A lone bird soars across the sky before landing gracefully on the mast of the Destiny's Bounty. A faint whistling echoes through the ship, casual and carefree. Inside the gaming area, Kai is just about to start a game of Fist to Face 2, his fingers hovering over the controls. Suddenly, the whistling grows louder. The culprit? None other than Lloyd Garmadon, strolling up behind Kai with a mischievous grin.
Lloyd: "Hey, Kai! Ha! Saw Cole beat your high score. You should've seen it—it was pretty spectacular."
Kai (confidently, without looking up): "Uh, you must be talking about Sitar Legend. This is Fist to Face 2. No one beats me on my game."
Lloyd (shrugging, feigning innocence): "Huh. Could be wrong. See ya!" (He whistles nonchalantly as he walks away.)
Kai raises an eyebrow, suddenly suspicious. He quickly checks the high scores on his game. His eyes widen, his expression shifting from confusion to pure rage as he sees the leaderboard:
Black Ninja – 9370, 7277, 5759, 4209, 3224
Kai (angrily clenching his fists): "Huh?! COLE!"
In the ship's kitchen, Cole is carefully preparing his latest culinary masterpiece.
Cole (proudly stirring a pot): "Mmm-mm! Violet Berry Soup, my finest culinary achievement! If the recipe isn't followed exactly…" (He scoops up a spoonful, ready to taste it—)
—The moment the soup touches his tongue, his face twists in horror. His eyes water as he lets out a muffled scream of disgust before spitting it out dramatically.
Lloyd (voice drifting from outside): "By the way, I saw Jay spice things up. I told him not to, but he said your cooking could use it. Bye, Cole!"
Cole (still gagging, eyes burning from the intense spice): "JAY!"
On the upper deck, Jay stands confidently in full kendo gear, gripping his nunchucks as he prepares to spar with a training bot.
Jay (grinning): "Alright, let's ease into this. Level 2, shall we?"
He presses a button, activating the sparring bot. But before it can engage, the level suddenly jumps to 9—the bot's eyes glow red as it lets out a robotic laugh.
Lloyd (whistling as he strolls by): "Hey, Jay. I saw Zane trying to repair the sparring bot earlier. Isn't that your expertise? Later, bro." (Whistles again and vanishes from sight.)
Jay (panicking, rapidly pressing buttons): "Wait—WHAT?! No, NO—"
Before he can react, the bot strikes. SMACK! The first hit lands, followed by a relentless barrage.
Jay (yelling, struggling to block): "ZANE!!!"
On the upper deck, Zane, dressed in his pajamas, peacefully hangs freshly washed laundry under the morning sun. Lloyd appears, whistling.
Zane (smiling kindly): "Good morning, Lloyd. What brings you up here on this fine day?"
Lloyd: "Kai wanted me to grab his ninja suit. Said he threw it in with your whites." (He rummages through the laundry and pulls out a folded ninja gi.) "Here it is. Thanks!" (He hurries off.)
Zane watches him leave, confused. Then, he unfolds his own ninja suit—his eyes widen in horror as he stares at the bright pink fabric.
Zane (deadpan, twitching slightly): "It's… pink."
Down below, chaos erupts. The ninja are in each other's faces, arguing with their supposed "offenders."
Kai (angrily to Cole): "You couldn't just be happy with the top score—you had to rub it in my face?!"
Cole (furious at Jay): "Do you know how long it took me to make that soup?! Three days, Jay. THREE DAYS."
Jay (defensive, to Zane): "It's an unspoken law, okay? You don't touch a man's robot!"
Zane (holding up his ruined pink ninja suit): "How am I supposed to strike fear in this?!"
Master Wu and Jinx enter the scene just as the argument reaches its peak. The bathroom door swings open—Lloyd stands inside, laughing evilly. The ninja stop bickering, realizing they've been played.
They quickly notice the spices used to ruin Cole's soup, the tools used to sabotage Jay's robot, and the detergent responsible for Zane's now-pink uniform—all neatly placed in the bathroom near Lloyd. The realization dawns on them.
