’t come to that.” Green said optimistically. 

Red rolled his eyes, “I don’t really have that kind of cash laying around at home. Maybe your mom makes some good money, but it’s still a lot to ask.”

“Mm.” Black agreed.

“Well we can assume White has some money. He once offered to pay for an entirely new generator. Remember that?” Green reminisced.

“I do.” Jay recalled. 

White reentered the room, screwdriver in hand.

“How’d it go?” Red perked up. 

“Good news please, Frosty! Then I can get back to kicking Blue’s ass at this game!”

“I’d like to see you try!” Jay zapped Black just a little bit. 

White looked back at Black with a solemn look in his eyes. “The battery is no longer functional.”

“What happened to it?” Jay asked. 

“Like in a standard chemical battery, the charges have all displaced towards the opposite electrode. Which for a battery this age is unsalvageable.” 

“English please?” Green said.

Jay piped up to answer, “The battery ran out of juice, and it can’t be fixed.”

“Darn. Now what?”

“As previously mentioned, I have the means to purchase a n—“

“No way White,” Green interrupted, “we can’t ask you to do something like that, we'll think of a new solution.”

They sat in silence, most of them brainstorming ways to make money or go on with no generator. Emphasis on ‘most’ of them—a couple minutes in Red gave a loud groan, “Guys I seriously got nothin’!”

“Not even a temporary job?”

Black and Red both shook their heads vigorously at Green.

“No can do, I’ve got responsibilities of my own—“

“Not to mention expenses.” Black added.

“Fine, fine, forget I said anything.” Green grumbled.

“How about taking a job as a ninja team?” White proposed.

They all pondered the thought. “I…don’t think so?” Jay said.

“Last small gig we did for money, Sensei Wu got us in some deep trouble.” Red added.

“I still have nightmares about that day.” Jay shuddered.

“If he found out we took ‘civilian’ money to pay for the generator,” Green shuddered, “I don’t even want to think about it.”

White paused, “Though it was a worthy and logical idea, I was thinking maybe, a ‘ninja car wash’?”

The other five snickered a bit at the idea. 

“It’s valid isn’t it?” 

Lloyd giggled, “Not exactly the top of my list… but I think it’s good to keep in mind. Even if that would be super embarrassing.”

“Yeah haha!” Jay jested, “I’m not sure how much dignity I have left, but that’s the last resort.”

“I didn’t know you had any to begin with.” Black teased him. Jay returned it with a light hit to the shoulder. Black continued their tussle while the rest of the ninja chatted, the two boys sending micro hits back and forth. 

A fist slammed down on the table in front of them. “Guys! Serious talk here.” Red reprimanded, which was pretty unlike him (the reprimand, not being loud).

Like the jumpy guy he was, when the surprise took hold of him, sparks flew out of his cheeks and he zapped Black again. The Earth Ninja gave a yelp and rubbed the sore spot of where he was zapped.

Then, out of the blue, White perked up.

“Hm. Blue, how much lightning can you produce?” White asked.

“How much? I don’t really know. Why?…wait…oooh…OOOH! Why didn’t I think of that!?” That would totally work! It was basic physics! He jumped off the couch to give the other ninja a fist bump. But White just returned it with an enthusiastic handshake. They made a quick departure out of the room, the other three ninja right on their tails.

“Any idea what’s going on?” Green nudged Black. 

“I have no clue.” He responded.

“If it’s technology, I never have a clue. Let’s just go along with it.” Red moaned. 

In the hull of the ship, Red kept the fire burning in his hand.

“Mind telling us what you’ll be doing?” Lloyd asked. 

“Of course. Blue and I overlooked the fact that our generator is operated via a battery.”

A few ‘mm’s and weak ‘yeah’s came from the other ninja. They had no idea what White was talking about. 

“Basically, if I give the battery enough of a zap, The Bounty will have power again! Since I’m basically just replenishing theelectronsfromthetwoterminalsicanrestorethepostential—“

“Either way, now we don’t need to fret over purchasing a new generator.” White ended Jay’s ramblings. 

Black nudged Lloyd, “And now we will have an awesome surprise for Master Wu when he gets back to the ship.”

Jay and White opened the generator box. 

“Before you work your magic, how much lightning can Blue actually make? We don’t want him frying the wires… Or, something sciency.” Lloyd warned.

“Hmm. If I had to guess, I think it’s about the same watts as lightning.”

“1.21 Gigawatts?!” White exclaimed. That was probably one of the loudest times Jay had heard the White Ninja. He had no idea what warranted such a volatile reaction. 

“Think so yeah. Why so excited?”

“For one thing, this generator cannot handle that sheer amount of power. So for today let’s have a slow and controlled recharge.”

“Okay? I’ll take it easy then.” Jay assured. Though White kept on spitting out his facts.

“Furthermore, that amount of electricity would be able to terminate the average person, which only takes about fifty millivolts. It could also incapacitate me!”

“Even you?” Red joked. 

“Well yeah. Me. A—uh. As an average person naturally.” 

“Whatever you say~” Red said smugly. “But it is cool that Blue’s power is so strong.” 

“Yeah, I’m surprised you haven’t ‘gotten rid of’ anyone yet.” Black commented. 

But there was a reason for that. Ever since he’d met his Sensei, he’d gone through intense training one-on-one to delicately control the output of his power. Of course it sheds off a little bit when he’s caught off guard.

“Well I had to do a lot to get it that way. But I’ve never really used the power full force.” Jay said.

“Neither have I.”

“Me neither.”

“Not me.”

“Ditto.”

Which was probably for the best. Sensei had trained the ninja for proper control of their powers. The city wouldn’t be safe if they were all volatile. But then again…

“Sensei did want us to train while he was away.” Red said. 

“And testing our maximum limits would definitely fall under the umbrella of ‘training’.” Jay added.

“Uncle Wu wouldn’t be any the wiser anyways.” Lloyd smiled mischievously.

"Aren't you supposed to be our responsible leader?" Red toyed. 

"Well~ I was pretty mischievous when we first met wasn't I? I can't be serious all the dang time." 

“Normally I would not condone this sort of behaviour. However, I am also curious to see what my greatest potential could be. For battle purposes of course.” White joined in.

All four ninjas looked to Black. Who Jay often joked of as the ‘goody-two-shoes’ of the group (or as Red says, the 'kiss-ass'). 

“Haaaaah. Fine.”

The rest of them cheered.

“But let's just focus on the generator for now.”

They booed.

After slowly healing the generator, the five teammates found a clearing near the Bounty. 

“This should be a good spot.” Green estimated. The space they were in was a big gap in the forest next to some elevated cliffs, the ground was cracking stone and tufts of grass. 

“Yeah, I don’t want to start a forest fire.” 

“Or hurt regular joes passing by.” Black added. 

“And I’m sure nobody will miss these small cliffs. They’re lame.” Jay said. 

“Speak for yourself. As the Master of Earth it’s my job to tell you that all rocks are cool.”

White tapped the clipboard he brought. “Okay, let's do this systematically. “Blue, since you were the catalyst for this experiment, you should go first. Then Black, Lloyd, yours truly, and then Red..” 

Jay sent a steady stream of electricity between his two hands. “When do we start?” He said eagerly. 

“Stand in the middle of the clearing.” White instructed. “Black, could you make a stone barrier for us?” 

“On it.” 

“Blue, can you aim the lightning at the rocks? These observations will just be qualitative. But next time I can bring instruments to get viable data on our powers.” The elemental Master of Ice said, his pen ready in hand. 

“Okay. Ready.” Jay asked.

“Ready.” White gave a thumbs up. The rest of the ninja made a flurry of cheers. 

Jay took a few deep breaths to prepare himself while rocking on his heels. This would be the first (and probably last) time he would go all out. May as well make it count right? 

He called upon his power. Electricity rushed into his veins like a burst dam. It was, well, electrifying. He built up the charge for a few moments, amassing a ball of hot white energy between his tense hands. 

It crackled and burst out intermittent lines of crisp electricity. 

When Jay felt he was at his max, he directed the energy forward with a willful cry. Sending the burst of energy towards the large cliff. When he did, a loud buzzing sound erupted, and smaller bolts fired every which way. 

It only lasted a few moments; before his hands were empty of light. But when it happened, it felt like all the pent up energy inside of him poured out of his one hand. And the longer it went on the more tired he felt. He fell backwards, having completely drained his power.

“Holy cannoli.” Lloyd was starstruck.

“Are you okay Blue?” Black rushed over to him, checking him up and down.” 

“Yeah, but I feel like I just ran a marathon.” Jay joked. “I barely have anything left in me.” 

“Well. You did a great job.” Black said cheerfully. “Enough to charge a thousand generators.”

Red ran up to the two of them. “Blue… that was freakin’ awesome!” 

“Really?”

“Yeah, it was blinding how bright it was. And I was afraid I was going to get zapped. Just… just look!” He pointed at the rocks.

White and Lloyd were talking next to the cliff. White was vigorously jotting down things on his clipboard. 

Next to them was a dark black scorch mark about half a meter wide. Along with bots of dried plant set ablaze from the power.

“Wow… I did that?” 

“Yeah, your eyes were lit up too. Remind me not to mess with you anymore.” Red joked. White and Lloyd walked towards them.

“I agree with Red. What you’ve demonstrated was very impressive. It may even be stronger than actual lightning.” White analysed.

“Blue, could you tell us how you feel and how you felt in the moment?” Green asked.

“Sure, when I was doing it, it felt like all the energy in my body was being concentrated to my hands. To be honest it felt pretty good, really powerful. And when I fired, well, the energy was excited and blasted out.” Jay slumped back down, “Now I’ve got tingly hands, and I am super exhausted.”

White diligently took notes.

“Anything else? Is the strength coming back to you?” 

“A little bit, I don’t have much left in me though.”

“I guess I’m next then huh?” Black stretched out his arms, “Ooh I’ve got happy feet!”

“Well. Actually, there was one more test I wanted to try on Blue. And you as well Black.”

“Yeah?” 

“Blue, if it’s not too much trouble, could you please direct a bolt of lighting at Black?” White said in a playful tone.

Blue sparked a bit of lighting in his palm.

“Say what now?”

“Oh don’t worry Black, I just want to see if it will harm you.”

“That’s my problem!” Cole waved his arms dramatically. “Is this ‘cause I ate your cake without permission?!”

“This endeavour is to test whether lighting has a lesser effect on a person holding a grounding element: that being the Earth Master.” White wrote in his notes, “…But finding out you ate my cake is a good reason too.”

“Wait a second, shouldn’t we just talk abou—krrrrtz!”

The Master of Earth was zapped; and it did mess with him. His body experienced these painful tingles, along with unwanted convulsions of his body. 

“Blue!” He cried on his hands and knees before twitching from the after effects. 

“Wow, I think you’re right White.” Blue said with a hint of surprise in his voice, completely ignoring how he had just electrocuted his best friend. “That dose is good to thoroughly knock someone out.”

“Knock someone out?! You didn’t even know if it’d hurt me!” Cole accused. Blue just toyingly shrugged.

“I see.” White looked down at his notes again. “So the theory of contrasting elements may be true.”

“That is pretty cool that we’ve got that.” Cole nodded in agreement, even if he was fuming (and twitching) a bit, “Even if discovering that wasn’t fun in the slightest. I’ll get you back.”

“I look forward to it.” Blue responded cheekily.

“Any other whacked up experiments we need to do White?” Lloyd asked. He and Red must have been bored sitting on the sidelines for so long. 

“Not at the moment. My theories may need more work.” White explained. 

“Well~. Usually studies are more sound when the experiment is repeated.” Blue said smugly. 

“Oh don’t you dare.” Cole warned his friend. 

“Fine fine, I won’t. I’m pretty spent anyways.”

White approached Cole, “Would you be able to demonstrate the maximum limit of your powers?” 

Cole scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, “How?”.

“How?”

“I mean, my element is pretty versatile. I can levitate boulders, be super strong, make earthquakes, fissures, and don’t forget about my glowing arm thing!”

“Hmm.” White’s pen tapped the clipboard. “I haven’t thought of this before.”

Lloyd gave Cole a thumbs up, “Maybe if you just jump into it, we can see what you can do?”

“I’ll try. But no promises that it won’t flop.”

“Good! We’ll be hidden behind here.” They all tucked back into the little stone hut he built. 

Cole stood in the clearing. Still unsure of what he wanted to do. Usually when he wanted to call on his element, it just did what he wanted it to do. Now he just needs to…summon it? 

The Earth Ninja knelt down onto his knees, and pushed his palms into the dirt in front of him. 

Here goes nothing. Cole just closed his eyes and willed for his power to do, well, anything.

But his powers just weren’t answering him. 

“Guys I don’t think it’s working, maybe another time.”

“What do you mean? Black, look!” Lloyd called.

The ninja opened his eyes to find himself floating ten metres in the air on a big glowing boulder. 

Surrounding him were smaller other stones that floated weightlessly. They bounced and spun on his command. It was extraordinary.

