Chapter 27: The Ninja Tribunal, Part 1
In Ponyville we focus on the Castle of Friendship as ponies trotted in town. Inside the library, Twilight and Starlight were reorganizing the shelves. But judging by the look on Twilight's face, it was still clear that she missed Chase having him around to help her out.
It's been at least a day since he was banished to the wasteland and Twilight was feeling more sad of missing her husband lately. Having him not here has been really hard on her and the rest of her friends and family.
"Twilight?" Starlight asked, causing Twilight to yelp in surprise before she composed herself and turned to face the lilac unicorn. Starlight was concerned for Twilight. "You feeling okay, Twilight? You don't look happy."
Twilight sighed sadly and she shook her in response.
"No. It's just so hard to handle everything with Chase banished to the wasteland and even with his family beside him, I'm worried about my husband." Twilight said sadly.
"I'm sure he'll return with Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio and set things right with the EEA, even if Chancellor Neighsay is going to go against him." Starlight said, walking up to Twilight as she placed a comforting hoof on the lavender alicorn's shoulder with a smile.
It made Twilight smile back, but still can't help herself from worrying Chase so badly.
"I hope you're right." Twilight said with a hopeful look on her face as Starlight walked out of the library.
When she was gone, Twilight turned to see a photo of her, Chase, and Nyx smiling in the photo. She walks over to it and uses her magic to lift the picture with a sad look while looking at it.
"I miss you, honey." Twilight said sadly while looking at the photo as she shed a few tears.
She turns to her right to see Ray perched on one of the chairs, staring out the window. He too felt the same worry and sadness for his master. Twilight couldn't help but agree with the phoenix as she hoped that Chase would still be alright out in the wasteland.
*Main theme*
Chase's mind was pitch black as he groaned tiredly from the heat he and his family just suffered. He struggles to open his eyes as his vision looks blurry.
Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio were with him as well while trying to wake up. Antonio accidentally stumbles into something wet for a moment before he jolts up in surprise, making his family turn to him wide awake.
"What-How-Where-Who?!" Antonio shouted when he noticed that he had fallen into a small creak of water and smiled excitedly. "Hey! Water!" He gulps up some water into his mouth while gurgling before he swallows it. "Ahhh, I love water. Oh yes, it's so good. Desert bad."
Chase, Jade, Sunray, and Trini looked around to see that they were in some sort of throne room with a lot of flora, rock, and water. They even saw some totems that had different kinds of animals. Chase even noticed that the bandages on him were gone as well as his wounds as if they had been mysteriously healed.
"What is this place?" Jade asked curiously.
"Well, you've come back from the dead have you?" Kon's voice was heard as the five ponies turned around curiously to find him, Chikara, and Juto standing before them with five black panthers standing beside them looking down at the Elite Ninja. "And our monks were ready to pray for you. I am Kon. This is Juto and Chikara. We are the leaders of the Ninja Tribunal of Japon."
"Japon?" Chase said in disbelief and shock. "Wait. Nopony lives outside of Equestria. Not like outside of this place."
"Ah, yes." Juto said as he, Kon, and Chikara joined them. "We are the forgotten ones. Equestria's former Elite Ninja warriors, thrown out and left to die. Just as you five were."
"But now that you have been saved, your lives belong to the ponies of the Tribunal." Chikara added as Sunray and Jade brushed the water off their tales. "And we will use them well. If it's actually worth anything."
"Hey! That sounds like a bad deal!" Antonio exclaimed, not liking this as well as his family.
"You are in no position to "deal"." Kon said sternly. "Out here, everything is either useful or dead weight. Prove yourselves worthy or the desert will be your grave."
Chase glared at three alicorns as he stood up.
"You three need to work on making a better first impression." Chase remarked firmly, causing Juto to chuckle since he found the alicorn prince's bravery amusing.
"In the unforgiving wasteland, we value strength and survival above all." Juto said, listing out the two things to learn about the monastery.
"We will see where you five stand soon enough." Kon said firmly as Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio joined Chase. "Complete your training, then enter the arena. Just the bravest crawl out and are allowed to stay in the tribunal. It's quite simple really."
"Um, what happens to the ones that don't crawl out?" Jade asked curiously.
