There was a rumbling behind the two. They both turn, and almost lose their balance from shock.
A large tidal wave had formed, and is about to break. Sea spray had been produced quickly, and wets the cliff Nya and Jay hang from.
Nya could feel her hand and foot holds begin to become slippery, and it made it hard to hang on. Jay, on the other hand, had a rope to hang on to, and had already made it to the cliff ledge. He looked down after noticing Nya was no longer next to him.
Nya was struggling, and the wave was getting closer. Once it swept her away, she would surely drown, or at least hit her head on a sharp rock as she fell. What was I thinking? Jay asks himself, feeling a twinge of panic take over. I've got to help her.
But before Jay can bend down, and lend her a hand, the tidal wave has crashed against the cliff. Water soaks Jay's shoes as he watches in horror from where he stood. Water bangs against the side over and over again, and white foam has seeped onto the ledge. There was an unbelievably low chance that Nya could have survived that.
Then, just as suddenly as it came, the wave pulled back and sunk into the ocean once again. Immediately, Jay scrambles to the edge, and looks down.
And there she is; wet, soaked, and in a struggle to support herself on the rope. "Ugh. My knight in shining armor!" Nya manages to call, an annoyed but humorous tone in her voice. Jay laughs, and sighs with relief as he grabs hold of the rope and pulls her up.
Nya pulls herself up once she was close enough, and rolls onto her back, trying to catch her breath. "Are you okay?" Jay asks, concerned. Nya nods, but says nothing.
Jay extends his hand toward her, and she takes it. "Thanks," Nya pants. She dusts her hands on her pants and looks at the ocean from which the almost fatal wave had been produced from.
"The tide has turned," she states. "We should tell the townspeople we should pick up the pace with the packing and cleaning. We now only have two days." Jay nods, and follows Nya while she dashes off into the woods again, toward the village.
Ninjago was a very peaceful place. Nobody was ever in a rush, the jobs were well paying, the townspeople were always kind, and the fruit keeper always gave a free apple to Nya, Jay, and Kai whenever they stopped.
But now that the last Twilight was about to end, and the sun was just several degrees from changing Ninjago into an icy prison, the town had an awful energy to it. Lately, everyone has been on end, especially Kai and Nya's parents. Every time the two siblings stepped foot in the house, they were always encompassed with chores and jobs. Most of them required scrubbing, cleaning, vacuuming, etc.
It was hard for Nya to comprehend the reason why it's required to prepare for Night in this way. According to her parents, everybody all over Ninjago have done the exact same thing to their homes, and it must be completely spotless. "All houses must be without stain," Mayor Dareth always said.
Now, Jay and Nya walk through town, Jay carrying the rope over his shoulder. Once Cole, Jay's nine year old brother, comes into sight, Jay smiles in greeting.
"Hey, how's my Lil' brother doing?" A playful, teasing tone sits in his voice as he greets his younger brother. "Are you holding down the fort okay?" Cole rolls his eyes, almost playfully. "I'm not a little kid anymore, Jay, so you can stop talking to me like one," Cole tells him. Ignoring him, Jay ruffles his hair, which Cole smooths back in place almost immediately.
Once the three walk in Jay's house, Nya blurts, "The tide turned,"
Cole whirls around instantly. "What? But we've barely started packing! There's still so much to do!"
"I know," Jay tells him calmly. "Which is why I'm going to be around more to help you." Cole still looks unconvinced, so Jay crouches down to his brother's height.
"Hey," he says softly. "I'll help you okay? Mom and Dad trusted me with you when they left, remember? They wouldn't have if they thought I wasn't capable, but I am. It'll be okay."
Cole nods, but doesn't say anything, and immediately, a wave of sympathy washes over Nya.
It's been almost two years since Cole and Jay's parents died. Their funeral was the worst moment she had ever lived through, and one look at Jay and Cole's face was enough for a large, fat tear to form in her eye.
Jay sends Cole off to his room, and as soon as his small feet disappear upstairs, Jay goes over to one corner and hands a towel to Nya. She gladly takes it, because she was still soaked from being caught in the water. Then, Jay speaks.
"Maybe it would be faster to warn everyone if we told Mayor Dareth. He may have a way to spread a message." Jay suggests. Nya nods in agreement.
"And who knows?" Jay asks. "Maybe it'll take his mind off of combing his hair, huh?"
Nya laughs at his joke, and Jay smiles wider. It was his most favorite sound in the world, especially if it was he who had encouraged it.