by Tracey West
“First, I’d stomp on his tail,” Lloyd said, pounding the table with his fist. “Then, when he turns, a thunderclap to his ears. Then, when he’s stunned, I’ll disarm him!”
Cole laughed. “Too late. He’s already hypnotized you and you’re now under his control,” he said, thinking of the powers of the Hypnobrai tribe.
“Or he’s already put you in a squeeze,” Zane said, remembering the Constrictai.
“Or maybe he’s bit you and you’re slowly turning into a snake,” Jay added, shuddering slightly. That’s exactly what the Fangpyres had done to Jay’s parents before the ninja saved them.
Kai’s memories of the Venomari were still fresh. “Or spit on you with hallucinatory venom. Trust me, bad stuff.”
Sensei Wu walked in carrying a package. He had a cheerful expression on his face.
“Uncle, what’s the best way to stun a Serpentine if you don’t know what kind it is?” Lloyd asked.
The sensei frowned. “Sadly, it was the Sacred Flute you four carelessly lost.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, we didn’t lose it. Pythor stole it,” Jay said.
“Whatever the case, without it I fear we have nothing to combat their powers. We may have prevented them from uniting in the past, but they will try again. And one day they will be stronger,” Sensei explained.
“Don’t worry, Sensei,” Cole said confidently. “I’ve almost reached my full potential. When I become the Green Ninja, we’re not gonna need a magical flute.”
Kai shook his head. “You’re gonna be the Green Ninja? Ha-ha-ha. Don’t make me laugh.”
“I thought it was decided that I was destined to become the Green Ninja,” Zane said.
Jay laughed and put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “The only thing decided about you, Zane, is that you’re weird!”
The four ninja began to argue noisily about which one of them would become the Green Ninja. Lloyd was more interested in Sensei Wu’s package.
“What’s in the box?” he asked.
Sensei Wu smiled and removed the lid. “Your new uniforms!”
The ninja stopped arguing and rushed over to the box. Each ninja had the same color uniform as before: black for Cole, red for Kai, blue for Jay, and white for Zane. But the fabric was lighter and stronger, and each one had cool new features, like protective armor and built-in weapons.
“Whoa, they’ve got, like, armor!” said Jay.
“I love the highlights,” Kai added.
“Aww, nothing for me?” Lloyd asked.
“Umm, you get, uh” — Sensei hesitated — “the box,” Sensei said, handing the box to a disappointed Lloyd.
Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!
Before the ninja could try on their uniforms, the ship’s high-pitched alarm rang out. They raced to the bridge, where Cole started enlarging an image on a computer monitor. It showed snake warriors chasing frightened citizens.
“Sorry to break up the moment, boys, but a small faction of our slithering friends are stirring up trouble over at Mega-Monster Amusement Park,” Cole reported.
Lloyd began to jump up and down. “Amusement park? Can I go with you? Please? Let me make things up to you. I can help!”
“I’m sorry, nephew,” Sensei Wu said kindly. “You will stay here, where it’s safe.”
Lloyd moaned. “Aw. Ninja get all the fun!”
Jay looked at his friends. “What do you say, guys? Time to try out the new merchandise?”
Moments later the ninja stood on the rails of the ship in their new uniforms. Each ninja held his golden weapon in his hand.
“This new material feels like it’ll protect us more,” Cole said, admiring his uniform.
“Yet provide more mobility,” Zane added.
“You want to strut your stuff on the catwalk, or get down to that amusement park so we can go on some rides?” Jay asked impatiently.
“I love a good old-fashioned roller coaster, but nothing beats this!” Kai cried. With a whoop, he jumped off of the railing, and his friends followed.
The weapons quickly transformed into Spinjitzu vehicles. The Tread Assault, Ice Mobile, Storm Fighter, and Blade Cycle zoomed through the sky until they reached the amusement park. Then the vehicles morphed back into weapons as the ninja landed, feetfirst, on the ground.
A tall, hilly roller coaster wrapped around the circular amusement park. A Ferris wheel with brightly colored seats rose high into the sky. A red-and-yellow-striped post topped with a spinning disc with dangling swings towered above all of the other rides. The ninja walked among colorful game booths and snack stands toward a crowd of cheering girls.
