At the Monastery, Wu was meditating before he heard the sound of fighting.
"My turn, um it's my turn!" Kai shouted as Wu's eyebrow twitched.
"Oh you want a little more, take this!" Cole declared as Wu opened his eyes and stopped meditating.
"Yeah? How about a little of this? Jay asked as Wu then pulled out a wooden flute from a shine, wrapped it in cloth and put it in the cupboard.
"Come on, is that all you got?" Lydie mocked as Wu walked out of the room. "Monkey Paw to the Head!"
Wu entered the Rec room, thinking the Ninja were playing games again, but was surprised to see they weren't there, "Ninja roll!" Cole shouted as Wu realized the voices came from outside.
"Dragon punch!" Jay declared as Wu opened the door outside and smiled as he saw the five Ninja actually training. It seemed they were telling the truth about being ready for the Serpentine as they knew that they'd attack now that they had they're staff.
Cole was doing some parkouring on the course, Jay was deflecting Arrows with his Nunchucks, Lydie and Kai were sparring while moving across the training equipment while Zane was simply sitting down and meditating.
"NINJA-GO!" Kai and Lydie shouted as they did Spinjitzu and clashed with each other.
Zane suddenly stopped meditating as he sprung into action, he grabbed an arrow heading for Jay and jammed it in his Nunchucks, preventing him from spinning them. "Huh?" Jay asked as he watched as Zane flipped away.
Zane then stole Cole's Scythe and sliced one of the training dummies, "Hey" Cole yelled as Zane continued on. "What?" He questioned in shock.
"NINJA-GO!" Zane did Spinjitzu as the course's ground froze with his element, which caused Kai and Lydie to slip out of their Spinjitzu and fall to the slippery floor.
"Ow! Zane!" Lydie called out as she rubbed her back as she and Kai stood up and were joined by Cole and Jay.
Zane stopped his Spinjitzu and saw his friends looked at him crossly, "I sense that there is a problem." He said simply.
"Ya think?" Lydie asked rhetorically. "We're supposed to have our own sections of training, not steal them from each other!" She exclaimed with her arms crossed as the others nodded in agreement.
"My apologies." Zane apologized while bowing his head, "I only wish to perform my training at the best efficiency." He explained.
"We all do, but you gotta remember to at least make room for the rest of us to train." Lydie said softly. "We're a team. Remember that." She reminded him.
Zane bowed in understanding and then continued his training.
"This roof isn't big enough for the four of us." Kai complained.
"Correction." Cole spoke next. "This roof isn't big enough for him." He said as Zane did Spinjitzu on some stacks, freezing them.
"It's like he's in his own world." Jay commented before giving Zane a look. "I bet he can't even hear us." He said loudly as Zane was just focusing on his training as he threw one of his Shurikens and did some kicks.
Wu then walks up to the four Ninja as they turn to him. "Sensei, Zane's weird." Kai said bluntly.
Wu raised a brow at them, "What is weird?" He asked. "Someone who is different, or someone who is different from you?" He questioned, giving them his word of wisdom.
"No Uncle, what Kai meant is," Lydie trailed off, trying to find the right word, "Zane is like, weird weird. More so than the usual weird we mean." She explained honestly as they recall the times of the weirdest parts of Zane they encountered.
[Flashback]
In the Ninja's room, Cole is relaxing in bed while reading a newspaper in peace, but then he hears a vacuum cleaner going off as he looks around and sees Zane cleaning the room.
"Seriously?" Cole questioned before trying to ignore Zane as he went back to reading, but then he saw Zane cleaning the ceiling, while upside down somehow as Cole looked in shock. "How did you-?!" He asked in shock before Zane leapt down and continued cleaning as Cole blinked, wondering what just happened.
[Next Flashback]
In the rec room Nya, Jay and Zane are watching a romance movie on TV as the former two started to cry at the tear jerking moment. Zane however just laughed like he was watching a comedy.
Nya and Jay watched him in befuddlement, as this was probably the first time they heard Zane laugh so loudly and that he laughed at something so heartwarming.
[Next Flashback]
In the bathroom, Lydie stepped out of the shower, rubbing her head with a towel while she had another wrapped around her. She sighed in bliss after a nice shower, before she opened her eyes and shrieked when she saw Zane walking towards the sink.
"What are you doing here?!" Lydie demanded as she clutched the towel around her close to her body, making sure Zane didn't see anything he shouldn't, "Haven't you heard of privacy!?"
Zane ignored her, like she wasn't there as he walked up to the sink and brushed his hair, which made Lydie gawk in disbelief.
"Do you even know I'm right here with nothing but a towel?!" Lydie questioned, but Zane still didn't respond as he was lost in his own world.
[Last Flashback]
At night, Kai walked into the kitchen for a midnight snack with a tired yawn as he opened the fridge to grab something.
"Ahh! Holy bologna!" Kai yelped in surprise as he saw Zane literally sitting in the Fridge and eating a sandwich. Kai didn't even know what to make of this and why Zane was eating in the fridge of all places.
"I'm sorry." Zane spoke. "I consumed the last of the deli meat." He said as he grabbed the only thing in the fridge which was a slice of, "Cheese?" He offered Kai with a small smile as the Fire Ninja simply stared at the Ninja in complete confusion.
[End of Flashback]
Back in the present, Wu simply stared at the Ninja questionably, like he was asking them if that was all.
"Seriously, who eats in a fridge and acts like he's not in a room with a naked girl?" Jay asked before Lydie shot him a glare, "Uh, sorry." He quickly said.
"You better be." Lydie growled before she calmed down as they looked at Zane, who got bonked to the head by a dummy as he rubbed his head. "We like Zane, Uncle. A lot really. He's really smart. But," She trailed off and rubbed her head.
"He's just a little off sometimes." Kai answered for her.
