{Location: Close to AJ's apartment on the first floor} (AJ's POV)

"I can't believe her," I growl as I pull over. I'm too mad to drive. I pull into my spot I pull my walkie-talkie to my face, "This is Officer Mayers. I am leaving the force. I've been thinking about this for a while and recent changes in my life have helped make up my mind. I'm sorry that this is short notice but I have to go sooner rather than later. I'll swing by and drop off my uniforms and the car. Good-bye." I click the thing off as I pull the keys out. I open the door then hide the keys under the visor. I hit lock the doors but leave the driver's door unlocked. I slam the door close as my watch beeps telling me it's the end of my shift. I storm past my neighbor's, ignore the manager as I head to my room. I pull my keys out, unlock the door then close it again. I lock it as I step on my mail. I pick my foot up as I bend over to the mail. There's a note on the face, 'Hey, AJ. Figure I'd help you get out of your comfort zone. Me and my Dad did a little looking around and found an opening or two at an FBI school closer to New Ninjago City. -Hoping this is what you and Marci wanted, Seliel.' I pull the note of and crumple it in my hand. I have at least 5 letters here, all from very important looking people.

I have been looking into this, I look around, some of my things are already in boxes. Not a lot, just little things like clothes and books. My managers know of me possibly leaving, my fellow officer will understand. I take a second look at the letters, the more I think about it, the more I want to be a detective. I can't take this. If Seliel is so quick to jump the gun I don't think I can work with the Phantom Ninja anymore. I throw the note into my trash can, "If she wants me gone so bad. I'll just go." I hold in tears as I run to my bedroom and grab as many bags as I can carry.

I'm leaving Crystal Pass.

I'm leaving the Phantom ninja and all her made up problems.

It's time for me to think about me.

It's not at all like I'm running away from one of my closest friends I've ever made.

There's something wrong with my eyes as liquid drops onto my packing. Then the door knocks, I rush over to open it, maybe it's Seliel, wanting to say sorry, I pull the door open to my neighbor, Mr. Dreck.

He's nothing more than an older fellow with brown balding hair, "Hey, Neighbor. I saw you rush in here with a cop car parked outside. I also spotted some funky backpack doohickey in there."

The jetpack. I knew I forgot something. I swiped it after Seliel shut the door on me. I didn't want to run the risk of her getting to the station any faster. I mutter, "thanks," and move to take the jetpack with me.

"You ok? You look like you've been crying." He folds his arms as I push past him.

"I'm just sad." I have no time to spill my guts, "I just found out I'm moving to New Ninjago city."

"Hey, congratulations." He smiles with a thumbs up.

"Yeah," I retrace my steps to my cop car, "It's just fantastic."

If it's all I wanted, why do I feel like crying?

(Seliel's POV)[10 minutes later]

I slam my hands on the counter. Some manager I don't recognize as I bend over from being out of breath stares at me. I pull myself up as I am tired from taking the long way here, "I'm...looking for a friend of....mine. Is AJ Mayers still here?"

"Yeah," He points to the first room on my left, "I just saw her before I had a 5-minute break."

"Thanks," I push myself as some dude with darker skin steps in front of me.

"Hi," He pushes his hand out to shake mine, "I hear you were talking about my neighbor AJ."

"Yeah," I try moving around him. I hope I'm not too late.

"Isn't she just the best. I just moved here and let me tell ya, she's-"

I look him dead in the eye, "I'd love to keep talking about this. But I really have to talk with her. Like now. So maybe some other time." I get around him as I grasp the golden doorknob. I push the door open to still see furniture and stuff in it, "AJ?"

I step in as I expect her to step out either happy to see me or mad as heck. I look into all her rooms, even taking a gamble with the shower while calling her name, "Hello?" She's not here. I head back to her white living room, flop down on her white sofa and stare at a white rose on the coffee table.

"About AJ," the neighbor dude leans in from around the corner, "She just left. Said something about moving to New Ninjago city."

I messed up. I messed up bad. I feel something wet circle around my eyes as I rest my elbows on my knees.

"You ok? Everyone doesn't seem to have the best day today, hm?"

I feel something hot and thick dribble down from my eyes, "I'm not okay." I stand up as my eyes are tearing up, "I think I just lost a very close friend." I slowly head back home.

This is just a disaster.

{Location: Seliel's room}[Two weeks later]

I flick on the Brunton burner on my desk. I watch as dark, cloudy black liquid travels down a tube, then up a spiral then dribbles into a small breakable plastic ball. I've never seen Crystal Pass so quite. I haven't been needed every since I escorted Nero and Camille out. And I am so bored. The past few days have been me repeating an endless cycle of sleeping, training, experimenting with different weapons and trying to improve my gear and smoke bombs. And I'll say right off the bat, I suck at engineering. I've tried to recreate my jetpack only to have the grunge look like the inside of a chimney. "Welcome to the world smoke bomb # 281." I gently pluck off the ball and stick it in my belt.

Then I stood back and spin in my chair while groaning.

I'm of course trying to get my Dad to investigate on me so I can get some human interaction.

My plan works as Dad comes into my room and sits on my bed, "Moaned for me?"

"Yeah," I stop my chair spinning, "Please give me something to do. I am so bored."

Dad rubs his chin as he lays against the wall, "Did you patrol yet?"

"Yup. Right after I got up a 7."