"Then it will be as if we never found you, child." Chikara replied back with a smirk, causing Antonio to gulp in surprise.
"I was afraid of that." Antonio said meekly and scared.
"We will begin your training now so you can comeback the Quinkan from destroying Equestria as well." Kon said with his attention on the five ponies as they turned to him. "For it will begin now that the Quinkan are still hiding in the mountains as well as here in the desert."
Chase and his family were surprised by this, hearing that there are more Quinkan monsters here.
"Wait, there are some out here?" Chase asked in shock.
"Yes. The bigger ones are no doubt more powerful than you can imagine." Kon answered. "Zhao has sent the most powerful members of his army to wreak havoc on us all."
"He has waited for over a thousand years to return. You five have been chosen to combat this threat." Juto explained as well. "Our enemy can wreak untold destruction through both physical and mystical means. You must be prepared to combat it on all fronts."
"But what can we do to stop the Quinkan from harming the world? I mean all of us do it together with the rest of our allies by our side." Chase protested with concern.
"That may be true, Chase Young. But these amulets around your neck given to you by the five Dragon Guardians are what help you bring out your inner strength. They are the Amulets of the Acolyte." Kon explained while using his magic to bring out the Elite Ninja's respective amulets and placed them around their necks. "It will aid you to focus and amplify your inner power. Your chi."
Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio looked at their amulets before turning their attention back to the three alicorn masters.
"Even though we can use our chi to combat the Quinkan, how can we be sure that it will work?" Jade asked with a confused look.
"Perception is not always truth." Kon began to explain as mist came from his horn. "All you think you know about this world, about yourselves..." An image of space appeared around his eyes, followed by a drop of green water. "...even about reality itself – all of this will be challenged."
The fountain showed an image of the monastery floating in it.
"Here, in Japon, you will learn secrets not shared for millennia." Kon continued. "Secrets known only by we of the Ninja Tribunal."
The five ninja ponies shared looks with each other before they turned back to the three masters and nodded in reply.
"All things will be explained in time." Chikara promised. "As for training, it begins now."
Chase nodded in reply with determination.
"When do we start?" Chase asked as Kon smiled, impressed with the young alicorn prince's determination and bravery.
(Scene changes)
Later, Kon stood in a courtyard of the monastery while Jade stood by a pillar each with the dragon symbol on, which went around and around it, then Kon clapped his hooves.
"The dark one is clever..." Kon explained as Jade turned to him. "...and will strike when he finds you distracted."
Jade looked a little uneasy at first before she turns her attention back to the pillar. She closes her eyes with deep concentration before her chi was shown. She smirked and jumped on the pillar, causing the dragon to become alive as it tried to reach Jade, only for her to dodge the attack, sent a ball of water at the dragon, making it roar in surprise, and swiped the flag from the pillar.
She landed before Kon while holding the flag as the alicorn master had an impressed look on his face.
(Scene changes)
Elsewhere, Juto stood by the edge of a cliff at the monastery with Sunray and Trini, who held a Bow and Arrow. Ahead of him were several large rings of fire, which got smaller and smalller on the inside.
"Without hesitation, without remorse, you must strike your enemy and strike true, or suffer." Juto explained, pointing at the rings.
Sunray and Trini used their chi of Fire and Water to concentrate before they aimed their arrows at the rings, then shot them at the rings as they went through flying speed before they struck some rocks.
"How's that for an impression?" Trini asked the alicorn master.
"Hmm." Juto said with an impressed smile.
(Scene changes)
Elsewhere, Antonio walked up a trail on the side of the mountain, as Chikara watched him. Antonio was carrying a shoulder pole on his shoulders, with a large boulder on each other.
"Aw, do you tire?" Chikara said coldly. "The dark one never tires..."
Antonio glared at her.
"...ever!" Chikara roared.
She punched the side of the mountain twice, causing massive boulders to fall from it, which rolled down towards Antonio, who smirked in reply. He uses his chi of Earth, tosses the shoulder pole into the air.
"Eat it!" Antonio shouted as he punched and kicked the boulders until they were turned into tiny pebbles.
Antonio then grabbed the shoulder pole on his shoulders and reached the top as Chikara was waiting for him as she smiled with an impressed look on her face.
