ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: Alec Benjamin - Beautiful Pain

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And one day these bones will heal

And they'll leave me with the truth

And I'll give you everything if it's the last thing that I do

---

Zane sat underwater, while the others watched from the Bounty, waiting for him to come back up.

''Ten minutes! He just broke his own record. The guy's inhuman!'' Kai told the others.

(Y/n) looked down at the water, looking concerned. ''Are you sure he didn't drown?''

''Positive.'' Cole replied.

Zane's blond hair broke the surface, and the boys laughed with joy. (Y/n) smiled at the sight of the nind- I mean human.

''Amazing!'' Cole exclaimed, looking down at him.

''We're not worthy!'' Jay said, bowing down.

''I broke the record?'' Zane asked.

''You destroyed it,'' Kai told the Ice Ninja.

''Shattered it to pieces.'' (Y/n) added.

''Okay, okay. Is anyone thinking what I'm thinking? We've been training for so long, I don't think we can get any better. Just think about all we've accomplished.'' Jay said to the others.

They were left to think about what they accomplished, while (Y/n) did a handstand on the rail of the Destiny's Bounty. Taking one hand off the rail, her arm supporting her weight began to wobble, like a ballerina on the tips of her toes for the first time.

''Be careful, (Y/n).'' Zane spoke, watching her.

(Y/n) took a deep breath and steadied the wobbling. ''Steady is a stone.'' She told herself. Her arm began to ache, from all the weight is supported.

The girl put her other hand back on the rail, with Zane helping her down onto the deck. The Ice Ninja looked at the boys, who were finished talking about what they had accomplished.

''The question should be raised. Perhaps we have reached our full potential?'' Zane asked, and they went to search for Wu, with (Y/n) using her outhandstanding skill to follow them. (Get it?)

The boys stopped boasting about who did the most pushups when they saw Wu putting away a katana. They bowed, with (Y/n) dipping her toes towards the ground.

''Our apologies, Sensei. We've interrupted you.'' Zane spoke with remorse in his voice.

Wu stood, holding the wrapped katana and turning his back to them to place it in a box. He sighed. ''I'm sorry if I've been distant lately. My mind has been elsewhere since Lloyd has gone missing. What can I help you with?'' He asked, turning towards the window.

''Sensei, what if we've done enough training? What if we've reached our True Potential? What if we're ready?'' Cole asked the old man.

Wu turned to them. ''Hm. You might have reached peak physical condition, but you've yet to reach your inner potential. In each and every one of us, there are obstacles that hold us back. Only when you conquer that fear will your heart be free. Only then will you reach your True Potential. Only then will we have a fighting chance to stop the Serpentine from releasing The Great Devourer.'' He told them.

''There's more to the Great Devourer than you've led on, isn't there, Sensei?'' Zane asked, putting a hand on his Sensei's shoulder.

Wu sighed. ''I too have obstacles within my own heart. There's a story I've never told you.''

Zane helped (Y/n) into a sitting position to rest her arms.

''Long ago, when I was a young boy, Garmadon and I were more than brothers. We were the best of friends.'' Wu said.

Young Wu stood, back to back with Garmadon, the two with katanas in their grasp.

The two turned around to face each other, their sharp blades clashing as they fought.

''Wait a minute. Now, I know you two were brothers, but really? The King of Cruelty the Doer of Destruction, the Captain of Chaos, and you two were friends?'' Jay interrupted, raising an eyebrow.

''Please, no interruptions'' Wu said, putting up a hand to silence the mouth of lightning.

''You see, he did not always have a wicked heart. One day, I lost this very katana. Knowing our father would be mad, my brother told me to go retrieve it.''

The two boys fought with their katana, neither winning nor losing. Wu blocked a strike from Garmadon before the young soon to be evil Garmadon used his blade to knock young Wu's katana out of his grasp. The two looked at their father before Garmadon told Wu to get it.

''But I refused. He told me not to put off what can be done today and went to get it himself.''

Wu looked to the spot they saw it before it disappeared, shaking his head. Garmadon then climbed over the wall, landing on the other side. Looking around, he saw the sword, near a bush. He went to grab it but his hand was bitten by a green snake with red eyes.

Wobbling, Garmadon collapsed, and the snake slithered away.

''When my father found him, he was very ill, for he was bitten by a that would grow forever as long as it consumes.''

Their father picked up Garmadon, who laid on his side.

''A great evil had found its way into my brother's heart, for the snake's venom could turn the purest of things wicked.''

Young Wu looked into the room, seeing his brother struggle to get his father off him.

''Leave it. Leave me alone. I don't need you. I hate you.'' Garmadon told him, angry.

''The snake is the same one the Serpentine want to reawaken today.''

A shadow resembling a serpent with glowing red eyes appeared on the wall behind young Wu.

