Haven't updated this in a while. But I haven't posted in a while, and none of my other stories are ready to be updated yet *internally curses writers' block* so here ya go.

Enjoy~

~~~~~~~~

You'd think it would have been easy to forget about that one chance encounter with an old man who was clearly off of his rocker.

But nope. It wasn't.

For days afterwards, I found myself wondering what would have happened if I had said 'yes'. Where would he have taken me? Would I have been like a secret spy, like the kind I see in movies? Would I learn how to fight with a sword?Would I be taught martial arts? At night, I dreamed about being a hero, having everyone cheer for me and my dad smiling and telling me how proud he was of me.

But then I'd wake up and face reality. Which was cruel and harsh and cold.

At times, it was a wonder how I managed to get out of bed.

Thanks to that stupid old man, I ended up getting distracted in my classes and messing up more than usual. The teasing and ridicule grew worse, which naturally made the following days and eventually weeks even more miserable.

I didn't think things could get much worse.

I was wrong.

See, the day before the end of what was officially one of the worst months that I had ever had the displeasure of experiencing, my teachers made a few comments in class, saying how some new students were going to be coming and shadowing us in some of our classes. It happened from time to time, students from all around Ninjago visiting the school and watching the classes to see if maybe Marty Oppenheimer was the school for them.

It just meant more eyes to watch me mess up.

So naturally, when the day that the new students were supposed to come, I was in a pretty bad mood. I was stabbing at my breakfast--a simple omelette with hashbrowns and bacon as a side--with more force than what was probably necessary and generally had about me this aura that screamed 'please leave me alone, I don't want to be messed with today'.

So imagine my surprise(and frustration) when someone completely ignored my silent warning and tried to talk to me.

"Hi!"

I looked up mid-bite at the poor sap who dared talk to me. At a first glance, I didn't recognize him. He had bright blue eyes and ginger hair, with a small spray of freckles across the bridge of his nose. He also had a big, bright smile on his face that looked friendly and just the slightest bit mischievous.

Certain that he was talking to someone else, I returned my attention back to my breakfast.

"Uh, hello? Did you not hear me? I said, hi!"

I blinked and looked back at the kid before me. "Oh, are you talking to me?" I asked, surprised.

"Um, yeah?" the kid cocked his head to the side. "There's no one else here at this table." He pointed at an empty seat. "Mind if I sit down?"

I gave him an odd look, still shocked. "Uh, sure, I guess."

"Thanks!" He chirped, promptly plopping down in the seat next to me. "I'm Jay! What's your name?"

"Cole."

"Nice ta meetcha Cole!" The kid let out a little squeal. "Ooooo this is so much fun! I love meeting new people and making friends!"

Friends.

Something twisted painfully in my gut and I abruptly stood up. "We're not friends," I said firmly, grabbing my tray and walking away from the table.

"H-hey, wait!" The kid shouted. "Where are you going?"

I ignored him, instead scanning the cafeteria for another empty table.

Suddenly, the kid was in front of me. "Why did you leave?" he asked, looking hurt. "W-Was it because I said we were friends? Because I didn't mean to assume, I-you just seemed lonely and I'm new and I just wanted to make new friends but I'm also awkward and—"

"Whoa, Whoa," I interrupted, slightly overwhelmed by the amount of talking that the kid—Jay—was talking. "Calm down. Look, I get it. I wanted to make friends when I was new here too." A bitter sigh escaped me. "It didn't really work out for me...but it might work for you," I quickly added. "You seem like a nice person. Just...I wouldn't recommend having me as a friend."

"Why not?" Jay asked.

"Because I'm me." I told him simply. "You'll see once classes start. I'm the absolute last person you would want to be friends with. It'll be better for your reputation if you don't befriend me, trust me."

"What if I don't care about my reputation?" Jay asked, defiance sparking in his sapphire eyes. "What if I just want to be friends with you?"

I couldn't help it. I laughed. "Dude, you cannot be serious. Why do you want to be friends with me so badly?! You know what, never mind. I don't care. Just stay away from me from now on, yeah? If you end up sticking around, you'll thank me for it!"

"Hey, wait!" Jay called out, trying to follow me as I walked away.

I didn't let him. I weaved in and out through the crowd of other hungry students and eventually lost sight of Jay. I snorted and sighed as I found another empty table to sit at and finish my breakfast.

He actually wanted to be friends with me? That's a first. But it was like I told him: he would be better off not being friends with me.

....not that it hurt any less to tell him that.

