Chapter 14: Discussing Ages and Battles We've All Ready Done Before
“We need to get to Ninjago City as soon as possible! The nindroids will be attacking soon!” Lloyd declared with a stern, commanding voice.
“We’re running out again?!” Cole sighed. “When are we ever gonna get a break?!”
“Yeah!” Jay agreed. “And how do we know the nindroids are going to attack Ninjago City? Maybe we shouldn’t jump to the conclusion they’re evil just yet! I mean, what if they wanted to escape so they could indulge their DANCING talents?”
The ninja threw an odd look towards Jay. “Okay, so maybe not dancing.” Jay admitted. “But still, it could be something else!”
“I don’t know, but doesn’t the fact that they were shooting us with lasers make that seem a little . . . unlikely?” Nya asked sarcastically.
“Let’s just go!” Lloyd shouted, worrying about the consequences of waiting too long.
“Mreow!” A cat meowed abruptly.
Nya looked down at an orange tabby by her feet in surprise. “You!” She exclaimed.
Suddenly, the cat’s fur began to shrink as it began to grow and stand on its reforming hind legs. The fur atop its head turned to a dark brown, and the furless pink pelt began changing to yellow.
“Andrew?!?!” The ninja shouted in disbelief.
“Hey.” Andrew greeted sheepishly.
“You were the cat this whole time?!” Cole shouted.
“You gave me an allergy attack!” Lloyd exclaimed.
“Why didn’t you say something?” Nya asked.
“I tried to, but I couldn’t!” Andrew explained, overwhelmed by the frequent questions. “It was weird! I feel like it might have been something with my vocal chords or breath or something. I literally couldn’t!”
“Couldn’t you have changed back to a human BEFORE my allergies went wild?!” Lloyd asked, agitated.
“I didn’t know how. I tried to, but I couldn’t. It was only until a few minutes ago when I remembered what I did to become a cat. Although I think I somehow changed my fur color.”
“I have a question!” Jay declared. “Why do you have a tail sticking out?”
Andrew turned around and yelped at the unsettling sight of a large, orange tail behind him. It began to shrink away slowly until it disappeared. “Ugh.” Andrew said. “It FELT like something wasn’t right.”
“Well, I believe that mystery has now been solved.” Wu stated. “However, we have no time to spare, and you must get to Ninjago City fast!”
The ninja nodded, pulled up their hoods, and ran out the exit once more. Andrew began to run with them, excited to be back into the action, but his excitement came to a sudden halt as Wu grabbed the hoodie of his sweater, sending him stumbling back. “Why can’t I go?!” Andrew whined.
“I don’t trust you.” Wu stated firmly. “You’ve been very troublesome lately. Not to mention, there IS a large nindroid battle going on, and it’d be too dangerous for you.”
“You let me go the other times.”
“The other times, I was too rushed to reprimand you.”
“Y’mean you aren’t rushed now?”
“I am – and you’ll be staying here with Misako until we return.” He said as he ran towards the exit, following the other ninja.
“Aw, come on!” Andrew shouted angrily to Wu, whom was flying away upon his elemental dragon. “Just because I’m young doesn’t mean I’m not mature enough to fight! Age doesn’t matter! You can’t judge people by how old they are!”
Wu, too far away to hear, did not respond.
Andrew walked crossly back inside. The tyranny of being judged by his age lit a firing rage inside him as he grouchily stomped towards his bedroom. Misako looked sweetly at him, and asked: “Would you like to do something together?”
“Nah.” Andrew declined. “You’re too old.”
“You mean you’re judging me by how aged I am?”
“Of course! Man, you old people really are thick, aren’t you?”
“Hm.” Misako said, hiding her agitation from his hypocrisy.
She began walking back towards the kitchen. Andrew noticed Misako seemed very relaxed considering the dangerous circumstances. He turned around and asked: “Why are you so calm?”
She turned around, wondering what he meant. “Pardon?”
“The ninja are out risking their lives out there, and you seem fine as if everything’s natural. I mean, even your husband is out there!”
Misako looked slightly annoyed. “Wu is not my husband. He is just my friend.”
“Okay, sure. But still, how do you stay that way?”
“I used to worry.” She admitted. “However, they’re ninja. They’ve had lots of training. Also, it’s become commonplace. They run out on death-defying adventures so frequently, I’ve gotten mostly used to it. Of course, I still have that twinge of doubt, that little voice in my head saying ‘I wonder if they’ll make it out all right.’”
“Okay.” Andrew shrugged as he walked off, heading towards the ninja’s bedroom, no longer caring about her affairs. She rambled too much.
Before he left her sights, Misako asked: “What, may I ask, are you about to do?”
“Just gonna play some video games.” He responded, annoyed. She was another adult who thought he was untrustworthy.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Well done. You have succeeded.” The deep voice noted.
