Ninjago Short Stories & One-Shots

Nelson's Day Of The Departed

The little boy looked at the calendar next to his hospital bed and grinned. Glancing over at his nurse, he was hoping he could go see the concert for the Day of the Departed holiday. Taking a deep breath, he spoke.

“Ms. Stella, could I go watch the Day of Departed concert this evening?” Nelson asked. The nurse, Ms. Stella, frowned at the question. “I’m sorry but you can’t leave until tomorrow. If you still want to see the concert, they’ll be broadcasting it on TV.” Ms. Stella says.

“But watching it on TV isn’t the same as going in person! Why can’t I go?” he asked. “Because we can’t risk you getting hurt before you’re released from the hospital. Your arms are healthy and healed but, they need a check up before you can go. I’m sorry you have to stay during the holiday.” Ms. Stella says.

Nelson looks out the window and saw vehicles moving fast towards the museum. Then he realized it was the ninja. “Could I go if the ninja watched me?” he asked suddenly. Ms. Stella glanced at the boy like he had told a joke. “I’ll see what I can do. If the ninja are willing to watch you, I think it should be fine.” She says.

Nelson starts to pump his fist in the air when he quickly realized the horror on Ms. Stella’s face at the action. He instead just smiles and her breathing slowed to its normal pace.

After she left, Nelson went to the play area for all the kids in the hospital. Some were sickly, some had broken limbs like him, and then there was one girl who was there because part of the hospital was also an orphanage. Nelson saw her drawing in the corner of the room, alone.

Approaching her, Nelson greeted her like usual. “Hi Harumi.” He says. Harumi looks up and her blonde hair sways from the action. “Hi Nelson.” She replied. Nelson knew Harumi since he was in the hospital for breaking the bones in his legs. When he saw on the news about dozens of kids reduced to orphans because of the Great Devourer, Harumi had come into the hospital dirty and lonely.

Harumi was practically a teen now and she wore her hair in its usual double braids. Her clothes consisted of a green sweater, a jade shirt underneath, some jeans, and sneakers. When Nelson had approached her when she first arrived, she simply nodded but never spoke a word.

But she slowly warmed up to him and he even thought of her as an older sister. She would visit his room often with candy she got for the two of them to share. But she’s been distant from him since the ninja came to see him a while ago.

“What are you drawing?” Nelson asked. Harumi gave a sad smile but showed him the drawing. It was of her parents and her playing together when she was younger. Her youth stolen from her by the Great Devourer. “Oh. You still miss them, don’t you?” he asked.

She nods. “I’m drawing this for this evening. I’m going to visit their graves and hope that they can still love me from afar.” She says. Tears started streaming from her eyes and Nelson grabbed a couple of tissues and handed them to her. “Would you like me to come with you? I did want to go see the Day of Departed concert in the park but, I don’t want you going on your own.” Nelson says.

“Thanks. I would love it if you could come but would they even let you?” Harumi asked. “I can always ask Ms. Stella if I can go with you instead. Its better if we stick together.” He says. A small chuckle escaped Harumi’s mouth. “You don’t understand how happy I am to hear this. I just wish my parents were here right now, sharing hugs with me and we would be having s’mores enjoying the holiday.” Harumi says.

“I’m sure they are watching over you right now. I barely knew my dad when he passed away. My mom always was scared whenever I left the house because she imagined I might end up like him. He was a bus tour driver and apparently he didn’t get away in time when the Great Devourer came by. I found out while I was in the hospital.” Nelson says.

Harumi gives Nelson a hug and he returned the gesture. “Nelson, I’m afraid the ninja are too busy to take you to the concert. I’m so sorry.” Ms. Stella says coming into the room. Nelson looked to Harumi and smiled.

“Its fine. Could I go with Harumi instead? I promise I won’t get hurt on her watch.” He says. Ms. Stella sighs but nods. “Very well then. You two will be escorted to and from the place you want to go to. I’ll be the one taking you two.” She says.

A couple of minutes later, Nelson, Harumi, and Ms. Stella were standing in the entrance to the public graveyard. Nelson could see families gathered by tombstones as they remembered their loved ones. “I’ll be right here. Go ahead and do what you came to do.” Ms. Stella says.

Nelson followed Harumi until the found her parents’ graves. And surprisingly next to them was Nelson’s dad. The two glanced to each other before returning their gazes to the graves. Nelson looked up at the moon and noticed a Yin-Yang shaped shadow was moving across the surface.

What spooked him even more was the the purple mist appearing and how it sparkled like magic. “Maybe we should head back. Something doesn’t feel right.” Nelson says. “Just a few more minutes. I still want to remember my parents.” Harumi says.

What surprised everyone was the few stone warriors that had come. Nelson tugged on Harumi’s sleeve in fear. When she finally looked up, her eyes widened in fear. “Yeah, we should go.” Harumi says. Grabbing Nelson's wrist, the two ran to the entrance.

But Nelson’s grip on Harumi slipped and he tripped. A stone warrior in turn took the chance to grab him. Nelson struggles in its grasp but couldn’t escape. “Put me down!” Nelson shouts. Harumi heard his cry and turned around to help him. She tried kicking the stone warrior but failed and ends up getting hit back tenfold.

“Harumi!” Nelson cried. “NINJA GO!” A voice says. Nelson looks up and watches as a blue tornado catches Harumi. When it cleared, Nelson realized it was Jay. The ginger ninja saw Nelson and immediately went into another attack. Nelson felt himself freed but opened his eyes to find that he was thrown into the air by the warrior.

Jay does Airjitzu and catches the falling boy. “I thought you were still in the hospital?” Jay asked. “I am. But I’m being released tomorrow. I just wanted to come here with a friend.” Nelson says. Being set down, Nelson smiled as Jay left in his Ultra Sonic Radar Jet.

Harumi and Nelson return to the entrance and Ms. Stella started fussing over the scratches the two had. They were given candy and Nelson was glad he spent his Day of the Departed with Harumi. He was just glad that everything worked out in the end.