Seth looked around the training room. There were training dummies, punching bags, and other things that dangled from wooden carousel-like training sets. His eyes wandered to the door. Seeing Homura with her fiery self and not the helpless and terrified one he had pulled out of the stream caught him off guard. For some reason, this girl was very interesting to him, and he wanted to get to know her more. He must've zoned out because he felt someone shaking him.

"Seth! Come on! We're gonna be late!" Brook's shrill voice whined. Seth shook his head and looked down, acknowledging his friend. He looked back up and saw Homura and Paige joining them; Paige attempting to speak with her. The door closed and Cole walked into the room.

Cole hit his staff on the floor once, and everyone fell into attention, all except Homura, who quickly copied everyone else to the best of her ability.

"Now, everybody must run through this course," Cole announced to the team, gesturing to the training course behind them. It was weird, though; Seth didn't think all of this was carried here- sure, his father is the master of earth, but it just appeared to him as if the training course came from the ground. Again, he thought it was crazy. "After that, we'll spar with weapons," Cole finished. The four teenagers nodded in response. "I would like for Seth to go first today."

Seth gulped. Normally, his father would've made the newer recruits go first; he had been training under his father since he was five. Why was it now, when Homura showed up, that he had to go first? He looked over to Brook, who was giving him a cheeky smile, and then to Homura, whose face was just as stoic as it was when she first woke from her slumber.

Seth stepped forward and stared down the training course. He took a deep breath and readied himself. He heard the snap and started. He got through the first half pretty well, but when he hit the second half, he was so pleased that Homura actually was watching that he failed to notice the swinging dummy that pelted him in the face that took him to the floor. His breath left him momentarily, and he tried to blink the stars out of his vision. Paige and Brook were offering him their hands, and he took them. He snuck another glance at Homura, who was staring at the course, lost in thought.

"Homura, I would like you to go," Cole piped up. Homura perked up and nodded. She placed herself into a lunging position. Hearing the snap in her ears, she took off. She excelled through the course, her small stature providing her with speed to make up for the lack of height she had. She heard the stopwatch beep, signaling she was finished.

"I've never seen anyone go through it at a record speed of fifteen seconds…" Cole breathed in disbelief, double checking his stopwatch to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

A smug look appeared on Homura's face. She bowed rapidly, then returned to where she stood among the rest of the team. She watched Brook and Paige go through the course; they finished, but they were slower than she was. Satisfied, she turned and noticed Seth staring at her. She shook her head and scoffed, then turned on her heel and headed to the room she shared with Paige.

"Brook, you and Paige are dismissed. Seth, I would like you to get Homura, and then return," Cole told his other three students. With a chorus of "Yes Sensei," they left. Seth gulped. He stood in front of the door that led to Paige and Homura's room. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he knocked. There was shuffling of feet, and then the door creaked open, revealing Homura. Her mahogany locks were down, framing her face and falling to the end of her shoulder blades. Seth stood there quietly, his heart beating rapidly.

"Can I help you, or are you just going to stand there?" Homura asked. Seth shook his head, heat rising to his face.

"Sorry," Seth apologized, mentally kicking himself. Homura's gaze softened a little, her amber and crimson eyes glowing with what seemed like she was entertaining his presence. Seth looked at her and placed his hand on the back of his neck. "Sensei wanted to see us both… that's all," he spoke.

Homura's eyes quickly widened. She quickly pulled her hair back into the ponytail she typically wore it in and retied the tie on her gi. Her heartbeat quickened. Thoughts of why Sensei Cole wanted to see both her and his son was putting a pit of dread in her gut. What if he told her she wasn't good enough and to get lost? She swallowed, fighting the bile down her throat.

Seth noticed her sudden change in demeanor, and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "He isn't going to kick you out. Trust me, I've seen my father; he's never seen anyone go through that course that fast. You're essential to the team, Homura. Fire, alongside earth, ice, and lightning, are the key elements that will protect Ninjago. If they've worked before, they can surely work together now." Seth gestured her to follow him, approaching her bedroom door to the hallway, before adding sheepishly, "Now come on. He doesn't really like to be kept waiting."

Homura nodded and took off after him, and they walked together to the dojo.

