(A/N: Yes, it's been a while since I've done one of these. But I thought I might do one while await some votes on my profile page)
While searching for the Golden Spinjitzu Rifle, Nya is forced to relive her bullied days by Kozu's new Stone Warrior.
In the kitchen in Zane's apartment, Zane was cooking some breakfast as Maya, wearing a sea blue nightgown, came in, stretching her arms, in relief. "Oh, good morning, Maya." He said.
"Morning, Zane." Maya replied.
"How did you sleep?"
"Like a baby. Best sleep I ever had in 8 years. Ray's still asleep."
"Good to hear."
"You're up a bit early."
"Yeah, I just finished packing up."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, as an old friend to you and Ray, I thought I might give you two my apartment as a welcome back gift."
"Zane, you shouldn't have." Ray said as he came out to the kitchen. "This is your apartment, after all."
"I'm still studying at Ninjago Academy, and it takes too long for me to walk to the academy, which is why I bought the car, but I prefer to walk. Even Pixal agreed to my suggestion."
"Well I guess, thank you."
"No problem, Ray. Even if I'm way younger than you and the others' predecessors, I still consider you guys my friends and fellow Ranger." He soon checked the clock. "Uh oh, I spent so much time cooking your breakfast. See you guys later, keys are on the table." He immediately walked out.
"I think that was nice of him." Maya said as she looks out the big window. "I even like this view."
"This will work out well." Ray replied. "We could even have Kai and Nya over some time."
"We should."
At Master Chen's, Kai, wearing his work uniform as well as a hat, was wiping a table while Nya was just sitting at a recently cleaned table. "Nya, you better not be slacking off again." He said as Skylor came in.
"I already did my share." She replied before getting up and walking into the kitchen.
"Is she alright?" Skylor asked.
"She's been like that for a couple of days." Kai replied, finishing the table and turned to her. "Ever since the Power Rangers found our parents, she hasn't been the same."
"Oh, she preferred that they remain gone?"
"No, nothing like that. 8 years and she still acts like nothing has happened."
"It'll take time, Kai. When I lost my mother as a kid, it was hard, but eventually, I got over it, I still remember her now and then. I know it's not the same, but it will work out for her as well."
"I hope so. Promise me you won't tell anyone about this?"
"Of course."
"After losing our parents and before coming to the academy, Nya, she was teased, a lot." Skylor then became concerned. "Whenever there was a sports fest at our school, she is never picked on a team, claiming she is just a girl, too weak, not a socialist. But, as she grew up, she got stronger and now, she has us, she has Jay, and now she has her parents again. Nothing will change that."
"People do change."
On the Dark Island, the Celestial Clock was now 3 weeks and 4 days from reaching its final limit as Lloyd looked at it from the cliff while hearing Kai and Skylor's conversation through a portal. "Wrong, Red Ranger." He said as it soon disappeared. "They reveal who they truly are. General Kozu."
Kozu comes up to him. "Yes, my lord?" He asked.
"I want you to spy on the Maroon Ranger, along with this." He gets out a small mirror and throws it into a nearby puddle of Dark Matter. It briefly glows before something emerged from and roared. It appeared to be a Stone Warrior, with a mirror, instead of a body. "Mirrior shows its victims their most regretful past memories, and makes them weak."
"Now, that I like." A portal soon appeared between them before Kozu and Mirrior head through it.
Later that afternoon, Kai, Jay, Zane, Cole, Nya and LJ were showing Ray and Maya how much Ninjago City has changed since they last saw it. "Ninjago City really has changed." Ray said as they move along.
They soon came across a street, in the process of being repaired. "This was where Samukai was defeated." Zane said.
"Wow, you all really have fought much for the city." Maya replied. "Does the city know who you are?"
"Uh, no they don't." Cole said. "Wu's rules."
"Ah, yes." Ray replied. "I bet after the war, people started to forget about the Power Rangers, more like focus on other things in life."
"People still remember Power Rangers." Jay said. "Only in comics, though. Sometimes just different plots and characters."
"By the way, I was thinking about something." Kai said. "Do you guys want to go out for dinner tonight?"
"Okay, then." Ray replied. "What do you recommend?"
"There's this place where Nya, the others and myself work at, except for LJ. We get employee discount."
"Okay. What's it called?" Maya asked.
"Master Chen's Noodle House." Nya replied.
