Chapter 20: Winds of Change and Ghost Story
At the Endless Sea the ninja flew on their Elemental Dragons, Cinder following along, looking for a mutant Fangfish. It been a few weeks since the battle with Chen and his army, and the team and Elemental Masters were now friends and comrades. Now knowing if they need help with a situation with an enemy then the others would come and help fight. Cinder was happy for the team to be back to its usual self and was enjoying his time spending with training and exploring the wilderness with his uncle. Cinder flew lazily behind the group as they have a friendly banter. He sees Kai laughing as he flew ahead of Lloyd.
"Getting ahead of yourself, Kai? Heh. I'm leading this charge." Lloyd laughed and charges at Kai and splashes water at him.
"Aah!" Kai shouted as he got soaked.
"That's one way to cool off a hothead." Jay laughed in amusement
"Hey, no one messes up my hair!" Kai said, faking anger and splashes water at the green ninja, but splashes Zane as well too.
"Uh." Lloyd spluttered
"You okay there, Zane?" Cole laughed apologetically as the Titanium ninja spits up water and coughs.
"Affirmative. It'll take more than a little water to take me out." Zane said with a smile. Cinder just looked away from them and looked at the sea and noticed something. There was something swimming underneath them, its shadow showing a huge creature, and he wasn't the only one that noticed it.
"Oh, what about a big fish? Incoming!" Jay exclaimed and maneuver his power dragon away as the fish came up.
"Oh, no!" Zane screams and did the same as Jay
"There he blows!" Cole exclaims as he follow suit with Jay and Zane. Cinder did a 90 degree angle and used his Wind element to gain attitude quickly and flew back towards the others.
"P.I.X.A.L. says this is the one." Zane informed and Lloyd nodded
"And now that he's taken the bait, let's reel him in and get him to the aquarium."
"Let me guess, Kai. You caught one that big once?" Jay asked innocently
"Heck no. He was twice the size." Kai snorted but dodged as the Fangfish lunges at him. "Whoa!"
"He's almost as hungry as you, Cole." Jay teased
"And twice as ugly as you, Jay." Cole shot back.
Everyone but Jay and Lloyd laughs. Cinder sniggered at the bantering,
"It's time for the catch of the day. In line formation!" Lloyd said and looks at Cinder. "Cin, if this fails, we're falling back onto plan B with your Tornado."
Cinder nodded and flew much higher to not distract the Fangfish and watch. He watch as the five went into formation: Lloyd at the front and Cole in the rear. He sees the Fangfish coming up and whistles in amazement at its size. Then up ahead in the distance was a fishing boat, the same one they met earlier in the day. The crew was aiding them with their ship as a cage for the Fangfish once found and were approaching it fast.
"Now!" Lloyd yells and each ninja split up, making the fish land in a boat. Cinder warbles happily at the catch while the ninja cheer.
"Now that's what I call hook, line, and stinker." Jay laughs jovially. After a few minutes the team arrived at the docks, two people were grabbing fishing poles and going to to the pier. A crane operator was lifting the Fangfish into a glass tank on a truck. With the fish out of the water and from this area, meaning the local ecosystem will be back to normal. Cinder watched with his brother, Jay, and Zane to make sure it didn't get out. Kai and Lloyd were chatting a bit away from the group while this was happening. But the Fangfish splashed water on everyone from its tank. The ninja screamed.
"Hey, you two gonna get in the picture? No one's gonna believe this. Getting a picture. This is awesome!" Jay shouted over to the red and green ninja. The two came over and pose with the others. Cinder sat in front of his brother to keep it close for the picture.
"Back. Back just a little further. Just a little further." Zane directed the cameraman as he back up. The man snaps a photo before falling in the ocean, then laughed..
"Hehe, you guys!"
"Oh, great! Who's gonna believe us now?" Jay huffs crossed as then the Fangfish splashes water on the ninja again and screams again. After that splash the truck started off and headed out of the dock towards Ninjago City. The ninja watches it drive away while Cinder has a cheekily idea in his head and shakes. The shouts of "Hey" from his brother and the others made him grin broadly. After he shook off he looked at the ninja's reaction and laughed. They got soaked again by the dragonet's shake-off but he ignored it and opened his wings up.