"Well done, Antonio." Chikara said to Antonio, who smirked in reply.
(Scene changes)
Finally, inside the monastery, Chase was walking along a narrow tight rope each over a pool of water as Kon was watching him from the other end.
"While you walk among the water on a narrow path, you will need to use concentration if the threat will defeat you." Kon said as he held his arms up, lowering the springs keeping both ends of the ropes together, causing Chase to fall into a crouch position.
Kon raised his arms up high, raising the spring up, but Chase uses his chi of Lightning to jump up in the air and landed back on the rope before walking across. He then front flipped onto the end of the rope as he smirked at Kon's direction.
Seeing this made Kon smile with an impressed look on his feet.
(Scene changes)
Later on, the five ponies were back in the throne room as they stood before Kon, Chikara, and Juto.
"Well done. You all have proven to use your chi with much concentration. Now, it is time for you to enter the Arena of Death." Kon said, making Antonio flinch in surprise.
"D-d-did you say the 'Arena of Death'?" Antonio asked with a concerned look.
"Calm down, Antonio. As long as we're together, we got this." Chase said with determination and firmly.
"Be that as it may, but know this, there are some obstacles that will challenge you all." Chikara said firmly.
"Bring it on, masters! Bring. It. On!" Sunray said with a smirk as his family looked at him in amusement.
(Scene changes)
In a large tunnel, Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio were walking down to enter the Arena of Death. As they continued to walk, they could hear the sound of cheering.
Once they made it to the end of the tunnel, they were shocked to see more than ten thousand ponies and bunyips in the crowd cheering for the newcomers.
The place itself consists of a lava-filled crater with large matter-formers in the center as well as showing the coast of the Wasteland residing in the north-east sector of Japon. The arena is structured with volcanic rocks, and cuts off at the coastline, allowing for a scenic view over the ocean. Stands are lined along two walls for spectators, with Kon, Juto, and Chikara's throne chairs resting between the two. Their throne chairs are placed directly in front of the arena which is located below.
"Wow, there sure are a lot of ponies here." Trini said to her family in shock as the five ponies climbed on a smaller platform.
Chase then noticed Kon, Chikara, and Juto sitting on their respective thrones as a few black panthers were sitting beside them. Then he noticed a familiar Bunyip elder standing in the front.
"Hey, guys! Look! That's Nandu Gili!" Chase said, gesturing to the Bunyip. "The Bunyip elder I told you about!"
"Really?" Jade asked while looking at Nandu Gili as the others saw him in surprise.
"Hail all citizens of Japon! Welcome to the Arena of Death where we get to watch other ponies face the ultimate challenge. Each fighting to prove their worth to stay among us!" Nandu Gili said as the smaller platform rose up, lifting Chase and his family up before it stopped next to a large rocky pillar. "Let's hear it for Alicorn Jiu Jitsu Master Chase Young and his Elite Ninja team!"
Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio walked onto the larger pillar before standing in the center as the crowd cheered for them.
The five ponies then noticed that Dojo was sitting on top of Kon's throne.
"Dojo! There you are. Where were you?" Chase asked the serpent in surprise.
"Hey, guys! Kon, Juto, and Chikara said that I'm to be Nandu Gili's assistant. They say that my alliance with you guys will serve them well." Dojo said with a smile before he replaced it with a concerned look. "Oh yeah, and uh, Kon also says that you five are likely to die in the arena today, and he hopes your death is very, uh…"
"Will you stop that?!" Sunray snapped annoyingly. "Kon can talk for himself!"
"He is right. You will most likely die. And yes, Dojo is Nandu Gili's new assistant." Kon said to the team sternly as Dojo jumped in front of the Elite Ninja.
"Unlike you guys, some ponies here appreciate my talents." Dojo said while Chase looked at him with an unamused look on his face. "It beats working for a living. I saw a few of the fights earlier. Whew, not a pretty sight."
"Why you little-" Antonio was about to finish when Nandu Gili taped the lower part of his staff on the ground, silencing the group as Dojo sat on the top of Kon's chair.
