Hey, guys! Hope life's treating you good.

Thanks for reviewing, and in return, I present Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I don't own Ninjago

(Jen's POV)

I will admit, that threw me off track. I stared at him in shock and horror, my eyes wide and my mouth sagging open.

"You-you're joking," I croaked.

"No, I'm not," the F.S.M. replied in a soft voice. He gestured with his right hand to the thick, smoky-white fog, and two people emerged, walking side by side.

The male was incredibly tall, with pale cream skin and eyes that were only a few shades of light ice blue. His hair was the exact same color as mine: beach blond, and was sticking up at slight unruly angles. His pants were styled similar to a pair of jeans, and were white. He wore a simple white sleeveless kimono-styled shirt, the edges outlined in gold, and a golden cloak. His black boots were knee-high and stood out in startlingly contrast against his pale complexion. A golden chain hung around his neck, and a diamond pendent in the shape of the Japanese character for ice was hanging down around it. Golden bands, etched with more characters, were around his upper arms and wrists.

The female was only a few inches shorter than her companion, and had skin the color of light bronze, and sea blue eyes that sparkled and shone like water reflecting off the ocean. Her hair was abyss blue at the roots and changed to lighter and lighter shades as it traveled down the length of her knee-long hair so by the time it was at the tips, it was almost like a slightly dark icy color. Her shirt was a silk wrap, pinned in the front with a large sparkling pearl, covering her upper arms and leaving her shoulders bare and exposing her flat stomach. Her pants were slightly form-hugging, but I could sense that they allowed for quite a range of movement. A white silk cloak was waving in the air like she was underwater, although there was no wind. It was fastened at the beginning of her sternum with a golden clasp. She wore a choker of the purest pearls with matching earrings.

There was something strangely familiar in both of them: the slightly larger hips, the long legs, the slightly rounded cheekbones, the bronze-colored tan skin, and the sea blue eyes of the woman, and the hair color, the height, the slightly long and slender nose, the slightly arched eyebrows, and the full lips from the man. I gulped, taking a step back.

"Of all times, now?" the woman asked the F.S.M. Her eyes were slightly narrowed at him.

"Yes," he snapped.

"Hold it." I put my hands up in a time-out gesture. "Don't talk like I'm not here, because news flash: I am."

"We're not trying to ignore you," the man pointed out, "at least, I'm not." I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest.

"So," I said after a matter of silence, "are you going to introduce us?" I gave the F.S.M. a pointed look. He rolled his eyes up to the heavy gray clouds.

"Fine. Jen, these are your parents: Kori and Mizu, also known as the Elemental Spirits."

(Normal POV)

Jen, Kori, and Mizu regarded each other in complete silence. Finally, Mizu spoke.

"It's been a while," she stated.

"Yeah, twenty-one years," her daughter snapped in a bitter voice. Both hands were on her hips, her face a mask of seriousness.

"Jen, we had to," Kori said, a twinge of hurt easily heard in his voice, "we did it to save you."

"Save me?" Jen laughed harshly. "From what?" Kori's eyes suddenly flashed.

"From what? How about your newest enemy?" he growled. Jen stared at him, her mouth sagging open.

"This is awkward," the F.S.M. muttered under his breath. Jen, Kori, and Mizu turned their heads and glared at him.

"Don't mind me," was all he said. Kori and Mizu turned back to their daughter.

"Explain to me in exact detail what made the two of you give me up," she growled. Mizu sighed.

"It would take too long to explain," she admitted, "but not so when actually seen." She glanced at Kori, who nodded.

"Wait, so…basically some sort of flashback?" Jen asked.

"Precisely that," Kori answered. Silence followed his words for a few moments before his daughter sighed.

"Fine, let's get this over with," she said rather grouchily. Kori and Mizu exchanged looks before a large sphere of water suddenly appeared. And in it was the night Jen had been given up.

(Flashback)

Kori watched as Mizu tucked the newborn infant under her cloak, concealing the child from view. Sadness darkened the Water Spirit's eyes as she did so, and she looked at Kori.

"I wish we didn't have to do this," she said in a soft voice.

"I wish that too," he answered her, standing up, "but you know what will happen if she stays with us. He will find eventually get her, and then all of Ninjago is doomed."