"Wait... Chen?" Ray asked, surprised. "He fooled the Serpentine into initiating the war."
"Yes, but he decided to open up a restaurant once he was released from prison." Kai replied. "Believe me, they have really good noodles."
"And Kai is dating his daughter." Nya said.
"What?" Maya asked before smiling. "Kai has a girlfriend?" She laughs a bit and quickly hugged Kai before turning back to Nya. "What about you?"
"Uh, there is a certain someone, but I think he is shy to ask me." Ray and Maya were unaware that she actually lied.
"Is it one of these boys?" Maya points to Jay, Cole and LJ, knowing Zane has a girlfriend already.
"Sorry, I, uh, have a girlfriend myself." LJ said. "I think you'll like her."
"Uh, I got one, too." Cole said.
"Then that leaves Jay." Ray replied before looking at him. "You like my daughter, don't you?"
"Uh, only as a friend." He said, lying. "She's not my type." He notices Nya being shocked and immediately mouthed, "Play along."
"At least she has good friends." Maya said. "You know, you should invite your girlfriends as well."
"Of course." Cole replied before beeping was heard and they immediately went into a nearby alleyway for Cole to answer his Spinjitzu Watch. "We read you, Wu."
"Rangers, report to the Bounty for an immediate meeting." Wu said through the Spinjitzu Watch.
"We'll be right there."
Kai sighed as Cole lowered his arm. "Duty calls." He simply said.
"We'll might head back to that mall we passed by." Maya replied.
"Yeah, our clothes do look a little outdated." Ray said. "Might even pick up something for tonight."
"I'll take them." Nya said. "Besides, the restaurant is just across the street from the park. They can look around while I make arrangements for tonight."
"Okay, we'll let you know what we find." Jay replied before he, Kai, Zane, Cole and LJ take off while Kozu and Mirrior watch them leave.
Several minutes later, in the bridge, aboard the Destiny's Bounty, Ronin slides some scrolls off the table. "Oh, do be careful!" Misako said, kneeling down to pick them up.
"Sorry." He replied as Kai, Jay, Zane, Cole and LJ come in.
"Ah, Rangers, just in time." Wu said as he came to the table before noticing something. "Where's Nya?"
"She had to make some arrangements for tonight." Kai replied. "We're planning on taking my parents out to dinner. Wants them to meet some of our friends. We'll bring her up to speed later."
"Understood." Wu then looked at Ronin as he puts down some papers. "Remember the time I told you how the Golden Spinjizu Rifle deformed my twin brother?"
"Yeah, a lot." Jay said.
"Well, I have reason to believe that if it were used again, then Lloyd will be turned back to normal before the Celestial Clock hits zero."
"Great, do you know where it is?" LJ asked.
"I'm afraid that after your father was banished from the Underworld, I realised it was too dangerous to keep with you around, so I had it sent to a secure vault. But I received a call, telling me that there had been an unfortunate accident and the transport had been swept away by a currant."
"Then, how are we gonna find it?" Cole asked.
"We can't." Ronin replied, a little disappointed in both his answer and the events. "The wreckage hasn't been recovered, and to this day, they're still looking."
"They better find it fast." Zane said. "We do have an old friend to save."
In the city, just outside Master Chen's, Nya walks out as she smiled, happy that her boss has arranged a table for the Rangers, her parents and friends for tonight. "I hope mom and dad still don't have a grudge against Chen." She said to herself as she soon went into the park.
In the park, Chad, Tani and Mini were by a park bench when they notice Nya. "Hey, it's the girl of the Dork Squad." Chad said as they got off the bench and move in front of her, causing her to stop.
"'Dork Squad'?"
"You know." Tani said. "You and that bunch of losers hanging out."
"We're not losers. Besides, Zane made you pee your pants once, Chad."
"Well, I plan on doing the same to him." Chad said. "And it seems that you've been bonding over two strangers."
"Those strangers are my parents. They were rescued by the Power Rangers."
"Oh, those-" Pretty soon, Stone Warriors appear around them, causing Chad and the twins to scream and run away.
Nya immediately looked around to see that she was in the clear before raising her Spinjitzu Watch. "Spinjitzu!" She touches it with her thumb.
