"Gather 'round, everyone! The 3rd Annual Ninja Christmas Challenge is about to begin! Only the best can remain!" Kai shouted from the monastery courtyard. "Now, we all know how this works. First one to get across, complete the challenges, and come back, gets an advantage in the Snowball Blast later. They get one spin from the Wheel Of Awesomely Overpowered Advantages To Power Yourself With, brought to you by me, the creator of the Challenge." Kai gestured to the giant spinny wheel, marked with 5 differently labeled slots. "Or! Also brought to you by me, the Less Powerful But Still Useful Wheel Of Disadvantages To Destroy Your Enemies Or Friends With." He gestured to his opposite side, where 5 more slots waited.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we all know about your speech! You make it every year and they do almost the same thing anyway! Let's go!" Jay was buzzing to go, as always. Last year, Cole won, and the year before, Kai had. Now it was up to everyone else to make sure they didn't win again! He would win this year, he was sure of it! He was the fastest, which meant he was the best! Right?

"Patience, Jay. Kai's demise will come at an opportune time, equal to the amount of impatience he's had in the past." Zane half-smirked. He would win. He had the perfect plan. He would know just how to get through the challenges, whatever they might be. His intellect was unmatched by anyone except Pixal, who wasn't competing. She and Nya had designed the course, so they couldn't race it. It was only fair, after all. After his win, they could celebrate with some snow-gazing. Him being Master of Ice and her being able to control her internal temperature, it would be no problem for them to be comfortable outside in the currently falling snow later for some relaxing time together.

His planning was interrupted by Cole shouting, "Alright! Quit it, boneheads!" He shoved Kai and Jay apart and rolled his eyes. "Let's get started. Nya, if you would?" He summoned his dragon, the others following him and waiting tensely for Nya to fire the starting fireworks while eyeing the others. Some (*coughKaiLloydandJaycough*) stuck their tongues out at each other while others watched with a raised eyebrow or amused smile. (*coughColeandZanecough*)

CRACK!

A loud bang filled the air and they were off!

~~~ Time skip to after they finish ~~~

The five boys arrived back within a second of each other and they all collapsed, breathing heavily but determined to prove they won. "Let's look at the tape." Nya prepared for this. She set up a camera to capture the finish, which they went to check. "From this, it looks like... Jay won!" Groans and cheers erupted from the guys and gals alike. Jay swept Nya up in a spin and grinned. "I won!" Nya laughed and nodded. "Yeah, you did! Now let's finish the rest of the challenges and then we can go back in the warmth." Jay nodded at her suggestion and planted a quick kiss on her cheek, still grinning.

"Booyah! I got it!" Jay taunted the others, who all disagreed in their own way. "Move aside, simpletons. I have to spin a Wheel. Hmm..." He thought for a second, debating which one would be better. "I'll go for the Disadvantage Wheel!" He decided and gave it a firm spin. It spun for a long few seconds, then landed on... 'Have everyone dress in a color of your choice from the chest'

"Ooh! Hmm... I pick... yellow! HIGHLIGHTER yellow!" Jay dug through the unlatched chest and tossed everyone safety vests that reflected bright yellow and silver, which would make them quite easy to spot in the white falling stuff.

Once everyone was dressed, they circled up. Well, squared, more like. Jay and Nya on one side, Zane and Pixal on the opposite, Cole on one, Lloyd and Kai opposite him. Cole went by himself because of his super strength (Actually because of Big Brother Kai™ but I needed a logical reason XD). It was supposed to be a free-for-all, but the couples ended up teaming anyway, so the others paired up however they could. An air horn sounded, courtesy of Nya's timed robot hitting a button, and they all rushed behind different obstacles to start building snowballs. Clearly, Zane had the advantage here, but they were all pretty sneaky.

Zane and Pix didn't even have to run. Zane squeezed her hand and grinned, then spun into his tornado. Seconds later, a perfectly constructed snow tower surrounded them with snowballs all around. "Now, I believe that should be satisfactory. Come, help me scout for the others." He took her hand and pulled her up so they could see out. A ball of snow stayed in each of his hands, ready to toss at any second. The only limit to him was that he couldn't actively use his powers after he built an initial tower and snowballs.

After a few silent seconds, Zane ducked back down and dropped the snowballs. "All is calm. I believe we have satisfactory time for a few... other activities if you wish." He gently laced his fingers with Pixal's and gazed into her eyes, raising his other hand to caress her cool cheek. Slowly, gently, he leaned down and met her lips. Cool, yet inviting. Perfect for him.

A shower of snow smacked him in the neck, making him jump up, whip around, and see a snorting Kai on the rooftop above them. "Ooh! You lovebugs are gonna freeze your metal butts if you're just gonna sit there! Get movin'!" He jumped off the back and out of view of Zane, who was already plotting how to get him back.

Jay grabbed Nya's hand and dragged her behind the nearest wall when the whistle blew. Nya never needed to hide, she was way too good at fighting and way too brave for that, but he felt safer having her with him. He kept a tight grip on her hand and turned back to face her. "Alright, we got one shot to take 'em by surprise! Whatcha thinkin'?" They couldn't use their powers in this game, outside of Zane's one exception at the beginning. Just a good old-fashioned snowball fight. With ninja. And a lot more elaborate rules and fewer restrictions. Nya whispered her plan and he grinned maniacally. "Perfect."

Cole and Lloyd were watching Zane's snow tower and were going to attack. However, Kai grabbed the opportunity and ran before they could. So their next idea was to make a fort to defend against incoming attacks. Kai, Jay, and Nya were usually offensive/attacking, while Zane, Pixal, Lloyd, and himself were more defensive/protecting. "Get ready. Here they come." Cole said, hearing Jay's shout and seeing him and Nya charging towards the middle. This would be interesting.

