The Succession of Time (Ninjago & Reader AU)

Chapter 1: Spring Days

The Temple of Airjitzu is incredibly beautiful in spring.  Of course, this could easily be said to be due to its recently renovated state.  It certainly helps that the building is no longer cursed, and it shows in the once sickly and dead-looking trees on the grounds, now blooming with new life.  Flowers have blossomed all across the grounds, and the little pond beside the temple rings with the song of frogs seeking partnership.

Zane watches from a window as songbirds compete for space among the trees' branches outside, singing their beautiful battlecries as they flit about, hop, and dive bomb one another in attempts to intimidate their way to territorial dominance.  He smiles as one claims the branch closest to the window and chirps in victory, aggressively hopping up and down and ruffling his feathers.

He turns away from the window, still smiling, and walks through the temple.  His steps are habitually silent as he makes his way down the halls in search of his brothers and sister.  He quickly finds most of them in one of the front rooms; Cole and Jay are having a friendly discussion while performing weapon maintenance while Lloyd and Nya quietly read books.

Cole and Jay look up from their work as Zane enters.

"Hey, Zane!" Jay greets him with a friendly smile.

"Hello!" Zane responds, he looks around the room.  "Where is Kai?" he asks.

"He's been training in the dojo for the past couple of hours," Lloyd answers, looking up from his book and marking his place before setting it aside, "he should be back soon."

Zane nods and sits down beside Cole and Jay and assists in wiping down a katana with choji oil.  Lloyd joins as well, and the four boys proceed to maintain their weapons while Jay rambles about robotics equipment and his latest improvements on his multiple projects.

After a few minutes, Kai walks in, wiping sweat off his brow and drinking from a large water bottle.

"Hey, guys," he says as he enters, "and Nya."

Nya looks up from her book and smiles at her brother. "Hey, Kai!"

"Hello, Kai!" Zane greets the fire ninja.  "How was your training?"

"Eh," Kai shrugs, "it was okay."  He makes his way to the group, pulling over a chair and reclining in it.  

Zane nods, and continues his work, appreciating the relaxed atmosphere of the room.

Ninjago has been experiencing a period of peace, and while Zane and his fellow ninja continue to keep their skills sharp, they've been enjoying a well-earned break from saving the world.  The last major fight they'd been involved in was several weeks ago, and even then, it had been an issue fairly easily dealt with.

Seeing that the team is all together, Zane voices the thoughts he's been having: "Today is the first day of the Festival of Blossoms," he says, getting the group's attention.  "I've been wondering if the rest of you would like to join in the festivities, provided the the peace we've been experiencing as of late continues to last?"

"Um, Festival of Blossoms?" Lloyd looks up from his work, blinking and brows furrowed, "I'm... not sure I know what that is."

Jay gasps. "You've never had the chance to celebrate the Festival of Blossoms?!" he practically shouts, causing Cole to lean away from him with an amused expression, "That's crazy!  It's one of the biggest annual celebrations in Ninjago, and you've never heard of it?!"

"Er, well..." Lloyd awkwardly run his fingers through his hair.

"No, that makes sense," Cole speaks up, "Can't imagine Darkley's was much for celebrating a holiday revolving around looking at flowers."