Kai, Cole, Jay, & Zane (gasping): "YOU did this?!"
Cole (cracking his knuckles): "Alright, boys, I get first dibs—"
Suddenly, shadow chains emerge from Jinx's form, wrapping around Cole's limbs mid-step, stopping him in his tracks.
Wu (calmly): "No dibs. I put him up to this."
Ninja: "WHAT?!"
Wu (wise tone): "This was today's lesson. I wanted to show you the destructive power of rumors and that jumping to conclusions leads only to trouble. Did any of you think to find out if the accusations were true?"
Cole (grumbling): "Uh, no offense, Sensei, but let me jump to this conclusion—today's lesson is lame."
Jay (crossing his arms): "Yeah, why can't you teach us how to, I don't know, paralyze an enemy with one finger or detect a lie from a twitching nose?"
Wu (smirking): "Because not all lessons are about fighting." (Pauses, then looks around.) "And…I misplaced my lesson book."
Kai glances at Lloyd, noticing a book sticking out of his pocket. He yanks it out.
Kai (holding it up): "You mean this lesson book? Also… why was Jinx excluded from this lesson?"
All eyes shift to Lloyd. He suddenly looks nervous, sweating as he glances at Jinx.
Lloyd (stammering): "W-Well… Jinx doesn't do much besides train, sleep, and… moonbathe."
Ninja exchange glances, nodding as if this makes perfect sense.
Lloyd (gulping, continuing): "And… uh, last time I interrupted him, he hung me off the ship's edge, and Uncle Wu had to… um… persuade him not to drop me. By, uh… offering him a gallon of Oreo ice cream."
Ninja pause, nodding in complete agreement. They all knew—never interrupt Jinx. That was a silent vow among them.
With that realization, the ninja collectively groan, while Wu simply chuckles to himself.
Wu: "Now, that was today's real lesson."
-----
Lloyd slouches against the wall, arms crossed, pouting.
Lloyd: "It was the perfect plan until you had to show up and mess everything up—"
Cole slams the door shut in his face.
Nya's voice crackles over the Destiny's Bounty intercom.
Nya (over speaker): "If you're done fooling around, I could use you guys on the bridge. We do still have a snake problem to attend to. Over and out!"
The ninja head toward the bridge, and Kai grumbles as he walks.
Kai: "It's one thing to let the son of our greatest enemy live with us, but my sister? Come on! I thought this was a ninja headquarters!"
Nya (over the intercom): "You do know I can still hear you, right? Over and out!"
Kai facepalms, frustrated, but continues toward the bridge.
On the bridge, Nya stands by a map, marking several locations.
Nya: "Last we heard of Pythor, he stole the Map of Dens from Lloyd and is now on his way to open the last two Serpentine tombs."
Lloyd sighs, rubbing his forehead.
Lloyd: "Ugh, don't remind me."
Wu steps forward with a serious look on his face.
Wu: "Pythor is our most dangerous threat. If he finds those tombs before we do, with all four tribes unleashed, there's no telling what he'll do."
Jay, leaning back in his chair, shrugs.
Jay: "But those tombs could be anywhere. Without the map, we might as well just throw darts at a map."
Nya rolls her eyes but grins as she steps forward, throwing two darts at a map pinned to the wall.
Nya: "Good idea. Why don't we?" She gestures toward the locations where the darts land. "These are the locations of the Hypnobrai and Fangpyre tombs."
Kai squints at the map.
Kai: "Show off."
Nya throws another dart, landing it with pinpoint accuracy.
Nya: "And this is Pythor's tomb."
She taps the map, her fingers moving along the lines of a serpent symbol.
Nya: "After hours of thinking about why the tombs were placed in these locations, I discovered a pattern. If you notice, they all align with the Ninjago symbol for serpent."
Jay, impressed, leans forward.
Jay: "So the last two tombs must be here and here. Ah, you are so smart."
Nya smirks, pleased with herself.
Nya: "Was there ever any doubt?"
Jinx, who had been silent up until now, crosses his arms and adds his own commentary.
