PROLOGUE — A FRESH NEW START

"I knew this day would come." —
sensei wu

IRIS WU WAS FED UP.

She was fed up of the constant training, the never stopping back-breaking exercises that were meant to turn her into a better warrior than she already was. She was fed up of her father's cryptic metaphors, the countless riddles he encouraged her to solve without as much as a small hint to help. And she was fed up of the burden, the weight upon her shoulders that came with being the daughter of Wu and granddaughter of the legendary First Spinjitzu Master. It was a lot for a young person to endure.

And so were her Father's training sessions.

Yet again, she felt the toughness of the wooden bars slam into her torso, causing her feet to displace from their position on the wheel. She tripped and tumbled, her moment of disorientation allowed the bars to get in another slam to her already bruised stomach. Iris let out a painful groan before readjusting her stance to prepare for the following assault. Just because she was hurt and losing — against a piece of equipment which was kind of embarrassing — it did not mean she had to give up. After all, ninja never quit.

When the next beam came her way, she raised her forearm, blocking the attack from the landing it's aimed blow at her face. Then came the following hit, another that Iris managed to deflect from impacting with her guarded arms. She struck back against the incoming assault and then continued to fight as the training equipment never even hesitated. 

Sweat beaded down Iris' brow as her heart raced inside her chest. Her cheeks were reddened with effort and her breathing came out in pants. But this machine wasn't going to stop, so neither was she. 

Iris narrowed her eyes at the beams as they oscillated between positions. She knew she had to get into the rhythm of the fight otherwise she was going to lose. Fighting was, in a sense, dancing. You had to flow in time with your opponent in order to maintain a balance, the timings and rhythm can help determine the next move and only with precision and anticipation can you win. So, that was what Iris Wu did.

With a deep breath, Iris readied and steadied her mind. Then, she attacked.

She had the precision of a lunging serpent as she leapt forwards and threw her arm against the wood bar. Then she spun and hit the next one. And the next. In rapid succession, the Wu girl deflected every attack thrown her way. She ducked, jumped and leaned out of the way of some but caught the rest. From a young age — even before her Mother's passing — Iris Wu had been taught the art of fighting. But those lessons only escalated after her Mother was tragically taken from them.

Some deaths were inevitable, unavoidable. Leslie Cho's was one such death. And after losing his wife, Wu dreaded the mere thought of losing his daughter too. So despite not being able to prevent any such illness, like the one that took her Mother, from consuming Iris' body, he could ensure everything else was under her control. He became desperate to make sure his daughter could protect herself. So much that he didn't realise that at times, he had gone too far.

Iris understood. How could she not? But that didn't make his relentless training any more bearable. 

So, considering the fact that she still harboured a lot of love for her Father, Iris just continued through his drills as if nothing was wrong. And Wu had no idea of the storm he was letting brew beneath his daughter's skin.

She kept on battling with the machine and was winning, up until an unexpected blow came from behind. Iris was sent flying by the springs of the mechanism, her back landing harshly on the cobbled courtyard below. A pained groan escaped her as she felt the pain radiate around her body. There was no doubt that she was going to be having some dark bruises later.

But as she lied there on the cool stone ground, Iris shook herself back awake and slowly got back up onto her feet. Because ninja never quit so she never could. 

From his place on the porch, Wu continued to sip his steaming cup of tea. He had barely looked up from the warm liquid, nor from under his wide hat. But he always seemed to know what was happening. "Again." He ordered calmly before taking another long sip of his beverage.

Doubled over and panting for breath, Iris Wu collected herself as she prepared for her rematch against the training equipment. She wiped her sweaty palms against the fabric of her trousers before reaching over and tightening the straps on the guards around her forearms. Then she narrowed her eyes at the still moving beams and focused on the way they swayed and attacked. It didn't take her too long to notice the pattern. Then Iris was ready.

With a deep breath, Iris took a final moment to calm her insides. There were many storms raging inside the mind of Iris Wu but most of them were quiet at the moment. It was just her scared and anxious sea that she needed to tame in that moment. And, as she narrowed her focus on her wooden enemy, Iris found that storm becoming more like a gentle breeze.

Now she was ready.

Iris Wu leapt into action. 

She first managed to successfully land on the rotating wheel without being immediately thrown back off — a big win. Then she closed her eyes and felt herself become one with the mechanism. The pattern played in her mind and Iris Wu felt herself flow with it. As a beam was sent hurtling at her face, she felt her arm shoot up to block it.

