Writers of Destiny (episode)/Transcript

(On the Destiny's Bounty, Arin checks on Riyu.)
Arin: Our little guy's still asleep. Totally exhausted.
Lloyd: Saving a kingdom of magical mud-eating rock monsters will do that.
Kai: So you're telling me this dragon, like, "sparks" or something, then Sora can use her elemental power?
Sora: If I even have a power. It might be all Riyu. You saw how he powered up that mud field.
Lloyd: We've gone over this. You have a power. Riyu just ... soups it up.
Nya: "Souping up" isn't how dragons work, is it? That's weird, right?
Lloyd: Everything's been weird since the Merge happened. As far as I know, no one's ever taught themselves Spinjitzu before. But then, the Merge hits, and suddenly ...
Kai: Wa — wait. You learned Spinjitzu by yourself? No Master Wu morning breath?
Arin: Well, it's kind of a shaky, basic Spinjitzu.
Lloyd: But still better than any of us could do when we started out.
Arin: I was just trying to figure out all the moves I'd seen you do. I'm ... kind of a ninja fan.
Sora: "Kind of"? (She chuckles.) He once asked a barber to give him "the Zane". It did not go well.
Kai: Of course not. He should've gotten "the Kai".
Nya: Please. You shouldn't even get "the Kai". (To Lloyd) And you think all this is tied to these Merge Quake things?
Lloyd: Maybe. MergeQuakes are like aftershocks of the original Merge, where two realms try to occupy the same space. Elemental powers shut them down, but they're happening more often.
Kai: That's why I went searching for help. If we don't stop the MergeQuakes, they could destroy everything.
(Behind him, Arin accidentally punches himself in the face.)
Nya: Wow. So we've really got our work cut out for us when we get back to Ninjago City.
Lloyd: Speaking of cities ...
(They all turn to see that they are approaching the Cloud Kingdom.)
Arin and Sora: Whoa.
Kai: The Cloud Kingdom. Whoa. 
Sora: Why wasn't this here on our way out?
Lloyd: It's a floating kingdom. Maybe it drifted into our path?
Arin: (He sighs.) Looks relaxing here. I could really get used to this.
Kai: Anyone else feel that?
(The area around them shakes violently. They stop the ship.)
Arin: Relaxation is cancelled!
----(The ninja barely manage to avoid part of a building crashing down on them.)
Woman: Help!
(Kai and Nya share a nod, then use Spinjitzu to reach Euphrasia and Marcus.)
Kai: Don't worry, we got —
(All four of them fall. Arin uses his grappling hook to get them all to safety.)
Kai: Way impressive, Arin! Very ninja.
Nya: And Kai rarely admits to being impressed.
Lloyd: What's happening here?
Euphrasia: The beast is smashing everything! How was this unforeseen?
Nya: Beast? What beast?
(They turn to see a giant starfish-like monster with tentacles and a single eye emerge from a rift.)
Nya: Oh, that one.
Lloyd: Wanted to know more about MergeQuakes, Nya? Today's your lucky day. This monster's realm must be merging here.
(Overhead, two Ice Dragons attack the monster.)
Sora: There are dragons here?
Euphrasia: They came from one of the lands we crossed over and thought this would be a safe place to live.
Lloyd: Everyone, save the people. I'll try to close the MergeQuake.
(The ninja disperse. Sora leaps into her mech.)
Sora: Let's see if this thing still works the old-fashioned way, with no elemental powers. (It activates.) Yes!
Kai: (He hits the monster with fire to no avail.) A fireproof monster? I hate fireproof monsters!
Arin: Prepare to be impressed again, Kai! (He starts to do Spinjitzu, but is grabbed by the monster.) Never mind!
Sora: (She blocks a tentacle with her mech.) Ew. This thing is slimier than it looks. It's like fighting a tongue. (She is hurled away by the monster.) I misjudged that! (She sees some people standing and writing in a circle.) What are you doing? Get to safety! Can you not hear me, I said — (She screams as the monster grabs her again.)
Arin: Help!
Kai: This just went from bad, to super bad.