"Don't remind me," she sighed. She drew the hood of her cloak over her head, and Kori did the same. Together, they walked out the door of their hiding place, every sense alert.

Kori's heart pounded inside his chest as he and Mizu stole around each corner, jumping at every sound. The air smelled of rain and ozone, and dark clouds were building on the western part of the sky, shielding the stars and confirming that a fierce storm was on the way. Already the wind was starting to pick up, making their cloaks flap.

"I'm starting to think this was a bad idea," Mizu whispered under her breath to Kori as she shifted the precious bundle that was concealed beneath her cloak.

"As long as he doesn't know, then we'll be fine," Kori murmured in a soft and reassuring voice. She turned her head to look up at him, and a voice from behind them suddenly spoke.

"Hey, you two." Kori and Mizu froze, their spines tense and their shoulders taut.

"Run, run now," Kori hissed. His pale eyes flashed as Mizu gave him a frightened look before dashing away. He spun around, and was met with a legion of fifty robot warriors, each armed with an unsheathed platinum blade. The ranks parted to make room for the leader as he walked forward. Fear suddenly clenched Kori's heart as General Kryptor reached the front battle line.

Lightning raked the sky into strips as the two faced each other, a clap of thunder closely following. The bright light crossed Kori's face, which was a mask of anger and hatred. His eyes were narrowed chips of dried ice, his mouth a firm, tense line, and his jaw was clenched tightly. He was determined not to show the fear and uncertainty that he felt rising in him, only anger and hatred. No words were exchanged, and the silence grew tense. Rain began to fall, starting as small drops that pattered lightly against the pavement. On what had been a silent signal, all the troops raised their weapons. Kori's eyes widened, and he turned around and fled.

He leaped into the nearest alley, running as fast as he could. He could clearly hear behind him an order be given, and rapid footsteps starting to follow him.

"Mizu!" Kori called desperately in a low voice. No response. He tried again, but still no answer. Panic and anxiety rolled over him.

"Kori?" Her voice made him slither to a clumsy halt. He whipped his around, his eyes scanning for a lithe form. He spotted her crouched in a corner, peering out from behind a large wooden crate. An idea came to sudden life in his head.

He darted forward and wedged his fingers underneath the lid. Giving it a little shove, it started to open. He didn't dare open it all the way, and he motioned for Mizu to climb into it. She did so, almost snagging the hem of her cloak on a slightly rusted nail. Kori climbed in after her, closing the top of the crate once he was in.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close to him. She rested her head on his shoulder.

"How is she?" Kori's soft voice was barely audible over the pounding rain.

Mizu answered by shifting the left side of her cloak to expose the sleepy face of a two-month-old infant that blinked her eyes open before closing them once more, surrendering once more to sleep.

"Good," she murmured, replacing the material so that it once more hid the child.

"They can't have just vanished!" A loud yell of anger made them freeze. Kori's heart began to pound hard against his ribs while Mizu's breathing became labored. He clasped a hand over her mouth to quiet the sound.

"General, footprints." Kori closed his eyes. He had run through puddles, and didn't even stop to think about his tracks. He had jeopardized their mission because of a mistake that could have been easily avoided.

"Destroy every crate in this alley; they're around here someplace," Kryptor ordered.

Loud cracking noises shattered the air as the robot warriors began to smash the wooden boxes, reducing them to planks and rusted nails.

Kori pulled Mizu closer to him. She turned her head so that her face was buried in the material the covered his shoulder. They waited in tense silence as the warriors drew closer to their hiding place.

"They're not here, General." The warrior closest to them said, his robotic voice filled with disappointment.

"They're water elements," Kryptor snapped, "They could be somewhere else."

The tension that had tightened Kori's chest began to loosen as the footsteps faded away. That had been too close. He and Mizu waited for a few more minutes in the dark crate, listening to the rain tap softly while straining to hear anything else.

Kori withdrew his arms from around Mizu's waist and began to push the lid of their hiding place up. The raindrops and cool night air kissed his face as he stood up and swung one leg over the edge before doing the same with the other. Mizu stood up, and he helped her out.

She suddenly stumbled backwards, shock and pain exploding in her sea blue eyes. He tried to leap forward, but something slammed into him, knocking him to the ground and pinning him down.

