03x01 - The Missing

[bunniefuu]

[tense music playing]

[Rox]
When the name of Time was still new,

there was a w*r

in the First Realm of Creation,

a w*r between Dragons

and their mortal enemies.

A great warrior of the Dragon army,

Thunderfang, the Shatter Dragon of Chaos,

believed his w*r victories

entitled him to become
one of the Source Dragons.

When he was denied this honor,

he unleashed chaos upon the fabled...

City of Temples!

There, the devout followers
of the Source Dragons,

those who ran the Tournament of Sources,

would've been destroyed
if it were not for...

...the Arc-Dragon of Focus!

[roaring]

[heroic music playing]

The Shatter Dragon,
whose powers were fueled

by the souls of his consumed enemies,

blasted weaponized storms
of chaotic power.

Yet, Focus is the natural enemy of Chaos.

In victory,

the Arc-Dragon of Focus
imprisoned Thunderfang

deep beneath the ground
of the First Realm,

where he remains, in chains, to this day.

But all that has been chained

may one day be unchained.

♪ Lost in the unknown ♪

♪ Together we will rise ♪

♪ We fight ♪

♪ Be a ninja for what's right ♪

[thunderclap]

[sighing] I bet Arin misses
this place, huh, Riyu?

Sora, you're doing Arin's old pie run?

Lobbo lobbo!

Yup, Arin's still missing,

but us Ninja are working hard
on finding him.

Until then, I thought I'd do what
Arin would do if he were still here...

baking pies and bringing them to
all Arin's friends and neighbors.

Wonderful, thank you!

Lobbo lobbo!

[screaming]

Distress!

Total system shutdown!

Lobbo lobbo!

I'm sure his reaction had nothing to do
with the quality of my pies.

Free pie?

Nothing better than--

I need my stomach pumped right now!

[spitting and screaming]

[screaming]

They can't be that bad. Blech!

[spewing and coughing]

I should probably seek medical attention.

Blech. I know what I need to do...

but I don't like it.

[soft music playing]

[popping noise]

Aah!

Stop.

Stop what?

That... [groaning] ...whatever!

That mouth noise.

My mouth's not making any noise, Nya.

Well, it is now, but it wasn't.

[lips popping]

There! That's it.

- You're doing it!
- [popping lips]

Oh. [chuckling] Yeah.
I didn't even realize.

Bet that gets annoying.

Yes!

We gotta find Jay out here
before you drive me bonkers, Kai.

Don't worry,
those reports from the Explorer's Club

about someone using lightning
came from right around here.

It's gotta be Jay.

He's the only lightning ninja out there.

But he has no memory
of being a lightning ninja.

I only hope when we find him,
we can convince him to come back with us.

[popping lips]

[screaming] Stop it!

Hey, you two! Hey!

How can I stop it
if I don't know I'm doing it?

I know a way to stop it!

Hey!

We found it.

Look!

[thunderclap]

Jay! It has to be him.

We can't just rush in.
His goodness is shattered, remember?

Jay's more likely to fight us
than give us hugs.

Wyldfyre, you flank
around the back and watch,

in case we need backup.

I'm just so worried about him.

Arin could be stuck alone somewhere
with Ras and the Forbidden Five.

That's like a greatest hits
of evil warriors,

and who even knows where Jay could be?

He's out there, alone,
and without his memories.

Nya, Kai, and Wyldfyre

are following up on that lead
from the Explorer's Club.

Zane is tracking all the gate paths.

We're doing everything we can, Lloyd.

[sighing] I know,
but I worry it's not enough.

And if they are truly lost,
there's only one place they'll end up.

The Land of Lost Things?

Which is where I'm headed now.

Me, Geo, and the Finders
will search every inch of that place.

Look...

we're gonna find them,
and bring us all back together.

Like Master Wu said, "Family is key."

I still can't believe
Master Wu caused the Merge.

Why would he do that?

I don't know,

but I heard it from his
semi-transparent lips myself.

Do you really think he's departed?

Because it just doesn't...
feel like he's gone.

With my history,
I know what departed spirits are.

That was him.
I'll send back anything I find.

[sighing heavily]

Haah!

[breathing hard]

Yaah!

[roaring]

Oh, no, no, no! Stop this!

As Assistant Keeper of this Monastery,
I demand you halt!

Do you know how hard it is

to find a proper
obstacle course repairman?

Oh, uh... Sorry, Mr. Frohicky.

Did I do something wrong?

That was a little... intense.

Thank you, yes, I channeled
all the strength of my rage and hate.

You hate our obstacle course?

No, I mean, I channeled the hate inside me
to access my potential.

Isn't that how you do it?

That's never been
the way of this monastery.

Ras taught you that?

Yeah...

Those kinds of emotions give you strength.

I've seen it work.

There's more than one source of strength,

and physical strength alone
isn't always the best way to fight.

I don't really understand,
but that's okay.

