author's note : it has been so fun to sort of play around with some of the backstories of these characters, to flesh things out and explain some stuff about them that weren't really touched on or even talked about in the show- and though it can be a little time-consuming i have loved being able to do that with this fic. i think that i can honestly say that every one of the characters i write has a little piece of myself in them, which is so freeing and beautiful as a writer. i hope you all have enjoyed this story so far, your support has been incredible and i really appreciate it!

trigger warnings : none

words : 3,483

quick author's note: i know updates have been a little scarce, and i apologize for that! life has been quite a rollercoaster as of late! in the meantime, feel free to check out my october writing challenge book (rudeneja) for more 'emergence' content- as most of the stuff there will likely be drawn from this 'universe' and heavily feature characters from this fic. (updates will hopefully be more frequent there than they are here!)

chapter five : these little moments

"Long before time had a name, Ninjago was created by the First Spinjitzu Master, by using the four weapons of Spinjitzu. The Scythe of Quakes, the Nunchucks of Lightning, the Shurikens of Ice, and the Sword of Fire. Weapons so powerful, no one can handle all of their power at once.

"When he passed away, his two sons swore to protect them, but the oldest was consumed by darkness and wanted to possess them. A battle between brothers broke out, and the oldest was struck down and banished to the Underworld.

"Peace returned and the younger brother hid the weapons, but knowing his older brother's relentless ambition for power, he placed a guardian to protect them. And for fear of his own demise, a map for an honest man to hide."

Sensei Wu smiled as he took another sip of tea, before he gazed across the table at Cole and Lyla. Both of them were silent, attentive expressions on their faces as they waited for the ninja master to continue his tale. It was unlike anything that they had ever heard before.

The older man chuckled softly to himself as he noticed them staring at him intently, and he set his cup down before continuing.

"Fortunately, things are still peaceful in Ninjago. The older brother has not been heard of since, and the younger brother has remained hidden in his father's monastery for the time being as he prepares for whatever may come in the future."

Cole looked over at Lyla in surprise, his eyes widening in realization. "You're the younger brother, aren't you?" He questioned, turning back to Sensei Wu. The ninja master smiled a little, looking over as he gave them a small nod in response, before answering Cole's question.

"I am the younger brother, and my father was the First Spinjitzu Master. I have chosen you to become one of my first students and to eventually become a master of Spinjitzu. You have a great gift, Cole, and you possess the elemental powers of Earth."

It took Cole a moment to process through the things that Sensei Wu had told them, after hearing about the elemental powers that he had. It was big news, and certainly changed a lot of things. But suddenly, something else that the ninja master has said caught Cole's attention. "Wait a minute, did you say that you chose me to become one of your first students?"

Sensei Wu looked at Cole as he spoke, the small smile on his face hidden under his long white beard. "You are correct, Cole." He said finally. "You are the first of several students, and there are others who will one day join you in training to master Spinjitzu."

Cole suddenly felt excited at the thought of meeting others like himself. It would take some time to get to know them, but he was hopeful that they would be able to develop a close friendship over however much time passed as they trained together.

If what Sensei Wu had said was true, then they would also be the ones in charge of protecting and defending Ninjago. While that seemed like a daunting task, the idea of having a team to fight alongside him made it seem little less intimidating.

Now that Cole knew there would be others who would go through the same training as he did, and that they would all face the same trials as they worked together as a team, he felt confident that they would be able to fulfil the task that Sensei Wu had set before them: to follow in the footsteps of the First Spinjitzu Master as they discovered their true potentials and trained to become Ninjago's protectors.

Several weeks went by. Every morning, Cole woke up early and attempted to finish the training course before Sensei Wu could finish his tea, and every morning he failed. But he refused to let that discourage him, and instead pressed on.

Cole spent most of his day out in the courtyard. He put all of his effort into his training as a ninja, and had become stronger and more skilled in different areas. As he practiced, he was surprised to feel his strength growing, as well as his endurance.