"Elite Ninja, for the first arena fight, you will all battle against the most powerful members of the Quinkan we have captured from the Wasteland. But be warned, these may seem the most difficult creatures you have ever faced." Nandu Gili explained to the Elite Ninja as they looked back at him. "There are two things you must learn though. As supreme leader of Japon, Kon has ensured the purity of the arena as well as its rules. One: One must fight to the death or destroy all of his enemies. And two: If it is wastelander against wastelander, one must kill the other."
Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio were visibly disturbed by the last part. But then something caught Chase's eyes as he noticed a panther cub hiding behind Kon's chair. In the cub's appearance, he had a few small hair strands sticking out of his forehead.
"Readjust the matter-formers! Prepare the arena for full combat!" Kon shouted, snapping Chase out of his gaze from the cub.
"Prepare the arena for full combat!" Dojo repeated, which annoyed the three alicorn masters.
"He just said that!" Juto said sternly to Dojo, making him turn to him feebly.
"I know. I was just adding, you know, how you do the thing with the–" Dojo didn't get the chance to explain as Kon, Chikara, and Juto shot him a look of irritation as the black panthers growled at him as well. He managed to recompose himself. "Anyway, prepare the warriors!"
"You mean we have to fight against actual Quinkan beasts? With actual weapons? Who-who actually want to hurt us?" Antonio asked worriedly.
"Fine. bring 'em on!" Chase said as he, Jade, Sunray, and Trini used their magic to dish out their respective mystic weapons as they held them in their hooves.
"Alright! That's it! I wanna be Nandu Gili's assistant!" Antonio shouted as his family looked at him in slight annoyance.
"Just take out your mystic weapon already!" Chase said sternly as Antonio groaned miserably before he dished out his Inazuma weapon.
They stepped onto the platform as it lowered the five ponies down onto the matter-former. They jumped on the battle platform as they lit their horns, stood on their hind legs, and aura hands replaced their front hooves.
The doors of the tunnels leading inside the arena opened up as twenty fiveQuinkan soldiers came out with growls. The Elite Ninja noticed that each of them were each five Pyroquin and Protoquin soldiers, only that they were slightly taller, wearing silver armor, and they were each carrying a katana sword, a scythe, a double bladed staff, and a spear.
Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio were visibly surprised by this as the soldiers jumped into the arena surrounding the five ponies.
"Whoa. So those are the ones they captured lately." Jade said to her family with a shocked look on her face.
To prove her point, one of them took the advantage of punching a boulder to pebbles.
"Wow, and I thought insurance sales ponies were pushy." Antonio remarked to his family, visibly shocked as well.
One of the Protoquin soldiers pulled out a pair of nunchucks and started showing off with them, while making grunting sounds. Antonio saw this and smirked.
"Oh, a fellow chucker, eh?" Antonio asked before conjuring a pair of his own nunchucks and started showing off as well, flipping the weapon into a figure of eight so quickly that it became a blur. He stopped and returned to his defensive position.
The Protoquin soldier, not wanting to be one upped by the unicorn stallion, once again performed with his nunchucks before finishing with a pose.
"Are we really just gonna stand back and watch this?" Trini whispered to Chase, Jade, and Sunray.
"We don't know what else these soldiers are capable of compared to the rest of Zhao's army." Jade whispered.
"Right. So let's wait and see how this plays out." Chase agreed.
Antonio started performing a more complicated technique with his chucks swinging it around his waist and over his shoulders. Antonio finally struck a pose.
"Oh!" The Protoquin soldier said feeling impressed at Antonio's latest maneuver.
But he started performing his own complicated technique mixing Antonio's latest move with some of his own. Antonio smirked seeing how challenging this was truly getting.
When the Protoquin soldier finished his move, Antonio was suddenly spinning his chucks on his aura finger like it was a basketball, while he appeared to be relaxing without even trying. The Protoquin soldier and the others looked confused feeling this was a trick.
"Keep practicing!" Antonio said as he laughed before he made his nunchucks disappear.
Jade suddenly jumped over Antonio, armed with her Arashi as she kicked two of the Protoquin soldiers down.
"Take 'em down, ninjas!" Chase shouted as he, Trini, Sunray, and Antonio joined in with Jade in the battle.
