"This place looks barren," Kai called over the intercom.

"It's weird," Nya agreed, looking around. "It's like the village died off or something. It's a ghost town here."

Kai and Nya had just arrived in Ignacia, their hometown. Or what looked like a town. The place was empty. Most of the buildings along the main street were boarded up. Homes that weren't boarded up had shattered windows.

They slowed their bikes down, looking around at the ghost town. They recognized the buildings, the houses, everything. There were places they used to go to visit friends or old babysitters' houses. Yet, the question remained of whether they existed here at all.

"Did something happen?" Kai asked. "Did Wu mention anything to you?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Nya replied.

"Maybe this is an old address, and Wu doesn't realize it," Kai suggested, hoping he was right.

Nya pointed ahead to where the blacksmith shop sat on the hill.

"Looks like the shop is still here, though," Nya commented. "Come on. Let's check it out."

Kai groaned as Nya sped up towards the blacksmith shop. He reluctantly followed, hoping Nya was wrong and their parents weren't there.

They pulled up outside, taking their helmets off as they looked around.

"This is weird to you, too, right?" Kai asked. "It looks like home but doesn't feel like it."

"Most likely because this isn't our home?" Nya stated matter-of-factly.

Kai rolled his eyes, continuing to look around. The old oak tree was there, but no swing was attached. The old pond existed but now was murky and overgrown with weeds. Even the path down to the fields was long overgrown.

"Kai? Nya? Is that you?"

The siblings spun around to face the shop. Maya stood in the doorway with a smile. She wandered over to greet them as the siblings took it in.

"Mom?" Nya asked.

The lady looked like their mom, but they had to remember this wasn't their world. This Maya might think they are her kids.

"Glad you two made it here alright," Maya smiled. "Wu called and let us know you were coming to visit."

"So, you know?" Nya asked.

"That you two aren't my babies, of course, I do," Maya smiled, pulling both in for a hug, "doesn't mean I'm treating you any different, though."

Kai and Nya exchanged frowns. This was weird. Their mother never hugged them individually so that they could forget about hugs together.

"Come on, your father is in the shop," Maya smiled. "I'll go put the pot on for tea."

Kai tensed at the mention of his father. Maya turned back to their home, unaware of Kai's anxieties. Nya took a step to follow but noticed Kai step back.

"You ok?" she whispered.

Kai shook his head, unable to find a response. Breathing was becoming difficult as he started shaking. His mind kept telling him to run repeatedly, yet he stayed. Why?

"You know Wu wouldn't send us here if it wasn't safe," Nya assured her brother. "I know we don't know anyone here that well, but he cares about us like his students. It's going to be ok."

"You don't know that," Kai uttered.

"No, but I know we can leave whenever we'd like," Nya reassured. "All I ask is that you try to get to know them. Who knows, they could be the exact opposite of our parents."

She had a point, although the likeliness was next to impossible in Kai's mind. He had his bike here, he could leave at any point with no one telling him otherwise.

Nya held her hand out, waiting to see if he agreed to follow. Kai let out a shaky sigh before following Nya to the shop. They could hear the growing clink of metal on metal as they approached. Their dad was working on something.

"The kids are here, Ray," Maya's voice called from inside.

The clinks stopped after a second, just before the siblings stepped inside. They could see Ray at his workstation, coated in sweat. He grabbed a nearby piece of scrap fabric and wiped his forehead. When he looked up again, his eyes landed on the siblings.

"Hey, kids," Ray smiled, tossing the rag aside. "How was the trip?"

"Good?" Nya replied, now just as worried as her brother. The realization was setting in that Kai's fears were rational. They really didn't know their parents here.

This panic grew as Ray started moving towards them. Kai stepped back, seemingly ready to run for the bikes at any moment. Nya honestly couldn't blame him. She was tempted to do the same. Sure, their father was nicer to her, but he still wasn't the greatest. Who knows if this Ray would be better or worse?

"Come here," Ray smiled, reaching out and hugging both siblings.

