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Chapter Text

The vessel had a blanket over her so she wouldn’t freeze to death. The tree house grew cold as the fire was put out. Skylor pulled her clothes in on herself. She shivered. The climate in this forest was much different than the island. She was sure she could not survive here. So it was a perfect place for two seemingly dead people to hide away from society. Skylor kicked aside a broken off piece of metal from an android woman’s body.

“The harddrive is still intact,” a soldier said. “What should we do with it?”

“Take it with you,” Skylor said. “We might need it. And don’t do anything to the master of ice either.”

She passed by the master of ice’s body. He was crafted from titanium now, revived from his supposed death. He was powered off, an AI was settling into the new body. Skylor tapped her fingers against his unmoving arm. A sharp cold circulated her in her bloodstream all of a sudden. She shivered, unable to stop the cold with just a few more layers of clothes. That was one of the downsides to her powers.

Her attention was back on the vessel. Still knocked out from Skylor’s own hand. Skylor took off her gloves, touching the girl’s wrist for a pulse. It was still there. And on another note, nothing happened to Skylor when she touched her. She was sure her father said she would get the powers infinity had to offer from just touching the vessel. She didn’t like to admit it, but maybe he might’ve been wrong.

“Make sure to take the vessel with you too,” Skylor said. “Bring her to the medic once we’re back on the island.”

“Yes, my lady,” the soldier behind her bowed to her. The vessel was picked up, shackled, and placed over his shoulder.

Skylor could’ve sworn a sparrow chirped. But she thought nothing of it. If a little bird was here then it would fly out soon enough. Right now, she has to fulfill orders. That was all the vessel was, an order given to her. And she would do her damndest to take on that task for her father’s sake. For the anacondrai’s sake.

She was soon back in the fray of unbidden and unwelcome winter cold. It snipped at her skin despite the power of ice negating it. Now Skylor knew why the vessel had blankets constantly on her. Even her unconscious body began to shiver while in the snow. Skylor kept her back straight as she led the men over to the harbor again. For all she knew, this was phase one of the plan. And when the time was right the next steps would begin.

An odd looking sparrow jumped from tree branch to tree branch. Like it was following Skylor. A guardian perhaps. Her father told her once that such things like guardians weren’t real. And if they were, they did not want her. The gods would not look down upon her in kind, not ever.

Skylor now only believes in blood and nothing else.

Chapter Text

 Lloyd’s powers were making their way through metal bodies, blowing them to bits when he asked them to. He ran through the bushes, using the balls of energy as projectiles. Other times, he would jump down there and rip out the circuits himself. The nindroids fell around him like he were on a battlefield with many bodies.

Then, he moved on to the next batch. The objective Borg gave Lloyd was to try and get to a few golden pieces of metal left behind in the Overlord’s destruction of Ninjago city. Borg deemed them to be pure. Merely a power source for someone else.

Lloyd weaved his way through the red lasers built like a web. His feet padded against the ground with a lightness any ninja would have.

More nindroids came in with lasers shooting out of their eyes. And as if he were dancing, Lloyd dodged them all. He used his own spinjitzu to tear them apart and reached a compartment they were guarding. It was a trap door. Lloyd tied a rope around his waist, hoisting himself down. On a pedestal, was a hologram of the golden metal pieces. They had an aura of familiarity Lloyd wished he’d already forgotten. Before he could even reach for it, the hologram faded into nothingness.

“And time’s up,” Borg’s voice echoed in the garage Lloyd was now in. Lloyd untied himself and plopped on the floor.

“You were closer than I thought you would get,” Borg said. “Although, I never guessed that you would be so rough on the security droids.”

“You wanted to test them, so I don’t see the big deal,” Lloyd said.

“I guess you’re right.”

“And if I can’t steal that gold, then I don’t think anyone else can. But where’s the real one?”

“That is a secret I’d rather keep.”

Secret. Lloyd started hating that word more and more over the past few months. He stiffened, but kept a smile on his face.

“Do you know where Master Wu is?” he asked. “He said he’d be here.”

“Oh, he was,” Borg said. “He helped me with the monitoring but he didn’t stay too long. I understand why, well, I won’t ever understand what he’s going through at all. But, where are the other ninja?”

“Them?” Lloyd said. “They said they couldn't come.”

That wasn’t the truth. Lloyd didn’t even try to contact any of them. He couldn’t bear hearing any of their voices right now. Every time he even thought of them, Zane and [Name] followed suit.