Chase was facing off against the five Pyroquin soldiers with his Gunshin held in his aura hands. One of them charged at him and tried to punch him twice, but Chase dodged the attacks before he uppercuts the soldier to the chin as it landed on its back. The second one came at Chase and struck him in the back with a devastating kick as the alicorn stallion rolled on the matter-former a bit before he got into a fighting stance.
"Hey, these soldiers are a lot tougher than they look. So don't let them make you fall into the lava, guys!" Chase called to his family, who were taking on the Quinkan soldiers as well, and punched the one that took him by surprise to the ground.
"I don't think that'll be a problem, Chase!" Antonio called back after avoiding one Pyroquin soldier's kick.
"Yeah, they just keep coming!" Jade added as she dodged a backfist from one of the Protoquin soldiers before she kicked it in the back, sending it to the ground.
Trini faced off against the other five Protoquins as she dodged the first soldier's punch and kick before she used her wind element to send a powerful palm strike at him, sending the soldier away.
"Maybe we can use our elements to take them down. Focus on your chi, guys!" Trini called to her family as she concentrated her chi with much focus.
"She's right. Focus, guys! Let's go!" Chase said as he and the rest of his family concentrated their chi as they were engulfed with it.
They glared at the Quinkan soldiers as the monsters snarled at the five ponies before they charged at them, weapons ready.
But Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio were prepared for this as they charged right at the monsters.
Antonio used his Earth elemental powers with a powerful double dragon kick to the two Protoquin soldiers, a triple phoenix punch to the other two, and finally he slams both of his aura fists to the ground resulting in a tremor that sends the last soldier to the ground.
Sunray punches three of the Pyroquin soldiers and uses his Fire elemental power to fire a beam flame at the last remaining two, knocking them to the ground.
Jade was facing off the other five Protoquin soldiers as she back kicks the first one away, uppercuts the other two, and uses her Water elemental power to send a wave of water at the last remaining two, sending them on their backs.
Trini took on five Pyroquin soldiers as well as she used her Wind elemental powers to perform a powerful spin kick to the first two soldiers, a double phoenix kick to the third soldier, and sent a powerful gust of wind to the last remaining two to the ground.
Finally, Chase was facing off the last remaining five Protoquin soldiers as he dodges a few punches and kicks from the three monsters before he uses his Lightning elemental by performing an electrical spinning back kick to the first one, two electric punches to the other two, and he sends a beam of lightning at the last remaining two to the ground.
With the Quinkan soldiers down, the crowd cheered for the Elite Ninja as the five ponies turned to them. Kon, Juto, and Chikara were impressed with their skills as well.
"Now that was fun." Sunray said to his family with a cocky smirk as they turned to him with amused smiles.
Chase, Jade, Surnay, Trini, and Antonio then walked back onto the platform as it raised them up to the bigger stone pillar. But as they were halfway to the pillar, Chase took notice of a short, frail Earth Pony monk mare with decorative white and golden face paint, traditional clothing covering her entire body, and armor. Over this, she wears a decorative gown from her waist to her ankles and scarlett eyes.
She glared at Chase, which confuses him before he noticed that he and his family had just reached the pillar as it caused him to forget the monk as he turned to face Kon, Chikara, and Juto.
"Well done, all of you. We were expecting some weak students, but you have proven to be more impressive than before to use your powers wisely." Kon said to the Elite Ninja with an impressed look.
"Yeah, that's because they have the special gifts of the five Dragon Guardians that you guys have." Dojo replied back with a smug smile.
"We were just getting started with this training you three gave us." Chase said to the three alicorns.
"Do not let your overconfidence cloud you five." Nandu Gili spoke to Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio as they turned to him. "You still have two more arena fights before you can become members of the Ninja Tribunal."
"Nandu Gili is correct." Kon said in agreement as he gestured to the five that there were each new shoulder guard armor as well as new weapons. A new set of two katana swords, a new bow staff, a new pair of tessen fans, a new set of kunai, and a new set of two tanto blades. "Your bravery has earned you five your first battle armor. If you are victorious in two more arena fights, you will earn your citizenship to Japon as well as the Ninja Tribunal." He then hands Chase a gate pass as well. "Here is a gate pass to allow free passage in and out of the city, but beware. There is no true refuge outside our walls. The desert is less kind than us."
