Specials, Specials, and more specials

Special #18

"Hi Master Wu!" Jay crowed. Master Wu sat next to the computer monitor, sipping on one of his exotic teas. When he spotted Jay, a brief smile lit up his features, Wu happy to see his pupils. When his eyes drifted to Zane, Wu conveniently closed the browser he was on.

"Zane! Jay! I'm glad you've returned." Wu congratulated, his eyes twinkling without fail. Zane and Jay smiled when they saw Master Wu's face, as he seemed truly happy to see their return.

"Come, let's find the others. I'm sure you've already met Kai and Cole training outside?" Wu asked, guiding them to the main room.

"Lloyd's outside chatting with Kai, and Cole's still training." Jay said.

"We haven't met up with P.I.X.A.L. and Nya, however." Zane clarified. Wu delayed in his walk, almost surprised to hear Zane talk.  A flash of regret angled in Wu's face, but it quickly diminished.

"P.I.X.A.L. and Nya have been working on the Bounty ever since this morning." Wu said, walking through the hallway. Master Wu clicked the button into the equipment room, and the ninja found themselves in a room filled with welding tools and mechanical parts all over the floor.

"Nya!" Jay shouted. Nya took off her welding glasses, looking for the source of sound. When she spotted Jay running over to her, she dropped from the large ship and ran up to give him a hug.

"Jay!" Nya cried out. "You're back!" 

"Yeah." Jay said, tears crossing his eyes. Nya realized what her statement also implied, and tears stretched across her face.

"You're back." Nya whispered, giving him a hug. The two laughed and cried in each other's embrace, and P.I.X.A.L. walked over to Wu and Zane.

"I told you it was a good idea." P.I.X.A.L. whispered, proud to see Jay returning to normal. Zane started to smile softly, and P.I.X.A.L. watched as his smile unconsciously spread across his face.

"Anyways, what have you all been up to?" Jay said, finally breaking up their embrace. Nya indicated to the bounty.

"Ever since we came back from the aquarium, P.I.X.A.L. and I have been working on improving the Bounty's systems." Nya said. 

"How come everyone else has been focusing on training?" Zane asked her. Nya and P.I.X.A.L. both swapped concerned looks at one another. 

"Kai's been.....determined to keep himself in shape." Nya treaded carefully over each word, her eyes gazing out at an uninteresting line. Jay and Zane narrowed their eyes, understanding the meaning.

"So Kai's been training to protect Ninjago from Yulta?" Zane muttered softly out of Wu's earshot. P.I.X.A.L. gave him a quick nod in approval of his conclusion, but Wu sighed.

"That's exactly what Kai's doing." Wu said, deep regret paining his face. Zane and P.I.X.A.L. looked in shame at one another, and Wu sighed.

"Cole's only training to keep the image he thinks of us together." Wu stated, answering the questions on Jay's and Zane's minds.

"And how about you Master Wu?" Zane asked. "How are you doing?" Wu looked up in surprise at his question, and for a fleeting moment, Zane saw Wu staring at him as if he were a regret. 

"He's doing fine." P.I.X.A.L. announced. Master Wu stood and vacated the room, giving one long glance at Zane before leaving.

The four people in the room sighed, trying to maintain the upset balance among their friends.

"I'm just glad your back to your normal self." Nya said first, hovering over Jay. Jay chuckled, but Nya leapt forth to tickle him. Jay shrieked and ran away from her, and Nya laughed.

"What shook you out your mood? P.I.X.A.L. asked him. Jay smiled, a small bit of sadness appearing in his eyes, but a joking light flared inside him.

"After seeing Zane willingly slaughter about fifty men, stand on top of them without remorse, and laugh joyfully over them, it really makes you rethink your concept of regret." Jay said as a joke. Surprisingly, Nya didn't tense up from his words, shrugging it off. Zane and P.I.X.A.L. observed her, curious as to why she held no reaction.  Nya spotted the intense gaze of the two and gave in.

"I know I should be surprised, but when I unlocked my true potential, I may or may not have destroyed the entire Cursed Realm. It took me weeks to recover from that, knowing the amount of souls I destroyed." Nya said, hints of sorrow in her voice. Nya shook off her feelings and focused on Zane.

"So how's Lloyd?" 

"More or less alright." Lloyd said, entering the room. Lloyd looked around the room, noticing that every person had come to terms with Zane's change. Lloyd heaved a breathe of relief, finally able to speak without censorship.

"I didn't realize you were right about Kai." Lloyd told Jay, slumping against the wall. "Kai kept demanding answers from me about Yulta. It felt more like an interrogation than a welcome back." 

"Kai really does harbor anger." Jay said. Nya seemed puzzled by their words.

"I thought he was okay." Nya said. Jay smiled sadly.

"I know that Kai is your brother Nya, but Kai's still your older brother. He wouldn't want you to know he's angry." Jay said, offering Nya a hand in support.

"How's Cole?" Zane asked Lloyd. Lloyd seemed defeated by his question, and sat in the chair beside him.

"Cole's in an interesting state." Lloyd ran his hand through his hair, his blonde hair becoming strangled from his actions. "When I talked to him, it seemed as if nothing had changed. Yet as soon as I mentioned you being Azne, he looked at me as if I had mentally lost it."

"If I'm going to be honest, I still don't understand why you say you're different." Nya piped up. The four other members in the room shared looks of disbelief, questioning her curiosity.

"What? I've only seen Zane covered in blood. Nothing deadly or sadistic." Nya said, ignoring the looks on everyone's faces.

Zane smiled, the sweet face he had worn as a mask appearing. Zane's lips then curled into a smirk, and he gazed down upon Nya like she was nothing but a lamb being brought to the slaughter. Jay and Lloyd looked without emotion, and Nya jumped back in surprise. 

"Zane!" Nya shrieked. Zane blinked, and the kind sincere look had returned. 

"Sorry." Zane said, scratching his head. Nya shook her head no, and P.I.X.A.L. sighed. 

"Don't be. I got what I asked for." Nya said. Zane blinked.

"Regardless, how has Master Wu been holding up?" Zane inquired. Nya and P.I.X.A.L. had no words.

"I don't actually know." P.I.X.A.L. said, her face doused with turmoil.

"Master Wu has kept to himself all this time." Nya said, kicking a bucket beside her and sitting down on it. "Every time he comes outside, he acts and seems fine. Sometimes he kind of reminds me of Cole, except whenever he sees you." Nya looked up at her friend. "Whenever he glances in your direction, the regret he has is as evident as daylight."

"I haven't been able to do anything either." P.I.X.A.L. grabbed a wrench in the tool box. "Master Wu has only retrieved his food, and places a sincere expression on his face. It's hard to offer support if he doesn't even ask for it."

"Then I should go console him." Lloyd said, suddenly standing up. "I have been drowning myself in my own anger, after all. And if Master Wu's going to listen to anyone, I hope it would at least be his own nephew."

"I'll come with you." Zane said, walking up to the green ninja. Lloyd paused, reluctant over his decision, but accepted the help.

"I just hope he'll listen to the two of you." Nya crossed her legs on the bucket, and Jay passes her a welding mask.

"Me too." Lloyd whispered.