The gentle sounds of the Bounty's mainsail being blown against by the chilly autumn winds, and the quiet roar of the thruster jets burning fuel were the only noises present above the clouds of Ninjago City. Master Wu had risen before the sun this morning, getting up early enough to ensure that the young ninja's he was responsible for teaching would get in plenty of training.
The ninja always complained about waking up at such an undesirable hour but still arose anyway, knowing that the sooner training began then the sooner it would be over. Leaving them the rest of the day to rest and do what they pleased. Now it was well past noon and the position of the sun was beginning to wane to the west as the evening hours settled in.
Despite the time Master Wu was still present on the deck of the Bounty, not yet taking part in his post-training meditation routine. The reason for this? Well, he had taken a new student under his wing roughly a month ago; nineteen year old Destiny Pierce. Wu had offered to train the young girl to becoming the Master of Species as her father had been, and Destiny had accepted his proposal. However, since their final battle with Yuraggi the yellow clad ninja had not been able to transform again.
The yellow ninja huffed in frustration as her arms dropped to her sides.
"Ugh! I don't get it!" Destiny complained as a frown formed itself on her face, "No matter how hard I try, or how much I train nothing happens."
Master Wu turned to look at his disappointed student. She was now studying her hands, undoubtedly cursing at herself for not being able to control her elemental powers. Wu walked over to the young girl, staff in hand, before placing his other hand on her shoulder in hopes it would help to comfort her.
"It is easy to get discouraged when things do not go the way we intend. We know that your father's elemental power flows within you though, as it has shown itself once before." Master Wu pauses for a brief moment, piecing his words together in his mind before speaking again. "Although you cannot call upon them at this moment I have faith that that will not be the case for much longer."
The small brunette girl looked up at her Sensei, her frustration now replaced with sadness. Destiny sighed before giving Master Wu a soft smile.
"I hope so." The Master of Species in training stated.
Before either of them could continue the conversation the door to the hull of the Bounty was opened, causing both of them to look over to whoever had opened it.
"Hey Master Wu, hey Destiny." The green ninja greeted with a smile, "Zane wanted everyone to know that dinner is almost ready!" Master Wu nodded his head, acknowledging his nephew's words.
"Thank you Lloyd, we will be along shortly." The elder informed. Nodding his head back at his uncle the youngest ninja left, disappearing back into the depths of the ship.
"Come. There has been enough training for today." Master Wu spoke as he walked over to the same door Lloyd had gone through before holding it open for his newest student.
"Yes Master." Destiny replied as she walked through the open door first.
The yellow ninja seemed relatively calm on the outside, but on the inside she was reprimanding herself for not having figured out her powers yet. She just couldn't understand what she was doing wrong. All that the other ninja had to do was call upon their elements and then their powers would answer.
Yet whenever Destiny called out to her powers it felt like she was yelling out to no one. Like she was in an empty void, and there was no one around to hear her. When she had transformed into a dragon to defeat Yuraggi though she hadn't really done anything in particular. Not that she could remember anyways. She had merely needed strength, and before she knew it she had been enveloped in it.
At this point the yellow ninja had made it to her usual spot at the dining table, her body on autopilot. She didn't even notice when the others had sat down as well, or when the full platters covered with Zane's cooking were laid out onto the table. A gentle nudge was enough to knock Destiny from her thoughts though, and she turned to see who was trying to get her attention.
"You doing okay Destiny?" The Master of Earth questioned, keeping his eyes focused on the small girl beside him while his hands moved to grab more food for his plate.
From behind the raven haired boys' eyes it already appeared he knew the answer to his question, and his expression was one of empathy. All the ninja knew that Destiny had yet to reconnect with her powers, and it saddened the black ninja. Cole had seen how hard their newest teammate was trying, and how hard she was training.
Destiny had been putting in twice as many hours as the rest of them. Master Wu had even had to step in a few times to prevent the yellow ninja from overexerting herself. All of them admired the young girls' determination and hard work, and had even taken turns to help her train as well when they had the spare time. The brunette girl sighed as her gaze turned downwards to the table in front of them.
"Not really. Master Wu says he thinks my powers will show up again soon, but I'm not so sure." Destiny admitted as she began grabbing some portions of food as well. Cole frowned at the news. "It seems like every time I call out to my powers they're not even there."