"And for your victory, a new replacement of your previous weapons is your prize." Juto said, gesturing to the Elite Ninja their new versions of their previous weapons as they smiled.
But then Dojo popped up in front of them with an excited smile.
"Ah yeah! Now we're talking!" Dojo said eagerly, only for Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio to take their weapons with them, much to the serpent's dismay. "Hey! What do I get? Nothing! As usual."
Chase and his family strapped their weapons to their right side as well as putting on their new shoulder armor, but just as they were about to walk out of the arena, Chase then remembered the Earth Pony monk as he turned to the spot if she was still there. To his surprise, she wasn't. He glared at the spot of where she stood.
(Scene changes)
The five have just walked out of the arena and went down the tunnel they went through before they came out into the hallway.
"Wow, I can't believe that we just survived our first fight in the arena." Jade spoke to her family, who were having the same thought as her.
"I can't believe the Tribunal captured the most powerful Quinkan monsters from Zhao's army." Sunray remarked in surprise.
"I don't understand why they would capture them." Trini said to her family with a confused look on her face.
"Maybe they just like to have them as pets." Antonio guessed, only to get blunt looks from his family. "What?"
Chase still had a lot of thinking on his mind as the five walked out of the hallway into the city of Japon. The town consisted of what looked like ancient Japanese buildings with symbols that showed signs for food and water, the Arena of Death, and the bazaar.
"There's still too much we don't know about the Tribunal, about those soldiers they're holding either." Chase said as they were walking towards the bazaar.
"So we don't know them that much." Antonio said with a smile. "I've never seen such nice quality craftsmanship around these parts of the world before."
"That's because we haven't yet, Antonio." Jade said with an unamused look.
"Yeah, you don't sound like yourself at the moment either." Trini added with a confused look.
"I'm just saying you don't have to freak out about it. Heh. It could be worse." Antonio replied back while smiling, which was starting to annoy Sunray.
"Worse? Worse?!" Sunray exclaimed angrily. "The EEA just banished us to the Wasteland. A place, mind you, we know nothing about, with no hope of getting home, and no clue as to what else is out there!"
"Uh, powerful Quinkan beasts, duh?" Antonio replied back cooly, which Sunray facehoofed himself in annoyance.
"Sure, Antonio. We've seen and battled all of Zhao's Quinkan beasts before, but aren't you the least bit concerned about coming across one?" Jade asked with concern. "I mean, we hardly know anything about them. Well, except for the part that we've taken on the Dragonquins too many times."
"Exactly. So until we find out who the Tribunal are, we solve this mystery before we get back to Ponyville in some other way." Chase replied back as they made their way into the Bazaar which was a large area that had fruit and vegetables for sale as well as a perfect view of the ocean. "As well as accomplish our goal of finishing up the arena fights too."
As they walked through the beach area, they came across some Earth Pony monks as well as the one Chase saw in the Arena of Death. They were gathered around a statue that looked like a strange dragon of some kind. It was tall and had a slender-like humanoid appearance with large leathery bat-like wings, a spiked tail, four long fingers, two-toed feet, which resemble Jika-tabi boots, and eyes that bear slitted black pupils.
"Check out these funny dudes, huh?" Antonio said with a chuckle as the Elite Ninja walked over to them while looking at the statue. "Nice threads. I didn't know rubber was back in. What are ya working on, monk boy?"
"It is none of your concern, unicorn." The lead monk replied back sternly while looking at the mysterious dragon statue with deep concentration.
"Look, coloring book. We had a hard week. Don't push it!" Sunray said angrily.
"The Arena shows all, grandson of Darius Hisomi." The lead monk spoke to Chase with a firm look. "Looks consume your eyes."
"Great. Thanks for the tip." Chase said with a sarcastic look.
"Wait, you know our grandfather?" Jade asked in shock.
"Yes. But the Quinkan will destroy you just as one of these creatures nearly destroyed themselves." The lead monk said while gesturing to the mysterious dragon creature statue.
"It doesn't look like any dragon we've ever seen before." Trini remarked while looking at the statue with her family. "What is it?"