“I can see why. The loss of Zane and [Name] have affected all of us,” Borg said. “Pixal ended up disappearing after the funeral. I don’t know where she went.”

“She’s missing?” Lloyd said.

“I suppose I haven’t told you. You’re grieving as well so I didn’t want to be a bother.”

Lloyd pushed Borg on his wheelchair across the room. “My family hasn’t held up much better,” he said. “Master Wu’s either trying to help with restoring the bounty, or in his room looking at the same picture of [Name].”

“Losing your child in such an accident would make anyone that stagnant,” Borg said.

“I’m just glad he’s trying to move on.”

Lloyd couldn’t shake off how the public interpreted the death of his own cousin. It was a lie that he had to keep going along with, lest everyone else know the truth. He wasn’t prepared for it, no one could be when those words were yelled at him with all kinds of emotion laced in them.

She went in that collision because she  wanted  to die!

That was the last thing Kai ever said to Lloyd before leaving. Thinking of him would reveal that memory. The guilt Kai probably felt for both her and Zane’s deaths. Jay and Cole’s guilt for not figuring it out before the worst happened. Lloyd’s own guilt for not being told.

“I’ll try contacting them again,” Lloyd said. “I want to talk to them about something anyways.”

He hated secrets because it tore his life apart.

…

The easiest person Lloyd could reach out to was Jay. He constantly knew where he was, and Lloyd found eye contact with him wouldn’t be so painful.

Jay was the host of an absurd gameshow Lloyd wouldn’t be caught dead watching. Contestants would go through an obstacle course and humiliate themselves on live television. The show called Jay on to be the host a couple weeks back. This was the first time Jay would be filming an episode. Lloyd wasn’t sure if he wasn’t far gone, or too far gone. The vanity had concealer wasting away, and a framed picture. It was from when Lloyd was just a little kid, the first photo taken of him where he didn’t have to wear a uniform.

Lloyd waited, hidden in Jay’s dressing room to think of what to say. And he didn’t get much time before Jay walked in after filming. His hair was swooshed to the right. He wore a bright blue tuxedo with pink accents.

Jay sat in front of the mirror, slumped over. For a moment, he stayed there. Then, he took the framed picture. His thumb drifting across Zane and [Name]’s figures.

“Ninja never quit, do they Zane?” Jay mused.

Lloyd jumped down from his hiding place, perfectly aligned with the mirror.

“The team needs you now more than ever,” Lloyd couldn’t think of anything else to say. So he chose that phrase, saying it like a monotone funeral director. He crossed his arms, averting his gaze just as Jay turned around.

“Lloyd?” Jay put down the photo. “How’d you get in here?”

“I’m a ninja,” Lloyd said. “It’s been awhile, eh Jay?”

“It has. You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

Both of them chuckled. It was a fleeting moment saved from the past. Something that moved to the now. Jay would always try to make someone smile because that’s who he was deep down.

“I do mean it, the team needs you,” Lloyd said.

“What team?” Jay stood up, hands pushing against the vanity’s edge. “You were there the last time we talked weren’t you?”

“Yeah, and it’s been long enough. Kai should’ve cooled off by now. You still talk to Cole, right?”

“No. We both got into our own fight about the situation.”

“Don’t blame that. What about Kai?”

“He refuses to answer my calls.”

“Still,” Lloyd wandered around the room, picking up the picture. “You don’t belong in this place. You’re the Master of Lightning for gods’ sake. Whatever Cole or whoever said otherwise is full of shit.”

“Y’know I can never get used to you swearing,” Jay said.

“Your point?”

There was silence again. Lloyd put down the picture, laying it face down. He looked at Jay for the first time, trying to make eye contact. He couldn’t do it.

“Meet me at Chen’s Ramen Palace at seven,” Lloyd opened up the window. “We need to talk about something. You know what it is.”

Before Lloyd left, Jay picked up the photo again, the glass screen guarding it was cracked. He sat down, laying his head down.

“Why did Zane not let go when we told him too?” Jay muttered.

“I don’t know,” Lloyd leaped out the window without looking back. He was glad Jay didn’t mention his cousin.

…

Lloyd was in the trees this time. A bulldozer took away the chopped down trees, ready to be made into houses or paper. Sitting up here, Lloyd waited for the right time to talk to Cole.

Cole was working in a forest by the city outskirts. He was living the life of a humble lumberjack instead of the exciting life of a ninja. Lloyd got word of Cole’s father a few times, asking him where he was and if he was alright. Lloyd was sure he ran away again, without a trace.

