A/N:

Hails: Ah, well, here we go. It would seem fair that I reply to guest reviews, so that's what I'm going to do. Besides, there is no other way I can respond to his/her review unless I do that. So-

Guest #1 - I suppose I could've said "Lady" over "Lordess". However, I felt like saying Lordess because it sounded more important. I know the term "Lordess" exists. I didn't want the woman I'm speaking of to sound insignificant. That's just my opinion though.

With that out of the way, I want to let you know that the first half of this chapter is Sensei Wu's first person point of view. The second half is regular third person.

Happiness... What is happiness?

I sat, sipping tea from a steaming, porcelain cup and observing my students from my position on the Destiny's Bounty. I couldn't tell if they were arguing or just messing around at first, but Jay's boisterous laughter confirmed that they were only having fun. Kai punched the blue Ninja in the arm lightly, who was still giggling as if he were a little child who had found the most juvenile object on the planet to be entertaining. After all the heartache and terror, not to mention the loss they went through, it was incredible how they were still standing. They all seemed so, joyous, blissful... happy.

Which makes me think. What is happiness? True happiness?

A plethora of different emotions stem from joy or pleasure, like trust, serenity, content, satisfaction, and even acceptance. But, from what exactly, did happiness stem from? Even one of the most basic emotions had to have grown from another emotion. Most would agree it simply was attached, almost joined at the hip to ecstasy. But, wasn't ecstasy just another word for immense joy? Like euphoria, rapture, elation, perhaps even excitement. What was true, pure happiness though? One that hadn't been mixed with another emotion? Where it became simply, just happiness, and nothing else.

Jay, he's usually so positive. He first comes across as pessimistic in an initial meeting. But it was his brothers that usually helped him unbolt, uncap the lid on his container of joy. Though sometimes his happiness was sarcastic, it was only a part of who he was. Jay had incorporated sarcasm into his routine of happiness. Sometime's he'd use it to make fun of others, who'd brush it off as unserious. Other times it was just for the sake of needing to lighten the mood. Jay brought joy with him everywhere he went. He certainly helped bring it into my life. His carefree, happy-go-lucky demeanor had helped me smile for once in a long time.

Kai. Despite being a pessimist, no, a realist when the time came he felt he should, became positive, almost inspirational in times of need. He'd done it when I sacrificed myself to the grotesque bowls of the Great Devourer. Or so I heard. Kai, I know is very emotional. He had never been suited for leader, but he's easily known among the team as the most motivated. He requires something to fuel him into being a Ninja. His sister's life being in danger, proving he's the best of the bunch, or even protecting Lloyd when my nephew was on the threshold of staring death in the face. It was habit of Lloyd's to do that constantly. Even as a child he was always the the thrill seeking type, like his father. I'm just glad Kai was there back then to real in Lloyd's childish demeanor, and help mature him to the Green Ninja he'd become today.

When I think of Zane, though, he's proved to be more of the silent joyous types. He has been known to laugh, chuckle, even enjoy himself socially. He acted in what was considered humanly normal. However, through his silence a thousand are spoken. He rather enjoys his long talks with Pixal at night when no one else is around. Just the small smile on his face whenever he seemed content with something. Blissfully ignorant to his surroundings when he was with Pixal. He always seemed the happiest with her. There was no doubt Pixal brought love into Zane's life. Love, that seemed to be another stimulant of happiness.

Now that I think about it more in depth, I was always so happy whenever I saw Misako. When we were kids of course, still competing over juvenile love. It's the same with Garmadon, he felt the same way I did at just the thought of her. My heart would speed up, pounding against my chest until it burst out. Every time she touched me it was always so gentle and light, it'd make my skin tingle. When she looked at me with her forest green eyes, they would sparkle with a type of glint I couldn't see in any other girl. I only ever saw her look so delighted whenever she was around me, or with Garmadon. Garmadon had brought out the best in her. The soft, gentle, but still fierce side of her that showed a type of protection for the one's she cared about. Even when Misako had chosen Garmadon, despite my small, sunken era of depression, I couldn't help but feel glad Misako was happy with my brother. She had made her choice, and I quickly learned to be content, almost pleased just to have her friendship.

The topic of love brings me back to my last student. Cole Mitsuko. Recently he'd cascaded into darkness, where he couldn't ever be happy. He had begun to feel useless to his team after sacrificing his body to the earth to obtain Yang's scroll. The team had always assured Cole that he'd always be brother, no matter what. But even with their consolation, Cole seemed to only get worse and worse. That is, until I noticed the same signs me and my brother had. Cole had become twitterpated, and no doubt by a woman he'd met not too long ago. I hear they currently meet regularly at Greenery's Cafe, or so Zane's falcon had entitled. Seliel Fujioka, the daughter of an old friend of mine. I do know she and Cole made good acquaintances during a Nindroid catastrophe in her village, and that'd later she'd move here to find something to complete her life.

She'd certainly made Cole happier, he had been returning to his normal, leaderly self.

Perhaps, happiness stems from the friends around us. The one's that complete us. I know it seems farfetched, especially to someone who is more introverted the the world. But I think that settles it on what I first suspected from the beginning.

Happiness is brought by the things, and people, and places around us.

Jay stared at Cole intently as both leaned over the railing. Cole caught on quickly, shooting Jay quick glances of question, who made no indication he was paying attention to that. When Cole finally realized how much Jay's staring bugged him, he scoffed and stared at Jay back as in silent demand to quit doing whatever he was trying do. Because it wasn't working.

"Jay, knock it off." Cole said after a long silence. "You're beginning to creep me out."

"Knock what off?" Jay inquired.

"Jay." Cole warned.

"Okay, I get it." Jay stopped his intense staring as he continued. "But seeing you're old self return to you, it's made me think. Why hasn't Seliel come for a visit yet?"

"Visit? Seliel?" Cole questioned, beginning to truly wonder what was wrong with Jay. "I don't think so."

"You two are such good buddies now, it's only fair everyone comes to meet each other!" Jay protested, now gripping the railing. His actions made Cole chuckle lightheartedly. Jay frowned, staring at Cole again with a long, hard look to declare his stand point.

"Jay, forget it." Cole shot back, his eyes silently announcing he would not cave easily. "It won't happen."

"Fine, we'll take a team vote!" Jay said, and Cole groaned. If Jay was going to involve the other members, things were tilting into Jay's favor this time. "Who votes Seliel should come visit us on the Bounty whether Cole likes it or not!"

Two other hands shot up along side Jay, and Cole ran a hand down his face in an irritated fashion. How did it come to this? Cole wondered as Jay laughed triumphantly, bouncing up down chanting the word "yes!" When Jay finally settled down a bit, he pointed to Cole's face with childish grin. "That's three votes to one Cole! Seliel makes a visit!"

"Make that four votes, Pixal wants to meet her too." Zane commented offhandedly, a smile on his face. Cole was seething about now, and he breathed a sigh.

"Fine, I'll ask her." Cole answered. "But if she doesn't want to visit, don't pressure her, okay?"

"Oh, she'll want to visit." Jay commented, still grinning. He chuckled a bit, almost sounding like one of the former kids from Darkly's Boarding for Bad Boys. Jay had a plan up his sleeve, and Cole was not sure he wanted to find out what it was. Jay rubbed his hands together like a classic, iconic villain.

"I'll be sure of that."