Nya: Lloyd! Don't close the MergeQuake!
Lloyd: Have you lost your mind? I need to close it!
Nya: Not yet! We can't hurt this thing, but we can force it back into the MergeQuake, right?
(She and Kai use Spinjitzu to slam the monster back.)
Arin: I hope — their plan — works.
Sora: We won't — be around — if it doesn't!
Lloyd: It's working! If the creature's near the Merge when I close it, I think it'll get pulled back into its realm!
(The monster starts to glitch. It throws Arin and Sora away.)
Sora: I've lost power!
Arin: Don't worry, I got this! (He fires his grappling hook, but it doesn't latch onto anything.) Help! Anyone!
(Just before they hit the ground, they start hovering.)
Arin: Huh? What's happening? Are you doing this?
Sora: Yeah, with the new flying power I don't have?
(They are set gently onto the ground by an unseen force.)
Arin: That wasn't normal, right? (He sees Euphrasia with a glowing hand watching them.) She's the Elemental Master of Wind?
(Kai and Nya return to the Bounty.)
Kai: Let's kick this thing back to wherever it came from.
(He, Nya, and Lloyd succeed in closing the rift.)
Kai: Yaya! Way to go, us!
(The ninja fly to a different section of the Cloud Kingdom, not noticing the rift reopening behind them.)
Lloyd: This is pretty far out form the original Merge for a MergeQuake.
Nya: So they're getting worse, and happening in more places. Just like you were afraid they would.
Lloyd: Master Wu was studying the Merge before it happened. He called it the "Coalescence" or something. He had a ton of scrolls about it.
Nya: Great! Then we just use them to figure out how to stop these things.
Lloyd: Not great. Most of the scrolls, and his notes, were lost in the Merge.
Nya: Oh.
Kai: Listen, King and Queen of Buzzkill, I'm gonna go talk to these cloud monks. I'm sure they're dying to tell us how awesome we just were.
(They meet up with Arin and Sora near the monks standing in a circle.)
Suetonius: Hello, fabled ninja. I am Suetonius, the current Master Writer of the Cloud Kingdom. And you're welcome.
Kai: Is this backwards day? Who's thanking who?
Sora: Yeah, the ninja saved everyone while you all stood here writing.
Suetonius: Of course. Because here in the Cloud Kingdom, we are the Writers of Destiny.
Kai: Oh, right. I forgot. In the Cloud Kingdom, they believe everything they write in their scrolls is immediately what happens in real life.
Suetonius: Not belief. Fact. I instructed my scribes to write that you would be victorious, and you were. Fact.
Sora: Why doesn't that sound quite right?
Lloyd: Because it isn't. The Cloud Kingdom claims they're responsible for fate, but when something they write doesn't happen, they ignore it.
Suetonius: I admit that, on occasion, events somehow manage to defy destiny. But that is exceedingly rare.
Arin: Can you write that my parents come back? They were lost in the Merge.
Suetonius: Sadly, no, my son. Because —
Lloyd: Lemme guess. The Merge "defied destiny".
Suetonius: The Merge did catch the Cloud Kingdom by surprise, like it did everyone else. But I've instructed the scribes to write that a MergeQuake like we just experienced will never come again. So, problem solved.
Nya: Wait. You write down everything that's happened everywhere, right?
Suetonius: Everything that has happened and everything that will happen.
Nya: So if there's any info about how to stop MergeQuakes, it could be in your archives?
Lloyd: Huh. Smart thinking, Nya.
Suetonius: Did you not just hear me say "problem solved"? Still, we do encourage all truth seekers to study our learned writings. Show the ninja to the library, Marcus.
Marcus: This way, please.
Lloyd: (To Arin and Sora) We'll check this out. You three stay here and keep watch.
Arin: You want us to just wait?
Lloyd: We're in unfamiliar territory. Anything could go wrong. Call us the second you need us.
Arin: Will do!
----(On the Bounty, Arin feeds Riyu pie, while Sora repairs her mech.)
Sora: Ugh. It was bad when this thing fell to pieces. Now it's completely crushed. I can't even begin to repair it! They really should have let you go with them. You deserve to be there.