“Thank you, master.” Responded the outlaw, attempting to make out his master’s face inside the dark alleyway.
“However, you did not complete the second part. That displeases me.”
The outlaw gulped in fear, worrying about what his master’s actions would be. “My apologies, sir.”
“Master. While you work for me, you must refer to me as ‘master.’”
“I’m sorry, master. So . . . when do I get paid?”
The master growled. “Paid? You do not get paid until you have completed all the actions, you fool.”
“Yes, master.”
“You must return and complete the job.”
“Actually, master, I don’t think I will.”
“Oh? You dare defy my orders?!”
“It’s not that, master. I won’t get the object –” The outlaw held up a small electronic device. “-but I know who will.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Come here, Piggy, come here . . .” Andrew cooed to the pink creature looking at him.
Its white eyes stared hard upon the carrot Andrew held in his hand. Andrew moved slightly to the left; the pig followed, still maintaining its hard gaze upon the orange vegetable. Andrew moved slightly towards the right, yet the pig kept glaring upon the tasty treat. “You really want this carrot; don’t you?” Andrew laughed.
“Well, you may want the carrot . . .” Andrew suddenly stashed the carrot into his pocket and produced a large silver sword. “. . . but I want some bacon!”
Suddenly, Misako burst into the ninja’s bedroom, interrupting Andrew’s ongoing video game. “Come quick!” She shouted to Andrew. “We need to get to Ninjago City, and fast!”
“Could I just finish this real-?” Andrew began to ask, but Misako grabbed him by the arm, pulling him off the bed from which he sat and leaving the game console still on.
They rushed through the curving, wooden, red temple walls, their feet pounding as they stomped through the hallway. “So why do we need to go there?” Andrew asked as he ran.
“I’ve looked upon a camera I set on one of the bikes, looked at it, and it looks like they need all the help they can get.” Misako explained. “Cole’s acquired an injury.”
“Right.” Andrew confirmed, understanding the importance of the situation.
They ran out of the temple, onto the green grass growing upon the oddly floating chunk of ground. “Hold onto me!” Misako ordered.
Andrew obeyed, not knowing why, and places his arms upon her shoulders. Misako ran off the side and jumped, suddenly twirling into a silver spinjitzu vortex. Speeding fast mixtures of shining gray and white flashed by him as they began to fall onto the desert ground.
“Wow!” Andrew exclaimed excitedly. “I didn’t know you knew airjitzu!”
“I don’t.” Misako stated. “However, spinjitzu provides a softer landing. Come, to the motorbike.”
The two ran towards a red, gleaming motorcycle, standing by large tire tracks in the sand, where the Ultra Stealth Raider used to be. Misako jumped into the driver’s seat and revved the engine. Andrew sat behind her, excited for the ride which was to come. “Let’s go!” Misako yelled as the motorcycle zoomed forward.
A storm of sand puffed behind them as the motorbike sped through the canyons of the desert, violently swerving avoid large beige rocks planted into the ground. The vehicle bumped up and down upon the small rocks beneath them. Andrew quickly grabbed onto Misako’s shoulders as a reflex to keep him from falling off. The motor purred loudly as it accelerated through the sand. “This is pretty sick!” Andrew exclaimed as he rode.
Several towers and skyscrapers could be seen in the distance, becoming more and more clear as they rode closer. The desert landscape began to vanish into soft, green grass as the path became a dirt road across the fields. As they rode, houses and buildings became to appear beside them and the dirt path subtly changed to a black road. The motorcycle began swerving away from incoming cars beside it, still driving quickly towards the center of Ninjago City.
Sounds of yelling and clashing metal could be faintly heard as they neared the park, where many black robots and men in colored suits ran about. “There they are!” Andrew yelled.
The motorbike slowed down and Misako jumped off; Andrew did the same. She opened a compartment under the seat in the back and pulled out two sai, then handed one to Andrew, keeping the other for herself. “You keep cool stuff in there!” Andrew noted, peering into the compartment.
He lifted up an object. “A jester hat?” He wondered. “Why would you need a jester hat?”
Misako grabbed the hat from his hands and crammed it back into the compartment. “I have my reasons.” She said.
She then ran towards the raging battle, shouting a war cry. Robotic sparks zapped as the golden sai slashed into the metal men. Many toppled over, stumbling towards the side at her kicks, and a quick silver spinjitzu vortex spent many robotic soldiers flying towards the nearby buildings.
For an old lady, she was pretty cool.

It was?  Cool!

She just did!

Maybe you do. . . .
Okay, how about The Lords and Tigers?