"I knew you two were hiding there." Kori spat with rage at Kryptor's words and struggled to free himself, but no success. He looked up at Mizu, and saw that she was cornered. Standing in front of her was Kryptor himself.

With a loud snarl, Kori butted his head hard against the chest of the robot warrior that was holding him down. He was able to slide out and he rolled onto his feet. His blood was singing with adrenaline that was coursing through his body. But before he could react, Kryptor sprang forward.

Mizu leaped forward as well, sliding gracefully underneath him and twisting so that she was belly up. She brought her right foot up as hard as she could, and a screech erupted out of Kryptor. A smirk on her lips, she somehow managed to flip backwards, landing on her feet in front of Kori. How she managed to do that with an infant tucked in her arms amazed him.

"Stop them!" Kryptor barked as Kori and Mizu started to run down the long, twisted alley.

"Keep running; I'll buy you some time," Kori muttered in Mizu's ear, casting a swift glance over his shoulder.

"Don't be long," she whispered. She poured as much speed as she could into her run while Kori slowed down. He spun around, ice cold energy making his fingertips tingle. He waited until she had turned a corner before he lunged for the first robot warrior.

Every time his hand brushed something or his foot touched the ground, a layer of ice appeared, spreading rapidly in all directions. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and he flipped backwards over the head of the warrior who had a sword aiming to kill him.

He hit the ground rolling and came up kneeling on his right knee. His pale eyes flashed with fury and a hunger for battle. He stood up, his shoulders pulled back and his chin parallel with the ground. The rain had become a steady downpour, and the drops kissed his face and washed the black blood off him. His narrowed eyes slowly swept over the ground that was littered with dead and frozen bodies. Behind them was another battle line, fresh and ready for a fight. And as one, they began to march forward.

Kori slashed horizontally with his right hand before roundhouse kicking with his left. The approaching patrol suddenly halted as they looked at him, confusion taking control. They watched him as he continued to make strange gestures with his hands. But Kori knew what he was doing. He slowly brought both hands in front of him, folding them, while he closed his eyes. He could feel a powerful burst of power coming on, and when it reached its height, his eyes flew open. He spread both hands out in front of him before flipping once backwards. The second his feet landed on the ground, a wall of ice suddenly shot up, acting as a barrier between him and the warriors. He turned and started running. He had managed to buy him and Mizu a few minutes at the most, but he knew it wouldn't be long before the ones that hunted them would catch up.

Kori ran as fast as he could to the park, despite the rubbery feeling in his legs, the fast-paced rapid beating of his heart, the heaving of his chest, and the painful stitch that gripped his left side. He started to slow down once he disappeared into the park. The rain had turned from a medium downpour to a heavy, relentless cold sheet of water. It flattened his hair to his scalp and his clothes to his body. Lightning continued to cross the sky, and thunder continued to follow it. To top it all off, pea-sized hail started to fall. He threw his arms over his head to protect it as he scurried around, looking for Mizu.

"Over here!" Relief warmed his stomach when he heard her soft voice. She was hiding under a large bush, her sea blue eyes slightly glowing in the darkness.

"I managed to buy us a few minutes," Kori reported in a low voice, crawling underneath the low-hanging branches. The leaves were large, dark green, and glossy, with bunches of berries hanging from them. "But I don't know how long exactly. Are you okay?"

"Fine," she answered, "aside from running into a few of them." She gestured to a straight, horizontal cut that crossed beneath her right eye. Blood dripped out of it, leaking underneath the still-soft newly formed scab. Concern flashed through Kori. "But it's not bad," she assured him, "although I almost lost her. Those idiots," she added under her breath.

"Don't worry; we're almost there," Kori said in an attempt to comfort her. She turned her head to look up at him, her beautiful eyes full of tears.

"I don't want to do this," she whispered. Sadness clenched Kori's heart in a tight fist, and he put her arms around her waist.

"I don't want to either," he admitted, "but this is the only way to save her and us. Besides, I've met with them," he added, "They're really nice people. She'll be fine with them."

"Do they know about her powers?" Mizu pressed. Kori hesitated a moment before answering.

"Yes. They also know that she is destined to become a Kunoichi. That way it won't be a surprise when her powers fully awaken."