Kai and Nya exchanged looks, not expecting the hug. Maybe they were both bracing to get a lecture on having someone else communicate their plans, or a lecture on timeliness or their appearances, or something along those lines. But this? This was weird.

"Everything alright?" Ray asked as he realized the siblings weren't reciprocating the hug.

"Nya?" Maya hummed, watching from a few feet away. "Kai? What's going on?"

"Aside from being from another world," Ray commented. "We know that part."

"They know, Ray," Maya chuckled, shaking her head. "I mean, they seem absolutely petrified of us."

"Well, not exactly like you guys," Nya mumbled.

Both adults turn to the youngest, waiting for her to continue.

Nya took a deep breath, knowing she had to explain this. "In our world, our dad is a bit temperamental and controlling-"

"That's an understatement," Kai grumbled.

"Point is," Nya continued, "We didn't know if you were going to be like our parents or worse than them."
"Well, we don't know what they are like," Maya sighed, "But I would certainly hope we are better than them."

"Why don't we head inside, and we can sit and talk," Ray suggested. "We can tell you two about us and our kids, and if you decide you want to, you can tell us about you after."

Nya glanced over to her brother, trying to read his thought process. She didn't want to pressure him, but he seemed curious. Maybe they were on the same page for once.

Both siblings quietly follow Ray and Maya inside. They found a little living area just inside the door, including a small kitchen, table and chairs, and a sofa.

"You two make yourselves comfortable," Maya smiled. "Do you like tea?"

"I'm not the biggest fan, but Kai likes it," Nya smiled.

Maya nodded, turning to put a pot on. Ray sat at the table, watching from a distance as Nya sat next to her brother, running her hand up and down his back.

This didn't seem like the Kai he knew in the slightest. His Kai was always thrilled to see him and Maya, at least, he was after they came back from being kidnapped. Kai loved visiting them any chance he could. Sometimes he'd drag Nya along, and while it was clear she didn't want to be there at the moment, she still enjoyed it.

This Kai in front of him seemed to want nothing to do with either parent, especially Ray. The long hair hid his face from everyone. His eyes which Ray was used to being filled with passion and energy were dull and tired. While his body seemed fit, he was significantly thinner and less muscular than the Kai he knew. Even if he wasn't a ninja, he should hve built up some muscle mass from blacksmithing, right?

Someone had broken his spirit many years ago.

Ray feared it was him.

"Here you go, honey," Maya hummed, passing Kai a tea cup.

Kai gave a small, half-smile to her. He took a small, shaky sip before setting the cup on the coffee table in front of him. Maya pulled a chair over from the dining table, sitting across from Kaia and Nya.

"So, do you want to share what's going on?" Maya asked.

"Not really," Kai mumbled.

"Maybe it's better if you two talk about your kids," Nya suggested. "Let him get comfortable."

"I'm alright with that," Ray commented.

"Well, you must know our Kai and Nya are heroes here," Maya smiled. "They are so brave, and strong, and helpful. And they've mastered their powers all on their own."

"I think they had Wu's help with that, dear," Ray chuckled.

"Let me believe, Ray," Maya laughed. Ray chuckled, moving to sit next to his wife as she continued. "I know Nya is engaged to Jay. The two of them are an adorable couple and just perfect for each other."

"Wait, me and Jay?" Nya asked.

"No way you and Jay would ever be a thing," Kai chuckled under his breath, receiving a nudge from Nya.

"Yeah, the two of you have been together for several years now," Maya nodded.

"Are you seeing someone else?" Ray asked before taking a sip of tea.

Nya nodded, "Yeah, Lloyd."

Maya's jaw dropped as Ray sprayed tea everywhere. He started coughing from the shock, finally taking a breath as Maya patted him on the back.

"I mean, I've been dating him for about 3 years," Nya frowned. "Is it that much of a surprise?"

"Only a little," Ray coughed. "I mean, you two are more like siblings here."

"Siblings?" Kai pipped up, interested in that comment.

