Important - in this story, the Serpentine are still following Pythor, not Scales. This starts in Zane's POV.
I cut off the fourth dummy's head, and line up four more for the same drill. I have trained for hours and could train for days more without rest if it meant this scene would play out in battle. My father has taught me that vengeance is the only way to get justice and restore my family's honor. If that is what it takes, I will do it, just as my father has done everything for me. It is what he deserves.
"Well done, ssssson, well done." The sound of his voice soothes me, curbs the adrenaline, and makes me feel at home.
"Thank you, Father. I have been practicing hard."
"That issss plain to ssssssee. Thissss isss why I have a gift for you, Zzzane." He reaches into a case and removes two gleaming, silver stars. "Your old sssshurikenss. I recovered them from the battle."
"Oh, thank you, Father!" I cry out as I run to hug him. The throwing stars feel familiar in my hands, and when I throw one it hits the practice dummy straight in the heart.
My father loos at me seriously. "Ssssson," he says, "I believe you are ready for battle. Do you wisssh to fight the ninja?"
"Oh yes!" I yell, jumping up and down in my excitement. Finally, I can face the evil that took my past away from me. I have been looking forward to this moment for a long time. I cannot wait to prove myself to my father.
"Tomorrow," he tells me, "you will lead our army to attack the home of the ninja. Have no merccccccy."
I cannot stop smiling. "I will make you proud, Father.
He smiles back. "I know."
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(Jay's POV)
I wake up first. It's a weird feeling, usually Zane would be up by now.
Oh duh - Zane! I wake the others.
"Hey guys, c'mon! Today's the day, remember? We should be at the Serpentine hideout any minute!" Wow. Kai got up wothout even arguing. I decide to let Cole sleep a little longer - he's been pretty stressed out lately and I can't blame him. Kai and I quietly get dressed and tiptoe out to the ship's deck, to see how soon we will reach Serpentine headquarters. I call up to Kai, "How far away - "
"Oh no." Kai calls out, "Jay? You might wanna see this."
I run up to the ship's deck and see -
Serpentine. Lots and lots of Serpentine. When I see who's leading them, my heart jumps into my throat.
"Is that - ?"
Kai nods. "Zane."
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(Cole's POV)
I wake up to Jay slapping me in the face. "What the - "
"There's an army of snakes outside and they're about to attack and there are like a thousand of them but Zane is leading them and Pythor probably switched his memory off and we don't want to hurt him but we have to defend the ship and we can't just let them win but he's our friend and now what're we supposed to do?" Jay finishes, panting.
I grab my scythe and uniform. "i'll meet you in 5," I say. "Until then, just do what you need to do to hold them off."
Great. Just what I needed. And I can't afford to freak out like Jay, eventhough I want to more than anythin. Because I'm Cole, the leader, ninja of earth. Solid, steady, sure. Yeah.
. . .
Let's just get this over with.
Ewww . . . I felt sick writing this chapter, how Zane looks up to his so-called "father," Pythor.
Just a quick note - the shurikens Pythor gives to Zane are not his old silver ones. He tells Zane that they are his old ones to make himself seem like a nicer person. He didn't want Zane to have his golden weapons, as they were too strong of a link to his friends, his past, and his identity, and it was too risky - he was afraid he might trigger past memories, or the other ninja could use them to convince Zane of the truth about his past.
Anyways, so glad I finally got a longish chapter up. I felt bad posting such short ones.