HI everybody! It's me, JayHawk (i mean, who else did you expect? XD). Here's the new story I promised! I will not be updating this one quite as often, every ten days or so. Thanks for all your support for my other story, Return of Sarok. I hope you like this one as well!
"Are you serious?" Kai exploded, "You don't want to come on the fastest, wildest, most crazy roller coaster in all of Ninjago?" "Nope!" his sister, Nya, replied brightly. "I must decline, as well," Sensei Wu added, "Roller coasters tend to do a number on these old bones." Kai shook his head, glancing in disapproval at his sister. "Then I guess it's just the four of us, then?" Cole, Jay and Zane grinned. "Just like old times," Jay murmured reminiscently. "Oh, stop it," Cole scolded, slapping him playfully on the back, "Let's go."
"Hey! I want to come!" Lloyd protested. "Sorry, squirt," Kai replied, mussing Lloyd's sandy blonde hair. "The sign says you have to be at least 60 inches tall. Maybe you could catch the Ferris wheel with Sensei and Nya," he teased. Lloyd scowled and stomped away. "But I hate Ferris wheels! Does anyone have a measuring tape? Because I really don't think…" his voice faded into the general chatter of the fairground as the Dragon Coaster car pulled up, clattering against the sturdy tracks. The ninja slid in line just as a large group of teenagers entered. "Whew, I'm glad we got in before them," Jay commented, "The line would've taken forever!"
The attendant let the six kids in front of then on the now-empty cart, and as the next one came and its occupants filed to the exit, the four ninja hopped aboard. The attendant invited two of the members of the large group to join, but they declined. "Dude, we'll stay together. If you don't mind." So the ninja were alone.
As the cart trundled down the track, quickly picking up speed, Jay clenched the handlebars in anticipation. Ever since Nya had been chained to a similar coaster by the serpentine, and he had to go save her, getting a kiss on the cheek and his full potential as a result, he'd had a thing for roller coasters. Just so long as they lacked broken tracks and a flaming hoop at the end.
"Woohoo!" Kai hollered, as they plunged down a sharp dip in the track. "This," Zane exclaimed breathlessly, "This is quite fun!" Cole jerked his head up, face slightly green. Jay got a mischievous look on his face and reached into his pocket. Ignoring the knifing wind whistling past, he pulled out an energy bar and peeled back the wrapper.
"Hey, Cole, you're looking a little green," he observed innocently, "Want a Porburry bar?" "Please, Jay, no!" the black ninja moaned, clutching his stomach for added drama. Jay chuckled and put the snack away.
As they approached the final loop-de-loop, Kai squinted at it. "What's that?" Zane glanced ahead. "I'm drawing a blank." "Woah!" Jay slid to the edge of his seat, staring wide-eyed at the wall of swirling purple that rested on the track. "It's getting closer!" Kai panicked and started fiddling with his seat belt.
An instant later, the plummeted through it and disappeared.
The empty car raced onward, coming to a stop in front of the bewildered attendant. But what could he do? Shrugging, he let the next six on. One teen was wide-eyed as he explained to his friends what he saw. "And dude, there was this huge purple flash! I didn't know they had something like that on here!"
But when they reached the final loop-de-loop, the violet light was gone.
(~&&&~)
It was dark inside. Prying his eyes back open, Cole focused on a pinprick of light in the distance and started walking towards it. As he got closer, he noticed a strong current, pulling him along. He stopped, but the current increased dramatically, making his hair whip untamed around his head. He dug in his heels, but the wind swept him off his feet and hurled him into the light.
When he reopened his eyes, he was face down on rough asphalt. Getting to his feet, he brushed himself off; only to be knocked down again as his friends tumbled out of thin air on top of him.
"Where are we?" Jay asked, "Last thing I remember was being sucked in, beat up, and spat out by that… thing." "Can you get off?" Cole grumbled grumpily. "Oh, sorry, Cole," Kai apologized, backing away. Then he did a double take. "Cole? Uh… you look… different!" The red ninja stumbled over his bewildered words. "You all do!"
The ninja were wide-eyed. Each stared at the others, taking in their new appearances. Instead of a normal face, their heads were now shaped like an inverted teardrop; their eyes like almonds. The ground seemed farther away. Their bodies were longer, more graceful, and more defined. "What in the world-" "You mean, what in this world," Zane corrected Jay, "I highly doubt we are still in Ninjago."
Peering out of the alleyway they were situated in, Cole tried to be optimistic. "At least we won't stick out as much," he said, pointing out at the throngs of similar-looking people milling around. "Looks like we're still at an amusement park," Jay observed, "If not the same one."