~~~~

My mood didn't exactly get better once I made it to my first class. One of the new students was watching our class--it wasn't Jay, thankfully, but this really pale kid with icy blue eyes. I couldn't quite remember his name, though...Zach or something? Anyways, he was new and he was watching our class while we went through a new lesson.

The only thing was that he wasn't just watching the lesson. He was watching me.

It was like the dude had singled me out and made it his goal to never take his eyes off of me for more than a second or two. I tried to ignore it, but it was really unnerving and it made me mess up more than a couple times. When the class was over, he looked like he wanted to talk to me, but I took off before he had the chance to even get near me.

I could still feel those unnerving ice-blue eyes staring after me, though. Ugh, talk about creepy.

Unfortunately, Jay happened to be my next class. He tried to get my attention more than a few times, but I pretended that I hadn't seen him and focused on the lesson. It was hard, but I managed.

Then during my last dance class, in which we were learning a new dance, the teacher invited the new student—this guy with really spiky brown hair whose face seemed to be fixed in a permanent scowl—to dance with us. The new kid wasn't bad per se, but you could tell that he hadn't been dancing for nearly as long as everyone else in the class. What was worse was that since he was right next to me, whenever he messed up, I messed up. And when that happened, he had the nerve to look at me like it was my fault.

Ugh. What a jerk.

I was so relieved when it was lunchtime. I quickly grabbed the first food item that looked good to eat—a disposable bowl filled with orange chicken and fried rice(yum!)—and walked outside. I walked to the same park and sat at the same bench that I had all those weeks ago when that old man showed up. It was quiet and calm, and there weren't any people to bug me...

"Hey Cole!"

...aaaaand I jinxed myself.

I looked up from murdering my food and openly groaned when I saw Jay waving at me. "Can't this guy take a hint?" I grumbled, standing up and walking in the opposite direction.

Unfortunately, Jay ran after me. And, since I didn't want to spill any of my lunch, I couldn't run away.

So eventually, he caught up to me.

"Look," I growled before he had the chance to say anything. "I know that you have it stuck in your head that maybe you and I can be friends, but lemme try and ram it into your brain: Leave. Me. Alone."

"Yeesh, someone's grumpy," Jay replied, smiling at me like I hadn't just (mildly) insulted him. "What's the matter, are you upset about the teacher yelling at you during class today? If you are, don't worry about it! You did good! And it was really only a tiny mistake, heck, you were doing a lot better than what I ever could—hey! Where are you going?!"

"A magical place called 'Peace and Quiet'. Population: me and only me," I replied, walking towards where my dorm was. "So please. Make like Michael Jackson and just beat it."

I shouldn't have added the pun at the end, since all that did was make Jay laugh. "Hah! I have to remember that one! 'Make like Michael Jackson and just beat it'. That's funny."

I growled and whirled around to face him. "Okay, seriously! I mean it! Leave me alone! Shoo, go away! Scram! Take a hike!"

Jay frowned, finally looking somewhat offended. "I'm just trying to be nice!" He said. "Why do you have to be so mean?!"

Admittedly, I knew that I was being kinda mean, but I tried to squash down the guilt in order to get my point across. "I'm doing this to protect you, dude! If you end up coming to this school and people see you trying to be all buddy-buddy with me, they'll start to tease and bully you too. Trust me, it's better for you if you never talk to me again."

Jay gasped. "You-You're being bullied?! That's terrible! Why haven't you told someone?!"

I scoffed, insulted. "You don't think I have? What do you think I am, a masochist? No, I tried. My teachers just don't give a crap about me because I'm literally the worst student in this entire school." I shrugged. "And I've learned to accept that."

And it was true. While it didn't make it hurt any less, I've learned to get over it. Everyone in this school either hates my guts or couldn't care less about me, and that's okay. I can live with that.

"You shouldn't have to accept it!" Jay argued, some kind of emotion glinting in his eyes--compassion, maybe? "This school is horrible if they allow that kind of thing to happen!"

I shrugged again. "There's nothing you can do to stop it," I replied. "Heck, if you decide to officially enroll here, you'll probably even join in."

"What?! I'd never do that!" Jay exclaimed. "I'd never bully anyone, much less you!"

"Then be like the other half of the school population and ignore me." I turned back around and started walking away. "Those are your options, Jay. You've gotta choose one or the other."

"How about I don't choose either one?" Jay challenged, walking next to me. "How about I decide to be your friend?"

"Trust me, Jay. You don't want to be friends with me."

"Why not?"

"Did you not hear me earlier?!" I finally exploded, stopping so I could glare at Jay. "I'm the worst student in this entire school! Nobody likes me! Nobody would ever ask me to be their friend unless they want something from me or wanted to pull a prank on me! Besides that, they either call me names behind my back or just flat out ignore me! If you try and become friends with me, the same thing is going to happen to you! And I refuse to let that happen!"

