1: The Ninja Hunter | Rise of the Snakes

Guess who rewrote the whole Moonblood language so someone could actually learn it 0-0 

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I quietly swayed to the music playing off the nearby "radio" as Lloyd, the Ninja, and I worked on cleaning the room to make more space for Lloyd to move in and be comfortable instead of his spare bed he was in now. I turned to Kai who was currently trying to build the new bed frame with me and I hesitated. Yes, I was better than them at Jujitsu, but that's all I know for the most part. My ears flattened a little as I got the red ninja's attention.

"When can I learn how to do what you guys do?" I asked.

Kai turned to me with a bit of surprise in his eyes. "You mean after you just kicked Cole's butt in Jujitsu and you want to learn how we fight?" he asked me.

I nodded in return, turning back to holding one of the feet against the bed frame as Kai screwed it in. "Moonbloods start training in my pack at 7 years old. The first two years of training is Jujitsu, the third is killing while being completely stealthy as well as learning our Shadow Mending powers, and then the fourth is full on fighting techniques."

Kai smiled at me, stopping after finishing the screw he was on. "We'll teach you Liz. And hey, maybe someday you could learn spinjitsu?"

My eyes lit up. "Really? When?"

"Whenever you want!" Jay pipped in. "You'll probably need your powers first but you could ask Wu?"

I nodded. "Thank you."

We finished up the bed and made it with fresh sheets and sighed in relief. Lloyd's eyes glowed as he went to jump on the bed with a giant sigh as he sunk into the nice new mattress. 

"Liz!" he called for me, standing up on the bed. "Come up here! It's fun!"

I grinned and jumped onto the bed neck to him and the two of us began jumping up and down on the bed earning a face palm from Cole, a concerned look on Zane's face, a smirk from Kai, and a look of horror from Jay.

"Hey!" he barked. "Break it, you fix it!" 

I just laughed and threw one of Lloyd's pillows at Jay right in the face and everyone started laughing. "Ok, ha, ha! But did you see... this coming?" he asked, throwing it into Cole's face and started to tackle him. 

We all then grabbed pillows and started fighting with each other. Upper cut after boomerang throw was made and all of us were laughing our collective heads off and I don't think I've ever laughed this hard ever. Not that I wouldn't get scolded at if I had. Everyone was pretty tuckered out as we all laid on the cool surface of the wooden floor and we all sighed. However, soon, I could hear the steady footsteps of Sensei Wu and I gasped.

"Guys! It's Wu!" I said, ushering them from the floor to pick up the pillows and put them back into place. Pretty soon, Wu entered the room with a genuine look of surprise and pride at Lloyd's new bed. "Great job, you guys," he said with a short head bow. We all smiled as Wu went to inspect the bed, only for him to bend down to the wooden floor and pick up a white feather. With a sigh, he turned to us with the feather in hand, looking at each of us.

"Where did this come from?" he asked us.

I didn't move my head but my eyes betrayed me as they searched the rooms and reactions from the others. Zane shrugged. "Perhaps a dove flew up to one of the windows?" he suggested.

The other five of us nodded and saying out agreements, earning a shake of the head from Wu. "You four got a package in the dinning room," he said to the Ninja. "We need to be stronger if we're going to beat Pythor without the Sacred Flute," Wu added. 

"Don't worry," Cole said. "I've almost reached my Full Potential, and when I become the Green Ninja, we're not gonna need any magic flute."

"You're gonna be the Green Ninja?" Kai butted in. "Haha! Don't make me laugh."

"I thought it was decided that I was destined to become the Green Ninja?" Zane asked.

"The only thing decided about you, Zane, is that you're weird," Jay added.

I groaned and stepped between the boys. "Ladies, ladies, you're all pretty, now what's in the box?" I asked Wu.

Wu nodded at us and lead us to the dinning room where a large black box awaited its opening on the large table. Nya was waiting in there with a cup of noddles as we entered, all of us gawking at the box.

"So what is it?" Cole asked, sitting down at the table, me and the others following suit.

"Your new uniforms," Wu said, revealing the inside of the box filled with colored Ninja uniforms with beautiful pieces of armor added to each of them.

The four gasped as they started digging in to find their pair as Lloyd and I watched eagerly for anything that might be for us. Once the box was emptied, I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that there was nothing there for us.

"Nothing for Liz and I?" Lloyd asked Wu.

Wu seemed to falter. "You get um... the box," he said, pushing it towards us.

