jay

"Alright, so I think if we add that image of us looking super cool in the lower corner, Garmadon will totally get the vibe." Jay crossed his arms triumphantly as he waited for Cole, Kai, and Zander's opinions.

"I...sure, I guess." Zander offered skeptically.

Jay's excited expression fell. "You don't think that will convince him?"

"Well...er, maybe?" Cole chimed in unhelpfully.

"You don't think it's going to work." He said flatly, shutting down the presentation with a sigh.

"I mean...um, maybe?" Kai muttered, wincing as he shifted upwards on the couch. "I don't think this is what we should be focusing on."

"Well, Annabella agrees with me. Style and function. C'mon, you can't deny we'd look sick in ninja gi's."

"Yeah, but I have other things to do." Kai continued hotly. "More important things, like finding Harumi and making her pay."

Jay frowned. Kai spoke an awful lot about Harumi and getting revenge on Harumi. He didn't really understand, but their situation was personal. Harumi had made it personal. Shrugging, Jay shut his laptop and felt the hum of electricity under his finger tips. He cursed inwardly as he pulled a thin set of gloves onto his hands, and then put the laptop away.

The fabric was the same electricity resist material the Sons of Garmadon had worn into battle. Annabella and the tech department worked together to give him gloves that would stop him from overloading any electrical source just by touch. He'd wear them until he had full control of his powers, he was convinced. He drew in a slightly raspy breath and frowned again as he glanced at his SOG-issued watch. Cole, Kai and Zander did the same.

War Room. Now — Notia

"We better get there then," Zander said, opening the door for everyone with a flourish. "Before Garmadon throws a hissy fit. After you."

The small group quickly made their way towards the war room, easily finding their way through the furnished catacombs after being stuck in there for so long. They stopped outside the door, the double guards posted there grunting simultaneously before letting them in. Jay took his normal seat at the table beside Nya. The girls were already there but there was one more girl than Jay remembered.

Jay didn't want to make anyone feel less superior, but Garmadon insisted stubbornly that the elementals and his chosen war council be the only ones seated at the table. Zander, Bells and Pixal were sitting in the corners for a better view from behind like other SOG agents. Jay shot Nya a quick smile which she returned softly, squeezing his hand under the table.

Everyone was still shuffling and having low conversations when Garmadon walked in, nodding to an agent as he walked by. The agent began distributing packets of paperwork and documents to the people around the table. Jay looked up and down the table discreetly and realised the table had been lengthened to accommodate even more people. He spotted Misako sitting on the SOG side and couldn't help the flash of confusion that took over his face.

Garmadon waited quietly for everyone to shut up, which happened quickly after he shuffled a few papers unnecessarily. Astra Garmadon (Jay still couldn't believe it, and it was pretty clear she didn't either, though she did look a bit more accepting as she glared a less harsh glare than normal at Lloyd from across the table) huffed to herself and nodded to the new girl across the table. Jay thought she had very blonde hair and seemed vaguely familiar.

"Roll call, Thorn." Garmadon ordered, flicking through the packet.

Thorn, a senior SOG member who taught a few of them special skills went through the roll call quickly. Garmadon nodded to himself and then opened to the first paper of the booklet. Everyone quickly followed to do the same and Jay scanned the words before him.

1. Current Status of New Era

2. Reconstruction Efforts/Concerns

3. Myths and Legends

4. Introduction of Sim

5. Elemental Training

Some of the stuff made sense - but the lines like Introduction of Sim and Myths and Legends seemed a bit out of place.

"My brother has made it painstakingly clear that he wishes to capture the Hunted Seven," Garmadon jumped right in, referring to the media's name for Jay and his friends. "The situation would not be so complicated if I had been informed months ago that we intended to harbour hunted criminals." The Lord shot a glare at Astra that was unnervingly similar to the girl's - to his daughter's, explanatorily.

Jay thought it was a bit rich, coming from the leader of a biker gang.

"However, we do have the upper hand in some sense. The public is fully under Wu's thumb and believes that elemental masters are indeed dangerous and to be feared. We fed this belief, simply because it is true. We are dangerous if our power is in the wrong hands." A grim smile twisted his lips.

"Ironically, Wu has said the same about us. He abuses our father's legacy to gain royal power and proceeds to blame a string of murders on us to achieve mayor status. All in all, a good day's work for an Emperor. The scheming, conniving little bastard. The New Era is well underway, with about ninety-seven percent of the city rebuilt. Wu holds a firm hand on the people. He rules with an iron fist of fear and trust of the people, which will be useful to us."

Jay wasn't sure how this helped. Everything that was coming from Garmadon's mouth seemed to be in Wu's favour rather than theirs, yet he still said they had some sort of upper hand. If there was one, Jay wanted to know what it was.

"Alongside this reconstruction, I have received word from our intel that Wu has begun reconstructing some older buildings. Specifically, he has begun rebuilding temples for the Seven Gods." Garmadon chuckled darkly at the majority of the table's confusion. Including Jay.

"This is where the Myths and Legends part comes in. Notia's team has organised all the information on the table of contents and you can find more when you look through the packet. I doubt any of you have heard of the Seven Gods, excluding Misako. Say hello to Misako, council."