Arin: What's that supposed to mean?
Sora: You taught yourself some Spinjitzu, Arin. You should become a ninja more than anyone. Way more than me.
Arin: But you have an elemental power.
Sora: That I keep messing up with. I could've gotten Nya killed in that dragon Cragling fight we were in before we got here. I do know it would be better for everyone if I never use them again. I can't control them. (Arin offers her a hug, and she chuckles.) You're a good friend.
Arin: (He sees something in the distance.) Sora, look! It's the girl with the elemental wind powers!
----
(Marcus leads Kai, Nya, and Lloyd to the Cloud Kingdom archives.)
Marcus: And that's how storm clouds can wash ink stains out of white togas. Okay, we're here.
Kai: Okay, this might take a while.
Scroll-Worm: Input search request.
Marcus: The library is vast. But that's why we have these. (To the Scroll-Worm) Worm, bring me information on Lloyd Garmadon. (The worm turns green and speeds away.) The worm will pass the request along, and soon, you have a team searching for your information.
Lloyd: Wow, these things are great.
Scroll-Worm: Information obtained. Garmadon, Lloyd. Legendary Green Ninja. Picks his nose and eats it.
Lloyd: Stop! These things are terrible!
Marcus: Apologies. The Cloud Kingdom archives are very detailed.
Nya: Alright, let's give this a shot.
Scroll-Worm: Input search request.
Nya: Search for info on how to prevent MergeQuakes.
(The Scroll-Worm speeds off.)
Kai: Oh, looks like someone has a new nickname, Master of Green Boogers.
(They laugh while Lloyd groans.)
----(Arin and Sora catch the girl just as she exits a building.)
Sora: Nice weather you've got up here, even if it is a little ... windy?
Euphrasia: I have no idea what you mean.
Arin: She means how you're the new Elemental Master of Wind.
Euphrasia: I don't know what you think you saw, but I'm from Cloud Kingdom, so I can't be an elemental master.
Sora: Uh, you can, 'cause you are.
Euphrasia: Elemental masters use actions to impact the world. Cloud monks use words only. Writing destiny is our power. Anything else, especially actions, violates who we are.
Sora: Trust me, I know this stuff can be scary. But the ninja can train you.
Euphrasia: Having a power would get me exiled from the Cloud Kingdom. I would lose my family, my friends, my whole way of life. So I. Don't. Have. A. Power!
Arin: I'd give anything to have an elemental power. How could she turn her back on it?
(Rapton watches them from a distance.)
Rapton: Oh, so cute. Wrapped up in their own drama. They'll never even see us coming. (He laughs evilly and backs into the cover of the clouds.)
----
(In the Cloud Kingdom archives, the Scroll-Worm returns.)
Scroll-Worm: Information obtained. MergeQuakes can be permanently prevented via usage of the thr — (Suddenly, it stops mid-sentence and turns red.)
Marcus: Curious. I've never seen that before.
(The Scroll-Worm spits silk from its mouth.)
Kai: Ugh, gross! What part of the worm is that string coming from?
(More Scroll-Worms turn red and join in to attack the ninja.)
----
(Outside, the ground shakes again. Arin and Sora watch the starfish monster reemerge from a rift.)
Sora: Remember how Lloyd said to call him 'cause anything could go wrong? I think this counts as "anything".
Arin: (He puts on his hood.) Lloyd! Kai! Nya! Come in! Hello? Come in!
Euphrasia: (To Suetonius) Master Suetonius, you said this couldn't happen again!
Suetonius: Destiny is clearly testing our resolve, Euphrasia. Keep writing! Write that this MergeQuake ends!
Arin: (To Sora) The ninja aren't answering! I've gotta go find them. (He rushes into the Cloud Kingdom archives.) Lloyd? Kai? Are you — whoa. (He sees cocoons hanging from the ceiling and shoots down one of them. He opens it to find Lloyd.) Lloyd!
Lloyd: Behind you!
(The red Scroll-Worms start to attack.)
----(The starfish monster attacks the circle of monks.)