Wu nodded in understanding as he spoke. "Zane is a brother, and brothers are often different." He said to them as he gave a thought. "I should know." He added, remembering his brother.
"Yeah, I guess I should too." Lydie said in understanding, knowing that feeling since she knows how different Lloyd is compared to her.
Outside the Monastery, climbing the steps was a man in a rice hat and purple suit and a mail bag on his back. He panted as he finally reached the doors, took off his bag and rang the doorbell but jumped back as it sounded like a gong.
The Ninja heard this and got excited, "Mail!" They all, minus Zane, cheered and rushed to the door while the White Ninja hanged back.
The Ninja opened the door and looked at the Mailman eagerly as he dug through his bag for their mail, "Let's see, a letter from Jay's parents." He took out a letter and gave it to Jay. "Mmm.. Kai has a fan letter." He brought out another mail and gave it to Kai. "A couple of letters from Lydie's aunts and the Jamanakai Orphans." He brought out a few letters as Lydie grabbed them as he brought out one last letter. "Oh, something from Cole's father." He said as he gave the letter to Cole.
Cole frowned in confusion, as if he was expecting something else. "What? No package? I'm expecting something from Creatures, Beasts & Beyond." He told the Mailman.
The Mailman looked at his bag for something after hearing it as he checked again. "Hmm, no, nothing from, uh…" He trailed off as he saw something at the bottom. "Ah, here it is." He said with a smile as he brought out a package with Cole's name on it.
Cole accepted the package with a smile. "Ha! Rocky's gonna love this." He said happily as he rushed off to the Dragon's stables to his dragon.
Lydie, Jay and Kai opened their letters as Nya came outside to check on them. She then turned to Zane and noticed he didn't get a letter, "Hey Zane, how come you never hear anything from your parents?" She asked.
That drove the others' attention as they turned to him. "Yeah, shouldn't you have gotten at least one letter from them?" Lydie asked.
Zane gave a sad look as he looked down. "No, because…I don't remember my parents." He revealed. "I've been an orphan all my life." He explained.
The others were surprised by this, especially Lydie as she was also once an orphan too, "You mean, you never had a home?" Kai asked in surprise and sympathy.
Zane shook his head in confirmation while giving a glum expression.
"The Monastery, is your home now." Wu assured his pupil as Zane simply walked back inside while the others watched him in concern.
Lydie then realized something as she turned to Kai and Nya. "Hey Kai, why haven't you or Nya gotten any letters from your parents?" She asked as Kai's letter came from a fan and that Nya didn't receive one at all.
Kai and Nya were caught off guard by this question as they looked at each before looking down, "They're gone." Kai answered sadly.
Jay and Lydie were now caught off guard as well and looked to each other before turning to the siblings. "Wh-what happened to them?" Jay asked in concern.
Nya shook her head and looked away, "We don't know," She said while looking away, "One day while we were playing outside our shop, mom and dad just…disappeared." she explained as she wiped away a tear.
"Wait, they disappeared? Just like that?" Lydie asked in surprise.
"Yeah. We don't really know what happened to them." Kai said in sadness. "All they left us to run to our shop. I hardly got to know any Blacksmithing skills from Dad. Which is why I'm a terrible backsmith." He said while rubbing his arm.
Lydie then placed a hand on Kai's shoulder as he turned to her as she smiled, "But you are a good friend." She told him, "Who knows, maybe your mom and dad are still out there, somewhere." She assured them.
"Sometimes we doubt that. If they were, they would've come back." Kai said as he and Nya walked back into the Monastery glumly.
"And if they did love us at all, they wouldn't have left in the first place." Nya added as she and her brother went inside as the others watched in sympathy.
Lydie looked at Wu in concern. "Uncle, you knew their father right? He was the honest man you gave the map to the Golden Weapons to hide." She pointed out as Wu nodded, "Do you know what happened to them?" She asked.
Wu just sighed, "I'm sorry but that, is a mystery for me as well. But I knew Kai and Nya's father, Ray, well enough to know that he would never abandon his children." He said. "I've searched all over Ninjago for him and his wife, Maya, but found no trace. I still hold hope however that they are out there, somewhere." He said looking to the sky as Lydie and Jay did the same.
At the dragon's stable, Cole was in Rocky's as he opened the package to reveal a dead livered frog.
"Liver and toads, Rocky. You're favorite." Cole said as his dragon panted happily at Cole like a dog as Cole tossed the frog to his dragon as Rocky eats it. "Hm, mm!" He said happily to his dragon, who is enjoying his treat.
Around that time, somewhere in the Wildwood Forest, Skales used his powers to show his female Hypnobrai comrade what Cole is seeing as they saw him feeding Rocky as the Hypnobrai are building a huge tree house that no doubt Lloyd ordered them too.
"I can't believe you managed to hypnotize one of the ninja, Skales." The female Hypnobrai said in surprise. "Does General Ssslithraa know?" She asked.
"Of course not, Ssselma." Skales answered. "He's been put under the control of Lloyd, and I plan to use it for my bessst interest and plansss." He explained.
"I can underssstand that," Selma said, looking concerned, "But Ssslithraa isss ssstill our leader, to plot againssst the boy isss alssso plotting againssst him."
"What choice do we have?" Skales questioned. "We know that Ssslithraa's mind control is a result of his own hypnosis, and without the ssstaff that holdsss the antivenom, we cannot free him of it if we tried. Not even another hypnotism can bring him out of it." He reminded, "Ssso to get him back we must resort to drassstic measuresss."
"Well, it if comesss to it, then I won't go againssst it." Selma said in understanding. "But in cassse he doesssn't take the antivenom, you mussst try and knock the sssense into him." She advised him.
"Oh, I would love to do that." Skales said with a slight chuckle, finding Plan B more entertaining for him.
And then, Slithraa came slithering by as the two turned to him. "Everyone works while you two ssslack?" He questioned them firmly.