~~~ Time skip to dinner an hour later ~~~

An hour later, soaked and cold, laughing and feeling good, everyone returned inside to warm up and clean off. It was an interesting snowball fight, indeed. Nobody had been left untouched. Now, though, it was time for food! Zane and Cole went to the kitchen, Pixal following to make sure Cole wouldn't get in the way. Jay and Nya settled onto the couch and Lloyd went to go shower. Kai was going to wait in the common room but gagged when he saw Jay and Nya giggling on the couch. "Get a grip on yourself, or I'm gonna get a grip on something else very precious to you." He growled to Jay before storming out and to the other bathroom. He hated being cold and wanted a hot shower.

Jay snapped his head up at Kai's voice, then gulped and nodded frantically. Kai liked to threaten him for anything and everything involving Nya. Speaking of Nya, if she was next to him, who was making that noise above him? He looked up and a green-covered arm shot back into shadows, dropping a ball of green and red. It landed in Jay's lap and he gaped. Mistletoe. Then he grinned. Mistletoe.

"Nya. Look what a little green elf dropped on us." He jostled Nya, who had her eyes closed but jerked awake.

"Hmm?" He held up the mistletoe.

"Guess he's still 10 mentally, huh?" Jay chuckled. "Well, we gotta follow traditions..." He smiled mischievously and put a finger under her chin, lifting her face so their eyes met. A smile grew on Nya's face.

"Well? We've got no choice, I suppose." She replied with a little shrug, then leaned forward, crashing hard and fast into Jay's lips. He would never get used to this feeling. It was pure bliss each and every time, knowing she chose him. She dug her fingers into his auburn curls and tugged him closer. Then, out of nowhere, a roar erupted from behind them.

"JAAAY! GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY SISTER!" The couple jerked apart and Jay fell onto the floor with a grunt.

"Kai! Stop beatin' up on Jay and get your butt in here!" Cole called from the dining room. Reluctantly, the trio made their way to the table and sat. In front of them was a huge array of food--desserts, entrees, sweet, savory, spicy, plain, common, rare, anything you could imagine and then some. Each member of the team had brought some of their own food from their pasts and combined it into one giant Christmas feast every year.

Cole, being of Italian background, brought his dad's chocolate cake recipe and a secret pasta sauce recipe from his grandma, which he only shared part of with Zane. Kai and Nya brought different spiced dishes from their parents, who were both part Filipino. Zane, not really "being" anything, brought a cold custard dessert his father made for him when he was little. Jay had his mom make some of her famous crumble cake and send him some, which she did happily! Lloyd mostly ended up bringing candy and chocolate chip cookies, as well as ice cream, a classic Christmas treat. Finally, Wu prepared a very sweetly-infused tea, as well as a light, fluffy strawberry shortcake. His father had told him it was inspired by people living somewhere called "Japan," which he'd never heard of. Perhaps it was an alternate realm, one he'd never visited. He noticed the table was mostly full of sweets, but it was a special day, after all!

Their feast started after a moment to say grace and thanks for the food. Jay was tempted to start a food fight, like their first meals here on the Bounty had turned into a few times. But he resisted. The food was too good to waste! Not that smacking Kai with a faceful of Cole's "food" would be a waste...

Speaking of Cole, he was currently in the middle of a mountain of chocolate cake. They always had to get 2, one for him and the other for the rest of the team to share. Not that he minded--not in the least. More for him! He'd do anything for a good chocolate cake. Anything.

After over an hour of conversation, jokes, compliments, and general merriment, the sleepiness was starting to set into everyone. Yawning, everyone slowly trickled away from the table after they cleaned up. Soon, all was calm and all was bright. It was a silent night, one perfect for letting it snow, snow, snow. And who knows? Maybe all they wanted for Christmas was each other. Or maybe, just maybe, a certain white-bearded, sneaky, quiet old man would slip some secret gifts under the tree, just for some certain ninja fast asleep, all tucked up in their beds while visions of sugarpl--er, Golden Weapons danced in their heads.

I guess we'll never know. However the night would turn out, it certainly would be another successful Christmas Eve in the books!

~~~ The End ~~~

A/N: I hope you liked it! It was hard thinking of traditions to do they would all enjoy, so I picked something I would definitely do if I was in their universe! Merry early Xmas, and a happy END OF 2020!!