Alexia awoke the next morning, yawning. Moppet was still out cold, and Lane was outside, currently as still as a statue, with a look of blind terror on her face.
"Uh, Lane?" Alexia asked when she exited the cave, concerned. *Keep in mind, Lane is the girl who, as a child, loved three-headed dragons who would cheerfully eat her alive. She's not scared of most things.*
Lane giggled nervously, "You know how you have the whole 'water sword' thing?"
"You mean where I can summon water for about two seconds before it splats on the ground, meaning I have absolutely no control what-so-ever of it?" Alexia asked, confused.
"Yeah… It looks like I got a branch of sin instead…" Lane explained, her voice off.
"Wait, which one?" Alexia questioned.
Lane shrugged, "I guess one where I can freely control blood."
"Okay..." Alexia murmured, confused.
"Ooo! Lemme try!" Moppet insisted.
"Wait, can you control," Alexia's question was cut off by a quick flash of light, blinding the three girls. "Never mind."
"Sorry." Moppet whispered, handing her head in shame.
"Either way, it's obvious we have no control over these powers." Lane noted. "Why don't we try with our weapons?"
"Well, since you have swords, I'll spar you. But we're using sticks, since I don't want to lose an arm." Alexia offered.
An hour later...
"Ninja!" Sensei Wu came out onto the deck, where the four were training Lloyd. "There is a disturbance in the Northern Forest. Make sure it is not Lord Garmadon."
"Yes, sensei." The four replied, putting their weapons away.
"What do you think it is?" Kai asked when Sensei Wu had returned inside.
"Who knows? I just hope this isn't going to be another of Lord Garmadon's schemes." Jay groaned. "We just got the Bounty back, and I don't want to lose it!"
"It's probably animals. That won't be so bad, right?" Cole asked.
"I do not think so." Zane answered. "Look."
The four ninja looked over the railing, finding two girls down in the forest, fighting with two long sticks. Both were covered in bruises, and a younger girl was off to the side, watching them with interest and hands over her ears. The girl with brown hair managed a hit on the blonde girl, who swore in pain.
"Alexia! Young ears are listening!" The brown haired girl scolded.
"Lane, when someone hits me really hard in the arm I think I'm entitled to swearing." Alexia grunted. "'Sides, Moppet's not listening, right Mops?"
"What?" Moppet yelled, trying to hear Alexia.
"See?" Alexia asked triumphantly.
"Try to control it, would you?" Lane muttered, thrusting with her stick.
The four males looked at each other, confused. "Why are they hitting each other with sticks?" Jay asked.
"Who knows? We'll have to be careful," Cole stopped, realizing Zane had already hopped down and was approaching the girls.
"Hello, may I ask why you are here?" Zane questioned politely.
Alexia and Lane spun around, dropping their sticks in favor of their swords, belted around their hips. "Who the hell are you?!" Alexia demanded before rolling her eyes as Lane coughed disapprovingly. "Shut it, Lane."
"My name is Zane, one of the four ninja. I am the ninja of ice." He responded politely.
"The who?" Lane asked, suspicious.
Alexia groaned, putting away her sword. "Never mind. Lane, we're in a cartoon."
Lane's eyes went wide, then she let loose with a torrent of German, "Für die Liebe der Physik, was habe ich in einem früheren Leben zu tun, um dieses Schicksal zu verdienen!"
Zane looked at Lane concerned, as she began to pull herself together. "Is she alright?"
Face-palming, Alexia sighed. "Lane, not all of us speak German with any level of proficiency."
"What's going on?" Moppet shouted, hands still over her ears.
"TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF YOUR EARS!" Alexia screamed, causing everyone else to cover their ears.
"She's got a loud voice." Kai grunted, wondering if his eardrums were damaged.
Cole jumped off the ship, walking towards Zane and the girls. "Why were you fighting with sticks?"
Lane shrugged. "We preferred to not lose any body parts in our sparring, even the non-essential ones."
When Cole looked at her, dumbfound, Alexia explained, "We didn't want to use our swords so we wouldn't accidently kill each other practicing."
"Oh." Jay and Kai joined the group, noting the dark bruises and scrapes on the two older girls.
"You've never handled a sword yet you both carry them?" Kai asked.
"It's complicated." Lane and Alexia chorused.
"Interesting." Sensei Wu came out of the ship, looking at the three girls. "Do you have any special abilities?"
Lane looked uncomfortable, but raised her hand, which was spattered with blood from the various scrapes on the two girls. It rose slightly like before, hanging suspended in the air until it slammed into Lane's forehead once again. "OW! Why does that still hurt?"
"Lane, the laws of physics did not change in the hour since you last had blood slam into your face. Of course it still hurts." Alexia pointed out.
Lane continued to mutter crossly, rubbing her forehead.