Sensei Wu told him that it was a result of his elemental powers of Earth, and Cole worked hard to harness his new abilities. He and Lyla were slowly beginning to feel at home here in the monastery, and had already established and settled into different daily routines and activities.

Lyla still took care of most of the cooking, like she had ever since she was old enough. Cole tried to become a better cook, he really did, but no matter how hard he tried things just didn't seem to turn out exactly how she said they should. Sensei Wu had long given up trying to teach him anything in the kitchen, his patience had worn out after only a few times. So Cole stuck to learning things that he was good at.

When he wasn't training, Cole was almost always spending time with his sister. Even with his new responsibilities, the close relationship that they'd always had remained the same. Lyla was as supportive and kind as she always had been, which he was grateful for.

They still practiced sparring in the courtyard almost every day, and Cole had begun teaching her some of the more simple moves that he'd learned, even letting Lyla attempt the training course one day when she had begged him to let her try it.

She wasn't much of a fast learner, but she did try. Cole always felt the smallest sense of pride when Lyla was finally able to master something small, though she was still nowhere close to beating him in a fight, or even being a decently challenging opponent.

Lyla didn't mind though, and was happy just to be included in a small part of what her brother was doing. When he wasn't training the two of them spent a lot of the time just hanging out together, whether inside the monastery or close outside it.

They frequently took long walks and explored the areas beyond the monastery, and on days when Cole was given a break from training, they sometimes packed a lunch and spent most of the day hiking and exploring like they had done at their old home long ago.

These happy moments spent with his sister during the first few weeks at the monastery quickly became some of Cole's most cherished memories. The two of them made the most of the days they spent there, while things were still new and the days were long and sunny.

It was another one of those peaceful, lazy sunny days when Cole and Lyla were out in one of the fields near the monastery. Sensei Wu had gone out on some errands, leaving the two siblings alone. After they had done a brief clean-up like he had instructed them to, they had packed a lunch and headed off to spend the afternoon outside and enjoy their time together before the ninja master returned.

Almost as soon as they had gotten off of the dirt road leading out of the monastery and wandered into the tall grass of the field, Lyla had removed her shoes and was walking barefoot among the grasses and flowers. The sight caused Cole to laugh, his eyes sparkling in amusement.

Carrying the basket full of the food that they had prepared, he followed his sister's trail through the sunbathed grasses, whistling a cheerful tune as he walked. The sky was blue and almost completely cloudless above them, the atmosphere of the field peaceful and quiet.

"Are you coming?" Lyla's somewhat teasing voice broke through Cole's thoughts. The tune on his lips died in the middle of a note as he glanced over at his sister, a small smile appearing on his face as he noticed her already a good ten feet in front of him.

"I'm coming!" A playful smirk made its way onto his face as an idea suddenly came to Cole's mind. Still carrying the basket of food in one hand, he suddenly dashed forward with a surprising burst of speed. "Race you there!" He shouted, laughing as he quickly passed his surprised sister.

It took Lyla a moment to react, but pretty soon she was speeding through the grasses behind her older brother, an amused look on her face. "That wasn't fair! You should have at least given me a warning!" She exclaimed, trying to catch up with Cole, who was still way ahead of her.

"I gave you a head start! You were like fifty feet ahead of me!" He responded with a laugh, not stopping or even slowing his pace.

His words made Lyla laugh, but before she could come up with a response, he'd already beaten her to their designated lunch spot. He set the basket down on a flat stone, barely even out of breath. When she finally got there moments later, panting, Cole looked over at her with a small smile. "I was wondering when you were going to show up." He teased, before she playfully shoved him in the shoulder.

"You know, if you were half as fast in the training course as you were racing me here, you would have mastered it long ago."

"Hey! That training course is harder than it looks!" Cole replied indignantly, and Lyla couldn't help but laugh when she saw the look on his face. She quickly assured him that she was just teasing, and he looked almost relieved to hear that she wasn't being serious.