It was just then that Cole was on a nearby branch on the same tree Lloyd was hiding in. Perfect. He was chipping away at the branches while Lloyd hung upside down, watching. He swung upright again, saying the exact same thing he said to Jay, “The team needs you now more than ever.”

Cole stopped swinging his ax for just a moment. He looked up at Lloyd, while Lloyd turned away from him.

“Y’know, I always thought I was good with a scythe. Turns out I’m even better with an ax,” he said. “So, what’s going on with you?”

“Trying to contact everyone,” Lloyd said.

“And this is how you’re doing it? You’ve either got guts or don’t know how to use a cellphone.”

“Very funny.”

Lloyd leaned his shoulder against the tree trunk. There was a silence only filled with working lumberjacks and tweeting birds migrating to the next destination. Autumn quickly hit this area when it rolled around, and the leaves were beginning to die.

“You know I won’t go back, right?” Cole asked. “I’m tired of fighting. Tired or serpentine, skeletons, and evil dark lords that want to kill our friends. I’m sorry for saying no after you came all this way, but I can’t.”

“I get it,” Lloyd said. “Zane was precious to all of us.”

There was silence again.

“Have you talked to Kai at all?” Lloyd asked.

“No. He’s ignored all my calls too. I think he blocked me,” Cole said. “Why?”

“Oh, nothing. Jay said the same thing so I wanted to know if you were still on good terms.”

“I’m not talking to him for you, Lloyd.”

“I wasn’t going to say that.”

“It’s written all over your face. You’re still mad at him.”

“I’m not.”

“You don’t have to blame anyone for what happened. I didn’t even know what was going on with her until he said it.”

“Just stop!”

Lloyd snapped. His grip was tight against the tree branch. Part of it was broken off. He dropped it to the ground, waiting for someone else to take it away.

“Sorry,” Cole said softly.

“It’s fine,” Lloyd stood up. “At least meet me at Chen’s Ramen Palace at seven. I want to talk.”

Trees that were previously chopped down came loose after being strapped to a truck. They were rolling towards the lumberjacks, threatening to crush anyone in their way. Cole didn’t even think, he just jumped down from the tree, and slammed his fists against the ground. Rocks formed to stop the trunks from moving any further. The other lumberjacks stared at him in awe. Because out here, they didn’t know him.

Lloyd smiled. Cole would show up.

…

Lloyd stood in front of the doors of a tattered building. The alleyway was dark, despite it being during the day. An appropriate place for this kind of activity. Lloyd couldn’t even believe he was here, and that he knew he was there.

Lloyd took a deep breath, and walked inside. Everyone there was looking at the center of the room. It was an underground fighting ring that was mostly anonymous. Anyone could go there and not have to worry about the kind of legal trouble they’d be in. It was no place for someone like Kai, and gods forbid Lloyd was seen here.

Up in the balcony were two people in odd face paint, made to look like serpentine. They looked down at the fight with intrigue.

“In the left corner we have, The Flaming Shogun!” a hypnobrai at the center of the ring announced Kai’s alias. “And on the right we have, Kruncha!”

Kruncha was a skeleton somehow in the overworld. [Name] told Lloyd a few stories about that place when recounting how she first met the rest of their friends. They were mostly bedtime stories told to him as a little kid, but he cherished them greatly.

Kai beat the skeleton with one sweep of spinjitzu. Kruncha was in pieces, but was put back together by his skeleton friend. And Kai was declared ‘Undefeated Champion.’

Lloyd watched as Kai went up to the bar, taking a seat on the stool. The bartender gave him a shot glass and filled it. He wasn’t even paying attention when Lloyd sat down, his back against the bar. No one even recognized his attire.

“Is that real alcohol?” Lloyd asked.

“It’s a super light liquor,” Kai downed the shot. “The only thing the bartender lets me drink. Even then it’s just one a day.”

Lloyd was still looking to the arena, “The team needs you now more than ever.”

“Who said that the green ninja needed a team?” Kai argued.

“No one but I know I need one. And I understand what’s going on with you. You’ve run out of bad guys to take your anger out on. So you’re here.”

“If you’re gonna call me out, at least look at me-”

“I’m not finished. Where’s the honor in fighting here? Where’s the Master of Fire?”

“Red Shogun. And where’s the Master of Ice? He decided to do what he did and look where we ended up.”

“His sacrifice wasn’t easy to take in. But we have to move on.”

“Like hell you’re moving on so easily,” Kai snapped. “You didn’t even try to talk to me when you knew where I was.”

“Don’t turn this on me,” Lloyd said.

