Hey everyone, happy Friday. It is time for another update. Ninjagosbiggestfan, You finally get to see what the masks look like. In fact, everyone does! So enjoy.
Chapter 3: The Elemental Masks
The day has come for the Ninja. The masquerade ball and science ceremony of the latest unknown discovery. Cole felt the gentle hum running in his hands as he gripped to the joysticks of the Ultra Sonic Raider, or Tank for short, as he drove Zane, Jay, and Kai to the university while Lucas drove Laurie, Nya, and Lloyd in the Rain that they created months ago since they were short on transportation. The earth ninja looked at himself to be sharply dressed in a black dress shirt, jacket, and pants with a black bow tie around his neck. He looked like his father's quartet. He felt ridiculous dressed all formal, but he's not the only one that feels that way. About half of the team feels the same as him.
Cole looked back up to stay focused on driving to see he was outside of Ninjago City and the other's heads as he was in the driver's compartment and looked at the monitor to see the speedometer and the Rain behind him. With the headlights above and below the driver and passenger's windshield, it looked like eight eyes were glowing. The body itself was rigid and was shaped closely to a raindrop. Two terrain tires in the front with the nose pointed in the center while the tires were connected to the side of the outer axis's while protected by armor plates; almost close to like pinchers of an Underworld spider. The body was dark grey with four large tires in the back, two for each side. The team decided to use the Tornado of Creation to create Lucas' old Spinjitzu vehicle after his bike changed to an all-terrain vehicle and can seat four people than two before. Cole had to admit though that it turned out well in the blueprints Jay and Nya worked on to help.
"Turn right ahead." the Tank's navigation announced. Cole brought himself back to see the navigation system was imaging an arrow in a ninety degree angle and worked with the joysticks to steer to the right with the Rain following them. As the Ninja drove further down the road, Cole began to see luscious green fields of grass and drove past an open entrance that said, Ninjago City University, in stone writing. This was the place.
The leader reduced his speed as they were closing in on the campus grounds and looked at the buildings that looked like old buildings from the past and refinished for when the university was opened. Ivy plants grew on the brick walls of the different buildings, classes, or libraries. Cole could feel like he travelled back in time. But where was the building they were using for the ball and ceremony?
The Ninja of Earth looked past the Tank's tread belts and tree line to see a two story brick building surrounded with shrubs and deciduous trees in front of the building like an island. And in front of the building that almost looked like a chapel had a red carpet and was flooded with people in masks. Bingo. This was the place.
The black ninja decelerated his speed to stop in front of the building and flipped a few switches and turned the engine off to hear it whine down. He flipped another switch and heard a hissing sound as the hatches were opening and climbed out with the others. "Finally we made it." Jay whined while stretching his arms and grabbed his suit jacket and threw it over his blue button up shirt. "I was about to pass out from boredom." Kai looked at him and smacked him upside the head for being a smart aleck.
Cole chuckled as he watched Kai become uncomfortable with the red neck tie around his neck and kept loosening it to become at least comfortable. Zane didn't complain about his silvery long-sleeved polo and striped vest and white pants as he observed the campus grounds. The sound of the roaring engine behind them all turn around to see the Rain slowing down and humming as Lucas was killing the engine and the hatch was sliding open while the four seats were rising for the riders to climb out. The black ninja watched the grey ninja climb out first to see him dressed sharply in a black button up shirt and silvery grey vest and black jacket. Next Laurie climbed out with Kai's help to see her in a simple orange that wasn't puffy than the last one of hers. Nya came out next with Jay's help to escort her to the ground and see her in her red dress. There was one left and Lloyd hasn't climbed out of the vehicle. "Come on, Lloyd." Lucas called out to his cousin. "It's time."
"No way." Lloyd's voice complained in the vehicle. "I feel stupid in this and don't want the others laughing at me. Can't I stay in the Rain and listen to the radio?"
"Get out here now or I'm coming after you." the water ninja lightly threatened. "Your choice. No one is gonna laugh at you." He turned to the others. "Right guys?" The guys stuttered to reply and nodded as Lucas gave them a hard stare. "See? Your sister, Nya, and I have seen you already. Just show the others."
