Emeralds and Roses

One Of Us May Not Make It Back

Breakfast the next morning was tea, shrimp rice and biscuits, my favorite dish from the noodlehouse I used to adore so much before I found out that the owner was a crazed power maniac who was secretly assembling an underground fighting club.
I waved awkwardly at my brother before taking my seat onve again by Tox's side, it felt strange being on good terms with him again its been so long I swear Id forgotten what it was like.

I better make an appearance there sooner or later

But they seemed very caught up in their own discussion as they walked over to their table. That was until Cole and Jay started pushing each other for some reason

Odd I thought they were best friends

Regardless I decided to step in right as Jay's tea and creamy biscuits fell to the floor. "heyyy guys" I said "Y/N!!!!" they all crued and I was pulled into a massive group by my brother, Jay and Kai.
Just then Master Chen's voice sounded over the intercom
"the tournament of Elements continues, FUN TIMES. would the following masters please make their way to their assigned arena?"
The following elements were called out
Speed
Gravity
Smoke
Nature
Fire
And last but not least
Crystal

My faced dropped and Cole could see why, I hadnt fought in one of the challenges yet, I see now why but I couldnt help but wonder who I would be put up against.
Kai gasped and we looked at each other in despair, one of us might not continue to the next round.

The first challenge kicked off in a mountain like arena, the Jade blade was placed in a cherry blossom tree right on the top branch balancing dangerously close to the edge.
Turner and Gravis had to compete foe this first round and they wasted no time racing to be the first to reach the blade. Turner used his speed to scale the tree whilst Gravis just floated up like he weighed nothing at all.
All in all after a grueling fight between speed who was moving so fast that Gravis hardly wver even saw him aside from the red and white streak rushing around and gravity, speed inevitably won and got to mobe forward in the tournament.

The second challenge was set in a rock garden with the jade blade sitting ontop of a tall Boulder, imbedded into the stone.
I was placed to fight against Bolobo the master of nature. Not a veey fair fight if you ask me but I had no choice. Still determined to not use my elemental power I had a plan, it was a risky one but if my assumption about this guy was right I might just get away with it and win.
The moment Master Chen called out "fight!" I jumped out of the way as vines immediately went for my feet. The plan was simple avoid the vines for long enough that he either gets tangled in them or gets tired.
Ten minutes were spent with me just dodging, ducking and trying to get to the blade but my plan was failing. This Bolobo guy really knew what he was doing and I was starting to grow tired. I could hear shouts of protest in the crowd, everyone not understanding why I wasnt using my abilities but Coles voice could be heard loudest out of the crowd, and suprisingly Lloyds aswell. I was starting to get annoyed, this guy disnt know when to quite so out of natural instinct my fists tightened and my eyes began to glow. The crowd fell silent and the vines began being encapsulated by pink rock that seemed to come out of nowhere, I had barely moved and already nullified most of my opponents advances. Then I took a step forward as my back foot left the ground a spike shot out from where it was originally placed.

Bolobo slammed his staff on the ground out of frustration and a vine sprouted beneath his feet lifting him up, he was trying to get to higher ground hoping he'd make it to the jade blade first but his actions gave me an idea.

He needs his staff

When I found an opportunity I raised my hand and another spike erupted from the ground in his direction knocking the staff out his hands, as it fell to the ground so did he and his vines began to retreat back to where they came from. Now was my chance. Scrambling I created a platform for myself lifting me up to the top of the Boulder as a seemingly never-ending pillar of crystal grew from the ground.

I grabbed hold of the jade blade hilt once I reached the top and with one big pull managed to pull it out of its stone casing securing my win.

And the third challenge was in a volcano on a rickety wodden bridge, scary enough that I had hives running up my spine.
This would be a battle between smoke and fire.
Kai was the first to make a run for the blade but Ash was faster, he swung himself against the rope railing of the bridge causing it to wobble and Kai neaely fell off.

The Jade blade landed on one of the rocks formed over thousands of years slowly chipped away by the molten lava. Kai was hanging on for dear life and Ash made a go at him. Pulling himself up Kai was launched into the air and broke through one of the planks but Ash disappeared before Kai could actually hit him. That was his ability, he couls turn himself to smoke and back to human at will and he was using it to his advantage.

Kai made multiple attempts trying to kick, punch or even touch Ash but it was useless he would constantly disappear mere seconds before Kai touched him and reappear again in a different place. Kai was losing but he hadnt used his element yet so there was still hope. Ash got one last hit in on him causing him to fly back breaking every plank in his wake and had him dangling once again over the lava.
This was the first time I had ever seen Kai scared and honestly it worried me. Chen on the other hand was loving this, it worked out to be a fun show for him regardless of the fact that someones life was at stake, a son, a friend, a brother. He didn't care I dont think he was capable of caring.

Things started looking up when Kai finally started using his element but he was still losing, badly. Ash made a mistake, he turned to smoke right as Kai jumped over him allowing kai to grab the blad and win. I was sitting with my brother and his friends and we all breathed a sigh of relief when master Chen announced Kai as the winner.

That night I took my dinner in my room instead, sitting out on my balcony I ate in peace as I watched the stars twinkle. I hadn't met my neighbor yet, in fact I wasnt even sure if I had one until I noticed the door slide open slowly. I heard soft footsteps but when I actually bothered to look at who it was I was pleasently surprised to see Lloyd, his face painted in shock just like mine.

"fancy seeing you out here, neighbor"
I chuckled, trying to make as if I wasnt wallowing in my own self pity and guilt
"why weren't you at dinner" he asked
"gosh no greeting back? For Ninjagos prophecied savior you do lack manners"
"sorry" he apologized before leaning against his balcony as silence fell between us. It wasnt awkward, not wven the slightest bit. I think theres been so much tension between everyone as of late we both didn't have the energy to feel awkward even though tis was actually the first time we formally met.

"do you ever feel guilty? When you win one of the challenges I mean" it had been on my mind for quite some time now, Id watched the present master of nature fall through a trap door all because he lost and it was eating away at my resolve. I felt like an aweful person but at the same time I knew I couldn't lose not now.

"yeah" he sighed, I could tell the weight of the world rested on his shoulders but I wonder if anyone else ever bothered to see it.
"It cant be easy, being the worlds savior, I could never imagine having to fill such a responsibility"
I sympathized, and I saw how his gaze softened slightly

"its not all bad" he chuckled unironically "it has its perks, like saving people, seeing their smiles when they realize they get to live another day. It gives you a new perspective on life I learnt to appreciate every day just a little bit more"

I looked back over at him, his words somehow surprised me. He had such positive outlook on life, it had me secretly wishing I could view the world like he did, but Ive seen too much in my lifetime. Things that will never go away and still continue to haunt my dreams to this day.

"you know, Im sorry that I never got to meet you when the rest of the team did" he began
"we would have been roughly the same age then and it would have been nice to have a friend around especially with that lot" It made me laugh, how could we habe been the same age I was convinced the green ninja, I was convinced he was the same age as Cole, he definitely looked like he was.

Chuckling at my confusion he took the liberty to explain "Im 21 but I shluld actually be 18, I traded in my few years of youth to help the other ninja, theyre like brothers to me so it was worth it even though the effects were irreversible."

I nodded in understanding even though I didn't really understand but chalked it up to being 'ninja business' and dropped the subject.
I don't know how long we were out there, it felt like minutes but it could have been hours only retireing to our respective rooms when the night sky started growing lighter.