“Your arms, and your eyes, they’re glowing orange.” Red said amazed.

“That’s awesome!” Cole shouted with joy, he let out a big ‘woo-hoo!’.

“Is it your maximum?” White called out.

“Lemme see.” The ninja responded back, before he called on his powers full force.

More rocks drifted up to his level. And speckles of dust were swirling upwards. It felt absolutely amazing being so connected to the Earth. Even if it took an immense amount of concentration, something about it was just so… comforting. Familiar, almost. If he could, he would do this all the time.

“Guys do ya see?” He exclaimed.

But when he looked down to the others, they weren’t having such a good time. He heard rumbling and watched while his friends were falling over themselves. 

Suddenly three deep fissures came into being, cutting into the land in jagged ways. 

Uh oh. He ceased all his powers, it was like trying to clog a burst dam. But he got it under control.

The cracks remained, but the boulders, along with him, started dropping out of the sky. 

He yelped before he fell back to the ground butt first. 

“You guys okay?”

“Been better.” Red dusted off his clothes. “Thank the FSM you don’t create earthquakes out on patrol.”

“Hehe, yeah…” While Cole usually had a handle on it, it would be a lie to say he hasn’t caused an earthquake or two.

“It's very interesting being at the epicentre of an earthquake. How do you feel Black?” White was scribbling in his notes. 

“I’m tired, but I feel kind of good. I can’t really explain it, but since we’re surrounded by my element, it just feels like borrowing the energy from the area. I’m the conduit. I don’t usually call upon my powers like that.”

“Very interesting. These alternate forms of your powers do serve as a good tactical advantage in battle.”

“Mhm. And since Earth and Lighting are like opposite elements, do I get to chuck a boulder at Blue now?” Cole made intense eye contact with Blue, who was scared shitless.

Before White even had the chance to answer, Cole gave chase to Blue. All while holding a big rock over his head. 

“Waaah!” Blue screamed and laughed, Cole gave a hearty chuckle too.

“I guess it's my turn right?”

“Seems so.” White said. “Did you want to send an energy beam at the cliff side?”

Lloyd shrugged, “I guess so.” Though unsaid, Lloyd felt a little nervous harnessing all his elemental power. It felt destructive, and chaotic. It felt like something his father would do.

When Black and Blue settled down and hid behind the shelter, Lloyd stood before a giant wall of stone. 

I just do it? Lloyd grunted as he amassed as much energy as he could summon. A pool of energy formed between his hands. It was a pale green colour and swirled around him. He concentrated the power and burst it towards the wall. But his heart just wasn’t in it.

A scorch mark remained, and a few hefty chunks of rock were flung every which way.

“I did it, right?” Lloyd asked, looking for his friends affirmations.

The others stood facing him. It was awkward. 

“…You did great…” Black gave a weak thumbs up.

“…Yeah, so cool.”

“Totally. Very green.”

“It was bad wasn’t it.” Lloyd deadpanned. The others gave a little sigh of relief. “I knew it.”

“Yeah.” Red scratched the back of his head, “I could’ve sworn that you’ve done crazier stuff out on patrol.”

“It just didn’t seem like you meant it.” Blue said in a doting voice.

“Is it some kind of mental block?” Black suggested. Lloyd just shrugged.

“I thought the performance was lacklustre.” White commented. 

“Way to put it lightly White.” Lloyd said under his breath. But it went unheard for White. 

“What is preventing you from releasing all your power?” 

“Can’t I just… not do this?” Lloyd swayed on his planted feet.

“No. You have one of the strongest, and most mysterious elements. While our powers are connected to tangible things: earth, ice, fire, and lightning, yours are connected to, well, energy.”

“Your point being?” 

“Studying you is imperative. As the grandson of the First Spinjitzu Master, a mysterious being on his own, recognizing any unseen powers is quite beneficial for the future. And any insight into what your powers entail come with that. Especially since it has been a keen interest of mine.” 

“Okay I get what you're saying, I just… I’m not feeling like a million bucks, y’know?” Lloyd weakly excused.

“If I understand what you mean by that, could a break help you feel better?”

Lloyd huffed, “No, no. I don’t need a breather. I just don’t want to do this. Like at all.”

White just cocked his head in response. “…A little late for that now wouldn’t you say?”

“Well I have my reasons.”

“By all means.” White encouraged him to go on.

“It’s a little embarrassing, that’s all.”

“Do tell. This is a safe space.” White gestured at him kindly.

The Green Ninja gave a huff. “I was afraid that if I went all out with my powers. I would enjoy it. I found it fun.” 

“What’s so terrible about that?” Blue questioned. 

“The scary part is that! That…I would like it. And that would make me… well, like my father. In his sadistic, chaotic, wrathful ways… I don’t want that.”

“That…” Red paused. “That actually makes a lot of sense.”

“It’s my biggest fear. After having my identity exposed to you guys, I guess.” He admitted.

“Sorry for pressing on you Lloyd. You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.” Blue added.

The others shook their heads in agreement. 

“And don’t worry man. I get it.” Black patted his back.

“Your dad is also an evil overlord drunk on destructive power?” Lloyd rhetorically asked.

“No, no numbskull. I just…understand not wanting to emanate aspects of your parents.” Black explained. “I sympathise with you. Even if my family doesn’t have war criminals.”

“That you know of.” Blue chuckled. Black just playfully rolled his eyes.

“Thanks for understanding guys. You’re the best buds I could’ve asked for.” He smiled. “I’m going to chillax in the mud hut.” Lloyd waved them off. 

Sometimes he liked to recall how good his friends treated him.

“Now let’s get this party started!” Red bumped his fists together, each igniting in a bright flame.

“Pause for a moment, I do recall yours truly following after Lloyd.” Zane held his hand up. Blue and Black giggled as Red complained about how bored he was:

“But it’s been like an hour!” 

“I wanna heat things up!”

“I came up with all conceivable fire puns while everyone else was having fun.” He grumbled.

Zane simply responded, “Sensei Wu always taught us that patience is a virtue. I will be done shortly. And after that you can melt all the remaining ice.”

Red folded his arms, “Fine. But you’ll rem- ember this.” 

The Masters of Fire, Lightning and Earth dashed back to the shelter, each joking about their trivial elemental puns. He usually just gave them the cold shoulder when they did that (it was a good idea to switch on his funny mode once in a while). 

“Tell us when you’re starting!” Black called to him.

“I should have brought more layers!” Blue exclaimed.

“I’m commencing…now!” Zane announced, shutting his friends up.

He looked between his hands. He was infatuated with the theories of how a robot could produce elemental powers.

Where was it stored? How did it flow through him? The Android supposed those questions were applicable to his friends as well.

His logic parameters did not allow him to understand mythical powers to such an extent. And he wasn’t as eager to satisfy his curiosity than to let all his elemental power loose.

He built up his elemental energy in a way that felt natural. The power slowly became more and more intense. It flowed through his wires and collected in his feet and hands. 

His eyes were shut tightly. He was fully concentrated on reaching the apex of his power. As it went on, his exoskeleton felt like it was rattling from the elemental pressure. It was like he was shivering— if he could—well, he assumed it was like that. 

Once he felt he had reached his zenith, he released all the pressure built up. 

It felt like all the coldness that was previously inside of him was unleashed into the world. Rather than scary or out of control, or was oddly soothing. Perhaps releasing his powers more frequently may benefit him?

Zane sighed. Even his synthetic breath clouded in the chilly air.

Ninjago city was surrounded by a few different environments, the sea, the desert and the variety of forests and mountains.

It was all pretty temperate. They only really had snow two months in the year. So it was a little jarring seeing the environment now changed because of his powers.

The ground was frozen solid, with a thick layer of ice coating it. The sheet of ice had a diameter of about 50 metres and it’s ice veins extended even further.

Any plant life was also crystallised in chunky icy prisons. Ahead of him was the cliff they used as target practice. Large ice formations appeared all along the wall, sprawled out in all directions. 

Though unnatural, it was a wonderful sight to behold. It was as though the land had frozen over.

The other four ninja appeared beside him. All of them—excluding Black, who was curiously immune to extreme temperatures—were shivering.

“N-Nice one W-White!” Blue managed to say before his teeth started chattering.

“Y-Yeah!” Red agreed, “It must have dropped like 20 degrees.”

“Super cool! And I mean literally.” Black chuckled. He was completely unfazed by the cold. In fact, he never wore any extra layers on the chilly nights. Zane would have to do some research into that later.

“Thank you, brothers. It’s nice to see what one’s powers can do. I can’t say that I’m not impressed with mine.”

“And all thanks to that generator.” Lloyd tried to say without stuttering. “But I wasn’t really prepared for the sunny day to get frigid. Red?”

“It w-would be my pleasure.”

The Fire Ninja rubbed his hands together, sparking a little ball of fire between them.

“I just gotta warm up first…” Red laughed weakly.

“Are you done yet?” Blue shouted from across the icy plain.

“It’s been like ten minutes! Pipe down.” Kai yelled back.

Unlike Black and his resistance to the cold, Kai considered himself hypersensitive to anything chilly. He likes to blame it on his element. 

So after White turned the area into a freezer, he needed some time to recover. He huddled over a flame he made and took the time to recuperate.

Over time he could feel tingling leave his fingertips. His muscles lost their rigidity and he could function normally again.

“If we ever do this again, I call going first, m’kay?” He demanded. The others gave a slew of affirmations.

“Just ready to go back inside, we’ve been out here for like an hour and a half.” Black complained.

“Hey hey hey guys; I had to sit through all your stuff.”

“And you complained the entire way through.” Lloyd mentioned.

“Okay. Fair call.” Kai let a flame bounce between his hands. 

“Just take as long as you need.” Lloyd said. 

“Yeah, so long as we don’t die of old age first.” Blue called out.

Annoyance festered in Kai, “By FSM—“. Then ginormous flames blasted from his palms. They were even hot for him. 

If any emotion fueled his fire it was definitely anger. Kai gave another push into expressing his powers. The sheer heat warped the air and he started levitating off of the ground. At some point all he could see was a blazing orange.

The heat crawled up his arms and around his body. That’s better, much warmer now. Even too warm. At maximal power, it was as though he was roasting himself. As it became a bit too stuffy in the tornado of fire, he decided it was time.

He cut off his power. 

The ninja dropped to the ground into mucky water. A small wave rippled outwards. Kai checked his arms— no burns, that’s a relief.

“Good job Red!” Lloyd cheered before jogging out to him. “And thanks for clearing the ice out.”

“Yeah, it took you long enough.” Blue quipped.

“Hargh hargh hargh.” He turned to the others. “Did anything ultra cool happen?! Did my eyes glow?”

“Unconfirmed.” White said, “Though to be fair, your whole body was glowing. Very impressive indeed.” 

“That’s awesome!” Kai responded excitedly. 

“Not for us, we’re half soaked,” Black complained, his gi sticking to his body, “can we get back to the Bounty and—“ 

“Train like you never have before?” A monotonous voice appeared.

The whole team jumped a foot in the air, and slowly turned their heads towards the intruder. 

“Oh crap.” Black recoiled.

“Hi Master Wu.” Blue nervously chuckled.

The old man didn’t say anything, he’d just wrung out his beard. 

“We were just training.”

“Doing research.”

“Fighting cliffs?” Blue commented, Black justly elbowed him.

“Did you get back early?” Lloyd added. He had a meek posture, just like all the other ninja. We’re gonna regret this…

In a scarily calm tone, Wu replied, “I did indeed. After I saw a bolt of lighting appear on such a sunny day, then an earthquake, I thought it was high time to head back.”

Sensei’s nostrils flared and his eyes hardened, “Then! I feel the temperature drop, and I get pummelled with water two feet high!”

The old man paused to catch his breath. 

“Sensei, are you frustrated with us disobeying your orders?” White innocently asked. 

There was a void laugh, “Frustrated? Not even close.”

They all gulped.

“I gave you specific instructions. They were in your best interest weren’t they? It was not hard to follow. In fact, following the rule was easier than the latter. And yet. You disobey my orders, put yourselves and our secrecy at risk— all for some… experiment?!” 

Wu lumbered around the ninja. God he needed some tranquiliTEA. But that would have to wait. Though he did take a little pleasure in his students' suffering. He was furious, so seeing the ninja trying to hold difficult balance stances was cathartic. In fact, for added difficulty he had them hold plates and bowls to make the training conditions harder. 

While his students were huffing and puffing, he continued on with his lecture.

“What if someone had noticed? A civilian seeing lightning on a clear day, or a scientist finding you fools at the epicentre of a freak earthquake. Worse, what if Garmadon was roaming the coast and saw your blunders!?”

Wu had been berating them for at least an hour so far. He was venting his frustrations, and though his spiritual journey has taught him peace—he was still a strict teacher. It was for their own good.

The old man took a deep breath, allowing himself a moment of calm. He loved each of his students, and wanted to see them flourish. But that started with necessary discipline. 