"Well, yeah," Ray shrugged. "I mean, for years, you two and Lloyd were the ones on the ninja team that didn't have parents active in the lives."
"What do you mean by that?" Nya questioned.

"To put it simply, Ray and I were kidnapped by a villian when you and Kai were still young," Maya sighed. "We did it to protect you, but we also didn't have much of a choice otherwise."

"As far as we are aware, you two were raised by people here in the village," Ray continued. "Our Kai took over the blacksmith shop when he was old enough, and managed it until Wu came by and convinced him to be a ninja. After that, the village slowly fell apart. When we finally came back, we found everyone we once knew had already left, with only a few farmers still living around here."

"That's why this place looks abandoned," Kai mumbled.

"More or less was," Ray sighed. "Without a blacksmith to mend tools and equipment, most people started moving elsewhere. Somewhere there was a blacksmith who could aid them. Eventually, more people started moving, the general store and Deli couldn't keep themselves open and had to shut down. Without those, no one had a reason to stay, and the remaining few left."

"So, it's just you two here?" Nya asked.

"The farmers around still come to visit to have work done on their tools, so technically not just us," Ray replied. "But, the town of Ignacia is abandoned. Who knows if it'll recover."

"It's just odd," Kai hummed, picking up his tea cup.

"What?" Maya replied.

"I mean, Igancia back home is thriving," Kai explained before taking a sip of tea. "They just opened a high school attached to the elementary school because it'll cost less than transporting students out of town. The library moved to have a bigger building. They have even been talking about building a new hospital in town."

"How big is Ignacia there? We've always been a little town here," Maya frowned.

"Probably bigger than Jamanikai Village here," Nya shrugged.

"Well, you two must help out in the shop a lot," Ray smiled. "There must be lots of business," Ray trailed off, noticing the siblings getting uncomfortable at the mention of the shop. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," Nya nodded, taking a deep breath. "It's just-"

Nya bit her lip, looking over at Kai. She met his gaze, seeing the pleading look for her to continue.

"Dad, well, he isn't the most supportive person," Nya mumbled. "He's nothing like you. Either of you."

Maya glanced back, seeing Ray's expression. The mix of horror and disappointment on the father's face said more than enough. He opened his mouth to speak, but quickly closed it. He had to choose his next words carefully as to not upset the siblings. He wanted more than anything to ask about their father, to ask them what he's like, what he does, but he knew that'd only upset them more.

"So, you two don't help?" Ray asked. "In the shop, I mean."

"Not really," Nya shook her head. "Dad rarely lets me in, and forget about Kai. He always says that we'll mess everything up and waste his materials and just; he thinks we are useless there."
"You two aren't useless," Maya frowned.

"No, I won't have it," Ray stood, frowning. "You two are still learning. My Kai is still learning, and still makes mistakes. That doesn't mean that he is a failure, it just means he's more modivated to try again. And you should too."

"I don't know," Nya hummed, uncomfortable with the idea.

"You think so?"

Nya turned, seeing her brother looking up at Ray.

"For sure," Ray grinned. "You can do it, I know you can. We could even go and make something, and you could take it back with you to prove to him that you can."

Maya turned around to face Ray, "Ray, I think you should settle down and think about-"

"Can we?"

Everyone turned, seeing Kai looking up at Ray with hope.

"Can we try to make something?"

Ray smiled, motioning towards the shop. Kai quickly stood following Ray towards the shop. Maya quickly jumped up, racing after them, calling "he needs to put his hair up, Ray!" Nya just sat and watching, still confused at the idea of her brother wanting to be in the shop.

Kai watched Ray adjust the settings on his forge as Maya pulled his hair back into a low pony tail and away from his face.

"So, what have you tried to make before?" Ray asked.

"Well, dad had me try to make a sword for someone, but I ruined it," Kai sighed. "And when I tried to sharpen a scythe, but I broke it and dad have to make a new blade for it."

"Why on earth would he have you start with that?" Ray asked. "He should have you start with small things and work up. Like knives and handles and stuff."