"Fang'tok," I muttered. 

Lloyd snickered at the curse for "bitch" in my language that I taught him the other day and Zane stared at me with shock on his face. "Hey," he said sharply. I sunk a little into my seat, forgetting how this dude somehow knew my old language. After a moment or embarrassing silence, I sighed. "I guess the fit you gave ne, Sensei Wu, is more than enough."

Before any of us could respond, alarms started blaring, earning a gasp from each of us, the Ninja mid change into their new Gi's.

"Quick, to the bridge!" Nya called.

I smirked at Lloyd. "I'll beat ya there, Garmadon," I purred before blending into the shadows, hearing him gasp. "No fair!" he shouted. I felt the artificial shadows become my skin as I mended with its familiar hug and immediately dashed to the doors where I tripped Lloyd who tried to run past me. My laugh echoed through the halls as I quickly ran into the bridge. There was not real shadow here, causing my power to in lack of better words: suck. So as I entered the room, so did my physical body as I stared at the cameras on the large monitor in the bridge.

The others quickly caught up, all in their new uniforms with Lloyd right on their tails, running past them, and them straight at my face, tackling me down, causing me to laugh.

"You've got to show me how you do that," Lloyd begged. 

I laughed and pushed him off, but Lloyd held me pinned to the ground and tried to bring me into a side control. Due to me not expecting this, he succeeded and I laughed in pride. "Lloyd! That was perfect!" I praised.

Lloyd stood up with a smug shit eating grin on his face as he put his hands on his hips. "I know, right? I've been practicing!"

"Playtime is over, you to," Nya says with a quiver in her voice. "The Serpentine have been spotted at Mega Monster Amusement park."

Lloyd's eyes lit up. "Amusement park? Can I go? Can I go with you, please? Let me make things up. I can help!"

"I'm sorry, nephew," Wu said, laying his hand on Lloyd's shoulder as if to keep him from running. "You will stay here, where it's safe."

Lloyd groaned. "Ninja get all the fun."

Jay smirked and met each of our gazes. "What do you say guys? Time to try out the new merchandise?"

Cole nodded. "Hell yeah! This new stuff feels like it'll really protect us," he said, inspecting his threads again, the armor on his shoulders shined in the light.

"Yet, provides more mobility," Zane commented.

I smirked, pulling up my hood over my face, my ears folded comfortably under the fabric, might need to ask Nya to fix that when I get older. "You wanna strut your stuff on the catwalk," I asked, "or get down to that amusement park so we can go on some rides?" 

Kai shot me a smirk, one that warmed my heart and I felt like I was one of them. Even if I wasn't. "I love a good old fashioned roller coaster, but nothing beats this," he said. 

The Ninja and I ran outside where the wind hit our skin as we approached the ledge. I looked up the Ninja in question and Kai grabbed my shoulder. "Don't worry, kid, hold on tight, I'll fly us down in my jet."

I simply nodded as we all gathered some courage and jumped off the side, me holding onto Kai's arm so tightly, I'm sure I cracked a bone.

Soon enough, each of the Ninja, using their Golden Weapons, summoned their magical vehicles as we plunged towards the ground at a terribly quick pace. However, when we reached the ground, the Ninja dismissed their vehicles and my feet were quickly on the ground again.

Cole laughed, inspecting his new suit. "Haha! Check that out. And not a scratch on me!"

I quickly glanced around the area, but saw no traces of Pythor or the other Serpentine as we walked towards where we could hear cheering and clapping. I tilted my head as we approached. Why would they be cheering for the snakes? Did they get hypnotized? Sprayed by the Venemari?

Jay however, seemed not the slightest bit concerned. "Haha, ladies, relax, relax, we have arrived-"

"They're not clapping for us, idiot," I rolled my eyes at him.

Jay gasped in offense, but Zane stopped us before we could beef anymore.

"Wait, I think Liz is right," he said, starting to walk past the crowd.

Jay and I started at each other, giving "this isn't over yet" looks before walking with the rest of the group. As we pushed through the crowd, the scents of the new people filled my nose, I couldn't pick any out that I could recognize and then that's where we saw the Serpentine. They were members of the Constricti and Venemari and they were tied up in a large net, hanging from one of the tall poles.

"Uh, what just happened?" Kai asked the lady next to us.