“I hope that through your efforts you can reflect on your amateur actions. We have a duty to uphold. Not only to this city, but to each other. And the duty to prevent any unwanted attention to ourselves and our base. Though I cherish you all very much. I would be lying to say that your actions today didn’t disappoint me.”

Words hurt. But time would heal these wounds. For the ninja and himself. Some of the ninja were more sullen, recognizing the massive risks they partook in. Though one…not so much.

“It was White’s idea!” Kai exclaimed, he was red-faced and drenched in sweat. Good. 

Zane shot back an unimpressed glare. “ We all made the mistake, Red. Please have some class. Besides, it was Blue that egged on this whole thing.”

“What? Don’t bring me into thi—“

Wu did not let the argument continue. He cracked his staff against the wooden floor, gaining all their attention yet again. 

“I do not care who is to blame, all of you disobeyed my orders.” Wu gave a judging look to his nephew and Cole—the two who should have reigned in the group. “You have crossed my trust. And to think you could have been playing video games like you usually do—“

“Wait Sensei!” Jay butt in with staggered breaths. In the process he almost lost the plates he was precariously holding in his hands. 

“Yes Blue?” His curiosity dominated his anger, barely, “What news is so important that you interrupt your teacher?”

“Eep! Sorry Sensei. But we didn’t do this for just no reason, we did it to fix the generator properly. Of course that just sounds likealameexcusebut—“

“It’s true it’s true!” His nephew cried out, “That's how it started, the Bounty fritzed out!”

Wu sighed. “Then please, indulge this old man.”

His nephew, Kai and Jay were ecstatic to break out of their held positions. Each skillfully tossing around the plates towards the front table. Thank his father that none of those broke. While Cole and Zane seemed to just be happy for some relief.

All six of them were crammed into the adjacent room, which held all the utilities and what not. As Wu was thousands of years old (though he could never narrow it to an exact number) he stood there blankly as Jay explained the inner-workings of a generator. Zane piped in a few times to talk about how it related to their field-day. 

“—And thus, due to completing a task that requires fine tuning. We all found it reasonable to understand the extent of our powers, and the level of control that came with it, to best further our abilities as ninja.” Zane stated proudly (through his more monotonous voice).

“And we got the power back!” Jay cheered.

“Yep. Beats using me to warm up your tea. Now just turn on the kettle, and boom!” Kai added. 

Cole and Lloyd also contributed eager nods to their ‘presentation’. 

“What do you think?” Lloyd asked, with nervousness in his voice. 

Wu took comfort that the ninja disobeyed his orders in good faith. They did fix one of his ongoing issues with the Bounty…However…

“For your efforts to this ship, I give you my deepest thanks.” The ninja looked at him chipperly, “But to risk your individual safety, and that of our cover—it was not worth the reward. At least now we can do another hour of training with good lighting!” 

His students all groaned. 

Wu snickered a bit. He could have eased up and let them go… but old habits die hard.

Many hours had passed since the ninja had left (sore no doubt) and all was quiet on the Bounty. 

Wu filled the evening with tidying up the ship, and browsing through his personal collection of ancient texts. 

From what Misako had told him, he was sitting on a pile of books and scrolls worth millions. His old friend frequently made offers to take the texts to her museum. But beyond knowledge Wu cherished the texts he inherited from his father. It had been such a long time, they were one of the last bits of memorabilia of the First Spinjitzu Master.

As the night wore on, he sat on the deck of the ship with his tea—admiring the stars. There goes the Delta V comet , he noted to himself. And just as quickly as the comet appeared, it vanished.

The old man sighed as a more somber feeling took over. He reached into his hat to pull out a Polaroid image. 

It was a photo of him, Misako, and Garmadon. Even when his brother was fighting off the Great Devourer’s poison, and had a sickly pale colour to him, he was still Garmadon. He still had love in his heart, good stories to tell, and a genuine smile—not like the vicious one he was sporting now.

Poor Lloyd, he thought. At least he and Misako knew him before he was consumed by evil. But Lord Garmadon was the only version of his father Lloyd had ever known. It’s not right, for a boy to be without his father. 

Though Wu had long since resolved to act as a good role model for his indisposed brother it never felt like enough.

He had a dry laugh, who knows? Maybe some day Garmadon would reclaim his proper place in the world. Back on the side of good. Wu was a classic optimist, and even he knew the chance of that was slim. Though that’s what hope is for, right?

As he pondered more and more about his brother, one aching thought kept reappearing. 

It started ever since Lloyd's identity was revealed:

When you know the identity of one of your greatest foes, why would you retreat? 

Since that day, Wu updated the defenses on the Bounty, and often scouted Lloyd and Misako’s apartment in case anyone lurked about. He also routinely scoured through the newspapers and radio for any information on Garmadon or Lloyd’s identity. He was prepared, and meticulously made plan after plan for the worst case scenario. But it was all moot.

In fact, since the day he chased off his brother, there hadn’t been a peep from Garmadon. Was he brainstorming? Licking his wounds? Or already orchestrating something big? He and the Secret Ninja Force could usually fend off whatever Garmadon threw at them—but the silence was worrying.

At least with Chen and the Serpentine it was business as usual. 

Though these thoughts festered, he dare not tell the ninja. They were busy enough already. This was a mission for him and him alone. 

The old man looked up at the sky with a serious glint in his eyes,

“What are you doing brother? What are you up to?”

Chapter Text

It was a usual night patrol, not many crooks, no exhausting running or fighting. Just chilling out. Since the ruthless training they just went through, it was a nice change. It had only been an hour since they left the Bounty. The team was all together scouting the docks of the city. Everything was quite peaceful in the ‘Secret Ninja Force’s’ world. Garmadon and other big names had been inactive most recently, except for one skirmish or another. They were likely devising some nefarious plot, like bad guys do, but that was for future Jay to worry about. 

In his civilian life, things were also pretty good, his parents are still nosy as ever, but he wasn’t getting picked on as much. Taking Chad down a couple notches definitely helped with his social standing.  

But otherwise there was nothing exciting. Well, maybe one thing. Jay’s deadline to ask out his crush loomed ever closer. And that freaked him out more than Garmadon ever could. 

Not now Jay, he mentally smacked himself, stay focused. Red always lamented that he never had his priorities straight—so he needed to keep his mind in the game.

“Uh hey?” Jay broke the silence.

“Yeah dude?” Lloyd replied. 

Jay realized he didn’t really have a question to ask. He just wanted to help ground his thoughts into real-time. 

“Blue?” Lloyd asked again. The others glanced over to him too, and they all stopped on a building's scaffolding.

One may assume that Jay would usually just stutter his way out of the conversation, but he was Blue right now, and he was prepared.

“What do you get when you meet a hipster ninja?” Jay asked excitedly.

“Ughhh.” Red moaned.

“What do I get?” White asked innocently. 

“Peace and quiet!” Jay snorted. 

The others grumbled, but they still seemed amused, Jay laughed. 

“That was a terrible joke!” Black rolled his eyes.

“Why?  Didn’t it sneak up on you?”

“How do you even come up with that stuff?” Green asked, “Is there some kind of ninja pun generator online?”

“Nope!” Jay made a big X with his arms, “I’m just the pun king !” He gloated.

“Yeah, whatever, I bet I could make way better jokes than you.” Red said folding his arms.

“Like to see you try!”

“Ugh, girls girls you’re both pretty,” Black teased, “Let’s just focus on wrapping up patrol, I’m starving right now.”

“You are always starving.” White said humorously. 

Black huffed, “And it’s always true… so let’s get it going!”

“Yeah, and while we do that, Blue, why don’tcha give us the details on that girl you were interested in.” Red gave Jay some finger guns. “Did you give her the ol’ razzle dazzle?”

“Ugh. I’ve tried, I really have! But every time I approach her. It’s just—every time I even attempt to go near her my stomach is being tied into knots!” 

“That is very concerning Blue. For your sake you should get a check up.”

Red clicked his tongue, “Yeah sure, just like you and your concussion situation eh?” White looked down with shame. 

“Don’t listen to Red, he’s an idiot.” Black comforted White. They all knew their buddy had been going through some manic episode at the time. They pushed the Master of Ice too hard, and both parties apologised profusely after. Everyone felt terrible for the subsequent days, luckily they were briskly smoothing it over. But look at Red digging up the past…

“Hey!” Red snapped, but Black just ignored him. White nodded solemnly in response. 

“Blue just means that he gets too nervous to talk to her. And that’s okay. Take as much time as you need buddy.” Lloyd said, throwing Jay a thumbs up.

“Yeah, you’ve got two weeks. Then I’m going after her.” Black added nonchalantly. Everyone stared at him in shock.

“Wha-at? I’m incentivizing him!”

“Whatever, I don’t think you’d date anyone unless they came with a lifetime supply of cake.” Red teased.

“…that’s…touché.”

“But anyways. You’re a good guy Blue. You should be confident with yourself. Girls like that sort of thing.”

“Thanks Red, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Their little moment was cut short when a sharp KRRRTZ* sound came from White’s supply belt. He lifted the radio receiver to the group and clicked on the message. They had just caught hold of a police radio call. 

“All squads route to Borg Industries Headquarters as fast as possible—security cameras picked up a break in—traffic cams on Westmount Boulevard—“

Krrrt—the voice fizzled out. Ever since White and Jay developed non-traceable radio receivers and hacked into the police frequencies, the team was always on alert for a big baddie to show up. Its usefulness doubled when some coppers would go hunting for the vigilantes themselves—since technically they weren’t allowed to be doing this. 

“Borg industries?” Red announced. “Ain’t that the super tall tower?”

Though his fellow ninja were relatively unaffected, the same couldn’t be said for the Master of Lightning. Jay was ecstatic. Well, kind of. They were dealing with a break in. But he just couldn’t help it! He absolutely adored Borg Industries, he hoped to one day work there.

The Master of Lightning couldn’t shake off his excitement, “Borg Industries…They said BORG industries? Like, home to super reclusive genius Cyrus Savant Borg, millionaire philanthropist and CEO of my favourite company? The company single handedly making everything cool in this world?!” 

Black swatted his head, “Ow!”

“I take it you’re a fan?” Green rhetorically asked.

“They may have some neat stuff I guess, but can it beat this?” Red did a little Spinjitzu. Jay just ignored him.

“Of course it does! Some ancient martial arts doesn’t hold a candle to sci-fi tech. And I am a proud Borg fanboy! I modelled the radio receiver after Borg technology. Fitted it out with all the features that their stuff had too! I still have the earliest models of the Borg-pad and Borg-watch! They're still in prime condition too. In the next few months they’ll be announcing their upcoming projects… GASP! That must be what those thugs were looking for! The new Borg tech! WE HAVE TO GO! NOW!” Jay tugged Black's wrist in the direction of Borg tower (an establishment Jay could also talk about all day).

“Alright alright, don’t get your panties in a twist.” Black pulled back his arm, “We’ll get there when we get there, no sooner. Besides, the place would be swarming with cops right now, and about half have a bone to pick with us. Essentially, we can’t do anything till the place is clear.”

“But this is urgent!” Jay contested.

“Really? A teeny tiny burglary happens and it’s like the Realm of the Departed arrived. They didn’t mention anything too bad over the radio. And I’d rather not spend my night getting chased by the police.”

“Again.” White added.

“Yeah, again. Secret identities wouldn’t really remain a secret if I was thrown into a jail cell.”

Jay still felt a sense of urgency. “We can sneak past em’. We are ninja after all. Besides, whatever those bad guys tried to steal, or actually stole, could be crazy important.”

“That’s true.” Red nodded his head in agreement, “I wouldn’t feel safe for my family if some goons had a hold of some crazy new weapon.”

“It would also make our jobs a lot harder.” White acknowledged.

“Exactly! We gotta know what we’re up against!” Jay exclaimed, his cheeks burning with energy. After this he was sure the static would mess up his hair.

Their bickering ended as Lloyd entered the debate, “Sorry Blue, sorry Red, but Black is right, let’s get there and assess the situation. If it’s like what the cops described on the radio, we won’t reveal ourselves until the police are all gone. We will still get all the information we need if we can corner Borg after the police leave. Or we may only need to acquire—“ 

“Steal. You mean.” Red corrected.

Lloyd cleared his throat, “Yeah. Steal the security footage to find out who did this and why.” 

Jay pouted and turned away. “Fine.” He knew that once Lloyd stepped in, with that serious tone, the decision was finalised. And so they began their gruelling trek across the city to the business hub of Ninjago. 

Jay was panting with his arms resting on his knees. They had just ran for twenty minutes straight—jumping across rooftop gaps and scaling many many buildings. 

Now, they faced Borg Tower. The feat of technology and architecture pierced the sky. The sight always took his breath away, especially at night, where the soft glow of the building lights reached all the way up to the stars. It was a symbol to Jay that despite any humble origins, anything was possible.

Below the stretched out lights of the tower were the flashing blue and red blinkers from the police cars parked down below. Along with a gathering crowd held back by police tape. 