"We were jussst discussssing our plansss to reclaim your ssstaff, General." Skales explained.
"That isss very thoughtful of you, Ssskales." Slithraa said before giving a stern look. "But as my sssecond in command, I expect more from you." He said while also turning to Selma. "And Ssselma, I know you and Ssskales have a deep hissstory with each other, but we need our entire tribe to work their hardest to pleassse the young massster. You both will return to your posssts at once."
"Yesss, General Ssslithraa." The two Hypnobrais said with a bow as Slithraa began to slither off.
Skales then spoke again. "Forgive me General, you must know I am most loyal to you, but I question mussst question thisss childisssh agenda." He pointed out as Slithraa turned to him.
"I must agree, general. The Ninja have ssstolen our ssscared ssstaff and yet inssstead of planning on how to retrieve it you inssstruct usss to build thisss, 'Playhoussse' for Lloyd?" Selma questioned as she walked up next to Skales.
Slithraa raised a brow at his two comrades in confusion, "We're not tree sssnakes." Skales and Selma both pointed out.
"You know better than to quessstioned my judgment, Ssskales and Ssselma." Slithraa reminded them. "I'll pretend you two didn't ask. Besidesss, it'sss better than living in that ice pit the sssurface dewellersss condemned usss to." He added.
Skales and Selma sighed, seeing their words fall on deaf ears, "Well, you do have a point." Selma said in defeat.
"Hey!" Lloyd's voice yelled out as the three looked down and saw Lloyd in one of the elevators. "If we plan to rule Ninjago from here, this elevator needs to have a trap door." He pointed out with a firm look. "I want more booby traps!" He ordered.
"Asss you wisssh, young Garmadon." Slithraa said with a bow before turning to the other two Hypnobrai. "You heard the young massster, get back to work." He commanded as he waved his hand at them.
Both Skales and Selma look at each other as they realize that they can't talk him out of it and give Slithraa a bow. "Asss you wisssh, General." They both said as they walked off to continue their work.
"He'sss in too deep, Ssskales." Selma said to Skales in worry. "He only lissstensss to Lloyd's wordsss whenever he givesss the order." She added.
"Not to worry, I'm confident a good blow to the head ssshould return him to normal." Skales assured with a slight smirk as the two went back to work.
Back at the Monastery that night, everyone gathered around at the dinner table eating some food.
"Ooh, I love it when it's Zane's night to help Lydie cook." Jay said as he was eating some shrimp.
Cole glared playfully, "Hey, I didn't hear any complaints about the Duck Chowder I made last night." He reminded them as the door opened and Lydie walked in, wearing a white apron and with her Fried chicken-Veggie Stir Fry.
"That's because you put in too much starch and it glued everyone's mouths shut." Kai told him as Lydie put the stir-fry down, "You really thought Jay was speechless all throughout dinner?" He asked amusingly.
Jay then crossed his arms with a look, "Yeah, please don't make that again." He requested.
"Hey, it was better than the 'Chilli Incident'," Lydie reminded as they all shivered at the memory, "Which is why I decided, on your Night as my dinner assistant, you're just getting ingredients and washing dishes." She added to Cole.
"Hey!" Cole complained as Zane then walked in with a roasted Turkey.
"Dinner is served." He said as he stepped back to show he was wearing an apron too, but it was pink.
The others snorted before they all erupted in laughter. Lydie just let out a few giggles as she had already seen Zane's apron and had a good laugh in the kitchen.
Zane looked at them in confusion, "What's so funny?" He asked.
Everyone calmed down as Nya spoke, "Zane, you're wearing a-" She paused and gave a laugh, "Even Lydie and I wouldn't wear that!"
Lydie frowned, "Hey, for the record that's actually my Apron." She said to Nya, "Zane and I got a little mixed up."
"So, you laugh because I follow Lydie's example of ensuring I am clean while cooking?" Zane asked, still confused as he walked around the table.
"No, we laugh because you came out wearing that ridiculous apron." Kai answered.
"I guess we don't share the same sense of humor." Zane said with a shrug.
"And for the record, even guys wear aprons. Zane just got the wrong one." Lydie defended again with her arms crossed. "But honestly Zane, that color clashes with yours." She admitted, finding pink not fitting with Zane.
"Yes, but this was the only one I found that was clean." Zane reasoned, since this was the only apron he could find.
"Well, if you don't think that's funny, how about this?" Lydie picked up a plate of crawfish and threw them at Kai's face.
The group except Kai laughed as the Fire Ninja gave Lydie a look, while Zane just stared at them blankly, not getting the joke.
Lydie laughed and turned to him, not seeing Wu coming up from behind, "How could you not find that Fun-" She was cut when Wu dumped a bowl of curry on Lydie's head as she gave a scream. "My hair!" She yelled as she stood still as her uncle and Kai laughed at her.
"Now, you are siblings." Wu joked as he placed his hands on Zane and Lydie's shoulders and gave a playful wink.
The others laughed as Wu walked off. "Oh, Uncle Wu got jokes, huh?" Lydie as she grabbed the shrimp and threw at Wu, but he veered his head and hit Nya instead, "Oops, sorry Nya!" She apologized as the shrimp stuck to Nya's face.
"Oh, this means war!" Nya playfully challenged with a mischievous smile as she threw some food at Lydie, which resulted in the others, except for Zane obviously, to laugh as they started a food fight.
Zane looked between his friends as he really doesn't get it or find it funny as he looked at his apron of the food that got him in the crossfire as the others gave a slight chuckle.
"He looked so cute in it." Nya said with a slight chuckle before a piece of food got him in his hair.
Sometime later after dinner and the food fight, Zane is taking out the trash as he took off his messy apron as he then looks at the night sky while in deep thought.
And then a falcon cry was heard as Zane turned and saw a falcon on a tree branch next to the Monastery as Zane tilted his head, which cause the falcon to follow, which surprised Zane as he gave a small smile as he shook his head, which the falcon repeated. Zane then did a little dance as the falcon fluttered its wings as he gave the bird a smile.