"That doesn't help, Kori," she sighed.

"Sorry," he said, guilt sinking its long claws into him. "I'm just trying to comfort you."

"I know, and it's not working," she retorted in a quiet voice. Kori winced at the sharpness of her words.

He watched her move the upper left part of her black cloak to the side so she could look down at the child that was nestled in her arms. Love and tenderness filled her sea blue eyes as she gazed down at the sleeping baby that was starting to wake from her slumber. A fierce surge of protectiveness suddenly exploded inside Kori as he watched Mizu murmur softly to their daughter, who cooed and gurgled as her mother tickled under her chin. He would do whatever it took to protect them, doing whatever and whenever, even throwing himself off a cliff, even sacrificing himself for them just to buy them time to get away from Kryptor.

"What's better than a baby girl? Nothing's better than a baby girl," Mizu repeatedly whispered. Kori could tell that she was forcing her voice to be bright.

"Except perhaps getting away from Kryptor," Kori answered in a dark tone. Mizu looked up from the infant, glaring daggers at him, before her attention returned to her daughter.

"Kori, I'm trying to get my mind off of Kryptor," she said threw tightly gritted teeth, "so please, be quiet. I don't want to frighten her."

Kori kept his mouth shut while opening his ears, straining to hear anything that might give away Kryptor or one of his warriors. The rain had eased off a little earlier, but now it was resuming, so the gentle pattering of the raindrops against the leaves muffled any noise only ever so slightly.

"I think we're safe," Kori announced after ten minutes of hearing nothing but the rain. He pushed the curtain of large, glossy leaves aside and crawled out, holding it open so that Mizu could also appear.

"I hope that he won't find us here," she whispered, checking on the infant.

"I hope he doesn't find us anywhere," Kori countered, his eyes bright with caution. He put his arm around her shoulders, and the two continued their journey.

"You may run, but you can't hide from me." Kori and Mizu started to run, but their way was blocked as a barricade of robot warriors suddenly became visible. They turned around, and found the same thing. There was nowhere to hide, nowhere to run. They were trapped, with no means of escape.

Kori snarled a warning at a warrior who took a step forward. His eyes, cold and unforgiving, raked across the others, silently daring them to take another step closer to him and Mizu.

Mizu had her lips pulled back in a sneer, her arms wrapped securely around the precious life that was hidden under her cloak. She blinked once, and her eyes started to glow an iridescent blue. A soft sea blue glow outlined her, and the ground started to shake violently, twisting and rolling back and forth as if they had suddenly become waves like those of an ocean, but earthen. Huge jets of water exploded out of the ground, reaching for the sky before it swirled back to the ground in streams. Kori suddenly reached out and grabbed his daughter as Mizu started to twist and bend her limber body, her eyes narrowed to slits as she concentrated hard.

The water suddenly broke into large circles which cycled around the feet of dozens of robotic warriors. Mizu suddenly twisted both her wrists and the streams changed into large balls of water. The warriors stood no chance against the cold and fierce current, and they quickly short-circuited.

"Let's go now!" The glow around Mizu faded away as she grabbed Kori's arm, sliding the child out of his arms and into her own. Her eyes went back to their normal sea blue, and the two once more began to run.

They stuck to the shadows, casting the occasional glance over their shoulder to make sure that they weren't being followed by Kryptor or by any other warriors. After for traveling in darkness for twenty-five minutes, they finally reached the edge of a peaceful-looking neighborhood.

"This is it, isn't?" Mizu asked, turning her head to look at Kori. Her eyes shone with unshed tears, and he felt his throat close with emotion as he gazed down at her.

"Yes," he answered in a hoarse voice. He nodded in the direction of a small light gray brick house with large trees that lined the driveway. "That is it."

A tear finally made its way out of Mizu's eye, and started to slide slowly down her cheek. Sniffing once, she raised a hand and brushed it away, but more took its place until tears streamed down her cheeks silently. A blade of sadness and grief pierced Kori's heart as he watched Mizu lower her head to kiss the forehead of her child for the last time.

"I can't wait anymore," she whispered in a tear-choked voice. She handed the infant to Kori, who accepted the precious bundle without saying anything.

