"Uh... hello?" he stammered, his voice a nervous squeak. "Where am I? Who are you?"

He heard a gasp, and then arms wrapped around him tightly

" Jay!" Mia exclaimed. " I can't believe it."

The man pushed the girl off the face, ignoring her confused look. " Jay? Oh, no. It's Agent Walker to you."

" Jay? Oh, you and your bad sense of humor." Mia went to hug him again.

" I don't even know you."

" Jay Elizabeth Walker, if you are faking this, you had better tell me NOW." Mia said in her serious tone.

When Jay didn't say anything, Mia took out the whip.

" Jay." She said in a dangerously low voice. " Now is your last chance."

" Who are you to threaten me?"

Mia cracked the whip softly on her arms. " Jay. Elizabeth. Walker."

"Who are you to threaten me?" he repeated, his eyes narrowing.

Mia's expression hardened. "I am Mia, and I've known you my entire life. You're my brother. You may not remember now, but you will."

Jay's eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape. "Listen, I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I am not your brother. I am Agent Walker, and I have a mission to complete."

Mia softened her stance slightly but kept the whip at the ready. "Jay, you were always so stubborn. But this isn't a game. We need you, Jay. I need you. Please, try to remember."

Jay's mind raced, a flash of confusion crossing his face. For a moment, he felt a pang of familiarity, but it was quickly swallowed by his training and duty as Agent Walker. "I can't help you," he said, his tone resolute.

Mia sighed, lowering the whip but not taking her eyes off him. "I'll find a way to bring you back, Jay. I promise."

" Why promise something you can't fix?"

That was it. The turning point.

In less than a second, Mia whipped wind around Jay. " You are my brother." she yelled. " And you will remember."

" Mia! Calm down!" Nelson cried, trying to defuse the tension

" CALM DOWN?! CALM DOWN?! I JUST SEE MY BROTHER, WHO, BY THE WAY, LOST HIS MIND AND YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN?!"

" Now, Mia," Rose said softly. " We get that you're angry-"

" ANGRY IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT! I AM BALLISTIC! HOW MANY YEARS HAVE I BEEN WAITING? TWO! TWO WHOLE YEARS!"

The tension in the pastel landscape crackled like static electricity. Mia's fierce declaration hung heavy in the air, a stark contrast to the playful bubblegum hues around them. Nelson and Rose exchanged worried glances. They understood Mia's frustration, the raw pain of two years without her brother gnawing at her.

"Mia," Nelson pleaded, his voice laced with concern, "hurting him won't bring back his memories." He gestured towards Jay, who stood rigid, the wind swirling around him a visible manifestation of Mia's fury. His eyes were guarded, a flicker of fear battling with a strange sense of unease in their depths.

Rose, ever the voice of reason, stepped closer to Mia, her hand gently touching her arm. "We know you're angry, Mia," she said softly, "but let's try a different approach. Shouting and force won't work."

Mia's breath hitched, a sob threatening to escape. She clenched her fists, the wind around Jay dissipating as quickly as it had formed. Shame washed over her, hot and prickly. She loved Jay fiercely, but her anger had gotten the better of her.

"I... I just want him back," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "Two years, Rose. Two years of waiting, of hoping..."

Nelson moved closer, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We know, Mia," he said quietly. "We're here for you. But we need to be smart about this. Let's talk to Jay, try to understand what happened."

Mia took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She knew Nelson and Rose were right. Brute force wouldn't solve anything. Taking a tentative step towards Jay, she met his gaze.

"Jay," she began, her voice softer now, filled with a tremor of vulnerability, "I know you don't remember me. But I'm your sister, Mia. We're ninjas. We fight together. Do any of those words spark anything?"

She watched his face intently, searching for a flicker of recognition, a glimmer of their shared past.  Jay remained silent, his expression unreadable. However, a faint tremor passed through his hands, a tiny hint of disquiet battling with his trained composure.

"Maybe," Nelson chimed in, offering a hopeful smile, "we can jog his memory. Do you remember any missions, Jay? Any battles? Maybe something specific will trigger something?"