The falcon then looked around as it flew off, Zane turned back to the Monastery as he heard his friends laughing and chatting together, made his choice, he ran down the stairs of the mountain and followed the falcon.
A little bit later, Zane followed the falcon to a forest before it landed on a tree branch and he saw the serpentine constructing the treehouse fortress.
"If I see one girl in here, I'm gonna go ballistic." Lloyd told some serpentine.
Zane knew he had to tell the others. When the falcon cried out, Zane looked up at it and smiled as it shook its head to tell him to go.
"Thank you, my mysterious friend." Frost told the falcon.
The next day, Zane and the other ninjas were running through the forest after he came back and told them what he found. Zane was ahead of them before he stopped and looked around to try and remember where to go next.
"I don't even think Zane knows where he's going." Kai said to the others before they caught up to him. "Uh, tell us again how you stumbled upon Lloyd's secret headquarters?"
"Yeah, Zane. How did you manage to find Llyod's hideout?" Lydie asked in wonder as well.
"I followed a bird." Zane answered.
"Why did you follow a bird?" Jay questioned in confusion.
"Because it danced." Zane answered again.
"Oh. Okay. Was it a cuckoo bird?" Jay jokes, causing everyone but Zane to laugh.
"Of course not. Everyone knows cuckoo birds are not indigenous to these forests." Zane told them before he continued on. The others just shrug before they followed him again.
All five continue on before they reach the location of the treehouse fortress.
"Watch it!" They heard Lloyd shout from inside the treehouse. "No, bigger! Come on, we don't have all day. It's not time for lunch break."
"Holy cannoli, Frosty was right." Cole said when they saw the treehouse fortress.
"And wow, Lloyd really made an impressive treehouse." Lydie commented, impressed by how her little brother managed to make his own treehouse with the Hypnobrai's help in just a few days.
"We can't let that brat and those snakes get a foothold in Ninja." Kai pointed out. "We have to destroy that thing before it becomes operational." He said to his team.
"Whoa. Are you sure? It looks like a pretty cool treehouse." Jay said, not finding Lloyd's treehouse really dangerous. "There's a ropes course. Oh, a tree swing." He listed out while finding it fun.
"Hey. Remember whose team you're on." Cole reminded Jay. "Lydie, what do you think?"
"I don't know, guys." Lydie said uncertainty. "I mean, I don't want to ruin my brother's playhouse, but if these snakes make it their outpost, they might expand and grab more territory." She said.
"We gotta make sure that doesn't happen, Lydie. Besides, the treehouse is a little too close to the Monastery, perfect place to catch us by surprise." Kai reasoned, knowing that she doesn't want to hurt her brother, but they have no choice but to keep the Serpentine from having a foothold in Ninjago.
"I guess you're right." Lydie conceded in defeat.
"So we're in agreement." Cole said as they turned their sights to the treehouse. "What's our plan Lyd?"
Lydie looked at the treehouse carefully before noticing the vines at the top, "Okay, it looks like the whole thing is being supported by those four vines," She said, pointing to the vines that were tied to the four largest trees around the fort, "We take those out, and whole thing will fall like a house of cards." She declared.
Zane turned to her in confusion, "But why would one make a house of cards? Such construction would be faulty."
"Oh for, it's just an expression Zane." Lydie sighs. "Just stick to the plan, travel in the shadows boys." She told her team as she took the lead as the others followed.
Kai cut a rope in the ground and used it to line himself up in the treehouse. Two Serpetine's got on the elevator and as it moved up, Cole was holding onto the bottom as the two Hypnobrai hit each other as Zane and Jay climbed the trees, Jay nearly fell if Zane didn't catch him.
"Got you." Zane said as he pulled Jay up.
Lydie jumped over the trees as she quietly made it to the top of the treehouse as her team regrouped with her as they made it to the top and looked down and saw Lloyd.
"It's almost finished." Lloyd said. "Soon, my fortress will be complete. You!" He shouted at a serpentine. "Hold up that sign for me." The serpentine then picked up the sign that says, 'No girls, big sisters or ninja' as LIoyd walked over to a lever and pulled it. A trapdoor underneath the serpentine opened up and he fell down it. "Booby trap!" Lloyd yelled.
The serpentine hit the stairs five times as it fell to the bottom and hit the ground. He then sat in with his eyes spinning with cuckoo birds spinning and cheeping over his head.
The ninja looked and nodded to one another as it was time to ruin Lloyd's day. Lydie stayed on the top of the treehouse fortress as the others went to the four trees to cut ties.
Lydie then gave the signal, "NINJA-GO!" Jay called out as he did Spinjtizu to cut one of the ropes, which caused the Treehouse to tilt as some Hypnobrai fell off.
"NINJA-GO!" Zane called next as he cut the second rope.
"NINJA-GO!" Kai then spun next as he cut the third rope.
The treehouse fortress titled even more, on the verge of collapse as Lloyd fell on a rail as a Hypnobrai fell off with a scream. He looked up and saw Lydie on the roof.
"I said no Girls or Ninja!" Lloyd yelled as he turned to the Hypnobrai desperately trying to hold on, "Attack!" He ordered.
Slithraa was about to repeat the order until Selma came to him, "General, forgive me but you know that we cannot battle in a place like thisss!" She told him as the fortress was falling apart, "We mussst do what'sss bessst for our sssurivival!"
"But young Garmadon ssssaid…" Slithraa tried to deny it before a piece of wood hit him on the head and he fell unconscious.
"General!" Skales yelled out as Selma and another Hypnobrai grabbed him by the shoulders.
"Ssskales, we need to go! Now!" Selma called out as two Hypnobrai carried Slithraa out of the fortress.
Skales nodded in understanding. "Everyone, retreat!" He ordered.