Another beam was sent by her legs and she immediately jumped over it. The next one came in fast, but Iris was faster, and she brought down her arms to protect her stomach as it launched itself at her. Plank after plank attacked the young Wu but she deflected and dodged them all. As the pattern played inside her mind, she felt herself flow with the machine, her eyes still closed in concentration.

Behind her, she could hear her Father hum in approval as she watched his daughter combat the training equipment with ease.

Her body was throbbing with pain but she couldn't stop. Any halting in movement would give the machine time to make worse damage than if she deflected it. So she had to keep going.

Iris regulated her breathing and felt her body rise and fall with each laboured breath. Her face was full of a deep red pigment as she battled the sanded beams. Heat radiated off her skin and sweat glued strands of hair to her forehead. The purple bruises that already littered her skin ached even more with each impact against them. Yet, despite all of this, Iris Wu kept going.

She was fed up of it all though. All she wanted was to leave the training equipment (and perhaps even this monastery) behind her. Maybe even for good. Iris was fed up of living like this.

With her anger fuelling her, Iris continued to fight. Anger typically wasn't the best emotion to channel, but in that moment, Iris Wu did not care at all. She felt the strong tide and opened the floodgates. Then the wave came in.

It crashed over her mind and instantly took over her entire body. It was as if all her exhaustion had vanished — switched out with that driving anger. Her attacks became more furious, sharp and offensive, as she charged at the training equipment with all her might. A small scream forced itself from her lips as she battled her foe. Anger was a good motivator but it usually didn't last long. Iris quickly learnt that.

Soon she could feel the tiredness climb back up her limbs — even stronger than before — and her breathing became more irregular. Her eyes drooped and her hands shook but the young master of space did not give up. She continued her relentless assault against the training equipment but as she grew even more exhausted, every hit felt harder and harder against her skin. But she bit through the pain.

Although, Iris herself knew this wouldn't last long.

And that was proven when a high beam swung down, hitting her right on the side of her jaw. The impact sent her tumbling.

Once again, Iris Wu ended up on the cobbled ground of the Monastery with even more bruises than the time before. Her entire ached but years of this had made her more resistant to these pains. Screwing her eyes closed, Iris didn't dare look up at the blinding sun nor her Father out of fear of the disappointed look he would give her. So, after a moment of resting, Iris Wu clawed her way back onto her feet and slowly allowed her eyes to open and adjust to the morning light.

"Again."

And, as the ever obedient daughter she was, Iris returned to her training. 

But it wasn't long until she was back on the ground once more.

"Again." 

The next round lasted a minute.

"Again." 

Barely ten seconds.

"Again."

It seemed she was doing better — having reached two minutes — but then she was knocked down for yet another time.

"Again."

Iris Wu was fed up. She couldn't take it anymore. Her body was almost completely covered with bruises and every inch of it ached. The limbs that hadn't gone completely numb yet were shaking from exertion and if anyone were to look at Iris at that moment they wouldn't have known what to think. Just that she had obviously gone through something incredibly bad.

When he did not hear Iris return to the equipment, Wu looked up from under his wide hat and put down his tea. His daughter stood before him, glaring at him harshly. She clutched her right arm with her left in a comforting way as that arm had more bruises than the other. The old Sensei said nothing and instead just raised his eyebrow curiously at the girl.

And his silence just angered her more.

"No."

Iris spoke out and although she tried to sound strong, there was a hint of a tremor in her voice. When she was young, she was a reasonably good child. She was, as many children were, rebellious to some rules parents set out but she did often listen to her Mother and Father when they called. But after her Mother past, everything just got complicated and Iris found herself less willing to go against her Father.

"No." She repeated, more confident this time. "I'm not doing this again." Iris staggered on uneven feet as she drew closer to her Father. "I don't want to do this ever again. I'm done." 

It was something she had been thinking about for a while: leaving. But she just hadn't gotten around to gathering the courage to do so. Now, it appeared, she had. And Iris wasn't going to let this opportunity pass by her. 

She wanted a break. She wanted to leave this Monastery behind her and explore Ninjago. And she wanted to find out who she really was. 

Tears started to well in her dark eyes as she came to a halt in front of her old man. He was staring at his daughter blankly, as if he couldn't quite make up his mind on what expression to wear. Then the young ninja continued. "I want to leave." She announced and bit her lip apprehensively as she awaited her Father's response. "I want to go and see Ninjago. I'm stuck here all the time, I'm barely let out. I can't take it any longer."