"A Demodragon. These ancient beasts are an abomination led by Emperor Zhao himself from the Netherworld. One fell in the great volcano long ago." The lead monk answered while looking at the statue of the Demodragon. "We sent an expedition to the mountain, but my monks never returned. Ill tidings sing in the wind. I fear the remaking of the world is at hand with the Quinkan preparing their worst remake to bring destruction upon Equestria."
"I think you've been out in the sun a little too long." Antonio said with a sarcastic smile before he turned away with a blunt look. "Let's go, guys."
"You five must leave this place!" The lead monk said to the group while glaring at Chase, making the alicorn stallion stop dead in his tracks with an angry look. "Heroes think they can save the world, when they themselves are lost. You could not possibly understand the dark forces of the Dragon Mojo at work here."
Having enough of her attitude towards him, Chase marched right up to her.
"Don't talk to me and my family about the Dragon Mojo. And don't you ever mock my grandfather like that." Chase said sternly.
"Come on, Chase." Jade said while coming up to her brother and pulling him away. "She's not worth it."
"She is right. Even you and your family can save us from those beasts, Hero." The lead monk said sternly while gesturing to the Demodragon statue. "You may carry the colors of the Dragon Guardians, but we have plans to save ourselves. Stay out of our business. You five are not welcome here!"
Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio glared at her firmly when they heard some footsteps coming their way.
"Now, Seem. There is no need to be too rash." Nandu Gili said to Seem, coming up to them, as they turned to him. "After all, they are our guests."
"Nandu Gili!" Chase said in surprise.
"Think whatever it is you see in them, Nandu Gili, but they have business interfering with us." Seem replied back sternly while she and her monks walked away somewhere else.
"My apologies for letting them being too hard on you five. Seem is a good Earth Pony at heart. She just has a way of being obsessed with death." Nandu Gili said to the Elite Ninja as they turned to him.
"Thank you, Nandu Gili." Chase replied back. "But what exactly is her problem lately besides thinking about death?"
Nandu Gili sighed while looking at Seem speaking with a young adult bunyip while she glared at Chase before she returned her attention back to the creature.
"These monks are sworn to protect and discover the secrets of the passed alicorn masters left behind long ago. Seem is their leader, filled with wisdom and guidance. She studied about dragon culture with her family here before Zhao's forces raided us." Nandu Gili explained as he turned his attention back to Chase. "She also was fond of your grandfather long ago before his passing when the Storm King destroyed him. But with so much pride and judgment blinding her, she feels as if she sees you as a version of him, Chase."
Chase blinked in surprise before he glared at Seem, who walked away elsewhere with her monks following her.
"Well, that explains it." Chase said with a dry tone.
"But wait, does some of Grandpa's legacy exist here too?" Jade asked in surprise as Nandu Gili nodded in reply.
"Follow me. I have something I wish to show you five." Nandu Gili said while walking to someplace else as the Elite Ninja followed him from behind.
Unknown to them, they were being watched by the black panther cub as he was hiding behind a fruit stand while looking at Chase curiously.
(Scene changes)
Later, Nandu Gili led the five ponies down a hallway, which was full of statues of the previous heroes, including Darius Hisomi.
"As you see around you, this is the pavilion of past heroes." Nandu explained. "Something of a hall of fame. Here is a statue that may interest you."
He stopped near the statue of Darius Hisomi as Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio approached it with amazed looks.
"Whoa." Chase said in amazement.
"Awesome." Trini said in surprise and amazement.
"Amazing." Jade said with her eyes shining in awe.
"Imagine, Grandpa having statues of his own." Antonio added with a smile.
As Chase looked at the statue, he felt something nuzzle his hind leg and his eyes widened slightly. He looked back to see the black panther cub behind him.
The cub backed away a bit as Chase turned to him.
"Sorry about that." The cub said that sounded like a little boy as Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio turned to him.
"Who's the squirt?" Sunray asked while looking at the cub.
"Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, Antonio. This is my student, Bagheera." Nandu Gili said while walking to the cub. "He doesn't normally walk up to strangers like that. He can be a little shy at first."
"Well, I think he's just so cute." Jade said while rubbing a forehoof behind Bagheera's left ear, making the cub giggle in response while nuzzling her hoof.
"Kon has requested me to take Bagheera as my responsibility to look after him." Nandu Gili explained to the five ponies.
