Multiple Strikes | Ninjago Movie AU

Chapter 3 - I, Me, Myself, And Chaos

"So you are telling me," past alternate Jay mutters, tiredly rubbing his temples. "That you, an alternate version of future me teleported me here, then broke the ONLY THING THAT CAN GET ME AND HIM BACK, WHICH IS THE REALM CRYSTAL?!"

"Could you please keep it down?!" Jay grunts. "My parents are asleep!"

All three Jay's are crisscrossed on the floor, in a small circle as if a therapy group. Although it'd taken a while, Jay had managed to explain as much as he knew to his look-a-likes, who have been steaming the whole time. Even after they've been assured by Jay that he's not evil or a clone. The initial reaction that the two look-a-likes had had was interesting, considering one's from the past and one's from the future. The past alternate Jay had bombarded future alternate Jay with questions such as: How are things with Nya? Has the paparazzi given us a break? Why does your hair look so different? Where are we? How am I sure you're actually future me? Are you sure I'm not in the Matrix? Am I real? What is life? Did Cole really eat my pudding cup that one time? And considering he's a ghost, how does he even eat?

"Oh, of course you still live with your parents!" future alternate Jay snarks. 

"Well what do you expect?" Jay retorts. "I'm sixteen."

"Huh? So you're an alternate version of future me yet you're younger than both him and me?" past alternate Jay says, confusedly.

"I guess," future alternate Jay shrugs. Things go quiet once more, before the big question emerges.

"So, how are we gonna get back?" past alternate Jay yawns, yearning for his home, timeline, friends, and bed.

Jay's face is overcome with more guilt then ever. "I- I don't know," he says in a hushed tone, putting his face in his hands. "I've failed Master Wu, and my team, and you guys can't get back home. Gah, what am I supposed to do?"

"Wait, there is Traveler's Tea!" past alternate Jay reminds, a frantic and relieved smile pasting on his face.

"What's that?" Jay asks, peeking his eyes out from behind his clenched hands.

"It's tea that takes you to other realms!" future alternate Jay exclaims,  excited at the sound of this possibility.

"Well where could we get some?" Jay asks sternly and wide-eyed, pulling out his phone.

"Well, in our universe there's this old woman named Mystake. Cryptic and weird, yes, but she's got every kind of tea you could imagine!" past alternate Jay informs, relaxed. His future self quickly opens his mouth with clenched teeth and his eyes go wide, and his eyebrows furrow, giving off the expression: 'How am I gonna tell him?' 

The room is two thirds full of hope, the last third anxious. The only thing to be heard for a quiet minute (And the quietest it will ever get) is the sound of typing as Jay slowly searches for the woman of this name. Jay pulls up something on his phone on the topic of who Mystake is, and though the page itself is rather baron, there's something now known about her that makes his expression solemn. "Uhm, so, uh, haha, how is Mystake spelled?"

Past alternate Jay spells the name out, no worry on his face whilst his future self's face is ashen and gaunt. 

"Apparently she died," Jay blurts once Mystake's name is confirmed. "Only a few weeks ago, actually. . ."

"Well crap!" past alternate Jay yells. "There's no way to get back home now! It's not like there's a way to fix the Realm Crystal, and look at it now." he says now standing up, arms crossed. "It's not like we can just fix it with glue or something!"

"Maybe not," Jay grunts. "But however it happens, I'm gonna get you back. I promise. I will find a way!" he says, standing up and getting in a confident position. He then peers subtly over to and unfinished wreck which lingers on his desk, and he frowns.