Nya moves her left hand by her right shoulder as she moved her right elbow back. "Ninjago!" She starts spinning as a maroon tornado soon appeared and engulfed her. It soon dispersed revealing Nya, in her Ranger suit. She was on her right knee with her right arm spread out and her left arm in front of her right knee before she looks up as maroon wind soon engulfed her head, turning into her maroon helmet.
Nya poises as some Stone Warriors charge at her. She looks behind her back before backflipping over a Stone Warrior, placing her hands on the ground and lower her legs back, kicking the warrior forward, placing her feet on the ground and grabbing another warrior at the same, spins around, twisting her arms as well and turns them back around, sending the warrior spinning the air before she kicks it, sending it into a member, but is soon grabbed from behind and kicked down, causing her to roll, immediately demorphing, and lands with her back near a tree as laughter was soon heard and Kozu and Mirrior show up. "Hello, Nya." Kozu said.
"Kozu!" Nya got back up just as the Stone Warriors leave. "Who's the mirror?"
"Someone for you to meet your past memories, Maroon Ranger." Mirrior said.
"What are you up to, one horn? I'm not in the mood for your foolishness."
"Ah, you're confident now, but not for long." Kozu said. "Behold the truth!" Mirrior then fired a beam out at Nya, who soon held her head, and looked at the mirror.
The mirror showed an image of a 5 year old Nya, walking along the path, eating an ice cream before the ice cream soon fell off the cone and onto the ground, causing her to stop and look down at it before crying. Nya gets angry. "Old memories can't hurt me, Kozu."
"We shall see. It is the beginning." Two Stone Warriors soon restrain her.
In the bridge aboard the Bounty, alarms were heard as Misako quickly tapped a few keys to show Nya on the monitor, forced to watch her painful memories. "Nya." Kai said.
"It appears that Stone Warrior is showing her past memories she is trying to bury in her mind." Wu replied.
"We gotta help her." Jay said.
"We must be careful, Rangers, it will force you to see your most painful memories."
"Yes, Master." They said before they took off.
In the park, Nya watches as the mirror then showed her at 10 years old, holding a soccer ball. "Can I play?" She asked a young boy.
"We don't want you on our team, Nya." The boy replied, pushing her down.
"Yeah, you're a pipsqueak." Another boy said, coming up to them, grabs the ball, pushes her down, and they take off as Nya started to cry.
"You see?" Kozu asked as Nya looked on, feeling depressed. "You are becoming the weakling you once were, Maroon Ranger."
"No!" Nya yelled. "You can't do that!"
The mirror soon showed a 12 year old Nya, walking along the hallway of Ninjago Academy, nervously holding her books before she is soon bumped into and falls to the ground, causing everyone to laugh at her as 14 year olds Skylor and Seliel run away, laughing. "Watch where you're going, Smith." Seliel sarcastically said as they walked away.
Nya soon sheds a tear. "You see?" Kozu asked. "It's happening already! You're starting to cry! You can never escape your past!"
"Nya!" Kai was heard as she turned to see him, Jay, Zane, Cole, LJ and Wu, all in Ranger form, running over to her.
"Guys, don't look at the mirror!" Nya called out.
"Ah, the rest of our adversaries has arrived." Kozu said. "Time for them to face their painful memories." He turns to some Stone Warriors. "Get them!"
The Stone Warriors charge at the Rangers about to grab them. Jay grabs hold of a Stone Warrior before forcing it over him and raised his leg back to kick it away from him, immediately raising a leg to kick another Stone Warrior back. But with his leg still raised, a Stone Warrior soon grabs hold of him. "Hey, let me go!" He yelled as two more grab hold of him.
Mirrior laughs at it came up to Jay. "Blue always has been my very least favourite colour of all." It said before it then fired a beam at Jay, causing him to look at the mirror to see himself, as a 6 year old boy, wearing glasses, being pushed around by big kids.
One had then pushed him too hard, making him fall on the ground, and laugh. "Aww, did the junkyard boy get a little booboo?" He asked before he and the other bullies laugh at him as he sheds a few tears.
"No!" He yelled before demorphing. "Not that!" The Stone Warriors soon let him go for him to kneel down and shed a few tears.
"Jay, don't believe it!" Cole yelled as he spun and kicked a Stone Warrior in the head, knocking it to the side. "It's in the past!" A Stone Warrior soon trips him, knocking him on the ground, but he raises a leg, kicking it before rolling to place his hands on the ground, raise both legs, and kicked two Stone Warriors charging at him. But as he got up, a Stone Warrior then came up behind him and grabbed hold of him. "No!" He tries to get it off his back, but it forces him down and look up as Mirrior fires a beam at him, making him to look at the mirror.
