Writen by RealtreeGal
So this is a one-shot requested by Guest that Nya be a gymnast. There was another request by either the same or a different Guest that Nya and Skylor be best friends, so I decided to combine the two. I don't know anything about gymnastics but I did some research and wrote this the best I could. Enjoy!
It was a quiet night at the Monastery of Spinjitzu. The sky was clear and the stars glittered. The moon cast it's soft blue glow across the courtyard. All was quiet except the soft clucking of Wu's chicken Pecky as she was roosting.
A ray of light shone across the floor as a door opened. Nya peeked around to see if anyone was watching. There was not.
She walked over to the center of the courtyard where the statue of the golden dragon was. She flipped it over and the training course came to life.
She walked over to one of the pieces of equipment. It was a wooden pole that was vertical when stationary but would move another pole when it was moving forcing the person who was on the course to dodge it.
But she wasn't looking to hone her ninja skills. She was going to use it as a vaulting horse.
Except for Kai, her brother, the ninja didn't know about one of Nya's passions as a child-gymnastics.
When she was little and not with her brother in the blacksmith shop, she would be at the gymnasium. She did all sorts of things like bars, the floor, and the balance beam, but what she loved especially was the vault. She loved the feeling of power when launching off the springboard and sailing over the vault horse. When she would sail through the air, all the worries she would have seemed to let go. It was therapeutic. It was soothing. It was exhilarating.
It was also where she met one of her closest friends- Skylor.
Nya still remembered the day they met. It had been at one of her gymnastic meets when she was younger. She had just finished a vaulting run when she bumped into Skylor in the locker room.
"Hey!"
Nya was on her way to her locker when she turned around, seeing a redhead girl staring at her.
"Uh-yes?" She asked timidly. Even though she wasn't socially awkward, she didn't have much experience of talking with others aside from her brother and customers, so she wasn't used to someone having a conversation with her outside that setting.
"That vaulting run was amazing you did out there! I could never do a flip like that!"
Nya smiled at the compliment. It wasn't often that she received an accolade.
"Thanks!" Nya said as she grabbed her duffle bag. She recognized the girl as one who had done a balance beam routine prior to her vaulting run.
"I saw you on the balance beam. Your routine was mesmerizing. I could never do those flips!"
The redhead smiled. "Thank you! It took alot of training and practice. I wasn't able to do a decent routine like that until a few months ago. I'm still learning, but my coach has been pretty patient with me. I practice every day."
"I practice a few times a week, but I also help my brother run our blacksmith shop. It's how we earn a living."
"I'm Skylor by the way." The redhead girl said, holding out a hand. Nya took it.
"And I'm Nya. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too!" Skylor said.
"So how do you do the balance beam?" Nya asked. "I was never able to get a hang of it…"
"You want to hang out sometime?" Skylor asked as she grabbed her duffel bag from her locker and they both walked out of the locker room. "We can practice together."
Nya smiled. "I'd like that."
They walked out of the gym where Kai was waiting for them.
"Ready to go?" Kai asked her. Nya nodded.
"Here, wait!" Skylor said. She handed Nya a slip of paper. It had her phone number on it.
"Lets keep in touch!" Skylor told her. "Maybe we can hang out later this week?"
"Sure!" Nya replied. They bade each other goodbye and Nya and Kai began their bike ride back home.
"It looks like you made a new friend, huh?" Kai asked. Nya smiled and nodded.
Later that week Skylor and Nya met at their local gym and coached each other. Skylor helped Nya with the balance beam and Nya helped Skylor with the vault. They connected instantly over their shared passion of gymnastics. They hung out outside the gym and found out they had a connection outside the gym as well. They became good friends and were always together and cheering each other on. They built each other up during their gymnastic careers and had become inseparable.
A few years down the road, Nya and Skylor had advanced through competitions and had made it to one of the highest levels: The Ninjago Invitational.
The Ninjago Invitational was a competition open for only the best of gymnasts. And Nya and Skylor both qualified to be in it.
"I can't believe we made it!" Nya squealed.
"I know!" Skylor cried. "We better get started on our training!"
They practiced every day for weeks leading up to the competition. Every minute of their free time was spent at the gym on whatever equipment was available. Kai was exasperated at the amount of money he would spend at the drugstore on epsom salt for Nya's aching muscles. But he didn't mind. Nya had worked so hard to get this far, and he'd do anything for his little sister, even if that meant getting strange looks from the cashier at the questionable amount of bags. He even helped her set up a makeshift springboard and vaulting horse so she could practice at home when the gym was closed.
"You need to take it easy on yourself Nya." Kai warned her one night at dinner. She had been practicing for two hours straight without rest. "You'll burn yourself out if you keep doing this!"
"Well I'm not going to get any better laying around!" She said, taking a bite of her food. "This is the Ninjago Invitational! This may be my only chance!"