"Well, that's done and settled. Let's head back to Sensei, Nya, and Misako. They probably need some help.
—-
The ninja have landed their Dragons outside the new business. They were still talking about the Fangfish while flying back. Cinder, on the other hand was doing some air tricks to keep himself flexible for maneuvering in battle in the sky. Cinder just landed, folding his wings, and padded his way to Sensei Wu's new tea shop business while the five ninja continued their discussion.
"I'm just saying, it was big but, I've seen bigger." Kai argued
"As big as your ego?" Jay pointed out
"Right." Zane agreeing with Jay on his point. Cinder sees Sensei coming out of the shop, heading towards them. Their teacher was going into retirement from his age and decided to open a tea shop because of his passion for the stuff. Cinder has a love for it and has practice his Fire element precisely to boil tea for himself to his liking, and on occasion to Sensei as well. The dragonet could see he was troubled and have a box and papers in his hands.
"Ninja, you need to find customers." The Sensei said pausing the ninja's conversation.
"No "hello, how's it going, glad to hear you saved the day ..." again?" Jay reply with a raised eyebrow
"Yeah, Sensei. We're all a bit tired. You mind if we handle this tomorrow?" Cole said stretching his arms
"We all have a share if this business succeeds. How else do you expect me to be able to afford all your new uniforms?" Wu imply and puts down the box and opens it. "Which reminds me, your new ones arrived."
"What do they look like now?" Kai asked excitedly
"New suits?" Zane noted curiously
"Sweet!" Jay exclaimed
"I bet they're off the hook." Cole declared with excitement. As the four opened the box, what they saw astonished them in disbelief. Inside the box were shirts for them, but weren't ninja suits. They were white with the logo for Steep Wisdom.
"Huh?"
"Those do not appear to be ninja uniforms. They resemble work attire." Zane analyzed in confusion.
"Very observant, Zane. We must focus on furthering brand awareness. And here are the fliers I want each of you to pass out in the city." Wu said handing the five ninja flyers.
"Ugh, If I have to pass all these out, I may be the one passed out!" Jay grumbled as then the phone rings.
"Oh, that could be our first order! Shh!" Misako said and picks up the phone. "Steep Wisdom, how may we serve you?"
"Aren't we going to look kind of dorky flying up on our Power Dragons with these things on?" Kai queried while Misako continued talking in the phone.
"Yes, I see; and you need him right away?"
"You won't be flying on anything. We're selling tea, not magic. Besides, you all have been relying a little too heavily on your Elemental Powers lately. Real powers come from the inside." Wu imparted
"It would be our honor, Sensei." Lloyd bowed to him. Jay looked through the box and noticed that there wasn't another shirt for his draconian teammate.
"Does Cinder get a uniform as well too Sensei?"
"Whatever do you mean?" Wu queried acting ignorant.
"Cinder was with us today and used his powers as well too. If we aren't allow using powers than he shouldn't either." Jay argued
"Uhh..." Fortunately Cinder didn't get to answer as Misako puts down the phone
"Is it a big order?" Nya questioned
"It's the police. They've asked for Lloyd. There's been a break-in at the museum." Misako clarify and everyone gasped, except for the Sensei and Historian.
"Go on, I'll take your share." Cole said and grab his flyers.
"Thanks. I owe you one." Lloyd said and headed out.
"Aren't you going to kiss your mother goodbye?' Misako asked making Lloyd paused and blushed in embarrassment.
"Mom, we've...we've talked about this. I'll catch you on the way back."
Everyone laughs.
"Remember, no powers." Wu orders and the ninja groan and left the shop, heading towards the city. Unbeknownst to them that their day wouldn't go well
—-
"Uh, Steep Wisdom. Enlightenment in a cup!" Kai announces and gives a flyer to a woman
"Steep Wisdom? Never heard of it." A woman said and throws away flier.
