Nova will be wearing this outfit for this chapter, a bit more casual than her ninja/thief outfit. (she is still wearing gloves under the sleeves, for those wondering)
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*At Destiny's Bounty, the ninja are trying to figure out how to stop Pythor from unleashing the Devourer while examining a Fangblade hologram.*
"They got the first one, but there are three more, and we just need one to stop Pythor. They have a map, and we don't, so the question remains: how are we gonna find them first?" questioned Nya.
"I still can't get over the fact that you were the mysterious Samurai. Is anyone else blown away like I am?" said Jay.
"We're over that. Can we move on?" said Kai.
"Yeah, I'm with flamebrain here, can we move on." said Nova.
"Hey!"
Jay begins speaking gibberish. "Someone's a little hot under the collar."
"It appears his impatience is because he has not found inner peace and unlocked his true potential like you and I have, Jay." said Zane.
"Great observation, Mr. Roboto, but Cole hasn't found it either." said Kai.
"I haven't found mine either, idiot." said Nova.
"Shush shrimp."
"I got it!" said Cole excitedly.
"You've unlocked it? Oh, why am I the only one!?" Kai complained.
Nova glared at him as she punched his arm. "I'm here too, you know."
"No, I figured out where I recognized the Fangblade from. I have a picture of it." Cole explained as he goes to get the picture.
"Oh, haha, is that it? Heh. Good." said Kai, relieved.
"I got it!" said Cole and shows them the blade cup from his photo album.
"That's it!" said Jay.
"Back where I grew up, there's this pretty big competition where every year the winner gets the Blade Cup. My dad's won it multiple times." Cole told us.
"You never told us your dad was an accomplished athlete. What sport?" Zane asked.
"Oh, h-he's a, uh...a blacksmith." said Cole, a little embarrassed.
"Nothing wrong with that. My father was a blacksmith, too. But I've never heard of a competition—" Kai said but got cut off mid-sentence.
"That's because he's not a "blacksmith" blacksmith. He's a....Royal blacksmith." Cole explained and turns a page of his album to show them a picture of his father. Everyone snickers.
"That's your dad?" Jay asked.
"But how did the Fangblade become a trophy?" Kai asked.
"Well, supposedly, the Blade Cup was made by this guy who collected priceless artifacts. His name was something like, uh, Dutch...no, Clutch. Clutch Powers! Anyway, it gets passed on to each year's winner." Cole explained.
"Oh yeah, I think one of Ronin's jobs was to get something for him while I was still recovering from that attack in the alleyway a while back." Nova thought to herself.
"Who has it now?" Zane asked.
"I don't know. I haven't talked to my father in years." said Cole.
"Well then, we'll call him up." said Kai.
"You can't! He thinks I'm in training at the Marty Oppenheimer School of Performing Arts." Cole groans. "He wanted me to follow in his footsteps. But when I couldn't sing or dance, well, I...I ran away. When he sees I can't dance, he'll know I've been lying in all the letters I've been sending him."
"He doesn't know you're a ninja?" Zane questioned.
"What? You gonna crack some joke that my old man wears a tutu?" Cole asked.
"No, but if we're going to have any chance at getting that Fangblade before they do, we better get our own act in tune." said Kai.
"Oh brother, this isn't gonna end well." said Nova, shaking her head with a small sigh.
*The ninja finally located Lou's home and jumps off the Bounty.*
"Woo-hoo!"
"Yeah, wooo!"
The ninja use their golden weapons to land safely. Cole opens an instrument case, while Nova gets off Kai's back.
"Alright, hand them over." said Cole.
"Ah-uh. But no mortal shall possess all four." Jay chuckles before giving him the Nunchucks of Lightning.
"Very funny." said Cole.
"You, too, shrimp, hand over your weapons too." said Cole.
Nova simply held up her hands. "I don't have them." She said.
"How come you always have weapons on you when fighting, but any time else you aren't carrying anything with you besides those throwing knives?" Jay asked.
Nova gave him a shrug. "I have my secrets, and you have yours motor-mouth." She said.
"You wanna remind me again why we can't keep our weapons?" Kai questioned as he and Zane gave Cole their weapons as well.
"I told you, my dad can't find out I'm a ninja. And I don't feel like making up excuses why I'm carrying a giant scythe around with me. Just remember the plan: we find out who has the Fangblade trophy, we snatch it, and then we get the heck out of town." Cole explained and knocks on the door.
"Just a moment." Lou opens the door.
"Hey, dad. How long's it been?" said Cole excitedly.
"What? You too good for the doorbell?!" said Lou sternly and slams the door on them.
"Oof, that was harsh." Nova whispered to Jay who gave a nod.
"Uh..." Cole wasn't sure how to react to that.
"Use the bell, son." Lou says from behind the door, and Cole does so.
