The Temple on Haunted Hill
At Steep Wisdom, Nya continued her elemental training as she was looking at the water crane as she glared at the drops of water while Wu focused.
"Concentrate." Wu spoke up to them. "Focus on reversing the flow. Become one with the Element. Embrace it. You can control it. Become the Water Ninja."
Nya concentrated to reverse the flow. Soon, after a moment, the water stopped flowing, which made Wu gasped before he frowned when he saw Nya blocking the flow.
"I'm not the Water Ninja." Nya insisted. "I'm a Samurai. I'm afraid my friends are in trouble, and I won't be there to help them as the only thing I know I'm good at."
"I'm starting to see why Melissa kept giving Nya the 'treatments'." Wu muttered quietly at Nya's stubbornness.
"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, maybe we've got a problem." Nya ranted as she waved her arms, which slightly moved the pond's water, which got Wu's attention.
"And maybe we have an even bigger problem." Misako spoke up as she walked up to them.
Inside Steep Wisdom, the three entered and saw Luci and Rachel staring at Ronin, who was inspecting the shop. "Ronin?" Nya said in surprise.
"Your first problem is the opening of a tea shop in the middle of the dry season." Ronin spoke up as he turned to them. "Water's at a premium. Then there's the name. Steep Wisdom? Ugh. More like steep debt. I mean, where are the customers?" He joked with a smile.
"Wait, this is the Ronin guy you told us about?" Rachel asked.
"Yes, indeed." Wu said with a glare.
"You need to have a name with pizzazz." Ronin continued. "Like Curiousi-tea! Or Shake-Your-Boo-Tea! Heh! These are just off the top of my head." He said as he looked through a book. "This place is a cluttered mess." He complained.
"Excuse me, Ronin." Misako said with a glare. "But if you're not a customer, what are you doing in our shop?"
"You mean my shop." Ronin said with a smirk as they all looked at him in confusion. "Oh right, they never told you." He said in realization as he gave a smile. "I'm now effectively the majority shareholder, I'm your new business partner." He explained as they all gasped in shock.
"What?!" Nya asked in shock.
"What do you mean Shareholder?!" Luci questioned.
"Well, after the Ninja lost the Scroll of Who-what-zu to that Morro dude, I bailed them out in exchange for their shares in the tea shop." Ronin explained before he frowned. "Since they destroyed my pawn shop, I thought it was fair trade. Until I saw this sorry place. Ah."
"They didn't get the Scroll of Airjitzu?!" Nya asked in horror.
"If they didn't get it, they'll never be able to follow the rest of the clues to my Father's Tomb." Wu said in worried.
"Or save Lloyd," Misako said in equal worry.
"Let me go! They need more help than ever!" Nya pleaded.
"Relax, I got good news and bad news. The good news is the Ninja are fine." Ronin assured them. "I told them there's another possible way they could get it. Don't you know in life, there's always second chances."
"What do you mean another way?" Rachel asked in curiosity.
"What? You've never heard of Yang's Haunted Temple?" Ronin asked.
"Wait, did you say 'Haunted Temple'?" Luci asked slowly before cringing along with Rachel. "Oh Melissa is not gonna like that."
At the top of a hill, an old temple covered in roots and vines rested upon the top as a few people walked up to it. "Welcome to Yang's Haunted Temple, the historical landmark and former home of Sensei Yang, the notorious Sensei without a pupil, infamous for creating the lost martial art of Airjitzu," a tour guide woman informed the tourists as the Ninja were part of the tour group as well. Some of the people were taking a picture of an old statue of a man with a long beard like Sensei Wu. "Unfortunately, we can't take our tour groups inside, for rumor saying anyone trapped inside its walls at sunrise, will be turned into a ghost permanently." This caused some of the tourists to let out gasps of excitement at this information. "But if you listen closely, maybe we'll be able to hear the ghost of Sensei Yang himself looking for his lost pupils."
"I HOPE IT'S NOT A RUMOR! FOR IT'S OUR ONLY HOPE!" Zane shouted at the rest of the Ninja cringed.
"Ah, sorry about our loud friend." Cole spoke up with a sheepish look. "He's a little hard of hearing."
"Known for his un-" The tour woman called with a look before she cleared her throat and continued the tour. "-usual teaching methods." As she continued onward to the tour, the Ninja stayed behind.
"I thought you said you'd fixed him?" Kai whispered to Jay.
"At least he's no longer talking backward," Jay said in defense as he gave a sheepish smile. "I guess my tinkering got his volume level stuck, heh, heh."
"AT LEAST YOU CAN UNDERSTAND ME NOW!" Zane yelled into Cole's ear, which made him cringe.
"Dating back…" The tour woman continued loudly with a look as she cleared her throat again. "... to the Edo Period…"
"Well, from now on, only speak if you have something really important to say," Cole said to Zane.
"Who put you in charge?" Kai questioned.
"I did." Cole answered. "After you guys muck it up, it's my turn to be in charge. And, like me, I like my plans to be simple. We sneak in, learn Airjitzu from the Ghost of Sensei Yang, then get out before sun up." He explained as they looked at the temple.