"And you?" Sensei Wu asked Alexia, as the only unfazed male.
"Does this count?" Alexia raised her sword, letting water burst forth before it released onto the ground.
"OH! Let me do mine!" Moppet pleaded.
"WAIT," Alexia and Lane's warning was far too late, and Moppet generated a large flash of light, causing everyone to shield their eyes.
"What was that?!" Jay asked, trying to rub some sight back into his eyes.
"Uncontrolled cheerfulness from an eleven year-old optimist." Lane and Alexia muttered, both managing to open their eyes.
"Sorry..." Moppet whispered, hanging her head for the second time that day.
"Then I believe I know who you are." Sensei Wu announced.
"Uh, sorry?" Lane asked, confused.
"Ninja-go!" Sensei Wu used Spinjitzu, enveloping each of the three girls. When he finished, Alexia was dressed in an aquamarine ninja suit, Lane in a charcoal suit with red hues, and Moppet in a orange-gold ninja suit.
"Okay... I'm kind of confused here." Lane muttered.
"Alexia, Master of Water. The raging tides are your fury." Sensei Wu told Alexia.
"Cool." Alexia said, grinning.
"Lane, Manipulator of Blood. Your power is swift and strong, like a rush of adrenaline through the bloodstream." Sensei Wu explained to Lane, who frowned, biting her lip.
"Moppet, Controller of Light. Your soul shines as brightly as the rising sun, glows like the silver moon, and sparkles like the shining stars." Sensei Wu said gently to Moppet, who, characteristically, grinned.
"Yes!" She squealed.
"If you come with us, we can help you control the powers you possess. Learn to use those powers for good." Sensei Wu told the girls.
"Sure." Lane said with a smile, "I kind of miss modern plumbing."
"I'm game. Beats sleeping in a cave." Alexia said.
"Come aboard." The ninja led the three girls to the deck, and Nya had the Bounty take off before giving the other girls a quick tour.
"Dining room is over there, kitchen is here." Nya explained, pointing to various rooms. "We all rotate with kitchen duty. Bit of a warning, it's Cole's night to cook."
"Eh, how bad can it be?" Lane muttered to Alexia, who shrugged.
"Here's the spare bedroom. You guys will have bunks." Nya showed them their room, which featured plain wooden bunks. "If you guys get hungry, there's stuff for sandwiches in the kitchen."
"Thanks." Alexia closed the door after Nya left, looking at Lane and Moppet. "Okay, we've established we're in a cartoon. Meaning..."
"The laws of physics somewhat apply." Lane offered. Alexia gave her a look, and Lane sighed. "Okay, they completely apply."
"Oh! It means we have our Lego game physics here with pockets!" Moppet added.
"It also possibly, possibly means we are going to be faced with minor to major injuries. I watched this with my little brother when he wouldn't change the channel, and some serious you-know-what happens in this place." Alexia pointed out, sitting on a lower bunk.
"So basically, we need to be careful. With that established, sleepy time you only got five hours last night Moppet!" Lane scooped up her sister, and proceeded to tuck her in before claiming the bunk above for herself.
Chucking at her friends' insane need for sleep, Alexia laid down on her own bunk, staring at the one above. Being left alone with your thoughts for too long is boring. She muttered to herself after dozing for around an hour. She dug into her pocket, finding an ipod and 3DS. "Finally, something entertaining!"
Nya found the three girls in the afternoon in their room, Moppet snoring soundly, Lane tossing and turning restlessly beneath a pile of blankets and Alexia fiercely concentrating on Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. "You guys hungry?"
"A bit." Alexia replied, closing her 3DS. "Lane?" Lane didn't respond, even after being shaken by both Alexia and Nya. "Fine, miss lunch, it's,"
Lane shot up. "Lunch? I'm coming." She hopped down, hauling a still-sleeping Moppet over her shoulder by the collar of her shirt.
Nya, surprised, ran to catch up with the other girls. "Why were you sleeping?"
"Too little sleep last night, since we had to take watches to avoid getting attacked." Alexia replied, stiffening a yawn. "God, I wish I could sleep like you Mops."
"Lane?" Moppet yawned, opening her eyes. "Wazz goin on?"
"Lunch." Lane answered, letting go of Moppet's collar.
"Ooo, food!" Moppet ran up to the counter, grabbing a sandwich off the counter. Kai, who was already in the room, scowled.
"Hey! I was going to eat that!" Kai argued.
"Sorry." Moppet said sadly, and with a longing look toward her potential lunch, handed back the sandwich.
"Where are the others?" Alexia asked, looking around.
"Outside with Lloyd." Nya answered, pointing to the deck.
"Speaking of which, I've got to go. See ya, sis." Kai exited, and Lane began inspecting the cabinets.