"Hmm," Cole hummed, thinking on the girls' words. "That's kind of weird. From what I understand, me and the others don't have that issue. Our elemental energy is always present, it just gets weaker or stronger depending on how much of our element we're surrounded by."
"You- You don't think the Chrono-steel blade Yuraggi had actually worked, do you?" The yellow ninja asked fearfully. What if her powers had been absorbed, and by destroying the spear she had lost her abilities?
"I don't think so." The black ninja attempted to reassure his friend. "Your powers just probably work differently. Have you tried any other methods besides just calling out to your element?" Destiny raised an eyebrow to the taller ninja, not understanding what he was getting at.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, some elemental masters need to absorb energy first before they can channel it into their powers. Skylor is the Master of Amber, and needs to touch other elemental masters in order to mimic their abilities. Then there's Karloff, the Master of Metal. He wears huge metal gauntlets because he needs to touch metal to be able to armor himself with it." The black ninja explained, stuffing his mouth with food in between his sentences.
"So, you think I might need to go and touch a dragon or something before I could turn into one again?" Destiny questioned, her gaze now fully focused back onto her fellow ninja. Cole took a large swig of water before nodding.
"Yeah. I think it could be possible. I mean, it would explain why you haven't been able to connect with your element at all. Can't turn on a light without a bulb." The Earth ninja explained, trying to bend his train of thought to make it more understandable. His explanation worked, and the teen beside him nodded.
"I don't suppose you know any dragons that live in the neighborhood?" Destiny slightly joked as she moved to start eating her food, and Cole laughed at her question before answering.
"In the neighborhood? No. But, I'm not sure that starting off by testing our theory with a dragon is the best idea either. Maybe start with something smaller?" The black ninja then looked over to Zane, who was sitting directly across from him. "Hey Zane?" The titanium ninja looked up from his food and over to his brother.
"Yes Cole? Is everything alright with your meal? I tried my best to use the constructive criticism you provided last time, and I assure you that I prepared these dishes with an adequate ratio of protein to-" The nindroid began rambling, and Cole did his best to cut the Master of Ice off politely.
"Oh, uh, actually it's not that. This food is amazing, and you really didn't need to do that but I appreciate it." Zane raised a confused eyebrow to the black ninja.
"I see. Then what seems to be troubling you brother?" The Ice ninja asked kindly, wanting to do what he could to help his fellow ninja.
"Well, Destiny and I have a theory as to why her powers might not be working. We think that she might need to absorb energy first to be able to use them." The raven haired boy explained.
"Like Skylor?" Cole nodded, and Zane's expression changed to one of contemplation. "It is quite possible that could be the case. If that is so, might I suggest taking a trip to Fur-mart? It is the biggest pet store in all of Ninjago city. They will undoubtedly have a large selection of animals to choose from in order to conduct experiments for your theory."
"Heh, I was going to ask if you knew any nearby pet stores, but it looks like you already answered my question for me Zane." Cole stated happily, a smile present on his face.
"I'm happy I could be of assistance." The white ninja smiled back.
"Well then, it looks like I get to take a trip to Fur-mart tomorrow." Destiny spoke up, half of her plate eaten now.
"I'll come with you." Cole stated. After a second passed his attitude became more sheepish, realizing he'd just invited himself to join in on the yellow ninja's small quest. "If you don't mind me tagging along that is!" Destiny giggled a bit at the black ninja's attempt to take back his words before giving him a reassuring smile.
"I don't mind at all." Destiny paused before continuing. "Besides, having company would be nice, especially if the trip doesn't go well."
"Hey, chin up!" Cole gave Destiny another light nudge, "I believe in you. I know you got this." The yellow ninja smiled at her friend gratefully. He always knew what to say to make her feel better.
"Okay." Destiny said simply, although not in a sarcastic way. Instead her tone was light and hopeful, a glimmer of optimism beating in heart. She could do this. It would work.
The next morning Destiny hopped out of bed with a smile on her face, she couldn't help but feel excited. If Cole's theory proved correct then that meant that later today she could very well be using her powers again. Not only that but then she'd be able to practice using them as well, and become stronger.
She hadn't told anyone but recently the young girl had begun questioning whether or not she was really cut out to be a ninja. Not only had her powers seemed non-existent, but she was also years of training behind the others. Destiny pushed herself in her hand to hand combat training but it didn't feel like enough.
