Chapter 21: Stiix and Stones and Temple on Haunted Hill

The next day at Steep Wisdom, Wu is training Nya. They were behind the shop with a small pond with stones in it. Trees surrounded the area with cherry blossoms dotting in the leaves. The water swirled around the stones calmly with a gentle breeze coming through. Cinder sat on a nearby stone as he watched the session at hand.

"Your training to become the Master of Water begins now. To become water, you must find its qualities within yourself. While earth is strong and air is fluid, water can be both, strong and fluid. Over time, it's strong enough to carve this rock. Or if I use my cup to stop its flow, it can adapt. It's flexible, shapeless. You put water in a cup, it becomes the cup. You put it into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Be water, Nya." Wu imparted as he brought a hand into the pond and brought up some water. The liquid poured out in between his fingers as he held it up. Cinder thought of what Sensei said to the Samurai and pondered on it knowing his ability to control multiple elements, he could learn to master the element as with the others he has.

"On your hands!" Wu demands, causing the dragonet to come out of his thoughts as he sees Nya do a handstand on the rock she was on. The Sensei nodded approvingly.

"Very good. Your mother would be proud."

"I hate to break it to you, but sometimes Elemental Powers can skip a generation. Maybe you're wrong about me." Nya grunts as her body shakes from handstanding. "If the ninja so desperately needs my help, isn't it best if I'm Samurai X?"

"Samurai X cannot do Spinjitzu." Wu chuckles as he Spinjitzu his way off the rock. "And Samurai X cannot unlock her own Elemental Dragon." The Sensei moved his body and hands as gold and white energy swirled as he summoned his own power dragon.

"You never told us you could do that." Nya said, astonished as the Sensei petted its head. Cinder jumps off the stone he's sitting on and walks over to the pair, also astonished at the Sensei's power and skill he holds. The dragon then noticed the dragonet coming up and coo'ed quietly and rubbed the dragonet's mane. Cinder warbled in content at the attention he's getting.

"A Sensei never tells. Besides, water is the only weapon against a ghost, for though they can pass through solid objects, they cannot pass through what never stands still. What's flexible to us is rigid to them. And since the ninja no longer have their Elemental Powers, it's all but imperative that you go with the flow. One hand!" Wu said and threw his cup to her to catch.

"Unh! Oh." Nya uttered as she trembled with one arm holding her weight as she caught the cup.

"To find your Full Potential, we must find what makes you weak, for in your weakness—" Wu was cut off.

"Lies strength? Yeah, I got it. And I don't mean to boast, but I'm pretty good at almost everything I pick up. Can you even count the times I've had to rescue the boys?" Nya said boastfully

"Yes, Nya. Your merits don't go unnoticed, but by the end of the day, we will find your flaw. Before then, the bucket test!" Wu said and threw her a bucket.

"The bucket test?" Nya questioned

"Simple: fill it with water. When it is completely full, your training today is done." Wu said simply as the Samurai scoops up some water, but notices it's leaking through a hole. She groans.

"I said it was simple, not easy. Go with the flow." Wu said and sat down on a stone. Cinder looked at the Sensei in confusion at this test, but Wu smiled and shook his head. Cinder was about to ask why the Sensei was smiling when Nya came back over with the bucket and brought it over to the duo.

"Ugh, there. Bucket's full. Not so hard." Nya said with a smile. But Wu sees she has put a stopper in the hole in the bucket and scowls in disappointment.

"The bucket is not full. Try again."

"Ugh. This is impossible!" Nya said frustrated

"This is not impossible. This is thinking outside the bucket. Going with the flow. Finding where you are weak." Wu advised but Nya didn't listened

"I'm not weak! This bucket is weak!" She kicks it into the pond and walks away. "I'm trying to fill the bucket all day, it's never gonna happen! Face it, I'm not a Water Ninja, I'm a Samurai! This is pointless! I filled the bucket!"

"It appears the day was a waste." Misako said sulkily but Wu shook his head and smiled.

"On the contrary, I've finally discovered her weakness: feeling weak."

"Feeling weak? What do you mean, Sensei?" Cinder asked as he looked at the female who was benting her frustration.