There seemed to be about twenty officers outside, doing busywork and investigating the crime scene. With a dozen more persons visible in the lobby of the building. NGTV news was there too. A break in at Borg industries was a really big deal then.   

Though the place was bustling thankfully it didn’t seem like anything dire was happening.

“ I sense that if this is the number of authorities outside it would be extremely crowded inside the building even past the lobby.” White analysed. 

“Does that mean we have to wait out here until the place is deserted?” Jay whined. He didn’t want to do that! 

“We may have to.” Green said solemnly.

“…well, judging by the rate at which the crowd is dissipating and the pace of police activity, they should be finishing soon.” White analysed. He was right, even the press were packing up. Jay took comfort in that, because that meant the damage wasn’t too serious, but still felt a bit antsy. He paced around the rooftop fretting over the break-in—while White and Red set up a chess game on the concrete (White always had those chess pieces on him, and always won for that matter). Black leaned against the billboard post and dozed off while Green kept a vigilant eye on the scene. 

After a long time (which Jay found out was only actually fifteen minutes) the police trickled out of the building. The lights were back off and the broken glass door in front of the entrance was sealed shut with tape. 

Green pulled out his binoculars, “Looks like Borg is in his office. The light turned back on.”

“We should sneak in and ask him for the footage.”

“What just like, walk up to him and ask him?” Black, now awake, questioned the Master of Lightning.

“He’s said before that he respects our vigilantism in an interview with Gale Gossip.”

“Let’s test that it’s not just a farce.” Black’s eyes glinted with determination.

“Looks like he’s getting ready to leave, he’s dimming the lights more, we should move.” White said.

“How can you see that far without any help?” Jay could barely see the figure in the window at all. Much less make out what Borg was doing. Does he need glasses?

“I can barely even see a person in that glass window.” Red confirmed.

“Oh! I, *ahem, have very good eyesight. 40/20.” White nervously said. 

“Always above and beyond.” Green nodded.

“That’s our White.” Black leaned on the Master of Ice’s shoulder, “Let’s rock this joint!” 

They set up a grappling hook—shooting a harpoon halfway up the tower. They used Jay’s handmade motors to scale the rope and climbed the building from there. The building was beautiful, but it was ferocious to climb. The wind nipping his eyes didn’t help either. Black didn’t seem to have trouble though.

“Fingers tired, legs about to give—lame tech stuff and their hard to climb buildings.“ Red uttered.

“Yeah,” Black huffed as they reached the office floor, “Why didn't they add climbing holds on the side of this building? Ridiculous.”

“Whatever.” Red bit back.

Lloyd carved out a circle shape in the glass using his dao, and carefully moved the glass. It was just enough for the ninja to slide in; while Black used his superhuman strength to bust through another window. 

They all looked at Black. Eyebrows creased in disapproval. “Wha-at? I don’t have time for finesse.” He defended, to which Lloyd promptly shushed him. Either way—they were all inside. 

Jay took a moment to inspect the room. Even in the dim lighting he could still see clearly. The area had a tall ceiling with big monitors everywhere. They were almost entirely surrounded by metal—from the floor to the wall panels. Scrap metal lined the desk area along with tens of circuit boards and wires. It was overall grey and to be honest, a bit desolate. 

There were a few gadgets and gizmos thrown about. Those of which Jay would kill to use. Yeah. This was definitely Borg’s office. The rest of the ninja looked in awe too—well, except Red, he looked around unenthused. In comparison to the guys Jay really had to try really hard to reign in his inner fanboy—or the silent part of being a ninja would fly out the window.

There was Borg. His back was facing them. When all the ninja gave a questioning glance to Lloyd, he just responded with a gesture to his ears. Must be wearing earbuds. Jay interpreted.

They crept up on the man in the wheelchair, who was busy fiddling with some gears on his workbench. 

Green tapped his shoulder, “Excuse me—“

The other man jumped up in fright, “Aaah!”

His upper torso whipped around to face the teens, he yanked an earbud from his ear and whipped it clear across the room, nearly nicking the side of Jay’s head.

“Sorry sorry!” Lloyd tried desperately to calm the older man down, ”You’re not in danger. It’s us—The Secret Ninja Force.”

The frightened man took a few seconds to calm himself down.

“Uh—I didn’t expect to see you here. May I—help you?” Borg said, semi regaining his composure. Hearing his voice…in person….

Whatever restraint Jay had was lost. He was in the presence of the best man in the world. His hero! Cyrus Borg, the man he’d only ever seen on TV.  “Oh my gosh, is it really you?” Jay squeezed his hands together. 

“Cyrus Borg, yes. Wouldn’t you expect me to be here? It is my office after all.” 

Jay couldn’t help letting out a squeal. Oh my gosh it’s Cyrus Borg ITS CYRUS BORG!

“Wah haha! I’m your biggest fan! I’m the Master of Lightning, but you can call me j-Blue. Or call me anything, I don’t care, I just wanna bask in your glory!” Jay gave a deep bow to the other man. All the other except Red followed suit. 

Cyrus Borg chuckled nervously, he wheeled closer. “I’m always glad to meet a fan. And might I add, I’m a big fan of your work as well.” 

Jay almost swooned at the compliment. It had added fuel to the fire, and the Master of Lightning’s mouth rampaged on.

“Holy cannoli! You’re so cool! May I just add that your revolution in the tech industry is nothing short of amazing! I’ve always wanted to come here, see where—Ow!” Red elbowed him in the ribs. 

“Sorry for my friend, I guess he just can’t contain himself.” Lloyd sent a mini death-glare to the ninja. Oops . 

“We recently heard of a break in, and were wondering if we could help each other out?” 

“We just wanted to know what happened earlier tonight.” Black introduced. “Maybe your insight could help us catch these crooks.”

“Of course. Only an hour and a half ago, security cameras caught about eight men breaking into my basement vault. Where I keep all my new projects and collected artefacts.”

“Okay, could we look at the footage to try and identify the men?” 

“Naturally.” Borg said before leading them down the hall into another, smaller, room. “Luckily, they weren’t successful in claiming my property, but I am afraid they’ll be back if someone doesn’t do something.”

They all shuffled into a tiny room. Borg fiddled with the computer before the monitor displayed the video. The clip rolled, it was grainy but Jay could make out an unidentifiable truck crashing into the truck port behind the building, and using a crowbar as a lever to open a window. The men slipped in and about 15 minutes later left empty handed. 

“So they really didn’t make it out with the goods huh.” Lloyd said. 

“What I’m more worried about is that if they failed the first time, they could be back.” Black crossed his arms.

Red snorted, “Too bad your precious technology couldn’t figure out what they actually wanted to steal.” 

Jay was not impressed, “Dude, what’s up with you today? You don’t have to be so rude.” He whispered.

“Yeah whatever.” Red just brushed him off. Why was he suddenly so crabby?

Thankfully Borg decided to ignore Red’s bad attitude too. 

“Though I may be unable to help in your investigation. I’ll gladly let you know that I plan to update my security; state of the art alarms, lasers, security bots—“ 

“Robot dogs?” Jay’s eyes gleamed.

“Haha, maybe not. But I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Sir, would you allow us to investigate your vault? To perhaps pinpoint what these men may have targeted?” White politely asked.

“Is that really necessary? Business secrets and all.”

“Don’t worry Mr Borg.” Lloyd consoled with a humorous tone, “Even if we saw some secret project, who could we tell? We’re under aliases.”

However, the older man was adamant, ”I can make a list of what they may have been after?” 

“I think it’s best if we see for ourselves.” Black edged on.

Cyrus Borg turned his head away and nodded. “U-uh, sure. I suppose.” As much as Jay adored the man, that was sort of suspicious. The others caught on to that too. What could he be concealing?

A few minutes later, the whole group exited the big industrial elevator, Red being the last in tow. 

There was only one door facing them. For such a rich company, it looked really ordinary. Borg entered his code into the keypad and they all entered a massive room. The bright lights pierced his eyes. It was about the size of a football field, and the ceiling was insanely tall for a basement level. Filling the room were rows upon rows of artifacts, luxuries and technology. There were also beautiful clusters of electric blue crystals in canisters on several podiums. Perhaps they were a rare supernatural item like Travelers Tea.

“Aha,” Cyrus Borg noticed their amazement, “makes you wonder what they were really after, leaving all these goods behind.” That was true. Jay couldn’t even fathom how much money was just sitting in this room right now.

He shuffled over to Red and Green, while White and Black were talking with Borg.

“Does anything about him seem odd to you?” Green asked as they all saw Borg fidget in his wheelchair. 

“Hate to admit it, but you’re right. He’s holding something back.” Jay wasn’t sure what, but Borg has been wary of them ever since they asked to see his vault. Borg expressed his trust in the ninja before, so what was with the sudden worry?

“Well then, maybe if Johnny Law couldn’t get answers from him, maybe Johnny Ninja can?” Red cracked his knuckles as he strutted over to the older gentleman, blocking his path.

“Alright, I don’t have as much tact as these guys, or patience with tech guys like you. But it seems to me like you have a good idea about what they could have been after.” 

Borg wheeled backwards at that accusation, “I’m sure I have no idea what you're talking about.” 

“Just spill it! Or we’ll begin to think you’re in Cahoots with those guys.” He aggressively trapped Borg's chair with his foot.

“Red!” Black and Green scolded simultaneously.

“Wha-at, for all we know it could be true! I don’t see the world in rose-tinted glasses like you guys do.”

“Dude, chillax. Don’t disrespect Mr. Borg!” Blue defended. 

“Whatever fanboy. You even agreed that there was something suspicious about him!” Red rebutted. “So cough it up!” 

All Borg had on his face was a look of distaste. 

“Sorry about my loud friend.” Black apologised, “Not sure where his manners went. Or if he ever ever had them.”

“But he does raise a good point. If you truly desire for us to help you through this, it’s best for us and you if you were as transparent as possible about this whole thing.” Green reasoned.

“Er— fine! I guess I may have some vague idea of what they could be after. At least, it is my most coveted and secret project…”

“That’s what I like to hear.” Red smugly bowed to the other ninja, all done with his antics. 

“Thank you Mr Borg.” Green gave a generous bow as an apology, “If you don’t mind, can we see this possible target?”

“Yes, follow me…” Borg grumbled. White, Black and Green walked alongside Borg. Red was about to catch up before Jay pulled him back.

“Dude, seriously, what’s up? A real answer this time.” Jay pleaded. 

Red avoided his gaze, “Not sure what you mean?”

“Oh c’mon. You’ve been cranky ever since we’ve been at Borg Tower. And what was with that ‘bad cop’ act just now? You’re never usually like this.”

“Hmph, fine. I just sort of have a …grudge against technology.” His eyes looked down at his shoes.

“Do tell?” Jay asked as neutrally as he could.

“I think the fad is dumb. Can’t really understand it either.”

“Really? That’s your big vendetta, Mr Ninja doesn’t understand how the Borg pad works? Haha!”

“I’m not Sensei! I have other reasons too!” Red defended. 

“Mmmmmhhhmmm?” Jay tittered, Red just mumbled to himself again. 

“My lifestyle isn’t exactly, compatible, with technology. They have the means and resources, along with an efficient assembly line, to make whatever they want. Puts a lot of small crafting businesses in my area out of business.”

“Oh.” Jay hadn’t realised that Red had those thoughts, or that he was capable of thinking at all. “I’d never thought about that. Thanks for telling me, I suppose.”

“No biggie Bluebell.” Red’s eyes smiled as he trotted over to give Green a noogie. 

After three heavy-duty doors, each with a different mode of security, they finally arrived. “Before you go in, just know, you can never tell anyone about what you saw in here. This project is my most prized treasure—I was planning on keeping it a secret for the time being.” Borg explained. To which the ninja nodded in compliance. 

They all entered the new room. It was a small laboratory, about the size of the Bounty’s deck. Wires laced the ceiling and a striking figure was set down on the table.

“Is that?—“

“I think it is.” They were all appalled. 

“It was planned to be announced in a few months, but um. I’m on the verge of the first synthetic life form on the planet!” Borg proudly presented. It took all of Jay’s might to suppress a squeal.

Jay was currently standing next to technological history! Artificial life. His kind was running a mile a minute. He felt woozy. Five feet next to him as a white metallic exoskeleton, wires flooding out of its chest, and artificial organ-like components on display for them to see. 

“It’s a lady Android?” Green managed to ask, also quite shocked, “I mean, the hair and outfit…”

“Yes, she’s a female model. I plan on adding these beauties to the work force in a decade's time.” Borg afformed. 

“Ah. Then I get why you didn’t really want to show us this then.” Green reasoned.

“Yes, sorry for the distrust. This was supposed to be a big reveal. It’s a bit risky letting anyone know, even Ninjago’s protectors.”

As much as Jay would love gushing over this project, he was struggling to form words in his mouth. Jay just couldn’t get over how excited he was. 