The other snakes didn't need to be told twice as they either jumped off the treehouse or climbed down with the ladders as they all screamed in a panic.
"They're retreating!" Lydie called out as she turned to Cole. "Cole, wait till we're off the treehouse, then cut the final line!" She ordered as Cole nodded in understanding.
Skales looks at where Cole is as he sees this as an opportunity to distract the Ninja long enough for them to escape. "You will obey my every command." He said as he used his powers on Cole again, this time really hypnotizing him as Cole eyes turned red while swirling.
"I will obey your every command." Cole repeated as he gave Skales a bow.
The other ninjas regroup with Lydie as they look around. "Where's Cole?" Jay asked her.
"I don't know." Lydie answered in concern.
"This whole place is coming down." Kai said as the treehouse fortress was barely holding on.
Then Cole jumped down in front of them with his Scythe out, "No one goes anywhere, until you deal with me!" He declared, marching towards his team.
The others backed away in worry, "What's gotten into him?" Kai wondered out loud.
"Wait, look at his eyes!" Lydie pointed to Cole's red and swirled eyes.
"He's under their control!" Zane realized.
"Yeah, well, he better snap out of it quick." Jay said. "Because this whole place looks like it's about to go down." He reminds them as Cole slowly walks towards them.
Below them, the Hypnobrai are still evacuating as Lloyd tries to get them to stay. "Don't go. We have to protect my treehouse fortress." He pleaded as he talked to Skales since he's second in command.
Skales turned to him in disbelief. "Your treehouse? Our general is unconscious and that's what you're worried about?" He demanded, gesturing to Slithraa as he was carried off, "So I say, it's about time we did this." He said as he walked back, which made Lloyd gave a confused look.
"Did what?" Lloyd asked in confusion, he got his answer as Skales pulled a lever, which opened a trapdoor below him as he gave a startled scream as the Hypnobrai laughed at him as Lloyd ended up in a cage.
"You were right about one thing, trap doorsss are very effective!" Skales mocked as he turned to his tribe. "Now to get the ssstaff." He said.
"But, what about him?" Selma asked as she gestured to Lloyd in the cage.
Skales looked between Lloyd and Selma as he waved his hand dismissively. "Leave him be. We're better off without him." He said, but Selma gave Skales an angry look as Skales sighs. "Oh, are you serious, Selma? After what he's been making us do?" He questioned.
"He may be a brat, Ssskales, but we're not that cruel to allow a child to die like that." Selma reminded him with a look as she placed a hand on her hip.
Skales sighs as he realizes he can't argue with Selma. "Oh alright. Grab the boy and put him in chainsss and then we go and get the ssstaff!" He ordered as a couple of Serpentine ran off to get Lloyd as they continued to evacuate.
Back on the roof, the Ninja walked back as Cole advanced towards them.
"Okay, now come on." Jay started nervously. "Friends don't hit friends." He said, but as soon as he said that then kicked Jay to the face as he grunted from the hit. "Okay, I'm, I'm going to ignore that." He mumbled and rubbed his face.
Cole then kept attacking them as they dodged his swings. "I don't think Cole is in his right mind to listen right now." Lydie said as she leaned back from a swing.
"What are we supposed to do?" Kai asked the others. "If I use my sword, this place will go up in flames faster than a tinderbox." He said as he dodge punches from Cole, remembering that they still had little control of their weapons.
"Isn't the antivenom in the staff?" Zane asked them about the only thing that would snap Cole out of it.
"Yeah, but the staff is back at Monastery!" Lydie reminded them before Cole kicked her and bumped Kai into a post that came loose and he fell before she and Zane caught him by the legs.
"Jay, use your lightning." Zane said as he and Lydie tossed Kai back up onto the roof. "Try to shock him out of his trance." He added.
Jay then turned to Cole apologetically, "Oh sorry Cole, this is gonna hurt you a lot more than it's gonna hurt me." He warned and spun his Nunchucks, charging up a blast before flinging a bolt at Cole, knocking him back.
The four watched, hoping it worked but it was dashed when Cole opened his eyes and they were still red and swirly.
"That didn't work." Lydie commented before Cole rushed up and grabbed Jay before tossing him over.
"Jay!" The others yelled out as Jay screamed before Jay grabbed a rope as he swung around with a laugh before he landed at the side of the treehouse, which caused it to tilt to the otherside.
"That is a serious safety hazard." Jay quipped.
Cole then ran up the remaining support line as he rushed up and was ready to cut it.
"No, Cole, don't!" Kai called out.
"Don't cut the line!" Lydie yelled out as Jay rejoined them.
"No. No, Cole, no." Zane spoke next, trying to snap Cole out of it.
But then, they heard a soft music from a flute playing, they turned and saw Wu and Nya riding on Flame as Wu is playing a flute as Cole's eyes returned to normal as he was snapped out of his trance.
"Unh. Where-?" Cole started as his mind cleared up. "Where am I? What are we doing?"
"We're getting out of here because this whole place is coming down." Nya answered as Cole hopped on Flame as the others jumped next as the treehouse fortress fell apart.
"That flute." Kai spoke.
"It cancels their powers." Jay finished.
"It's as old as the serpentine themselves." Wu told them.
"Amazing." Lydie gasped before realizing, "But wait, if you two are here, then who's guarding the staff?" She asked.
Wu and Nya gasped, "We left the Monastery defenseless! Quickly!" Wu said as they flew back to the Monastery in haste.
As soon as they reached the monastery, they found it set a blaze and burned down.
"The Monastery!" Lydie called out in shock.
"We're too late. Those snakes." Kai grunted when they saw the monastery burned down.
At what's left of the dragon stables, the dragons are roaring as if they were trapped in their stables as the fire spreads.
"Rocky!" Cole called out as Flame landed at what's left of the Monastery as Cole jumped off and rushed to the stables as the others got off Flame next as Cole rushed down the steps and freed the dragons.