I took in a deep, shuddering breath, trying to calm down. "Look, Jay," I said, making my tone softer. "You seem like a really, really nice guy. Had this been a different life, I probably wouldn't hesitate to be friends with you. But, unfortunately, this is the only life you and I have got. And while I'm okay with spending the next few years being lonely and miserable, I won't let the same thing happen to someone like you. So, I'm going to have to ask you to never speak to me again." I turned away. "Trust me, you'll thank me later for this."

It hurt to walk away. But I had told Jay the truth. Had this had been years ago, I would have no doubt that he and I would have been good friends. He seemed like a really funny and nice guy, if a little talkative.

I'd hate to see him become as jaded and cynical as me.

So, in order to ensure that that never happened, I couldn't be friends with him. I couldn't allow him to experience what I've experienced ever since I've been in this stupid school. I'd never be able to live with myself.

So, even though it pained me, I walked away from the only person in goodness knows how many years who actually wanted to be my friend. It hurt, it really, really hurt.

But I felt like it was the only way to protect Jay. I wouldn't have made a good friend, not here, not now. Maybe later once I've graduated and gone off to do my own thing, we could be friends then...

I shook my head to clear those thoughts. If Jay ended up enrolling in this school, he would forget about being my friend within a few weeks. He would be able to have a good time and make other friends. It would work out for him.

As for me, I'd just fade into the background again. I'd be ol' Slipstone again, the kid who can't dance nearly as well as everyone else here.

And that would be okay. I wasn't here to make friends. I was here to get the best education possible so I could fulfill my destiny.