"Training?"

"Right after patrol."

"Improve your gear?"

"Just finished."

Dad then shrugs his shoulders, "Then you might not like my next suggestion." He pulls out a small white letter from his back pocket, "You could read this."

I pick up the letter from his hand. On the face is my name is written in print a tad rushed but clear handwriting.

"I know you miss your friend. I don't think it was right how you two had to end that relationship. But at least look at what AJ had to say."

I reach behind me and grab one of many scissors to open the envelope.

"I'm sorry too," Dad sighs as I put the scissors down, "This is part of my fault. Anyone could tell that AJ was too good at her job here. She wasn't challenged. Maybe if it hadn't suggested for her to move on-"

"Dad," I hold the letter loosely, "Everyone could tell AJ was one of the best cops we've ever had. If it wasn't you, it would have been someone else," I recall a late night, me and him looking at possible programs for AJ, "Besides, I'm sure AJ would have found her way out of here at some point."

Dad gives me an 'I-don't-quite-believe-you-but-I'm-tired-of-this-conversation' smile. "I suppose." He keeps quiet as I pull out the letter.

The same rushed but clear handwriting meets my eyes, 'Dear Seliel,

I want to do more. I love working with you, helping both the Phantom Ninja and Crystal Pass however I can. But lately, I'm bored. A cop isn't a cop without some criminals to catch I guess. Anyway, I'm not sure why I couldn't bring myself to tell you this in person, but I have been considering places to further my education and career in law enforcement. I've sent out my acceptance letters and heard back from a few. I don't know which one I'll pick, New Ninjago city sounds good.

I get the feeling that not a lot will happen in Crystal Pass for a while, with the Yellow tigers currently hiking through a desert about now. I don't want this to sound like I'm trying to move on from you, I just need something more to do. I don't quite know what to call it, hope, dream some unexplained life goal, I just really want to do more with who I am.

I will miss you, you're Dad and everyone at the station. Heck, I still miss Marci. But a lot of my life has revolved around other people, trying to help my Dad, becoming a Justus bound law encoders for my Mom, helping you and Marci being silent vigilantes. I think I need to put me in the spotlight for a while.

Sincerely,

Anjelica, AJ, Mayers.'

I set the letter down, "Well, it sounds like she'll be happy."

Dad breathes a sigh of relief, "So you're not mad about her not telling you her plans?"

I shake my head, "As of late, I think I've learned how to control my temper." I get a rush of sadness when thinking about that. I wonder if that how Mom felt with all her mistakes.

"Good." Dad stretches and accidentally hits one of my selfless holding a white tape player. Miraculously, it falls in his lap instead of the floor. He lightly chuckles, "Still need something to do?"

I'm tempted to pull out tape 10 but it's the last one. After that I don't think I have any more of my Mom, "And what do I do after that?"

"Maybe you could email one of your college friends." Dad presses open on the tape player.

I turn around, pull down my laptop and open the page in my email browser, then I show Dad the dozens of emails I've tried to talk to someone, "Tried it. Everyone seems so busy."

"Oh, honey," Dad's kind smile shines through, "They're just growing up. Living the plans they made when they were young."

"And look at me," I raise my hands, "I planned to be a Ninja. And I have nothing to do, my friends are too busy and the one friend I really liked ran away."

"Maybe you can make new friends."

I huff, "Right. Like a fair sized group of people will just walk into Crystal Pass."

"About that," Dad rubs his fingers together, "I have a theory as to why you're bored. Just like AJ, I think you're meant to move on to bigger things."

I could widen my area to other villages down the mountain. But then something sticks out in my brain, I vowed to protect my home. I promised that to my Mom. Maybe I just need to stay put for a while.

Dad raises an eyebrow, "Seliel. I know what you promised your Mother. But she didn't have the opportunities you do. You could start protecting all of Ninjago if you wanted to."

"So why do I feel stuck here?" I love Crystal Pass, but I need something the mindless training every day to keep me here, "Why do I feel like I can't move on?"

Dad stands up, gently pulls my head for him to kiss, "You've always been a late bloomer. But those always look the best."

"Thanks." Whatever that means.

"Now," Dad lets go as he slips the tape player into my hands, "I have to return to the exciting world of tax reduction. Please entertain yourself."

I chuckle a little as he heads back out, "Isn't that what started this conversation in the first place?"

Dad sighs as he shakes his head.

I hole the tape player in my hands. I've been in and out of this house too much in the last 3 years. It's time to go to the one place I have never been trapped in. I grab a thick, fluffy blue and grey coat from my closet, slip on my Phantom Ninja boots, find the last tape, open my window and climb to the second story roof.

I find a flat spot as the sun sets. How long ago was it that I just stopped and looked at the stars? I look up to see rose clouds hiding what I came here for. I slowly put the tape in the tape player and press play.

Click. That's the last time I'll hear that good familiar sound. I lay back as I place to tape player just off to my right. Mom yawns, "Sorry. Turns out doing a marathon of recording is hard." SHe yawns again, "And tiring. As far as I know, this is the last tape. Unless I really mess up with my daughter." I think through everything she taught me, you didn't Mom. You never could. Mom makes a few grunting noises, "I know I say this every time, but be warned. This mistake is no more horrid than my other 9, but it's still important. Still here? Fine. This story starts a 2 years after I first open the clinic. I should as that is today."