This would be amazing ! He thought. They could accomplish so much as a society when this feat was conquered. Jay wondered how artificial life was programmed, and what capabilities it had…Jay’s rampant thoughts were halted when Red bursted out, “Who thought this would be a good idea?”

Borg squirmed under the spiteful glare of the Red Ninja. “I did, it will improve the world.”

“But what about the consequences of that? Tech already dominates all our lives, why more!?”

“Red.” Black snapped. But the fiery ninja wouldn’t shut his mouth. “You always asked if you could, never if you should. Frankly, I trust artificial intelligence as much as I could throw it! 100% chance it’s evil anyway!” He fumed. Red threw his arms up in the air. Black thwacked his head and pulled him out of the room. 

Even through the thick walls, everyone could hear Red cry out; “I hate technology!”

Their muffled argument continued as Green and Jay tried to comfort Borg, who seemed to be shell-shocked at such a negative response. White looked like he still needed time to process all of this. 

“I guess not everyone approves of this development…”

“No!” Jay tried to cheer Borg up, “Red is just a party-pooper. Most people probably think this is super cool. And it will help the world. At least we think so.” 

Green gave a thumbs up.

“I suppose you’re right.”

“Of course! I vow to do everything I can to protect you and your projects! And if you ever need any help–”

“Thank you Mr. Blue.”

Jay suppressed a gleeful squeak. He thanked little ol me? FSM pinch me now…

“Ah, sorry sorry, just wasn’t expecting all this tonight.” Borg explained, clearly fatigued. “I may have to excuse you guys, busy day with the press tomorrow no doubt!” He wiped his glasses down.

Borg’s more uppity attitude had withered once Red started hating on tech. Poor Borg…

And now Red basically got them kicked out, words would be said later. “No worries sir!” Jay saluted. 

“Yeah!” Lloyd chimed in. “If you ever need us we will keep in close contact.”

Borg just smiled back at the two ninja. Even though it ended rather quickly, Jay cherished this whole experience. He knew he’d have a skip in his step for weeks. He was one of the first people to set their eyes on artificial life!      

Unlike his Blue friend, Zane felt frozen. His joints locked up and all he could do was stare at the body on the table. Its pale exoskeleton looked different to his own, very metallic, but he understood that it was the same thing. A shell for an artificial mind. A fake mind. His skin crawled. Zane always tried avoiding thoughts like that. Thoughts that made his chest tight. But seeing the Android on the table made that impossible right now. 

This can’t be real, this can’t be rea l, he repeated, the others dialogue fading into the background. Zane was pretty uncomfortable being a robot before, but this just sent him into a spiral of existential questions. 

Experiencing another synthetic being felt…illogical. It made him feel…illogical.

Guess he isn’t alone anymore. Zane thought bitterly: he was still shaken by the darker implications of this development. Like Garmadon had tried with him, these robots could be used as weapons, slaves, not treated as living at all. But that wasn’t true! He was nearly certain it wasn’t! He felt and thought as much as the next hormonal teen. Right? Just…through circuitry and wires. 

Surely, this topic was too profound to go into at the moment, but Zane was sure it would plague his mind for some time.

Analyse Zane! Get those processors moving! He mentally smacked himself. Find the positive, or you’ll go crazy! He scoured for any peace of mind. 

It was a weak comfort, but if things did work out for the new androids (and that was a pretty slim chance).... If they got to find their place as regular citizens, maybe he can come out to his brothers as a robot too!

Oh the relief he would feel. He could display his vulnerability and maybe validate his own existence. FSM he knew he needed it. They were like family, and certainly they would understand. He held off with the idea of telling them, but if the new tomorrow was technology, then Zane had less to fear. 

As of right now, all Zane could do was internalise his strife, and wish his IBM friend his hope. 

Zane looked over the body, good luck my alloy ally. He smiled, as much as he’d hate to admit it, the robot was quite cute. He shook off the thought—focus Zane, break-in remember?

Just as he began to refocus, the red-clad ninja cried out—“You always asked if you could have, never if you should. Frankly, I trust artificial intelligence as much as I could throw it! 100% chance it’s evil anyway.”

The Android felt a sting in his gut, it prickled his fingers and the faux blood rushed from his face. There were sharp prickles on his skin, exactly how Green described the influence of his ice element. 

Red doesn’t trust artificial intelligence? Doesn’t trust him? That made him feel sick. But, did Red have sound judgement? 

Zane thought about it. Sure having a robot body was cool, but was it worth the price of lacking humanity? For androids, there was always a risk of being hacked. And always a risk of being weapon used, just like Garmadon had tried in the past. This wasn’t even considering the fact that his entire consciousness may be fake, like he was some poser. The more Zane went down that path the less comfortable he felt about himself.

Ugh, he was so confused. 

A small mercy was that Black dragged the wailing ninja out of the room, so their argument could continue elsewhere. However, that still didn’t mask the things the fire master was saying past the fortified wall. 

Zane was grateful for the small mercy of getting kicked out. 

Well, that was an exaggeration, Borg wanted to go back to work and asked them to leave (though he was a bit chapped about Black breaking the window so recklessly). But not before exchanging his personal telephone number for theirs.  

Nonetheless he felt so suffocated in that room. He was happy to leave. Small victories, he supposed.

After Borg escorted them out of the building and lip service was exchanged, the Secret Ninja Force planned how they would proceed with the case. All through which Zane remained silent. Green took up the mantle of researching and making a list of possible suspects, though it would be hard not knowing what the criminals wanted to steal. While Black was in charge of scouting those possible avenues. Though they all knew that was a lengthy process. Blue so gleefully offered to act as ‘Borg emotional support’ but the rest were too tired or grouchy to partake in his enthusiasm. 

Now Zane found himself at home. Even though it was pitch black outside, Zane's father was still wide awake. He was busy tinkering on a mini robot under an incandescent light bulb. Sheets of blueprints and wires were everywhere. He always did get a bit messy in the middle of an invention. Zane set down his utility belt. He set it down with a thump in an effort to tell his father he was home while not startling the ex-prisoner. 

“Hey kiddo!” Zane barely had time to react before he was rushed into a hug. “Easy night?”

“Actually father, er-it went alright. Break in at Borg Industries.” 

“Ah really? That’s too bad. What was stolen?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? Do you know what they were after?”

“No idea. That’s for us to find out.”

“Well, you boys’ll figure it out, you all have your wits about ya.”

Zane smiled at his father. It was a pleasure having him around, remembering the memories he had with him. His presence reminded him that he wasn’t alone, and didn’t have to bottle anything up. 

“I’ll be quiet if you want to get some rest, okay?” He offered, turning back to his workbench. 

Though Zane was never much of a touchy-feely person, he lightly latched onto his father’s wrist. 

“Actually dad?” His breath hitched. “Can I talk to you about something?”

As much as Zane would have liked to spill all the information about the night, he promised Borg not to talk about…the Android. 

“Am I the only Android in existence, is there someone else like me?”

“Well, I built you almost two decades ago, but in my lifetime there has never been anyone like you. As special as you.” The doctor gave a sincere smile.

“How would you feel, or, what would happen if someone did what you did. Make artificial life like me?”

“What makes you ask that?” Dr. Julien eyed him curiously. 

Zane scratched his head, “No particular reason. Just a hypothetical.”

“Oh, alright. Well, I guess I would be happy, you’d get another person like you.” 

“I’m glad to hear it. I was just curious anyway. And Father?”

“Yes?”

“Why did you decide to build me?”

His father looked a bit shocked by that question. Zane was sure there wasn't an easy answer–

“Love. I suppose. Is there anything else you wanted to ask me?”

Zane liked that answer, and he liked the idea of not being the only one like this. But his fathers reassurance didn’t really take the edge off his whole experience. He still felt… odd. The thought of an assembly line of androids rubbed him the wrong way. It made him feel like his life was so insignificant—if it could even be called life. He wasn’t so sure. 

Who was he? What was he beyond zeros and ones?

“Thanks dad, I don't have any more questions. I’m going to bed now.” He turned and walked a few paces back towards his room.

“Zane?” His father said, “Good luck. With the whole Borg thing. Stay safe for me.”

“Of course dad.”

“I love you.”

“...I love you too.”

He retreated to his room. In his bed, thoughts about his existence flashed through his head: was he really alive? Does he really feel emotions, or is it just his programming? One thing was for sure though, until the Androids were introduced by Borg and he saw everyone’s reactions, Zane was going to keep tight wraps around his robot status, especially around his brothers. Especially Red.

The cold breeze nipped at Kai’s face. He scurried home, muscles rigid from the freezing temperature. 

Well, it wasn’t really freezing, but Kai was always very sensitive to the cold, and to water. They were the opposite of his element, and he reacted very harshly to it. Sort of, half-phobia half physical. He had no idea if that same concept applied to the other ninja though, White could he susceptible to extreme heats maybe? But what is the impeding element of earth and energy? They didn’t test that on our field day. Kai thought sourly. He’d have to ask Wu.

Ugh, he was frazzled at his outburst tonight. He was the Master of Fire, sure, but he was usually more level-headed. But it wasn't entirely his fault. That whole robot revelation threw him for a loop.

More pressing things weighed on his mind though. This month’s bills.

Like always, he crawled into his apartment window. After hiding his gi in a duffel bag he took to tidying up the apartment a bit. It was light cleaning, but he was exhausted by the end of it. He plopped down on the kitchen table, right next to him was a pile of bills due in the upcoming month. They were opened. Nya must already know. 

They were barely getting by, and now, they were in the red. Kai had no idea how he was going to make rent this month. Not to mention the future years when these stupid robots run him into the ground. He groaned in frustration. The pennies he earned running the Blacksmith shop was abysmal, Nya had school to focus on. And she was so close to earning a college scholarship. He’d hate himself if he took that opportunity from her. She didn't deserve to throw away her education because her brother was such a lousy moneymaker. 

But…how would they keep their place? 

By the end of it, there was only one real solution. 

“Shit…” he mumbled, “I gotta get a job.”

Chapter Text

Kai clutched his duffel bag at the site of his new workplace. A little tea house hidden in a nook of central downtown. Steep Wisdom.

The shop had sliding paper doors with blue and white flags decorating the outside. Not very flashy at all. Same goes for the inside too. 

There were about three tables for customers and at the back of the store ample boxes of teas lined the shelves. Along with big jars of fresh leaves. Above the employee desk, big plants he’d never seen hung from the ceiling. Kai had no idea where his Sensei got this kooky stuff…

It had been a while since he had come here, so he took extra time reintroducing himself to the surroundings.

There was no ventilation in the shop, likely to allow the store to better smell like tea. That meant the only sounds he could hear were of his own breath, and the creaking on the hardwood floor. 

He ran his hand over the wooden desk, sniffing the air. It was a soft blend that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. A weird mix of smells that somehow worked well together. He didn’t really know, he wasn’t that good with his nose. 

Thankfully, his undeveloped palate didn’t really matter because of his Sensei’s generosity. Otherwise, he’d have no idea what he’d be doing to scrape by.

“Kai, it’s okay, I can just get a job.”

“No, no. You have your Mathletes competition coming up, and your school judo tournament is in just a few weeks. And you need money for robotics. You don’t have the time…” 

“Brother, when will you get it through your thick skull that I don’t care about that. I care about you!”

“Same here! Just… I’ll figure it out. It’s fine. You just keep focusing on doing well at school. Promise me?” 

“…fine. But after this semester, I’m working. Whether you like it or not.”

“I don’t doubt it. Focus on prepping for your future though. I’ll deal with the nitty gritty.”

Kai loved his sister—she was his motivation to work, live, and fight for justice. He had the burning desire to protect her, and make sure she’d have a good life. Better than his life. But she was always so insistent on helping him?! 

He’d show her, he’d be making the big bucks by the end of the month. Then she’d have no reason to stoop to his level. All he needed to do now was get a job.

But luck always seemed bad for him. In a busy city, nobody wanted to hire him. Kai just walked out of the third interview that week. And he was sure he bombed it. 

Why did no place in Ninjago need teenage work?! “*groan, this is hopeless!” The Fire ninja complained, he’d just wasted an hour blabbering on during his interview. He crossed off the last interview on his list. 

He was stumped. Kai even considered working for Master Chen’s Noodle House of all places. But that would surely land him into a heap of trouble (the ninja usually boycott criminal run businesses). 

He needed to get money, and fast. The bills were due soon and he was about 400 dollars short. But where? He needed some tea to clear his head…tea…that’s it!

The master of fire whipped out his shabby phone and dialed up his Sensei…

“Thanks for taking the time to see me Sensei.” Kai thanked an hour later. 

“It’s no problem. I don’t mind helping out a beloved student. Even if it is on my day off…” 

Kai winced a bit. “Sorry Sensei. But it was a little urgent for me.” 

“Then please, sit and let’s discuss.” Kai eagerly took a spot across from Sensei Wu in the Bounty’s barracks. 