"Really?" Kai echoed as Maya pulled a heavy, leather apron over Kai's head.

"Starting too big more often than not leads to failure," Maya hummed, tying off the apron before patting him in on the shoulder. "Now, you two have fun. I'm going to see what mother daughter things Nya likes to do."

Kai walked over to join Ray, seeing him pull out a book. He leaned over the table, seeing it was filled with photos of different things Ray had made.

"So, when I started this shop, Maya convinced me to keep a record of every tool, handle and weapon that I ever forged," Ray smiled. "I'd had a bit of experience before starting here, but it didn't take long to find my way. Kai told me he found this book when he was starting to take over the shop, and recreated everything in here the best he could." Ray pointed to a few pictures. "Sometimes, he was pretty accurate with his replication," Ray pointed to a small dagger Kai replicated. Both images could have easily been the same blade. "Yet, sometimes, they were a mess." Ray pointed over to a small pile of curly metal. "He told me those were supposed to be swords. He eventually figured it out, but it took him a while."

"So, he made mistakes?" Kai asked.

"He certainly did," Ray sighed. "Primarily because he didn't have anyone mentoring him. He was figuring it out on his own. But since I've been back, he's honed his skills and become one of the best in all of Ninjago. He even maintains all the weapons for the team, with Nya's help of course."
Kai smiled, glad his other version was successful after everything.

"So, why don't we make something that you can add to the book?" Ray asked.

Kai nodded, looking through the first couple pages. He paused on a simple knife, looking at both pictures. Both pictures were nearly identical, meaning Kai figured it out on his own.

"A knife is a bit advanced, but a good starting point," Ray smiled. "Want to do that?"

"If you think I can," Kai mumbled.

"I know you can, buddy," Ray smiled. "Let's do it."

While Kai and Ray started on Kai's knife, Maya pulled out a small chest filled with newpaper articles about their kids to show Nya. Both happily flipped through the collection. Maya told Nya about each photo, the events around it and what what happening in that moment. Nya saw pictures of the ninja team when they were first starting off, dealing with child Lloyd and the serpentine. Nya didn't realize the serpentine were real, having only believed they were a fairytale until now.

But looking at the photos, her and her brother couldn't have been older than 16 in those photos. They were still kids, and had the weight of the world on their shoulders. The thought of protecting the world when she was still in high school was dizzying. At that age, she was more worried about which boys liked her back, and what University her friends were going to. She didn't even pay attention to the news, yet here, she was defending the world from evil.

A few hours passed, and Nya was still in awe at everything that had happened in this world. The amount of things her and Kai, and this team of theirs, had faced and overcome through the years. She couldn't believe that the Sensei Garmadon who trained her and helped her unlock her powers was evil for years here, and still was.

Yet here they were.

"Nya, check this out!"

Nya looked up from a picture of the Monestary after it's most recent rebuild, seeing Kai holding a small knife in his hands. The handle wasn't the neatest, but it stayed together. But Kai's smile was all Nya needed to grin.

Her brother was smiling with pride, something she hadn't seen in years, if ever.

"He's a strong blacksmith with a lot of potential," Ray smiled. "Hopefully that will help him get a good start back home."

"I'm so proud," Maya smiled, walking over to hug Kai.

A hug which he gladly returned. Something Nya knew she had never seen. Nor had she heard either parent say they were proud of their children, yet here they were.

Proud of Kai's accomplishment.

"Well, it's getting late," Ray sighed. "You two best be getting back to the monastery."
"Already?" Nya groaned.

"Unfortunately," Maya nodded. "Our world isn't as safe as yours. It's best you two get back before dark."

Both siblings nodded, reluctant to leave.

But both knew this wouldn't last forever. They would have to return to their world eventually.

Maybe it would be different. After all, this is the most they had talked in years. Maybe when they got back to their world, they would be closer than before, and they would be able to build their relationship as siblings more.

They hugged Ray and Maya goodbye, climbing back on their bikes before heading off to the Monestary as the sun started setting.