The ashes from the remains of my house cling to my eyes. I blink and continue my search.
Suddenly, I trip and fall. When I see what I trip over I give a sharp intake of breath. It's a skull, with bits of flesh still clining to it. I look closer. Years of artistic and forensic science training tell me this is a woman's skull. I blink hard, and the skull becomes a face. Blonde hair, brown eyes, freckles... This is my mother. I let tears fall, and then I spot another skull. A male. My father. The small tears from the ashes turn to the fat tears from my discovery of my mother turn to sobs.
I hear a crunch in the ashes behind me. I sit up straight and turn around.
An old man, a friend of my grandmother's, stands in the ashes of my former home. I nod once in recognition.
"Mr. Wu," I say.
"Jade," Mr. Wu, as I have known him all my life, has been much like a grandfather to me. His long hair and beard give him a look of wisdom, but I know inside is a sassy and possibly a little immature man. There's wisdom in there too, a lot of it, but I've always known him as the great friend who has known my family since my mom was pregnant with me.
Mr. Wu extends his hand. On instinct, I take it, and he helps me up. He envelops me in a hug, and I cry silently into the most comforting shoulder in all of Ninjago.
"I must train you to be a Ninja," he says. I look at him, startled.
"But I thought the Ninjas all had to be boys," I say.
"Some rules are meant to be broken," Mr. Wu, or Sensei Wu as I should call him now, says. I stare at him for a moment, then nod.
Giving my parents a final goodbye, I follow my new teacher into a new world of adventure.
(Zane's POV)
I dive into the freezing water, determined to beat my time of ten minutes and thirty six seconds. I open my eyes, and almost gasp at the sight that greets me.
Good thing I'm smart.
An elderly man with a long white beard sits under the water. I burst out, and he does as well, only much more gracefully.
"Who are you?" I ask him.
"My name is Sensei Wu," he tells me.
"Sensei? As in teacher?" I ask. He nods. "And you're following me - why?"
"You have the Ice inside. I must train you to be a Ninja," he replies.
Seems real.
(Jay's POV)
I take several deep breaths and jump off the building.
Okay, that made me sound suicidal. On the contrary, I was testing my new invention. I was almost (being 72%) sure I had worked out all the kinks. Apparently not. I fly about ten feet and then fall onto another building.
Some old guy is sitting there.
"Uh, hi," I say.
"Hello," he says brightly. "Ever thought of being a Ninja?" I raise an eyebrow in what I hope is a skeptical expression.
"Okay, I need to clear something up first. Do you have a white van?" I ask. He scrunches his eyebrows in a puzzled expression.
"No. Why do you ask?" he asks.
"No reason," I say quickly. "So what's this about being a Ninja?"
(Cole's POV)
I grin broadly at the tall mountain in front of me. Easy. I feel a tap on my shoulder, and I turn to see my best friend, Colette.
"Do you ever wear a shirt?" she asks. I grin at her.
"Why? Do you find this distracting?" I counter. She rolls her dark green eyes and grins. She tosses her silky black hair over her shoulder and takes my hand.
"Come on, Cole. Race you to the top!" She lets go of my hand and races to the mountain. I sprint after her and start climbing.
About halfway up the mountain, I'm really surprised to see an old man sitting there. Colette soon catches up to me.
"Umm, Cole, aren't we supposed to be racing?" she inquires. She runs up to me, and then sees the old man. "Oh. What's he doing here, I wonder?"
"I have come to find the fourth Ninja. You," he says, pointing at... well, one of us.
"Uh, which one?" I ask.
"I think he means you," Colette whispers. I'm quick to retort.
"Oh. There's an old guy who says he's after a ninja. Seems legit."
"Oh, it is, how you say, legit," the old man says.
"Oh. Okay," I say. I take a step forward, but Colette grabs my hand again.
"Will I see you again?" she asks. The old man turns to give us some privacy, I'm guessing. I give her a quick kiss on the forehead.
"I don't know. But I'll write," I reassure her.
"And I'll stay faithful," she says.
"That's not necessary," I tell her quickly. Then I realize something. "Hey, aren't you lesbian?" She giggles.
"Kidding."