The others had years of experience compared to her, and not only that but their elemental abilities left them as forces to be reckoned with. Destiny couldn't help but feel insignificant. She didn't have a weapon or vehicle. She didn't even have a suit either. Not to mention the fact that she hadn't even won a spar against any of the others yet.
Destiny attempted to shake away the negative thoughts and return to the bright side of things. Cole and her were going out to test their theory, and to the First Spinjitzu Master the yellow ninja prayed it would work.
Grabbing a change of clothes and running into the bathroom Destiny quickly got ready. Today she had decided to wear some blue jeans and her favorite maroon crop top that she had gotten from Nya. Throwing on her dulled green sneakers as well and her iconic yellow jacket she inspected herself in the mirror. After deciding to put her hair up into a ponytail she came to the conclusion that she was finally ready.
It was currently 7:30am and Zane had told Destiny and Cole that Fur-Mart opened at 8:00. Nervous, but eager to get going Destiny exited the bathroom, and moved over to the main door of her bedroom. Turning the handle and opening the door the young girl jumped a bit at the unexpected figure in front of her.
"Oh my gosh!" Destiny exclaimed in surprise, placing her free hand over her rapidly beating heart. "Cole!" She scolded, gently hitting his upper arm. The black ninja laughed as the small girl gave him an unamused glare.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I was just coming to see if you were ready." Cole explained as he failed to hide the wide smile on his face. Destiny couldn't help but smile back at the mountainous ninja, the expression on his face proving to be quite contagious.
"It's fine, and I'm ready." Destiny said as she walked out of her room and into the hallway, closing the door behind her.
The smile on her face remained plastered there for quite some time. Even though she had been living with the ninja for several weeks now she didn't see them in casual attire very often. Right now was one of the exceptions, as the Earth ninja was without his ninja gi.
Instead he was wearing a pair of black jeans that seemed slightly baggy, and very worn. They had several areas where the material was lighter from how much it had been used. To go along with his outfit Cole was wearing a gray jumper, and a pair of black converse. However, the converse were adorned with sharpie writing and small doodles. Was Cole into drawing like her? Destiny couldn't say she'd noticed, and made a mental note to ask the Master of Earth about his hobbies at some point.
"Awesome!" Cole said happily, pulling Destiny from her thoughts and admiring his appearance. "Let's get going then. We can take the 'Rock Roader'."
"Rock Roader?" Destiny questioned, raising an eyebrow at the raven haired boy.
Cole nodded wordlessly and instead opted to pull out a set of keys from his hoodie pocket. The black ninja then twirled the keys around his finger as a smirk tugged at his lips. The yellow ninja giggled a bit before giving Cole a playful nudge.
"Alright then hotshot, lead the way." Destiny moved to the side, gesturing her arms outwards for the Earth ninja to go first.
"Don't mind if I do." Cole replied, matching the young girl's playfulness before walking past her. Destiny following close behind him.
The pair of them said their goodbyes to the others, letting their family know where they were going in case they needed to get a hold of them for whatever reason. With that out of the way the anchor to the Bounty was lowered momentarily, allowing them to slide down the chain and onto the concrete sidewalk beside the Ninjago City Harbor.
Destiny gave the Master of Earth a questioning look as he began walking down the path. As the duo walked away she could hear the clanking of the anchor being pulled back up. The yellow ninja was unsure how the harbor was connected to the Rock Roader the black ninja had mentioned, but it didn't take long for the pieces to finally come together in her mind. Soon after their departure Cole stopped in front of a warehouse, fiddling with his keys for a moment before inserting one of them into the removable keypad lock attached to the large garage door and unlocking it.
The Master of Earth then used a single hand to lift the garage door upwards, and as the door rolled to the ceiling enough light spilled into the room for Destiny to make out what was inside. There was a collection of different vehicles, each of them having a color corresponding to one of the ninja. Cars, motorcycles, and even a handful of small jets. The yellow ninja could feel her jaw drop a bit in awe, and turned her head when a set of headlights turned on.
"This, is the Rock Roader." Cole exclaimed as he moved beside the large black car that had been turned on. Destiny walked over to the black ninja and smiled as she looked up at him.
"Okay, this is cool." She admitted, still starstruck by the impressive machines. Cole chuckled a bit, opening the glass lidded compartment of his car.
"It is, isn't it?" Cole asked to no one in particular as he climbed onto one of the large front wheels, and held out a hand to Destiny in order to help pull her up into the vehicle.
