Ninjago: Next Generation

Awkward!

I woke up, screaming. Before I could wake anyone, I put my hand over my mouth. What time was it?

I leaned over to check the clock. 5:00 a.m. Great.

I got up and dressed. The rain had finally cleared, but it was still a little windy. I pulled on a long-sleeved white shirt, a red sweatshirt and matching sweatpants. I brushed out my hair until it was decent, and I tiptoed out.

Creak! I stopped short on the stairs. Who else would be up at this hour? When I didn't hear anything else, I finished creeping down.

I took one step outside, and the wind hit me. I pushed against it to the training area. I grasped a pole just outside and clung on until the winds died down. When it did, I didn't waste a second. I ran inside the open roof structure.

I just then realized how hard this training course was. Blades, dummies, spinning trees... How can I possibly do this like the other ninja? They had to do it by the time Sensei finished his tea, and I don't think he'll fall for the sword throwing at the drink. Hah, Kai practically made that move famous.

I took a deep breath. The faces and voices from last night coursed through my mind. I froze, as each was more painful to remember than the next. I closed my eyes.

No. Those faces will NOT become reality.

I opened my eyes and the training course turned on. I ran to the first part, dummies with weapons on it. I realized my first mistake: I had no weapon. Second, I was slightly out of shape. And third, I was completely unprepared. The dummy with the stick thing hanging above whacked me off. There was an 'ahem' somewhere around me.

What do I do? Is this another planned ambush? Are some other students punking me? Is this a real attack? Or...

I didn't think. I grabbed a completely wooden axe and held it high. The heavier top didn't quite suit me, but it had to do for now.

A snow-white blur appeared in a flip. I charged with my axe, only to stop short.

"Crystal?" She nodded quietly. "Ohhhh, that's the noise I heard before in the stairs!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, I am sorry if I disturbed you," Crystal apologized. I shook my head. She smiled happily.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her.

"I... Couldn't sleep, so I came to train and clear my mind," she explained quickly. Good cover up, I guess, but she obviously doesn't have much experience in lying, so I didn't press.

"Me too," I replied. "Wanna watch me fail another round?" She tilted her head to the side.

"Why would I want to watch you fail?" Crystal asked curiously. I took it easy on her.

"It's a joke," I told her. She looked more confused than ever now. "Nevermind." I took my axe and got ready for another round.

I jumped onto the spinning track with the dummies. I knocked the one on the ground down, and pressed myself against the wall to dodge the one suspended in the air. I pushed off on the last dummy to the next part.

The spinning sword blades HURT! The axe threw me off balance. Crystal shielded her eyes so she wouldn't have to watch me get banged up. I growled under my breath and tried again, insults from my classmates spinning in my head.

I used the same method again on the dummies, but I held my axe close to me on the spinning blades. I stumbled, and it was a bit sloppy, but I passed to the spinning trees, where I slipped and got my foot caught on a 'branch'.

"Agh!" I yelled. My face got red and angry. Crystal's eyes widened, and she backed away slowly.

I saw another white flash, and snow flew towards my heating-up body. The cold hit me hard.

"Oof!" I wiped off the snow, and saw someone dressed in white, other than Crystal.

Zane!