The Ninja looked around at their destroyed home as they took off their hoods. "Our home." Kai said in despair.
Zane then saw Shard over them as he turned to his dragon. "Shard, put this out." He said.
Shard then used his ice breath as he put out the fire on what's left of the Monastery as they saw their destroyed home.
"The training equipment, gone." Zane said.
"Our video games, gone." Jay cried out as he ran up to Zane and hugged him by the arm in despair.
"Why, why would they burn our home?" Lydie asked in sadness.
"They stole their staff back." Wu told them as he looked at what was left of the home he and his brother knew and grew up in.
"What do we do now?" Cole asked the others what they should do next as Rocky came next to him and nuzzled Cole in comfort as he petted him.
The others were silent as Kai picked up a burned piece before he gave an angry look as he crushed it and advanced towards Zane. "If you hadn't followed that silly bird, none of this would've happened." He said angrily as Zane turned to him in surprise.
"Kai." Wu warned with a look.
"No, Sensei, he's right." Jay said, agreeing with Kai as he angrily went straight to Zane's face. "Because of you, my high score has been deleted." He angrily said.
"This is a teaching moment." Zane spoke calmly. "We must learn from this." He advised.
"A teaching moment?" Cole questioned in disbelief as he angrily got to Zane's face as well. "What's wrong with you? Don't you get it? Everything is gone!" He yelled out as Zane flinched.
"Okay, that's enough!" Lydie yelled out as she pushed Cole away from Zane. "Our home is burned down and all you boys can think to make it better by blaming Zane for it?!" She questioned angrily. "This wasn't his fault our home was burned down!"
"My niece is right." Wu said in agreement as they turned to him. "The only one at fault here is me, I chose to leave the Monastery unguarded which is why this happened."
Nya then glared at Kai, Jay and Cole, "And yeah, I get it. We lost our home and all our stuff, but if Zane hadn't followed that falcon this still would've happened," She said, pacing in front of them, "But here's the thing, furniture can be replaced, weapons and equipment can be replaced and video games and high scores can especially be replaced! But one thing that can't be replaced is family, which we could have lost!" She told them.
"And Zane is your brother. Apologize at once." Wu said to them.
The three boys looked down in shame as they realized they let they're anger get the better of them as they turned to Zane. "I'm sorry, Zane. I-" Cole started but was cut off when they saw Zane wasn't there.
"Zane?" Jay asked in surprise.
"Where did he-?" Kai asked as they looked around for Zane.
"Wait, where's Shard?" Nya asked, noticing the ice dragon was gone too.
Lydie then looked behind them and gasped, "Guys," The others turned to her as she pointed to Shard flying away and his rider with him. "Oh, Zane." She said sadly as they watched Zane go, having thought that they hurt his feelings.
Meanwhile, the serpentine returns to their tomb with Lloyd having one of his arms tied to a rope while Skales holds the staff with Selma beside him.
"That wasss a very clever plan, of getting the ssstaff back, Skalesss." Selma commented with a proud smile.
"It wasss a team effort, Ssselma." Skales said with a small smile.
All the serpentine were chatting amongst themselves about Skales, which made Lloyd worry. "Do something, general." Lloyd whispered to Slithraa who had just woken up and rubbed his head. "You're still under my command, right?" He asked hopefully.
Slithraa got his bearings as he nodded to Lloyd, still under his control as he turned to his tribe, "Enough, I am still your general!" He roared before turning to Skales, "You will return my ssstaff, at once!" He ordered.
Skales looked at the staff at thought, knowing they had the one thing to snap Slithraa out of it, but had no time to make the antivenom as he gave a wave at Slithraa. "No." He answered, which shocked the rest of the tribe, including Selma.
"You dare challenge my command?" Slithraa questioned angrily.
Lloyd gave a small smile, having a feeling that Skales was gonna get it until the rest of the tribe knew differently. "Slither Pit. Slither Pit. Slither Pit. Slither Pit." They all chanted repeatedly in excitement.
Skales nodded his head to the tribe with a small smirk while Selma looked worried. "I guesss we will have to fight for it, Slithraa. In the Ssslither Pit!" He announced as the crowd started cheering while Selma gasped in concern while Lloyd looked worried, while wondering what's the Slither Pit mean.
As everyone prepared for the duel, Selma walked next to Skales in concern, "Ssskales, what are you doing?! Thisss isssn't the plan!" She told him, "You know you can't defeat the General in combat!"
"And we don't have time to make the antivenom without Slithraa taking his ssstaff back under Lloyd's ridiculousss command." Skales pointed out, knowing Lloyd wouldn't let them make the Anti-Venom. "Ssso I have no choice but to face him in the Ssslither Pit, hopefully with enough hitsss, the ssspell will be broken."
"Then let me fight with you? That way you might have a chance." Selma suggested in concern.
"Sssorry Ssselma, but the rulesss ssstate that only two challengersss can compete with one another without interference. And you're not one for combat." Skales reminded her as he held her shoulder, "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Jussst trussst me."
Selma looked at Skales in worry before she gave a sigh, "Alright, jussst be careful and until then," She said and then kissed him on the cheek, which surprised Skales as he stood there frozen. "For good luck." She said as she walked off to find a spot for the duel.
Skales stood there for a moment as he placed a hand where Selma kissed him as he gave a small smile. "Ssshe isss sssomething elssse." He said as he went off to prepare for the Slither Pit.
He then approached the fight master, Mezmo, and handed the staff to him as he and Slithraa took their places in the arena of ice.
Mezmo stood on a podium above the arena and looked at the two, "Winner gets the ssstaff and leads the tribe. You know the rulesss: No outssside help allowed or biting. And in the Ssslither Pit, whatever I sssays goesss." He announced as Skales and Slithraa bow their heads in understanding. "Alright, fight!" He announced.
