Chapter 5

Minutes felt like hours and hours felt like days.

Okay, maybe it's only been three hours since Jay and Cole recently woke up and discovered the predicament they're in, but to them it felt like forever. The small prison felt pretty much like home even if it was a little cramped. It became boring just sitting there waiting for someone to come along and rescue them from this nightmare, but what other choice did they have? They were completely powerless thanks to the venge stone.

Cole couldn't help but sit there and count down the minutes to when this whole matrimonial ceremony would even begin. He was hoping someone would come and save them or else he and Jay would have to suffer being matched up with two women they had no plans to spend the rest of their lives with. The master of earth still thought it horrid to even think about spending the remainder of his days with Ultra Violet. Those sickening thoughts just made him want to vomit.

But even as he sat there against the wall, Cole couldn't help but watch as Jay scribbled in a small notepad he always carried around with him and was curious to know what the blue ninja was writing. But he knew better than to intrud and be considered a snoop, even though he really, really, really wanted to know.

It was that moment Jay sat the notepad down on the floor and stood up, stretching his body. "I need to use the bathroom real quick. I'll only be a minute."

Thankfully, Ultra Violet was kind enough to place a curtain around a toilet and sink that were installed in one corner of the room to insure them some privacy. Both were glad to not have to watch each other use the bathroom whenever they needed to go. And at least it was an actual toilet instead of a rusty bucket.

But Cole took this opportunity to sneak a peek of what Jay had been writing while the master of lightning was busy behind the curtain. It usually takes the blue ninja a few minutes whenever he went to the bathroom, which gave Cole plenty of time to read what was jotted down in the notepad.

Picking up the small writing notebook, Cole first noticed the title on the first little line that stated "My Proposal To Nya." It was mainly a bunch of bullet points to what he wanted to say and how he planned to put it together, memorize it and tell her to finally express his feelings to spend the rest of his life with the master of water.

Cole was just about to flip to the fourth page since the pages in the notepad wfelvery small and the notes took up at least three tiny pages. He was about to turn to the page where the entire proposal would come together when he heard a gasp behind him.

The earth ninja didn't realize Jay had just came from the bathroom and the lightning ninja quickly swiped the notepad from Cole's hands, glaring at him the whole time. "What's the big idea of poking your nose in my business? What I write down in this notepad is none of your concern!"

Cole crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh really? So it's none of my concern that you plan to ask Nya to marry you?"

Jay hesitated for a moment, then sighed and nodded. "Yes, it's true. I've put a lot of serious thought into it for a while now and I'm ready to make this next big step in my life. I even bought her an engagement ring."

"You did?"

"Yeah, but I don't have it on me. It's in my dresser back at the monastery. I actually had it all planned out. Next Saturday, actually. I made reservations at Nya's favorite sushi restaurant, then afterwards take her out to see the movie she's been dying to see ever since they made the trailer for it and then take her to her favorite skyscraper in Ninjago City where we can be outside under the stars and I can propose to her right there on the spot. This time I have a plan and I won't wait at the worst possible time."

"Well, I will admit, Jay, you have matured a lot over the years. I don't have a doubt in my mind about any of this. So you gonna tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"The marriage proposal you wrote for Nya. I know you've finally got it put together. Maybe I might give you a few pointers if you need it."

Jay was a little hesitant. "I don't know. I finally finished writing it for the fifth time. I just want it to be perfect. This is a huge step in the next stage of life. I just don't wanna mess it up."

"Just read it, Jay."

Sighing, Jay turned to the page where his final draft was. Clearing his throat, he began. "Nya, the first moment I laid eyes on you, you're like no other girl I've met. And the girls I've met before you never really like me because they always said I was nerdy and too much into technology and inventing, but you were the first girl who never judged me for my interests. And even though I couldn't speak to you the first moment we met, I really wanted to know what your favorite color was. I was the happiest man alive when you said it was blue, but having a lot of things in common doesn't define our love. What defines our love is by the both of us working together. Fighting alongside one another. Helping each other when we need it the most. I know you don't always ask for help, considering you're a strong, courageous, independent, beautiful maiden, but whether or not you need help, I'll still be by your side no matter what and will wait for you when you need me. Really and truly, you make me happy in every way possible. In a way nobody else has ever been able to do. I will always love you to my heart's content and I wanna spend the rest of my life with you. So I come down upon my knees with the ring in my hand and ask you. Will you marry me, Nya Smith?"