Friends, no matter how much I wanted some, were just a bonus.

~~~~

I was in a bit of a mood for the rest of the day, mulling over my conversation with Jay(and no, I was not sulking. I'm Cole Brookstone, I don't sulk). Classes passed by really slowly, and by the time that they were all finally over, I was more than ready to go to bed and pretend that this day had never happened.

Of course, the universe decided that it hadn't tortured me nearly enough and made me crash into someone on my way to my dorm.

To be fair, it was pretty dark outside and I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going, so I wasn't too surprised that I accidentally bumped into someone.

"Oh, sorry about that," I apologized the second after I had recovered from the bump.

The person I had walked into chuckled. "It is quite alright, young Cole," a voice that I unfortunately recognized said.

I let out a groan. It was that old man from the park all those weeks ago. "Look, if you're going to start spewing out that crap about the Golden Weapons and how this evil Lord Something-Or-Another is coming back to steal them, then don't bother. I'm already leaving."

Something hit my head, making me yelp in pain. "I would watch what you are calling 'crap', young man," the old man said sternly, gripping this weird bamboo staff--which had definitely not been there a second ago-in his hand.

Seriously, where was he keeping that?!

I rubbed my head, glaring at him. "Well I would watch where you're swinging that thing," I snarked back, pointing at his staff. That earned me another whack on the head with it. "Ow! You know, this could be considered child abuse."

"It is not abuse if I am knocking some respect for your elders in there," the old man retorted.

I rolled my eyes. "I respect my elders," I replied. "I just don't want to have to deal with crazy ones--Ow! Quit it!"

"I am not crazy!" the old man said. "And neither is the story that I told you."

"Riiiiight, because magical weapons that control the elements actually exist. Next thing you'll tell me is that there are still dragons roaming around!"

"There are."

"...There's this wonderful thing that you've probably never heard about. It's called 'sarcasm'. For example, my last sentence was me being sarcastic."

"I know about sarcasm, young man!"

"Sure you do," I muttered, rolling my eyes and starting to walk away.

"And where are you going?" The old man called out.

"Over the river and through the woods~; far away from you," I sang, quickly turning a corner. "Bye!"

I bolted, ignoring the old man calling after me. Did I feel bad for leaving so rudely? Kinda, but that old man had just pushed on my already shot nerves. There's only so much stuff that I can endure in one day before I just wanted to lock myself in my dorm room and scream into my pillow.

Actually, that sounds like a really good idea right about now. Today was just terrible, I have the right to lock myself in my dorm and scream until my throat is sore. Maybe I could even play off the sore throat and act like I'm sick and not have to go to class tomorrow. Sure, it would get me quarantined in the infirmary all day, but still. It was a day-off!

Of course, the minute that I started to feel even remotely happy, the universe decided to completely destroy my happiness.

It was mostly my fault, honestly. I wasn't really paying attention to where I was running and took a wrong turn. Instead of being where my dorm was, I ended up in the little park area.

I groaned once I realized where I was. "Why is it that I always end up back here?" I muttered, running a hand through my hair. It was getting pretty dark out, and the small trees in the park were casting shadows that made me feel nervous. A chill ran down my spine and I shivered. I really wanted to get back to my dorm now.

I quickly walked back in the direction of my dorm...only to freeze when I heard something rustle behind me. When I looked over my shoulder, however, there was no one there. It was just me.

I shuddered and started walking again. I froze again when I saw a shadowy figure pass by out of the corner of my eye. When I turned to look, it was gone.

Really creeped out by that point, I hesitantly called out, "H-hello? Anyone there?"

No one replied. I kept looking to see if there was someone out there, but all that was there were the trees and the bushes.

"...that's it," I muttered, holding up a hand to my forehead. "I'm going right to bed after this."

I shook my head and turned around...only to scream and leap backwards when I saw that there was someone right in front of me.

I wasn't too happy about that. I was even less happy when I saw who it was. "W-what the heck, old man?!" I yelled, glaring at him. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!"

The old man just stared at me, running a hand through his long white beard. "You are different from what I thought you would be," he said quietly, as if he was talking to himself. "You are bitter, angry. You feel stuck. You do not want this life, yet you refuse to change from your current path."

"Um, hello?! I'm right here!" I shouted, extremely annoyed now. "And how would you know about how I feel about 'my current path', whatever the heck that means?!"

The old man just kept staring at me. "You were forced into this life," he continue to muse. "You do not want to be a dancer. Your heart yearns for freedom, for companionship, yet your fear holds you back."

Okay, now I was angry. "You have no right to say those things!" I spat. "I'm not afraid, and again, how would you know what my heart wants?! You don't know me!"

"I know that is has been foretold that you would help save Ninjago," the old man replied. "You are destined to wield one of the Golden Weapons--"

"Oh my--enough with the whole destiny crap!" I cut him off. "I am not destined to be a hero! You have the wrong guy! I am just a dancer--a weak dancer, a pretty bad dancer, a dancer who was born with two left feet--but that's who I am! Once I graduate from this stupid school, that's all I'll ever be! I'm not hero-material! Heck, I'm barely even dancer-material! You. Have. The. Wrong. Guy. Please. Leave. Me. Alone."

I was panting by the time I was done ranting. The old man just looked at me, this sad expression coming over his face. "....this was not how I expected things to go," he said at last. "You are not ready, physically nor mentally..."

I sighed heavily. "Thank you!" Finally, he gets it!

"....but Ninjago cannot wait for you to be ready."

...or maybe not.

My head shot up. "Wait, what?!"

The old man bowed his head. "I am sorry that it has to be this way, young Cole," he said softly, sorrowfully. "But Ninjago needs its saviours. It needs you. I am sorry that things had to go in this direction."

My eyes narrowed. "What the heck are you talking abou--AH!"

Something grabbed both of my arms and yanked them behind my back. I struggled, but whoever it was had an iron grip on my wrists and I couldn't break free. I opened my mouth to scream, but something soft was forcibly held against my mouth and nose, muffling my scream. Instinctively, I inhaled to prepare to scream louder, and instantly gagged as this sweet, cloying scent filled my nostrils. I coughed and hacked, which unfortunately just made more of the god-awful scent enter my nose.

All of a sudden, I started feeling drowsy and light-headed. I thought it was because I was hyperventilating, but after taking in another breath and getting even more drowsy, I realized that there was something in the thing that was pushed against my face--a cloth? A rag?--that was making me sleepy.

By the time I had reached that conclusion, my eyelids were already drooping and my legs felt weak. I held my breath in order to stop inhaling whatever it was in the rag, but it was way too late. I felt my legs collapse from underneath me, making me fall to one knee. The person trapping my arms leaned me back so that I was lying on the ground, staring up at the sky and the person's head. I tried to fight, but I was too tired. My limbs felt heavy and I could barely keep my eyes open.

I heard people talking, but it sounded fuzzy and distant, like I was hearing it on a radio that wasn't tuned in to the right station properly. I tried to focus on the person who had the rag pressed against my face, but it was too dark to make out their whole face. All I saw were their eyes, which were a bright sapphire blue.

Huh....I feel like I've seen those eyes before....

Ugh....head....hurts....feel...sleepy....

The absolute last thing that I remember before I blacked out was thinking, This. Is. The worst day ever. Of all time.

~~~~~~

Poor Cole. :(

Unfortunately, things are about to get worse(and more hilarious)...