I'll stay up all night practicing
until I get it right!

I like that enthusiasm,
reminds me very much of Arin,

but maybe you should take
some time to rest.

"Rest"?

Frak, uh... I know it's been awkward.

You're Arin's old best friend,
I'm Arin's new best friend...

I'm Arin's always best friend.

What I mean is, with Arin gone,
I'm trying to do his pie run for him,

but it turns out
I'm terrible at baking pies,

and since you're the one
who taught Arin to bake...

Yes! The passing-on of pie knowledge!

I have binders full of recipes!
I'll get everything ready!

[groaning] Ugh...

I regret this already.

[Nya gasping] Jay!

Jay, it's us!

What? Who are you? How dare you disturb
our once-in-a-decade

sacred Lightning-Tide Community Ceremony?

[all groaning and shouting]

Oh no, are you okay?

You ruined the whole ceremony!

How dare you!

Attack the interlopers!

Voilà! Perfect in every way!

Now let's see yours, Sora!

Uh, maybe it tastes... edible?

[spitting] Ew, yeah.

It has a very specific rubber flavor
not found in most pies.

How can I be so bad at this?

Look, everyone starts out in a--

Okay, that defies science.
Let's start again from scratch.

So, uh... do you have any opinions
on puppets?

Horrible, dead-eyed,
lifeless-limbed puppets?

Wow, you're terrible
at small talk, aren't you?

It's just that last night
I saw this video of some guy

describing a horrifying puppet

that's been attacking people
in the wastelands.

This wouldn't be
the Intelligent George show, would it?

You know it? They didn't have that
where I used to live.

He's really full of wisdom.

Don't believe anything he says.

Intelligent George
claims gravity is made up.

Can you prove it's not?

I... have no idea how to respond to that.

I did once see a weird robotic puppet
in the Crossroads...

Welp, never going to the Crossroads again.

...but it's long gone,
so you have nothing to fear, Frak.

Look, I know my pies aren't the best,
but Zane likes them.

- You do?
- I find them adequate.

- See?
- Also, as a Nindroid, I lack tastebuds.

[sighing]

Any progress on tracking Arin?

Unfortunately not.

I was hoping I could trace the Gate system
to determine where Arin, Ras,

and the Forbidden Five were transported,
but so far, no luck.

Nor have I had any additional luck
trying to find the smartest

and most attractive member of our team.

But Sora's right here.

- What?
- What? Uh... nothing.

I was talking about P.I.X.A.L.

[laughing awkwardly] I knew that.

[oven timer dinging]

[sizzling and bubbling]

[gasping]

[gasping] That is it!

Maybe pie goo got in his gears
or something.

[pie bubbling and exploding]

Are you really watching
my "pie fail" on loop?

You don't think
I find this whole situation

humiliating enough already?

But it is genius.

Comedic genius, I agree.

It's not that funny.

Although I did not mean "comedic genius,"

I do see how it definitely
could be interpreted as such.

[Sora groaning]

But the genius I am referring to
is the manner in which

it is helping me discover
what happened to Arin.

- You're joking.
- I am not.

I had been tracking
the possible trajectories

of Arin passing through
the exploding portal.

I theorized the expl*si*n
dumped the travelers

to a random place in the Merged Lands,

but when I tried to model the equation,
I obtained no tangible results,

but your chaotic and comedic pie expl*si*n

made me realize
that space-folding gateways

may operate under chaotic variables...

variables I had not been accounting for.

Once I incorporate this new data...

[keyboarding]

Yes, that is it!

It's only a general idea
where Arin could have gone,

but it's the best lead we have so far.

We need to find him.

Baking pies can wait.

If you call that baking.

Please stop talking.

Behold! Lightning-Tides of the Court,

as I lay out indisputable proof

that the completely guilty strangers
are guilty!

First, they interrupted
our much-beloved sacred ceremony.

Then, their stench is rather pungent.

The one in red also has a voice
that sounds like gargling slime.

Hey!

See? Repulsive.

[pounding]

Gross.

Does the defense have any response
to this convincing evidence?

Listen, yes, my clients
are clearly guilty,

but, um, uh...

I got nothing.

I thought something'd
come to me, but it didn't.

You call that a defense?

Uh, I'd now like to add

"Speaking In A Gargle Slime Voice
With A Tinge Of Smugness"

to the charges.

The defense rests. [chuckling]

If that is all,
I would like to pass a sentence of...

The Punishment of 1,003 Zappings!

Hold it! [quietly] I got this.

Look, this entire situation
has just been a misunderstanding.

- My brother here and I--
- [Kai] Run!

[cackling]

Come on, Nya, I've got you covered.

Vengestone? It cancels elemental powers!

Where did you get Vengestone?

That was my favorite bench!

You're going to get double punished now!

- Ow!
- Why did you do that, Kai?

I told you I had this!

