Ghost Story ► Ninjago [REWRITING]

| XVI | Into the Snow

*No POV*

"Uh... you said this one, correct?" Red asked, his hand on one of the levers.

"No!" Nya was quick to rush over, grabbing his hand and yanking it off. "That one will send us crashing. You were close, though."

Blinking in confusion, he watched as she pulled the one right next to the one he had almost yanked. "Why would we have such a control?"

"Emergencies. You never know."

"What emergency could possibly—?"

"Don't question it. Now, go get the others and tell them to meet us down there."

On deck, the five Ninja watched as they neared the mountain. They didn't start from the bottom, but they were far from the top. The dragon's head, sides, and bottom of the ship had completely frozen over.

The three who could feel the freeze shivered, Jay saying, "It's getting really cold!"

"Freezing, if you ask me!" Kai agreed.

Scarlett grabbed some strands of her long hair, holding them against her pink cheeks. "I hope the Cloud Kingdom isn't this bad..."

Cole and Zane, of course, being a nindroid and a ghost, didn't feel a thing.

"Ninja," Red called with a small smile, making the five turn around. "We need you down below." But just standing there, he also began to rub his arm for some warmth. "And good luck out there..."

Following him under, they found themselves surrounded by five large mechs.

Scarlett and Jay looked at each other, giggled, and then rushed in to hop in the machines of their respective colors.

"Hold on a minute, children," Ronin called out to them, holding large cloaks with furry hoods on them. "You'll need these first."

They both let out an oh at the same time, and now the Ninja, save for Cole, went to grab the coats from Red and Nya as well. Soon, they were wrapped like babies.

"Aw," Scarlett smiled, relishing in the warmth she felt. "I feel like I'm in a blanket."

"Now you can get in your mechs," Nya told them. Each Ninja jumped on the arms, then hopped into the seat and settled in. "And speaking of which... without them, you'll never be able to survive the extreme conditions on your own. I've also installed headsets into your hoods for easy communication. Try it out!"

Jay took the opportunity for a good laugh. "Ahem. Tell me Zane, how tall is this mountain?"

And of course, in his pirate accent, he responded, "The precise elevation of the Wailin' Alps be well over three leagues and twenty-eight fathoms."

"Zane's so much cooler...!"

"Remember," both Ronin and Red spoke at the same time—a small feeling of discomfort rising between them—and Red backed up to let Ronin speak.

After clearing his throat, Ronin continued, "Remember, once you get to the peak, you'll only have one shot to shoot the Blind Man's Eye. Don't miss."

"I don't know, guys, you had time to practice," Cole began, his head hung low. "Maybe I should sit this one out."

"Don't even think about it," Kai told him. "You may be a ghost, but you're still a part of the team."

"And if it weren't for you getting the first clue, we wouldn't even be here," Jay agreed.

"To us, you're not a ghost. You're a Ninja, our friend," Scarlett said with a smile. "We're all rooting for you."