“Ladies, relax, we have arrived!” Jay said with a wave.
But the girls didn’t even notice the ninja. Curious, the ninja made their way through the crowd. In the center, half a dozen Serpentine were tied up with thick rope.
“What just happened?” Kai asked one of the bystanders, a teenage girl with brown hair and glasses.
“Oh, you, like, totally missed it!” she swooned. “There were, like, icky snakes, and then this mysterious samurai came in and saved everyone.”
Next to her, a blonde-haired girl had a dreamy look in her eyes. “He was, like, gorgeous!”
“You saw his face?” Kai asked.
“No, but we could totally tell,” insisted the first girl.
Just then, Nya walked up and handed each girl a strawberry ice cream cone.
Jay was happy to see her. “Nya, you’re here!”
“Yeah, you just missed all the action,” she said. “He just flew in, took care of business, and then flew off. It was pretty cool.”
Then a young boy’s angry voice got their attention.
“I don’t want to be a ninja!” the little boy cried to his mom. He was wearing a blue ninja costume. “I want to be a samurai!”
The ninja looked at one another in frustration. They were used to being the good guys of Ninjago.
“Who is this guy?” Kai asked.
Cole looked angry. “Whoever he is, he’s stealing our thunder.”
I’m gonna say it. I hate samurai!” Jay folded his arms across his chest.
Sensei Wu wandered over, holding a fluffy pink cloud of cotton candy. “Do I hear a hint of jealousy? Maybe this can be a lesson for you,” he said.
Jay sighed. “Not another lesson!” he complained. “Hey, wait, how did you get here so quickly?”
“The lesson is … ‘iron sharpens iron,’” Sensei Wu replied, ignoring his question.
Zane shook his head. “I do not follow, Sensei.”
“Healthy competition can help you reach your true potential faster,” he told them. “Do not be jealous of this samurai. Let it inspire.”
Then his eyes lit up. “Ooh, Ferris wheel!” he cheered, running off.
“Inspire?” Jay’s voice was doubtful.
“Wait a minute,” Kai said. “Maybe the old man’s right.”
“Compete with the Samurai?” Cole asked in disbelief. “He’s got all the cool gadgets. We don’t stand a chance!”
“No, not with him, with us,” Kai explained. “I say we turn this into our own competition. We all want to know which one of us is best.”
“You mean, which of us is the Green Ninja,” Jay corrected him.
“Yeah, well, whoever is skilled enough to catch this mysterious samurai is probably the best of the bunch,” Kai pointed out.
Jay finally got it. “So whoever learns the identity of this samurai is the one who will become the destined Green Ninja. I love it!”
“Then it’s a bet,” Cole said.
“May the Green Ninja win,” said Kai.
The ninja raised their weapons in the air. “Ninjaaaaago!”
They did not have to wait long to begin their competition. Now that they were free, bands of Serpentine were roaming Ninjago, causing trouble everywhere. The Samurai was sure to turn up soon.
Zane answered a call for help in the Glacier Barrens in the frozen north. A gang of Hypnobrai were te
rrorizing the igloo-dwelling inhabitants of a small village. Zane used his Ice Mobile to speed up and down the icy hills as subzero winds whipped past him.
But when he reached the village, he found the Hypnobrai tied up — right next to the Samurai, who rocketed away before Zane could get a glimpse of his face.
“Metal menace!” Zane yelled, hurling a snowball into the sky.
Kai came to the rescue of three young maidens in the Wildwood Forest. He raised his Sword of Fire and charged at three orange-and-black Constrictai.
“Go, ninja, go!” the maidens cheered.
But before he could even fight the Serpentine, a net swooped out of nowhere and captured the snake warriors. Holding the net, of course, was the Samurai in his mechanical robot suit.
The maidens changed their cheer. “Go, Samurai, go!”
“Ninjaaago!” Kai cried, using Spinjitzu to become a swirling tornado. He whirled toward the Samurai — who shot out another net and stopped Kai in his tracks.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Kai asked.