"What about his parents?" Chase asked curiously. "Where are they?"
"They're gone. I was an orphan until Nandu Gili is now my caregiver." Bagheera answered with a sad look.
"He's not the only one as an orphan here." A tiny girl's voice said behind the Elite Ninja as they turned to see two Earth Pony fillies and three Unicorn foals walking into the scene.
The first Earth Pony filly looked like a smaller version of Twilight, but with a light blue fur coat, light pink eyes, and her cutie mark had a golden star.
The second Earth Pony was a lot like Fluttershy, only her mane and tail were slightly shorter, her eyes were ocean blue, and her cutie mark had a few macaws.
The first Unicorn colt had a gray fur coat, a black silky mane and tail tied in a ponytail, a bandana wrapped around his forehead, his eyes were forest green, and his cutie mark had a fire torch.
The second Unicorn colt had a brown fur coat with a french cut mane and tail, orange eyes, and his cutie mark had a shooting star.
Finally the third Unicorn colt had a light green fur coat, an undercut mane and tail, his eyes were purple, and his cutie mark had a small island with a coconut tree.
"Who are you?" Sunray asked the five young ones as they walked up to the Elite Ninja.
"I'm Melody." The first Earth Pony introduced herself.
"My name is Iris." The second Earth Pony introduced herself as well.
"The name's Shang." The first Unicorn colt added.
"I'm Mark." The second unicorn stallion introduced himself too.
"And I'm Miguel." The third unicorn stallion introduced himself in a spanish accent.
"We were orphans too, but were taken in for adoption by a unicorn here." Melody said to the Elite Ninja. "We saw you guys fighting in the Arena of Death too. You were so awesome using your element powers like that against the Quinkan soldiers."
Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio smiled in reply.
"So you guys have been here for a long time?" Chase asked the kids as they nodded back.
"Yeah. We were once abandoned at an orphanage before we came here by the order of the Ninja Tribunal. We've also been learning well under our teacher's guidance as well." Miguel explained.
"And we would just like to say that it's an honor to meet you five too. Master Chase Young, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio." Iris said as the five bowed in respect to the Elite Ninja.
Chase chuckled in amusement of the kids showing their respect as he and his family bowed to the kids as well.
"They have been here for a long time preparing for Zhao's army invading this sacred place for a long time." Nandu Gili explained to Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio as they turned to him. "But since he is brought to justice, his Quinkan army is still at large around most of these parts of the Wasteland. Now, we must be prepared for the most possible threat they could even manage to bring destruction around Equestria."
"Like what?" Jade asked curiously as footsteps were herding coming their way.
"Only that they would intend on leaving all of the ponies and creatures of Equestria powerless." A voice said from behind Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio as they and others turned to see a figure in the shadows.
"Who's that?" Sunray asked in confusion.
"Our greatest warrior who has been with the Ninja Tribunal for a long time. I'm sure he might be familiar to you five." Nandu Gili explained as the figure stepped into the light revealing a familiar unicorn elder from Darius Hisomi's life long ago.
Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio noticed the green robe he was wearing and the bamboo hat.
"Is that…?" Jade said in shock.
"It looks like…" Trini added visibly surprised.
"Impossible!" Sunray exclaimed with wide eyes.
"Oh man." Antonio added as well.
"It can't be." Chase said with a stunned look on his face.
The elder unicorn stallion smiled at the Elite Ninja with wisdom. Nandu Gili smiled at the sight of the unicorn as well along with Bagheera, and the five young ones as well.
"Chen?!" Chase asked in surprise as the rest of his family were still surprised as their leader was.
To be continued…
Author's note: Hey guys,
Here's chapter 27 and the first part of the Ninja Tribunal. I did a few twists and turns for this part of the chapter and with a few character additions as well. Also, about the reviews. I just thought that they came from one of those jerk guests trying to criticize me. I didn't realize it came from John Smith 135. I'm sorry about that, man. Please try not to get me mixed up with the anonymous reviews in future if they came from you, okay? I didn't mean to do that, I just thought it came from someone trying to annoy me again.
Anyway, guys. I hope you enjoyed this chapter so far as well as the new characters I've added. I'll be back later on to do part 2.
Peace out!