Ninjago: The Elemental Master

Chapter 37: Secrets Discovered

----------------------
*the temple*

"Hey. This fight is far from over. I know we had a setback, but..." Lloyd started, but Kai cut him off. "It's always darkest before the dawn. Blah, blah, blah. Come on. Let's get going already, okay?" Kai urged as he held the helmet in his hands. "Kai–" Nya started but got cut off. "We don't need a pep talk. We need action" Kai argued as he stood up and looked at the others. "I agree. They actually gave us a break by taking the Time Blade" Lloyd said as he looked at the other Ninja, "how is that a break?" Cole asked as he looked up at Lloyd.

"If any of you captured something that powerful, what would you do?" Lloyd asked as he smiled to himself, "uh, immediately haul it back home to show off to you guys" Jay said with a smile as he looked up at Lloyd from his seated position. "Right. And unless I miss my guess, that's exactly where the Hands of Time are headed as we speak. Their home" Lloyd explained as he looked at the Ninja with a proud smile. "So if we can find the Time Blade..." Cole started, "we can find Acronix and Krux's base" Y/N finished his sentence as she smiled at Cole. "Hey. Think you can locate the Blade with your temporal scanner?" Lloyd asked as he looked at Zane, "attempting access. I am afraid it was damaged when we fought the Vermillion Warriors" Zane said as he looked up at Lloyd.

Jay started to laugh while Y/N peaked past Nya and Zane and looked at Jay with a confused expression. "I fail to see the humor, Jay" Zane called out as he looked over at Jay who was cackling next to him. "I still think Vermillion Warriors is a stupid name," Jay said as he laughed.

"I could see if the scanner on the Destiny's Bounty still works" Nya suggested as she looked at Zane and shrugged her shoulders. "Yes. Good thinking, Nya" Lloyd said as he smiled at her, "and the rest of you should go to the museum. Krux hid in plain sight there as Dr. Saunders for forty years. I'll bet there's a clue where their secret headquarters is" Nya explained as the Ninja stood up. "Okay, let's split up," Lloyd said as he looked at the Ninja. "Uh...I'll help you, sis," Kai said as he followed Nya.

"One question. How are we supposed to get to the museum? Our vehicles got trashed by the snakes" Cole asked as he placed his hands on his hips. "Uh, we have the Super Sonic Raider Jet" Lloyd suggested as he looked at Cole, "actually, heh, heh...my dad's still kind of working on that. We can take the Lightning Bike" Jay suggested as they turned around and continued walking. "Kai and I have our old bikes," Nya said as she smiled at her brother. "Oh. What about me, Zane and Y/N?" Lloyd asked as he looked at the Ninja.

"Well...I was saving this for your birthday, but...The Destiny's Shadow" Misako said as she held up keys and pressed a button, showing a brand new vehicle. "Sick" Y/N whispered under her breath as she walked over to Lloyd. "Oh, come on! First Jay, now Lloyd! Does everyone get a new ride for their birthday? Uh–I said that out loud, didn't I?" Kai whined but stopped when he looked at the others nervously. "I love it," Lloyd said as he hugged Misako and got onto Destiny's Shadow.

"I wish Wu could have seen this," Misako said with a frown on her face. Y/N placed a reassuring hand on Misako's shoulder, "he will. We'll get him back sooner or later" Y/N said with a soft smile, "hmm. It's the 'later' I worry about" Misako said as she looked at her hands. "Huh? Uh...what does that mean?" Jay asked as they all began to worry. "I can't...he made me promise not to tell you" Misako said as she looked away from the Ninja. "Mom, we're a team. We don't keep secrets from each other" Lloyd said as he looked at his mother. Misako sighed, "when Wu fought Acronix alone at the temple, he was struck with a punch powered by the Time Blade. The hit unleashed the forward energy of time onto him and the effect is..." Misako said but she felt a lump in her throat as she was about to finish her sentence.

"Master Wu is rapidly aging. Of course. That explains why when Y/N is healing him nothing changes, and his recent fatigue and the rambling" Zane said as Jay gasped right after, "and the super-long old-guy beard" Jay said while Y/N looked at Misako with a shocked expression. "I don't even know if the effect can be reversed," Misako said as she placed her hand on her forehead. Y/N stood there in shock. "How didn't I notice?" Y/N thought to herself.

"Then we'd better get moving," Lloyd said as Zane hopped in front of Lloyd. "Y/N, come on" Lloyd said as he looked down at her unmoving body. Y/N looked down at the ground and put her hands into fists as she hopped on and sat in behind Zane and in front of Lloyd. "Good hunting, son. Stay safe" Misako said as Lloyd pressed buttons on the side. "I will" Lloyd stuttered as he kept pressing the buttons beside his seat. "Any time now" Zane sang slightly as he forcefully smiled at the others. "It's a lot of buttons" Lloyd argued as he pressed a button which was the horn. Jay and Cole laughed while Y/N sighed deeply. And just as Lloyd hit another button, music came on, and then they were off.