"Since Morro already knows Airjitzu, we just have to hope he hasn't figured out the next clue." Kai said hopefully.
"Well I hope you guys have fun with that." Melissa said with a nervous smile before turning around. "I'm just gonna head back over to the others and-" She was cut off before Cole grabbed Melissa and pulled her back to them as she gave a yelp.
"Nice try, Melissa." Cole said with a brow. "But we're in this together." He told her which caused her to whimper fearfully.
"Please don't make me go in that…. That….. Ghost infected Temple!" Melissa pleaded while looking at the Haunted Temple. "As if dealing with Morro and his g-ghost army was bad enough, but now we're going inside a haunted temple?!"
"We know you're afraid of ghosts, Melissa. But we have to do it if we're ever gonna learn Airjitzu." Kai said to her.
"Yeah, come on. Do it for Lloyd." Jay said, which made Melissa groan.
"Why did you have to put him in it?" Melissa slouched in defeat.
"Because we know that when it comes to Lloyd, you'll do anything for him." Cole said with a smirk as Melissa groaned.
"Fine. But if this is all for nothing and I get terrified for nothing, your butts are mine." Melissa said with a glare.
"Noted." Kai said with a nod.
"Well, the sun is setting, which means we should head back to the bus. Wouldn't want anyone to turn into a ghost," The tour woman joked with chuckles as the tourists entered the bus as they all chuckled and the bus drove off.
At night, Yang's temple is completely deserted as the owl's hoot. The Ninja then came out from behind Yang's statue as they sneakily infiltrated the temple. Cole and Jay struggled to get the wood off the boarded-up windows. But Melissa cleared her throat, getting the two boys' attention as they turned to her, Zane and Kai as she opened the front door, revealing it to be open as they entered.
"Oh… Ah, okay," Cole said sheepishly as they entered after the others, but the second they were all in the temple, the door closed on their own and locked them in
In a hidden cave, Morro had set up a green campfire while holding the staff. He looked around the wall, feeling a bit tense, remembering the last time he was in this position, before he shook it off and looked back at the staff.
"The Second Symbol." Morro said, rolling the Staff on the ground, seeing the Second symbol was a sword in a cloud, "Can any of you decipher it? There's a reason I brought you out." He told Soul Archer and two other ghosts, one was a female ghost with a double-ended sword while the other was a skeleton ghost with a ghostly scythe.
"I can," The Female ghost said, floating over to him, "But you'll need more than Airjitzu to get there," She told Morro.
"Are you suggesting, Bansha, that we'll need to possess a few more vessels?" Soul Archer asked as he flew in next while the skeleton ghost floated around.
"Ha, ha," The ghost chuckled. "Ghoul Tar like! Ghoul Tar likes to take! Take now, heh!" He laughed.
"Settle down, Ghoul Tar." Morro said to him. "Master would want us to be patient." He said before he gave a smirk as a certain memory came to him. "I think I know where to pick up a few more… toys."
Back at the Airjitzu Temple, the Ninja walked into the Study, Cole gave a nervous look as he sighed before a spider got in front of his face, making him scream as he jumped back before Kai swatted the spider away.
"Relax. If this place is truly haunted, we just need to wait until he shows himself." Kai stated as he gestured to the portrait of Sensei Yang.
"Oh, he should've been here by now," Cole said in fear as they're backs were turned, they didn't see the portrait turning to them, "You heard the Tour guide! If we're not out before sun up, we'll be ghosts!"
"You didn't buy into all that malakary did you?" Kai joked as Melissa noticed the painting and turned to it as it returned to its original position.
"Oh my freaking God, I hate this." Melissa whined.
"Yeah I agree with Melissa now!" Cole said in fear. "I don't wanna be a ghost! Who wants to be a ghost?! And why didn't anyone warn us this place would get so creepy after dark?!" He frantically questioned as Zane looked through a book.
"Eh, remind me again why we agree to put the guy who is also afraid of ghosts in charge?" Jay questioned with a brow as Zane walked up to him.
"LISTEN TO THIS!" Zane shouted, which made Jay cringed.
"Argh! Allow me." Jay said to Zane as he took the book for him and cleared his throat as he read it. "Whoa. It says here that though many believed Sensei Yang's unusually strict teachings drove his pupils away, others admit to never seeing any of them leave the temple grounds, suggesting a more sinister plot." He read while pacing around with a smile. "Haha! How awesome is that?"
"Not awesome. Not even a little," Cole quickly answered nervously.
"Not even a tiny bit." Melissa said in fear while shivering a bit.
"Don't believe everything you read," Kai told him before Jay read more.
"'Yang was hard on his pupils for a reason, for in his words: As Iron Sharpens Iron, Sensei Sharpens Student.'" Jay recited
"Mmm, wonder what he means by tha--" Kai tried to say before the grandfather clock hit midnight and started chiming as moaning sounds could be heard while it shook.
Cole looked in fear. "It's him! He's in the clock!" He frantically said as the moaning continued as the Ninja looked on in fear.
"He's already freaking me out!" Melissa cried out as the clock kept moving and moaning. "THAT'S IT! I'M GETTING THE HELL OUTTA HERE!" She yelled as she was about to make a run for the door.
