Disclaimer: These are not my characters. They hail from Ninjago, and yes, I'm aware that it is a "kids' show", but one of my dreams is to someday rewrite my childhood show and really pull out all the potential it has. This is just a start.
**
With a final grunt, Cole hoisted himself over the precipice and finally stopped to catch his breath and enjoy the view. The eastern mountains of Ninjago stretched out before him, the sun slowly descending into their peaks. Cole inhaled, filling his lungs with the crisp mountain air, and slowly released it. He was miles from civilization and yet he felt so much more connected to the world when surrounded by the soaring peaks. He laid back against the rough stone and bathed in the sun’s waning light. It was always so peaceful here, so homely, and the only place he ever truly belonged.
“Help!”
The call cut through the serenity, bursting it like a bubble. Cole sat up and peered down the cliff side he had just scaled. There, several meters below him, an old man struggled up the cliff, his foot lodged in a crevice. “Help!” he shouted.
“Hold on! I’ll be right there!” Cole hastily tied his rope around a rock and knotted it to his harness. He rappelled down to where the old man was stuck, shouting encouraging lines as he drew near. “Gotcha! Are you okay?”
“Forgive me for being curt, but do I look okay?”
Cole gritted his teeth. Ask a stupid question, I guess, he thought. “Looks like your foot’s stuck.”
“Oh really? I didn’t notice.”
Ignoring the man’s attitude, Cole pulled out his pick and carefully chiseled at the crevice as the old man wiggled his foot free. Then grabbing his robes, the boy carried him to the top of the precipice where they both collapsed to catch their breaths.
“Well!” the old man chuckled. “I’m certainly not as spry as I once was.”
“Forgive me for prying,” Cole panted, “but what are you doing climbing a mountain at your age?!”
“Would you like some tea?” As if magic, the old man produced a teapot and cups from his sleeves.
“Is that why you were so heavy!” Cole blurted. He stammered an apology upon receiving a look of rebuke.
“That’s certainly no way to treat your elders, young man.”
“Please, forgive me.”
“Let bygones be. Tea?”
“Y-yes…”
Cole watched as he built a small fire with more supplies magically pulled from his incredibly deep sleeves. As they waited for the water to boil and the tea to steep, he wrapped his rope and checked his equipment for any wear.
“But speaking of one’s purpose to climb this mountain,” the old man began, “why are you here?”
Cole hesitated to answer. “I was taught to be wary of strangers.”
“Mm, good answer I suppose. What’s your name?”
“Cole.” Surely no harm in giving him that. “And you?”
“You may call me Sensei Wu.”
“Master? What discipline?”
“Spinjitzu.”
“I… am unfamiliar with that one.”
“It’s a bit of a… forbidden art,” Sensei Wu winked.
Cole paled. “Th-that doesn’t mean…?”
“Hmm, yes, it is fortunate we are on the mountain. It’ll easily be ruled an accident.”
“Uh…”
Wu burst into laughter, throwing back his head and clutching his chest. “I jest! I jest! It’s not that forbidden. More like, it’s a very powerful discipline, and so I must be very careful about who I teach it to. That’s actually why I’m here. I’m searching for a student.”
“Well, I didn’t see anyone besides you on my way up, but I’ll keep an eye open on my way down.”
“Actually, I think I’m here for you, Cole.”
Accepting the tea, Cole frowned and said, “No offence but I’m not exactly monk material.”
“Oh, I’m not a monk, not in the sense you mean. I’m a ninja.”
“I’m even less interested.”
“Really? Being a ninja is quite exhilarating.”
“I have a normal life to—"
Something swung for Cole’s head and he barely had a second to duck before another blow landed in his side. He leapt away from the edge and jumped to his feet, narrowly dodging a flurry of strikes Sensei Wu rained down upon him.
“Good!” the old man proclaimed with far too much glee. “You’re steady on your feet and agile.” With a final low kick, he brought Cole plummeting onto his back. “But you are still too slow.”
“Wha—!?” Cole gasped, the wind knocked from his lungs. He stared, dazed, as Wu returned to his teapot and downed another cup and kicked out the fire.
“Well then, Cole, I look forward to teaching you.” With an impish grin, he leaned back over the edge. Cole shouted and raced to catch him, but by the time he even reached the ledge, Wu was nowhere in sight.