"I'm good at everything else, why do I have to be good at filling buckets!? Go with the flow? I'll show you how I go!"

"She's good at so many things, but when put in a position to fail, she gives up. And because of her temper, she didn't even realize she'd successfully completed the task. Her bucket is full." Wu expressed with a grin. Cinder looked at him but then realized what he meant. The bucket was in the pond, meaning it was filled. The dragonet laughed in amusement at this, but knew that the Samurai had a long road to go to becoming the Master of Water.

"Sensei?"

"Yes, Cinder?"

"I was wondering... as I control the four main elements of creation and the other four from my mom. Is it possible for me to learn the element of Water? As a Purple Dragon it wouldn't be difficult to master it, if you don't mind?"

The Sensei thought it over for a few mins and then nodded.

"Yes, it would be livable if Nya wasn't nearby to help with her powers. I'll allow you to learn the element of Water as well too. But we'll do it at a different time to make sure she won't lose her focus."

"Ok then."

—

"Concentrate. Focus on reversing the flow. Become the water, Nya. Embrace it. You can control it. Become the Water Ninja." Wu gasps when he thinks Nya controlled the water, but sighs when he sees that she just blocked the water with her hand. Cinder just shook his head in amusement but also sighed as well. The Samurai's training was slow and tenuous as her temper was making it difficult for Wu to teach. But Cinder, on the other hand, was trying his best to master it but was also going slow for him too.

"I'm not the Water Ninja. I'm a Samurai. I'm afraid my friends are in trouble, and I won't be there to help. We don't even know for sure if I have the power, so if everyone is waiting for me to discover I'm some sort of Water Ninja." Nya angrily said and moved her arm back. Wu notices a lily pad in the pond move backwards in sync with Nya's gestures. Cinder saw it too and raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Maybe we've got a problem." She said with her shoulders slunk as then Misako came out of the shop.

"And maybe we have an even bigger one." The Historian said and the three follow her inside the tea shop. Cinder growled angrily when he noticed a familiar man in the room.

"Your first problem is the opening of a tea shop in the middle of a dry season. Water's at a premium. Then there's the name. Steep Wisdom? Ugh. More like Steep Debt. I mean, heh, where are the customers?" Ronin said in disappointment

"Who is this strange fellow?" Wu queried

"You need to have a name with pizzazz, like Curiosi-tea! Or Shake Your Boo-Tea! Heh! These are just off the top of my head. This place is a cluttered mess." Ronin continues on his rant but Misako interrupts him.

"Excuse me, but if you're not a customer, what are you doing in our shop?"

"You mean my shop." Ronin says and turns to see the dragonet.

"Well, well, well, well, well, well, is it the dragon himself, Cinder. How have you been?"

Cinder just growled while the others caught on what the man said.

"Huh?" Wu questioned

"Oh, right. They never told you. Name's Ronin. And since I'm now effectively the majority shareholder, I'm your new business partner." Ronin explained

Wu gasped in astonishment at the news.

"What?" Nya said astonishingly

"After the ninja lost the Scroll of Who-whatzu to that Morro dude, I bailed them out in exchange for their shares in the tea shop. Since they destroyed my pawn shop, I thought it was a fair trade until I saw this sorry place. Ah." Ronin concluded his explanation

"They didn't get the Scroll of Airjitzu?" Nya said

"If they don't get it, they'll never be able to follow the rest of the clues to the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master." Misako utter

"Let me go. They need me more than ever." Nya said frantically

"Relax, the ninja are fine. I told them another possible way they could get it. Don't you know in life, there's always second chances." Ronin said with a wave of his hand lazily.

"What do you mean another way?" Wu asked

"What? No one ever told you about Yang's Haunted Temple?" Ronin questioned

After the commotion a few mins later the group separated, with Misako to check on the storage supplies, Wu taking Nya back outside while Ronin went out the front. Cinder meanwhile went to his room to rest and recoup his energy for tonight's lesson. When he entered his room he jumped up and curled in a ball and closed his eyes and soon sleep came to him.

"Cinder."

Huh?

"Wake up young dragon, I'd like to speak with you."