It shows a 13 year old Cole, wearing his Marty Oppenheimer school uniform, sitting at his lifeless mother's bedside, shedding tears and holding her hand. "Mom, you can't do this to me!" He said as he sobbed. "Mommy, I need you! Mommy!"
Cole then demorphed as the warrior soon lets him go for him to sulk. "Mom."
Zane pushes a Stone Warrior back just a bunch appear in front of him before he jumped in the air and spun before landing in the middle of them on two feet with his legs spread out to start his Sotfa Attack, and starts spinning, moving the two fingers to make himself spin, kicking some of the Stone Warriors as he did so. But as he still kicked, two of them grabbed hold of his legs, forced him up, and made him face Mirrior. "I have no painful memories!" He said.
"Really?" It asked before firing a beam at him. "You shall see."
Zane was then forced to look at the mirror as it started to show him, in his father's lab, on the day of his birthday, looking at his hybrid blueprints. "No! It can't be! NO! It's not true! That's impossible!" He then made fists and started slamming at the blueprints. "NNNOOOO! NNNNNNNOOOOOOO!"
Zane soon demorphed as the Stone Warriors soon let him to lower his head and breathe heavily. LJ swings his whip at a Stone Warrior, striking it before cartwheeling, raising his whip back, wrapping it around the neck of a warrior before pulling it back, making the warrior spin out of control, but it soon raised its leg, kicking the whip out of his hands. "Grab him, quick!" The warrior yelled as three warriors immediately came and grab hold of him by each limb as the warrior then grabbed his right arm.
Mirrior laughed as it then came up to LJ and looked at him. "I think I know what your most painful memory is, Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon." It said before firing a beam at him, making him look at the mirror. "One from the beginning of all this."
It shows a younger LJ looking at the tombstone before getting out a small vial, pops the lid off and throws it at the tombstone, causing a black void to come out and he looks at it before laughing evilly. "No!" Present LJ yelled.
Lloyd comes out of the void. "Junior." He said.
The Stone Warriors let LJ go as he soon demorphed and breathed heavily. "It was all my fault."
"Junior, ignore the memories." Wu said as he and Kai use their weapons to block the swords of some Stone Warriors they were fighting. "They're kept deep within you for a reason." Wu spins his cane before moving it downward to strike the Stone Warrior in front of him and quickly moved it back to jab a warrior coming up behind him, but another one soon grabbed it, forced it out of his hands and threw it aside just as another one grabs hold of him.
Kai throws one sword in the air before striking one of the Stone Warriors, kicks another one back and raised his arm to catch the sword, using it backwards, immediately striking the warrior, until two come up behind him, make him drop his swords, and force him to face Mirrior at the same time as Wu. "Everyone has a painful memory." It said before firing two beams at Wu and Kai respectively.
Kai sees himself at 9 years old, helping a younger Nya into the cellar of their old house as Ray knelt down to him. "No matter what, always look after your sister." He said. "Okay?" Kai nods. "I love you, son." Ray then closed the cellar door.
The Stone Warriors holding Kai let him go as he demorphed and was speechless as Wu sees himself, in the aftermath of the Serpentine War, firing the Golden Spinjizu Rifle at ground underneath Lloyd's feet, creating a hole and causing him to fall through it, screaming. "Why?" Wu asked as he was let go and demorphed.
Kozu laughed at all the incapacitated Rangers as Mirrior turned Nya as she sheds a few tears. "Your resistance is almost gone, Nya." It said. "Soon you and your friends won't have the energy to be Power Rangers."
"No." She soon knelt down as she kept shedding tears. "This can't be happening."
"This final image will shatter your confidence for good." Kozu said. "Your parents are just like you- Weak, defenceless, helpless and unconfident."
Nya looked up at the mirror to see herself, being hugged by her mother and soon her father. "What?" Mirrior asked. "How did that get there?"
Nya smiles and immediately got up. "What's this?"
"You had it, Kozu." She said as she soon stood up.
"What's that?"
"I'm not falling for this anymore. My parents are strong, confident and proud of my abilities as a Power Ranger. They just hide it out of safety and they'll be fine, just like me. I'm strong enough on the inside to handle your mocking."