"Soon enough you'll have your own rides to go in here too." Destiny grabbed the black ninja's hand and maneuvered herself into the backseat as he hoisted her up. Once she was settled Cole climbed into the driver's seat, the top of the car closing with a hiss as he turned the key in the ignition. The yellow ninja couldn't help how ecstatic she was, and bounced a little in her chair as the engine roared to life.
"Haha! To Fur-Mart!" The brunette girl shouted as she used one of her hands to point onwards.
"Roger that!" The black ninja played along, revving the engine before stepping on the accelerator and drifting out of the warehouse. The automatic garage door closed after their departure and the duo began making their way to the pet store. Destiny couldn't see it, but there was another wide smile on the Master of Earth's face. It gave him a fuzzy feeling of joy to see his companion so happy, and he knew he'd give anything to protect moments like these.
Cole slowed down the Rock Roader as they came up on the pet store. Now it was currently 8:15, so they were a few minutes late but the black ninja figured that was for the best. After all, the employees of the store would've had a few minutes to settle in before the ninja asked for their assistance.
Cole shifted his gear shift into park as he stopped the car on the curbside outside of Fur-Mart, pressing a button on the Rock Roaders' console and causing the lid to open up once more. Climbing out first the Earth ninja gave his short friend a hand out of the rather tall vehicle.
The two then faced the door of the pet store. Cole noticed the young girl beside him tense up a bit, and placed a gentle hand onto her shoulder. Destiny looked up to the black ninja, giving him a soft smile before nodding. Understanding that she was ready the Earth ninja moved forward, hearing a ding in the store as he held the door open for Destiny.
"Hello!" A woman's voice greeted from behind a glass display counter. "Welcome to Fur-Mart, is there anything I can help you with?" Cole smiled at the woman and prompted to answer, still sensing his friend's nervousness beside him.
"Hello, yes, we were actually wondering if you guys had any pets that we could hold for a bit?" The black ninja began, "Just here to test some… pet compatibility." The woman nodded as she moved out from behind the counter.
"Of course!" The employee then started walking to the far wall of the store and two ninja followed. "Unfortunately all of our kittens and puppies are busy being taken care of at the moment. But you're more than welcome to hold some of our birds, reptiles, or smaller pets in the meantime!"
"Well then, what would you like to start off with Destiny?" The black ninja asked as he and the employee turned their attention to the yellow clad girl. Destiny inspected the small terrariums and cages before spotting a small bundle of fur through one of the glass panes. The sign read 'Rats'.
"Uh, what about one of the rats?" Destiny suggested meekly. She was doing the best she could to quell her nerves, but her optimism from earlier had since faded. Now she was worried that this plan wouldn't work.
"Of course!" The pet store woman said happily as she undid the latches of the rat enclosure, and carefully picked up the gray fur ball the teen had noticed. The woman then held out the rather calm looking rat to Destiny, and the young girl hesitated taking it.
"It won't bite me, will it?" Destiny asked apprehensively. The employee was quick to shake her head.
"Oh not at all! All of our potential pets here are very friendly!" The woman assured Destiny, still holding out the small gray creature.
Mustering up her courage the yellow ninja gently took the rat from the woman's outstretched hands. The rat was fuzzy and soft, and Destiny couldn't help but softly smile at the way it sat in her cupped hands. The Master of Earth then placed his hand back onto her shoulder, reminding Destiny of the whole reason they had come to Fur-Mart in the first place.
The young girl had to somehow use the energy of the rat to activate her elemental powers. Or absorb its energy? This whole process was really unclear. Taking in a deep breath and closing her eyes Destiny began to concentrate, just as she had many times before. The yellow clad teen attempted to call out to her abilities again, and at first it seemed like nothing different was happening.
However, as Destiny continued she began to feel a warmth flow through her hands and down her arms. She then began to get excited but focused on keeping her concentration. She was calling out to her element, and this time it seemed like she wasn't alone. It was there, it was almost like she could reach out and touch it.
"Oh dear! I am so sorry ma'am!" The voice of the employee apologized suddenly, and Destiny opened her eyes in time to see the woman take the rat from her hands and put it back in its cage. The employee then ran off, and Destiny looked at Cole with a confused look. The taller ninja had a concerned expression on his face.
"Whatever you do, don't move your hands." The black ninja warned before running off. Destiny was now alone in the aisle and eventually her gaze turned to the warmth that was still present on her hands and forearms.