But Zane grabbed her as Kai spoke. "For, Lloyd." He reminded her as Melissa stopped.
"Why did he have to be my weakness?" Melissa grumbled as the clock kept moaning.
"You're the leader, Cole." Jay said as he pushed Cole forward. "Go check it out."
Cole gulped and approached the clock while behind him the others smirked, except Melissa as she gave a nervous look, Cole then opened the clock as cawing sounds were heard and something flew out.
"AAAAHHHH!" Both Cole and Melissa screamed and hunkered down, trembling in fear as flying out of the clock was just Zane's falcon that landed on the Ice Ninja's arm.
Zane then pressed on the falcon's chest buttons, as it gave a ghostly moan and the three minus Melissa of them laughed at Cole who stood back up, "A Prank? Really?" He asked with a look.
"We were just trying to help you relax," Kai smirked.
"Yeah! You should've heard yourselves scream!" Jay chuckled.
Zane nodded as he pressed on his falcon again as it replayed Cole's screaming mixed with Melissa's, which made the boys laugh.
"You screamed like a girl, Cole!" Jay laughed.
"That was not me who screamed." Cole said with a look as the boys kept laughing before Melissa smacked them on the back of the head, causing them to yelp and groan in pain as they rubbed their heads as they turned to Melissa, who was glaring at them as they flinched.
"What was that for?" Kai asked, rubbing his head.
"In case you idiots forgot, I'm terrified of ghosts!" Melissa snapped as the others flinched. "Try and give me a heart attack, why don't ya?!"
"Uh, sorry, Melissa." Jay said nervously. "That was meant to be a prank for Cole. We forgot about your fear of ghosts."
"Oh, so only for amusement! We're on a mission! Not for fun!" Melissa snapped before thudding sounds could be heard, which made the three boys gasp while Melissa and Cole frowned. "Another prank? Really? Not funny." She said as she walked out with Cole following.
"Yeah, didn't anyone teach you to quit while you're ahead?" Cole questioned with a look as he and Melissa walked out of the room.
The others looked in fear. "Uh, was that you, Jay?" Kai asked nervously.
"Not me. I thought it was Zane." Jay answered in fear.
"ME NEITHER!!" Zane added before their eyes widened in realization.
"Cole! Melissa! Wait!" They all screamed as they rushed after Cole and Melissa.
In the hallways, Melissa and Cole were walking down. "Seriously! It's bad enough that we're facing actual ghosts, but those guys pulled a prank with our fears?!" Melissa questioned angrily. "Who plays with one's fears as a joke?!"
"Agreed, laughing at people's fears isn't something to laugh at." Cole said in agreement before the thudding sounds can still be heard around them, but they scoffed. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Very scary." He said sarcastically.
They then walked up to a door that was rattling with the knob turning. "As if we're falling for that trick again." Melissa said with her arms crossed.
"I swear guys we didn't do that!" Kai told him as they all rushed towards them.
"Let's go back to the Study!" Jay stated.
"IT WASN'T US!" Zane shouted.
"Okay, we have to admit, this is pretty good. How'd you guys get the handle to move all by itself?" Cole questioned.
Melissa gave a smirk. "Is Nya behind there? Heheh, clever payback, girl." She said as she turned to the door and about to reach it.
"Don't open that door!" Jay screamed as they all screamed as Melissa opened the door, revealing it to be an empty dojo.
"Well, that was anticlimactic," Kai commented as they entered the dojo.
Melissa then looked around the room before seeing the picture of Sensei Yang. "Huh, so this must be Sensei Yang's dojo." She said before looking at the swords hanging on the wall. "Why do these swords look like The Sword of Fire?" She said in confusion.
"Maybe he wanted to inspire others with the Golden Weapons?" Kai guessed with a shrug. "But this must be where he must've trained his pupils."
"Or got rid of them." Jay said in fear.
"Knock it off, guys." Cole said with a look. "If that wasn't you behind the rattling door, who was it?"
"Yeah, and if Nya isn't here, then who would've made that door rattle or make that thud?" Melissa questioned.
"The Ghost of Sensei Yang." They all said in fear.
"As iron sharpens iron, sensei sharpens students," Yang's voice spoke up in the air, which spooked the Ninja.
"It's the Ghost of Sensei Yang!" They all screamed in fear before Jay realized something.
"Uh, guys, what does he mean by 'sharpen'?" Jay asked fearfully as they looked at the four swords in the walls as they started moving.
"Let's not hang around to find out!" Cole shouted as the swords got off the walls and started floating as they aimed toward the Ninja.
"Let's get out of here!" Melissa exclaimed as she and the boys started screaming and quickly ran out of the dojo and closed the door, which got the swords stuck.
The Ninja ran down the hallways in fear as bats started flying around and the pictures started moving while Yang gave spooky laughter.
"Uh, does this mean he doesn't want to teach us Airjitzu?" Jay asked as they kept running.
"Forget Airjitzu, where's the window?!" Kai shouted.
"This way!" Cole pointed down to the window ahead of them as they tried to budge it open, but they couldn't as they screamed as the bats flew around.