Kori snuck stealthily up to the front door of the house, kissing the child's cheek once before setting her carefully and gently on the mat before ringing the doorbell. He immediately fled back to where Mizu was hiding behind a nearby bush. Crouching down next to her, the two watched in silence as the door opened, revealing a woman, no older than twenty-four. She looked around before glancing downwards. Shock settled in her eyes as she stooped down, picking the baby up in her arms. Looking once more around, she closed the door.

Kori felt Mizu tense suddenly as the two watched as a man suddenly appeared in full view of the window. He exchanged a few words with his wife, and the two peered down into the sleepy face of two-month-old infant.

"Kori, I hope you made a good selection," Mizu murmured as she buried her face into his shoulder and started to cry softly. He put both arms around her waist. Hot tears blurred his vision as he replied in a soft voice, "I have."

(End of flashback)

(Jen's POV)

I felt numbed. From my head, to the tips of my fingers, and down to my toes, I felt numb. My throat was tight, making it hard to breathe. My gaze switched from Kori and Mizu.

"Now do you see why we had to do it?" Mizu asked; anguish clouding her eyes that were the exact same color as mine. I swallowed hard, trying to get ridge of the lump that I felt in the back of my throat.

"He knew all along," I croaked, "he knew about my blood, and…" That's when it finally sunk in. I dropped to my knees, my gaze fixed on the ground.

"Jen, Mizu and I would have died as many times as we needed to just to keep you safe," Kori said, kneeling down in front of me, and placing a hand on my shoulder. I looked up at him, and his eyes were firm, yet gentle at the same time.

"What exactly is so special about my blood?" I asked in a hollow voice. Kori and Mizu exchanged looks. There was a brief, silent argument between the two, and then Mizu sighed.

"You are able to revive the dead and heal any wound with only a single drop of your blood," she answered, and I could see honesty making her eyes firm; she was telling the truth. "There will be no illness or disease that you will not be able to cure. However," she added, "in the wrong hands, it could become deadly."

"Like how?" I wondered.

"If more than five drops of your blood are used on a single person within three hours, it becomes dangers, even deadly," Kori replied. Whenever I cocked my head to the left in question, he continued on.

"One drop heals minor scrapes and scratches; two takes care of deeper cuts; three is for influenza. Four heals cancer, and five revives the dead. Anything above that becomes dangerous," he added in a serious tone, "six becomes a poison that blinds the victim, seven causes symptoms like those of a bite of a Black Widow spider, and eight starts an internal organ collapse. Nine drops of your blood becomes an incurable poison, and ten causes a torturously slow and painful death."

"But why does Kryptor want me so badly if he and his stupid robots are made of metal and gears?" I pointed out.

"Not everyone in his army is a nindroid," Mizu warned. I felt like smacking myself. Well, duh…

"Emily," I growled. "Of course it makes sense for her, that power-hungry traitor." Mizu and Kori looked at each other with exasperation. I could tell what they were thinking: Really? This is our kid? Wow…

"Besides, he mostly wants you so he can have a supply of poison on hand," Mizu jumped in.

"Thank you very much for that lovely image, Mizu," I said rather sarcastically, "the last thing I really want in my mind is Cole or one of the others lying in a pool of blood, one side of the skull smashed open with brain goo oozing out, while the body is all twisted and broken, and…"

"Jen, we get it," the F.S.M. interrupted me.

"Well I hope you get it," I muttered crossly under my breath, which resulted in me getting hard glares from Kori and Mizu.

"Anyways," Mizu said, "Jen needs to get her sleep, as she has a certain competition tomorrow."

"Oh, yeah! I actually would have been getting some nice sleep right now if it hadn't been for you three"-I glared at Kori, Mizu, and the F.S.M.-"so, if you don't mind, I would actually very much rather been relaxing in a dream where it's all unicorns and rainbows and butterflies and lush green meadows with wild flowers and perfectly blue skies and a yellow sun, with not a single worry in the world. Now how does that sound?"

"Jen, this is serious," Kori said sternly, "if Kryptor would ever happen to get his hands on you, then Ninjago is doomed for the rest of eternity. And I might as well say this now, but nothing can harm you because of your blood."