In the yellow ninja's cupped hands was a considerable amount of a familiar golden liquid. Did the rat- did it just pee on her? Had she mistaken rat pee for her elemental power responding to her?
Destiny did her best not to audibly disgust, and instead her mind became distracted by her apparent failure. She was embarrassed. Of course she had failed again, what had she expected? Suddenly Cole and the employee returned at the same time, bucket, mop, and paper towels in hand.
Destiny poured the warm liquid into the bucket provided and the woman continued to apologize as she began mopping up the mess the rat had made. The young teen did her best to assure the innocent worker that it was okay as she wiped her hands dry with the paper towels Cole had handed her. After taking a quick trip to the bathroom to wash off Destiny decided it was time to leave.
"I'm sorry the rat peed on you." Cole apologized as the two of them exited the store, doing his best to comfort his defeated looking friend. It saddened the black ninja to see Destiny's previous happiness now absent. "Did you feel anything different though?"
Destiny sighed as she stared down at the cracks in the sidewalk.
"I thought I did. Turns out it was just rat bodily fluid." The yellow ninja stated disappointedly. Cole nodded in understanding and helped Destiny into his car just as he had earlier.
When the duo returned to the Bounty the others looked at the pair expectantly, hope in their eyes. Jay was the first to speak up.
"Sooo?" The blue ninja prompted, awaiting an answer.
"Did you finally get your powers to work?" Nya asked, barely able to contain her excitement.
Cole gave the other ninja a look that told them all they needed to know, and they understood that the trip to Fur-Mart hadn't gone as they'd hoped. The ninja then calmed down, empathy now blanketing the group.
"I'm sorry Destiny." Lloyd was the first to break the new silence.
"Don't give up, I'm sure you'll get your powers to work again soon." Kai added, trying his best to be supportive.
"Indeed. Do not let this setback discourage you. As Master Wu always says, 'Ninja never quit!'." Zane stated with a soft smile.
Destiny finally looked over to her friends, her eyes tired and her posture slumped.
"Can you guys stop please?" The yellow ninja did her best to sound kind, "I just, I think I need to be alone for a little while." She explained before walking toward her room. As Destiny made her way down the hall she could hear the other room erupt in a series of hushed murmurs. Great, now they'd be talking about her.
Destiny sighed to herself as she closed the door behind her. Sliding her back along the length of the dark wood she stopped when she was finally sitting on the floor. Hot tears were threatening to fall from her eyes, and she could see her vision becoming blurry.
The yellow ninja felt like a failure. No matter how hard she tried she just couldn't do it. What was wrong with her? She was letting down her Master, her team, her father. These powers had been her father's but how could she hope to live up to him? How could she ever hope to be as amazing as the other ninja?
Destiny sniffled as she closed her eyes, envisioning the rat from earlier in her mind. The small creature had been her last hope. She had prayed to the First Spinjitzu Master that she had finally figured her powers out.
The small black eyes of the rat stared back at Destiny, and she couldn't help but keep her gaze fixed on them. She didn't know what it was but no matter how much she despised the small creature it seemed like it was trying to talk to her.
Suddenly Destiny began to hear something, something odd. It was almost like a deep hum that reverberated throughout her entire body, yet at the same time she could feel warmth come from it. Subconsciously the yellow clad girl invited the energy to wrap itself around her, and she opened her eyes.
She didn't know why but she felt… better? In a weird way it was almost like she'd had a conversation with the imaginary rat in her head. The young girl then decided she was going to go to bed early, but, when she went to stand up she realized that everything in her room seemed… bigger.
Destiny would have screamed if she could but instead she let out a rather loud squeak. Inspecting her hands and her body she quickly came to the realization that she had transformed. The yellow ninja now appeared to have the same colored fur as the gray rat she had held earlier, and there was a long worm-like tail behind her.
This is SO weird, but awesome! I finally used my powers! I need to tell the others!
The Master of Species paused at her final thought. She wanted to tell the others that she had done it, that she had finally transformed again for the first time since her battle with Yuraggi. However, it suddenly occurred to the teen that she had spent so much time trying to figure out how to transform that she had no idea how to undo it.
Uh oh...
The young girl then thought for a minute. Maybe she could still go out to the others. If she managed to get their attention then one of them might have an idea as to how to turn her back. The small rat ninja turned around and inspected the door to her room. I was so much taller now, and there was no way she'd be able to get to the handle.