Kai sighed, knowing his stubborn sister wouldn't change her mind.
Soon, the time for the big competition rolled around. Nya and Skylor stayed at Nya's house the night before, but they could hardly sleep or contain their excitement on the morning of the competition.
The Ninjago Invitational was being held in Ninjago City at one of their largest sports gyms. Kai, Skylor, or Nya had never been to the city, this would be their first time seeing it. As Skylor's mother drove them, the three marveled at the soaring buildings that rose into the sky, the amount of cars on the road, and the hustle and bustle of the sidewalks.
They were even more awed at the gym. It was a huge steel building with a glass dome, and its parking lot sprawled.
As they entered, Nya couldn't help but feel intimidated by the sheer amount of gymnasts there. Vaulters, balance-beamers, you name it, they were all there.
Skylor noticed Nya's uneasiness and playfully punched her in the shoulder.
"You'll do great!" She said. "You've been practicing so much, what can go wrong?"
Kai and Skylor's mother bade the two girls goodbye and they headed to the locker room to get changed and head to the gym floor.
The floor was huge. Sunlight from the glass shone onto the waxed wood floors. Gymnastic equipment sat on the floor. A huge jumbotron with speakers hung from the ceiling, and the stands were huge and packed with people.
Seeing so many competitors and spectators, Nya couldn't help but feel nervous. What if she messed up or embarrassed herself?
A loud voice over the speakers called the first gymnasts up for their events. The vaulters wouldn't be until later, but that didn't make Nya rest any easier.
"What's the matter?" Skylor asked, coming up beside her. Nya shook her head.
"There's so many people here, what if they're all better than me?" She asked her best friend. "I should have never come…"
"Relax Nya, we've been practicing our routines for weeks!" Skylor said. "You're going to do great! It's just like our practice. Trust yourself."
Nya shook her head again. Skylor rested a hand on her shoulder.
"Okay, then trust me then. I am your best friend after all."
Nya smiled at the thought. Skylor was right. It was just like they had practiced.
…
"Gymnasts competing in the vaulting event, please make your way to the floor. I repeat, gymnasts competing in the vaulting event, please make your way to the floor. Thank you."
Nya's heart jumped. It was almost time for her to compete. She followed the other vaulters to the runway. One by one they went, each competitor having their own combination of flips and turns as they sailed over the vaulting horse before landing on the mat.
Soon it was Nya's turn, and she was staring down the runway that led to the springboard.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She remembered Skylor's words.
'It's just like our practice.'
She opened her eyes and looked at the runway. Skylor was right.
It was go time.
Nya ran down the runway. In one fluid motion, she leapt onto the springboard, pushed off, and sailed over the vaulting horse in a series of graceful flips and turns. She came back to earth, sticking the landing solidly on her feet.
As the spectators cheered, Nya couldn't help but smile. She did it!
Walking back to the sidelines, Skylor was waiting for her. She was jumping up and down.
"That was amazing!" Skylor cried as she hugged Nya. "I knew you could do it!"
Nya smiled at her friend. "Thank you for believing in me."
"Well, of course! It's what best friends do."
They hugged again.
"Gymnasts competing in the balance beam event, please make your way over."
Nya let go of Skylor. "That's your cue!" She told her. She gave her a high five. "You've got this!"
…
It was Skylor's turn on the balance beam. Nya's heart raced as she watched her friend get on the beam.
"Come on Skylor!" Nya cheered. "You've got this!"
Skylor stood for a moment before she launched into her routine. So far she was doing well. Nya cheered.
Skylor was now about halfway through her routine, when suddenly her foot slipped off the balance beam. She fell to the ground, landing awkwardly on her ankle. She yelped in pain and clutched her foot.
Nya gasped in horror. She rushed over to her friend.
"Are you okay!?" Nya asked. She could see tears running down Skylor's face.
"I-I think I broke my ankle…" She muttered.
Nya tried comforting her, but Skylor was whisked away by the officials.
…
"She sprained her ankle." The health aide said. "She won't be able to compete for the next few months.
Nya, Kai, and Skylor's mother were standing in the infirmary. Skylor sat on the examination table, her foot wrapped up and with an ice pack.
"This will disqualify me from the competition, won't it?"
"Yes." Said the woman. "I'm sorry."
Skylor sighed and stared at the ground.
Seeing her friend in distress, Nya walked over and wrapped Skylor in her arms.
"It's okay, Skylor." Nya told her. "Accidents happen."
"Attention all gymnasts, please make your way to the gym floor for the judges to announce your results. Again, please make your way to the floor so the judges can announce your results."
"You should go Nya." Skylor told her. "You did so well, if you win you deserve that moment."
"But I don't want to leave you." Nya said. "Not when this happened to you!"
"I'll be okay." Skylor said. She gave her a smile. "I promise. I don't want to take this moment away from you. Do it for me?"
