The Reason for the Season
Hey all!
So I was really wanting to write a Christmas story (for Ninjago, of course), and I got the idea to write this one last night while listening to Christmas music :)
I was surprised by how much I wrote. I worked on this story throughout today on my last school day before break, and by seventh period when I'm publishing it, I've written almost two thousand words XD
Anyway, I hope you all like this. I'm happy I was able to come up with it, because I think it's a pretty awesome Christmas story...after all, it is about the greatest Christmas story of all time :)
DISCLAIMER: The rights to Ninjago belong to LEGO, and I don't own the songs used in this story, but you'd probably figure that out anyway :)
...
Jay reached for one of the screws on the ground, holding a piece of metal up against a machine of sorts with his other hand.
"So...close…" He continued to reach for the screw, which was just out of his reach. Thinking quickly, he pushed the board up against the contraption with his foot, giving himself an extra few feet of reach. He picked up the small piece and drilled the metal into place with his screwdriver. After that, he added a few more screws before opening the door to the box-shaped machine and stepping inside.
"Hmm," he sighed, looking at a tangle of wires inside. "Let's see." The blue ninja selected two blue wires and connected them. "That's it!" He said happily. He plugged several of the wires into the panel above them. When he attached two black wires, a small spark of electricity erupted from them. "Ow!" He yelped. He acted quickly and wrapped some electrical tape around the cords to secure them. Finally, he gathered up all of the wires and put them in a metal box he had bolted to the inside of the machine, closing the lid to reveal that it was covered in buttons.
"Okay," Jay said. "That's done." He stepped out of the box to admire his handiwork, smiling at his newest invention. "Scientists have been trying to come up with one of these for years, and they got beat to it by a nineteen-year-old!" He walked inside of the machine once more. "Now to see if it actually works." He channeled some of his lightning and shot it carefully into the box containing the wires. Green lights began to flicker on all over the machine, and Jay smiled proudly. He pressed a few random buttons on the complex control panel. "Here goes nothing!" He tapped a large red button, and the lights flashed.
The next thing he knew, he was standing on the roof of one of the buildings in New Ninjago City. He looked up to see the Overlord on a building in front of him.
"I don't want to be here!" He exclaimed. Quickly, he pressed a button on his bracelet and, seconds later, found himself back in his machine. He sighed with relief. "It works!" He breathed. "I can't believe it!"
He walked out of the box and ran inside of the Bounty to find his fellow ninja. He was happy to see that they were all gathered in the same room.
"Guys!" He yelled excitedly. "Come with me. I have something really cool to show you!"
When the five other ninja stood up to follow their blue-clad friend, Jay turned and led the way to the upper deck of the ship.
"Check it out!" He announced. "It's a time machine!"
Nya's brown eyes widened. "Does it work?"
Jay nodded. "Like a charm." He bolted inside, and the others followed hesitantly.
"So," he said. "Who has a time they want to travel to?"
"Let's go back to when you used to kiss pillows!" Kai teased.
Jay glared at him. "Oh, very funny," he retorted. "But seriously, guys. Any other ideas?"
Lloyd thought for a minute. "How about when we won Ninjaball Run?" He suggested. "That was way cool."
"Good idea," Jay told him. He pushed a few buttons on the control panel, pressing the big red one last. "Here we go!"
"I'd be surprised if this actually works," Cole said. "It seems a little fishy that a teenager could invent a time machine."
Zane spoke up. "I believe in Jay," he argued. "He's very talented. I have a feeling this is the real deal."
Jay smiled at his friend. "Thank you, Zane. I've worked -"
He stopped talking when the lights flashed red.
"That didn't happen last time," he said nervously.
The machine started beeping.
"Jay? What's going on?" Kai asked, alarmed.
"I-I don't know," the blue ninja replied. He frantically started pushing more buttons. "But it'll be fine. I hope."
The machine shook, causing the ninja to fall all over each other. Suddenly, all went dark.
…
Jay slowly blinked his blue eyes open. It was very dark, but he could make out the faint outline of a hill against the dark blue horizon.
"Um, Jay," Kai said. "Can you get off?"
Jay looked down to see that he was lying on the red ninja. "Oops," he apologized. "Sorry." He stood up, letting Kai roll out from under him.
The six ninja looked out over the new landscape. No life was in sight - just grass. Miles and miles of grass around them, with the exception of one hill behind which they couldn't see.
"Where are we?" Lloyd wondered.
"When are we?" The fire ninja corrected.
Jay shook his head. "I don't know," he replied.
All of a sudden, the dark sky grew brighter.
"What's that?" Cole asked.
Lloyd pointed in the direction of the hill. "It's coming from over there!" He exclaimed. He took off running toward the presumed source of the light.
"Lloyd, wait!" Kai called.
The five others followed the blond boy as he ran up the hill. When he reached the top, he froze in his tracks.
"What?" Cole asked. "What is it?"
They all caught up to the green ninja and followed his gaze to the meadow below.
"What's so…?" Nya trailed off when she saw the sight.
The group stood together and stared at the scene before them. Several shepherds were sitting or standing on the grass. Some were holding sheep, others holding staffs, all with the same terrified expression on their face. In front of them stood a group of glowing beings.
"Who are they?" Jay whispered.