“Is anyone else here?” Kai asked. But his Sensei shook his head. “Whew! That’s a relief.” 

The ninja took off his hood, relishing the soft sea-scented air. 

“Alright. The reason I came to you today was… cause I need some cash.”

“Cash? Kai. I’m not a piggy bank you can just—“

“No no not like that. I fully intend on earning my fair share. It’s just, money has been a bit tight this season. I’ve tried to get some work that would help but—”

“Nobody wanted to hire you?”

“Yeah!”

“That isn’t uncommon. For you ninja, being out every night isn’t a new concept. But it doesn’t bode well when trying to find a job. The schedules between you and work are too conflicting.”

“Exactly! It’s like you’ve heard this all before.”

The old man paused and sipped some tea.

“I am considered wise for a reason.”

“Of course, of course! What I was really trying to ask you today was…” Kai put his hands together like a prayer, “Would you pretty-please let me work for you?”

The elder pondered for a couple minutes. Was it really that hard a decision? 

“ I’ll work really hard I promise!” Kai bowed his head.

After a few more seconds of suspense, his master spoke again, 

“Lift your head Kai. No need for the dramatics. I can hire you to make ends meet. So long as you’re ready to put your back into it.” 

“I’ll work like a dog Sensei.” Kai beamed. “When can I start?”

“ When is the next time you’re free. I can train you for the part as early as you want. 

“Okay. Does tomorrow night work?” 

“I will keep my schedule as open as possible.” His Sensei assured. 

“Thank you so much Master!”

“Think nothing of it. I always help pupils in need.”

Kai walked home with a skip in his step. Things were looking bright for him. The hardest part was already done. So all he had to do was work himself  to the bone to make sure he and his baby sister had all the things they needed. 

While Kai was reminiscing, he almost missed the person entering the room.

“Hello Kai.” His Sensei said, tilting his hat in greetings.

Kai gave a bow, “Hey old man.”

Master Wu gave him a sharp look.

“I mean Sensei Wu. Anyway Sensei… thanks again for, y’know…”

The Master waved him off, “It’s okay dear boy. This isn’t the first time I’ve helped out a person in a pinch. Besides, I could use an extra set of hands.”

“I guess so. Will you tell me what I’ll be doing for the next few months?” 

“You’ll know soon enough. Just let me run to the back and get some things in order.” His Sensei walked away, wooden staff cracking against the floor.

It had been about a minute, and Kai was tired of standing. He slithered down into one of the chairs, playing some old games on his phone.

“Hey Sensei, I brought the supply order for you—what the– Kai?”

The ninja turned his head to come face to face with Rocky, the boy in his sociology class. He had an annoyed look on his face. The boy glared at him while furrowing his eyebrows. Kai wasn’t expecting an overly warm welcome, but geez, weren’t they friends? What had him so hot under the collar?

“Rocky!?” Kai exclaimed. “What are you doing here?” 

The boy scoffed, knocking his shoes against the doorway, “I could ask you the same thing.” 

“I said it first.”

“Ugh! Alright. I work here. Now you.”

“I work here.”

“Uh, oh yeah? Since when?”

“Since today.” Kai cheekily answered. 

“Oh First Spinjitzu Master…” Rocky slapped his forehead. The teen sauntered over to the front desk area and thumped down a heavy looking box; which was most likely filled with tea. When he did, Kai got a good look at his outfit; loose-fitting black jeans, crappy sneakers, and a beige shirt with a faded out tea kettle on the front. On the back there was the gold text, ‘STEEP WISDOM’.

As Kai had an eye for detail, which he’d like to say came from being a ninja, not his eye for fashion, Rocky must have worked here for quite a long time. The shirt was worn, not terrible, but showed evidence of long term use. Maybe a year if he had to guess? Probably after he stopped hanging out at the shop to join the Secret Ninja Force. 

The other boy squinted at him, rather unenthused. Kai was good with people, and he could sense that Rocky was really on edge. Probably not because of him, he’d been snappy since he entered the shop.

“You never told me you worked, much less at a quaint little tea shop.” 

“You never asked.”

“Yeah. Guess not. I used to come here a long long time ago. Like when I was a toddler..”

“Really?” Rocky still sounded uninterested. The other boy was busy fixing up some knick knacks on the back shelves.

“Sure. My parents went here all the time before they had me. We visited this place a lot.” The reason he eventually returned to the shop after so long was because he was trying to find where his parents disappeared. Investigating this place seemed like a good option at the time, and it led him to Wu. And so his journey as a ninja had begun.

“That’s pretty neat I guess.” Rocky said flatly, he now sat facing Kai on the countertop. Kai figured some light toying could get him in a better mood. 

“Yeah.” Kai had a devilish smirk on his face, “I was really fond of the tea kettle hats Wu made the employees wear. Pray tell, where’s yours?”

Rocky was so obviously embarrassed. His cheeks were flushed and his gaze was nervous.

“You’ll have to wear it soon too.” He bumbled out. The boy flung him a fresh T-shirt and tea kettle hat with dead-on accuracy from the box he brought in. Swatting the fire ninja in the forehead. “Ow!”

“Hope it’s your size.”

“I’ll make it work.” Though as he brushed his hand across the hat, he wasn't so sure.

“Whatever, I’ve got a lot on my plate this week, so let’s just chill for now. So while I manage the shop you can leave me alone and learn from the boss.”

“If you insist...” Kai said defeated. The ninja was a bit frustrated that Rocky still had that cold farce on him. It wasn’t light hearted like it usually was when they hung out.

The dark-haired boy went to restock more shelves and fiddle with the cash register. Kai just stared back at his phone, randomly opening and closing apps.

Kai liked Rocky, he was pretty competent, and even though it was sometimes less fun, the boy always made sure they were on task when working. For such a leader type, he was acting very angsty today. But Kai said no dice. 

He can’t spend all his time trying to cheer up his friend. And he knew not to pry, living with Nya taught him that much. His goal today was to be the best employee, earn money for the next few months with Sensei’s help, then shift the income back to the Four Weapons shop.

He was not keen to indulge himself in his friends' problems, that would have to wait.

But life can be a real bitch sometimes.

His Sensei rushed out of the back, his crappy old flip phone held to his ear. The Sensei paused and covered the speaker of the phone.

“Rocky, one of the supplier’s needs me at the docks as quickly as possible. Can I trust you with training Kai?”

Even though Rocky didn’t complain, he may as well have. His eyes rolled under his bangs that only Kai could see. And he grumbled out something unintelligible, but then perked up.

“You can always count on me!” He gave a wave of farewell.

“Thanks son, you’re always so reliable.” Wu thanked before racing off, blabbering on the phone.

“Kiss-ass.”

“What’d you say?” Rocky glared.

“Huh, oh. Missed fast. The old man sure ran out of there quickly, like uh. We barely saw him even before I-um.” The ninja fumbled over his words, trying to catch his slip up.

“Yeah. Thought so.” The other teen crossed his arms against his chest. 

“…yeah…” Kai looked away, a bit dejected.

“Welp, might as well start so you can go home ASAP.” Rocky beckoned him forward. Kai almost groaned, dragging himself next to Rocky before putting on his ‘I’m totally engaged in this’ expression. 

Rocky went over how to manage the register, how to clean up after every shift, procuring the goods for customers, and all the other boring job stuff. Lots of the responsibility fell on him as he was the only other employee besides Rocky. 

It seemed easy as pie. 

Then it was Kai’s turn to follow along and practice. 

And his overconfident demeanour was quickly beaten down.

Kai wasn’t like other teenagers. Well, he was pretty run of the mill, except for one small detail.

How many people, in all of Ninjago, were part of an elite vigilante group of ninja? And with that, how many could create a blaze of fire on command? 

There was only one. And it was him. 

He was the cream of the crop. He saved lives, stopped villains, and was all around pretty competent too. 

So how in the name of the FSM, was he so bad at this?!

Spilt over mop buckets, mislabeled tea. He was as klutzy as Jay. By the FSM he barely managed to work the cash register. Bless Rocky and his waning patience though. If his Sensei were seeing this he would be sure to do morning laps.

“—And this is how you brew the tea on site. Ya got all that?”

The Red ninja lazily perked up from his thoughts. “Uh yeah.”

“Good. Now you try.” Rocky instructed. 

Kai approached the doohickey. Knobs and levers lined the surface of the machine. Kai now realised he definitely should have been listening better, but he managed to pull through. Needless to say though, he was extremely nervous.

“Done!” He proudly held a cup in his hands. “Chameleon tea!”

Rocky rolled his eyes from the table behind him. “First of all, it’s chamomile. You should probably learn the names before you give someone pepper lint tea.”

“Duly noted.” How embarrassing.

“Can I try it?” Rocky gestured him forward. 

“Um, sure.” A nervous Kai trodded over with the tea. 

“Here you go!” 

“Thanks.” The other teen put the cup up to his lips. “Ow!” He recoiled from the cup.

“You okay?!” Kai hurriedly asked.

“I’m fine, I'm fine. But why is this so scalding? By the FSM you’re gonna burn someone’s face off!”

“I don't know how that could happen? I did it exactly like you!”

Rocky sighed again and inspected the calibration of the machine, “That's true. Weird.” 

Kai jolted when he remembered that he might have been the cause. Accidentally channelling his powers into his hands was nothing new. 

“Maybe the machine is old!”

Rocky pondered, “Yeah…maybe.”

“Should I make it again?” Kai replied worriedly.

After a lengthy pause, Rocky consoled the guilt-ridden ninja.

“Sigh* It's fine. Just be more careful next time.” Rocky looked outside. It was already dark, “I think that’s the most we can do today. There’s a couple things I gotta do to close shop. But you can leave early.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yeah I just have to do the dishes and lock up.”

“Please. Let me at least help with dishes.” Kai still felt bad for burning Rocky with his tea, especially since it was completely his fault, “It’s the least I can do! Besides, we’re buddies!”

“…You’re not going to leave until you help me huh.”

“Nope!” Kai said proudly. 

“Then I’ll wash, you dry.”

“So…” Kai broke the awkward silence. They had been washing dishes for about 5 minutes and Rocky barely said a word, “Is there anything up with you? You seem down.”

“Nothing much, I guess.” Rocky stonewalled.

Kai snorted, “Hah! I’ll believe that when I believe the sky is green.”

“It can actually be green.” Rocky murmured. 

“Well, you know what I mean.” Kai put away some dishes. “You okay though?”

Rocky shrugged, “Just life not stopping. This time of year really stresses me out.” Though Kai wasn’t completely satisfied with that answer he let it slide. 

“Cool. Same by the way. My sister is like a crazy person.”

“Mm. I didn't know you had a sister.” Rocky continued to mindlessly wash dishes.

“She’s a year younger than us. Her name is Nya. But we don’t really look the same. I take after my dad, and she takes after my mom.” 

“Cool, if I ever see her around the halls, I’ll say hi.”

“Okay. But don’t even think about asking her out.” Kai gave Rocky the ‘protective-brother’ look.

“Chillax, I’d never think of it.” Rockly gave Kai a warm smile, “I was an only child. But I bet having a sibling like you would be nice. You’re a good older brother.”

Rocky lightly punched his shoulder. 

“Eww, your hand is all soapy.”

Rocky just chuckled in response.

“Why did you start working here? If I can ask, I mean.” Kai inquired.

Rocky handed him another dish.

“Oh, you know, extra cash, and it sort of helps to get my mind off of things. Either this or rock climbing—but I don’t have time for that anymore.”

“Fair enough.”

“What about you?”

“What else? Making bank!”

“What do you need money for? Hair gel?” If Kai didn’t know any better a small smile may have graced Rocky’s face.

“Nah nah, just…things, you know?” A lie. Kai didn’t really want to tell Rocky that he was in the red financially. He didn’t want to bring the mood down further than it already was.

“How did you meet S—Boss Wu?”

“The old man?”

“I’m the only one who calls him that.” Rocky said. Pretty sure there are four more people he knows that also have ‘old man’ privileges. Though only he and Black really say it.

“My bad. Boss Wu, how did ya run into him.”

“Well, I wanted a job. And I was in the area. And he was hiring. So… I was hired. This place has good energy too. I also know what camomile tea is.” Rocky said with a sly look. Kai was a little embarrassed at the jab.

“What about you?” Rocky added.

“Me?”

Rocky gestured to the empty room.

“Yeah. I also wanted a job. And my parents used to take me here all the time when I was a kid. So they encouraged me to work for Wu. A few days later I was hired.” Another lie. Frankly, he didn’t even know if his parents were alive. And he couldn’t tell Rocky how he really knew the old man.

“Maybe they’ll swing by sometime?”

“Oh…They can’t actually.”

“Really? How come?”

“They’re on a business trip. To—uh—I think it was Metalonia.” Yet another lie. Kai nervously dried a cup.

“Didn't you say you spoke with them just a few days ago to get hired here?” Rocky pressed.

“Pffft! Haha! The Internet exists, Rocky, or have you been living under a rock. Pun intended. But yeah, contact from them is pretty rare.” 