Jinx: "Not really. The rest of the team is just dumb."
Wu steps forward, his expression grave.
Wu: "There's little time. Kai, Jinx, and Jay, head to the Venomari Tomb. Cole and Zane, you take the Constrictai Tomb. And take this." He hands them an old, tattered map. "If you run into Pythor, you'll need it. Good luck, ninja."
Nya looks over at Wu, raising an eyebrow.
Nya: "What am I gonna do?"
Lloyd glances over at Master Wu with confusion.
Lloyd: "Yeah, what are we gonna do?"
Wu turns to Nya.
Wu: "Nya, I need you here to make sure Lloyd doesn't get into any more trouble."
Nya, clearly irritated, crosses her arms.
Nya: "Yes, Sensei."
Cole, eager to get going, claps his hands together.
Cole: "Let's go, boys. We've got some snakes to club."
Wu sighs, staring out the window.
Wu: "Where are you, Pythor? What are you up to?"
At the base of the Mountain of a Million Steps, Cole and Zane stand looking up at the towering stairs that stretch up into the sky.
Zane groans, looking at the steep path ahead, his pink gi a stark contrast to the mountain scenery.
Zane: "Our vehicles won't make it up these steps. We go the rest of the way on foot."
Cole grins, already feeling the strain of the climb.
Cole: "Then we'll take a shortcut."
Cole scoops Zane up, carrying him on his back.
Zane: "Am I holding on too tight?"
Cole chuckles, sweat dripping down his face from the effort.
Cole: "Light as a feather, Pinky. Almost there."
They reach the entrance of the Constrictai Tomb, only to find the door wide open.
Zane: "Looks like Pythor was already here. Perhaps we should investigate."
Cole, panting from the climb, gestures for Zane to go ahead.
Cole: "Give me a second, Zane. Go on, start without me."
Zane heads inside the tomb, examining the ancient carvings on the walls. Cole follows shortly, still catching his breath.
Zane: "Maybe Jinx is right. You should slow down on Chen's noodles."
Cole scoffs, brushing off the comment.
Cole: "Never!"
Cole examines the ancient drawings, squinting at the images.
Cole: "Huh. Didn't Momma Snake ever tell them not to draw on the walls?"
Zane, tracing the symbols with his fingers, frowns.
Zane: "These images describe a legend about uniting the tribes... It says once they unite, they'll find the Four Silver Fangblades, which will unleash the Great Devourer, an evil that will consume all the land, turning day into night."
Cole looks skeptical, crossing his arms.
Cole: "You get all that from those little pictures?"
Zane's expression darkens as he processes the information.
Zane: "This gives me deep concern. If Pythor unites the tribes before Kai and Jay find him..."
Cole waves his hand dismissively.
Cole: "Relax, Zane. They're a bunch of dumb snakes who believe in fairy tales. We've got all the—"
He freezes as the ground rumbles beneath them.
Cole: "Did you feel that?"
Zane looks around, worried.
Zane: "What?"
Suddenly, a massive serpent bursts through the ground, grabbing Zane with incredible force.
Skalidor (laughing darkly): "I've been waiting for you. Pythor sends his regards."
Zane struggles in Skalidor's grip.
Zane: "Did you stay behind just to tell us that? Pathetic."
Skalidor snarls, tightening his hold on Zane.
Skalidor: "Look who's calling who pathetic, Pinky."
Cole, struggling to free Zane, growls.
Cole: "Only I call him Pinky."
Cole, with an effort, breaks free from Skalidor's grasp and grabs Zane.
Cole: "Zane, go for the rope!"
Zane quickly reacts, but Cole is dragged into a hole by the force of Skalidor's attack.
Zane: "Cole!"
Cole grits his teeth, struggling against the serpentine hold.
Cole: "Ninja, go!"
Zane pulls out his flute and plays a note, causing the rope to tighten and send Skalidor crashing back.
Cole: "Wrap your head around this!"
Zane grins, relieved.
Zane: "Ah. Good one."
Cole slaps him on the back.
Cole: "Thanks. But if Pythor was expecting us, I think the others are walking into a trap. Let's get out of here."