The woman gasped in excitement, her hands over her mouth as if she was trying to keep in a secret. "Oh, you totally missed it! There were like, icky snakes, and then this mysterious Samurai came in and saved everyone!"

Another woman next to her inspected her nails with a red face. "He was, like, gorgeous!"

Kai gasped. "You saw his face?"

The first woman shrugged, her brown eyes tempted to roll. "No, but we could totally tell."

Kai sighed and turned back towards us when Jay spotted Nya walking up to us with some cotton candy in her hand.

"Nya, you're here," Jay gasped.

"Yeah, you just missed all the action!" She told us. "He just flew in, took care of the snakes, and then flew off. It was pretty cool."

I watched as Nya left, a smug smile on her face as she did, causing me to narrow my eyes. My feelers were picking up on something fishy... It's not a matter of if I'm right, it's a matter of what.

My ears perked at the sound of a boy's voice, currently throwing what looked like to be a fit of some kind as he was given a Ninja balloon. "I don't wanna be a Ninja! I wanna be a Samurai!"

I watched with wide eyes as everyone started joining him on the train he was on.

"The Samurai is my new hero," said a man walking by.

"I knew the Samurai could kick the Ninja's butts," another said.

"Ugh, who is this guy?" Kai groaned.

"Whoever he is, he's stealing our thunder," Cole said, crossing his arms.

"Seems like you've got some competition," I added.

"You mean we" Zane corrected.

"And we just got these cool new ninja suits!" Jay wined. "Argh! I'm gonna say it. I hate Samurai!"

"Do I hear a hint of jealousy?" I turned to see Wu approaching, cotton candy in hand, as he made his way towards us. "Maybe this can be a lesson for you."

"Oh! Not another lesson," Jay groaned. "Hey, how'd you get here so quick?"

"The lesson is iron sharpens iron," he responded, avoiding the question.

"I do not follow, Sensei," Zane admitted.

"Healthy competition can help you reach your True Potential faster," Wu explained. "Do not be jealous of this Samurai, let it inspire you. Oh, Ferris wheel!" Then like me on hunting day, Wu rushed over to the ferris wheel as I stood and watched, wondering what the hell a ferris wheel was.

"Inspire?" Jay asked the group.

"He's not wrong, you know," Kai told us.

"You want us to compete with the Samurai?" Cole asked Kai with shock. "He's got all the cool gadgets, we don't stand a chance."

"Not with that mind set," I bit back.

"No, not with him. With us."

I side-eyed Jay, he at me, and I signed, crazy, with my fingers, earning a "I know right?" look from Jay.

"I say we turn this into our own competition," Kai continued. "Whichever of us is skilled enough to catch this mysterious Samurai is probably the best of the bunch. You're in on this too, Liz."

"You're going to bring her into this?" Zane questioned.

"I can handle myself," I told them. "And I've been "into this" for a while," I smirked.

"So whoever learns the identity of this Samurai is the one who will become the destined Green Ninja," Jay repeated back. "Ha! I love it!"

"Then it's a bet," Cole said, putting his fist in the middle of us. "May the Green Ninja win."

We joined his fist with our own as we all shouted "Ninja, go!" and it was off to the races. I guess maybe I could be the Green Ninja... Queen Crystal was adamant that I stay with the Ninja, maybe it's because the FSM wants me to be the Green Ninja? We'll just have to see.

Alarms rushed through my ears and I perked up from the sign language lesson between Lloyd and I and immediately sprinted out, catching the report as I left, thanks super ears. I ran down into the woods were I could see some snakes ahead, Zane right behind me, and I locked in. Even if I'm not the Green Ninja, I am competitive and there's no way my new teammates are loosing to me.

I sprint past Zane in my wolf form, but I'm stopped when I see the giant Samurai mech right in front of me, rushing in and rushing out, snakes captured and job already done.

I gasped as Zane finally caught up to me and we both looked at each other in shock. Zane groaned and threw his snowball he had at the ready up into the sky, cursing the Samurai. "Metal menace!" he said.

 I kicked the ground in a fit. "Damn, how'd he get here so fast?"

Zane sighed in defeat. "I don't know."

I gave the white Ninja a smug look. "At least I was able to beat you," I told him.

"Some of us don't, have supper hearing," he said.

"Or powers," I mentioned back.

"You'll get some someday," he assured me.

"Yeah, I guess. I just wish I had them like you guys do..."

Zane let all the teasing go from his face and rested a hand on my shoulder. "I think it's beautiful that you're gifted a power. I respect all of your kin for simply that reason."