Destiny then opted to search the room for an alternative exit. The Bounty may have had some upgrades here and there but it was still an old ship, so the planks weren't all even. Scurrying along the wall adjacent to the hallway the young rat found exactly what she was looking for. In the corner of the room was a crack between two of the panels for the wall.
Squeezing herself through the opening the yellow ninja tumbled clumsily into the familiar hallway outside of her room. Now that she was in the new space Destiny was taken aback, discovering that her outward appearance wasn't the only thing that had changed. Her senses now seemed different as well. Even though the dining room was at the far end of the hall Destiny could hear the voices of her friends as if she were in the room with them.
"I don't get it. I was sure that Destiny's powers worked the same as Skylor's and Karloff's." The familiar voice of the black ninja stated.
"It was a good idea, taking her to the pet store to test it." Jay tried to comfort his best friend. It was easy for Destiny to hear the sadness in the Earth ninja's voice.
"Yeah. Things just went bad, maybe you guys could try going again?" Kai suggested.
"Destiny might not want to go back Kai," Nya informed her brother. "She seemed really upset. Going back again so soon might just make her feel worse that she hasn't been able to connect with her elemental abilities."
The space fell quiet, and Destiny crawled her way over to the dining room so she could actually see the state her fellow ninja were in.
"Perhaps we could call Skylor and invite her to the Bounty? If Cole's theory is correct and her and Destiny's powers do function the same way it is possible that she could prove to be a more suitable mentor." The nindroid suggested.
"That's a pretty good idea Zane." The green ninja complimented his titanium brother.
"Yeah, hopefully Skylor can do a better job." Cole sighed before continuing. "I just, I feel like it's my fault that Destiny is so upset right now. It was my idea to go to the pet store after all." The small rat form of Destiny frowned at the Master of Earth's words.
Oh Cole… it's not your fault though.
As if Kai had read Destiny's mind the red ninja repeated her thoughts.
"It's not your fault Cole. We've all had times when our hope wavers. You'll see, Destiny will get through this." The Master of Fire attempted to comfort.
"I don't say this often but, Kai's right." Nya stated, earning an argumentative 'hey!' from the red ninja. "And knowing you Cole, you're gonna be there every step of the way to help Destiny 'till she gets her powers working."
Cole gave his friends a soft smile as he looked up at them.
"Thanks guys." The black ninja thanked. The sweet moment was suddenly interrupted by a rather high pitched shriek from the Master of lightning as he spotted a furry gray ball on the floor.
Destiny flinched at the sound of the blue ninja's screaming. It was not pleasant to hear his voice reverberate throughout her entire body. She was sure she'd end up with a head-splitting headache later. As for her earlier plan? Well, she had definitely gotten someone's attention.
"AHH!" Jay screamed as he nearly climbed onto the top of the table. Everyone jumped at the suddenness of Jay's outburst before looking at him.
"Jay!?" Kai questioned, an irritated undertone to his voice as he glared at Jay. The red ninja did not appreciate getting caught off guard.
"R-R-" The blue ninja struggled to yell as he sat shaking like a feeble leaf. The green ninja followed where Jay's gaze was fixated though, and spotted what had freaked out his older brother.
"Rat!" Lloyd shouted as he pointed to the rat situated at the edge of the door to the dining room. All the other ninja then turned to look at the rat.
"Get it!" Nya yelled as she jumped out of her chair and lunged towards Destiny.
Destiny squeaked loudly as she ran underneath the Master of Water, and the teal ninja hit the floorboards behind her. Kai was next, and stood up from his chair, but as he clapped his hands together to grab Destiny she squeezed through the tight opening and sprinted between his legs towards the kitchen.
"IT'S GOING IN THE KITCHEN!" Jay continued to freak out from his spot on the tabletop, pointing a finger at the rat as it disappeared around the corner.
Cole, Lloyd, and Zane all jumped up from their spots at the table and chased the rat into the kitchen. In the brief time it had taken them to run into the room Destiny had climbed onto the countertop.
"There it is!" Zane pointed out as he laid eyes on the gray fuzz ball.
"I got it!" Lloyd replied, lunging himself at Destiny just as Nya had. However, also like Nya, the green ninja missed the rat and instead crashed into several wooden boxes.
"Ugh, how did a rat even manage to get on the Bounty?" Nya questioned as she and her brother entered the kitchen.
