"Earth is a stubborn element. Where the other elements have a natural movement you can replicate, Earth does not. Fire cracks, Lightning strikes, Water flows, Ice expands, Energy explodes. Earth does not move. Even earthquakes are caused by the magma beneath the Earth moving it. To move the Earth, you must be stronger than the Earth, you must be more stubborn than the Earth, and you must not be afraid of the Earth."
Skylor had no idea how anything Hermes just said was supposed to teach her how to move the Earth. She glanced over at the other ninja who merely shrugged. She looked back at Hermes. He had declared the pile of sand "a pathetic attempt to replicate the natural world" and dragged Skylor into the forest. The others had followed out of curiosity, moral support, and because Kai didn't want his girlfriend alone with the man.
"Take off your shoes," Hermes demanded.
"Why?" Skylor asked, as she unlaced her shoes.
"You shall see. For now, we will put your friends to good use." Hermes eyed the ninja, who looked at each other nervously. He threw a cloth at Skylor.
"What is this?"
"A blindfold. When I tell you, put it on. Sparky, go behind that tree. Ocean, over there. Lightning Rod, I want you over by that rock. Robot, head down that path a little ways. Greenie, you're with me." Hermes grinned as he grabbed Lloyd by the arm. The others slowly got into their positions.
"What are you doing?" Lloyd asked, grateful Hermes didn't have super strength, since his grip on Lloyd's arm was starting to hurt.
"You're my hostage. Your friends will try to rescue you and she has to stop them using nothing but Earth. Amber, blindfold on!"
"How am I supposed to stop them if I can't see them?" Skylor asked as she adjusted the blindfold.
"You feel their movements in the ground beneath your feet."
"… I'm not sure Cole can do this," Skylor muttered.
"If he ever wakes up, I'll teach him, if for no other reason than to spite that no good punk kid. Everybody ready?" Hermes raised his arm and looked around. Everyone signaled they were ready, and he lowered his arm to signal go.
The others quickly rushed up to Skylor and prepared to fight, stopping right in front of her. When she didn't move, they slowly made their way over to Hermes and Lloyd.
"What the flying frick was that?" Hermes shouted as he stormed over to Skylor and ripped her blindfold off.
"What?"
"You had a perfect opening to take everyone out and you blew it!"
"But-"
"Butts are what you're supposed to be kicking. Okay, new plan. Sparky, you're my hostage this time. If you want to save Lover Boy here, then you have to take care out his guards."
"What if I can't?" Skylor asked as Kai and Lloyd traded places.
"If you think you will fail, then you will fail. So don't fail. Everybody, back to your starting positions."
"But I can't sense their movement in the ground! I don't see how this is supposed to teach me how to move the Earth!" Skylor protested.
"… Very well. Time for Plan B." Hermes dragged Kai over to a nearby cliff and shoved him off it.
"Kai!" Skylor and everyone else ran over to see Kai safe on a ledge below, but he was too far out of reach for them to pull him up.
"What the heck, Hermes?" Lloyd glared at the old man.
"Are you crazy?" Jay demanded, holding back a furious Nya from attacking Hermes.
"Why would you throw Kai off a cliff?" Zane asked.
"If Skylor wants to save her boyfriend, she will have to move the Earth. And anyone who interferes will have to face me."
"Just get me out of here, Skylor!" Kai yelled.
Hermes held everyone back as Skylor went to the edge of the cliff. She laid down on her stomach and tried to reach Kai. She couldn't. She closed her eyes and tried not to cry. Her mother could have rescued Kai. Her mother had mastered Earth when she was still a child and had relied on Earth in many fights, unlike Skylor who preferred Fire and Smoke. She wished her mom was still around. But she wasn't. And now her boyfriend was stuck on a ledge with no way out.
"I know you can do this, Skylor. Get me off this ledge so I can throw Hermes off the cliff," Kai pleaded.
"I… I can't. I'm sorry. I'm not my mother…" Skylor looked down so she wouldn't have to look at Kai.
"Say that again," Hermes said.
"I… I'm not my mother?" Skylor looked back at the old man in confusion.
"And again."
"… I'm not my mother."
"No, you're not. You're the daughter of a crazy man. You had to take over the restaurant because you can't do anything else. You can't even save your boyfriend from certain death. You are a complete failure."
"I'm not a failure!"
"Then prove it. Move the Earth and save your man."
Skylor looked at Kai again. He reached his hand up towards her. She imagined raising the ledge and Kai closer to her. She reached her hand out. They felt the ground shake a little as the ledge resisted moving. Kai fell on his knees and struggled to hold on as the ledge started to move. The other ninja ran to grab Kai as soon as he was in reach. Kai hugged Skylor for a minute, then he tackled Hermes to the ground. Or at least, he attempted to. It only took two moves for Hermes to pin Kai to the ground.
"Nice try, Sparky. I can't tell you how many times your father tried that exact same move on me. And it always ended with him pinned to the ground, much like you are now," Hermes said.
"Let me go!" Kai shouted.
Hermes released his grip, and Kai tried to tackle the old man again, only for Hermes to pin him to the ground again.
"You really are your father's son. Take it easy, kid. You were never in any danger. I would never to that to Ray's kid. He was one of my best friends."
"Really?" Nya asked.
"Yeah. You two wouldn't even be here if I hadn't convinced him to ask that girl out in the first place," Hermes said as he released Kai.
Before Kai could try to attack Hermes a third time, Zane's Falcon screeched and flew above them. It landed on Zane's arm.
"There's trouble in Ignacia," Zane said.
"That's not far from here. Let's go," Lloyd said.
"Wait. Are you sure we can do this without Cole? It doesn't seem right," Jay asked.
"Ninjago still needs us, and we're still a team. Until Cole wakes up, we have to keep Ninjago safe like always."
"Lloyd is correct," Zane commented.
"Besides, we have Skylor now," Kai said, holding her hand.
"Exactly. I think we can handle one incident without Cole." Lloyd turned and lead his team towards Kai and Nya's hometown.
"I guess. How hard can this be?" Jay nervously chuckled.