Work Text:
Sensei Wu stood at the entrance of the Monastery hall, hands folded inside his sleeves, eyes calm.
The ninja lined up in front of him.
“There is,” Wu said, “one rule.”
Jay squinted. “Just one? That feels suspicious.”
"The other rules still apply,"
"Oh"
Wu raised a finger.
“Do not step on the third tile from the left.”
Silence.
Kai blinked. “That’s it?”
“Yes.”
Cole glanced down at the floor. “Why?”
Wu smiled.
“You do not need to know.”
Jay immediately leaned over. “Okay but what if—”
“I am not leaving,” Wu added calmly.
Everyone froze.
Lloyd frowned. “You’re… staying?”
“I am simply observing.”
That somehow made it worse.
They all slowly looked down.
The tiles were identical. Same color. Same size. Same innocent little stone squares.
Jay whispered, “Which left?”
Kai whispered back, “MY left or YOUR left?”
Zane crouched. “Perspective matters. From my calculations—”
“NO CALCULATIONS,” Kai snapped.
Cole carefully lifted one foot. “Okay, nobody panic. We just… avoid the third tile.”
Jay stared at the floor like it had personally betrayed him. “I don’t like that it knows.”
“It does not know,” Zane said.
The tile creaked.
Everyone screamed.
Wu sipped his tea.
Lloyd took a careful step forward.
Click.
Nothing happened.
They all relaxed slightly.
Jay followed—carefully placing his foot down—
“WAIT,” Kai yelled. “Was that the third tile?”
Jay froze mid-step, balancing awkwardly. “I DON’T KNOW. I LOST COUNT.”
Cole counted under his breath. “One… two… thr—”
The tile lit up.
Everyone panicked.
Jay flailed. “I’M SORRY I’M SORRY I’M—”
Nothing exploded.
Nothing moved.
Nothing happened.
Jay slowly lowered his foot.
“…That’s it?” Kai said.
Wu tilted his head. “Interesting.”
“That was the rule?” Jay yelled. “THAT’S IT?”
Wu nodded serenely. “Yes.”
Cole stared. “There’s no trap?”
“No curse?”
“No chicken?”
Wu smiled. “Not today.”
The ninja collectively groaned.
Jay collapsed onto the floor. “You let us panic over NOTHING.”
Wu’s smile widened slightly.
“Discipline,” he said, “is learning restraint—even when there is no consequence.”
Kai squinted. “You did this on purpose.”
Wu took another sip of tea.
“Perhaps.”
Jay muttered, “I hate wise people.”
Wu looked down at the floor.
“…You may step on it now.”
Jay screamed and leapt across the room.