"Best little tea shop in Ninjago." Cole announced as well
"First cup is free, with a flier." Zane said showing the flyers as well.
"Take... Why won't you take the flier? Just take the flier!" Jay sighs in frustration as nobody came for a flyer. Cinder watch them and sighed, it have been a hour since they been in Ninjago City and they haven't gotten a single customer. He was sitting there relaxing to the sun's rays on his scales as he sketch.
"I see no one else is having any luck." Kai groaned after a few mins as he entered where the dragonet was laying.
"Oh. It's as if they think I'm passing out a communicable disease. I mean, sure, I have a cold sore, but it's hardly contagious." Jay divulged making Cole yelp and everyone else backs away.
"What? What?" Jay responded in confusion
"Maybe if we use our powers, we can get this over with." Cole mentioned
"But Sensei gave us strict instructions not to use our Elemental Powers." Zane cautioned
"Well, Sensei's not here, and what he doesn't know won't hurt him. I'm in. Is everyone else?" Kai noted and Jay and Cole agreed to the red ninja's idea. They run away from each other to find customers, while Cinder sat and watched them advertise Wu's tea shop. Cinder watched his brother lifted a man's car, showing his strength with spinning the car. Kai was being cocky and used his powers to be like the fire breather next to him and blows fire on the road to form a teapot shape. Jay used his powers to change all the electronic billboards to the Steep Wisdom logo while Zane summoned his Power Dragon and made an ice sculpture of a teapot.
The crowd were cheering for their performance, but then a gust of Wind sweeps away the fliers, extinguishes Kai's fire, and changes the billboards to its original state. Kai tries to blow on his torch, but fails. The fire breather mocked him and left.
"My powers. They're not working!' Kai exclaims
"Mine either!" Jay said as well
"What do you mean? My powers are—Uh-oh." Cole shouted as the car falls on him, and he groans. The crowd laughs. "Ow. ouch. Somebody give me a hand." Kai and Jay went to help him but Cinder walk up. To the crowd's amazement he used his forelegs to lift the car up growling in exertion at the weight as he lifted the car. Soon it was high enough for his brother to get out under the car. The crowd applauded at the dragonet's strength and he bow and blushed in embarrassment.
"If our powers are gone, that means..." Kai trailed off and looked up. Cinder did the same as Zane's Dragon disappears in midair. The Nindroid screams as he falls.
"He's kind of fast." Kai said, uncertain as Zane falls and smashes into the ground hard, creating a hole. "Whoa. I think he just broke the sound barrier."
"I told you we shouldn't use our powers!" Zane groans as he got up from the hole he created
"What powers? Where did they go? We have to see Wu!" Jay questioned as they wondered why their powers weren't working as they tried to get back to the tea shop.
—-
"Sensei!" Zane exclaimed as the four ninja and dragonet entered the tea shop. After the debacle in the city the four ninja and dragonet head back to the shop. Fortunately they were able to get a ride from a farmer to get them back to the shop. Cinder sees Misako helping a customer; a lady with her child were watching.
"It's an emergency!"
"We need you!"
.It's important!"
"Boys, not so loud. Can't you see we have our first customer?" Misako said firmly. The lady's daughter's eyes widen in realization
."Wow, the real ninja! Oh, can you shock me?" The girl asked
"Uh...not now, kid. Maybe later, okay?" Jay said awkwardly and the girl nodded but wasn't happy. Cinder noticed it and step forwards, and the girl saw him and eyes widen up.
"Whoa... a dragon, cool!"
"Hehe... you can touch my scales if you want. The ninja have an issue at hand at the moment. Don't want you to distract them on their task at hand." Cinder said and the girl smiled and petted his body, happily telling her mom how his scales were. Jay gave a smile and nodded silently to the dragonet and whispers to Misako.
"Where's Wu?"
"Sensei!" Kai called
"Yes?" Wu answered as he came to the counter.
"We were getting the word out..."