Lyla smiled as she sat down beside the rock that the basket was currently on, glancing inside of it to make sure that none of the things they'd brought had been damaged during the race. "So, do you want to eat lunch or have a game of tag first, Master of Speed?"

Cole sighed dramatically, turning his face to gaze out at the field in an effort to hide the amused look on his face. "Knock it off, Lya." He demanded playfully, his brown eyes sparkling in the sunlight. "Let's just eat quick, so we can head out for a walk."

Lyla nodded once, a small smile still on her own face as she began pulling things out of the basket. Cole helped her get everything out, and after several moments the two of them were sitting together among the grass and the flowers, talking softly as they ate. 

The sun was still shining brightly in the sky above them, though it was moving slowly toward the west as Cole and Lyla walked up the steps to the monastery. Their skin was already slightly tanned as a result of many hours spent outside, and the two had bright smiles on their faces.

When they came inside, Sensei Wu was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea, a relaxed expression on his face. "Welcome back."

"Hello Sensei!" Lyla greeted him cheerfully, setting their basket on a nearby chair. As she headed off to the sink to wash her hands, Wu couldn't help but notice the wildflowers that now partially filled the basket, and the sight of them caused a small smile to appear on his face.

The ninja master was quiet as he sipped his tea, content just to watch Cole and Lyla for the time being. The blonde-haired girl had returned with a vase and was beginning to carefully place the flowers in it, while the raven-haired boy had headed off in the direction of the fridge.

It was strange how after spending years alone in his father's old monastery, with no one to talk to and plenty of peace and quiet, in just a few short weeks Wu had already become mostly used to having two children now living here with him. They brought a sort of liveliness and vitality to the place, and in their interactions the ninja master saw things that reminded him of his own relationship that he had had with his brother.

At the thought of his older brother, Wu couldn't help but sigh softly. It had been years since Garmadon had disappeared, struck down to the Underworld. He had been there that day, and had tried to stop his brother from taking the Golden Weapons that had once belonged to their father. Ever since then, he hadn't seen his brother. Or Misako, either. Some part of his mind reminded him.

Soon after his older brother was banished to the Underworld, his wife Misako had disappeared without a trace. By that point, she and Garmadon had been married for several years, and had a baby boy that they named Lloyd. His nephew. Wu had searched for them after everything was over, but had found no trace of either his sister-in-law or her son. He'd lost the remainder of his family that day.

Even after all this time, and several years had passed since then, Wu still felt guilty for not being able to find them. He'd wanted to offer Misako support and comfort after the loss of her husband, and would have happily helped her raise Lloyd if that's what she had wanted.

But that was in the past. Though he refused to forget about the past, and to forget about the members of his family that meant so much to him, Wu was focused on completing the task set before him: to train several students to become Masters of Spinjitzu. There were others out there that were like Cole, and though each of them possessed elemental powers, they were all very different and talented people.

Over the years he had been keeping an eye on the people that would one day become his students, and now was simply waiting for the right moment to bring them together. They all came from different backgrounds and had many different stories, but they were all gifted people that would one day become not just a team, but a family. Though it would be tested many times, their bond would soon become unbreakable.

Cole was already doing quite well in his training, and though he still had a long way to go to become a Spinjitzu Master, he was heading in the right direction. It would take time, but with practice and patience Wu was confident that Cole would one day become an excellent ninja.

Soon, the small group at the monastery would be growing with the addition of a few more students. Like he had done with Cole, Wu had gone to talk to one of them this morning, and to invite them to join him in training at the monastery. If things worked out how he was sure that they would, then when the ninja master returned from his errands the next day, he would be bringing another student with him.

Things are only going to get crazier from this point on, and who knows what will happen in the coming years? Wu thought with a small smile, as he took another sip of his tea. He noticed the faded blue vase that was now on the table in front of him, filled with colorful wildflowers. The ninja master was surprised to find that he recognized all of the flowers, and even more surprised to discover that he knew the names of each of them. They had grown around here as long as he could remember, and the sight of them brought back more memories of his younger days.

