Promises (Ninjago's Kai x Reader)

Episode 8 - Mr. Roboto

"Ten minutes! He broke his own record! The guys inhuman!" Kai exclaims.

I jump out of the crows nest and meet Kai, Jay and Cole at the edge of the Bounty. They all stare intently at the water below us; Kai holds a stopwatch. I glance over Kai's shoulder to check the time: 10 minutes and 42 seconds. I open my mouth to comment when Zane's head breaks the surface of the water. We stare at him bewildered.

"Amazing!" Cole gawks.

"We're not worthy!" Jay says, bowing down to Zane, who has climbed back onto the boat.

"I broke the record?" he asks.

Kai pats him on the back. "You destroyed it!"

"Okay, okay. Is anyone thinking what I'm thinking? We've been training for so long, I don't think we can get any better. Just think of all we've accomplished," Jay says.

I shake my head at them. "You can always get better."

"But still, the question should be raised: Perhaps we have reached our full potential," Zane argues.

"You haven't reached your full potential."

"And how would you know that?" Jay challenges.

I roll my eyes. "Because I haven't reached mine yet. Trust me, when you reach it, you will know it."

"If you haven't reached your own full potential yet, how would you know that we'll know when we reach it?" Cole asks.

I pause. He has a point, I don't know what it's like to reach full potential. I only know what my father told me, but recently, I don't know if I can trust what he said. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe I was never close to unlocking my true powers. Maybe I already have. I don't really know anything. I pretend I do, and sometimes I think I do, but I don't. Most of my life has been a lie. I don't know who I am, I don't know who's side I'm on, and I definitely don't know what it's like to reach your full potential.

I don't let them see this though. I keep a confident posture and glare at them. "Fine, go ask Wu then," I say with a shrug.

The boys don't hesitate to leave me standing there in my faulty glory. They turn away from me and make for Uncle's room. I let out a huff before following them. I cant help but laugh when they begin to argue over how many pushups they can do. Cole's comment about armature hour makes me scoff. If they knew the kind of physical training I did in the underworld, they'd crap their pants.

"Sensei, what does True Potential look like if-" he pauses when he spots Uncle putting a katana away. The four of them bow.

"Our apologies, Sensei. We've interrupted you," Zane says.

Uncle sighs. "I'm sorry if I've been distant lately. My mind has been elsewhere since Lloyd has gone missing." Wu and I share a knowing look. "What can I help you with?"

"Sensei, what if we've done enough training? What if we've reached out True Potential? What if we're ready?" Cole asks.

"Hm. You might have reached peak physical condition, but you've yet to reach your inner potential. In each and every one of us, there are obstacles that hold us back. Only when you conquer that fear will your heart be free. Only then will you reach your True Potential. Only then will we have a fighting chance to stop the Serpentine from releasing the Great Devourer."

So my father was right. This is exactly what my father has been trying to get me to achieve. I reached peak physical condition a long time ago. The past few years, we've focused on inner peace; we've focused on gaining control. That has been the real struggle for me. That is why I haven't reached my Full Potential. It brings me a small bit of comfort to know that not everything my father told me was false.