"...and there was this wind..."
"...and our powers disappeared."
"You were using your powers?" Wu said enraged making the four ninja cringe but Jay spoke up quickly.
"Yeah, I know. We're terrible students, but what happened to our powers?!"
Suddenly wind starts to blow, making everything rustled and the sky darken as the clouds gather together. Wu was concerned with a grim look on his face.
"If your powers are gone, then something must have happened to..."
As then "Lloyd" approaches the shop. Cinder sense the wind, it was powerful, more powerful than his own. So was confused when his friend came in.
"What's going on? Why's the wind so strong and powerful all of a sudden and Lloyd somehow doing it? Just what in Ancestors is happening?" Cinder thought
"It's Lloyd!" The girl said excitedly
"I know that wind...That's not Lloyd." Wu stated
"Same as well Sensei. I can sense it too." The dragonet stated as well and stared warily
"Step aside." "Lloyd" said
"Lloyd! What's wrong with you?" Jay asked concerned
"I want a word with your master." "Lloyd" demanded
"Whoa, Lloyd's gone through puberty." Jay mentioned
"What's gotten into him?" Cole pondered
"I sense some kind of foreign entity has taken over his body. So the question isn't what, but who's gotten into him?" Zane analyzed
"Whoever you are, whatever beef you had with Sensei, you have with us. Give us back our friend!" Kai demanded but "Lloyd" just cracks his neck and laughs.
"How are we supposed to fight a friend?" Cole questioned but "Lloyd"answered his question.
"Let me show you!" His skin turns green, his hair turns black and he attacks the ninja, laughing.
"Great, we don't have powers, but he does?" Jay exclaims and the four charged at him, but he easily fends them off.
"We may not have powers, but we still know a little thing called Spinjitzu! Ninja, go! Whoa! Ugh." Cole exclaims as he get thrown out of his Spinjitzu and onto the ground.
"So not only does he have powers, but he can control the wind, too?" Jay exclaimed in astonishment.
"Take the truck! Get them out of here now! Nya, we need to leave too." Wu ordered
"But this is our place. Tell me, Sensei. What's happened to Lloyd?" Nya queried
"There's no time." Wu said as he hurried with collecting some items. Outside the ninja were getting their butts kick by their "friend" as they get tossed around like paper planes. Cinder was trying to help, but with the wind so powerful and his small size he couldn't take off into the air to do aerial attacks. He just watches in fear as his teammates get thrown around.
"Ninja, Go! Aaaahhh! Whoa." Jay exclaims as he throws around
"Our Spinjitzu is worthless against the wind." Zane said as he approached "Lloyd" with a shuriken.
"Shurikens? Cute. Try this on for size!" "Lloyd"breaks off the propellers of a windmill and spins it like a shuriken and breaks it on the Ninja.
"Ugh." Kai groaned as he lies on the ground
"Get up. Please. Ninja never quit." The girl saids fearfully.
Kai gets up, but Misako evacuates with the daughter and her mom. The ninja scream as they are tossed around. "Lloyd" then enters the shop.
"Get out!" Nya exclaims in anger
"Go stock some shelves before you get hurt." "Lloyd" taunts
"I'll take you on anytime!" Nya jeered but was held back by a hand,
"Stay back, Nya. It's me he wants." Wu stated
"Not you! Just your father's staff." "Lloyd" demanded
"I see you've found the Allied Armor, Morro, yet you haven't summoned your friends." Wu said calmly
"Your pathetic students haven't given me a reason to." Morro said pointing at the ninja panting and groaning as they are defeated. Wu noticed the dragonet standing nearby looking scared by this person.
"You want the staff? Try to take it." Wu said as he took a stance. Morro grunts.
"You've gotten old. You used to be a great Sensei. Now you're just a petty shopkeeper."
The two fought as they tried to get the staff.
"With age comes wisdom." Wu said as they continued to fight each other. But then Wu's staff got knocked out of his hands and roll on the floor. The Sensei gasps when his staff rolled along the floor revealing symbols.