"That's a lie," the F.S.M. snapped at him, "you know there is one thing that truly can." He turned his head to look at me before he said anything else. "There is actually only one thing that can truly bring harm to you."

"And what would that be?" I stood up, pulling my shoulders back and staring at him defiantly in the eye.

"A platinum sword, cured in the waters that were used to cure the Golden and Silver Weapons, with a reinforced edge of diamond and sapphire. It is so sharp that it can shred a rock like a piece of paper."

"So, is that it?"

"I believe so." I sighed, my eyes slightly wide.

"Now I'll never be able to go to sleep!" I threw my hands in the air for added emphasis. "As if I wasn't worried enough as it is right now, I now have to add to my already very long list of worries: Beware platinum sword because you'll die! Oh, and besides that, I have an ice skating competition, which would be the first in probably two years, and the last thing I want is for Kryptor, Zane, or Emily to show up and ruin it! But knowing them, one, two, or all three of them, for all I know, could show up and abduct me!" I screeched shrilly at the top of my voice. Was I reaching my breaking point? Yeah, I was. I took a deep breath before I could continue to scream.

"And if that was to actually happen, then Cole would be beating himself up by self-blame and anger! He feels like he should have done something to prevent all this! First, Zane's been missing for four months, and then Emily decides to betray us and join with Kryptor. And now that he has those two, the last thing he really needs is me! This is a very bad time for all of this to come up, and thank you very much for telling me explaining to me exactly why Kryptor is very interested in me, and-"

"Alright, we get it!" Kori shouted over me. His icy blue eyes were smoldering with anger, and I immediately shut my mouth. Maybe I had gone to far.

Everything around me started to fade away, which meant I was waking up.

"No, Jen, you're wrong." I could barely hear Kori's words as the ground beneath my feet started to flicker and vanish. "This was the perfect time to tell you." And then I woke up.

(Josh's POV)

Jen was unusually quiet this morning as we ate breakfast, which was just cinnamon bread toast, a large variety of Pop-Tarts, and cold cereal. Cole was absent, but we all knew why: he was ashamed of his new hair cut. Last I checked, he was hiding under his covers, peering out from underneath them as Kai, Jay, Lloyd, and myself walked out of the room.

"What's up with you this morning?" Jordan asked the silent Water Kunoichi. Jen looked at her, startled.

"Oh, um, nerves," she stammered, "The morning of a competition always makes me nervous." But something in her eyes said otherwise. Narrowing my eyes at her, I concentrated. Sure enough, I could feel the pulse of her aura radiating off her. It was troubled and a little fearful and worried. She glared at me, and I immediately leaned back in my chair, adopting a casual position.

"Josh, I need to talk to you right now," Jen said, her voice icy. I rose from my chair without question and followed her into the hallway and onto the deck.

"I'm not a physic, so you can't ask me what your future will be today," I warned her.

"I wasn't going to ask you that," she snapped at me, a fierce scowl on her face. I held my hands up as if I was surrendering.

"But you're going to ask me something, I know that," I added.

"I actually wasn't going to ask you anything," she countered, "instead, I really need to tell someone this, and you're the only one suitable. It's a secret, and no one else can know it." I could hear desperation in her voice, and I nodded, somber.

"I've figured out why Kryptor wants my blood," she began in a low voice, her eyes darting back and forth.

"Really? How?"

"Please, don't interrupt me," she said, "Anyways, it turns out that I'm able to heal people. However, if it's more than five drops within three hours, it becomes poison and deadly. Also, it turns out that my parents are actually Kori and Mizu."

"Ice and Water," I translated, and Jen nodded. "Well, I guess that explains why you're so good at doing your awesome water tricks."

"I suppose," she sighed. "But you can't tell anyone this, got that?" she added fiercely. I gave her a curt nod, and I could feel a strong wave of relief spread throughout her and her aura.

"Is that all, or is there anything else?" I pressed.

"Well, there is one last bit, and this is the secret that the two of us have to take with us to the grave"-I suddenly felt cold at that part-"and that is that I am unable to have any harm or serious damage inflicted on me, except for one thing: a platinum sword that has been cured in the water that cured the Golden and Silver Weapons, and a blade reinforced with diamond and sapphire. That it the only thing that can truly inflict any serious damage on me. Other than that, nothing really seems to happen, apparently."

