***(Jay's POV; song for this chapter: "Crazy" by Gnarles Barkley)***

"You need what?" I shout, causing Cole to swerve to the side of the road.

"Backup! I know you guys probably aren't close, but we're going to need help A.S.A.P.!" Nya rattles off the address.

I cringe. "Nya, that's an hour from where we are right now!"

"I'm going to try Ronin, too, but we really could use you guys! Uh!"

I hear her startle. "Nya? Nya, are you okay?"

"Fine," she sighs. "But barely. Lloyd, on your left!" she yells.

I turn to Cole. "We have to head for Stiix now! The Sons of Garmadon are after Lloyd and Nya!"

He makes a sharp turn. "I'm on my way! We need to tell Wu!"

I hold the phone back up to my ear. "Are you still there?" I ask frantically.

"We're holding on," she says. "Can you track us using the GPS I installed?"

I relay the question to Cole, who gives me a nod. "Yes," I reply. "We'll be there as soon as we can."

"Good. Over," she says, hanging up.

I feel a beat begin to throb through my body as I breathe deeply and focus on helping Nya.

"I remember when,

I remember, I remember when I lost my mind.

There was something so pleasant about that place.

Even your emotions have an echo in so much space."

I dial Wu's number.

"You have reached Steeped Wisdom. Please leave a message, as we're currently closed..."

"Gah!" I yell. "Cole, does Wu have a different number from the tea shop?"

"No, but try Misako."

I dial her number, and she picks up on the second ring. "Hello?"

"Misako!" I say, relieved. "We need your help. It's – "
"Jay? Jay, are you there?" she asks.

"YES, I AM HERE! LISTEN TO ME! NYA AND – "
"Huh, must've butt-dialed me," she says.

"NO, WAIT! MISAKO!"

The line goes dead. Cole and I give each other a look. In order to save our friends, we're going to have to call for help from the ninja of fire. And he's probably going to kill us after saving our lives.

"And when you're out there, without care,

Yeah, I was out of touch,

But it wasn't because I didn't know enough.

I just knew too much.

Does that make me crazy?

Does that make me crazy?

Does that make me crazy?

Possibly."

I take a cleansing breath and tap on Kai's contact.

After a few moments, I hear an exaggerated sigh. "What do you want, Jay?"

"Nya and Lloyd are in trouble!" I exclaim, frazzled.

"Wait – what?"

"The Sons of Garmadon are after them! Cole and I are on our way to help, but we can only go as fast as his earth drill will take us. We need you to take one of the jets and ping their location."
He swears under his breath. "I'm on my way. Give me just a moment." I hear rustling on the other end of the line.

"Jay, what do you need from me?" asks a female voice. It's Skylor.

"Do you have some power that allows you to get to Stiix and save Lloyd and Nya before the Sons of Garmadon can capture them and steal their powers?"

"Well, speed might work, but they're going to need all the help they can get. I'd be better off using the power of mind to – "

"NO! I forgot about Neuro!" I scream. "Sorry, Skylor! I have to talk to Zane!" Why do I always forget about Zane? It's like he died, then came back in a titanium form, but none of us actually realizes it!

I hang up and call Zane.

"Hello, Jay," he says calmly.

"Zane! You have to keep Neuro away from Camille! She's going to – I don't know what she's going to do, but it's bad!"

"You're talking about the master of mind, correct?" he asks.

"Yes, Zane! He's in danger, and you can't let Camille know!"

"Of course, I won't let her know. I'm a Nindroid. I always exercise care on missions."
"Yeah, yeah, you're right. As soon as you get Neuro away from her, you have to come help us save Nya! She and Lloyd are being hunted by the Sons of Garmadon!"

"I'll be there as soon as I can," Zane promises.

"Thanks." I leave it at that and end the call.

After that, it's all I can do to watch Lloyd and Nya's beacons travel across the GPS screen. I'm terrified they're suddenly going to stop. I can't lose Lloyd. He may be Nya's jealous best friend, but we're practically brothers. And Nya – she's...so much more than a fake girlfriend. I love her, and I may never get the chance to say it. What if I never get the chance? What if this turns out just like it did with my Mom: she's my world one day, and the next, she's just...gone?

"...Come on now, who do you,

Who do you, who do you,

Who do you think you are?

Ha, ha, ha, bless your soul.

You think you're in control? Well,

I think you're crazy.

I think you're crazy.

I think you're crazy,

Just like me."

"They'll be okay, Jay," Cole says softly.

"You don't know that," I whisper, not moving my eyes from Nya's blue beacon.