"A secret message engraved on the staff."
"The staff of the First Spinjitzu Master." Morro saids and uses Wind to grab the staff, but was knock down by a shelf.
"I do more than stock shelves." Nya jeered and throws the staff to the Sensei
"Yes. Now we leave."
"To the barn!" Nya urges and the two left the shop's back door. Cinder watched as everything went down with this person. Now realizing that with Lloyd out his brother and the others can't use their powers. This guy was an Elemental Master, but of Wind? He didn't see that element in Chen's tournament but how was this person showing himself now?
"I am not running away from Lloyd!" Kai shouted
"We will not win this fight today." Wu advised as everyone ran to the Bounty as it came in and everyone climbed the anchor.
"Give me the staff!" Morro demanded
"Oh, is he crazy?" Jay exclaimed
"Foolish ninja! Why would you try to take me on all by yourself?" Morro taunted while the Bounty flew higher up in the air
"Where's my brother?" Nya demanded
"He's fighting the Green Ninja." Cinder said as he landed on the deck.
"Alone." Jay, Cole, and Zane said as they watched the red ninja fight against Morro.
"We gotta do something." Nya said and looked at Cinder. "Cin, can you do anything?"
"Uhh... I don't know, this Morro could use Wind and since he possessed Lloyd he could switch and use me. We know we definitely don't want that to happen. I'm sorry." Cinder said sadly as he whimpered
"Wait! I got an idea. Nya, get the anchor ready. We're going fishing." Jay said, thinking of a plan. Nya nodded and prepared it, and once ready shot the anchor down and nagged the red ninja's pants.
"A perfect wedgie!" Cole shouted
"I saw Lloyd! Put me down! Let me go!" Kai exclaimed angrily
"You won't get away that easily." Morro shouted and used Wind to pull the Bounty back.
"We have to go back!" Kai shouted
"Sorry, brother. That's what I'm trying to avoid. Oh, no!" Nya exclaimed as she lost her footing and tumbled away from the wheel as Morro was pulling the Bounty. Fortunately Kai was able to get Nya to the wheel and get the thrusters to overpower him, but Cinder used his Wind element to fight against Morro's control.
"Noooooo!" Morro yells angrily as the team got away safely.
"Whew, that was close. The coast is clear." Nya sighs in relief. Everyone crowded around on the deck and looked at the Sensei with suspicion.
"Spill it, Sensei. What just happened back there, and what have they done to my friend?" Jay demanded
"Yeah, Sensei. Who was that?" Cole queried and the Sensei sighs.
"You four were not my first pupils. There was one before you."
"Huh?" Kai was speechless
"What?" Cole was astonished
"Morro, the Master of Wind." Wu reveal
"Okay, now those lights scare me. We got something on our six. Looks like your Master of Wind just caught his second wind." Nya announced as not far away from them there was something coming towards them. Cinder squints and eyes widen in fear to see Morro, on a corrupted Energy Dragon, heading towards them.
—-
"Okay, let's never do that again." Kai groaned
The Bounty have crash landed in the Forest of Tranquility. Morro has caught up and attacked them on the ship. The man was successful in getting Sensei staff but he was able to copy the symbols down before it was taken. Unfortunately Morro was able to get the Bounty taken out temporarily to get away.
"Ah, just think, if Sensei hadn't gotten rid of the staff, it could've been worse." Jay noted
"Yeah, but now we don't know the message." Cole said
"Not exactly. I managed to make an imprint." Wu said and showed them the symbols. There were three symbols. The first showed a person flying in the air in a vortex, sorta like Spinjitzu, the second showed a sword surrounded by clouds, and the third showed a skull head.
"What does it all mean?" Jay asked
"My father told me long ago that he would leave a message, leading me to his final resting place. After he passed, I looked everywhere for it, not knowing it was in my hand all this time." Wu said
"You mean to tell us—" Kai trailed off in realization
"Yes. These symbols will lead us to the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master. Only problem is I haven't the foggiest idea what any of them mean." Wu said embarrassed
"Well, if Morro is trying to find the tomb, we gotta find it first." Kai said determined
"Hey, maybe Misako can help decipher the clues since she's a total history buff." Cole mentioned
"P.I.X.A.L., release the Falcon and give her our location." Zane informs and the Falcon flies off.