"Ah, we're caged in like animals!" Jay exclaimed as Yang's laughter was heard again.
"Argh! Let's try the front door!" Cole called out.
"But that's downstairs! And in case you forgot, there's flying Fire Sword replicas trying to slice and dice us!" Melissa exclaimed with a look.
"THERE'S A DUMBWAITER!" Zane shouted as he pointed to Jay.
"Hey, watch who you're calling…" Jay stopped before he turned around. "Oh, a dumbwaiter." He said with a smile as he saw the dumbwaiter behind them. "That can take us down!"
Soon, the Ninja were stuffed into the dumbwaiter as Jay and Kai were pulling the rope down, "You said there'd be enough room for all five of us in here." Jay grunted as he and Kai kept pulling.
"MY CALCULATIONS ARE ALWAYS CORRECT!" Zane shouted.
"Ow, my ear!" Cole said as he covered his ears.
"Ghosts, why do we have to fight ghosts?!" Melissa asked in fear. "Can we get some light in here?! What if ghosts showed up in the dark?!"
"Don't be overdramatic, Melissa." Cole said to her. "But she's right, Zane. Turn on a light or something, because we can't see a thing."
Zane nodded as he turned on the flashlights through his eyes before they gasped when they saw the ghost of Yang appeared in the center. "As iron sharpens iron…" Yang started but this caused Melissa to scream loudly in the dumbwaiter, causing her powers to activate and causing the dumbwaiter to fall down as they all screamed before they made it to the first floor.
The Ninja exited the dumbwaiter and rushed out as floating swords appeared again as they all ran in fear as they ran a corner as the swords struck a wall and they rushed up to the front door while trying to bust it open with Yang floating towards them.
"As iron sharpens iron, sensei sharpens student!" Yang recited as the Ninja got the door opened, but when they exited it, they all screamed as they fell before they grabbed onto each other as they realized, they and the whole temple was floating in a green vortex abyss.
"AHH! What is that?! What's down there!" Jay screamed in fear as his legs dangled over the edge, "Wait don't tell me! I don't wanna know!" He pleaded.
"WE APPEAR TO BE TRAPPED IN SOME KIND OF INTERDIMENSIONAL ETHEREAL REALM!" Zane told them as Cole pulled them back into the temple.
"I told you not to tell me, Zane! Knowing that just makes things worse!" Jay screamed as they went back into the temple and quickly shut the door as Yang sent out a ghostly chilling laugh.
Back at Steep Wisdom, Misako was giving the tea to the customer. "Thank you for coming back to Steep Wisdom. Here's a little something extra." She said as she gave an extra bag to the customer, which he was about to leave before Ronin blocked him.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. We're a business, not charity." Ronin said as he took the extra bag away. "We're here to make money, not friends."
The man gave a brow to Misako. "Uh, thanks and come again." She said as the man walked off. "I hope." She sighed.
At the back of the shop, Nya was glaring at her reflection. "I'm not quitting, I'm just taking a break!" She said as Ronin walked in as she splashed her reflection before turning to Ronin. "You have to get me out of here."
"I thought you can't go until your training's done," Ronin said in confusion. "Besides, I have a business to run."
"If I'm gonna help the Ninja, it's gonna be as Samurai X." Nya said to him firmly.
"Take the Bounty." Ronin suggested, but Nya looked at him with a dull look. "Oh, I see, that would bring too much attention." He said in realization. "Wu's my partner, I'd never do anything behind his back." But then Nya took out a bag of money, which made him smile. "I'll give you a ride after we close." He said as Nya smiled.
Back in Yang's Temple, the Ninja regrouped back in the studies. "Ah. All right, so there's no way out of the haunted temple, but at least all the commotion died down," Jay said to them.
"Yeah, we just gotta go through the night together," Kai said while the picture of Yang looked at them without them knowing. "Show Yang we're not scared." Suddenly, he had the strange feeling they were being watched as he turned to the picture, and the picture quickly returned to how it was.
And then a clock chimes as they all scream in fear. "It's just a clock. We're not afraid of time, but we are afraid of not getting out in time," Cole muttered as the clock showed it was 2:16 in the morning as Cole started to panic. "Oh, my gosh, why did we spend the night in a haunted temple!?"
"I told you all this was a bad idea!" Melissa cried out in fear.
"EVERYONE, GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF!" Zane yelled out. "EVEN IF MY VOLUME WASN'T STUCK, I'D STILL BE YELLING AT THIS DECIBEL!"
Melissa sighed, calming down, "Zane is right. What are we doing?" She asked her team, "We already lost out on Airjitzu once and this is our only way to learn it and get to the Tomb before Morro does."
"Melissa's right." Cole spoke next. "We need to toughen up. We're Ninja! We can't let this opportunity pass!"
"Uh, guys?" Kai asked nervously as he fearfully looked at a painting with a boat in stormy weather in the ocean that started moving. "Are paintings supposed to move?"
Jay walked over to the painting and touched it, causing the water to start flooding the room with fish and water much to Cole's horror.
"Why did you touch the scary picture, Jay!?" Cole exclaimed.