It seemed like it had been only yesterday when he and his older brother had been the ones that spent hours exploring outside, staying out until the sun's light began to fade. But now here he was now, many years later, sipping tea at the kitchen table as he waited for Cole and Lyla to return from their own adventures outside the monastery. Yet the same flowers were still growing, even after all of these years.

Time is a strange thing. It always has been, and it always will be a mystery to men. We all feel its effects, but are unable to do anything to stop it or to prevent the changes that it brings to us all, Wu mused, gazing down at the tea in his cup and studying the reflection that he found there.

"How did your errands go, Sensei?" Lyla's soft, cheerful voice startled the ninja master out of his thoughts, and he glanced up from the cup in his hands to look at the young girl standing beside the table, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement as he gave her a gentle smile.

"They went quite well, thank you Lyla. I trust that you and your brother had a nice afternoon, am I right?"

The blonde-haired girl nodded, smiling brightly as she looked at the ninja master. "We did, thank you. It was a really nice day."

Wu smiled a little more, taking a sip of tea before he nodded in agreement. "It certainly was. I'm glad that you two were able to get out of the monastery a bit and spend some time together this afternoon. I know Cole always enjoys a chance to get out of training if he can."

The last sentence was spoken just as Lyla's brother entered the room, and with a tone that indicated that the ninja master was just teasing him. But Cole still looked up from the plate of cake that he held in his hand, a slightly confused expression on his face. "That's not true."

Wu couldn't resist a small chuckle, and Lyla laughed softly. "He's just teasing you, Cole." The blonde-haired girl said, looking over at her brother in amusement. The smile on her face faded though, as she noticed the plate in his hand. "Cole! You can't eat cake now!"

Cole smirked, a mischievous look in his dark brown eyes. "Of course I can. Cake is one of those things that I can literally eat anytime."

Lyla groaned softly, rolling her eyes a little before she looked over at him. "Of course you can eat cake now, but you know that's not what I meant. You shouldn't be eating anything this close to dinner, which I was just about to start working on. You'll ruin your appetite."

Wu took another sip of his tea in an effort to hide the amused smile on his face, not wanting to have any part in this conversation.

"I'll be fine, Lyla." Cole said immediately, a small smile still on his own face as he looked over at his sister. "I'm not going to ruin my appetite; I'll still eat a good dinner. Besides, it's not that big of a piece." He managed to keep a straight face as he took a bite of the cake on his plate.

"Sure. Compared to the size of the pieces you normally eat, it really isn't that big." Lyla replied, crossing her arms with an irritated frown.

That made Cole laugh. Fortunately, he had swallowed the bite of cake in his mouth, so he didn't end up choking on it. "See, it is a small piece." He said with a triumphant smile, looking back over at Lyla, whose expression was one of annoyance.

The blonde-haired girl threw her hands up with a soft groan, shaking her head. "This isn't the first time we've had a discussion like this, and I know it certainly won't be the last time. I don't even know why I try to talk you out of things like this anymore."

Cole chuckled, putting another bite of cake on his fork. "Someone has to. You know, if it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't eat anything but cake."

"You're right, I doubt that you would." Lyla replied with a sigh, running a hand through her blonde hair and tugging at it lightly. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but instead closed it and shook her head once more. "I'm going to start making dinner."

Cole smiled and ate another bite of cake before speaking. "Sounds good. I'll come and help you with it when I'm finished here." His sister just nodded, the faintest of smiles appearing on her face as she headed off in the direction of the kitchen. The raven-haired boy chuckled softly as he noticed the expression on his sister's face, and he leaned against the wall as he continued eating his cake.

Wu smiled and drank the last of his tea, before setting the cup back down on the table in front of him. Liveliness and vitality indeed, he thought with a chuckle. This was what he had been missing all of these years that he'd been living alone in the monastery. Lazy sunny days, laughter, wildflowers on the kitchen table, and playful bickering between siblings.