"Good, then we set up camp." Wu said and everyone got to work. After a few minutes they finished putting up a campfire, with Cinder lighting it up, and sat on some logs to sit on. Cinder sat on his haunches on the ground next to his brother and hum, contended.
"Care to hear a ghost story?" Wu spoke up.
"If it means saving Lloyd, of course." Zane answered and Wu began his tale.
"Morro may have been my first pupil, but he was also my greatest regret. Before he was a cursed spirit, it wasn't I who found him...but he who found me. My brother had just gone off to train under Master Chen, which gave me time to attempt my hand at teaching. Morro was the perfect student. He did everything that was ever asked of him."
During training, a young Morro falls over.
"Get up." Wu said
"I had shown him things he had never seen. And he showed me a few things too. He had a power over the Wind I had never seen. He was a descendant of an Elemental Master. It was then I thought I had found the one. Perhaps he would wear green." Wu said but was interrupted
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Back up. You're saying Morro, the Master of Wind, was gonna be the Green Ninja!?" Jay exclaimed as then the wind shifted, causing the fire to become bigger.
"Uh, did that just happen? Maybe I don't like ghost stories." Cole said warily and Cinder wrapped a wing around him as a hug.
"What happened next, Sensei?" Zane asked
"After I told him he could be the Green Ninja, there was a hunger unmatched." Wu continued
"Get up. Get up!" Morro shouted as he kicked some of the other trainees, making them fall. Aggressively.
"Enough." Wu said
"But Sensei, I'm gonna be the Green Ninja. I need greater tests." Morro argued
"I said, enough!" Wu said firmly and left in annoyance, leaving Morro in the training room.
"There was an arrogance in him. I feared I had made a terrible mistake. But it wasn't for me to decide. It was destiny. When the Golden Weapons didn't respond like they did for Lloyd later, I knew Morro wouldn't become the chosen one." Wu told the team.
"I'll train more. Learn more lessons." Morro said desperately
"I'm sorry, destiny has spoken." Wu informed
"Then I refuse to listen! I am the Green Ninja! You made me believe!" Morro said angrily and left the room.
"He became obsessed with proving me wrong. To prove destiny wrong. He became reckless. He thought he was invincible." Wu said sadly
After Morro disturbed a Grundle, Wu had to save him.
"You see, Sensei? It was destiny for you to save me. I can still be the Green Ninja." Morro said arrogantly
"I knew right there and then I could not teach those who would not listen. He told me he would find my father's tomb to prove he was worthy. I told him it could not be found. My father had left no message. I left the gate open in hopes he'd return, but he never came back. I am saddened he was banished to the Cursed Realm. But what worries me more is that he escaped, and for what reason? To save Lloyd and return your powers, you must find the tomb before he does. Or else." Wu informed
"Or else what?" Jay asked worried
"Unspeakable power will curse us all." Wu concluded and the blue ninja laughed nervously.
"Just another day in Ninjago, am I right?"
"This is different. Lloyd is at stake." Kai stated
"But how can we compete against the Green Ninja? He's more powerful than all four of us combined." Cole spoke
"Huh." Nya mutter
"That was before we lost our powers." Zane noted
"But it's like Sensei said. Our real power doesn't come from our hands, it comes from inside here." Kai taps his chest. "This is Lloyd we're talking about. This is one mission we cannot fail."
—-
The next morning everyone was awake, except Kai who was awoken by a Walloper licking him.
"Hmm. Ugh! Ew! Misako got our message, and you made breakfast. Good, I'm starving." Kai grumbled as he sat up. Cinder sat eating some raw meat from a deer he found earlier.
"We put your plate down over there." Nya said but Kai groans when he sees a Walloper eating his food. Cinder warbles.