Now free from their restraints, tears freely fell down her cheeks as she spilled out her heart. It felt so scary yet so good to admit everything she had been thinking about and feeling. So much had been bottled up over the years and although she was now telling her Father something she had previously been keeping back, there were still many bottles to open. With time. 

Wu sat there for a moment in silence, pondering his daughter's words. He could see her before him, tear-stained cheeks, coated in bruises and fearful look on her face. This was not what he wanted. How could he let it come to this? So, the old Sensei sighed before he looked up at Iris with a sad smile. "I knew this day would come."

"What?"

Iris was baffled. She stared at her Father in shock as he revealed those words to her. Because how could he have known? She had barely known herself. But this was Sensei Wu she was talking about, there was much he knew and little he told. 

"I always knew one day you would want to leave." He said before returning to sipping his tea. "I just didn't expect it to be so soon." And it would take him a little while to realise that was indeed his own fault.

The girl blinked in confusion. "You're going to let me go." 

"Yes, I am."

Her Father wasn't one to 'joke' so Iris knew he was telling the truth; it was just she couldn't believe it. Finally she could escape her prison and became free to travel her Grandfather's creation and see it for all its wonder and glory. It was a dream come true.

A smile cracked onto the master of space's face at the news and excitement replaced the anger in her heart. "Now, I assume you would like to go and pack your things."

Nodding Iris retreated from the battlefield to rush straight for her room. She left her Father and the training equipment behind and looked to her future as she entered her room and grabbed a bag. It didn't take her long to pack what she was going to need, change into a new set of clothes and dress the new wounds she got from the morning drills. Then she returned to the monastery courtyard where her Father was waiting, still drinking from his cup of tea. 

Iris did not know what to say. She was saying goodbye to her Father and no matter how much that hurt, she felt sort of relieved. It was a conflicting time inside the mind of the young Wu as she glanced between the towering crimson gates and the man who raised her. But that was just it; she wasn't a child anymore and she had to do things on her own. And become the person she was meant to be.

She could finally realise who she was without the burden that came as Sensei Wu and Leslie Cho's daughter and as the granddaughter of the very man who created the ground they walked upon. 

She could finally be herself.

But to leave all of that behind was going to be hard, Iris noted. And she was going to have to make sacrifices. To see who she was, to see what she could do, Iris soon realised she would have to not just leave her home behind, but her powers as well. Because although her powers were a part of her, they were another reason as to why her destiny seemed to already be written. And Iris wanted to find out what she could do without them.

A deep sigh passed her lips as she relaxed and stared down at the large wooden doors in front of her. "Are you ready?" Asked Wu as he put down his tea and came over to stand next to her.

"As ready as I'm going to be." Nodded Iris as she took a deep breath and focused on her task ahead.

A sad look crept onto Wu's face but he didn't let it show as he gestured forwards towards the door. "Then, good luck, Iris." 

No hug was shared between the two Wu's in that moment. Both were feeling too many emotions to comprehend what they were truly feeling. So neither of them expressed a thing as Iris took a step forwards towards the doors to the monastery. 

With every step she took, they seemed to be bigger and bigger, but she knew that was impossible. So, with the promise of being power-free still remaining clear in her mind, Iris reached for the gates with both hands. And as soon as she pressed her palms against the ruby wood, they burst open and suddenly the entirety of Ninjago was hers.

Wind sailed in her hair and brushed past her red cheeks as she closed her eyes and stood just inside the monastery. The feeling of freedom was emerging inside her and as it consumed her, a smile appeared upon her lips. 

Then, with one step forwards, Iris stepped out of the monastery bounds.

And her fresh new start had just begun.

Here is the prologue!

Okay, I'll admit, I don't really like this but it's important to see what was going on before Iris decided to leave the monastery.

Basically, Wu really loved Iris's mother and after she died of illness, Wu couldn't bear the thought of losing Iris so he tried to make sure that she was prepared to fight off death wherever it came. He may not be able to prevent her from becoming ill like her Mother but he could make sure every preventable way was done. And in his grief and fear, he went a bit overboard. Iris tried to stay as long as she could as she knew it came from a place of love, but it became too much for her. Over their time apart, they both have time to reflect on what happened and realise the truth.

They are quite complicated. But they get better, so it's okay. She doesn't forget it though and doesn't forgive him at first.

Thank you for reading!

Sincerely Rosie aka Winter326