! UPDATE: Hey guys, I'm back! Crazy right? I just got back into this story even though it's been a couple years. I did have this whole story planned out and I was so close to finishing it. So, here I am to do so! But currently, I'm rewriting it. So, I'm going to be posting the chapters one by one. Expect to see at least one each week. The first few chapters are going to be very similar, however, when it gets to the actual tournament, it's going to be different. First things first, we are going to pretend that the whole Zaddic/Cole thing never existed. Shoosh, right under the rug. Bye.

Also, I'm more active on ao3. Under the same name, Ninalb. I'm going to be posting this there too. There's a bit more mature writing there, but since I'm getting back into writing about Ninjago, I will probably be only posting future stories there.

Anyways, I'm glad that your still here if you've been with me all this time and welcome if you're new! Get ready for the wild ride cause we're kicking this story back into motion!

KAI

"Welcome to the Reaping! Welcome! Welcome," An overly cheery voice proclaimed from loud speakers, "We have to District 6 to thank for everyone's transportation here! Round of applause for them!"

Claps resounded from the crowd although no one felt like cheering. They sounded unenthusiastic. Mournful sounds of what they knew were up to come.

The Anacondraicondria warriors filed the kids into the rings, separated by gender and District. Girls of the left, boys on the right. Districts lined up from 1 to 12. The Warriors are large stocky men, big red spiked plates balanced on their shoulders, the leather outside masking the metal protection on the inside. They had a big helmet on their heads, designed to look like the skull of a giant snake, that wrapped around their purple tattooed faces. These tattoos were purple snakes, symbols of the feared Anacondrai serpentines that once roamed this area and now the hybrid ones that were the high officials. They held large spears that they held upright by their sides at all times, although not needed as no one would dare to rebel.

The officials slithered onto the stage, their long tails dragging behind them like a cape. Their red eyes scanned the crowds of people before them, before taking their seats near the back of the stage. A tall man shuffled onto the stage. His headdress having a purple snake around it. Rumors were it was real. He held a giant staff, two tusks on the sides of the top, and a carved snake head holding a crystal or new of some sort. A brass emblem was on the front a snake also imprinted in it. Master Chen, the man who ran The Reapings and The Tournament of Elements. How ironic that it was a person who ran it rather than a snake. One of their own kind.

Kai exchanged a glance with Nya as they let each other's hands go. She gave him a thumbs up as he puffed out his chest, swept his hair to the side, and marched into in the crowd. Today was the day. The people around him filed silently and solemnly in, heads tilted to the ground. He was pushed towards the front of the group being 16; one of the oldest of the 12-18 group. Not many left. 6 years to be picked, the chances increase every time. The younger ones were in the back, some sniffling quietly, others breaking down and sobbing.

"Welcome!" Master Chen clapped giddily, "To the 31st Tournament of Elements! And remember ONLY ONE CAN REMAIN!"

He continued to talk, blabbering endlessly into the microphone. Same old speech every year. Except for the fact that Master Chen would blabber along a random subject, getting side-tracked easily. How the serpentine won the war, how a band of elemental masters had tried to overthrow them and now this was the annual tournament due to this.

"Now, remember! Element powers are banned everywhere. Anyone who is found using them will be taken into custody immediately. But in the Tournament, you will be free to use them! If you have them at least."

Everyone knew that if you had an element, your name was put in several more times that you didn't. What fun would it be if no one had any elemental powers?

He stepped back to let a pale faced man step forward, a scowl of disapproval on his face. Wrinkles and lines traced his forehead, probably from frowning for so long. Clouse, Master Chen's second.

"District 1." He announced, everyone turning to face the children of the district.

"The boys will be drawn first if anyone would like to volunteer to this great honor?" The droned.

No hands were raised. Nobody wanted to volunteer for a death sentence.

Clouse reached into a bowl and pulled out a slip. He slowly uncurled it, straightening out before clearing his throat.

"Zaddic."

Everyone turned and scanned the crowd, as a young boy walked briskly to the stage. The warriors surrounded him but there was no need. He leaped up onto the stage instead of using the stairs, coming to stand next to Clouse on his right side.

"And now the girls, would anyone like to volunteer?"

A girl raised her hand, already making her way to the stage.

"I do," She said boldly, climbing the stairs.

The sun shone off her bright red hair.

"What is your name?"

"Skylor Chen."

"Chen as in Master Chen? Can't be. I don't think they would let an official's daughter be in the Tournament, right?"

"This concludes District 1."

"District 2."

Kai straightened up, his district. The best district.

"Boys first, would anyone like to volunteer?"

Kai slowly raised his hand it at first going unnoticed by everyone but the people around him. But word spread fast and soon all eyes were upon him.

"I..." Kai started before adjusting his voice to what he thought would sound more bold and heroic, "I do!"

The crowd began to part for him as if he was filled with an infectious disease, allowing a line to the stage. Kai moved forward, keeping his head high. He would bring honor to his district. He had trained or year for this. If his parents were still alive they would be holding each other's hands and silently cheering his name. He just knew it. He tried to catch his sister's eyes in the crowd but gave up soon after as climbed the steps of the stairs.

"This is wonderful!" Master Chen cheered pushing Clouse out of the way. "What's your name?!"