“I don’t care, you needed to know the truth and I couldn’t keep her secret for much longer.”

“Don’t even mention her!”

Lloyd slammed his fist against the table. He turned to Kai, gritting his teeth. Part of the bar went silent. He looks around him. People were staring. He heard someone say that if he wanted a fight then to take it to the ring. Lloyd awkwardly sat down, flushed.

“It should’ve been me,” Kai said. Lloyd couldn't tell which death he was talking about.

“Meet me at Chen’s Ramen Palace at seven,” Lloyd murmured. “We need to talk. And you’ll know why.”

Lloyd left, slowly taking away the tension and anger that overcame him. His father always taught him to keep it under control. But nowadays, he can’t seem to keep it bottled up like he had been.

…

The table at the ramen restaurant was a bit awkward. Neither Lloyd, Cole, nor Jay talked to each other. Cole was watching the conveyor belt show off the types of food there, drooling. Jay stared at the same couple of words on the menu while Lloyd twiddled his thumbs. When Kai finally showed up past those open doors, he could finally relax.

“Back here!” Lloyd waved him over as if he was looking to sit next to him at dinner again. Although, [Name] would’ve been at his side.

Jay and Cole turned to look at him, sighing.

“You guys too?” Kai approached the table.

“Yeah,” Cole said.

“The runt tricked us all,” Jay said.

“You’re late. And we had to wait and stare at all this noodle goodness,” Cole said.

“We talk first,” Lloyd said. “Then eat.”

“Fine, but make it quick,” Kai sat down next to Cole.

Lloyd took a deep breath, making sure not to let a lingering anger get the best of him. He held a restraint of not thinking of how much Zane’s miso soup would’ve tasted better than something from the ramen place. Or the sweet sakura mochi he and [Name] ate together on the Dark Island.

“Look, I know you don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to talk about it,” Lloyd began. “But I have to know, Kai. What did you mean when you said she–wanted to die.”

There was silence. Lloyd’s voice was hushed enough that no one else heard him.

“Straight to the point,” Kai said. “She was the same.”

Lloyd glared at him. Jay and Cole only looked at Kai with the same amount of intrigue and guilt.

“Alright, I’ll answer,” Kai said. “You know how she said she didn’t remember how she unlocked her true potential. That was a lie.”

“Kind of obvious,” Jay said. “What was so horrible about not telling us?”

“Well, she told me not to. What else was I supposed to do?” Kai lowered his head. “I caught her crying the night after the Blade Cup. I couldn’t sleep, and she just woke up after being knocked out. I knew there was something going on with her–but I couldn’t have predicted it’d be what she said.”

Kai’s voice trailed off. His words were stuck on one singular moment that plagued his mind. Lloyd bit his tongue back, waiting for him to say it instead of demanding it out of the other boy.

“She said she didn’t want to live anymore,” Kai continued. “And that’s when it happened.”

Jay covered his mouth. Cole scooted away from his friend. Lloyd only looked at the table. He was trembling. The girl who he thought of as an older sister wanted to die the entire time, and took the opportunity when it showed up. It really was true. His conscience was right when Kai said it so long ago. He knew. He fucking knew.

“Her true potential…” Cole said.

“It was cruel. I mean…that was how she unlocked it? We were able to unlock ours in some big battle while she just said that. All for some god to show up and tell her what to do because they shared a body,” Kai said.

“I can’t believe it,” Jay said. “I thought I saw something off back when we first got the fang blades.”

“No,” Lloyd said. “I refuse to believe that. Why didn’t she tell me?”

“You’d think she’d tell you that?” Kai said. “You were probably the last person she wanted to know. You were a little kid back then for crying out loud.”

“We shouldn’t have left her alone,” Cole said. “We shouldn’t have left Zane to do what he did. Maybe they’d both still be here.”

“No. Don’t bring Zane into this,” Jay said.

“I wasn’t.”

“It really sounded like you were.”

Jay and Cole leaned over the table, gradually raising their voices. They gripped on each other’s clothes growling a little.

“Guys!” Lloyd stood up, arms spread out. “It’s fine. Just. Don’t fight.”

Lloyd didn’t sit back down until Jay and Cole did. He released a puff of air. His shoulders sank downward. He was exhausted. It was not one death, but two he had to bear with. Both were people he saw as family. Everyone saw them as family.

The doors to the ramen place swung open. Three men dressed in leather jackets walked in. Their faces were painted purple and white, like scales. The one up front took out the cigar in his mouth, using the front counter as an ashtray.