There was silence. "Fine." Lloyd sighed and lifted his head to show everyone the blonde hair and slowly climbed out. Everyone gave out silent gasps to smile as the green ninja was all dressed up. The young ninja wore a black button up shirt with a golden vest and black jacket and pants with an emerald green bow tie around his neck like Cole's. Everyone kept smiling to see how well he looked while he crossed his arms over his chest as he hopped down to lightly glare at them. "I still feel stupid in this." he stated.
"Oh you feel stupid, I have to wear a tie." Kai pointed out while pointing at his tie. "This thing is like being choked by a Constrictai and I feel stupid in it. Consider yourself lucky." Lloyd thought it over and stifled a small laugh.
"So are we ready to attend?" Zane asked.
"Hang on, what about our masks?" Jay asked. "We'll stick out like sore thumbs if we don't have them." Cole rolled his eyes to his exaggeration as it was dumb idea from the start. The Ninja of Lightning turned to face Lucas to give him a small hard stare. "Lucas, you packed them, right?" he asked.
The grey ninja rolled his hazel grey eyes in annoyance to his ninja brother. "Cool your jets, Jay." he sighed. "I have them in the Rain. Just let me grab them." The water ninja hopped onto the vehicle and reached down into the compartment to pull out the small metal box. He hopped back to the pavement and placed the box in the center of the surrounding group. "Now I'm gonna show you your masks one at a time to show you the work I put into these. Got it?" Everyone nodded that they understood. Lucas smiled. "Alright. Let's start with Kai. You'll find this one like you're...on fire." and winked at Kai.
The fire ninja watched as Lucas flipped the locks with his thumbs and opened the lid to reveal nine variety hand-crafted masks. He then watched the water ninja reach in for the first mask to pull out a red mask that covered the upper half of his face with small flickers sprouting from the top. Embedded with rhinestones of hot colors of red, orange, yellow, and white. And at the ends were dark red ribbons to be used to tie around the wearer's head. Kai looked at his mask, which was now in his hands, and placed it over his eyes and tied it behind his spiky hair. The Ninja watched him open his eyes to reveal the chocolate brown irises to show contrast of the hot colors and watched him move his head. They gasped in amazement to each movement he turned his head to look around and saw flames flicker off. The sunset light reflected off the rhinestones to have mirages of flames appear. Almost like he was on fire.
"Whoa that's so cool!" Jay exclaimed. "What's mine like?" The blue ninja watched Lucas reach back into the case and pulled out the next mask and handed it to him. Jay looked at the blue eye mask with blue and white rhinestones over the upper half of his face with a jagged lightning bold with white rhinestones striking down under his right eye with a navy blue ribbon to tie around his head. Excited, Jay placed the mask over his eyes and tied the ribbon tight behind his head to show everyone the craftsmanship Lucas put into the mask. In his movement, it looked like lightning bolts scattered across his face from the light. "This is so cool!" he shouted like a little kid. "Nice work, Lucas!"
Lucas smiled. "Thanks Jay." he said. "I put so much work into them to represent our elements." He then handed Zane his mask to show a white mask and ribbon ties with white rhinestones designed into small snowflakes cascading down face when he tied it around his head and moved around. The water ninja then handed Nya her mask that looked similar to Kai's, but had feathers in a fan with dark red ribbons to represent a phoenix as she tied it on. Next he handed Laurie her mask, similar to Nya's but with orange rhinestones and ribbon ties and moved in waves like wind would do to wheat. "Now my mask." Lucas announced and pulled out his mask. A grey eye mask with grey rhinestones and silvery grey ribbons to hold his mask to his face; almost like raining over his face. The grey ninja then turned to Cole as he hasn't received his mask yet. "For you Cole," he said. "Your mask took me awhile to think of your element and suddenly came to me and I didn't have to put mud or rocks on it. Something else that your element creates."
Cole watched as Lucas pulled his mask out and handed it to him; flipped over. The earth ninja flipped it over to blink in surprise to see what he meant that his element created. Diamonds. The strongest element on earth. No doubt though they were real as diamonds were expensive and must be clear rhinestones. A black eye mask with clear rhinestones to look like diamonds covering the upper half of his face with a black ribbon to be tied around his head. The Ninja of Earth looked at his ninja brother to see him smile. "Th-thanks man." he said quietly and slowly brought it to his face and tied the black ribbon tightly. He looked at the others to give them a small smile. "Well... How do I look?" he asked.