The two arrived in the dojo, bowing in respect to their Sensei and waiting for permission to enter. He motioned them in, and the teenagers sat on their knees, waiting for what Sensei Cole wanted to tell them. Homura glanced quickly at Seth and gulped. She gulped out of fear of what her Sensei was going to tell her, but she also gulped to keep the thoughts about Seth's looks at bay. She couldn't look weak to the others, she had taught herself that.

The more emotion you showed on the battlefield, the more the enemy has already won. Of course, Seth wasn't an enemy, but it was no excuse to soften up.

Cole cleared his throat. "Since I have gathered the four of you, I've been watching. Obviously, the team needs a leader if I'm not around," Homura and Seth visibly paled at this saying. If their Sensei was saying what they thought he was saying, this adventure just became a whole lot harder. "Seth, you have abilities to remain calm under pressure, but without proper support, you crack, just like your foundation. If you place your ideas on the flimsy sand, they collapse, but if you place your ideas on a sturdy rock, they are solid."

Seth bowed in respect. Homura nodded her head. She could already see what Sensei Cole was talking about with Seth and his abilities. If Cole was naming Seth the leader, why was she here? Was it to chew her out about how she behaved back in the cavern? Sweat began to fall down her face, and her face paled. Seth placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up, and he nodded. She swallowed her fear, and waited for what Cole was going to tell her.

"That being said though, you have flaws that cannot go unseen, my son. Homura here fills those gaps, and what she lacks due to her temper and rashness, you fill those. Therefore, I have decided that you and she will co-lead the team. Be wary though; if any missions you fail, both of you must answer to the punishment," Cole explained. Seth visibly paled again, but he felt a rough hand on his shoulder. Homura offered a slight smile, letting him know they were in this together.

"You are dismissed."

Seth got up and offered Homura his hand. For the first time in a long time, Homura took his hand. A smile appeared on the earth wielder's face; he had heard from his father and mother how hard Homura had been on herself since the accident. Seth, alongside the others, had made a promise before searching for Homura to coax her into opening up. Seth didn't know how he would feel if his father or mother sacrificed themselves to keep them safe. He had always heard stories of how Kai was reckless, but his loyalty to those he loved always overpowered that rashness. He could see it channeled into Homura.

Homura and Seth walked outside to the training area. Paige and Brook were sparring with weapons while Cole watched. Paige wielded shurikens while Brook had a trident in his hands. The fire and earth masters watched, studying their teammates' strengths and weaknesses. Brook was fast, but he often got distracted by fake out jabs. Paige was almost perfect with her technique, but she overthought moves sometimes, leaving her open for a slight second.

"Brook, you must not let yourself get distracted. Paige, that split second hesitation can put you and your team in danger on the battlefield," Cole spoke, then turned to the two, "Homura, Seth, grab two weapons and come over here. Brook, Paige, watch, and see if you can figure out what they should work on," Cole told his two pupils. They nodded and sat on the ground out of the line of fire, and watched.

Seth held a scythe in one hand and a Bo staff in the other. Homura looked at the weapons rack. She knew Brook was skilled with both the trident and nunchucks, but he preferred his nunchucks, much like his father, and her her uncle, Jay. Based on her observations of Paige, she gathered that the pale ice wielder loved her shurikens. Homura's gaze flickered back to the weapons rack, and they landed on two katanas. She grabbed them and went to the center, standing across from Seth.

"Good luck," Seth bowed. Homura bowed as well, then they both took her fighting stances. Homura tightened her grip on the katanas, her mind suddenly filled with the memories of her father training her with the very katana blades he had used to protect Ninjago. Her heart caught in her throat, but her body reacted out of instinct when Seth came charging at her, brandishing the scythe he held. Fire burning throughout her body, Homura lunged forward and thrust one of the blades forwards. Seth's eyes widened as he tried to jump back, but he timed it too late, which resulted in a deep gash on his forearm. He yelped, and heard the sound of weapons clattering to the floor. Some of them were his own. Homura stopped, the sight of blood bringing her back to her senses, and fighting for composure against the sudden gruesome flashbacks of that fateful day.

Footsteps ran towards them. Seth looked up, seeing Paige and Brook by his side. Brook was talking to him, and Paige was inspecting how severe the gash was. None of that mattered to Seth at the current moment. His eyes darted around the training yard, trying to find the fire wielder, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Come on, I will get the disinfectant and clean it," Paige was saying.

"No. That can wait. We have to find Homura," Seth responded gravely.