"I didn't know it could do that, Cole!" Jay snapped as more water started pouring as Kai quickly ran up to the door.
"Unh!" Kai grunted as he tried to turn the handles. "It's locked! Unh!" He tried to get the door open as the water started to rise.
"As iron sharpens iron, sensei sharpens student!" Yang echoed through the room again.
"Oh, great, back for round two!" Jay cried out.
"He has spooky timing!" Melissa cried out.
Kai started hyperventilating as more water rose. "Water. I'm afraid of… water! We're all gonna drown!" He screamed as he kept pulling on the door as the room slowly but steadily rose.
"It's all in your head, Kai." Jay said nervously. "He's trying to scare us out so we don't get Airjitzu." He added as Cole and Melissa resurfaced.
"I don't know, it tastes pretty real to me." Cole stated.
"And it feels real as well!" Melissa said as she moved her soaked hair aside. "And I thought ghosts and water don't mix!"
"WHERE'S KAI?!" Zane asked in worry as they all looked around for Kai.
Beneath the water Kai was struggling to get the door open before he was finally able to do so. The moment he opened the door, he and the other Ninja flooded out of the room and into the hallways as they screamed. They all coughed up some water before they stood up and shook to dry themselves off.
"Well, that wasn't refreshing!" Kai complained.
"First the haunting, then the water, what's next?!" Cole listed out everything that happened before Melissa let out a gasp of realization.
"That's it! He is testing us!" Melissa told the others. "Don't you see? Cole and I are afraid of ghosts, and Kai is afraid of water. He's making us face our fears."
"As iron sharpens iron, sensei sharpens student," Kai repeated Yang's words. "She's right."
"He's making us face our fears, it's just like our True Potential," Melissa stated as the water started draining away, "If we want the power, we have to earn it. So from now, no matter what Yang throws at us, we face it together. No more running away," She said as they stood on the floor.
"Or swimming away." Jay said with a determined smile.
"Fine, but time's running out and if we don't figure out a way of staying in this together or getting Airjitzu, none of us are gonna get out alive." Kai said as they rushed down the hallway.
Across the Sea of Sand, R.E.X. was flying over to Nya's Samurai X cave with Nya onboard as she watched Ronin placing the money Nya gave him in a safe compartment that was full of cash.
"Pretend you didn't see that." Ronin said as he sat back into the controls as he looked at the GPS. "Should be at the Samurai X cave shortly. Make yourself comfortable." He said as he leaned back.
"For someone so desperate for money, you sure have a lot of it." Nya commented after seeing what was in the safe.
"Let's just say, it's more than me I'm paying for," Ronin told her as Nya gave him a suspicious look.
"Unless you like awkward pauses, do tell." Nya said to him as Ronin gave a sigh.
"I made a few bets and regrets in my life, if I don't pay off the Soul Archer, my soul's going to the Cursed Realm." Ronin explained with a frown.
"And you think cashing in on our farm would save your hide?" Nya asked unimpressed, "You're a real gentlemen,"
"Save it, sweetheart." Ronin said with a look. "Unlike you, I don't have a ninja support system. It's me and me alone." He added as he looked at the GSP as the Samurai X cave was in the distance. "Speaking of which… who else knows about your secret cave?"
"No one." Nya answered with a proud smirk. "It's a secret."
Ronin however, gave a frown as he steered ahead. "Well, it looks like we're not alone." He said as he drove his ship and landed next to the entrance of the cave as the two rushed out and to the entrance as Nya gasped when she saw the cave passage was open as the two gave worried looks.
Inside the cave, the two saw Morro and his three ghosts around the cave while having the mechs out. "Morro's here." Nya whispered. "He already knows Airjitzu, what does he want with the mechs?" She questioned as they all hid when the Soul Archer passed by.
"Yeah, well the Soul Archer's here too," Ronin said nervously as he grabbed Nya's hand, "So now might be a good time to leave."
Nya yanked her hand free. "If I can't help my friends as the Water Ninja, I can help them as a Samurai." She whispered as she activated her bracelet and put on her helmet.
"I got a bad feeling about this." Ronin said as Nya's mech activated and landed in the middle as Nya quickly got on her mech and faced Morro and his ghosts as she drew her mech's sword.
"Sorry to crash the party, but this place looks a little dead." Nya quipped as she swung her sword.
"The Samurai girl," Morro said, furrowing his brow, "Take her!" He ordered the three ghosts as they soon surrounded Nya.
Nya then swung her sword as she tried to attack the ghosts, but her weapon only went right through them as she kept trying before she realized that her weapons are useless against ghosts as they just laughed in amusement as they advanced towards her.
Ronin watched in fear as he ran to the entrance, but stopped as he was conflicted on leaving or saving Nya as he looked down in thought.
Nya stops as she realizes her weapon is useless. "Alright, maybe my weapons can't help." She said, now regretting ignoring Wu's words as the Soul Archer fired an arrow at her, but it vanished when an Aeroblade swung by and circled around as Ronin caught it.
"But this can!" Ronin said with a smirk he held his weapon.
"Ronin." Soul Archer growled.