When Cole found out about a Serpentine attack in the Caves of Despair, he rushed to the scene. Inside the large, dark cavern, the Samurai was already battling a small army of Fangpyres and Venomari. Cole stealthily moved from rock to rock, trying to sneak up on the Samurai.
“Now I’ve got you,” he whispered. Then he jumped onto the Samurai’s giant robot arm.
Whoosh! The Samurai pressed a button and the arm broke apart, launching Cole clear across the cave.
Jay had his own idea about how to capture the Samurai. He decided to set a trap. He put on a blonde wig and a pink dress and lay down on some railroad tracks. He could hear a train huffing and puffing in the distance. He knew the Samurai would have to rescue him — and then Jay could surprise him.
“Help! Samurai!” Jay called out in a high-pitched voice.
The Samurai flew down from the sky and studied Jay for a minute. Then he used his powerful robot hands to tear apart the train tracks next to Jay and put them back together like a puzzle. He re-routed the train, which sailed safely past Jay. The Samurai had seen through his disguise.
“Stupid Samurai!” Jay yelled.
While the ninja were trying to capture the Samurai, they had to take turns babysitting Lloyd. None of them liked it. When it was Kai’s turn, he took Lloyd to Ninjago City and dropped him off at the Kiddie Arcade.
“Just play a few games and stay put while I look around,” Kai told him. “I have a feeling the Samurai may show up.”
“Let me help,” Lloyd begged.
“No,” Kai said firmly.
“Come on,” Lloyd whined. He glanced up at the arcade window, which was filled with oversized stuffed animals and silly toys. “At least drop me off at a decent arcade.”
“Sorry, Shorty,” Kai said. Then he sped off in his Blade Cycle, leaving Lloyd in a cloud of dust.
Lloyd turned to go into the arcade — but then he heard a familiar-sounding voice.
“I hear he found it. And everyone is gathering again.”
That voice was definitely Serpentine, Lloyd knew. He walked to the edge of the building and peered down the long, dark alleyway.
He was right. A group of Serpentine from different tribes was gathered in the shadows.
“Impossible,” said a Fangpyre soldier. “The Lost City does not exist.”
“Well, it isn’t lost anymore,” said the first speaker, a Hypnobrai. Then he laughed. “And I hear there’s going to be a fight.”
“A fight? Count me in!”
The Serpentine walked away from the alley, and Lloyd cautiously followed them, making sure he wasn’t seen. He watched them line up to get on a big green bus.
“All aboard!” cried the Hypnobrai. “Next stop: Ouroboros!”
Could the bus really be going to the Lost City of legend? Lloyd wondered. He had heard the Serpentine discuss the city before. Cole and Sensei Wu had warned that it would be dangerous for all of the tribes to unite. Maybe that’s what they were planning to do in Ouroboros. If so, this was a big discovery. He should go tell Sensei Wu … or …
I’ll handle this myself, Lloyd thought. Then I’ll prove that I can be a ninja, too!
Thinking quickly, Lloyd hurried back to the street. He remembered the toys and stuffed animals he had seen in the arcade window. He ducked inside and came out wearing a big snake head and carrying two maracas. When he shook them, they made a rattling sound. Then he topped off the outfit with a pair of red glasses and some fake fangs. He looked like one of the two-legged Serpentine warriors.
Lloyd raced back to the bus just as it was about to take off. He climbed up the steps.
“Hey, you, hold it there,” said the Hypnobrai from the alley.
Lloyd gulped. Had the Serpentine seen through his disguise?
“Last one in closes the door,” the Hypnobrai hissed.
“Sssure thing,” Lloyd said, relieved.
He climbed aboard and tried to blend in. The bus left Ninjago City and headed across barren desert. It seemed to take forever.
Finally, just as the moon was rising, Lloyd looked out the window and spotted a tall, stone statue of a Serpentine. He gasped as he saw a city sprawl out before him, made up of hundreds of buildings. Statues of Serpentine lined every road.
“The Lost City of Ouroboros is real!” Lloyd whispered.