"Here Kai." Handing the red ninja a plate of meat he cooked with his Fire element. Kai thanked the dragonet gratefully.
"As far as I knew, the tomb was only a fable, until I saw what's on the staff." Misako said as she looked over the paper.
"Does she know what the symbol means?" Kai asked
"Not the last two yet, but get this: the first symbol means Airjitzu." Cole divulged
"Airjitzu?" Kai was confused
"A lost martial art created by Sensei Yang, who passed away years ago. If mastered, it allows one to temporarily take flight." Misako explains
"You hear that, Kai? We get to fly!" Jay exclaims excitedly
"You haven't found it yet. The Scroll of Airjitzu is well guarded in the ancient Library of Domu." Wu advised
"Forgive me if I speak out of turn, but my records reveal it was recently stolen." Zane informed
"By who?" Jay gasps
"Ah, let me guess. Ronin." Cole said annoyed and Cinder growled angrily at the mention of that fool's name.
"Who's Ronin?" Nya queried
"Let's just say he's not a friend." Kai said
"But this is good news." Jay smiled
"Uh, how so?" Cole asked uncertain
"Aargh, 'cause if Morro doesn't know this, he'll be heading to the library." Jay mentioned
"And Ronin's most likely holed up in the village of Stiix, which gives us a head start." Cole realized what the blue ninja was saying.
"Then it's set. The ninja will head to Stiix. We four will head back to the tea shop and start deciphering the next clues." Wu informed
"But Lloyd's my friend too. The ninja will need my help to—" Nya was cut off
"I'm sorry, Nya. You're sitting this one out. There's too much to be done here." Wu said but Cinder noticed the hesitation in his eyes.
"He's hiding something."
Kai walks up to his Walloper and tries to mount but falls off of it, groans, and got up.
"Don't worry, sis. With me in charge, this scroll will be ours in no time."
"'Cause time flies when you know Airjitzu! Get it? Haha." Jay chuckles
"Be careful, ninja, for the path we seek is never a straight line. Rely on each other to guide your way." Wu departed as the four ninja headed off to Stiix while the remaining four headed back to the tea shop.
—
Wu, Misako, Cinder, and Nya make it back to Steep Wisdom. The place was a mess with debris scattered and the windmill totaled. The quartet entered the shop and stood around the counter, the Sensei and Historian speaking while dragonet and Samurai looked around at the damage.
"Who needs to go on an epic quest when my services are best needed here?" Nya sighs glumly
"You need to tell her." Misako whispers to Wu
"She's not ready." Wu whispers back. Cinder perks up hearing them say that.
"There he goes again, and Misako knows it too? What in Ninjago is going on?"
"And you waited this long to tell them about Morro, and how did that go?" Misako whispered back but raised her voice up. "Nya, dear, we didn't exactly hold you back to care for the shop."
"Really? Then why?" Nya asked confused and Wu sighs
"Um, there's something I haven't told you about your parents."
Nya sighed and shook her head
"Ah, you can save it. Kai already told me that Chen dangled that carrot too. We looked into it and we know our father used to be a Master of Fire. Not exactly mind-shattering."
"But did you know your mother was the Master of Water?" Misako said, causing the Samurai to stop in surprise.
"I...I didn't know that. You mean—" Nya stuttered in shock
"Yes. As Kai took on the traits of your father to become a Fire Ninja, for the sake of saving Ninjago, you must train to become the Master of Water." Wu informs as Nya drops a jar and faints.
"Huh. You're right. She wasn't ready." Misako said as they looked at the Samurai on the floor. Cinder was astonished by the news, but remembered some things that pointed out that she has an elemental power, but he was too young and inexperienced to know if she had it or not.
"Uhh... that was a surprise and a half."
"Yes, I'm guessing you're taking this well?" Wu queried and Cinder nodded.
"I'll explain to the both of you and the others why we hid this for so long. But she will be critical for this battle, and hopefully stop Morro and his friends.
—
Chapter 20 edited and spell checked