Episode 8 - One Down

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"Next!" the thug serving our breakfast shouts. Dad walks forward with his tray held out. "Nuh-uh, nothing for you."

"There's a valuable lesson here, children. If you turn your back on your first evil Sensei in an effort to go straight, you may not be served creamy biscuits," Dad says. He stalks away from the lunch line and picks out a table for us.

"Well, I know what we are being served," Lloyd says bitterly. "A whole bunch of bologna! This isn't a fighting tournament. It's an alibi for Chen to steal everyone's powers. And we still don't know why."

"Isn't it obvious? Chen wants to destroy New Ninjago City," Kai replies. "I don't know what it is, but that place has had a string of bad luck."

"I'm not so sure," Cole says. "From what Sensei G's told us about him, I have a feeling it's something far more sinister."

"I'm still betting it's snakes," I say. The thug piles creamy biscuits onto my plate and I follow Lloyd to the table dad picked out for us.

When Cole and Jay finally join us, they are arguing:

"And I used to think Ninja wouldn't steal your girlfriend!"

"Whatever you have to say to each other, say it now, because harboring grudges hurts no one but ourselves," Dad says coolly.

"He's right," Lloyd says. "You should be preparing to fight your next opponent, not each other."

"What grudge?" says Cole. "I already dropped."

"I dropped it first," Jay argues.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

They start to argue loudly again, knocking each other's plates to the floor.

Dad lets out an aggravated sigh. "The tournament will test them. Either find a way to make peace, or neither of them will move on."

A loud bang over the intercom silences everyone. Then Chen's obnoxious voice rings through the hall.

"The tournament of Elements continues," he says. "Fun time! Would the following Masters please make their way to their assigned arena?

"Speed, Gravity, Smoke, Nature, Mind, and last and hopefully not least . . ."

"Maybe we all got the day off," Jay says.

"Fire!"

Kai gasps and I look at him, but he's looking over at Skylar. Everything that happened last night resurfaces to the forefront of my brain and I clench my fists.

"Remember, only one can remain."

~

Turner, Master of Speed, beat Gravis, Master of Gravity, and Neuro, Master of Mind, beat Bolobo, Master of Nature. Now, Kai's fight is about to start and I hate to admit that I am sitting on the edge of my seat. No matter how much he's hurt me, I don't want him to loose.

Their arena is over a pit of lava. A bridge connects the two rocks that they stand on and the Jadeblade lies in the center.

"Kai, Master of Fire, versus Ash, Master of Smoke," announces Chen. "Fight!"

Kai runs across the bridge towards the Blade. Ash jumps on the bridge, causing it to shake, and the Jade falls off, landing on a rock below the bridge. Kai looses his balance and almost falls off the edge.

"Come on, Kai, you can do it," Lloyd whispers beside me.

Kai swings across the bottom of the bridge, launching himself through the wood and back up top where Ash is. He goes to kick him, but Ash turns into a cloud of smoke and Kai flies straight through. Kai tries again and, again, Ash disappears. Each time Kai tries to throw a punch, Ash turns into smoke, then reappears behind him to punch him in the back.

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