"Yes, I do. Sometimes, you just have to have faith. And think positively," he smiles, reminding me of my own motto.

"Yes, but what do I have faith in? How can I think positively about this? I could lose everything all over again."

Cole is silent for a moment. "Jay," he finally says, "to a large extent, we don't choose the events surrounding our lives. We only get to choose how we act and react."

I feel tears begin to cloud my vision, but I wipe them away. Cole's right. I do have some choice in what happens to me and the ones I love. And right now, I'm choosing to save Lloyd and Nya.

"Okay," I tell Cole. "We need some sort of a plan to get them out of there. We know they're not going to stay in one place, since the Sons of Garmadon will be after them. We're also not going to possess the speed of the others, since we don't have a bike. But here's how I'm thinking we can fix that..."

"My heroes had the heart

To lose their lives out on a limb,

And all I remember is thinking,

'I wanna be like them.'

Mmm-hmm, ever since I was little,

Ever since I was little, it looked like fun,

And it's no coincidence I've come,

And I can die when I'm done.

But maybe I'm crazy,

Maybe you're crazy,

Maybe we're crazy,

Probably."

***(Nya's POV)***

Lloyd and I have been through some pretty tough situations: school drama, friend drama, family drama, drama with each other. We've even been chased and captured a few times. I got stuck in a burning house once and almost didn't get out. And I remember that fighting the serpentine was a pretty large-scale operation. We went after his evil father, Lord Garmadon, a few times. He came after us a few. We ended up banishing him to the underworld, so we don't have to worry about him anymore.

But we have never, ever been in a situation as grim as this: not one where we're both likely to be caught and tortured...and killed, once our powers are gone.

Several bikers are flanking us, and a few more have taken the sides. The crazy, pistol-firing, airhorn-blowing, yodel-screaming leader is now in front of us, so we have almost no choice but to follow these freaks wherever they take us.

Lloyd thinks differently. He hangs a hard left between two cycles, nearly flipping us over. I cling tightly to him as he takes off down an abandoned alley. It's so slim, only one vehicle at a time can fit through it. From behind us, I hear the mastermind's outraged cries.

"After them!" she screams. Does she ever say one word normally?
I try Ronin's phone again, but he doesn't pick up.

"Ronin!" I hiss to the answering machine. "We could really use your help right now. There's a crazy biker gang after me and Lloyd, and they're probably involved with the Sons of Garmadon! Why aren't you picking up?" I resist the urge to throw my phone. I'm going to need it.

When Lloyd exits the alley, we're emptied into a dark neighborhood. He switches off the motorcycle lights and eases us into the grass.

"Follow my lead," he murmurs. He quickly and quietly guides the vehicle around the back of a house.

A dog barks from the backyard, making me cringe. We have to get out of civilization.

Dropping the bike, he steals my hand and drags me into the wooded area behind the house. I hear the flow of water on the wind, so I give his hand a tug.

"If we get to the dock, we can remove any scents they could track," I whisper.

We run together toward the sound, listening to the enraged echoes of the gang as they pick their way toward us.

Lloyd's voice wafts through the night. "Just in case we die, you were a great best friend."

I roll my eyes, even though he can't see it. "We're not going to die like this. And if, by chance, we do...you were a mediocre best friend."

"I love you, too."

I smile halfheartedly at the sentiment. Lloyd's comment about our demise gets me thinking: I have too much unfinished business in my life to die yet. I need to apologize to Kai for lying to him. I know it was wrong, and he just loves me and wants the best for me. I should tell Jay that we had something special, and that I've never felt for anyone else what I feel for him. I need to tell Lloyd that I will always, always be there for him, even if we die.

I can do that one right now.

"Lloyd, I'm sorry I've been a bad friend recently. You deserved more than a cold shoulder from me, and I never should have let my feelings for you get in the way of our relationship as friends. I want you to know that in ten years, I always wished to be with you, fighting side-by-side. I'm glad we might get the chance to die together."

He's silent for a moment. Then, he says, "I'm glad for that, too."

We finally reach the dock. Both of us are out of breath, but we sprint to the edge anyway and gently lower ourselves into the water. It's biting-cold, and I hear Lloyd's sharp inhale as he submerses himself in it. He's not trained to withstand these temperatures.

"Lloyd, try to hang onto the wooden posts," I breathe. "The less contact with the water, the better."

Once we're situated, we cling to the poles elevating the boardwalk as though our lives depend on it. They probably do.

Obnoxious laughter comes from the woods.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" taunts the leader of the group.