"DOES IT MATTER?" Jay yelled from the dining room. "IT'S IN THE KITCHEN WHERE WE KEEP ALL OUR FOOD!"
"Rats are quite impressive climbers, Jay." Zane began to explain as he attempted to trap Destiny underneath a pot. "They also adapt quickly to different environments. It is actually surprising that it took this long for a rat to come aboard." Just as the white ninja slammed the pot onto the countertop Destiny jumped forward, landing on the floor and dodging her intended cage.
This whole time the black ninja had been studying the rat. It didn't seem to move the way he normally observed the rats of Ninjago City run around. Did Cole know that much about rats? No, but he had simply opted to watch rats running around the alleyways and pipes of the city whenever a mission went by slowly.
It also occurred to the Master of Earth now that this rat looked oddly familiar. Just like the one that had been in the pet store. Could the one from the pet store have accidentally tagged along with him and Destiny on their way back home? Well, that made some sense.
'Wait!" Cole shouted, causing the other ninja to freeze. Seizing their pursuit of the small furry creature. "That looks just like the rat from earlier. It might've snuck home with us from the pet store."
I LOVE YOU COLE!
Destiny mentally thanked the black ninja for halting the wild rat chase. Now she could finally try and communicate with them without having to run for her life.
The other ninja thought they were going crazy when they watched the rat begin to fail its tiny arms in the air. It was squeaking rapidly, and also seemed to be bouncing in place a bit.
"Uh, is it just me, or does it look like that rat is trying to get our attention?" The red ninja questioned. The ninja were all watching the rat with expressions of shock.
"Yeah, I've seen a lot of rats in Ninjago City but none of them have done that before." Lloyd added, turning to look at Kai.
"Wait, Cole," The white ninja began. "Didn't you say that Destiny held a rat earlier when trying to reconnect with her powers?" Cole nodded at the nindroid before looking back at the rat.
"Destiny?" The black ninja asked apprehensively. To everyone's surprise the rat nodded, squeaking again as it did so.
"Guys? What's going on?" Jay yelled again from the dining room. "Why did it get so quiet all the sudden?"
"D-Destiny's a rat." Nya responded to her boyfriend, the shock in her voice causing her to stutter.
"What?!" The blue ninja questioned, falling off the table and running over to join his fellow ninja.
"Destiny? Can you change back?" Lloyd asked, and the rat shook her head.
"Hey, on the bright side you finally got your powers to work!" Kai stated happily, a smile now present on his face.
"Yeah, but now she's stuck as a rat!" Nya scolded her brother, to which he shrugged.
"Destiny, how did you transform into a rat?" Cole questioned.
Destiny thought on the black ninja's inquiry. She had been envisioning the rat in her mind, then she felt the wave of energy wash over her, and before she knew it here she was.
"I don't think she can talk Cole." Jay pointed out. Unfortunately for Destiny, the Master of Lightning was correct. Now it was Zane's turn to speak, and he directed his words at his transformed friend on the floor in front of him.
"Destiny, perhaps if you repeat the actions that caused your transformation you will be able to reverse it?" The nindroid suggested. The small rat form of Destiny nodded her head in acknowledgement before closing her eyes.
You got this Destiny. Just do what you did before.
The yellow ninja slowly began to form an image in her mind. Previously she had pictured a rat, so maybe if she pictured herself she'd change back? Well, there was only one way to test her theory. Destiny did her best to picture herself in her mind. The way she looked in the mirror and in photographs. Her long brunette hair and hazel colored eyes. Her tanned skin and lack of beauty marks.
Keeping her concentration focused on the image of herself Destiny began to feel the familiar hum, accompanied by the blanketing warmth that followed it. There, right in front of her was herself. In her mind Destiny reached out a hand to her image, and it looked at her with a soft smile. It was as if the yellow ninja was having an out of body experience, and she shuddered when her body grabbed a hold of her hand.
When Destiny opened her eyes she looked up to see her friends looking at her with expressions of awe. The yellow ninja looked around, everything seemed back to the size she was used to. The young girl then looked down at her hands, and felt a wave of relief wash over her as she took in that her hands were back to normal. Meanwhile the black ninja wasted no time wrapping his arms around his smaller friend. The sudden action took Destiny by surprise and she laughed happily to herself as she hugged the larger ninja back.
"You did it Destiny!" Lloyd cheered.
"You were a rat just a second ago! That- That was crazy!" Jay exclaimed as he finally began to process everything that had just happened.