The instant they stepped out of the alleyway, an exceptionally large woman bustled over and snatched Jay and Zane by the hoods of their jackets. "'Ere, now," she began in a heavy southern accent, holding the teenagers she had seized out at her sides like a pair of disobedient tomcats, "If ye kids don't quit arunnin' off, ye'll be spread 'alf a'way 'round the world! Now, git yerselves back to yer groups b'fore I make a full report to the principal!"
Releasing a scowling Zane and Jay with a push, she stared at them expectantly. "Umm… what groups?" Jay inquired, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yer school groups," she explained impatiently, gesturing towards five or six groups of teenagers, each donned in a bright color. "Okay, ma'am," Kai replied compliantly, starting for the red group. The lady gave a satisfied snort and walked away, no doubt in search of another group of stragglers.
"What are you doing?" Cole hissed, "We don't belong here!" "Listen," Kai replied intensely, "We need a place to go temporarily until we figure out what's going on, without attracting a whole lot of unwanted attention, and this is the perfect opportunity. Keep your eyes open." With that, he melted into the red group. The others, after finding their respective colors, did the same.
The sun was setting, casting menacing shadows over the popcorn-scattered fairgrounds. An older teen at the edge of the chattering red group whistled sharply, and gradually everyone grew quiet.
"Who's that?" Kai whispered to a shorthaired girl next to him. "The councilor," she replied, "It's time to go pick our dorms." Kai nodded and began moving with the group in the general direction of the exit. A glance around told him the others were leaving as well, hopefully to the same destination.
"Where are we going?" Kai asked again. The shorthaired girl gave him a strange look and moved away. Kai got the hint and silenced himself; content to watch in relief as the other groups boarded buses similar to the one the red group was approaching.
(~&&&~)
"We're on a school bus… there's dorms… are we going to school or something?" Kai wondered aloud. He was suddenly finding hidden doubts in his plan. How would they ever fit in at a school?
As they pulled to a stop, Kai eyed the tiny school nervously. If anything went wrong… He filed off the bus, brimming with anxiety. The teenagers grouped on the lush lawn, filling the air with insecure chatter. They quieted as the councilor blew his whistle and started to speak.
"We'll choose dorms tonight. Girls in building A, and boys in building B. Dinner is at six o'clock. Come to the counseling center before then to sign in. It is five o'clock right now. Go!" Kai located the other groups, receiving similar instruction. He edged over to the blue group.
"Jay!" he whispered sharply. Jay's head shot up, and he looked around wildly for the stranger who knew his name, not relaxing until he recognized Kai.
"Kai! All tree of our groups were on the same bus, so Cole and Zane and I found out a bunch about this place. It's like, this school for geniuses. Zane got on one of the white group's computers and secured a place for us here; at least for now." Kai nodded. "So you think we're good here?"
The blue ninja grinned and handed him a slip of paper. "We even printed up matching schedules!" "Jay!" Kai scolded, "Has it occurred to you that we're in the wrong world? The wrong existence? We need to get home, not send down more roots!"
Jay shrugged. "Where better than here to plot our return? Like Zane said, it's 'more desirable than being arrested as junior delinquents.' Anyway, your group's leaving. We're going for room B219. Hurry!" He darted away to catch up with his departing group, and Kai followed suite.
(~&&&~)
Zane was already in the dorm when Kai burst in breathlessly. "I made it," he panted. Jay and Cole strode into view, and Jay clapped apathetically and said in a patronizing tone, "Wow. Congratulations."
Ignoring him, Kai stepped up to Zane. "What're you doing?" "I've picked up a faint signal from the Destiny's Bounty," the nindroid replied, "But the connection is sparse and weak." Kai's eyebrows shot up. "Seriously? You're in contact with Nya?" "Barely… hold on… ah! Nya? Can you hear me?" A voice crackled out of the receiver on the nindroid's arm. "What's that? I can't hear you very clearly!"
The speaker crackled once again, and then Nya's voice came through, loud and clear. "Where are you guys? When you disappeared from the Dragon Coaster, no one had any idea where you were! We were all frantic!" "Not sure," Kai replied. "But, Nya… we look… different." "Our bodies have been altered to fit into the new environment," Zane hurriedly explained.
"Do you think you'll be able to switch back to normal?" she asked anxiously. "I believe so," Zane replied, "Since we changed when we—ahem—switched worlds, the problem should be fixed as soon as we reenter Ninjago." "I hope so. You're sure you haven't the faintest idea of where you are?" "No." "You are all right, correct?" The four ninja voiced their wellness.
Zane had been walking around the room, but he stopped abruptly and walked into the hall. Still, Nya's voice came through. "I believe now that we have gotten a connection, it will be difficult to break and easy to reconnect. Nya, we must go—it is nearly five-thirty. We will contact you soon." "I'll tell sensei," Kai's sister agreed, "Maybe he can figure out where you guys are. Destiny's Bounty, over and out."
I hope I have you hooked! Ptyl!