I hold my breath and know Lloyd is doing the same. There's no way the moon could illuminate us down here. I'm just concerned that she's going to send some goons down here to search for us.

"Come on, don't you want to fight?" she cackles. "Green ninja, aren't you destined to save Ninjago? Wouldn't you love to save it from me?"

I already know Lloyd isn't going to fall for that line.

"Little girl, don't hide behind your silly boyfriend. Prove who's better!"

She's nuts if she thinks that's going to get me to reveal myself. I mean, she's nuts if she doesn't think that, but that's beside the point.

"I know all about you," she coos. "About how you always lived in your team's shadow. You weren't enough because you didn't have powers. Well, now that you do, it's still not enough, is it? They still see you as the girl to protect rather than a fellow fighter."

I grit my teeth, even as I feel Lloyd stiffen beside me. Okay, that kind of makes me want to leave, but I'm not going to endanger –

That's when I realize there's something rising out of the water, reaching up to wrap itself around my best friend.

"Lloyd!" I breathe. He kicks at the creature, but it doesn't relent.

No, no, no. Not Strangleweed! I could use my powers to subdue it, but then the Sons of Garmadon would know our position!

But...Lloyd will drown!

Ignoring the cost, I create a blade of water and use it to slice through the Strangleweed's grip on Lloyd. He hoists himself back up under the boardwalk.

A loud splash signifies the plant's fall.

"Oh, what's that I hear?" cries the leader.

Footsteps clunk across the wood above us. Formulating a plan, I throw myself at Lloyd, causing him to release his grip on the wooden post and topple into the water. I create a small air bubble around us, so at least we can swim to a new location before coming up for breath.

"That was abrupt," mutters Lloyd.

"Shh," I scold him. We can't use up the air in this thing by talking!

We paddle as far away from the dock as we can. That's when a strong hand suddenly permeates the bubble, grabbing me by the shirt collar. I gasp in pain and surprise as I'm drug toward the surface. I come up struggling for breath and fighting whoever has me.

Unfortunately, I can't breathe at all. The wicked gang-leader holds me suspended by my collar. I place my hands at my neck to ease some of the burden placed on it.

"There you are!" she laughs maniacally. "I knew we'd find you!"
From the corner of my eye, I see Lloyd being restrained by a huge man – the same guy who caught my knife earlier.

Now able to get a little air, I cough all the water out of my lungs. "What...do...you...want?" I force out.

"Oh, relax, would you? I imagine it's a little hard to breathe up there. We want your powers, of course." She sets me down roughly as two thugs appear to bind my hands.

It's all I can do to lie on the ground and dream up a plan. I focus on my heartbeat as black spots dance before my vision. I won't be taken under now. Not yet.

As the spots subside, I turn my face to Lloyd. He's watching me with the same steadiness he always possesses. I smile to let him know I'm okay.

In response, he lets his eyes drift toward the sky. Following his lead, I see a jet approaching. That must be – the others! They've arrived!

Suddenly, a streak of lightning zips through the air, striking the gang leader. She shudders in response, falling to the ground in a heap.

A whirring noise draws our attention to the land, where Cole's earth drill busts through the ground and takes several Sons of Garmadon out. Above us, the jet soars through the sky, releasing a ladder. I see a female figure hanging onto it...Skylor!

While the gang is distracted fighting our team, Lloyd crawls over to me. He steals one of my hairpins and begins unlocking my vengestone cuffs.

"It's a great night for a messy bun," I grin.

He chuckles, happy to be alive and fighting beside his team again. "You're right." As soon as my chains are off, I unlock his, and we scramble to help the others.

"The hyena's waking up," I growl. "I'll take care of her."

"MY NAME IS ULTRAVIOLET!" she screeches, obviously hearing me.

I smile in triumph and blast her with water. She yelps, but before I know it, she's ducked under the flow and is running right at me with a dagger. I leap to escape her pursuit, creating a bridge for myself on the water.

"Still running?" she giggles.

"Still unable to say anything without yelling or cackling evilly?"

"I guess you'll never find out," she howls, flipping through the air towards me. I barely dodge one of her knives. However, she's now placed herself right on my water bridge – precisely where I want her.

I release my hold on the waves, and we both slip into the ocean. Now we're on my turf.

I create another air bubble as I go under. I can't see anything, and it takes all my concentration, but I descend deep into the water. I know she'll follow. And I, unlike her, will have an ample air supply to sustain me.

Down, down, down. Finally, I hit the bottom. A current sweeps toward me from the left, and I'm confident it's her. This is my chance – the chance to trap her and get answers. Holding my breath, I dissolve my bubble.