''Aah! It hurts! It's all Wu's fault.'' Garmadon shouted, his eyes turning red. Young Wu was scared and ran away from that room.

''It is the snake that took my brother away from me.'' Wu finished.

''So the Great Devourer turned your brother into the Dark Lord?'' Kai asked.

''It was all my fault. You four have finished your training. You must now focus on stopping Pythor from collecting the Fangblades. But never lose focus on the obstacles that lie within each of your hearts that holds you back from true greatness. Unlock your True Potential'' He told them.

''But how are we supposed to do that, Sensei?'' Zane asked.

''It is up to each of you to discover. Now I must go on a personal journey of my own.'' Wu replied, walking out of the room.

''Where are you going?'' Jay asked.

''To a place, you cannot follow,'' Wu answered, shaking his head.

''If you're going for Lloyd, The City of Ouroboros is filled with hundreds of Serpentine. You'll never do it alone.'' Cole told him.

''I am going to find someone who can be of aid. The Serpentine have united and grown stronger and we will need all the help we can get.'' The old man replied.

---

The ninja stood on the Bounty, watching Wu walk down the mountain. Jay waved.

(Y/n) flipped through her burnt book, searching for one drawing.

After they could see him no longer, the others left, except for Jay, who fiddled with his hands, glancing over at the girl.

She looked up, seeing him. ''Whatcha doing, Jay?'' (Y/n) asked.

''Wait a moment-'' Jay replied, disappearing below deck.

He reappeared with something in his arms, carefully he set it down in front of her. She looked at it, curious.

Slowly, he opened it, to reveal a foldable wheelchair.

(Y/n) stared at it, surprised. She didn't know what to say.

''It may need some work.'' He said sheepishly.

She smiled, crawling over to the wheelchair, climbing onto it and sitting down.

''Thank you, Jay Walker.'' She said with a smile, looking at him.

---

Nya put up a missing Fangblade poster.

''Oh, this is silly,'' Zane said.

''You have any better ideas?'' Cole asked.

''Hey, maybe Sensei is gonna go get the Samurai for help,'' Jay said, looking at the others. Zane walked away from the group.

''The Samurai? I'm sure she's—I mean, he's busy looking for the Fangblades as well.'' Kai replied, almost letting the truth slip through. (Y/n) looked at him, and raised an eyebrow.

''Uh, is everything all right?'' Cole asked. (In Jay's voice)

''Yeah, yeah. Why wouldn't it be?'' Kai replied nervously.

''One hundred per cent. We're not hiding anything.'' Nya said.

Zane sensed the presence of his falcon, letting a few posters fall onto the ground. ''Hey, weirdo. You're making a mess of my storefront. Yoo-hoo! You got a problem?'' The man asked, looking annoyed. Zane dropped the rest of the posters and walked away. ''Maybe I should teach you a lesson on manners.''

Kai ran over to the man. ''I'm sorry sir. Sometimes our friend is in another world.'' He apologised.

''He's littering all over the place.'' The man replied. Cole ran over.

''We'll pick it up. So sorry.'' Cole apologised.

(Y/n) came over in her wheelchair, looking towards Zane. The others looked at him too, wondering why he was staring off into the distance.

''Zane, what's the deal?'' Jay asked, looking at him. He ran over, to see the falcon circling in the sky. ''Ah! It's the Falcon! Oh, my gosh! Every time we follow it, it leads us to good fortune.'' The mouth of lightning said, excited.

''Head back to the Bounty and wait till you hear from us,'' Kai spoke, looking at the girls.

''But where are you going?'' Nya asked.

''We're gonna follow the bird. Who knows, it could lead us to the first Fangblade.'' He replied, following the others.

(Y/n) sighed in frustration, seeing them leave.

''Don't worry, we can have a girls night,'' Nya said, trying to cheer up her friend. ''With no boys.''

''Great idea, onwards!'' (Y/n) said, punching her fist forward.

Nya rolled her eyes with a smile.

---

The two girls ended up on the couch, sitting together eating popcorn and having a small movie marathon.

(Y/n) fell asleep, her head in Nya's lap. Nya blushed, glad Jay wasn't there to see it. Carefully, she moved her off her lap, and picked her up, staggering before regaining her balance. She walked to (Y/n)'s bedroom, which thankfully was near, and she placed the asleep girl in her bed.

Nya quickly but carefully closed the door, feeling her heartbeat fast. She shook her head and walked to her room.

The boys arrived, tired from the long journey they took to get back to the Bounty. They quickly went to bed, talking about Zane being a nindroid.

Favourite song by The Fold?

I'm exhausted, heh heh. Well, it's time I go to bed.

As always, don't forget to vote, comment and share this story if you love this story!

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See ya, bookworms!

WriterAgreste, over & out!