The beings started to speak. "Fear not," they told the shepherds. "We bring good news. For, this day, in Bethlehem, a child is born - the Son of God, the savior of the world."
The shepherds continued to stare at them, still afraid but seemingly calming down.
"Guys," Lloyd said. "I think I know what time we're in." He glanced back to the angels, realizing for the first time that the bright light was coming from a star in the eastern sky. "This is the first Christmas."
"Go now," the angels said. "Tell everyone. Glory, glory to the newborn king!" With that, they disappeared.
The shepherds hesitantly gathered their sheep and started walking in the direction of the star.
Zane turned to the others. "Let's go," he suggested.
"Can we?" Jay asked.
"This is possibly the most important event in history," Lloyd reminded them. "We can't miss it."
The six ran off to follow the shepherds. After what seemed like ages, they reached the end of the fields. They looked up and noticed that the star was much higher in the sky.
"We must be getting close," Cole observed.
One of the shepherds whirled around. "Who goes there?"
The ninja froze.
"I can see you."
Kai sighed. "Sorry. We were kind of following you."
The man looked over the group. "Who are you kids?" He asked, curious. "And what's with your outfits?"
"We're ninja," Jay told him.
He tilted his head. "What's a ninja?"
"Nevermind."
"Look," Nya said, stepping forward. "We're from the future. Anyway, this is a monumental event, the birth of this child. It it okay if we come with you?"
The shepherd still seemed confused, but he nodded. "Of course," he replied. "Those beings did tell us to spread the news."
"They were angels," Zane said.
The man blinked. "Angels?"
Jay smiled. "Angels we have heard on high," he said. He laughed. "You wouldn't get that reference."
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Cole said. "Let's go meet the Son of God!"
The six ninja joined the group of shepherds, and together they followed the star. As they walked in silence, an idea dawned on Lloyd.
"Oh, holy night," he sang quietly. "The stars are brightly shining. It is the night of our dear Savior's birth."
The others turned their attention to him, and he got a bit self-conscious, but he continued.
"Long lay the world in sin and error pining, 'till he appeared, and the soul felt its worth."
Kai joined in as Lloyd sang the next verse. "A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices. For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn."
The four other ninja started singing as well. "Fall on your knees. Oh, hear the angel voices. Oh night divine, oh night, when Christ was born. Oh night divine. Oh, night, oh night divine."
The shepherds weren't sure what they were singing, but they listened to the words, which made them smile.
"Christmas songs," Cole told the shepherds. "That's what today is: Christmas. Over two thousand years later, we still celebrate this day. And we will forever."
The shepherd nodded. "That's amazing," he remarked. "I'm so blessed to be a part of this. We all are."
Nya looked up at the star. "This is where it all began."
"So…" the man hesitated. "Is this really the Son of God?"
"Absolutely," Kai replied. "I promise you, the angels were telling the truth, of course."
The shepherd nodded. "Then let's go meet this King!"
…
"There!" Lloyd exclaimed. He pointed to a stable, located directly underneath the shining star. "That's it!"
The group rushed into the small building. The sight they saw before them was one they would never forget.
A young woman sat on the hay. In her arms was a baby boy. Her husband knelt next to her, and three kings looked on in awe, each holding a small gift for the child. The animals in the stable had also gathered near to the kid.
The shepherds approached the woman and her child. She smiled at them, then at the ninja, who followed and knelt down beside the baby Jesus. Everyone was silent as they sat around the stable, witnessing the first moments of the greatest hero to ever walk the earth.
…
The six ninja stood side by side on the Bounty after returning to the present. Surrounded by Christmas lights and decorations on the deck, they looked out over the city lights below.
"Hey, Jay?" Cole spoke up.
The blue ninja turned to his teammate. "Yes?"
"Thank you," he replied simply. "Your time machine might not have worked like you intended, but at the same time, it was perfect. Thanks to you, we got to see the most amazing event of all time."
Jay smiled. "You're right," he said. "It was perfect."
"Hey, check it out!" Lloyd said. He pointed to a shining star in the night sky. "Look familiar?"
The others followed his gaze.
"Well, would you look at that?" Kai breathed. "It really is Christmas."
Nya nodded. "This year, let's try not to forget the true meaning of this holiday."
"Yeah," Lloyd agreed. "Jesus is the reason for the season."
Zane kept his ice blue eyes fixed on the star. "Hark! The herald angels sing: 'Glory to the newborn King,'" he sang. "'Peace on earth, and mercy mild. God and sinners reconciled.' Joyful, all ye nations rise. Join the triumph of the skies. With angelic host proclaim: 'Christ is born in Bethlehem'. Hark! The herald angels sing, 'glory to the newborn King.'"
The other ninja joined their nindroid friend in singing the second verse. "Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Son of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, risen with healing in His wings. Mild He lays His glory by. Born that man no more may die. Born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth. Hark! The herald angels sing: 'Glory to the newborn king.'"
...
Well, I hope you liked that! Please review if you did :)
I've been stressing a bit about the holiday, but it's important to remember that Christmas isn't about the decorations, the presents, or anything like that. It's about celebrating the most important person in history: Jesus. Many Christmas songs - the ones I listen to, anyway - remind us of this, and I definitely need to keep it in mind.
Anyway, I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! :D
Have an amazing rest of the year, everyone. I love you guys!
- Cinder :)
(God's Not Dead!)