“Guys, lay low, I think we’ve got company,” Jay said.

“Um, sir, you’re not supposed to smoke in this building,” the woman at the door said.

“So what?” the cigar man said. “I’m not smoking right now.”

“Please throw your cigar away.”

Cigar man grabbed the collar of the woman’s shirt, tugging her close enough so they were face to face. Her eyes were wide, hands trembling.

“Hows about we get to the point missy?” he slammed the counter. “Everything in the register, now.”

Lloyd couldn’t do anything before Kai was up at the front counter. His fist made contact with cigar man’s cheek. The woman was let go. The cigar fell to the floor, spreading ashes on the floor around it.

“Guess we’re interfering,” Cole said, not hesitating to get into the fray.

Cigar man’s two buddies were about to gang up on Kai. Cole and Jay held them back tugging on the backs of their leather jackets. They were slammed against the conveyor belt. Food was knocked to the ground.

“Come on, you’re supposed to respect a lady,” Cole grabbed one of the noodle bowls on the conveyor belt, sipping it. “That’s amazing miso.”

Cole was caught off guard by the man he was holding down. He broke free, and twisted Cole’s wrist. The bowl was knocked out of his hand. The soup spilled. Lloyd decided it was his turn, and stepped in to free Cole. He forcefully bent the man’s shoulder backwards. His back arched back. His grip slipped. He slammed him against the floor. The man fell unconscious.

“Thanks,” Cole said.

“No problem,” Lloyd said. “That felt good.”

It really did feel good, fighting alongside his friends again, despite two not being there anymore. Maybe there was a chance the four of them could be a team again. It was the first time Lloyd felt any real hope since that day.

Kai swiftfully knocked out cigar man. He fell in front of the front desk. The woman behind it had her hands covering her mouth. Kai’s nose was bleeding, but he treated it like it was nothing. He merely wiped it so it wouldn’t drip into his mouth.

The other one was knocked out by Cole, helping Jay. The two of them looked at each other. Jay muttered ‘thanks.’

“Sorry about the damage, ma’am,” Lloyd said. “I’ll pay for it.”

“Eight thousand thanks,” the woman said. “In return, your meal is on the house.”

“Really?” Cole’s ears perked up.

“Of course. You four saved my life.”

A swift wind passed Lloyd and the others. And the door to the back of the restaurant was shut. Someone passed him. He was sure of it.

“You guys felt that too, right?” Jay asked.

“Yeah,” Lloyd waved to the woman. “Hold on a second, we need to check on something. Those thugs might still have some people left.”

“They might’ve left out the back,” the woman said.

Lloyd left out the back door with the others. There was a blank alleyway outside. A piece of paper drifted out to the street like a tumbleweed in the desert. Across from him, there was a table with candles lit. Two pictures were above it.

“The hell is that?” Kai tilted his head.

“Guys, the pictures,” Jay pointed to the pictures above.

Both of them were familiar now. Pictures of both Zane, and [Name]. But what could this person be doing? They were dead.

“Zane,” Kai said. “[Name].”

Lloyd gingerly approached the table. The candles surrounded four notes, folded in half and addressed to each of them by their elements. Lloyd was energy, Kai was fire, Jay was lightning, and Cole was earth. Lloyd picked up the energy note, carefully undoing the seal keeping the paper together. The others did the same. He carefully read through the note.

Master of Energy,

As you have perceived, your dear master of ice and master of infinity perished. However, that is not the case. I have them within my chambers. Aside from that, I have formally invited you to compete in my Tournament of Elements. Secrecy if of the utmost importance. Tell no one, or your friends will suffer the consequences. If you want to see them alive and well, meet on the pier at midnight. Leave all weapons behind.

-Signed

Master Chen

“They’re alive,” Lloyd said.

“How’s that possible?” Cole asked no one.

“It could be a trap,” Kai said. “A lie to lure us in.”

“But what if it isn’t?” Jay said. “What if they’re alive?”

“Tournament of Elements,” Lloyd muttered. “Maybe this ‘Master Chen’ makes more than noodles.”

“Then whatever it is,” Lloyd said. “We should go. For their sake.”

“I swear, they’ll pay if they lay a single hand on either of them,” Kai said.

Lloyd nodded, and crumpled up his note. No one has to know, that’s how his friend and cousin will be safe.

“Whatever you say, loverboy!” Jay saluted Kai. Cole chortled.

“What?” Kai and Lloyd said that at the same time. Kai’s face was flushed.

“Y’know, nevermind. See you at midnight,” Kai left the alley, and presumably, the shop.