Kai grabbed the microphone and looked into the crowd, "My name is Kaizar Smith. But I go by Kai."

"Kai Smith! Great to have you!" master Chen said getting way too close and up in his face.

He wrapped his hands around his shoulder and ushered Kai a little to the right.

"And now the girls." Clause said, regaining control of the microphone now that Master Chen was busy talking to Kai.

He dug around in the bowl, grabbing for one at the bottom.

"And the tribute is," Clouse said pausing for dramatic effect.

"Nya Smith!"

Kai's jaw dropped a look of painful shock written all over his face as he realized what this meant. The same couldn't have been said for Nya, who stiffly stood up and walked over to the stage, guards accompanying them on both of her sides. She didn't meet Kai's eye as she passed him, just stood and looked directly into the crowd. Clouse was shoved out of the way of the microphone by Master Chen.

"And that concluded the drawing of the 31st Tournament of Elements for District 2! What and exciting pick! Sibling huh?" Master Chen shouted into the crowd with unnecessarily big and flamboyant gestures.

They were moved to stand in the front of the stage, next to the District 1 tributes.

Kai still had his mouth slightly open, fear and shock still written all over his face. He stood by his sister, grabbing her hands in his.

"Nya, what..."

"Just... we'll...figure it out okay?" Nya smiled looking into his brown eyes, "Just finish the Reaping first, okay? One thing at a time."

Kai didn't care that he was looking panicked in front of all the Districts. That his tough persona had dropped and he looked he was about to cry. But Nya knew that she was going to end up crying if she talked about it. And so Kai let the subject drop and listened to the rest of the Reaping.

District 3: Jayson Walker and Minerva. A small boy climbed up onto the stage, tears dropping around him. Ginger hair, blue eyes. A softly rounded face spotted with freckles that made him look more babyish. The girl, a blank expression on her face, took his place next to her. Long wavy black hair that draped over her shoulders, a longer face with round green eyes.

District 4: Caspian Tremont and Brooke Whitehall. A short fluffy brown haired boy that wore a wide brimmed hat, and a necklace with a carved wooden fish on it. Brown eyes with a quirky smile. The girl, hastily volunteering afterward, tall and slender she rose up onto the stage, long brown hair and brown eyes and a pale brown face. As soon as they moved onto the next district the girl had hugged the younger boy, whispering something to him.

District 5: Lloyd Garmadon and Sorence Taylor. A blond hair boy who's green eyes scanned the crowd. His hair on the longer side than the shorter. Sorence a blond haired, brown eyed girl followed whipping tears from her face.

District 6: Griffen Turner and Samantha. An dusty brown headed boy who's legs were super long. He wore red sunglasses and had a slightly darker skin tone. Samantha had curly brown hair, that stuck out in several places and was shoulder length.

District 7: Bolobo and Heather. A broad shouldered young man, whose beard was starting to come out. He had dark brown hair and tan skin. The girl, looking skeptical, had a dirty blond color hair, that was half up in a bun and half down along her shoulders. Her brown eyes were noticeably filled with sadness and glistened with unshed tears.

District 8: Asher Rios and Toxica. Asher had a more grayish hair type. He was a medium sized boy in assumably everything. Height, muscles, and width. Helen, correcting her name at the stand to be Toxica, had dyed green hair, with purple lipstick. Green eye shadow was marked along her eyes and she wore a black thorned necklace.

District 9: Lee and May Brown. Lee was a brown haired kid with brown eyes. Was on the smaller side. May was also brown haired but had green eyes. She slipped on the first step and awkwardly had to make her back up.

District 10: Zane Julien and Taylor Gallo. A blond haired boy whose blue eyes shined with unnatural light. Not to mention his hair stuck up straight. Kai thought that that would make a pretty great mohawk. He was smiling as he climbed the step, something that most people couldn't force themselves to do. Little patches of freckles were dotted along his face. Taylor had straight brown hair that seemed to encompass her body. It stopping at her thighs. Her green eyes were staring with confusion at the blond haired boy next to her that smiled and waved to her.

District 11: Edilio Merwin and Brianna Tilly. Edilio was the tallest boy on the stage. His brown hair fluffed up around his head, looking neat and messy at the same time. He had a scar running down his nose and brown eyes that seemed to be filled with good nature, but also brought a solemnness with them. Brianna was a young girl, rounded face, dirty brown hair, and freckles too. She seemed able to put on a fake smile that looked real all up till her eyes.

District 12: Cole Hence and Sinder. Cole's wavy black hair was tossed to the side, his broad shoulders thick. He was easily identified as the strongest looking kid along the ones on the stage. His green eyes weren't sad but they weren't happy either. They were accepting. Sinder was crying profusely as she was dragged onto the stage. A birth mark covering about half of her face. Not only that her left eye was a milky white, a long scar running down the left side of her face. She looked about ready to leap off the stage, which was probably why two of the guards stayed up on the stage with her. Close enough to grab her if she made a run for it. Her one brown eye gazed through the crowd asking for help. But everyone's that she met dropped it quickly, tilting their heads to the ground.

Kai watched all of the kids line up, tallying off the ones that would probably be the strongest, have the most skill, keeping in mind which ones might make the best allies. He'd need to be on his toes to be able to make it through the Tournament of Elements. To keep him and his sister alive.