Slithraa and Skales circled each other as they faced each other as the crowd started cheering while Selma looked on in concern. Slithraa then swipe his tail at Skales, but he jumped as he throw a punch at Slithraa, but the general caught his arm as he tried to punch him, but Skales twirled and did a spin punch to the face as the general shook his head as he focus on Skales again.
Lloyd watched the fight as he was tied to an ice pillar as he turned and saw a map stuck to an ice pillar as he tried to reach it while Selma looked on in worry for Skales as Lloyd was close to the map.
"Two weaponsss!" Mezmo announced as he pulled a switch as some ice weapons came in the middle of the fight as they each picked a weapon. Slithraa grabbed a pickaxe and a shield while Skales grabbed a sword and dagger.
Slithraa then threw the pickaxe at Skales, who dodge it as it hit the wall, which caused the ice to crack as the ice spikes over them fell from the ceiling as Slithraa blocked one with his shield.
"Sssidewinder!" Mezmo announced again as he pulled a lever and the floor tilted, shaking Skales and Slithraa off balance.
"Be careful, Skalesss!" Selma called out in worry.
Lloyd managed to grab the map as he tucked it away. "Go, Slithraa. Go!" He cheered as Selma turned to him in confusion as she saw Lloyd cheering before she turned to the fight.
Slithraa's tail rattled as he was about to hypnotize Skales, but Skales saw this as he jumped up and kicked Slithraa in the face as he then struck him with his ice blades, but Slithraa blocked them with his shield.
Knowing that Slithraa needed just one more strike to freedom, Skales pulled out his trump card, he twisted and twirled his body side to side while moving his weapons as a snake he is. Slithraa was caught off guard by Skales' movement as Skales took his advantage as he kicked Slithraa straight to the face with a yell, which caused him to yell as Skales twirled in the air and Slithraa fell on his back.
Selma and the other tribe walked in shock. "He used Fang Kwang Do." One of them called out in awed.
Skales approached Slithraa, seemingly defeated as Lloyd panicked, "Get up! Get up!" He called out as Slithraa tried to get up, but he was too weak from the fight as he fell on his back.
Skales turned his back seemingly victorious as Mezmo stepped down to announce him the victor, until Slithraa opened his eyes and smirked as he raised his tail.
Selma saw this and panicked, "Skalesss, watch out!" She called out.
Skales heard her but was too late as Slithraa's tail wrapped around his leg, "Oh dear." Skales said before Slithraa lifted him up and slammed him on the ground twice, causing him to drop his weapons.
Selma covered her mouth in fear and Lloyd smiled as Slithraa then stood back up and grabbed Skales' sword.
Skales flipped back around to see Slithraa standing before him with a sword to his throat, "Concede." The General ordered.
"I concede." Skales said reluctantly.
Slithraa was not satisfied however, "For all to hear!" He demanded, moving the sword closer to Skales' throat.
Skales moved back a bit. "I… I concede." He said a little loudly.
"And to who?" Slithraa asked as he drew closer.
Skales looked around and saw Selma looking at him in worry before he used his only option left, "I, concede to you, my General!" He declared as his voice echoed throughout the chamber and he bowed his head in defeat.
Slithraa gave a firm nod and moved back as Mezmo approached, "We have a winner!" He declared, raising the General's hand up as they gave half hearted applause as Slithraa's victory meant they still had to serve Lloyd.
Mezmo then handed the staff to Slithraa as Selma rushed to Skales' side to aid him, "Skalesss, are you alright?" She asked.
"No, I failed." Skales said in shame.
Lloyd seemed pretty happy though, "Alright General, way to go!" He cheered as Slithraa turned to him, "Now if you could just untie me we can-"
Slithraa interrupted him as he laughed loudly, "You? Why would I do anything for you?" He asked as the tribe turned to him in surprise before the general turned to Lloyd with a glare, "I am the General of Hypnobrai, and I take orders from NO surface dwelling child!" He called out with a firm glare.
Lloyd stepped back in surprise when he heard Slithraa say that as Skales and Selma looked at Slithraa in shock.
"General? Isss that you?" Selma asked as she helped Skales up.
Slithraa then turned to them with a grateful smile, "Skalesss, my sssecond in command, you have my eternal gratitude for freeing me of my own hypnosisss." He said while bowing his head.
"You're free from Lloyd'sss ssspell?" Skales asked in surprise. "I thought I couldn't sssnap you out of it after I lossst." He added.
"No, it wasss your Fang Kwang Do that freed me, it wasss only then did I reclaim my truessself." Slithraa explained before looking down in disgrace, "And yet, my old age hasss made a victim of my own power and nearly lead you all to our own destruction, while you were able to protect our tribe and reclaim my staff in my stead, to the end the decision is clear." He said while moving towards Skales.
He then raised Skales' hand up and looked to his tribe, "Brothersss, Sssissstersss, effective today I sssstep down asss General and clear the way for your new leader, General Skalesss!" He declared.
Skales was surprised by this as the tribe then starts cheering him as he turns to Slithraa. "B-But General, I-" He tried to say before Slithraa offered the Staff to him.
"You are the General now, Skalesss. You have what it takesss to lead our tribe." Slithraa said with a proud smile. "I wasss a fool for letting my own powersss turn against me, but after your attemptsss to free me and kept our tribe sssafe, you've earned the rank General."
Skales was conflicted at accepting such an honor as he turned to Selma, who gave him a small smile with her hands motioning for him to take it. Skales looked at the staff again as he then slowly took it in his hands.
Then his body was enveloped in a yellow glow as the markings on his body vanished. Skales' legs then combined as they disappeared and was replaced with a tail of his own as his new markings now match with Slithraa's as the crowd started cheering him on. Slithraa's own markings disappeared and were replaced by old gray and light blue markings that symbolized his age as an Elder.