Jay chuckled. "Strong as a rock." he said. "Not to mention heavy as one too." and everyone laughed along the joke.
Lloyd walked up to the case to retrieve his mask as he didn't receive his yet and looked in to be confused as it was empty. Where was his mask? He should have one too that Lucas created too and it wasn't in there. Did his cousin even pack it? "Uh Lucas, where's my mask?" he asked.
Lucas looked at him to still smile. "I saved the best for last, Shrimp." he said. The water ninja looked at Cole as he was the closest to the Tank as he leaned against it. "Cole, you're closest to the Tank, inside the driver's compartment is Lloyd's mask. Can you get it?"
The earth ninja nodded and climbed up to the driver's compartment. He looked around to find the green ninja's mask and couldn't find it anywhere. He then figured it was in the driver's glove compartment to push a button and a hatch by his left hand slid open. He reached in to feel something thin and textured with his fingers and drew out the mask. His mouth was agape in amazement to the design the water ninja has done for the others. The mask was golden with emerald green ribbon ties and was shaped and designed as a dragon. A golden dragon's face with rhinestones as the scales to cover the upper half of the boy's face to match his blonde hair. Cole had to admit that Lucas has done an amazing work on it. For all of them.
"Hey Cole," Jay's voice rang. "What does it look like?"
Cole brought himself back and climbed out with the mask behind his back. He walked over to Lloyd with a smile. "Close your eyes, Squirt." he said and Lloyd slowly closed his eyes. Once his eyes were closed, Cole did a quick wave over his eyes to see if he was peeking and revealed the mask and placed it over his eyes and tied it behind his head. He waved to Lucas for him to see and the water ninja blew across his hand to have mist spray out and in front of Lloyd to reflect his body like a mirror. "Alright Lloyd, you can open them."
Lloyd slowly opened his eyes to gasp in surprise. His emerald green eyes were the dragon's eyes and he looked like a dragon. "Lucas," he gasped. "This is so cool. I feel like a dragon with it." Lucas chuckled and brushed the mist away and ruffled his blonde hair. "So now what?" he asked.
"So now that we have our masks, we can attend the ceremony." Nya exclaimed. She looked at Kai and Laurie with a devious smirk. "You know Kai, you still have to dance with Laurie after the last ball." She giggled while Jay hooked his arm with hers.
Kai rolled his eyes to groan a little. "Really Nya? he sighed. He hated it when his sister controlled his and Laurie's relationship like that.
Laurie stifled a small smile and looked at her brother. "You look handsome, Lloyd." she complemented while gently patting his back. "I'm sure any girl around your age would like to dance with you." Thinking back about the small assassin that was trained to kill her. Rhea. The mute girl that was controlled by a dark entity named the Overlord and followed her heart to help them instead kill them. But it costed her life to protect them and send the Overlord and the mysterious stone warrior away from Ninjago. But she was never mute; she was believed to think she was and could speak after all. "I even saw a couple of them eyeing you." and winked through her eye mask at him.
The green ninja looked up to smirk at his older sibling. "I can say the same to you, Sis." he smirked and winked. Then turned to Kai. "You know in case Kai messes up."
"Hey!" Kai complained. Everyone laughed to the green ninja's remark. A little laugh before the ceremony. Kai walked up to Laurie and stood beside her. "Shall we attend?" he asked. Laurie smiled and hooked her left arm with his right and slowly shifted in the heels Nya had her in and walked up to the entrance.
Cole watched as Jay and Nya followed after the fire and wind ninja to attend. As fun as they said it'll be, he still thinks it's dumb. The earth ninja watched Zane follow after them and then Lucas handing Lloyd his ticket and tighten his mask and joined in on the ice ninja. He was now alone. Cole watched the other guest attend to the historic building and thought of the idea of joining them and sighed. He can't deny now as everyone else was already in and attending. Unknown of the scientific discovery to the world. Sighing the final time, the Ninja of Earth pushed himself off the Tank from leaning onto it and followed in with his team.
Time to dance.
So what did you think of the masks. Creative, right? So now that they have their mask, it's time to dance. What can possibly go wrong? Find out next week. Have a wonderful weekend and see you all next week. :)