The council awkwardly said hello, and Misako awkwardly waved in return.

"The Seven Deities are very old legends which are very much true. For example, you all know of my father, the First Spinjitzu Master. He is one of the Seven Deities - the youngest of them, actually. Some refer to them at the Old Gods, but there are no new deities. There are younger gods that are not of the Seven, but the Seven Deities are the main gods."

Jay's head was spinning with this new information. Gods? Deities? Legends?

"I'll let Misako take over."

Misako cleared her throat and pulled a bit at the green scarf wound around her neck.

"The Seven Deities were lost to the public a long time ago - a vague date would be after the death of the First Spinjitzu Master. It is important to note that he did not actually die. Deities cannot die literally, but they can be reduced to atoms that have to re-bind themselves over the course of thousands of years. Other gods may communicate with them, but while dissociated they have no physical presence. There is some science to every tangible legend."

Misako smiled demurely, looking ten times more relaxed now she was in her comfort zone. History, and stuff. Yep.

"However, this doesn't even apply to the First Spinjitzu Master. What he had on Ninjago was his mortal body — simply, a part of his conscience that was on Ninjago. He is the youngest of his brothers and sisters, the oldest being the twin gods Dragon and Oni. We don't exactly know when the Great Devourer rose, but the snake deity is mainly worshipped by the Serpentine, more than we do."

"The Serpentine are real?" Kai wheezed, and not in a laughing way. "My brain can't handle this."

"Not many can," Misako chuckled, "But it is essential. That is four of the Seven Deities now. The other three; the deity of Death, wealth and riches, Mortiae, the deity of luck, harvest, and the plenty, Naroine, and the deity of war, hunt, and strategy, Krayne."

Jay's mouth fell open as his wild imagination conjured up the image of the Seven Deities in his mind. Definitely huge, maybe shimmery? Did they wear fancy robes? Did they look human, or exactly as described? A serpent, Dragon, and Oni? Then Mortiae, Naroine, and Krayne. Maybe they were more humane.

"These gods are interpreted differently in many worlds, but we see them as the creators of this universe."

"Worlds?" Annabella asked in slight suspicion. Jay found the stylist to have an unsettling ability to ask all the questions they were thinking without asking them.

"Yes, worlds. Our universe is humongous and we have barely explored it. I have it on good accord that scientists at NSA are investigating the theory of a multiverse."

"Wait, so there could be a universe where Wu isn't evil? Where it's Garmadon? No offense, Lord." Jay gasped, his Donnegan dreams crashing together. A multiverse. That would be insanely cool - he couldn't even imagine meeting all the different Jays out there. Would they all like blue? Would they all have an insanely big crush on Nya?

"That is a possibility. If the multiverse theory is confirmed. But the point I'm trying to make is that the gods are seen differently, but they are sentient beings that have powers beyond our abilities. Yes, even beyond elemental masters. In fact, the very first elementals of your powers are actually immortal — not deities, but immortal, and live with the gods. They choose which members of your family are honoured with elemental powers."

Honoured.

"Wait, Adira is still alive?" Cole looked surprised and if anything a little relieved.

Misako nodded. "Her spirit is alive, immortal with the gods."

"What does this have to do with the temples? Why are they being reconstructed?" Astra steered the conversation back on topic. "What is Wu planning?"

"The temples for the Seven Gods were left in a state of disrepair and are derelict monuments of the gods. We believe Wu's next projects to rehabilitate the temples are an attempt to communicate the Seven Gods." Garmadon jumped in, sighing. "My brother has always had an infatuation with the Seven Gods — he spent many of his younger years researching about them when no one cared. I was more concerned with other subjects than gods. I was content to leave divine beings alone, but Wu has always had a habit of sticking his nose in places where it does not belong."

"Wu's trying to contact the gods? Your father, maybe?" Astra took a guess, and most of the war council nodded in agreement.

"Your grandfather cut all ties with us after his mortal body died. My brother has — is still obsessed, apparently with the gods. As the sons of the First Spinjitzu Master, Wu and I are only half god, if that makes sense. When my father...had us, we were a split of his abilities, so the divine conscience in his mortal body gave half of the 'god' to me, and half to Wu. And, if anything, Wu hated imbalance, he constantly mentioned how he hated being a half-thing. His words, not mine. Things had to be equal, symmetrical, perfect. He wants to be on equal footing with the Seven Deities."

"So he's trying to get in contact with grand — your father to...become a god?" Astra said in confusion as Jay picked up the pieces. "Is there any other way he can do that, besides from trying to negotiate?"

Wu wants to become a god. Not a half-thing, a full god with total power. He wants divine status that he believes should be given to him by birthright. And he can either ask for the power, or he has to get his other half 'back' which means—

"The other way," Garmadon said slowly, as if it pained him. "Is if Wu kills me."

zane

"There would be a complicated ritual of course — the process of harvesting another's power has only been done successfully once before." Garmadon chuckled. "He will keep it in mind but it will go to too much trouble for Wu when he can appeal straight to the deities. I'm not that easy to kill, contrary to popular belief."