"♪Welcome!" plays the doorbell, The door opens again.
"Haha. Come on in, son. It's been forever. What did you bring? A quartet? Come in, come in. I've got a kettle of lemon honey tea on the stove right now." said Lou in a much happier voice.
"Hello mister." said Nova, smiling up at Lou.
"Oh, well, hello little princess, I didn't even see you there because of how small you are." said Lou, smiling as he patted her head.
Nova was holding back from trying to attack him, as she could already see on the ninja's faces that they were a little nervous of her doing anything crazy.
*A gramophone plays some background music. After being seated, Cole groans.*
"Did my son tell you I broke my foot? It was the cha-cha, but I swear the percussionist had it in for me." Lou was telling the ninja and Nova who was sitting next to Cole, while drinking some of the tea enjoying it.
"No, dad. I didn't tell them about your silly stories." said Cole.
"Oh yeah, I forgot just like Lloyd, he has daddy issues too.....hmmm I think I also have daddy issues. But that probably leans more towards my stepdad, who I hate a lot." Nova thought to herself.
"Silly stories?" questioned Lou, confused.
"Oh, what he meant was, we've been busy training at the...uh..." Kai tried to explain.
"Uh, the Martha Oppenheimer. Yeah." said Jay.
*Background music suddenly stops.*
"Martha Oppenheimer?" Lou questioned.
"What he's trying to say is the Marty Oppenheimer School of Performing Arts." Zane explained.
"Right! Well, um, see, we have this final research paper we're doing on the history of Ninjago talent, and what we really wanted to know was how we can get our hands on the Blade Cup?" Cole said.
"I'm still an in-training student, but I was allowed to go with them. I was told it would be a good experience for me." Nova simply explained.
"You're talking about getting your hands on the Blade Cup? The most prized and heavily guarded award in all of Ninjago, the symbol of excellence in harmony and grace? You can't just get it, you have to earn it. You have to exhibit style. Perfect pitch. Push the boundaries of artistic license and..." said Lou. "...win this year's Ninjago Talent Show!"
"Um, perhaps there's an easier way." said Zane.
"Is this why you came? You knew I was injured and when my quartet insisted we shan't go on, you four have come to take our place! Haha, ingenious! My son, bringing forth the next evolution of the Royal Blacksmiths! Let me hear the sweet, sweet sound of harmony." said Lou.
They all gets up looking confused and do so.
"Harmony..."
"Harmony..." Simultaneously.
"Harmony..." Simultaneously.
As the harmony dies down, Cole groans and Lou cringes, while Nova simply watches them giggling.
"Look, dad. We just need the trophy." said Cole.
"Yeah, we're bringing home the gold and-and we want you to train us." said Kai.
Lou sniffles. "I've never been more proud. If you'll excuse me, I need to write a song about my feelings." He said, and leaves to do just that.
"What are you doing?" Cole asked.
"Look, we enter this competition so we can get close enough to the Blade Cup. Once we get the Fangblade, we leave town. How hard can this be?" said Kai.
"Good luck with that." said Nova, humming softly.
"Hey, how come you aren't joining us in this, like all our other missions?" Jay asked.
Nova shrugs. "I get stage fright, I can't dance, and I'm an "in-training student" so I'm too young to be in competition anyway." She explained, since she had looked it up, and it said that you at least needed to be 12 years old or older to sign up for the competition.
"And I don't want Ronin catching any news about this, oh god he would never let me forget that, for as long as I live." She thought to herself.
*Some time later, the ninja are training.*
"Okay, from the top. Five, six, seven, eight." Lou counted down and plays some keys on a piano.
"Bop till you drop."
"Shake it till you break it."
"Move it till you lose it."
"Spin it till you win it."
*Piano music stops.*
"Stop, stop! Ugh. If my ears weren't attached to my head, they'd be running away! Kai, love the energy, hate the hair." Lou hits Kai on the head with his cane.
"Aah!"
"Jay, you're giving a lot, but I need more!"
"Zane, you're like a machine. Don't change anything." Zane smirks at the others.
"And Cole, try to act like you wanna be here."
"He's worse than Sensei Wu!" Jay whispered.
Nova giggled watching all of this.
"He's right, put a little more backbone in it, like this." Nova said and started singing the song, at least the parts she had heard from the show, her voice had a soft tone to it like it was a lullaby when she sang.
The others looked at her with jaw dropped, shocking faces. "That! That is what I'm looking for here!" said Lou.
Nova giggled a little as she blushed from embarrassment. "Are you sure you have stage fright?" Zane questioned.
"Hey, I never said anything about that I couldn't sing, just that I couldn't dance and yes, I do have stage fright, at least with you guys I can handle it a little." said Nova crossing her arms.
"Okay, moving forward. Let's take a look at the big show-stopping climax. Cole, we can't have history repeating itself." said Lou.