"Yes."

Jay gasped, knowing that sweet voice anywhere. "Nya? Is that you?"

"Yes, Jay, I'm here," Nya said to him, "I'm outside the door."

Jay walked up to the door, looking through the bars while also hearing sniffles. "Nya, are you crying?"

"No, that's Carol, but I'm actually on the verge of tears. I always had a feeling you felt that way towards me, but I never expected to actually hear you say them."

Jay sighed. "I'm sorry, Nya. I didn't mean for you to hear that just yet. I had it all planned and-"

Nya shushed him. "Don't worry about that, Jay. Regardless of how your proposal went, I'll still say yes to marrying you. And I'll do everything in my power to keep Murtessa from taking you away from me. Because now you're my betrothed."

Jay smiled. "Oh, I wish I could kiss you right now, but the bars of the doors are keeping me from locking my lips with yours."

Nya chuckled. "Don't worry. We'll get you guys out of there."

Carol stood next to Nya. "Don't worry, Cole. I'll make sure Ultra Violet never sees the light of day ever again. She'll regret ever trying to marry you. But is there a reason why you guys couldn't get out of here earlier? You are the master of earth, Cole. You have the strength to take down the door."

Cole chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, about that, we've been chained up with venge stone." He showed the girls the band of the material that rendered his and Jay's powers useless.

Carol nodded in understanding. "Of course the enemy would make sure to keep you guys from escaping at all cost. Luckily, I have a spell that can get rid of the door."

"Oh, thank goodness!" Jay exclaimed in relief, "Use it, please!"

"Patience," Carol told the blue ninja, "I need silence to concentrate." Placing her hand upon the metal door, she quietly whispered the words,cameugata o kesu," and the door vanished before their very eyes.

"Woah," was all Jay could say witnessing such incredible magic and stepping out into the hall with Cole following behind him.

"Okay, let's get out of here," Nya told them as they all quickly, but quietly made it through the hall.

But before they could even come close to making it to the exit, Murtessa and Ultra Violet came up out of nowhere, along with a few other goons, blocking the only way out.

Ultra Violet gave a creepy smile. "Going somewhere?"

Nya growled. "You bet we are!"

"Well, good luck trying to get passed us. Let's take them down."

"Attack!" Murtessa shouted, holding up a club.

A fight soon broke out. The girls went up against Murtessa and Ultra Violet while the boys went up against the goons. But the bad guys proved to be stronger than the heroes assumed. Somehow, somewhere, they were given these strange powers that not even the ninja were prepared to fight against. No matter what, the side of darkness dodged every blow that came their way, giving them the advantage.

"What is up with these guys?" Nya panted, "Why can't we defeat them?"

"I don't know," Jay told her, "We're not prepared for this fight."

"We can't give up," Cole said, "We need to keep fighting."

But Cole soon regretted saying that and thought maybe it would've been a good idea to run instead of sticking around. Somehow a cage appeared from thin air, trapping Nya and Carol inside as if they were a pair of caged birds that would never be set free. The boys were finally defeated and were in the clutches of the thugs they were fighting with earlier.

Ultra Violet laughed. "Evil will prevail this time. Get the boys down to the ceremony room. I wanna have a talk with these two."

What more could the ninja do? The girls were trapped, the boys were powerless. There was only one thought in their minds.

That this is the end for them all.

Sugata o kesu (Japanese) = Disappear (English)

OH, MAN! THIS IS GETTING CRAZY! WHAT DOES ULTRA VIOLET PLAN TO TELL THE GIRLS? ARE THEY REALLY GOING TO CALL THIS THE END?

FIND OUT IN THE FINAL CHAPTER.

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