"No. You're supposed to be getting weaker."
She soon gets out her Super Spinjitzu Blade and spins it before raising it high. "Super Spinjitzu Blade, ignite!"
Nya's Super Spinjitzu Blade ignites as Nya, helmetless, swings it downward, letting out a burst of flame that moves into her, turning her Ranger suit into its Super Ranger form.
Nya charges at Mirrior, raises her Super Spinjitzu Blade, and struck its mirror body, breaking it apart. "NO!" It yelled before falling back and exploded.
The moment Mirrior exploded, the other Rangers then stood up to see Nya facing Kozu. "Find a hole and hide, one horn, cause I'm back." Kozu soon growled as a portal appears behind him, and heads into it before it disappears.
In his camp on the Dark Island, Lloyd sees Kozu come out of the portal as he immediately knelt down his head. "We didn't know that the mirror showed a memory that gave her her confidence back." He said.
"I'll deal with you later, Kozu." Lloyd replied before he turns to a Stone Warrior. "Fire the Garmatron Missile!" The Stone Warrior immediately went over to it and moves the controls as Garmatron raises its cannon before the warrior presses a button and fires a shot, sending a missile through the clouds.
At the park in Ninjago City, the Garmatron missile hits Mirrior, and it immediately grows, laughing as it did so before stopping. The mirror on its body was still broken. The Rangers came up behind Nya while looking at Mirrior. "Let's get the Spinjitzu Megazord." Cole said.
"No, leave it to me." Nya replied. "It fed me memories I wanted to forget. But, I may need Kai's help."
"I'm with you, sis." Kai said before he touches his Spinjitzu Watch. "Flame Megazord, online!"
The Red Lion Zord rises up and the front paws retract, revealing hands, while the Maroon Phoenix Zord lands on the back, moved its wings down and raised up as the Lion Zord's head moved down and the Phoenix Zord's took over before tilting back, revealing its face before poising.
In the cockpit, Kai, in his Super Ranger form, and Nya look on. "Let's do it!"
Outside, the Flame Megazord charges at Mirrior as it came at it, but the Megazord raises its right arm and punches it, knocking it back.
Inside, Nya steps forward. "Time for you to face the Flame Swords!"
Outside, the two sword handles come out of the Flame Megazord's phoenix wings before the Megazord pulled the Flame Swords out.
In the cockpit, Kai and Nya each held an arm up, like they're holding a sword each. "Flame Swords, final strike!" They both yelled, moving their arms down.
Outside, the swords ignite into fire before swinging them down, striking Mirrior, causing it to scream and explode.
In the cockpit, Kai and Nya give each other a high five. "A spinning victory."
In his camp on the Dark Island, Lloyd circled around Kozu as he had his head down. "We could've had the Rangers feeling weak and helpless." He said. "And whose fault is it?"
"Not mine!" Kozu replied, lifting his head, causing Lloyd to glare at him. Kozu then lowered his head again. "It is mine."
"Yes, you blew it. Now, you're excavating some Dark Matter with the dig crew."
"Yes, my lord." Kozu soon walked away.
Later that night at Chen's Noodle House, Kai, Jay, Zane, Nya, Wu, Skylor, Seliel, Aseey, Pixal, Ray and Maya were at a table while Cole was on stage, singing before LJ came up to them with some sushi and noodles. "You're right about Chen." Ray said, taking a bite of a riceball. "He has reformed."
"Told you so." Kai replied.
"So, are you both proud of who I am?" Nya asked, choosing not to expose that she is a Power Ranger to Skylor and Seliel.
Somehow knowing the two girls don't know, Maya moved close to her. "Of course we are." She replied. "But, we're concerned, like every other parent."
"Don't worry, mom." Kai said, somehow listening to their conversation. "She doesn't have just me, she has all of us."
"We're not just friends." Jay said. "We're a family."
"Sounds like we want to be part of that family too." Ray replied.
"Hey, you already are." LJ said before they all look at the stage to see Cole sing.
"#Don't let anything bring you down#" Cole sang. "#Down to the planet core, Because, you are the mightiest of them all, And, fight back from it all. Your courage is hidden inside you, We are all the power you need, To fight back in your life, And let live it to your greatest potential#"
(A/N: Hidden Courage is written by yours truly and can be seen on my deviantART page: TEK1996)