"Dad, it was the triple tiger sashay. I was seven." said Cole.
"What's the Triple Tiger Sashay?" Kai asked.
"Only the most difficult dance move ever created." Cole and Nova said in unison, causing the others to look at Nova confused on how she knew that.
"I think I've watched this show way too much, but it's not like I can help it. It's just so good, even with some of the bad stuff." Nova thought with a small smile on her face.
"It's true. Many professionals have dare tried, but it's never been successfully completed." said Lou.
"Hence, my father thought a seven year-old could! But I ended up falling on my face, humiliating myself, and letting my quartet down." said Cole.
"Oof, yeah, that's too much pressure to give a seven year old kid." Nova whispered.
"If you're going to win, you have to go big! Alright, time for a break. Take five." said Lou.
"Uh, I'm starting to see why Cole is so closed off. It's cause twinkle-toes here couldn't deliver the goods. Is that why you ran away?" said Jay.
"Damn, if you put that out of context, it would sound so weird." Nova thought.
"Oh, I could deliver the goods—look. I'll deal with my father, but let's stick with the plan. All we have to do is keep this charade long enough until we can get our hands on the trophy." said Cole.
"I don't know. I'm starting to think we can win this thing." said Jay, but Cole grunts at him. "Okay, okay. We'll stick to the plan.""
"You guys are doomed." said Nova.
"Not helping, shrimp." said Kai.
"Not trying to, flamebrain." Nova said, but of course, she already knew that they were gonna win. But that doesn't mean she can't mess with them a little for her own fun.
*At the Concert Hall, contestants are practicing singing, beatboxing, and juggling. The ninja are practicing their routine.*
"Then kick ball change, barrel roll, barrel turn, and we all do the double wings—"
Jay and Kai bump into each other.
"Ow! Dude, you gotta follow me." said Jay.
"Follow you? You're two beats off." said Kai.
"Actually, 2.72 off the beat." said Zane.
"This is a clear sign of a boyband breaking up." Nova whispered to herself while just sitting back and watching them.
"Guys, guys! Let's not make this any harder than it needs to be. We just stick to the plan and keep up the charade until the trophy's revealed. Once we steal the Blade Cup, we can argue all we want once we get back home." said Cole.
"I mean, I could probably steal it, but that would be too easy and this is just more fun to watch." Nova thought.
"But this is your hometown, Cole. Don't you want to try and win it?" said Jay.
"Ugh, they only dance step I wanna perform is called "Get-me-out-of-this-nuthouse-and-let's-burn-these-memories-from-my-head". " said Cole frustrated.
Lou suddenly appears. "What?"
"Shit." Nova and the ninja thought.
"Dad, I..." Cole tried to explain.
"You...you were going to steal it?" Lou asked, shocked.
Nova quickly went and stole some popcorns as she watched the drama.
Cole let out a sigh. "Dad, I didn't mean for you to hear that, but-but I'm glad you did. There's something I've been wanting to tell you. All these years, I haven't been training to be a singer or a dancer. I found something new that I'm really good at. Dad..." He uses Spinjitzu to change into his gi.
"I'm a Ninja." Lou gasps as Cole goes on to explain. "And the truth is, if we don't steal that Fangblade—I mean, Blade Cup—there's other people that will. Bad people. Serpentine. And we need it to save the world. I know how ridiculous this sounds, but I'm proud of who I am, and I want you to be proud of me, too."
"I can't be proud of any son who thinks stealing is right! And I'm not gonna wait around to watch you make a mockery of our family's legacy!" said Lou in rage.
"Dad, I—" Cole tried to explain, but Lou walks away. Cole groans.
"I'm sure he didn't mean that." said Kai.
"Maybe if he saw you in action." said Jay.
"No, it's-it's okay." said Cole.
The ninja looks over at Nova, watching her eating popcorns.
"Do you mind!" shouted Kai.
Nova was about to eat another popcorn, but stopped and started looking down, upset. ".....Sorry."
She puts away the popcorns and leaves, before teleporting to the ceiling. Waiting for the chance to get Pythor later when he shows up backstage.
*Nova watches from the ceiling, until she hears it's the ninja's turn.*
"And last but not least, The Royal Blacksmi—Uh, hold on. Uh, this just in, there's been a switch." said the announcer, combs hair. "Taking the stage next is Spin Harmony!"
"If we're gonna do this, I want everyone to see who we are." said Cole.
"I have butterflies in my stomach!" said Zane.
"Aww, come on. That's just nerves." said Jay.
"No, I really do have butterflies." Zane said and opens his panel to release three butterflies.
"How did they even end up in there?" Nova wondered, still very confused by that part in the show.
"Okay, uh, glad he got that out of his system." said Jay.
"Last call for Spin Harmony!" said the announcer.