The bus stopped in front of a huge circular coliseum with spectator seats cut out of the sandstone. Lloyd followed the other Serpentine as they filed into the arena, which was already filled with hundreds of snake warriors. All of them were cheering and shouting. They were definitely ready for a fight.
Across the coliseum from Lloyd, an enormous statue of a serpent towered above the stands. The statue was flanked by two tall pillars, and one was dripping with evil-looking green venom.
Is that the Great Devourer? Lloyd wondered. He shuddered. It was scary to imagine what would happen if that thing came to life.
Underneath the statue, Pythor surveyed the scene in front of him. Next to him was Scales, the Hypnobrai general.
“Just do as I’ve said, and I promise you will be my second-in-command … forever,” Pythor promised Scales.
Scales bowed respectfully, and then the two Serpentine stuffed cotton balls in their ears. Pythor slithered forward and addressed the unruly crowd.
“I bring you together, to the Lost City of Ouroboros, before the statue of our very own Great Devourer, to speak of unity!” Pythor shouted.
But the snake warriors weren’t interested in speeches.
“Where are the fights?” yelled one.
“When’s the big show?” hissed another.
Then the Serpentine began to chant, “Slither Pit! Slither Pit! Slither Pit!”
With an angry roar, Pythor leaped into the circle-shaped Slither Pit in the center of the coliseum.
“You want a show?” he asked. “You want to see a fight? I ask for your allegiance but you will not give it … so I will take it!”
He crawled along the pit, headed toward the Serpentine generals, who were lined up on the other side. Each general held a golden staff with a serpent’s head — the key to each tribe’s power.
“What are you saying?” asked the two-headed Fangpyre general.
“I challenge the four tribe generals for their staffs and their allegiance!” Pythor cried. “At once!”
The Serpentine in the stands erupted. This was what they’d been waiting for!
The four generals began to slither toward Pythor.
“I fought hard for this staff, and will not give it up easily!” hissed the green Venomari general.
The Constrictai general’s orange scales gleamed in the moonlight. “There’s no way he can defeat the four of us at once,” he said confidently. Then he tried to strike Pythor with his staff, but Pythor spun around and lashed at him with his long, purple tail.
The Venomari general attacked next, swinging his staff.
Bam! Pythor clocked him with a hard punc
h.
Then the Fangpyre general lashed out, but Pythor whipped him with his tail.
Angry, the four generals all lunged at Pythor at once. He fell to the ground. From the stands, it looked like Pythor was at the mercy of the generals.
But Scales was only pretending to fight. He slipped him the Sacred Flute, and Pythor began to play. He and Scales couldn’t hear it because of the cotton in their ears.
Lloyd realized what was happening. “He’s using the Sacred Flute against his own,” he whispered to himself.
The generals held their ears and cried out in pain. Scales did, too, but he was pretending again. He threw down his staff and pretended to faint.
Bam! Pow! Smack! Pythor quickly took down the remaining three generals. Each one dropped his staff.
“Bow to your master!” he commanded them.
The four generals all bowed.
Then Pythor addressed the crowd. “Bow to your master, Serpentine!” he cried in a booming voice.
To the snake warriors, it looked like Pythor had won fair and square. They all bowed respectfully. Lloyd bowed, too, but when he lowered his head, his fake snake head started to slide off. When he reached up to grab it, he dropped his maracas. They fell with a clatter into the Slither Pit.
Pythor heard the noise and spun around quickly, spying the maracas. His magenta eyes glowed with suspicion. As he looked up into the stands, Lloyd broke into a run. But the Hypnobrai next to him grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back. Lloyd’s snake head, glasses, and fangs all fell off.
The Serpentine standing next to him grabbed him before he had a chance to run. “Where do you think you’re going?” he demanded.
Pythor looked up in the stands, recognizing him immediately.
“Lloyd?”
Back on Destiny’s Bounty, the ninja sat around the tea table with Nya, complaining about the Samurai.
“Trying to find out the Samurai’s identity is more of a nuisance than the snakes,” Cole said.
“The guy’s elusive. He’s like a ghost. One moment he’s there, the next he’s gone!” Jay added.