Rocky’s inquisitive eyes changed and he neutrally stared back at the dishes. “That makes sense. And I’m not a huge fan of name wordplay.”

“But it’s so funny, and you have such a weird name Rocky~.” Kai teased. 

“I thought it was a pretty cool name.” The other teenager mumbled. “You seem to know a lot of people in Metalonia right now.”

“What do you mean?“ Kai asked thoughtlessly.

“Your friend and your parents.”

Kai looked at him puzzled.

Rocky halted his dish washing. “Remember? The one that’s a good cook?” 

Right, from our first sociology meet-up. I really need to get my stories straight or I’ll be up to my neck in lies. 

“Right! Sorry, it’s been a long night.”

“You can say that again.” Rocky continued vigorously scrubbing.

“Does it ever get lonely?” His friend spoke up again. He had a serious look on his face. 

“Lonely? What do you mean by that?” Kai inquired. 

“I mean not having your mom and dad around. Is it easy to feel alone?” Rocky looked back at his dishes. 

Though Kai could have easily let the question pass, he genuinely reflected on the question. 

“At school I’m pretty busy with soccer and passing my classes. When I get home, usually I have my sister to talk to, and trust me–she can talk a lot. If not I’d have a ton of chores to do since my parents aren't around.”

“So…that's a no?” 

“Normally no. But sometimes when it's late at night and my sister is asleep, yeah, you could say I get lonely.”

Kai couldn't keep track of how many times he’s come back from patrol or a mission–only to remain awake either from loneliness or speculating about his parents. Neither option was good for him though. 

He had debated talking with Nya about it. But he didn't want to burden her–she seemed so happy. He felt a little guilty since he was certain that his little sister would always be open with him. Nya never kept anything from her brother. 

“...So I guess it really does happen to everyone. That does make me feel a bit better, thanks.” Rocky had a sweet smile on his face. 

“No problem, everyone is lonely sometimes. Especially lone wolf types like you.” Kai teased. Rocky flicked soapy water at him. 

“Hey! I have plenty of friends I’ll have you know.” Rocky said defensively.

“Really? Besides Zane, Jay and me, who are you buddies with?”

“Well, I do like that one group of dudes. Fungus, Korgran, the one with the heavy accent, Plundar, and Adam.” 

“Yeah, well…They don’t count! Are those even their real names?” 

“Y’know, I never really found out–they are super into this roleplaying game. Besides them, I still have a bunch of friends.” Rocky defended.

“Like who?” Kai pried.

“Well if you’re so curious, they went to my old school.”

“You had an old school?” Kai asked. “I never knew that.”

“Well I don’t exactly flaunt it around. But I was pretty popular at my old school before enrolling here a couple years back..”

“What school was it?”

“Oh, uh, I don’t think you’d know it.”

“Haha that's okay. Unless it was Darkley’s! You didn’t attend there did you? No judgement.”

Rocky was a bit taken aback, “No no! Geez nothing like that. It was just some small country bumpkin school.” 

The other teenager paused before speaking again, “Thanks by the way. For talking with me. And~ here’s the last dish.” Kai was handed a small plate. 

“No sweat man, hope you’re doing okay. I’m gonna dip soon then. But I just wanted to say that I’m pretty stoked to work with you.” Kai complimented. 

Rocky smiled back at him, “Yeah. I think we’ll do just fine.”

“Hey Nya, I’m home.” Kai slipped off his shoes. 

“How did your first day go?” Nya bounced toward him. She took his duffel bag, “And, do you have to wear this hat all the time?”

“Hah hah.” Kai brushed off, “It was pretty easy. Brew some tea, set up tables blah blah blah. That sort of thing.” 

“Well it sounds fun. And at least it isn’t too far from home.”

“Yeah—Oh! And guess who's working with me!” Kai perked up at his sister.

“Who?”

“I can’t say. I told you to guess.” Kai teased. 

Nya rolled her eyes and sat the duffel bag on the sofa. “Ugh. I hate this game. Um…Someone from school.”

“Close but I need more detail.” The ninja always got a kick from toying with his little sister.

“Oh c’mon! Just tell me.” He’d heard that tone of voice enough to know she was getting annoyed.

“Fine, fine.” He put his arms up in defence. “It’s one of the new guys I’ve been hanging out with. From the sociology course.”

“The one with the freckles?”

“No no, the one that’s always wearing those headphones.”

“Oh yeah. Well that’s nice.” Nya shrugged off. She tossed him a towel. “Now take a shower, you smell like dish water and plants.” 

Kai sniffed his shirt. She was right (as usual), he definitely needed a shower. He also needed to get the gel out of his hair. Now that Nya had mentioned it, he felt so dirty. 

“Gross. Yeah, I’ll shower. I’ll be back in 20.”

“I hope so. I swear, some days you take longer than I do.” She smirked. 

Kai took the jab, she was right anyhow. After some of his more intense missions, namely, anything that has to do with sewers (damn Serpentine), he always gave himself what he called ‘a deep cleanse’. Sure it wasted the hot water, to Nya’s disapproval, but it was 100% worth it. It did not just make him feel (and smell) better, but it was better than explaining to Nya why he was covered in grime and ugh–he didn't want to think about what’s in the city sewers.

“When I’m gone, could you rewarm the leftovers?” Kai asked after his stomach made a gnarly growl.

“No problem!” She enthusiastically said. 

“Thanks Nya.” By the FSM he just loved his sister. She really was the best.

After a well-earned shower Kai’s hair was all matted down with the used towel draped around his neck. I feel like I lost a few inches in height. He lifted a segment of hair, only to let it limply fall back down onto his forehead.

Even though he liked the flashy spiky look, he had to admit, he looked nice when his hair was pointed down too. 

When he had time before a mission or patrol he would usually go with the natural look, as it was more comfortable under the mask. Of course his hair in either form was uber messy after the mask was taken off. He always wondered what the other ninja looked like (Lloyd excluded).

“Mm, smells great. Thanks Nya.” Kai dropped down into the chair and started devouring the food. 

“Well, it’s a reward for a hard day’s work.” Nya began scrubbing the leftover dishes and containers at the sink. “Give me your plate when you’re done okay?”

“Okay. And thanks for doing the dishes, if I had to touch another dish tonight I swear—“

“Hmm? Why?”

“Well, other than following Rocky around practice procedure, I helped do the dishes. I mean, like a mountain of dishes. It was pretty intense.”

“Yeah, sounds so hard~” Nya teased as she washed her own dishes. 

“Yeah, it wasn’t so bad though. At least I did it with Rocky. He started out a bit sour but we had fun in the end.” Kai reminisced.

“Mm. Too bad it wasn’t Jay.” Nya responded with aloofness. 

Kai scraped up the last morsels of food before looking at her inquisitively. “Jay? Why would you say Jay?”

I hope it’s not a crush. Nya has had her infatuations before. But Jay hardly seemed like her type (as though Kai had any inkling of what Nya’s type actually was).

“Cause like—cause—“ Nya blubbered out. But before his sister could actually form a response the sink faucet blasted clean off and water had begun to erupt everywhere—especially Nya’s face.

“Blurb—argh!” She coughed as one hand covered her face, and the other reached for the source of her misfortune.

Before she could get to it, Kai jumped upwards and plugged the hole with his towel, then turned off the sink. 

Ugh like his sister; he was drenched. “Geez, why did I bother taking a shower if this was gonna happen.”

Nya swiped off some of the water pouring down her face, “Haha, as always dear brother you are the epitome of humour.”

Kai shrugged, “I try my best.”

Though the warm moment quickly dissipated as Kai realised that he was quickly freezing. Though he was definitely worse than his little sister, he didn’t want either of them to get sick.

“Let me grab us some towels.” He said before darting away to the bathroom. 

“Thanks!” Nya replied with a shudder.

When he came back with fresh clean towels, he tossed one to his sister, “Here,” Nya caught it without hesitation, quickly drying up her face, “any clue what the heck just happened?”

Nya had a stumped look on her face. “No clue. One second the sink was working fine, the next—“. She made a large explosive hand gesture, “Boom.”

“Man, we really can’t catch a break lately.” Kai whistled out.

“Ditto.” Nya said with a hint of frustration. When she got to an adequate level of dryness, she opened the cabinet underneath the sink and started fiddling around with the main pipe. 

Kai, still being frigid, took it upon himself to help in some way or another.

“Here, I can make us some tea. We’re both cold and I need the practice anyways.”

His sister just nodded back in response, too occupied by finding the source of the problem.

After a few minutes of cleaning any damage the water had caused and making tea for two, Kai tapped his sister on the back, “Tea à la tired.” He winked with a glittering smile.

“Thanks.” Nya said tiredly.

“Any leads on why that even happened?” Kai and Nya sat down at the table. Each happily sipping their tea.

“I don’t even know, it’s like, supernatural how it happened. I can’t even—“ She hunched over defeated.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll figure it out. You’re smart.”

“Thanks.” She responded absentmindedly. “Can you text the landlord?”

“Grumbmiller? Yeah I can.” Kai quickly whipped up a text about what had happened, and the damages it caused.

“Thanks, I hate dealing with her.” She stuck her tongue out and made a ‘yuck’ face.

“We may not have to. When it comes to this stuff, she hardly ever responds. It could be a miracle if she answered within the week.” He said while he finished sending the message.

“Didn’t she return to Metalonia for the month too?!” Nya recalled, to Kai’s sorrow.

“Ugh, yeah you’re right. That means it really is our problem. Wow, so many people are in Metalonia right now.” 

“Huh? What are you talking about?” Nya asked quizzically.

“Nothing, never mind. The point is, it’s on us to fix it… But I don't think we can even afford t—“

“Wait Kai. No way do we need to pay for it. Especially not when it comes from your hard labour.” Nya shot Kai a dazzlingly warm smile, “I cannot thank you enough for working to keep us housed, fed and…supporting my dreams. I couldn’t even ask for any more from you, other than ensuring your own happiness.”

“Aww, I’m just doing what I can to ensure we make rent for the next few months. And Nya that’s sweet bu—“ Kai started.

She shushed him, “But for all you’ve done for me, it is only the beginning of me making it back to you that I can fix things around the house. At least allow me to do that much.”

She spoke again, this time her soft serious tone returning to her peppier normal one, “Besides! Sink pipes and faucets are probably a lot easier than making mini robots.”

“You have a point there.” Kai lightly laughed. Sure his protective instincts were telling him that she shouldn’t have to do any work. But there really wasn’t any other way. He also had zero “tinkering” expertise. “I’ll leave it to you.” He smiled.

“Thank you.” She said satisfied. “We may need to hold off on it for like a week till I can get to it, maybe like Friday night when I’ll be free. But it’ll get done.”

“No problem. Besides, who hasn’t done dishes in the bathtub before.” He joked.

“I just have one question though.” Kai added.

“Yeah?”

“Why did you mention Jay?”

“Oh—um. Isn’t he like…the gadget guy? Haha, he probably could have just built you a dishwasher easy peasy. Right? ” She answered.

“…Yeah. That makes sense.”

“Well, it’s late, I gotta hit that hay.” Nya rushed towards her room, “G’night!”

“Night?” He saw her rush off. Wow, ten o’clock bedtime? Maybe she had an early start tomorrow.

Kai shrugged it off and prepared to retire too. A few moments later, he laid awake staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. 

Though it wasn’t loneliness or wondering about his parents that tormented him. But he was recounting how genuinely lucky he was to have such amazing people in his life.

Sure the week started out tragically. But by the end, he felt joyous.

He always had the ninja behind his back.

Friends like Rocky were truly good people, and made him feel fortunate to have met them. 

Of course, his Master (or the old man) was really there for him in the thick of it. And his Master really jumped on the chance to help him. And for that he was forever grateful (maybe he’d forge him a sword, however well that may go).

And his sister. Nya was a constant that never changed. Just as Black was the foundation of the Secret Ninja Force, Nya was the foundation for him. 

With a strong conviction, Kai, for the first time in a while, drifted off to sleep with a resounding peace.

I’ll make you proud. 

For Nya. For me.

For you.

Chapter Text

There were sharp pebbles in his shoes, they poked and prodded at him as he walked to his work, Steep Wisdom. Cole sighed as one of the rocks nailed him in the foot. 

Earth was always attracted to him, thankfully in very unnoticeable ways. Dust swirling around him wherever he went, rocks collecting in all his clothes, and his area was now more susceptible to earthquakes or tremors since he moved into the neighbourhood. 

Any supernatural Earth phenomenon? It was guaranteed Cole was at the epicentre of it.

But that sort of thing was pretty manageable, albeit a little irritating sometimes.

If he wasn’t careful, his super strength could go crazy too. He’d spent a small fortune repairing the broken doors he mishandled.

Thank FSM his dad never noticed those blunders. Not graceful at all! His father would say.

Cole would claim that he was a victim of these power side effects, if it wasn’t partially his fault half the time.