"But what about the day after the Final Battle?" I reminded her.

"That was a concussion, a broken leg and arm, and bruises," she said, "and the cuts were caused by blades that had been cured using the Dark Matter. Still bad, but apparently, the platinum sword is the only thing can"-she leaned forward and whispered in my ear in a very soft and low voice-"kill me." She pulled back and looked at me. I gulped, and let that sink in.

"And you don't want the others to know-"

"Because then they'll put me under house arrest." Jen finished my sentence. "And you're the only one that I know can keep a secret and not let it slip out, either by accident or on purpose. Your element prevents you from letting that happen," she added, "so consider yourself lucky. You've got your own self-lock, and because Life is supposed to be honest and true, it's practically impossible for a secret to come out of your mouth."

"But that isn't always necessarily a good thing!" I protested. "I could be a witness to something terrible, and then I'd get seen, and then I'd be forced to keep it, unable to tell anyone. I mean, sure, I could try and give hints, but my element will force me to keep the secret in. Unless of course you add in on top of it the fact that I'm supposed to be honest, then that tends to get a little out of whack, because Sensei or one of the others could tell me to tell your secret, and then honest and true parts get into a fight, and then I just stand there like a dope."

"True," Jen said slowly, her eyes dark in thought. It was quiet for a few minutes after that, and then she added, "That makes sense, actually."

"Yep, sure does. So, is that it, or is there more to your secret?"

"I'll let you know if anything new pops up," she promised before turning around and walked to the dining room, which left me to just stand there and think.

The fact that Jen decided to tell me and not one of the others says that she trusts me a lot. Also, she's right about me not being able to tell anyone her secret(s), because me being Life, it's rather hard trying to break a promise, or trying to tell someone another's secret. Anyway, I was with Jen when we found that cave where Kryptor's headquarters are…or were, because he might have moved to a new secret location, so of course it would make sense for Jen to tell me and not one of the others, but then again, if she wanted Sensei to know also, she would have told him first and not me, but then she could have wanted me to know first, and then she probably went back inside to tell Sensei, or…

I shook my head back and forth vigorously to clear it of the clouds. I was just confusing myself, plus I was being redundant. With a shrug, I headed back down to the dining room to finish breakfast.

(Sam's POV)

At about two-thirteen in the afternoon, we stood outside Ninjago City's Ice Arena, waiting impatiently in the back of the line that snaked halfway down the block.

Jen had already gotten inside, and was no doubt getting ready, plus probably taking pictures with crazed fanboys and signing posters and photos.

"She signed my poster!" A boy, probably about eleven, yelled with joy, as he came running back to where his parents where standing right in front of us. He was waving around a two foot by three foot sized poster that featured Jen doing one her fancy twirls. His morning glory blue eyes shone with excitement, and he couldn't stop prancing about.

"She posed with me for a picture!" Another boy screeched. Nya, Rachel, and I had to hide our giggles behind our hands as more excited screams, yells, and screeches started to fill the air.

"I have her autograph!" "I have her picture!" "I have the first edition of her posters, all of them signed!"

"Jen will be exhausted before the competition even truly starts," Jordan said casually, blowing a bubble before popping it loudly.

"And I thought being famous for being a Kunoichi was bad," I muttered, "this is worse."

"I'm sure the poor Water Kunoichi will be fine." Cole had his head lowered with the hood of his dark gray hoodie pulled down over his head. He was very ashamed and embarrassed about his new haircut, and this morning when he finally showed up for breakfast, he was wearing a black fedora that was pulled down low over his eyes.

After waiting in line for about seven minutes, we finally got inside.

"Guys!" The call made us turn around. Jen was running over to us, her long beach blond hair pulled back into an elegant bun.

"Seems like you're quite the celebrity here," Jay mused.

"Hey, when you set multiple records, along with breaking quite a few of them, you're bound to get noticed around here," she answered smoothly.

"True."

"So, why are you out here and not getting ready?" Cole asked.

"I just thought I'd tell you to keep your eyes open. I've seen a few people acting strangely, and I've got a bad feeling," she warned, "so if something does happen, hopefully you guys won't be caught off guard that much." And then she turned around and hared away.