Cinder wakes up and sees he's in the dreamscape again. He got up and walked over to the spinning platforms and did the usual, maneuvering onto them using Dragon Time. But after jumping onto the last one he noticed a larger platform in front of him. It has a raised dais with a gate in front of it, surrounding it and on the ground were symbols, glowing light blue in color. Cinder was confused by this.

"Ignitus? What's this?"

"Ahh... you have noticed what's in front of you? I have seen you learning the element of Water."

"Yes, so why am I here? Is it to train me in the element? I thought Sensei Wu would be teaching it."

Ignitus chuckled

"While I give credit to Wu teaching you, I think he should focused his attention on Nya. She'll be difficult to listen into learning her powers, making Wu splitting his time up between you two would take longer. So I'll teach you how to wield it, as compared to your friend you'll be able to master it much quicker."

"I see, well... thanks Ignitus. I'm ready to learn." Cinder said

"Alright, then step up onto the dais."

Cinder stepped up not the dais and closed his eyes, acknowledging the Chronicler he's ready to learn.

"Now Water, like its counterpart Fire, is fluid and rapid. But unyielded and powerful like Earth. Let yourself relax and let it flow like the current."

Cinder took a deep breath and relaxed, he could sense every molecule in the air like a heavy coat of armor. Feeling within to find his core, seeing a purple crystal with the elements he's learned swirling around it, and grasped it. Then he feels himself rising up as streams of water swirl around and around faster as the power builds up. With a SPLASH he released the vortex of water outwards like a tsunami. His eyes were now opened and watched the effect the water had. He landed back on the ground with a soft thump. Looking around at his display he did, now knowing he's learned to unleash it.

"Good show young dragon! Now let's work on perfecting and controlling it."

-—-

Cinder slowly opened his eyes and yawns widely and stretched. He looked up and noticed from the window that a few hours had passed because of how the sun is positioned to the west. He then got up and padded his way out of the room and down the hall, soon entering the storefront. The dragonet sees Misako at the cash register counter serving a customer.

"Thank you for coming back to Steep Wisdom. Here's a little something extra." Misako said as she was about to give a small bag of money to them but Ronin snatched it from them.

"Whoa! We're a business, not a charity. We're here to make money, not friends." He said and leaves the room.

"Thanks, and come again...I hope." Misako said weakly from that interaction. Cinder huffs in annoyed at the man's rudeness. His huff got Misako's attention and turned to the dragonet's direction.

"Hello Cinder, I see you came out from your nap. How was it?"

"Fine, but it wasn't a nap for me."

"Oh?"

"Ignitus brought me into the dreamscape while I was asleep." Cinder responded

"Really? What info did you gain from him? Any more knowledge or lore on your world?"

"Actually, no, he was teaching me how to use the element of Water."

"Really? I thought Wu would be teaching you how to wield it?" Misako questioned

"Well... Ignitus thought that Sensei had too much on his plate with Nya. So it would be easier if I was learning it from Ignitus. Don't get me wrong, Sensei is a great teacher but I think he should keep his focus on Nya, and besides that I already master how to unleash it. So I'll be practicing it privately while Nya is learning." Cinder explained and the Historian nodded in acknowledgment.

"Alright then."

"Argh!"

Cinder looked over to see Nya coming in, anger on her face as she stormed into the shop. Cinder warbled in concern to his teammate as she came over.

"You good N?"

Nya looks at him with anger but calms down when seeing his concern and her shoulders slunk. She expresses her frustration at still denying she's the Master of Water but with his now mastered control of the element he can tell that she has it. But he doesn't know how to get it across to her that she is the Master of Water.

Misako left the room to let Nya cool down while the dragonet comforted her. Then Ronin comes in with some stuff and sees the Samurai ranting.

"I'm not quitting, I'm just taking a break! You have to get me out of here."

"I thought you can't go until your training's done. Besides, I have a business to run." Ronin points out .

"If I'm gonna help the ninja, it's gonna be Samurai X." Nya said urgently

"Take the Bounty. Oh, I see. That would bring too much attention. Wu's my partner, I'd never do anything behind his back." Ronin said sarcastically but then Nya pulled out a sack of money. Cinder was astonished by this act of rebellion.