"Yeah, that's my name. Don't wear it out." Ronin said with a smirk as Morro then started to use his powers as his armor started glowing. "He's conjuring reinforcements!"
"Now that's something I can deal with," Nya smirked as she launched a mine with suckers on it at Morro and it stuck to the Allied Armor and started beeping, much to Morro's panic.
"You're gonna blow up your friend?" Ronin asked in surprise, which made Nya realize that Morro was in Lloyd's body.
"Oh, yeah." Nya said sheepishly. "Maybe I didn't think that through. Oh, good thing Melissa isn't here for this or else she would kill me."
Morro acted quickly as he took off the Allied Armor and tossed it away as Ronin hid behind Nya's suit as the bomb destroyed the armor, shattering it to pieces.
"Get that Mech!" Morro yelled as the ghosts chuckled as they went up to Nya and lifted up her mech and placed her in the center of the roof. Nya had no choice as she ejected from her mech and landed on the floor.
Ghoul-Tar laughed as he entered Nya's mech and transformed it into a ghostly four-armed black mech with green highlights,
"We can't fight them all! We gotta leave!" Ronin said as he helped Nya up.
"No, they're not taking my Mech!" Nya called out as she tried to reach out for her mech, but Ronin held her back.
"Then I'm taking you!" Ronin called as he tossed Nya over his shoulder and rushed off.
"Let go of me!" Nya shouted as Ronin rushed under the possessed mech and avoided a sword swipe and rushed up to the exit.
"Don't let them get away!" Morro shouted with a glare as the ghost followed after them as Ronin whistled to R.E.X. as he made it outside and saw his ship started up as he was about to rush to it, but Morro used the wind to fly to it as he landed on R.E.X. "Boo." He said to Ronin with a smirk.
"Aah! Whoa!" Ronin screamed before he saw Bansha, Soul Archer, surrounding him before he tried to rush back to the cave, but Ghoul Tar blocked him with the mech.
"Ghoul-Tar never let you leave!" Ghoul-Tar yelled while in the mech.
"Heh, guys, there's gotta be a deal we can strike here, huh?" Ronin asked nervously as he let Nya free from the vines as they backed away from the ghosts.
The ghosts gave laughter as they kept advancing towards them. The two then brace themselves for their doom, but then miraculously, rain started coming down as Nya and Ronin smiled in relief and joy at their miracle as Bansha and Soul Archer screamed as they felt the droplets as they quickly sheltered themselves in Ghoul-Tar's mech before they went poof.
"We have what we came for. Leave them!" Morro ordered as he flew up and summoned his dragon as he flew off with the ghosts following in the mech, leaving Ronin and Nya behind as the rain continued to fall.
"Rain? In the middle of the dry season?" Ronin asked in surprise.
"What luck, right?" Nya asked with a sheepish look and a shrug.
"That ain't luck, sweetheart." Ronin said with a smile as Nya took off her helmet. "Face it, Nya. You are the Water Ninja!" He cheered as Nya gave a frown as she looked up to the sky.
Back at the Airjitzu Temple, the Ninja were in a hallway as they tied themselves together with ropes. "Alright, no matter what happens, no one can run away." Cole spoke up seriously. "We're in this together."
"Haha!" Jay chuckled. "Ain't no thang but a Sensei Yang." He joked.
"Not even a little bit funny." Melissa said with a brow. "Now, let's find Yang and get the knowledge for Airjitzu." She said as they started walking, "But just so we're not surprised, Zane, Jay, what sort of things scare you the most?" She asked the Ice and Lightning Ninjas.
Zane turned and then he screamed in fright. "AH! I THINK I KNOW WHAT I'M AFRAID OF!" He called as they all turned and saw a familiar ninja behind them.
"It's Morro!" They all screamed in fear.
"Of all the times to have to fight him again!" Cole cried out.
"And he already knows Airjitzu! We don't stand a chance!" Jay said hopelessly.
"Wait a minute, if we're all afraid of Morro, then this must be another part of the test." Kai said seriously, which made Melissa realize it.
"Kai's right. How are we supposed to save Lloyd if we don't even have the courage to face the guy in his own body?" Melissa questioned with determination.
"They're right. Let's get him!" Cole shouted as they all gave battle cries as they chased after Morro, who ran into a corner, but being tied up made them slow down as they saw Morro was gone. "We weren't fast enough!"
"There he is!" Melissa shouted as she pointed to Morro running to the left.
"Alright, let's step together." Cole said as the Ninja then started running in sync. "One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three." He counted before Melissa stopped, which made the others stop as they were in front of a ladder.
"Ow!" Jay yelped as he bumped into Zane.
"He went up to the attic," Kai said, pointing upwards.
"Uh, Attics. Definitely at the top of the list of things I'm afraid of," Jay said nervously.
"Come on, Yang must be up there," Melissa said in determination as she took a lantern and they climbed up as they saw Morro with his back to them.
"He's just standing there, what do we do?" Jay asked nervously.
"I don't know. Go face him, Jay." Kai said as Jay growled.
"You face him!" Jay snapped.
"No, we'll all face him," Melissa said bravely as the boys nodded and approached Morro while Melissa reached her hand out and as soon as she was about to touch him he went poof causing them to yell and jump back.