----
Kai, Jay, and Jinx arrive at the Toxic Bogs, a foul-smelling swamp that makes everyone wrinkle their noses.
Jay: "Ew."
Kai: "Hey, it's not me. We're in the Toxic Bogs. This stuff will eat through you worse than Cole's chili."
The trio makes their way to the Venomari Tomb, only to find it empty.
Jay: "Pee-yew." (He waves his hand in front of his face as the echo of his voice bounces off the tomb's walls.)
Jay's Echo: "Pee-yew."
Jay chuckles at the sound of his own voice repeating, but Kai is already getting impatient.
Kai: "Let's just make this quick before Pythor gets here." (He starts walking away, looking around cautiously.)
Jay looks around the tomb, seeing no signs of life.
Jay: "This place looks empty. We must've just missed them. Check this out— they say you're the Green Ninja, but I say I am."
Jay's Echo: "I am. I am."
Jay: "I am!"
Jay's Echo: "Stupid."
Both Kai and Jinx can't help but burst into laughter at the absurdity of the echo.
Kai: (laughing) "Well, I guess that settles it, doesn't it?"
The sound of a frog croaking catches Kai's attention, and he quickly grabs his sword.
Kai: "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that." (He readies his stance.) "Heh, if I wasn't such a well-trained Nin—"
Suddenly, a frog jumps onto Spitta, who emerges from the bog with a menacing hiss. Spitta spits his venom directly at Kai, hitting him square in the face. Kai stumbles back, his vision starting to blur.
Kai: "Ugh! Jay? Jay!"
Jay: "No, I'm the real Jay!"
Jay's Echo: "No, I'm the real Jay!" (Jay laughs.)
Kai, still disoriented, rubs his eyes. His hallucinations start to take over, and he begins to see elves and gingerbread people everywhere.
Kai: "Oh, this is not good! Jay! Jay! There's so many! Elves and gingerbread people everywhere!"
Jay: "Okay, I don't know what you're seeing, but this is no time to lose yourself. I need you, partner!"
Jinx, noticing the others' uselessness, springs into action. He spots a Venomari lurking in the swamp and grabs him, tossing the snake high into the air. As it flies through the air, Jinx attaches a chain to its neck and uses it to take down the other Venomari around them.
However, one sneaky Venomari manages to sneak up behind him, spraying venom directly into his eyes. Jinx staggers back, his vision blurring and the hallucinations setting in. He instinctively tries to wipe the venom away, but as his hand—covered in his darkness power—touches his eye, the illusions fade away.
Jinx, eyeing his darkened hand: "Well, that's useful to know."
He smirks, feeling a bit more confident as the venom's effects fade, and refocuses on the battle at hand.
Kai stumbled backward, his vision swimming with absurd images. "I've never fought little people before! We're toast!" His wild eyes darted around as he swiped at imaginary elves and gingerbread men.
Just then, the roar of an engine echoed through the swamp, and Cole and Zane's vehicle skidded into view.
Cole smirked. "Anyone order a little kick butt?"
Cole's Echo: "Butt. Butt. Butt."
Jay doubled over in laughter. "I'll never get tired of that!"
Before anyone could react, a shadow loomed over them.
Pythor: "BOO!"
Jay: "Aah!" (He flinched so hard he nearly fell into the bog.)
Zane moved fast, reaching for the Sacred Flute to neutralize the snakes, but Pythor's long tail lashed out, snatching it from his hands.
Pythor chuckled, twirling the flute between his fingers. "Now, now, let's not let music ruin the fun, hmm?"
The ninja quickly jumped onto a drifting log, trying to escape. Pythor grinned down at them as they floated away.
"I've got a sinking feeling this may be the last I see of you four," he mused, cackling.
Jinx narrowed his eyes, channeling his darkness energy. With a surge of power, he unleashed a blast straight at Pythor. But in a blur, the snake general grabbed a nearby Fangpyre and shoved it into the attack's path.
