Chapter Text
Principal Wu sat in his office staring out the window from his desk. His desk was meticulously organized and polished to perfection. His desk was low and near the ground, so all Wu did was kneel on his knees. He doesn't like nor care for those big chairs, they take up too much space and cause slouching, bad for the back. He has a rug underneath and makes sure people always take their shows off before sitting down to meet with him. The student's parents initially found it odd when he started school, but they got used to his little quirks. He was a bit of an old timer, guess being around 1000 did that to you. His mind thought of the serpentine flute on the back wall, maybe with age came paranoia.
Wu got up to make himself some tea. There was a little table for tea. The blue pot wasn't Wu's favourite, but it was a gift from his students and the first gift he ever got as a principal. He wanted to gain trust. He looked through his various teas. Chrysanthemum, that seemed nice. He poured the tea into a matching blue cup, careful not to spill. He didn't want to burn himself again.
He held the cup in his hands tightly and went back to his desk. He wasn't in the mood to look over angry parent emails. It's not his fault their children fail to have the focus necessary to succeed academically. Wu knelt by his desk to enjoy his cup.
While he sipped he stared at a photo he put next to where he kept his pens. He wanted to always see his family, as there were no pictures of the First Spinjitzu Master. Garmadon was shy in photos, rightfully so, but he had one good picture of him and his brother. People would ask him who was in the image and Wu would smile and say someone from the past.
The photo was of Misako, Garmadon, and himself. The pale-faced being with the blood-red eyes that glowed showed in stark contrast to his dark hair, but the smirk was familiar. It was one Wu grew to fear just as much as he loved. Misako herself was positioned to Garmadon's right. Her long black hair was put in a nice braid. Her white streak is shown in it, an accident from Garmadon's element. Misako was unharmed and even declared it "badass" as he remembered. The girl he once loved had a bad habit of cursing.
She and Garmadon were both holding street food. Misako with her yaki-imo and Garmadon with some dango. Wu was to Garmadon's left with a panicked expression. The principal chuckled to himself. Younger him was scared of silly things, but being afraid of Misako and Garmadon during a debate wasn't the worst thing to be afraid of. The debate was over whether Misako should be allowed a bite of Garmado's dango.
Misako won.
He mentally scolded himself for getting distracted by the past, there are more important things, like the future and the present. Wu looked over to the right of his desk. Every morning Wu wakes up and writes a to-do list. Next to each item was a number showing how many days it had been since Wu put it on the list it has been there.
Never put off until tomorrow what can be done today. Garmadon's words echoed through his mind.
The list read:
- Prepare for the Friendship Games-16
- Oil the door-59
- Find the green ninja-5479
- Plan the Musical Showcase-31
- Soundproof the music room-41
- Train the ninja-47
Wu sighed. Too much to do. He should take his brother's advice more often.
If you ever find yourself entangled in a falsehood, simply recite a dramatic monologue. It will make people too distracted to challenge your narrative.
Maybe not all of it.
Wu never enjoyed the Friendship Games. He never decided on the contestants soon enough. Wu was always occupied with finding the elemental masters of the creation elements. He wanted to make sure they were there for the Shadow King's inevitable rise. He nor Garmadon had any children, so his brother had no one capable of stopping him. That's why Vice Principal Dareth always chose who got to compete. Most of the time it's what the kids would call a "basket case". Thank his father, he has found the masters for the elements of creation. Another plus is the element of water is in the group.
They're going to compete. While they don't balance each other perfectly, they're balanced enough to be a good team.
Wu got up from his desk and went out the door.
A loud electric guitar greeted the Master of Creation. Wu is glad the future Elemental Masters are bonding, but why in his father's name did they have to be a band? He remembered his list, soundproofing the music room.
He internally braced himself as he walked down the hall. He made the music room close to his office just in case anything were to happen to them. He opened the door and saw the sight to behold.
Upon entering the music room, Wu was met with an awe-inspiring sight. Nya Raya Smith occupied the back, skillfully playing the drums. Her blue drums with red accents featured a majestic blue phoenix on the bass drum. Nya, with her short hair and bangs swaying with the rhythm, wore a red and blue plaid shirt with rolled-up sleeves. Her ripped jeans and red shoes with a black heart on the back completed her ensemble. Her face glistened with sweat, yet she was the first to notice Wu's presence despite being in the back.
In close proximity to Nya, Jay Walker energetically danced with a tambourine in hand. He sported a plain blue t-shirt and darker blue shorts with orange stripes on the sides. His shoes appeared worn out as if they had been passed down through generations. The red-haired Jay seemed to be trying to showcase his dancing skills, and it was difficult for Wu to discern whether he was genuinely talented or simply shameless. Nonetheless, Wu decided to assist the young Master of Lightning rather than teach him a lesson.
Cole Brookestone stood to the side, wearing a black tank top. Wu had heard Cole's singing voice and recognized it as one of the best in the group. With an orange headband keeping his hair away from his face, Cole had tied it up into a high ponytail. He and Zane mainly composed the songs that the band performed, or at least the ones that gained the most popularity.
As usual, Zane sat at the piano, seemingly unaware of Wu's entrance. The boy donned a white zip-up hoodie over a light blue shirt, paired with his usual white pants. Wu couldn't help but acknowledge that Zane's taste in clothing was less than stellar. Previously, Zane had favoured an all-white ensemble, but his style had seen some improvement thanks to Cole.
At the front, strumming his electric guitar with gusto, stood Ray Kai Smith. Kai wore his leather jacket over a red t-shirt featuring a fire motif. His black jeans completed the outfit. Wu suspected that Kai had stolen everything in his wardrobe but had yet to make him confess.
Once Kai noticed Wu's presence, he halted his playing, and the rest of the band followed suit. Zane, with his piercing blue eyes, addressed Wu, asking what had brought him to the music room.
"Principal Wu, what brings you here?" asks Zane, the bright blue eyes staring into Wu's.
"I'm sure most of you are aware the Friendship Games occurs every two years. Am I correct?" questioned Wu, an eyebrow raised.
Most of the group nodded their heads, Jay's however nodded a bit late.
"As you all know we compete against Pythor Prep in a series of three competitions."
"More like three beatdowns. They've always won." blurted Kai, earning the guitarist an elbow and a glare from Nya. "What? They always do."
"As I was saying we compete against Pythor Prep in three different competitions. We as a school have only played two. This is because of one sole reason. We have no motivation to win. We are stuck in a whirlpool of believing in our inevitable failure. However, this isn't our destiny. I have chosen each of you five for your determination, kindness, ability to stay calm, creativity, and intelligence. None of you have all of these traits, so you all must balance each other. I want you all to see a future where you try, not where you try. Can all of you agree to that?"
The group looks at each other and nods.
"How can we say no?" said Kai, with his signature smirk.
"That's what I want to hear." Wu turned away, he had much to do today. He still had to schedule a setup for the relay race.
"You know what else you want to hear?" said Jay walking close to the microphone. "This song. 1! 2! 3! 4!"
We've fought magic more than once and come out on top! sang Kai.
Oh oh
Wu supposed he that could wait a little longer. Not every day do you get to see Elemental Masters showcasing their musical talent.