"Knew you could do it." Kai added, smiling as he crossed his arms.
"Sorry about trying to catch you." Nya apologized as she gave Destiny a sheepish grin.
"I too apologize for my attempt to apprehend you." Zane apologized as well. Cole removed himself from Destiny to allow the yellow ninja room to answer the others.
"It's okay guys, don't worry about it. Although, if I don't end up turning into a rat again please don't yell." Destiny informed the others who turned to look at Jay. "I'm pretty sure I'm gonna have a killer headache soon."
"Heh, sorry." The blue ninja apologized with a nervous chuckle, and Destiny waved away Jay's apology giving the boy a reassuring smile.
"You finally found your powers again." Cole stated happily as he looked down at the yellow ninja beside him.
"I have you to thank for that Cole. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have been able to transform in the first place." Destiny explained as she gave the older ninja a soft smile. Cole smiled back at Destiny, but looked down at the ground to hide when he began to feel his cheeks heat up.
"Thank you, all of you." Destiny continued as she looked over to the other ninja still present in front of her. "You guys never gave up on me. I couldn't have asked for better friends."
Destiny then stood up from her spot on the floor, hugging the other ninja in a loving group hug before pulling away.
"Of course." Nya replied, giving the yellow ninja a smile.
"We'll always be here for you." Lloyd added.
"Yeah, we've got your back!" Kai exclaimed triumphantly.
"I'm sure Master Wu will be excited to hear the news as well that you have re-discovered your elemental powers." Zane stated, a smile also apparent on his face.
"Yeah! And once you get them under control I bet you'll be the best in spars!" Jay said excitedly.
"Ha! Yeah right!" The red ninja argued.
"What? You think you could beat a freaking dragon Kai?" The blue ninja questioned, shooting the Master of Fire an unimpressed look.
"Hey, I have before!" Kai defended,
"I don't believe making Flame your pet technically counts as defeating a dragon Kai." Zane admitted.
"I have to agree with Zane on this one Kai." Lloyd agrees with the nindroid, giggling a bit at the disappointed look on the red ninja's face. Destiny couldn't help but laugh a bit as well, but stopped when she realized something.
"Oh! Cole!" The yellow ninja nearly yelled, getting the attention of the Master of Earth. "Sorry, but, since your theory worked that means I need to collect an arsenal of different shapeshifting forms for when I finally get to go out on missions with you guys!"
"Looks like we'll be going back to Fur-Mart again tomorrow then." The black ninja stated, chuckling a bit. Destiny nodded, and then clasped her hands together giving Cole her best puppy dog eyes. The raven haired boy raised an eyebrow at his shorter friend.
"What?" The Earth ninja questioned confusedly.
"I was thinking that maybe, we just might, y'know, possibly, also go to the zoo..?" The yellow ninja trailed off, doing her best to seem innocent as she silently begged for the mountainous ninja's approval.
"I don't know…" Cole started, but was cut off by Destiny hanging onto his arm.
"Aww c'mon Cole! Just imagine it, if I could turn into a Talonfeather. Oh! Or a Bristlepaw! I could be so much more helpful on missions, and versatile for different situations!" Destiny tried to persuade the older boy, but he still seemed skeptical.
"I wouldn't really classify a Bristlepaw as a stealthy ninja-like animal." Cole stated, a playful smirk tugging at the edges of his lips.
"Please!" Destiny pleaded, quivering her bottom lip in a last ditch effort to convince the black ninja. Finally Cole conceded, while he didn't exactly know how they were going to convince the Zoo staff to let Destiny mess with the animals in the exhibits he couldn't help but admit to himself having a larger selection of forms to choose from wasn't a bad idea. Plus, in the Earth ninja's mind the more forms Destiny could shapeshift into then the more likely she'd be able to get out of sticky situations alive.
"Fine, fine. But I am coming with to make sure you don't end up as a chew toy for a Scarletsnout or something." Cole informed, giving Destiny a smile.
"YES!" The yellow ninja cheered at her victory. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She continued to cheer before running out of the kitchen.
"Hey! Where are you going!?" Cole called after her.
"TO TELL MASTER WU THE GOOD NEWS!" The young girl shouted, and the other ninja couldn't help but smile to themselves as they heard her footsteps disappear down the hall. Destiny had found her powers, and now her real journey to becoming a Master of Spinjitzu could begin.