The ninja watched in stunned silence as the Fangpyre was enveloped in a swirling orb of darkness. Its scales drained of color, its eyes losing their glow. When the energy dissipated, the snake collapsed, lifeless and unrecognizable.
Cole took a step back, eyes wide. "Uh… what just happened?"
Jinx stared at his hand, his usual confidence faltering. "...I don't know. I didn't even know I could do that."
Before they could process it, Kai gasped. "Wait! Do you see that? A magic floating rope! We can climb to safety!"
Jay, still grounded in reality, yanked Kai back before he stepped off the log and into the swamp. "Boy, that Venomari venom is some powerful stuff."
The Serpentine erupted into laughter.
Zane, ever composed, sighed. "For whatever it is worth, it was an honor to fight beside you all."
Cole gave a solemn nod. "Yeah… me too."
Jinx blinked. "You know I could just use my wind to get us out of here, right?"
Silence.
All the ninja turned to stare at Jinx, their expressions blank. Jinx stared right back at them, equally baffled by their lack of thinking.
Then, a rope dropped in front of them.
Cole: "Hey, what?"
Kai: "The magic rope! Ha!"
Jay: "Quick! Everyone, climb!"
As they scrambled up, a mechanical figure landed with a thud nearby. Samurai X.
Pythor took a cautious step back. "Oh dear."
Samurai X: "Pythor target confirmed. Time to bag and tag."
With precision, the Samurai fired a dart, striking Pythor before he could flee. The snake winced but slithered into the shadows before the effects could take hold.
Cole, panting from the climb, eyed the newcomer warily. "Who are you?"
Jay, grinning like a fanboy: "How about the coolest thing I've ever seen?"
Kai squinted. "Santa?"
Zane straightened. "Thank you, mysterious warrior. I owe you my life for saving—"
Before he could finish, Samurai X struck him, rendering him unconscious.
Jay: "Now that wasn't nice."
The Samurai quickly knocked the rest of them out, leaving them slumped in a heap. Above them, the Bounty hovered into view, a rope ladder dropping down to retrieve them.
Jinx, just before blacking out: "Shut up, Jay…"
(Later, back at the Bounty)
The ninja sat around the dinner table, still recovering from the mission.
Jay: "So then, just when we were gonna bite it, this huge mechanical robot—"
Zane, correcting: "Samurai. It was a Samurai."
Lloyd, blinking in confusion: "A Sama-what?"
Wu folded his hands. "Samurai. The highest level of warrior class. They protected nobility and served with honor on the battlefield."
Kai, still loopy from the venom, leaned toward Cole and whispered: "Look at Sensei's beard. It's moving like snakes."
Nya rolled her eyes. "When is this Venomari spit supposed to wear off? It's getting really annoying."
Jinx, suddenly remembering his earlier discovery, covered his hand in darkness and clapped Kai on the back. A jolt of dark energy passed through him, and suddenly, Kai's eyes cleared.
Kai: "Whoa… Hey, I feel normal again!"
Everyone stared, stunned.
Wu: "How…?"
Jinx: "Turns out my darkness cancels out the venom. But back to the Samurai—"
Cole cut in, his voice serious. "Okay, don't let this mysterious Samurai distract us from what's really important. All the Serpentine are out, and if Pythor unites them—"
Nya frowned. "Unites them for what?"
Cole: "Legend says if the five tribes come together, they can unleash some giant… Great Devourer thing that'll consume the land."
Lloyd slumped. "It's all my fault. If I hadn't opened the first tomb, none of this would've happened."
Wu placed a hand on his shoulder. "We cannot change the past, but we can shape the future. At least we have the Sacred Flute, so—"
Jay scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, uh… about that."
Zane: "Pythor stole it."
Jinx: "What do you expect? They're clumsy as hell, Sensei."
Wu sighed deeply. "The last Sacred Flute, gone…?" He closed his eyes. "Then you four are Ninjago's last hope."
A sudden alarm blared through the ship.
Nya: "Cold vision picked something up. That means the Serpentine are near!"
Cole shot to his feet. "Oh no! Ninjago City?"
Jay: "How many are we talking?"