Then standing in front of them was the ghost of Sensei Yang floating before them. "As Iron sharpens Iron, Sensei sharpens Student." He recited with a proud look. "You have passed the test."
"Then, you'll teach us how to do Airjitzu?" Melissa asked as Yang simply pulled out another scroll like the one Morro took, but without a map in the back.
"Only those who see things through will reap the benefit of the reward," Yang told them as he gave Cole the Scroll.
Jay then looked down and saw his arm fading. "That's not the only thing we see through. Why is it I can see through my hand!?" He cried out in worry.
Then Melissa remembered, "Oh no, the curse," She said in horror as she looked at a clock, "What time is it?" She asked as she saw it was almost sunrise.
Yang gave a sinister ghostly laugh as he began to glow. "Now you will join my students." He said while behind him, his ghostly students are cuffed in chains while looking down in hopelessness.
"He's not just their mentor, he's their captor!" Cole realized in horrified shock as they backed away from Yang.
"The new dawn's upon us." Yang said as he floated up. "Get out before the clock's last chime, if you can." He said with a smirk as the Ninja screamed and rushed down the attic, but they were still tied up as they crashed into the floor.
"WHY DID WE TIE OURSELVES TOGETHER?!" Zane questioned as they picked themselves up.
"There's no time to complain! We gotta get out of here! Move!" Cole told them as they started running as their bodies became more transparent.
The Clock started chiming as outside the Sun was peeking out, "If we don't get out by the sixth chime, we'll be trapped in here forever!" Melissa yelled as they made it to the foyer as the second chime was heard.
"There's the door! Hurry!" Kai shouted as they saw the sunlight while the third chime rang.
They rushed to the door but Cole bumped into a pole and the scroll Yang gave him flew out of his hand. "Uh oh!" He shouted as he tried to reach for it but was out of reach and the fourth chime went off "Ahh! The scroll!" He yelled, knowing they couldn't risk losing out on Airjitzu again, Cole untied his knot and quickly went for it as the fifth chime came.
Just as the clock made its last chime and reached 6:00, the other Ninja burst out of the temple, ran into the courtyard and panted in exhaustion and relief. Kai then looked at his hand, seeing it was solid.
"My hand. I can see my hand!" Kai said in relief as the others looked at themselves to see they were still solid. "We made it!"
"That was way too close." Melissa said with a sigh. "A few seconds later, we would've been goners. But at least we finally have a way to learn Airjitzu."
Jay then looked behind him and saw someone was missing. "Yeah, but where's Cole?" He asked, holding up Cole's end of the rope. Just then, the temple doors opened on their own as a familiar figure walked out.
"Don't worry, I got the scroll!" Cole said, but his voice sounded different. The others looked at him and gasped in shock and horror when they saw him. "Why are you all looking at me like that?" He asked in confusion.
"You didn't make out in time," Jay said sadly.
"Yeah, Cole." Kai said sadly. "You're a… a…" He stammered as he couldn't finish his sentence.
Cole looked down at his hands, his eyes widened when he could see right through them as he looked over himself, seeing that his skin was now pale green, his eyes were black, and his body was now translucent as he gasped in despair.
"I'm a… ghost?" Cole asked in complete sadness as he fell to his knees in sadness as the others huddled close to him in comfort.
Melissa then sighed and took the scroll, "I promise Cole, we will find a way to change you back." She promised her friend, "For now, let's return to the Tea Shop and hope that the others deciphered the next clue." She told them as the boys nodded and they started walking away with Cole lagging behind with his head down, while Yang's haunting laugh was heard from the temple.
Sometime later back at Steep Wisdom, Ronin and Nya returned as they walked up to the ship and when they walked in, they noticed Rachel, Luci, Misako, and Wu standing by the counter, while Wu gave a firm look.
"And where have you two been?" Wu questioned with a look.
"Uh, hey, Wu." Ronin said with a sheepish look. "How are you?"
"Did you just went off without my orders?" Wu questioned with a brow.
"Well, I, uh. I wouldn't say…" Ronin stammered before Nya spoke up.
"It's not Ronin's fault, Sensei." Nya said to him with a guilty look. "It's mine. I paid Ronin to get me to the Samurai X cave so I could help the Ninja."
"Now I see why our daughter gives Nya those 'punishments'." Luci whispered to her wife.
"Indeed." Rachel whispered.
"Nya, didn't Wu tell you that water is the only thing to stop ghosts?" Misako questioned. "Even if you help the Ninja, your Samurai Gear is useless against them. You could've gotten hurt or cursed."
"This probably isn't a good time to mention this, but those ghost's took control of those machines that Nya has." Ronin explained, which shocked them.
"Yes, they took my mech." Nya said sadly.
"Ooh, we're so sorry, Nya." Rachel said as they gave a sympathetic look.
"Why would they steal your mech?" Wu asked.
"Don't know. But from what we're seeing, they flew north when they took off when Nya made it rain." Ronin added, which made them turn to her.
"Wait, Nya, you made it rain, in the desert?" Misako asked in surprise.