Lloyd furrowed his eyebrows, and left too.

Chapter Text

 Time did not exist in this little dungeon. It was where you woke up, gods know how long ago, and where you stayed. The only way you could even tell day from night was the small window you were under. The sunlight would stop streaming, crickets would start chirping, and you would lay down on the concrete floor to rest.

Sleep didn’t come easily either. The chain connecting your wrist and the wall was annoying. Not to mention many nightmares you wished you could forget about. Some of them were about The Overlord incident. Some were about the day you were kidnapped by those strange people. The last thing you would see before waking up was Pixal’s arms being ripped off her body, the same thing you saw before being knocked out.

Pixal wasn’t with you in this cell, and neither was Zane. You didn’t know where they were. Tohru was your only companion, flying around the island as a little sparrow. Going unnoticed by any of the guards and strangers. In other words, she was your little spy for the time being.

The sun was streaming through the window dimly. It was probably sunset by this point. The light just kept getting darker as time went by. You sighed, another sleepless night would approach you with a grin.

Guards strode their way to your cell hallway. Talking about some nonsense. Your ears muffled out the noise, more focused on when Tohru described it as a mansion or palace.

They stopped right in front of your door. What could they possibly want with you? No one gave an answer whenever you were given food or water.

The light kicked in when the door opened. You were blinded by a single torch light. Three people were on the edge of your cage and a restricted freedom. Those three men were two guards slightly in front of a man with black hair tied back. There were lines on his face showing his age, and a mustache on his upper lip. He gazed down at you like you were a disgusting beetle or spider.

He wore a burgundy hakama, the emblem on his chest was of two snakes intertwining with each other, and the belt was shaped like two snakes ready to swallow one another whole. His haori was purple, draped over his shoulders like a nobleman.

You looked up at him with an unfiltered rage. The guards on standby had their spears at the ready if you took even a single breath.

“Oh, don’t be so cautious,” the man waved them off. “The lady said the girl doesn’t have any powers right now. Perhaps the god abandoned her.”

“She would never,” you snapped.

The man did not say anything. The two of you only looking at each other with equally disgusted looks. How dare he say that about Tohru? She wouldn’t abandon you. Even when you did something like that to yourself. She did not let you die. You hated it. But also grew to find at least some gratitude for her devotion. And to a human nonetheless. A human that had a whole other life before this one.

“The bracelet,” the man held his hand out to the guard at his right. He was handed a golden bracelet. A red gem was in the middle of it, with the character ‘Chi’ meaning blood.

You backed against the wall as much as you could. The man stepped forward. You kicked at him multiple times before he had to step away. He wiped the dirt off his clothes, gritting his teeth.

“Get that thing away from me!” you shouted.

“Restrain her,” the man turned to the guards.

They did just as he ordered. One held your chained arm to the wall, and the other in front of you. The second guard held your legs down, trying his best to not get kicked in the face.

“It’s best not to struggle, girl,” the man said. “You’ll find that this doesn’t hurt upon initial impact.”

The man approached you again. The golden bracelet was opened, big enough to fit your wrist. He gripped onto it for better leverage, and with a snap the bracelet was around you. It was cold against your skin, even with the green and black hoodie on you. The man made sure the bracelet wasn’t against any sleeve. The ‘Chi’ writing on the red gem glowed for a second before fading.

The men let go of you. They were at the doorway again with the blink of an eye.

“What did you do to me?” you got up, running as much as the chain let you. Unfortunately, it wasn’t far enough to reach the strange man and his two guards.

“It’s a bracelet,” the man answered. “Although, I did put a spell or two on it.”

You looked down at it. This was magic, then. You only heard a few things about enchanters in Ninjago. They were rare nowadays because of all the technology surrounding the citizens. Enchantments for purifying water weren’t needed.

“You’re an enchanter?” you asked.

“I would have to be if I wanted to have the bracelet do what I want,” the man said.

“Then what’d you do?”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“You know what I mean.”

You furrowed your brow.

“There’s a tournament coming up in the palace quite soon,” the man said. “My master will need you in regards to it.”

“So what? This’ll make me behave?” you lifted your hand to show the bracelet.

“More like persuade you. A few people you might know are on the boat to this island right now. And it so happens that there is a twin for that enchanted bracelet I gave you. One of them will get it. And if you escape, or try to hurt me or my master, they will die.”

You took a step back. Your legs were wobbling, heart beating a mile a minute. You never felt so exhausted since being in this cell. The walls were closing in on you, the world getting smaller. This wasn’t a persuasion. This was a threat. Behave, or one of your friends will face the consequences. You didn’t want to know who it would be.