Kai, checking the monitors: "Looks like… all of them."
Zane: "Pythor must be trying to unite them."
Wu's expression hardened. "Go. We mustn't let the five tribes unite!"
The ninja, now fully alert, shouted in unison: "Ninja, go!"
They sprinted out, executing Spinjitzu mid-run to don their gi's.
Zane sighed at his still-pink outfit. "I must get this taken care of."
Kai attempted to spin but lost focus, stumbling. "Whoa—!"
Jay caught him. "Don't worry. It'll wear off soon. For now, you're with me!"
They leaped off the Bounty, skydiving toward the city below. Each ninja summoned their elemental vehicles—Jay, Kai, Zane, and Cole landing with their weapons ready, while Jinx opened a dark portal, pulling his snake bike, Cleo, into existence.
Cole grinned. "Ah, I love the smell of land hurtling towards you at night."
As they landed, they took in their surroundings.
Kai: "Ninjago City."
Zane: "Amazing."
Kai: "Always heard stories of this place."
Jay: "Biggest city in all of Ninjago. Always wanted to come here."
Jinx: "Eh. Overrated. Kinda stuck in time."
Cole crossed his arms. "Yeah, I always dreamed of being on a billboard here."
Jay: "You too?"
Kai: "Yeah, same."
Zane, refocusing: "But where are the Serpentine? We should be in the middle of a massive gathering."
A nearby manhole cover rattled.
Cole grimaced. "Ugh, I hate snakes."
Jinx's snake bike, Cleo, hissed at Cole.
Cole jumped back. "Not you, Cleo!"
The dimly lit sewer tunnels echoed with the chatter of the Serpentine as they gathered around the central chamber, their hissing voices filling the air with excitement and skepticism alike. Torches flickered, casting eerie shadows against the damp walls. At the heart of it all, Pythor stood tall, draping his long purple tail over a stone platform like a stage.
Skales slithered up beside him, arms crossed. "You'll have to use more than words to bring the Serpentine together."
Pythor chuckled, adjusting his hood. "All I have to do is show them the way."
Acidicus, observing from the side, nodded. "They're ready for you, Pythor."
Pythor grinned, stepping forward. "Ah. Showtime." He extended his arms dramatically. "Friends, enemies, and enemies who pretend to be friends!"
The Serpentine erupted in laughter.
Perched above the gathering, hidden in the darkness, the ninja watched with wide eyes.
Cole gulped. "That's a lot of snakes."
Jay whispered urgently. "What are we gonna do?"
Kai smirked. "I have an idea. Follow my lead."
Pythor continued, his voice carrying through the chamber. "And what is with the Constrictai and their vice-like grip? Let it go already!"
The Constrictai let out guttural chuckles.
Fang-Suei wiped a tear from his eye. "It's funny because it's so true!"
Pythor waved a dismissive hand, shifting his tone. "But in all seriousness, the reason I have called this gathering is simple. The good people of Ninjago—" He spat the word. "—imprisoned us in those insidious tombs. I say, it is time we return the favor!"
The chamber erupted in cheers. None of the Serpentine noticed Kai sliding down a rope from the ceiling.
Kai's voice cut through the noise. "That sounds like a great plan, but you know the Hypnobrai will screw it up."
Mezmo snapped to attention. "Who said that?"
Jay added fuel to the fire. "Those buck teeth can bite my rear end."
Spitta blinked in confusion. "Huh?"
Cole smirked. "I bet they're drinking their own venom."
Zane, ever the strategist, delivered the final blow. "All that digging must have given them dirt for brains."
The Serpentine began murmuring among themselves, glaring at each other suspiciously.
Pythor's eye twitched. "What's going on? Why am I losing them?"
Then, Skales spotted Cole in the crowd. His expression darkened. "Ninja!"
The Constrictai moved fast, their thick tails wrapping around Kai, Cole, and Jay before they could react.
Jay flailed. "Run!"
Zane and Jinx darted into another tunnel, but upon reaching a dead end, they froze.