"Let's do this, for Cole!" said Jay.
"If we can do the tornado of creation, we can score perfect 10s out there." said Kai.
"I can say anything, and it will only go to elevate our team unity." said Zane.
"I'm glad you guys are my friends. Let's do the whip!" said Cole.
"Ninja, go!"
"Well, it looks like the last act is no longer performing. Haha, that means I can give this to the winners—" said Pythor before getting cut off.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Spin Harmony!" said the announcer.
*The weekend whip plays as the crowd cheers. Pythor orders the Serpentine to attack them.*
Nova smiled, singing along to the song on the ceiling, while throwing knives down on some of the Serpentines and was able to get a few of them.
*Cole performs the Triple Tiger Sashay on three Serpentine.*
Cole imitates a tiger's growl. "Rawr."
Zane gasped. "The Triple Tiger Sashay."
*Everyone but the Serpentine and Skulkin cheer.*
"Oh, he did it! The Triple Tiger Sashay! He's danced the impossible!" shouted the announcer.
*The judges give them a 10, but Pythor gives a 0. The Audience boos him, and Judge 3 manages to get his arm out and writes a 1 on his scorecard, turning it into a 10. The crowd cheers again.*
"What? Wait. I didn't write that!" exclaimed Pythor.
Nova laughed as she watched Pythor's reaction.
"It's a perfect score! Spin Harmony wins the Blade Cup!" said the announcer.
"Oh, this is a travesty of epic proportions! I demand for there to be a recount!" complained Pythor.
*Cole searches the audience for his dad, but his seat is empty. He groans.*
"I've never felt more alive." said Zane.
"Hahaha! We did it!" said Jay as everyone chuckles.
"No, Cole did it. Because of you, Ninjago will sleep safely tonight." said Kai.
"Thanks, but go on and celebrate without me. Winning this doesn't feel the same without my dad being able to—"
"Cole!"
"Dad?"
"I saw it all, son. I saw it all." said Lou.
*The two embrace.*
"You saw me dance?" Cole asked.
"More importantly, I saw you fight. Those Serpentine were up to no good, trying to steal the show, and I saw you stand up for what is right. I was wrong. I shouldn't have pushed you so hard to follow in my footsteps. Everyone is born with a special talent inside that's just been waiting to get out. And you were born to be a Ninja." said Lou.
"You're not mad?!" Cole asked, surprised.
"How can I be? My son's a hero!" said Lou.
"Eh, sorry to interrupt your little family reunion, but did you know..." rips off the beard. "It's me, Pythor."
"Well no shit, Sherlock, I've seen better disguises than that." said Nova hanging upside down on a rope like spider-man behind Pythor, who jumped as he was taken by surprise. "Where did you come from!?"
"The ceiling?" answered Nova with a raised eyebrow.
"You couldn't fool us, Pythor!" said Cole.
"I didn't want to miss our big show stopper." said Pythor.
*Two constrictai pushes a crate, and knocks over stage lights that falls down towards Lou who screams in horror.*
"Dad!" Cole jumps in after him.
*Pythor laughs as he escapes with the Blade Cup, while the other ninja coughs from the dust.*
"They took the Fangblade!" said Nova.
"Cole!" shouted Kai.
*Nova jumps off the rope and joins the others as they gather around the pile, they notice Cole's scythe is glowing.*
"He found his True Potential." said Zane.
*Cole grunts while lifting up the debris with his new found powers.*
"Wha-what? How did we survive that? Son?" Lou asked.
"Cole's found his True Potential. His relationship with his father must have been holding him back." said Zane.
"He's indestructible!" said Jay.
"Ugh, great. So now I really am the only one who hasn't figured out my special power!" complained Kai before Nova punched his arm while Cole returns to normal.
"Is everyone alright? What just happened?" Cole asked winded.
"We're all okay, son." said Lou.
*Back at Lou's house, the ninja are drinking tea.*
"Oh, man."
"That was really cool." simultaneously.
"You found your True Potential." simultaneously.
"I guess the scorecard now reads Pythor-two Fangblades, ninja-zero." said Jay.
"Yeah, but all we need is one, and there are still two left to find." said Cole.
"Who knows? Maybe when I unlock my True Potential, I'll turn into the destined green ninja." said Kai.
"Yeah, dream on."
"Ha, okay." simultaneously.
"The only thing you're destined for is a more inflated ego." said Cole.
"It may not be the trophy, but it sure will look good on my wall." said Lou as he hangs up a picture of the ninja's victory along with Nova.
"All right!"
"Excellent."
"Awesome."
"Nice." Jay said and chuckles.
"As far as I'm concerned, you're all my family now." said Lou.
"Yeah." said Cole.
Nova had stayed quiet for the most of it, as she was sitting more in the shadows, alone with her own thoughts and worries.