Selma smiled in pride as she turned to her tribe, "All hail, General Skales!" She announced as the Hypnobrai all cheered.
"Skales! Skales! Skales! Skales! Skales!" The tribe cheered him, except for Lloyd who was now in a slight panic wondering what was going to happen him.
Skales then turned to Slithraa. "I ssshall make you proud, my general." Skales said with a bow of his head.
"You already have." Slithraa said proudly with a smile. "But first Skalesss, you need a sssecond in command of your own to fill in the ranksss." He pointed out, as with every new General, a new Lieutenant must be chosen, "Do you have sssomeone in mind?" He asked.
Skales looked around before turning to Selma with a smile. Selma understood and bowed her head, "It would be an honor, General." She said humbly with a smile.
"Selma, my old friend, now my second in command, come to me." Skales said as Selma walked up to Skales with a smile as her marking changed to those similar to Skales' old ones as the tribe cheered them.
Skales then turned to Lloyd with a glare. "And you, boy! Leave and never return!" He ordered.
Lloyd gasped as he stepped back a bit, having lost full control of the Serpentine and was now being kicked out, just like his sister had warned him.
Somewhere on the mountain peaks, the Ninja, Nya and Wu are by a fire while eating something. "Uh, what are we eating again?" Kai asked.
"Ugh. Roasted mud newt." Lydie answered after taking a bite out of her. "All I could find around here."
"Not bad for something that lives underground." Cole commented after taking a bite as well.
"What? Aah! Ugh!" Jay shouted in disgust as he spat out his and threw a rock into a can nearby. "Y-Yeah, a new high s-score."
The dragons laid nearby as Rocky shook his head, finding this sad.
"Remember, we must be thankful for what we still have." Wu told them while trying to keep their spirit up.
"What do we have? Our home is gone." Cole reminded them sadly.
"We'll find another place, I'm sure of it." Lydie encouraged, thinking that maybe they could crash with her aunts in Jamanakai.
"You know, I don't miss our home, what I really miss is Zane." Kai said feeling ashamed for what he said to their friend.
Jay sighed, "Yeah, I miss Zane too." He agreed, wanting his friend back more than his high score.
Nya then saw something ahead. "Zane?" She asked in surprise.
"Yeah, Zane. You know, white ninja? The smart, strange one?" Jay questioned, thinking Nya forgot about Zane.
Lydie turned to where Nya looked and gasped, "No, really, look!" She called out.
"Zane!" Lydie and Nya beamed and pointed.
They all turned to where the girls were pointing as they saw Zane and Shard walking up to them. "Zane!" They all beamed in joy as they walked up to him as Shard reunited with the other dragons, nuzzling their heads.
"Oh, Zane. We're so sorry for everything we said." Jay spoke first.
"Yeah, we're a team! And that means we're all responsible!" Cole added.
Zane just smiled at them, "Thank you but, you don't need to apologize to me." He told them.
"But what about all those awful things we said?" Kai asked in confusion. "Isn't that why you left?"
"Of course not," Zane said. "I saw the falcon again and I followed him."
The others gave a small smile at him. "That's our Zane." Lydie commented as they all gave him a group hug.
"We are happy to have you back." Nya told him.
"Why? Is it my turn to help Lydie make dinner?" Zane asked, causing the others to laugh.
"Yes, Zane." Wu answered. "We would love for you and Lydie to make dinner."
"But I already made it myself." Zane told them. "Come, I want to show you what I found. I think you will all be pleased." He gestured to them to follow as he walked down the path he came from.
The others were confused but decided to follow.
A few minutes later, they followed Zane through the desert for a while before Zane stopped and turned to them.
"I can't explain it, but I feel a strange connection with the falcon. I think he's trying to help show us the path we need to take." Zane said as they walked for a bit more till they looked to be at what appears to be a large twin sailed pirate ship with a dragon figurehead on the front. "Our new home." He said.
The others are awed at the sight of the ship that is now their new home as they all gasped.
"My goodness." Wu said. "The legendary Destiny's Bounty."
"I thought it was lost at sea 200 years ago!" Lydie gasped in awe of the legendary vessel before an aroma from the ship caught her nostrils, "Do I smell pie, Zane?" She asked with a wide smile as did the others who smelled it too.
"Cobbler berry." Zane answered with a smile. "Oh, and I made myrtle berry, and apple, and-" whatever else he said wasn't heard by the others as they're mouths watered at the smell of food and ran towards their new home cheering excitedly to get the first piece of pie.
Wu and Zane stood behind as the former turned to the latter, "I am proud of you Zane," he said with a smile and placed a hand on his shoulder, "One day I promise, we will find your family."
"But I have already found them." Zane said fondly as he watched the others race to the ship.
Wu gave a smile as he nodded in understanding, proud the Zane found his place. "I feel like there's more to you than meets the eye. There's something special about you, Zane." He said.
Zane smiled a bit as he thought. "Sensei, will I become the Green Ninja of Yang and help Lydie defeat Garmadon?" He asked, wondering if he was the chosen one because of his unique personality.
"It's too early to tell." Wu answered with a small smile. "But if it's in your path, you will know." He said as he smiled at the Bounty. "Come now, it would be a shame to let them eat all that pie." He said as the two walked to the Bounty to join the others.
Pretty soon they were all in the dining area, laughing over all the food Zane had prepared for them, even starting another food fight and this time Zane joined in.
Watching them from a distance however, was Lloyd and the map he took from the Hypnobrai. He frowned in envy, seeing his sister laughing and eating with her friends and uncle while he was kicked by an army that was never loyal to him.
He wanted so badly to go and join them, but knew after all he'd done, releasing the Serpentine and making them lose their home, not even sure if his sister or uncle would accept him. He decided to walk away from them as he will find the other four Serpentine tombs that the map has marked down so he can have his revenge on the Hypnobrai for betraying him.
He then made one last glance at the bounty before sniffing and continued walking away.