Zane acted on instinct, pressing himself against a torn poster labeled "Sitar Legend". The dim lighting made his pink gi blend into the faded fabric, camouflaging him.
The Constrictai slithered past without a second glance.
Zane exhaled in relief, then turned to find Jinx appearing beside him, stepping out from the shadows themselves. But… that shouldn't have been possible.
Zane blinked. "How did you do that, my friend?"
Jinx smirked. "I'm the Master of Darkness, Zane. Shadows are kinda my thing. Plus, Lloyd's been helping me refine this move. I can't hold it for long, but it works in a pinch."
Zane tilted his head. "That reminds me—do you have any suggestions for my elemental power?"
Jinx crossed his arms, thinking. "Hmmm… to be honest, all of you have frightening potential if you truly understand the nature of your abilities. Take you, for example. You're the Master of Ice, right?"
Zane nodded.
Jinx continued. "But what is ice, really? It's just the physical state of cold. You shouldn't just be able to create ice, Zane—you should control cold itself."
Zane's eyes widened, realization dawning on him. "Of course! I've been focusing on generating ice, but I haven't trained myself to manipulate it properly."
He smacked his forehead. "I am supposed to be the smartest among us, yet I failed to see something so obvious."
Jinx grinned. "That's what friends are for. Now, let's go save the others!"
Zane nodded, already formulating a plan.
Pythor scowled. "Did you take care of them?"
Skales hissed. "All but two."
Pythor narrowed his eyes. "Search every nook and cranny. If he's a ninja, you'll never find him in plain sight. And that purple one… I can't even tell what his power is. I never saw it during the Serpentine Wars."
Chokun suddenly pointed. "Look! A Pink Ninja!"
Zane swung across the chamber on a rope, knocking over torches as he went.
Cole: "Go, Pink Ninja, go!"
Zane, mid-swing: "I shall ignore that."
Landing beside Jinx, Zane pulled out his shurikens. He and Jinx exchanged a look and nodded.
Jinx channeled his darkness energy into Zane's shurikens as the Ice Ninja threw them at the ground. The moment they hit, a wave of gray ice surged forward, freezing everything in its path.
Before it could reach the others, Jinx summoned chains of shadow, wrapping them around their teammates and yanking them free from the Constrictai's grip.
Jay, getting dragged along: "Hah! Popsicle stand—I like it!"
The ninja made their escape, disappearing into the tunnels.
Pythor screamed in rage. "GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!!!"
The ninja sat around the deck, catching their breath.
Cole grinned. "You know, whether it was in a lesson book or not, we used the destructive power of rumors to our advantage."
Kai leaned back, smirking. "And now the Serpentine are further away than ever from getting their act together."
Jay chuckled. "You know, I don't think we would've gotten out of there if it hadn't been for Zane."
Zane shook his head. "Don't thank me. Thank Lloyd. If it hadn't been for his laundry skills, we all would've been found."
Everyone laughed as Lloyd entered the room, holding Zane's freshly cleaned gi.
Lloyd: "Well, it took me twenty loads, but your suit's no longer pink! And to show that I'm sorry, Cole, I got you a can of nuts."
Cole raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. And when I open this, a bunch of fake snakes are gonna pop out, right?"
Lloyd grinned.
Cole: "Yeah, no thanks."
He turned to put it in the fridge—only for real snakes to jump out!
Cole yelped as everyone burst into laughter.
Kai: "Oh, by the way, Zane, what was that gray ice thing you did?"
Zane stroked his chin. "To be honest, I wasn't a hundred percent sure it would work. I based it on how Jinx created Cleo, but with limited power so it only affected my ice."
Jay's eyes widened. "Wait… so Jinx can combo with our Golden Weapons?"
Jinx frowned. "Actually… no. After I used the combo, I felt a backlash—like the weapon was rejecting my darkness. And when I checked later, it had darkened… but when I touched it, it returned to normal."
Wu's expression darkened. "Hmmm. It makes sense. Perhaps…"
Nya, intrigued: "Perhaps what, Sensei?"
Wu gazed out at the horizon. "That is a story for another day."