"Where's the ramen?" She asked, opening all the cabinets.
"I don't think we have any." Nya responded, confused. "What's ramen?"
"Think instant noodles, except they put soy sauce and other stuff in there." Alexia told her, grabbing a few items for a sandwich. "Do you guys have a weight room?"
"Across from the dining room." Nya answered.
"Thanks." Alexia left, tossing her sandwich to Moppet as Lane huffed.
"I'm gonna miss ramen." Moppet mumbled, her mouth full of sandwich.
"So, how did you guys get in woods in the first place?" Nya asked.
Lane and Moppet quickly looked at each other, trying to think of an excuse. "Uh..."
Hours later...
Alexia returned to the room she shared with Lane and Moppet, sweating heavily. The other two were looking at each other, worried and not speaking. "Okay, what happened?"
"Nya asked how we got in the woods in the first place." Lane told her.
"What'd you say? Amnesia? Abandoned by parents? Lost after a serial attack?" Alexia rambled, earning a raised eyebrow from Lane.
"You underestimate us. We just dodged the question." Lane said, rolling her eyes, "It's not like they would believe any of those anyway."
"Good call." Alexia wiped sweat off her forehead, sighing. "Geez, these guys are exercise freaks! The minimum weights are fifty pounds!"
"How'd you lift those?" Moppet asked, amazed.
"I didn't. I just did any exercise not requiring weights. Which got old quickly." Alexia told her. Lane threw Alexia a towel from the bathroom, which she used gratefully.
"Do you think Santa takes prayers?" asked Lane suddenly, "I mean, we are in a kid's cartoon…"
Alexia blinked, momentarily confused by the subject change, "I think he's in his off season now…" she said slowly. "But I guess you could try..."
Lane just sighed. "Okay..."
A few hours later...
"Dear Santa, or the Doctor, or whoever else can hear me and happens to be in a helpful mood," Lane began, clasping her hands. Both Moppet and Alexia were watching, Moppet with interest and Alexia with confusion. Lane opened one eye, noting that both her friend and her little sister were watching before continuing.
"I know this is your off-season Santa, and you're probably very busy Doctor, and if you're the giant chicken creator then you're just watching us for entertainment... but please, if you can just help…" she began before mumbling quietly, "... don't know how long… if you could just… methylfolate…". she sighed, beginning to unclasp her hands, but then suddenly brightened, smiling widely and adding, "alsoifyoucouldsendmeadalektthenicouldhugitandgetthatoffmybucketlist"
"What was that?" Alexia asked, still confused.
"Just an insurance policy." Lane insisted.
Nya came in, having not heard the prayer/fandom offering/nuts talk Lane had done. "Dinnertime. Be warned, Cole made his 'special chili'."
"Ooo, chili! Chili's good!" Moppet squealed.
"Uh, when you say 'special', what does that mean?" Lane asked, wondering how bad of a cook Cole was.
"You'll see." Nya answered, sighing.
Said chili was green, had chunks of uncooked cheese in it, and gave an aroma that could knock most people out. Alexia cautiously poked it with a spoon, eyeing the suspicious and likely not thoroughly cooked meat. "Should I be eating this?" She muttered to Kai, who was next to her.
Kai shrugged. "Just try to keep down a few spoonfuls to not hurt his feelings."
"Never liked chili." Alexia murmured to herself, watching Lane and Moppet both eat a spoonful.
The results were somewhat amusing; Moppet turned green, and managed to somehow spit it back into her bowl without anyone but Alexia noticing. Lane made a face equivalent to her deadly, angry 'I-don't-like-you-and-I'm-going-to-use-chemical-weapons-against-you' face, though she managed to swallow it. She then gagged, trying to hold down the bile coming up her throat.
"Worse than my cooking, then?" Alexia joked quietly.
Lane gave her the evil eye. "Your cooking, which by the way is perfectly fine, is infinitely better."
"I'll take that as a compliment." Alexia carefully ate a spoonful, making sure to dose her mouth in water immediately afterward. While it assisted with the trip down, it did not assist when the chili tried to work its way back up her throat. "Good god."
Ten minutes later, after everyone besides Cole had managed to sneak their chili back into the pot, dinner was over and everyone returned to their rooms. "How do you mess food up like that?!" Lane ranted, pacing. "He took something delicious like chili, and made it disgusting!"
"I looked at the list for who has to cook breakfast tomorrow. Hate to say it, but Cole's on breakfast duty." Alexia told her, dozing on her bunk.
Lane huffed. "Well then I am going to have to change that! I wouldn't feed that to a dog, and I hate dogs!"
"Oi. Dogs do not deserve anything near that bad. Now, I'm going to sleep." Alexia called, going under her covers and finally falling asleep. Moppet quickly followed, eventually followed by the scheming Lane.