His powers, like his friends, are usually tame when the elemental master isn't overly emotional. Emotions, especially strong ones usually make their powers act up. 

Unfortunately for him, since the beginning of the week he had been in a foul mood. 

Could be worse. Cole regretted saying as a rock took another jab to his foot. The ninja winced. At least I don’t burn things down or zap anything.

He and the other elemental masters talked about their powers once. And how their emotions can sometimes govern the out of control stuff. 

When Red got too hot headed, his hands would heat up, and would combust or melt the things he was holding. That didn’t sound too convenient. At least he’d never need to have cold pizza though.

The rare times White was off guard, he would speak and exhale misty clouds. It was usually unnoticed through his hood though. His skin was also cold to the touch, like it was fake. Cole noticed that at times during training, but he never mentioned it.

Blue, on the oh so frequent occasion, would get flustered, freaked or fly off the handle. And he had a terrible power after-effect. His friend accumulated static electricity and would accidentally zap whoever touched him. He’d been on the end of that a few times.

Apparently, his hair also succumbed to the charge, but he’d never seen the boy with his mask off, so he wouldn’t know. 

Finally, Lloyd, being the energy ninja… well, he didn’t really have drawbacks. Like Blue, he could charge his own phone and illuminate dark places like Red. Cole was really envious of that. The Earth ninja was just a glorified dust bunny, he reflected as he brushed off the dust on his clothes. 

At the very least he had his glorious Earth punch move, a force that could pummel everything but vengestone.

Lloyd was still given the better deal though—what with the omnipotent god thing. He never liked feeling envy, but he would admit that he was a bit jealous.

You know what else he was more envious of? A regular peaceful workweek. 

It had only been a few days training Kai and he already loathed it. He liked Kai sure, and he really appreciated the heart to heart they had washing the dishes. But damn that guy sucked at this job. He must be dyslexic or something because he couldn’t label the tea leaves. So Cole would have to stay behind and fix his mistakes, usually working into the night. The man also couldn’t take care of the register properly, it was all disorganised and the money was all crumpled. The boy flirted with half the female customers too—not exactly the cozy tea shop image. 

Kai also couldn’t make tea for shit. On their first couple days when Cole was teaching him how to make the tea, the teen burnt every single batch. He had no clue as to how—their procedures were the same, but when Kai handed him the tea, it was somehow scalding. That graced Cole with burned hands and a swollen tongue that couldn’t enjoy cake! 

The Master of Earth did scold the other teen, raise his voice, show his displeasure. But at some point he just decided to grin and bear it—it was more fair to Kai not projecting his bad mood everywhere. Even if bottling it up dampened his mood tenfold.

Cole groaned as he clocked into work. His whole body was somehow aching and his head was pounding from stress (and coffee). School, work and a lack of sleep was getting to him. Among other things. Not like life took a break though, the Earth Master knew he’d be out late again tonight.

Cole went into the back room to change into his uniform, like he always did. 

“Hey!” Kai cheerfully greeted as he entered the room. “I brought a surprise!” 

“Oh? What is it?”

“Hot chocolate!” He whipped out two large cups from behind his back. 

Kai knew how much of a foodie Cole was, so it was really thoughtful.

“Thanks.” He said, taking one cup from Kai. It was warm and rich, with little marshmallows inside. 

“It’s no biggie, I was in the area. And uh. Thanks for yesterday, I hope you didn’t stay too long after work fixing my mistake.”

Cole fought back a yawn. “Not long.” He dryly said.

“Yeah, my sister needed to be picked up from school, and I had to do some last minute grocery shopping.” 

“Your parents are still not around?” Cole asked, sounding painfully disinterested. Though the sugary drink did wake him up a little.

“Yeah. You could say that.” Cole accidentally brought up an awkward topic, as Kai looked nervously around.

“I’m not sure how long they’ll be on the business trip, but I hope they come back soon. I do all the stuff while they’re away. I want to make them proud.”

“Oh.” Cole stared at him tiredly. “I can relate.” He mumbled out of earshot. 

It was a sad sight, two boys whose responsibilities were doubled too early in life. At least the other boy was lucky enough to have parents around sometimes. A sister too. Even though there were extra mouths to feed, Cole felt envious of Kai. For the sole reason of having parents around. 

Kai swiftly moved on.

“Sucks huh?. I still can’t get used to these silly hats.” Kai put on his tea kettle hat, his hair matted down, “To be fair though, I can rock anything, neh? Hahahah!”

Cole flinched as to how abrasive the other teens' voice was. Kai was suddenly much louder, “Whatever you say.” Coke responded.

“Oh c’mon. The ladies seem to love it.” He winked and did a little pose.

“Well sure.” Cole grinned a bit, “It does a good job hiding that inflated ego.”

“What? Hey!” 

“Hey man. Just said what I said.” No matter how tired I get, I will always have energy to make fun of Kai. Cole thought to himself.

Kai mumbled something under his breath that the Earth Ninja ignored. 

“The old man—or, Boss Wu is away tonight?” Kai asked.

“Yeah, he’s usually on some business venture. For his age he’s really spry.” Cole answered. He was only 50% sure Sensei Wu was doing something business related; otherwise it was surely connected to his job as the Secret Ninja Force mentor. 

“Welp, easier for me! No boss looking over my shoulder” Kai smirked, “Now let’s go get some tips!” He cheered with one fist pumping the air. They left the employee’s back room and started opening the shop. 

As the shift progressed, Cole had begged the universe to be merciful; but the night was still quite hectic. Thanks FSM.

“Why is my tea scalding? I could burn myself! Are you the manager?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“You need to get this place under control or I’ll sue!”

“I’m sorry ma’am. I’ll get you a new one on the house!”

“You’d better, and hurry it up already. I mean seriously! How difficult is it to make a damned cup of tea!” 

“I understand. If you’d like to file a complaint, I recommend sending it through our website.”

“Hmf! I’ll do that then! Now move and get me my free tea! This lousy place—“ 

Some customers were hard to deal with. A year in the service industry showed him that much. With himself and Wu is was pretty manageable…But after Kai had started mucking up all the orders, they were ten times worse!

Cole glanced over at the source of his ails. Kai was busy flirting with one of the customers. All while he was busy cleaning up his messes. Only two hours left on the clock at least…

A couple missed orders or messes later, Cole was getting a little more fed up with his coworker. Even if they were friends (and with the gift of hot chocolate), Kai was making this shift much harder than it would have been alone.

“Excuse me?”

“Yes?”

“Sorry to bother you, but…I think that my order was wrong. My herbal tea is reddish and smells super sweet.” An old man approached him. He was one of the nice regulars too. 

“Oh my apologies! Is it alright if I take a loo—“

Is that? No way. It smells like…How was that even possible?! 

Though Cole was internally screaming, he really had to keep it cool. Customer service, customer service, customer service… Cole cast the widest and most friendly smile he could. 

“…Oh my apologies Mr. Cecil. The new staff, well, he’s just adjusting. I’ll fetch you a fresh bag right away.” Cole hurriedly said, swiping the bag of tea from the older gentleman as fast as he possibly could. 

He hustled over to the other teenager who was making a cup of tea in the back. Cole quickly dumped the tea he had back into it’s appropriate spot.

Cole released an exhausted puff of air.

“Rocky? What’s got you all freaked out?”

Cole couldn’t deal. “Kai! Seriously?!”

“Eh—what’s wrong?”

“The order was wrong again. Please try and stay organized during this time of day.” He said as calmly as possible.

“Man my bad. But chill out, it’s not that bad. One wrong order isn’t the end of the world.”

“It kind of is? Dude. I get that you don’t care. But you at least have to try.”

Kai sputtered. “ That was uncalled for. I care loads. You’re just being too picky to the new guy. I did just learn all this stuff a few days ago. Cut me some slack.”

“You know what? You’re right. It’s fine—it’s fine and I’m sorry—you’re doing the best you can..” Cole huffed and left to go give the customer the correct herbs. 

Kai may be right. He was giving Kai a harder time for a beginner. At least for a normal tea shop. But like the owner it belonged to, the tea shop was anything but normal. 

How could he explain that Kai almost gave a customer one of Wu’s mystical teas? 

Naturally, the boy didn’t know that the tea would turn the customer into a pig (poor Mr. Cecil). But magical brews weren’t really mainstream and Cole couldn’t just let slip the powers of ancient herbs. That’s a great way to paint a target on yourself. So he still had to be really harsh, much more than a little accident would usually warrant. 

Ugh, I feel like such a douche.

Cole was drained after that interaction. He swiftly plastered on his customer service smile and gave Cecil the correct tea . Thankfully the old gentleman was very kind and not bothered by the mix-up (what a precious person). 

Once Cecil had left he looked at the clock on the wall. 

At least in a half hour he wouldn’t have to hang around anymore. 

After closing up shop (as Wu hadn’t returned and Kai had long-since left), Cole snuck on his patrol gi he kept hidden in one of the air vents. The teen coughed as dust swarmed his face. Why did he put himself through this? 

He knew his Sensei didn’t care about his identity, he recruited him for FSM’s sake, but he could never be too careful. 

There could always be a day where Kai or someone else went snooping through his stuff. If that happened, Cole would have no idea what to do—beg him to keep quiet? Mind erasing potion? Murder? Cole didn’t want to think about it anymore.

Cole flipped his hood on and climbed onto the roof of the store. Whatever adrenaline he built up from that shift was waning (and the hot chocolate sugar rush ran out). He was beginning to feel wrung out, like he was thrown into a blender and left out to dry. 

That didn’t help his mood at all.

This time, Cole was the last one to meet up. 15 minutes late too.

“Look who finally decided to show up?” Red taunted, poking at his sides. Cole couldn’t even muster the energy to respond, just letting out a low grunt. He just wanted the day to be over.

“What took so long? You’re usually more punctual?” White asked. 

“And not looking like you fell off a cliff.” Green added. 

“Or into a fire escape!” Blue tacked on while giggling. “Happens a lot these days!”

If he wasn't feeling so crappy that probably would have made him laugh. But once again, Cole gave a groan and pinched between his eyes.

“What’s wrong big guy?” Red sing-songed, leaning in uncomfortably close. 

Cole’s voice crackled, “Just a bad sleep.”

There was a devious glint in Red’s eyes. “Haha! No warm glass of milk? Your mommy didn’t tuck you into bed hm?”

“Just lay off dude.” Cole abruptly said.

“Dude, I was just messing with you.” Red threw his arms up defensively. “No harm no foul.”

The Master of Earth unlike other nights would have easily moved on to the next subject—like Lloyd patiently waiting to start the debrief. But this time, Cole didn’t know if it was the bad week or the bad shift, but he was tired and really ticked off.

“Whatever…It’s that you don’t know how to shut up sometimes.”

“ Bro, why are you being such a douche today?”

“I…I’m sick of dealing with your lame comments!” Cole shoved Red off, directing his anger at the fire ninja. “I’m tired and tired of you.”

“Black…” Green warned. Blue and White also looked ready to intervene. 

“I think he’s projecting.” White whispered to Blue.

Thank his lucky stars that Red didn’t take it too bad, or else the night would have soured fast. Or, soured worse than what already happened. That didn’t mean the Fire Ninja wasn’t upset though. The other boy turned around and dramatically flew his arms up in the air, “Geez, why is everyone in such a piss poor mood today?!”.

White went to calm Red down, while Green scowled at him.

“Ugh. Sorry sorry, it’s just been a…rough night.”

“Rough week, more like it.” Blue said. Cole just scowled at him.

“Either way, we’ve sworn a duty to this city, your other problems don’t matter when you’re here; so be here.” Lloyd crossed his arms. “So let’s ease up on the attitude.”

Cole couldn’t quite manage to dignify that with an answer. It was the same speech he gave when Lloyd was all erratic when the team first got together. 

He knew he was acting out. But Red could really push his buttons when he wanted to (even unintentionally). He’d apologise later. But right now, he could barely keep his eyes open in this state.

All he could do is blink and do a pseudo nod with his head. Lloyd took that as a ‘yes’. White managed to calm Red down so they could all listen to their leader. 

“Because we’re due for another big villain attack, we should stick in pairs for a while.” Green announced. They usually did that when the risk factor was higher, which happened very frequently. Mostly when the police would decide to go after them, readying for an attack, or if they just got bored of surveying their own sectors. Other than usual patrol, they also had their big missions together, along with training.

“Fine by me.” Blue said, “Maybe we’ll find a clue on who those thieves were at Borg tower?”

“Or maybe I’ll finally get a rematch with Clouse. Next time he’s the one getting thrown off a building.”   Lloyd punched his fists together.

“I guess Darkley’s still had an impact on you huh?” Red joked.

White nodded in agreement, “Their school motto is: Obliterate your enemies before they see you coming.” 

“Doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.” Blue snickered.

“How do you want to divvy up this time?” Red asked. “Cause I do not want to be with White again.”

White looked insulted, “I thought you loved my lessons on police codes.”