The men began to leave. You were taken out of your trance and tried to run to the door. Your chain was preventing you from doing so. It only made you stumble backwards, falling just as the door shut. Somehow, you couldn’t move, only vaguely hearing the three men leave, speaking of reporting the event to one ‘Master Chen.’

A sparrow’s chirp echoed in the walls of your cell. You quickly turned around, finding that the sparrow had dark purple wings and a light purple tuft of feathers under her beak. You scrambled to get up, and cupped your hands in front of the sparrow.

“Tohru!” you smiled, kneeling with her in your gentle hands. “What happened today?”

‘The same thing that’s happened for two weeks. Servants were preparing for a big event that would go on in the palace. Some spoke of a tournament,’ Tohru linked with your thoughts, even as a bird.

“That’s what he said…” your voice trailed off.

‘Are you treating this like some sort of joke?’

“No it wasn’t that. It’s just, someone showed up at my cell before you got here. He said that a tournament would be coming soon. And I think the others are on their way here too.”

‘They might be in danger too then.’

Tohru turned to the side, scratching her feathers with her beak.

“Why?” you tilted your head.

‘The man of the palace does not have good intentions for us or them,’ Tohru answered. ‘He’s been referred to as Master Chen. He might be from a time where I was still sealed away.’

So that was a confirmation. Master Chen wanted you in his palace for some reason. You heard about him in a few hushed words from your father and uncle. You were wandering the halls after getting bored of playing outside. They were talking about a mysterious man while you just wanted your uncle to carry you on his shoulders.

“I have an idea,” you said. “My father knows him–I think. And an escape plan might not go so well right now.” You placed Tohru on the floor, and showed her the chi bracelet. Tohru inspected it, lightly pecking it with her beak.

‘That’s an enchantment, yes,’ Tohru said. ‘Two of them actually, one to activate something in the bracelet and a connection to a second bracelet.’

“The man who put it on me said one of the others will get the other one. Probably for behavioral control.”

You both sat there in silence. Zane and Pixal could probably get out when all of this ends. However, you would not. You already decided on that matter. Protecting your friends was the first priority. Then, you got an idea.

“Tohru,” you said. “Can I ask you a favor?”

‘Gods take favors from mortals all the time,’ Tohru said.

“The boys will arrive on the island on a boat any day now. Watch over them instead.”

Tohru was silent in your head. The only time you felt a true silence. Nothing existed around you except for a dark void where no one could help you. You already accepted this, but were still trying to find a way. Why?

‘As you wish,’ Tohru said. You could hear her smiling.

She flew out the window. And you were left in a pocket of time that never seemed to move.

Chapter Text

 Lloyd would only be packing the essentials before meeting up with the others. It was around ten, two hours until he had to be at the docks. He was currently at his father’s monastery, and home. Where the others lived for a year before the incident happened. Lloyd’s room was a bit messy, clothes spread out on the tatami floor. There was a picture of him and everyone else. He didn’t know why he thought it would be fine to jump on [Name]’s back when she told him to. He smiled at the picture, and put it in the bag.

The next thing he reached for was a dagger. However, the words from that note reached him. Leave your weapons behind, it said. If he did not do what was asked, something might happen. He couldn’t risk it. Lloyd retracted his hand, and zipped up the duffle bag he had.

A soft knock on the door caught Lloyd’s attention. “Come in,” he said. When the door was opened, his father was on the other side.

“Hey, I was just going to help Nya and Uncle Wu in restoring the bounty,” Garmadon said. “Maybe you could help us. I guess you could say it’s all hands on deck.”

Think of a lie. Think of a lie!

“Uh, actually…” Lloyd avoided eye contact with his father. “I ended up contacting the guys. We’re all going fishing. Y’know, catching up and all that.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful,” his father smiled. “I’ll leave you to it then. I’m glad you were finally able to do it.”

“Wait, before you go,” Lloyd said. “I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“It’s about our elemental powers. Are there others like us?”

“Why do you ask?”

Garmadon raised an eyebrow, his smile fading.

“Ah, no reason. It’s just been on my mind recently.”

Lloyd picked up his duffel bag, slinging it over his shoulder. He opened the door fully, and went out of the room.

“Sorry, I can’t be late for the trip,” Lloyd said. “I’ll see you later dad!”

“Right, see you when you get back,” Garmadon lightly waved him off.