I thought you meant you had a distraction
so I could blast stuff!

Why would I mean that?

Cause that's what
I always hope people mean.

[lock clanking]

This is the general area
indicated by my calculations.

I don't see any sign
of Arin, Ras, or the others.

Let's check with whoever lives here.
Maybe they saw something.

[sniffing]

[knocking]

Excuse me, sorry to bother you,

- but we're looking for my best friend--
- Go away!

You'll bring its creepy wrath upon us all!

- [slamming door]
- Okay, trying not to take that personally.

What's the "it" they're talking about?

That can bring a creepy wrath?

- Don't like those words.
- [roaring]

[roaring]

[roaring]

Intelligent George was right.

[roaring]

Come on, it's Dorama's old puppet!

We've stopped this thing before!

Those lifeless, dead eyes...

[snarling]

[Sora] The eye-lasers are new, right?

Yeah, and deadly!

Hey, where did you get the Vengestone?

You mean the Glow Rocks?
Dunno, we found them.

Thought they'd be fun to throw at you.

So you didn't know they stopped
elemental powers?

Uh, stopped what, now?

Order! Order!

We now must double punish our captives,

as soon as we determine
how many "double" is.

[Wyldfyre] No need for such silly ideas!

I, as you can see, am a Lava-Tide...

[groaning]

...and I have just received
this very official pardon

from the, uh...
uh, Lava-Tide President,

demanding all charges
against these Ninjas--

Hurl the glow rocks!

Ah! Ugh!

[roaring]

Okay, that thing lasers.

I don't see Dorama anywhere.

Did his puppet escape from him?

Here, let me make quick work of it.

Okay, so it's not running
on any sort of technology now.

Magic?

This is not happening.

[panting in terror]

[yelling]

[roaring]

Intelligent George
was right about this puppet!

I think this also proves
that gravity isn't real.

I'm not going to engage
in this conversation.

[roaring]

[grunting]

- [Frak] That glow...
- [roaring]

Maybe this is what you were
teaching me earlier, Lloyd?

I don't remember teaching anything
about bizarre puppet fighting.

[roaring]

No, I mean, maybe physical strength alone
isn't the best way to win this fight?

Oh, no.

I know what I need to do,
but I don't like it.

[wailing in terror]

[roaring]

Aah! Why do puppets move all creepy?

We gotta help him! Keep it distracted!

H'yah!

Frak, what are you doing?

[Frak] Facing my primal fears!

What does it look like I'm doing?

Yeah, but what are you doing
that can help us?

I saw a glow from outside!

Maybe something's powering
this walking nightmare.

[straining]

[roaring]

- [yelping]
- [slamming heavily]

Is it over?

[Frak] I'm stuck! I'm stuck!

[sobbing in terror]

Get me out of this thing!

What happened to facing your primal fears?

Ah!

I faced them, and lost.

I'm now a million times
more afraid of puppets.

Thank you!

The puppet's fearful reign
has finally ended.

Huzzah!

I do not know exactly how
this empowered the marionette,

but it is an item of immense energy.

Then we should keep it.

Too dangerous to leave sitting out here.

[Sora] And it looks like
we're on the right track.

That sword wasn't the only thing

caught in this puppet.

Arin's grapple!

Hey, look, are these tracks?

[Riyu sniffing]

[roaring]

Three thousand zaps
is more than 2,000 zaps, right?

Oh, maybe? [gasping] Counterpoint.

Maybe not?

As a judge, my wisdom is extraordinary.

They are equal.

[sighs] Look, let me try this again,

without my annoying brother
and his clueless friend messing it all up.

Who's your clueless friend?

This entire situation
has just been a misunderstanding.

We came here to find a missing person.

His name is Jay Walker,
and I love him very much.

We all do.

I haven't met him, to be honest.

Jay is funny, charming, cute, sincere,

the real heart of our Ninja team.

Not sure that's accurate.

We interrupted your ceremony
not out of spite or cruelty,

just out of innocent confusion.

Jay has lightning powers,

and we thought, we hoped,

we were about to find
our long-lost friend.

[sniffling and crying]

[clapping]

Well said.

If there's one thing
us Tide-folk understand,

it's innocent confusion.

You're free to go.

[removing lock]

Excuse me, but she explained
her case very well.

You two, on the other hand,

are going nowhere.

What? Ha! You think my sister
would just leave us here?

Nya?

[sighs]

Guess there really is
only one way out of this place.

[Kai] I knew you'd never abandon me!

[Nya] Don't make me regret it!

[Rox] We need those supplies. Zarkt?

[yelping in fright]

[groaning]

[Rox] Well done, Kur, but let them live.

Now they will warn others

that the Forbidden Five have returned...

[furious buzzing of insects]

...and no one is safe!

[laughing maniacally]

Pillage whatever supplies we need
for our journey to the First Land.

It's time to unchain Thunderfang!

[tense music playing]