"I'll give you a ride after we close." Ronin says and leaves the shop. Nya looked at the dragonet.

"You won't say anything to Sensei and Misako about where I am?"

"Ugh... I won't." Cinder sighed and was hugged by the Samurai.

"Thanks Cin, you're the best you know that?"

"Yeah." "At least I can practice my Water breath while she's gone. Give me time to sharpen it."

—-

Cinder watches the two leave the Tea Shop in Ronin's vehicle as they go to the Samurai X cave. He sighed at his teammate's stubbornness and rebellion to help the ninja. He wanted to help but knew Morro was powerful, both as a ghost and Elemental Master, so he's a threat to the dragonet. If he gets possessed then nobody can stop Morro if the ghost uses his powers. But now having the element of Water in his arsenal he can help out with the team, but first he needs to train on perfecting it.

Walking over to the pond with the stones the dragonet hop onto the center stone and relax his body. Then started to do some moves as he practiced using Water. First move was a water ball (sorta like a fireball but water). Then shoots out a stream of water like a fire hose and directs it at some rocks at the edge of the pond, knocking them down. Then he closed his eyes and focused the element of Water into an Elemental Fury. Water begins to swirl around him into a tsunami and with a SPLASH the tsunami rockets outwards as he releases his Fury.

Cinder panted as he cooled down from his practice and looked at what he did from the Fury. Everything around him was soaking wet with water and the tree's branches sagged as the leaves absorbed the ater. The dragonet then hears footsteps and turns around to see Wu looking at the display he did.

"Impressive performance of skill Cinder, seems Ignitus taught you to wield the element of Water."

Cinder warbled

"Uh thanks Sensei. Ignitus helped me a ton with learning it. I hope I didn't disrespect you on teaching me."

"Wu shook his head and smiled.

"Don't fret, I can see you can master elemental powers quickly compared to the others. This gives me more focus on teaching Nya. Now... speaking of her, where is she?"

"Uhh..."

"If it's because I'll be disappointed with her leaving the shop?"

Cinder nodded

"I see..."

Before Cinder could say anything more the two heard voices coming on the other side of the shop. They both walked over to the back door and entered to see the ninja in the shop, Kai holding a scroll in his hand. Cinder then noticed Zane was talking way louder than usual, but the dragonet can ask him and the others later about that. He has noticed his brother wasn't here.

"Ninja, you returned. Did you get the scroll of Airjitzu?" Wu asked the three.

"Yes Sensei." Kai said and handed it to him. Wu opens it and looks at the contents within. Zane then spoke loudly to Misako but stopped when she put her hands on her head. Jay explained what happened at Stiix and Yang's Temple. Cinder butted in.

"Where's Cole?"

"Uhh... before we say anything about him, where's my sis?" Kai countered and Wu then explained to the three about what happened.

"So... my sis has elemental powers too?" Kai spoke after soaking in the info he's been told.

"Woah... that's amazing! But wait? If she has that power you don't mean..." Jay trailed out in astonishment

"That she has the power to defeat ghosts? Yes." Wu stated as he looked at them. "But like you, she needs to train it and unlock her True Potential."

"BUT EVEN IF SHE HASN'T MASTERED IT FULLY. THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE TO GET RID OF GHOSTS!" Zane said loudly and Kai explained their findings at Ronin's shop. After that discussion Cinder poke up again.

"Guys, where's my brother? He was with you and now he's not?"

The three ninja looked nervous at each other until Kai spoke.

"Well... do you know the curse that's around Yang's Temple?"

Cinder nodded, dread crawling in, and knew where this was going.

"Well... we found what that curse did and well... let's just show him guys. Cole!"

Cinder's eyes widened in shock as his brother walked in, but he looked different. His body wasn't solid, it was transparent and a greenish-gray color. His skin was gray, sorta like his element color but overall Cinder knew: his brother was a ghost.

"Cole?"

"Hey bro..." Cole said sadly as he looked at his brother.

This day just got worse.

—

Chapter 21 edited and spelll checked

Hey, what's a good chapter title for this? Chapter title doesn't match up with what I wrote.