Frigid water engulfs my body, causing my skin to prickle. However, I've trained for this moment. I clear my mind of the pain, of everything inside me imploring, "Get back up to land!" I can't lose Ultraviolet. She could have valuable information to save the elemental masters!

Then I feel fingernails dig into my skin. A stinging sensation wraps itself around my arm, and I know my blood is mixing with the murky water. But – I must have miscalculated her position!

I endeavor to jerk from her grip, but she's powerful. She stretches both arms around me, still clawing at my flesh. I want to cry out in pain, but I have to direct all my strength at beating her. I can do this.

With a well-placed jab of my elbow, I escape and paddle toward the surface. Ultraviolet can't possibly have as much air as I, and my lungs are begging for breath. She won't be subduing me under the surface again.

Right as I glimpse a few moonbeams irradiating the water, a hand latches onto my ankle and wrenches me down. I grapple with it, twisting away, but it's of little use. Ultraviolet is...is...stronger than me. She's right: I'm just the little girl of the team. I'm just a wannabe hiding behind a mask. I can never, ever be as good as the boys, because no matter how hard I try, I'll never be enough.

Some fight instinct snaps me to my senses, and I renew the brawl to knock her off. My feet vibrate wildly, and I reach for that ever-distant moonlight. If I'm going down, I will not lose to this woman who thinks she knows my life story. New chapter: I defeat her.

Words echo through my head, scenes from when I first learned I could be like my brother.

"You know your father was the master of fire," Wu begins.

"Yeah. Not surprising, given that Kai has taken his place." I continue placing boxes of tea on the shelf.

"Well, that may be nothing new, but did you know that your mother was the master of water?"

I'm dumbfounded. "She...she was? But – she never told me."

"Maybe she wanted you to figure out who you really are for yourself."

"You mean...I have powers?"

That's it.

With a last surge of energy, I thrust my hands beneath me and, with the help of my powers, propel myself toward the top. I know I have UV beat. She may be able to hold her breath and fight like a boss, but I am the master of water.

I break through to the surface, inhaling fresh air. I can breathe! I beat her! I want to laugh out loud. After I get a warm blanket and clear the fuzziness in my head, that is.

Before I can figure out how to get to that point, I recognize a face as it bobs above the water.

"Why are you so persistent?" I yell. "You should be passed out from lack of oxygen!"

"Hmm, I could say the same about you. It's been so much fun getting to know each other." She snorts, but even she's too waterlogged to move right now. We both rest in the waves, just floating. How do we get out of here? How do we finish this fight?

I guess she figures that out first. Producing a dagger, she dives underwater.

I know I should swim away, but I feel sluggish right now. My arms and legs make petty movements as I try to swim to the one thing that makes sense: the dock.

Ultraviolet's head appears several yards away. I guess she's lost, too. "Heya, Waterlily. Where do you think you're going?" she slurs.

Two arms suddenly grab me and hoist me up to the boardwalk. The air around me feels warm compared to the chilly water, and the arms that envelop me – so cozy and comforting.

But also bad. I'm in a fight. Ultraviolet's after me! How did she get up here so fast?

I kick against my assailant, but a familiar voice stops me.

"Hey, easy, easy," Jay soothes. "We have to get out of here."

I turn to look at him, but barely have the strength to move. "But – Ultraviolet!" I have to try so hard to form words. I wonder why? "I can...catch her!" I try to pull out of his hold.

"Not tonight, Nya. We're not strong enough."

"No! I – I can do it!" I cry, sounding miserable even to my own ears. "I'm...good...enough." Against my will, my limbs cease contending against him. I feel tears dribbling down my cheeks. Or is that water? I can't tell.

"You are enough, Nya. But we can't fight them tonight." His voice is so tranquil, I can't help but relax.

He stops restraining me and wraps an arm around my shoulders. "Can you walk?" he asks.

I nod numbly. My legs make sloppy movements, but he supports me as we approach a rope ladder hanging from the jet.

He assesses it. "I'll help you make it up."

I mutter, "I can do it," but he encloses me with his arms.

"Yes, you can. You can hold onto me, and I'll help you get through whatever you can't do alone."

We take each step a stride at a time, and the jet slowly soars away. But I can't help looking down at the angry Sons of Garmadon.

At the center of their group, wrapped in a wool blanket, is Ultraviolet. She's watching me as I leave.

And the plane hasn't flown too far for me to miss the evil glint in her eye.

***New longest chapter...about 3700 words! It took me a good five hours to write, but I think I'm finally happy with Nya's fight scene and the outcome. Thanks for reading to the halfway point of this book!***