And . . . we're back!

Yeah, so I took a lot longer break than I originally planned to. Part of that was because I needed to step away from the story for a while. It can get kind of tiring when you're working on the same thing for so long. But thank you all so much for your patience and encouragement, I really appreciate you guys so much!

Now let's get back into it! The two ninja teams have formed an alliance along with the other Elemental Masters, Master Wu has gone silent, and Chen has Skylor and is loose somewhere on the island. We're basically on ep 8 of season four (Day of the Dragon) if that helps. The second half of this chapter is from the preview that I originally posted so you might have already read that part. I'm really excited to continue this story with you guys, I've got a lot of fun stuff in store! ;)

The quay in front of Chen's palace was alive with activity as the Elemental Alliance tore down, in mere minutes, everything that Master Chen had spent years building up. Seliel was pleasantly surprised by how well the alliance was getting along so far. All the Elemental Masters were working together to seize Chen's palace, questioning the wait staff and rounding up any of the cultists that hadn't already fled with their master. Even the truce with Wu's ninja still held strong.

Seliel and the Earth Ninja had organized groups to take on the various tasks of guarding the prisoners, searching for Chen, and destroying all possible means of transportation off the island. Seliel was on transport duty. She watched with satisfaction as Chen's blimp sunk to the ground, air seeping out with a long sigh. The snake insignia on the balloon warped as it collapsed flat on the ground. Cheers rose up around her, and she grinned. All this sabotage was really good for morale.

"Now the ferry!" she ordered and Bolobo waved his staff. Vines of seaweed curled around the vessel, and in seconds, the framework was squeezed into splinters and the ship went under.

Just then, she saw Cole returning with his search party. She gestured to Pixal and they regrouped with Cole, Kai, and Zane for a progress update.

"The palace and sleeping quarters are all clear," Cole reported. "But still no sign of Chen and Clouse."

"And Skylor?" Seliel asked, getting to the only point that she cared about.

"No sign of her," Kai answered.

"They can't have gotten far," Zane said.

Cole nodded. "He's right. With no way off this island, it's only a matter of time."

"Even so, the island is very large," Pixal pointed out. "If we want to locate Chen soon, we will need to find a way to narrow our search."

"What do you suggest?" Cole asked.

Pixal began to explain the beginnings of a plan in nearly unintelligible scientific terms and Seliel had to suppress a laugh at the look on Cole's face. Clearly he was in over his head, but Zane at least seemed to follow her.

In just the short time that they had been working together, Seliel was surprised at how well the other ninja had cooperated so far. Even though Seliel and Cole were both acting as leaders of their respective teams, they hadn't butted heads too much yet. He was actually quite considerate and listened to her suggestions rather than demanding his own way, as she had expected. But she didn't want to get too comfortable around him or his friends. There was always the chance that they could turn at any moment.

Sensei Garmadon approached Seliel, and she left Cole to try and figure out whatever Pixal's plan was.

"I'm proud of you girls," he said. "You've done what the original Elemental Masters never could: stick together. And despite your differences you've even managed to cooperate with your rivals. But you must not rest on your laurels, for your guard is down when you sleep."

"I know. I'm still concerned that those boys are up to something." Seliel sighed. "But I can't blame them for everything. I blame myself for letting Chen take Skylor. I rested on my laurels then, as well. I was too confident with winning to see that my friend needed me."

"A lesson to learn from," Sensei Garmadon agreed. "But Chen has always been crafty. Don't be too hard on yourself."

Seliel thought that he was too forgiving, but she wasn't about to argue with him. "Pixal thinks she might have a way to find them."

"Good. Chen's men are behaving themselves for now. Although I can't say the same for Lloyd."

Seliel spotted the boy making faces at the prisoners that were tied up near the gate. Seliel laughed to herself as his mother came and snatched him away by the back of his green gi.

"Still, I feel kind of bad for him," she said. "He must be restless."

"It serves him right for running away," Garmadon said grumpily.

Seliel laughed again and wondered if they had any menial tasks for Lloyd to do that would keep him occupied.

"I was just about to check on Nya's progress with the land vehicles," he said, "but I wanted to see what else you might need help with."

"Nothing much right now, we're just finishing up out here. But if you see trouble, let me know right away." Garmadon smiled in amusement, and Seliel realized too late that she was giving orders to her own sensei. "I mean . . . please?"

"I'll keep you updated." He put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "But I mean what I said, Seliel. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, Sensei." She wanted to agree with him. But she didn't think she could feel proud of herself until she made things right.

The rush of the waterfall screening the cavern echoed off the stone walls. Sunlight filtered through the cascade, illuminating the dim cave and the handful of soldier's that milled about taking inventory and posting guards. Skylor's dad's army had been reduced to almost nothing. There was so little left of the empire he had created on this little island, but he still wasn't going to give up. He was preparing to leave this place as soon as possible, to escape from the Elemental Alliance with nothing more than a Blade Copter and a fraction of his army. He was nothing if not resilient.

As for Skylor, she had long since stopped struggling against the chains that held her to a large stone. It was probably safer for everyone this way. She could still remember the fear in Lloyd's eyes and her father's pleading voice when she held the Staff of Elements. Its power had nearly consumed her. She had come so killing her father out of anger. She couldn't forget that feeling, and she couldn't forget what she had almost done.

Clear-headed, she could still say that she loved her father, just as she always had. Despite all his faults, she couldn't ignore the years she had known Chen as a man who cared for her and supported her, even if only when it was convenient. Being away from him and having someone like Sensei Garmadon to compare him to, it had become clearer how selfish her father truly was. But he still loved her, just as she still loved him.

Chains clinked as she shifted on her feet, and she conceded that, perhaps the handcuffs were taking it a little too far. After all, obtaining power had always been one of her father's top priorities, and it had often come between them. Yet, even when she fell recklessly from his blimp, he had been there to save her.

And she had almost killed him for it.

Skylor knew that she wasn't normally the killing type, but she worried about what it said about her if her judgment was so easily overcome by the staff's influence. Perhaps the person she thought she was had only been a façade. Perhaps there was really a dark, power-hungry beast lurking just beneath the surface that she hadn't before known existed. Was it possible that her father had been like her before he got his first taste of true power?

Skylor leaned back, resting her head against the damp rock and closed her eyes. The steady rumble of the falls might have soothed her, but her fearful thoughts kept her on edge.

Since the start of the tournament, Skylor's friends had been telling her that she wasn't like her father. But what if they were wrong? What if she was actually so much like him that she had tricked them into thinking she was different?

The more Skylor thought about it, the more she could remember times when she had sought power over others. When she had joined the team on their first mission, she had immediately tried to assume command. She had given orders without hardly any regard for their well-being. And during the tournament, she had manipulated Kai just to win one round. And now she had tried to kill her own father in the name of vengeance.

Maybe she really was as bad as her father.

Maybe she was worse.

Quick note: CheezPretzel wrote a short drabble about Jay based on this AU, entitled "Strength in All Forms." You can find it right here on FFN. So if you can't get enough of this story and want more, go look it up, it's a really great read! I've read a lot of her other stories as well and I'm a big fan.