"You do?" I asked him, my gut tugged in skepticism. 

Zane nodded. He shows me one of his ice shurikens and spins it in his hand like magic and his blue eyes turned to mine. "These are our powers, Liz. They're limited to what we put into them and in result, they allow us to do incredible things. With the amount of work you've been needing to do, I don't doubt you'll be the greatest Ninja out of all of us."

I didn't say anything, just watched and felt as my stomach's tug let go and filled with a warmth instead. I could feel his truth, he truly believed that. 

"Come on, let's head back," he told me, giving me a lift on his bike as we made our way back to the Bounty.

Lloyd and I were finishing our card game in the Ninja's bed room when Kai and Cole walked into the room.

"'Go, ninja, go,'" Kai was mocking in a girl's voice.

"'Oh, Samurai!'" Cole mocked with him.

What happened?" I asked, not looking away from my card game.

"That jerk totally stole our thunder again!" Kai complained.

"This guy has to go," Cole agreed. "Isn't it our job to save the city?"

"Can't you share the job?" Lloyd asked.

Cole scoffed. "You wouldn't understand, Lloyd," he said, taking his gloves off.

I sighed. "Where's Jay? There wasn't another snake sighting was there?"

"I don't think so, we could check," Cole suggested.

I agreed and the four of us ran to the bridge where the falcon was watching over Jay laying on... train tracks?!

"Is he crazy?" I asked.

"No," Cole said, "He's stupid."

The four of us watched as an oncoming train was honking the horn, probably telling Jay "what the fuck are you doing?" as Jay shouted in a girl's voice for Samurai. 

"Is he wearing a dress?" Lloyd asked.

Indeed he was, and a blond wig too. The dress was very pink, didn't seem like Nya's style, and all we could do is just watch.

Speaking of Nya, where was she? I never smelt her scent when I got back... Quickly enough, Samurai appeared at the train track with some rails in his hands and that bitch laid down a whole new track, allowing the train to pass by him and then as quickly as he appeared, he was gone.

"Gah! STUPID SAMURAI!" Jay spat.

Jay walked into the Ninja's room where we all sat, still in the dress with wig in hand.

"Jay, what were you thinking?" Cole asked.

"Well, sorry I tried to actually catch the Samurai!" Jay barked back.

"Hey, it's not our fault your plan didn't work," I told him.

"You saw my plan?!" Jay asked in horror.

"Yes, my falcon saw it all," Zane said with a smile.

"That better be recorded," I told him.

Jay groaned. "Whatever, how the hell did he just happen to have train tracks lying around?!" As Jay continued to complain, the familiar scent of Nya flooded through my nose as she walked past the open door with... armor?

I narrowed my eyes and claimed I needed something in my room as I followed Nya out into the hall.

I turned the corner to our room and peaked through the cracked door. At the sound of the creeeeek of the door, I gasped as Nya walked up and opened it, quickly pulling me in and closing it again.

She quickly raised her hands up to quiet me before I could yell and I just stood there frozen.

"I guess since we live together, I shouldn't keep any secrets from you..." she started.

"You're the Samurai?" I loudly whispered.

Nya sighed. "Yes. I've never been seen as part of the group, so I decided to become the Samurai."

"How do you just become the Samurai?! You're so good at it already!"

Nya chuckled. "I've trained along side my brother and the others as well as in my own time. I've had a lot of practice."

I just simply nodded and went to sit on my bed. "That's pretty freaking cool," I told her with a smile. 

Nya smiled back, but noticed my hesitation. "Liz, you're very powerful just on your own," she told me. "I actually have something I want to give you."

I watched as she moved behind one of her dividers and grabbed something before returning back to me. I could only gasp as she pulled out two brand new daggers and she walked back to me, holding them out. "Us girls need to stick together," she told me. "Plus I saw your old pair and thought you might enjoy some new ones?"

I took the daggers from her hand and inspected them. Their blades were freshly sharpened and had a beautiful shine, the handles were beautifully decorated and embodied with what looked to be thorn branches colored silver. I couldn't contain my gratitude. 

"I love them!" I told her, jumping up to give her a hug. She returned it and squeezed me back with a sigh. "Your secret is safe with me," I told her.

Nya simply nodded, squeezed one more time, then let me go. "Come on, let's test them out. I'll train with you if you'd like."

"I'd love nothing more."