"Well, that sounds like fun, doesn't it?" I asked. "So, shall we get our seats?"

(Rachel's POV)

I fidgeted around in my seat, impatient for the competition to start. Lloyd turned his head to look at me, his emerald green eyes sparkling as always.

"Relax, Rachel," he said, "Nothing bad is going to happen." Sure…

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the forty-second annual Ninjago Ice Skating Competition!" The announcer announced over the speakers. "Skaters from all around Ninjago have come here to participate, and let's give them a big thank you!" The audience clapped, cheered, and whistled.

"And now, time to introduce our competitors!" He proceeded to list the names of the skaters, and they appeared onto the rink when their names were called, and then said: "And last, but most certainly not least, the one who has a name etched in gold and who has set multiple records, the one and only…Jennifer Brythingham!"

The crowd went absolutely nuts as she appeared on the ice, waving and smiling the smile that drove guys crazy. Kai even wolf-whistled. Her name was screamed loudly by her adoring fanboys, and plus since we were in a place that echoed, it was magnified about five times. Someone even brought a foghorn, so that was being blown, adding to the noise.

"When she said she was well-known, I didn't think she meant famous!" Lloyd shouted over the noise so I could hear him. I looked at him and nodded.

"And now, time for the competition to begin! Skaters, good luck to you all!" The announcement rang around the rink, and then everyone began to quiet down and sat down in their chairs.

The first skater skated out to the middle of the rink, looking slightly nervous, but determined at the same time. He took a deep breath, and when the music started up, he began his routine.

"Jen's up next!" Nya waved the flyer around for a few seconds, looking like an excited six-year-old girl that just received a new princess coloring book, before slouching back into her chair. Cole, Jay, Kai, Josh, Lloyd, Sam, Jordan, and I exchanged eager looks. This was it. The moment we were waiting for.

We applauded politely for the skater that just finished, and she left the rink, looking breathless. All nine of us leaned forward, our elbows on our knees. We stared straight ahead, and I was shaking, I was that excited.

The entire arena went black except for a single spotlight that shone on Jen as she skated soundlessly to the middle of the rink, looking calm and relaxed, as if there was no one here. She waited patiently for her song to begin. I wanted to squeal and then pass out once I recognized it. It was Avicii's Wake Me Up.

She started out going slow, performing the usual spins and twisty up-and-down things (whatever those are called), and then the instrumental part of the chorus started. Immediately, bright neon spotlights lit up the entire arena, and Jen's movements became swifter and faster until she seemed to be nothing but a blur of shimmery and sparkly light ice blue material with a sea blue pattern that spiraled. The metal blades of her skates reflected the different colored lights.

The song hit the second verse, and she kept changing her moves so that it was never the same twice. Then it went back to the chorus, the third verse, and then finally back to the chorus. When the song was over, Jen was exactly where she had begun: in the middle of the arena. Her arms were above over her head, which was tilted up and a smile on her face. A flash of material caught my attention, which made me turn my head to look at it. My blood turned to ice as I recognized the pale skin and beach blond hair. But before I could say anything, the lights suddenly went out. Everything was deathly silent. For about four minutes we were like that. And then, a loud shriek shattered the silence into a million pieces, and the lights suddenly turned back on. Nya gave Jay a terror-filled look, which he passed onto Sam, who passed it on to Kai, who passed it on to me, and then I passed it onto Lloyd, and then he passed it on to Cole. We all stared down at the rink in horror, because Jen was there, her feet locked in ice.

IT'S ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER!

I actually didn't want to leave you guys hanging here, but it kinda turned out that way...oops...

For someone who doesn't ice skate, did I do good for the last bit?

Okay, so now at least we know why Jen's blood is so special, and her true parentage. Did I do good with the flashback?

Might as well do Q.T.:

1) Did I do good with the ice skating stuff?

2) Was the flashback okay, or was it crappy?

3) Do you think Jen's popular enough at the Ice Arena?

4) Did I miss anything that seemed worthy of being featured in a Q.T. question? (If I did, please say so in your review)

I'll try to hurry with the next chapter, and until next time: review, vote on my poll if you haven't already, have a good day/night, have a good weekend, and peace.

(I hope I don't have any writer's block for Chapter 21)