The Bounty sails between mountains.

"Though, my optic circuits are inputting full visual data, somehow the zeroes and ones of my code cannot convey the grandeur of this moment" Zane speaks

"Yeah. It's like - like - totally super cool!" Jay agrees excitedly

"That really captured the moment beautifully, Jay" Nya pats his shoulder "Thanks"

"It really is beautiful, isn't it" Lloyd smiles and turns "Master Wu?"

Wu sighs.

"Yeah, beats doing chores back at the monastery, that's for sure" Cole says

"Liar, you would've left poor Lloyd to do it on his own"

Cole turns to face Aria

"Uh so not true cuz" Cole argues

"Very true" Lloyd says walking over to Aria "What's with the weird dress? It seems a bit plain for a royal greeting"

"I'm here undercover" Aria replies "you guys are here as part of the delegation of Ninjago, the Empress was also requested but they do not know who I am since I recently took over Ninjago. I don't trust their reasoning for asking for my presence."

"So just be to clear" Kai walks over "We're here to guard you and you're here as the Empress's, let me guess, Lady in Waiting"

"Exactly" Aria ruffles Kai's hair "I'm glad one of you are smart"

"Thanks honey" Lloyd comments sarcastically

Suddently something screeches.

"What-what was that?" Jay looks around

"There is something you should know. Early accounts of the mythical city of Shintaro claimed that the mountains surrounding it were home to a vicious species of bat, called the Dire Bat." Zane recites

"Dire Bat?" Cole questions

"There is much debate among historians as to whether Dire Bats are real or fiction" Zane adds

"Pfft. Haha, that's gotta be made up" Jay laughs before a Dire Bat swoops and grabs him off the Bounty "Huh? Aah! Not made up! Not made up! Not made up! Aah!"

"Hahahaha" Aria laughs

"Jay!" Nya shouts

A Dire Bat knocks her over and lands in front of her, but Lloyd kicks it away. More Dire Bats land on the sails and start to destroy them.

"Uh! They're trying to take us down!" Kai shoots fire at them "Shoo! Shoo, bats!"

"Has it ever occurred to him that he could set the ship on fire?" Aria looks around

"I'm coming for you, buddy!" Cole leaps onto a Dire Bat to get Jay

"Aria your kingdom is full on random beasts" Lloyd says "do you know anything about Dire Bats?"

"Nothing useful" Aria shrugs

"You don't seem very panicked!" Kai shouts at her

"That's cause I'm a dragon" Aria replies "I can transform and the scariest thing in the sky would then be me"

In the sky Jay is screaming "Wait! Hold on! Can-can we be friends? Aah!"

The bat drops Jay and Cole catches him.

"You - owe me!" Cole's bat throws them both off, and they scream

Kai throws them a rope "Jay, Cole! Grab the line!"

They grab onto the rope and swing back onto the deck, shocked but relieved.

"What do we do? How do we stop them?" Nya asks frantically

"Use your Elemental Powers!" Wu instructs

"Master Wu!" Lloyd points behind him

Zane tackles Wu just before a bat attacks him. The ship starts to tilt.

"Nya!" Jay grabs her

"Hang on!" Cole shouts

Aria sighs and her eyes glow purple, the Dire Bat's eyes breefly flash purple before they shriek. Suddenly, all the bats retreat.

"Brace for impact!" Lloyd shouts

Lloyd pulls Aria down and covers her as the Bounty nearly crashes into a mountain, then stops and is slowly lifted.

"How?" Nya looks around confused

Kai looks over "Uh, guys? You're not gonna believe this"

A bunch of winged people were carrying the Bounty. The ninja all stand up and a winged man lands on the ship.

"Greetings, honored guests! I am Hailmar. Right hand of King Vangelis. I welcome you to the Kingdom of Shintaro" the man bows

"You just saved our lives" Lloyd says

"It was the least we could do. The Dire Bats are a plague. They are one of the many reasons we discourage visitors, for their own safety" Hailmar explains "But come, let us put our woes behind us and welcome you to the Ivory City of Shintaro!"

They approach a beautiful castle city in the sky.

"Well, you don't see that every day" Cole comments

"Pardon me for asking, but where is her majesty the new Empress?" Hailmar asks

"Her majesty regrettably could not make it" Aria speaks stepping forward, she bows "Greetings, I am her Majesty's Lady in Waiting, Aria. I was sent here on behalf of the Empress"

"Such a shame her highness couldn't make it" Hailmar says "but as her Lady in Waiting you are still an honored guest here as head of the Deligation, we welcome you"

"Thank you" Aria smiles as her eyes unnoticeabley flash purple "I am honored"