"And in the middle of the dry season?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah. Hehe, and I call it luck, but Ronin said otherwise." Nya said with a sheepish smile.
"Like I said, not luck. She really is the Water Ninja." Ronin said with a smile.
Wu hummed as he stroked his beard. "It would seem you scratch the surface of your element, Nya." He said as Nya gave a small smile. "However, your recent action nearly put you and Ronin at risk." He added with a frown.
"Sorry Sensei." Nya said, looking down in guilt. "But at least me and Ronin are okay, right?"
"True, but because you nearly got yourself and Ronin in trouble and for disobeying my orders, I think you need a little lesson." Wu said as he quickly went behind Nya, which she didn't notice.
"W-What do you mean Sens-Eeeeep!" Nya cried out as she felt her underwear being pulled up as she was lifted off the ground while Wu held his spare staff, which had Nya on as she was left in a hanging wedgie from the tip of the staff. "Oh come on! Not again! I get enough of this from Meliss-AHHHHH!!!" She yelped as Wu tossed her up and quickly grabbed his staff, deeping the wedgie on Nya as she cringed.
"Yes, and from now on every time your stubbornness gets the best of you, I am giving Melissa my permission to give you this treatment as punishment." Wu told her with a smirk as the group chuckled.
"Oh that's just not fair!" Nya cried out as she was still dangling by Wu's staff.
"Okay, that's funny comedy right there." Ronin commented with a chuckle. "I'm starting to like this job more and more."
Just then The Ninja made their way towards them. "Hey everyone we're back and-" Melissa stopped herself when she saw Wu giving Nya a wedgie with his staff. "Okay, what did Nya do this time?"
"She took off without completing her training and nearly got ghosted by Morro when she tried to be a Samurai instead of a Ninja." Misako explained with giggles.
"Yeah, that sounds like something Nya would do." Melissa said in a dull tone.
"Hehehe, having fun up there sis?" Kai asked with a smirk.
"Not funny, Kai!" Nya groaned with a glare while still wedgied.
"Anyway, you have something to tell us?" Wu asked, getting back on topic.
"Well, the good news is, we have ways of learning Airjitzu." Melissa said with a smile as she held up the scroll Yang gave them. "And I am not going back to that Temple again…. Ever."
"We can tell." Rachel said with a chuckle as Luci nodded.
"But the bad news is, it wasn't without a great cost." Melissa said with a frown as the group separated and showed Cole as a ghost, which made them all gasped while Nya was still wedgied as she gasped as well as Cole gave a sheepish look.
"Hey, guys." Cole said with a wave. "How has your day been going?"
"I believe we have much to discuss." Wu said to them. "While we board the Bounty and follow after Morro before he gets too far." He said as they all nodded in understanding.
"Okay, but uh, can I come down, now?" Nya asked, still wedgied up by Wu's staff.
"Of course." Wu said as he placed Nya down, who cringed as she rubbed her backside as she tucked her underwear back in place. "Now, come along. We have a long journey ahead." He said as they began to walk off to the Bounty.
"Now I have someone else who will give me the treatment." Nya muttered while rubbing her backside. "Of course." She muttered.
"Well, stop being so stubborn and difficult and you won't get them, Nya." Melissa teased with giggles as Nya gave a look.
"Shut it, Empress of Darkness." Nya said, giving Melissa a look.
"Sensei?" Melissa asked.
"Mmm, be quick about it." Wu answered with a nod.
Melissa smirked as she got behind Nya and gave her another wedgie, which made her give a yell before Melissa yanked it up high and placed the edge of her underwear on her head, giving Nya an atomic wedgie.
"Seriously?!" Nya questioned as her head was pulled back a bit from her underwear.
"You asked for it, Nya." Melissa said with a smirk.
"Oh, I hate you!" Nya said with a growl.
"Aww I love you too, Nya." Melissa said with a smirk as she walked off, leaving Nya in her atomic wedgie as she groaned.
"Why me?" Nya questioned as she waddled after them while still in her atomic wedgie as the group made their way to the Bounty.
The Ninja may have gotten the scroll to learn Airjitzu and Cole may be a ghost, but now they have a lead to where Morro is heading as they must journey to the second clue of the quest of the FSM tomb.
A/N: And that was The Temple on Haunted Hill, and this was fun and The Ninja have managed to face their fears, kinda, but at least they got The Scroll of Airjitzu and it looks like Morro and his ghostly friends has taken over Nya's Mechs what will happen next? Find out in the next chapter, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, leave a review and tell us what you think.
Up Next: The Race begins as The Ninja have to make it to Blind Man's Eye before Morro does.
Here's the Cast List.
Tara Strong as Melissa; Vincent Tong as Kai; Michael Adamthwaite as Jay and Grandfather Clock; Kirby Morrow as Cole ; Brent Miller as Zane; Kelly Metzger as Nya; Paul Dobson as Wu and Ghoul Tar; Kathleen Barr as Misako and Bansha; Andrew Francis as Morro; Veronica Taylor as Rachel; Alyson Court as Luci; Brian Dobson as Ronin and Soul Archer; Michael Donovan as Yang; Cathy Weseluck as Tour Guide.