Suetonius: Keep writing! Only the words of destiny can save us now!
(A monk rights his easel and writes, but Euphrasia stares at the monster.)
----(On the Bounty, Sora continues to repair her mech.)
Sora: Ugh. Useless hunk of junk. (To Riyu) I know what you're thinking, Riyu. But I can't control the powers. I'll just make this all worse.
(The monster tries to strike the Bounty. Sora ducks, but someone pushes the tentacle away.)
Euphrasia: Time to make our own destiny! (She pushes the monster back with her powers.)
Monk: Is that Euphrasia?
Suetonius: She's abandoned her scrolls! This is not our way. What is she doing?
Monk: I think she is saving us.
(Euphrasia pushes the monster back, but a second one emerges from the rift. She is grabbed by a tentacle. Sora arrives in her mech and saves her.)
Euphrasia: Thank you.
Sora: So much for turning our backs on our elemental powers. Let's do this! (She and Euphrasia attack together.) We've got to shut down that MergeQuake before more of these things come through!
Lloyd: (He arrives with Arin.) We can help with that!
Arin: Whoa! (He collides with Lloyd and flies through the air, landing on Sora's mech.) Hi. Did you ...
Sora: It was kinda necessary. Where've you been?
Arin: I released the ninja from the evil worm cocoons in the cloud basement.
Sora: Yeah, that's a nonsense jumble of words and you know it.
(They continue to fight the monsters. Debris nearly crushes the circle of monks, but Nya saves them from it.)
Suetonius: Thank you for writing that the ninja would save us.
Monk: But, Master Suetonius, none of us were writing anything.
(The ninja work together to push the three monsters into the rift and close it.)
Lloyd: (To Euphrasia) So, you're the new Elemental Master of Wind, huh?
Euphrasia: That's what it looks like, I guess.
Lloyd: I knew the last one. I already like you more.
(They approach the cheering monks.)
Euphrasia: (To Suetonius) Master, I knew what I did goes against everything we believe in. But after the Merge, I discovered I was an Elemental Master. I tried to deny it, but when I saw I could help save our kingdom, I just couldn't hide who I was any longer. I realize this means ... I will be exiled from the Cloud Kingdom.
Suetonius: Perhaps it's time for us to admit that the Merge has changed a few things.
Euphrasia: You mean ... I can stay?
Suetonius: I'll require someone's assistance updating how we do things around here. Maybe that could be you.
(Euphrasia smiles. The monks cheer again.)
Arin: So, uh, what happened to the world being better if you never use those powers again?
Sora: I'm still not sure I'm meant to be a ninja, but someone inspired me not to sit on the sidelines when I have the chance to help people. (She glances towards Euphrasia.)
Arin: Was it me? Oh, it was me, right? You should've seen me kicking those evil worms! Very inspiring. (He screams as a Scroll-Worm appears on his head.)
Nya: (To Marcus) So, you have no idea why the Scroll-Worms acted like that?
Marcus: No. But I suppose it's possible the worms were cursed to become defensive when certain information was requested from them. Forbidden information.
Kai: Cursed by who?
Marcus: I don't know who would do such a thing. Or how they could.
----(Later, all the ninja except Nya get ready to leave on the Bounty.)
Lloyd: You sure about this, Nya?
Nya: If there are answers in the archives about the MergeQuakes, someone needs to keep searching for them. It won't be easy without the Scroll-Worms, but ... ninja never quit.
Kai: You know where to find us when you have something, sis. (He waves at her.) Let's get back to the monastery, boogers.
Lloyd: Stop it.
(Kai laughs as they depart.)
----
(Up in the skies, Rapton's forces are carrying the two Ice Dragons away from Cloud Kingdom. Rapton contacts Ras.)
Rapton: It worked perfectly, Lord Ras, just like you and the Empress planned. There was so much chaos, no one even noticed us.
Ras: Imperium continues to gain the upper hand, and the ninja are entirely in the dark.
(End of the episode. For more information, click here.)
Category:Transcript
Category:2023
Category:Season 1 (Dragons Rising)