Zane worked quickly to store all of this information in his systems, and by the slight glazing in Pixal's eyes she was doing the same. They knew a lot, it was just a matter of figuring out what pieces Wu was playing before he actually played them. Zane wondered if the temples were connected in a way that would allow Wu to contact the gods. If that even was possible. He was still a bit skeptical looking at the whole thing.

"If we can get to the temples before Wu finishes restoring them and ambush them, covertly of course, could we contact the gods before Wu does?" Destroyer, slightly muffled through bandages, managed to cock her head inquisitively.

Misako bobbed her head but also made a screwed up face which Zane took to mean sort of as she drew arrows on a projected map that was on the table. Connecting seven circled areas dotted around Ninjago.

"These are the main temples activity has been sighted at. They are good points for praying and sending sacrifices such as food, animals, and personal belongings to the Gods, but the actual way I believe Wu is going to send a message is through the Golden Weapons, and in turn, the Blade Portal."

The Golden Weapons. The Blade Portal.

The names brought no connection to Zane.

"Blade...Portal?"

"A portal created with the Golden Weapons of Creation that opens a temporary rift between our world and the divine plane. What we think Wu is going to use, since it is, sort of, easier than adding another kill to his list." Misako explained this quickly, glancing at the SOG agents. "There will be a separate meeting for the Hunted Seven and some others tonight."

Zane stored that information away, already thinking ahead for the meeting. Why was Misako so cautious around the SOG members? Did she not trust them? Additionally, there was the information classified for the Hunted Seven, and 'some others', who Zane could take a good guess at. Good enough he'd be willing to bet on it. And Zane didn't believe in gambling unless he was going to win.

Garmadon cleared his throat. "That's a lot of information to take in. As I've said before, please review the information in the packets. I will not be repeating this essential session again. Moving on to our fifth objective, concerning the Introduction to Sim training. Valley, Destroyer."

Troya, from underneath a shadowy hood, leant forwards slightly. The fabric of her last layers of bandages stuck out slightly and Zane couldn't help but wince as he automatically ran a scan over Astra's...relative. Foster sister.

It had become a habit for Zane to scan anyone who walked near him for signs of injuries. Since living underground with a criminal gang as a wanted criminal, he began to process medical training into his database whilst also interning under Joker in the Medwing. The grumpy GP was a good teacher however grudging he was. Destroyer was on the last weeks of her bandages and salve, as far as Zane knew.

Kade Gorski was dealing with that since it was elemental fire, and he was being guided by Obliterate - their semi-specialist in elemental masters who was delighted to have more information and subjects. Zane was perfectly fine under Joker, although he did sometimes wonder if the doctor would just up and leave after the teenagers tumbled into the Medwing with a thousand and one injuries to deal with.

"Sim training has been in prototype for a few weeks now with the assistance of Titanium as our elemental guinea pig. The Simulator, or Sim, is a combined effort between the tech and combat departments to provide a stimulated, controlled environment for our elemental task force to train in. The training hall doesn't...cater, let's say, to the needs for training. Titanium has been helping us out with testing and the Lord has also been assisting us with ideas for Sims." Valley finished with a proud grin and Zane nodded, impressed.

Although it wasn't an original idea, per se, Zane was sure this would help them bring their powers to a new level of control.

"First session will be right after this meeting, actually. The Hunted Seven, Aslec, Titanium and Reaper will report to the Sim." Troya flexed her fingers, the tightly wrapped bandages moving slightly. The bandages gave her a slightly skeletal look, Zane thought.

"Oh, and Hunted Seven, after that, you'll be choosing your new names. When you go out for missions, we aren't risking an operation because they found out some idiot named Kai Smith decided to tag along." Destroyer might have grinned, he guessed, underneath the wraps and the hood.

Zane contemplated this new information. The name choosing was symbolic and pragmatic, but Zane was somewhat worried over the fact that this would be more meaningful than ever. They were properly associating themselves with the Sons of Garmadon rather than just accepting their refuge. But that refuge had extended to friendships within the SOG, training, living with them and helping them.

It was like a big family, the Sons of Garmadon. And the Hunted Seven were new kids to them, dangerous, but they had to stay. They had to work with them to keep each other alive, and Zane wasn't sure how long they would last before someone snapped.

He knew it would be illogical to have his codename relating to ice, although it was tempting, if someone tapped into the SOG lines and heard 'Snowstorm' or something, it would be a dead giveaway. Maybe something relating to his personal life that no one would question. Whatever it was, Zane was excited to see what the Simulator added to their training.

He'd never really stop worrying, really, until his father and Evan were with him. So he could protect them from Wu, protect them from Wu because of what he was.

—

A/N: Well the plot is moving faster than mos that's for sure. ANYWAYS, I'm really enjoying all the god/deity stuff and I just wanted to ask if the information dump was okay? Or was it too much? I also discovered the face to face school is starting again at home and I just — the cases are climbing, but sure, let's do that *insert a very strained smile*

This chapter's song is 'A Little Death' by The Neighbourhood

This chapter's Q is: Did you see the Vengestone/Amnestone twist in mos coming?

My A: well i wrote it so —

-dommie out