Sighing, Nya nodded. She gave Skylor one last hug before leaving the infirmary with her brother.
…
"Can we give a round of applause for our winners in the balance beam event?"
There were claps, cheers, and camera flashes as the three top competitors for the balance beam stood on the podium with their medals. They were soon shown off as one of the judges began to speak.
"We will now be announcing the three winners of the vault." He said. "Please come forward when your name is called. For those who do not make the top three, your scores and placings are posted at the entrance of the gym." He cleared his throat.
"In third place, coming in with a 7.8, we have James Farland!"
"In second place with an 8.5 is Rachel Noble!"
The two gymnasts came up to the podium and got their medals.
"And in first place with an incredible 9.6 is…"
"Nya Smith!"
Nya's jaw hit the floor. She won!?
Still in disbelief, Nya made her way up to the podium. As they placed the golden medal around her neck, she could see her brother beaming at her. She smiled back.
This was one of the greatest moments of her life, but it didn't feel as good as she thought it would. Skylor should be here with her. She put in as much effort as she did. It broke her heart to see what happened to her.
Nya was handed a trophy and had her picture taken. Once the hustle and bustle was over, Skylor's mom drove Kai and Nya home.
"I'll see you later." Nya said, hugging Skylor before she left. "I can't wait to train with you again once your ankle is healed."
"Me too…"
…
Stepping back from the wooden pole, Nya got a running start. She jumped and launched herself off the makeshift vault, and sailed through the air just like she did all those years ago. It still felt the same as it had that day all those years ago.
She stuck the landing, right as light fell on the training course as someone opened the door to the monastery.
Startled, Nya looked over to see Kai standing in his pajamas.
"You're still doing this?" He asked her. "You haven't been in gymnastics for a long time."
Nya sighed. "Since we came back from the Never Realm, I've had a lot of time to think. I never realized how much I miss it."
It was true. Since her and her brother joined Sensei Wu and the other ninja, she gave up doing gymnastics. It didn't mean she still didn't love it, though.
She went back into the monastery with her brother. They bade each other goodnight as they went to their rooms.
Nya changed into her pajamas and went to bed but couldn't sleep. She reached for her phone on her nightstand, but it wasn't there.
"What?" She said. "Where is it?"
She got up and searched her room, but she couldn't find it.
"Maybe it's under my bed?"
Nya bent down and looked under her bed. She saw her phone and reached to grab it, when she saw a small box.
Nya raised an eyebrow. What was in it?
She pulled out the box from under the bed and opened it. She gasped.
Ribbons and pictures of her and Skylor at various gym meets were stacked inside. And on top sat the golden medal she had won at the Ninjago Invitational. Nya picked it up. She still felt terrible for Skylor having that accident. She deserved to win just as much as Nya had.
Nya realized it was also quite some time since her and Skylor had seen each other.
So the next morning, when training was over Nya decided to take a trip down to Ninjago City. More specifically, Master Chen's Noodle House.
Nya walked through the doors of the noodle shop. It was still pretty early so not a lot of people were inside. She walked up to the counter where she saw Skylor at the register. She waved at her friend.
"Hey Nya!" Skylor said. "I was wondering when I'd see you again."
"Me too. I know we've been both busy, it's been hard to find free time with all this going on. How's busines?"
"It's been good." Skylor said. "Now that this whole mess with the Sons of Garmadon and Aspheera is over, people are able to go about their day."
Nya nodded. "That's good."
"Are you hungry? We just made a fresh batch of puffy potstickers."
Nya and Skylor sat at a table booth and made small talk over a shared bowl of puffy potstickers and rice.
"Hey Skylor, you remember when we were in gymnastics as kids?"
Skylor's face lit up as she recalled the good times they've had.
"Yeah, those were some of the best times of my life I had with you. I remember the shock on your face when you found who my father was."
'YOUR FATHER IS AN EVIL MASTERMIND!?' She had shrieked at the master of amber.
Nya giggled at the memory. "Yeah, that blew me off my feet! I'm glad that the whole mess with him is over."
Skylor sighed. "Me too."
Silence stretched between them.
"Hey Skylor, remember the Ninjago Invitational?"
She saw her friend flinch.
"Yeah, I still don't know how that happened."
"Well, I found a box with pictures of us at gym meets." Nya reached into her pocket. "I also found this. I think you should have it."
Nya held out the medal she had won in the vaulting event. Skylor looked at it with wide eyes.
"But that's something you won!" Skylor said. "I don't want to take that from you."
"You deserve this just as much as I do." Nya said to her. "You worked so hard to get to that competition, and you deserved to win. And you're such an amazing friend. If it weren't for you reassuring me that day, I would have no chance at winning. Here."
Nya handed Skylor the medal. Skylor reached and hugged Nya.
"You're truly the best friend I've ever had. Both inside the gym and out."