Jay hesitated, his gaze darting between Mia and Nelson.  "Missions..." he muttered, the word seeming foreign on his tongue yet strangely familiar.  He closed his eyes, a frown creasing his forehead as he concentrated.

" Yeah! The most recent one was of the merge."

" There was.... A ship. With people on it. And....."

" Those people were us, Jay." Lloyd said, stepping out of the clearing.

" But how can I be sure. You could just be-"

Mia and Nya exchanged a nod before running to him and tackling him on the ground.

" You know, we should really find another way to do this. It's actually getting old." Mia said, trying to hold down her struggling brother.

" Really? Now you're thinking about that?" Nya gave her a look.

Mia shrugged.

" Uh, guys? I don't think that's jogging his memory." Cole called.

" Then can I jump on his stomach?" Mia asked excitedly.

That was met with a chorus of protests.

" No!" Nya cried.

" Are you insane?!" Cole agreed.

Even Zane, usually stoic and composed, managed a rare smile and a quiet, "Perhaps a less... physical approach might be more effective."

Mia laughed. " I was joking. Sheesh."

" That sounds like you, Mimi."

Tears welled up in Mia's eyes, a mixture of relief and joy. It was the first time in years she'd heard that name spoken by him. Without another thought, she scooped him up in a tight hug, spinning them both around in a dizzying circle.

"Mia! Stop!" Jay yelped, laughter bubbling through his voice despite his protest. "I'm getting—"

" Nope! Not gonna happen!" Mia declared.

Finally, a wave of laughter erupted as Mia finally set Jay down, a touch unceremoniously it seemed.  "There you go, big brother," she said, feigning innocence. "Feet firmly planted on… well, pastel ground."

Nelson, ever the optimist, took Mia's (mis)interpretation literally.  He whooped in joy, thumping Jay on the back with surprising strength.  "See? I knew it was you all along!" he boomed, his voice echoing across the bubblegum sky.

Jay, however, winced slightly at the blow, rubbing his shoulder with a grimace.  "Whoa there, big guy," he managed, a hint of his old playful spirit flickering in his eyes despite the discomfort.  "Easy on the reunions."

"Says the guy who lost his memory," Mia countered playfully, nudging him with her elbow.

Jay grinned, a real, genuine grin that warmed Mia's heart.  "Riiight," he conceded.  "And says the girl who dropped me like a bad habit."

"Hey," Mia protested, a mock frown creasing her forehead.  "In my defense, they did say to 'drop Jay.'"  She gestured vaguely towards the bewildered agents, who seemed unsure whether to be amused or concerned.

"Maybe for interrogation purposes, not for a flying dismount," Jay retorted, a playful glint in his eyes.  "But for the record, I prefer my landings with a bit more… ground control."

"Oh, don't be a scaredy-cat," Mia scoffed playfully, lunging at him with a mock tackle.  Jay yelped with laughter, easily dodging her attempt. 

"Maybe for you, soaring through the sky like a human missile is fun," he declared, keeping the playful banter going.  "But for me, I like my descents a little less… dramatic."

The other ninja watched the exchange with smiles.  It was good to see the old Jay back, the one who could trade barbs with Mia and dodge her attacks with his trademark agility.  Even with his amnesia, a part of him still remembered their bond.

Just then, Agent Tessa cleared her throat, her voice cutting through the lighthearted mood. "Excuse me, ninja," she interjected politely, "but we still have a few questions about the Merge and your presence here."

Lloyd stepped forward, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "Of course, Agent Tessa. We understand your concerns. And we're more than happy to explain everything, once we've gotten Jay settled and helped him recover his memories."

" Maybe for you. But for me, I like the-"

" Oh don't be silly." Mia scoffed, lunging on Jay once more.

" Hey! I was just gonna say I like the old fashioned way."

Mia giggled. " Yeah. Jump on your intestines."

" No!" Nya yelled, restraining her.

" Oh, come on. I was joking."

Just when everyone sighed in relief, Mia got a mischievous glint in her eye.

" Or am I?"