Chapter Text
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Prologue
it was pouring.
rain battered heavily down from thick grey clouds that settled overhead. and while they usually would spend the time inside, hanging around the giant tv in the gaming room, master wu had ushered them outside to train. the group were not strangers to fighting in sub-optimal conditions, but this was getting a bit ridiculous. at least it was fun, for some of them at least.
splash! water rushed over the red ninja before he had the chance to cover his head. lloyd landed with a wet splat behind him, a smug smirk pulling at the sides of his face. "hey! watch it-" huffing, kai turned. pointedly ignoring lloyds laughter behind him. holding out in an effort to keep his gi from getting more muddy than it already was. "master wu, why do we have to be training in the rain? "
from across the yard of the monastery, sat nicely on a rock atop the sandy floor, wu lifted his head to look at his pupils. his face remained dry beneath the brim of his straw hat. eyes creasing ever so slightly as lloyd jumped in another puddle and nearly slipped onto his behind. returning his focus to kai as the ninja spoke, wu had his turn. "do you think the weather will obey you? you must be prepared to fight under any circumstances-" he lifted from where he sat, "you must hone your skills in every environment. do you understand?"
grumbling, kai shook his arms again. "yes, master wu." turning back to the fight, kai locked his eyes on cole. leaping towards the other ninja, he had planned on landing a kick, cole however, saw him coming. barely landing, kai turned on his heel and watched as cole shuffled on the slick muddy ground and came crashing down after fighting for his balance. "snrk-"
"uugh-" pushing himself up from the floor, cole wiped the grime from his arms as best he could. "isnt underground an environment? why cant we train there! where yknow its warm and dry?" with a sputtering noise cole scrambled back as nya rode a wave of murky rainwater right over the entire group. soaking not only himself, but the rest of the gang as well.
"ha! i dont see what the problem is." nya grinned, landing ever so gracefully on the soggy turf of the training grounds. her eyes scrinkling near the edges as kai coughed and whined under his breath about his hair. "training in the rain is a blast." - under his breath, kai replied with a "pf course you'd think so."
"i dont have to agree with nya." zane piped up as he lifted his head to allow the rain to pitter patter down his face. a soft smile creeping over his features. "it is quite nice, it reminds me of when i first joined you all. when i would meditate at the bottom of a lake." inhaling slowly, zane let the memories- distant and foggy with nostalgia -wash over him like the rain from above. "its very relaxing."
"wait- wheres jay?" kai piped up, turning to squint through the rain. "how come he can skip training?" beside kai, nya crossed her arms. a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "yknow what, i thought this storm lacked some lighting!"
just as she spoke, the doors to the monastery swung open, the blue clad ninja rushing out with his excuse for being late in tow. "sorry guys! i was just-" coming to a stop right below the awning, jay held up his bounty. an old looking umbrella, fashioned pout of a long stick of bamboo. before he could click it open, wu shouted a quick warning. "dont open that!" with a raise of an eyebrow, jay glanced down at the umbrella then back at wu. "..the... umbrella? i found it in a closet! i figured cause its raining i could-"
"youre gonna train.." kai started, and beside him nya finished his sentence with a laugh. "with an umbrella?"
"why not!" jay shrugged, his smile creeping back onto his face despite their sensei's odd behavior. "see look-" shifting his grip with the umbrella, he held it in his right hand and with the other karate chopped the air in front of him. "i can hold the umbrella with one hand, and fight with the other!"
"jay, that umbrella is very dangerous." wu was standing closer now, his warning hanging ominously in the air. and as the ninja all turned to glance at him, jay countered the old teachers odd cryptic warnings with a curt. "its just an umbrella. seriously master wu, what're you worried about? that i'll poke my eye out or something?" as if to prove his point, jay twirled the umbrella like a staff. and as if it were a self fulfilling prophecy, fumbled the landing and poked himself in the eye withthe long end of it. "ow-"
as jay lifted his left hand to cover his eye, wu leapt toward him. snatching the umbrella from his grasp before jay could blink. and as he stepped back, he realized the other ninja had their training in favor of staring at him with curious-questioning eyes. though, the first to pipe up was lloyd.
"alright, uncle. whats the deal with thie umbrella? you usually dont get this..." he glanced around at his siblings as if perhaps they might give him the much needed words to describe how their master was acting. though they all sort of averted his gaze, so lloyd turned back to his uncle with a forced grin. "..moody, over us grabbing old things. so there must be a story behind this, right?"
sighing, wu held the umbrella softly between his hands. cradling the canopy as if it were precious. "there is indeed.. and since this training exercise is going nowhere, i suppose i will you about it." glancing down at the unassuming item in his grasp, he hummed. then lifted his head and began to walk deftly towards the open monastery doors. "come, lets get inside and out of this rain."
glancing between each other, the ninja all silently thanked the first master.
not only were they getting out of training, but they'd be getting a story as well!
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