Lloyd sighed with relief just as he got outside the monastery. He might’ve gotten his father off his tail for a little while. At least long enough for him to retrieve Zane and [Name], and bring them back home.

…

The night was pretty cold from the docks being so close to the sea. Lloyd’s hair was whipped around by the wind. The water surrounding him was dark, almost black because of the night sky. The moon itself was the only thing reflected by the sea. The wood was old, moldy from where it stood.

People were gathered near the end, where ships would import goods from small islands. Or fishermen bringing in their latest catch. Behind Lloyd, was the shimmering lights of Ninjago City stifling the stars.

Kai, Jay, and Cole were wearing ninja gi in their respective colors. Lloyd was kind of glad they did. It’d be easier to seek them out. Although, the other people gave them looks, already finding something was up if the noble ninja were here. Lloyd took in a deep breath, and stepped into the crowd.

“I knew we shouldn’t have worn these,” Jay said.

“So, this is the Tournament of Elements,” Kai crossed his arms. “Do you think these people have powers like we do?”

“I ended up asking my dad about it,” Lloyd said. “He got really suspicious.”

“You told him?” Cole said. “The note said not to tell anyone or they would suffer the consequences.”

“It’s fine, I didn’t actually tell him what was going on. They should be safe.”

A boat finally approached the docks, paddling against the water. Lanterns were lit for decoration while there were actual headlights. There were two floors, one smaller than the other, and a main dock used as a space to wait for the destination to approach. People with strange painted faces placed a plank big enough to walk across. A man with a burgundy hakama and purple haori stepped out. Even while dressed in such simple clothing, he looked like a nobleman.

“We don’t know where this will take us,” Lloyd said as he and the others headed for the plank. “No matter what, we have to stick together. No distractions.”

“Tell that to Kai,” Jay said. “Our actual mission might be a distraction for him.”

“That doesn’t count. He’s just worried about Zane and [Name].”

“I hear you. No distractions,” Kai rolled his eyes.

Jay was the first to approach the stranger. He was a lot more focused on what was ahead of him than other times.

“Master Chen will be glad a master of spinjitzu accepted his invitation,” the man said. “You would fare quite well in the tournament.”

“We’re not here to fight,” Jay said. “Just for a friend.”

“Don’t be petty. Everyone here has something to fight for.”

The man pulled out nunchucks from Jay’s duffel bag.

“Uh, those are chopsticks. I’m a big eater,” Jay chuckled.

“Surely these weren’t for that friend of yours. You get a warning this time, Master Jay.”

The man tossed the nunchucks into the water. Lloyd and the rest of them followed suit. He couldn’t blame Jay for bringing a weapon, as he was going to bring one himself. To him, a weapon would help his cousin and friend, not the tournament.

Just as Lloyd stepped on the plank, he locked eyes with the strange man. He smiled at him with an uneasiness that made Lloyd’s stomach churn. He wanted to throw up. This was the man keeping his family in a cage.

“Such an honor to meet the oh so great chosen one,” the man said. “Here, a token of Master Chen’s gratitude.” He pulled out a bracelet. It was opened, ready for a wrist to take its weight.

“Thanks, I guess,” Lloyd held out his wrist, and the bracelet snapped together. It was gold, with a red gem. The character for blood, ‘Chi’ emerged from it, before fading.

“Lloyd!”

Lloyd knew that voice. Has he already been found out? He didn’t tell him directly, so [Name] and Zane should be safe. No, they are safe. Lloyd kept reminding himself that they were, at least for now. He turned to his father, walking down the docs. His expression stern, reminding Lloyd of when he looked more like an Oni than a man.

“If you get on that boat, you might never return,” Garmadon said.

“Dad?” Lloyd said. “What’re you doing here?”

“Master Chen is a dangerous man, son. Whatever he promised you, do not believe him.”

“Lord Garmadon,” the man said. “It’s been awhile. I guess you’re ‘Sensei’ now. I can never remember.”

“Clouse…” Garmadon gritted his teeth. “I see Master Chen is still having you run his errands.”

“I’m sorry, but I have to go,” Lloyd stepped closer to the boat. “This is about [Name], and Zane. It’s about family. They could both be where Chen is. Think about it, we can be whole again. I just have to get on that ship.”

“Last call, are you in or out?” Clouse was at the end of the plank.

Lloyd didn’t hesitate to turn around, and walk across.

“I cannot stop you, but I can join you,” Garmadon said.

“I deeply apologize. There isn’t enough room on the ship for you,” Clouse turned around, walking away. Two men grabbed the plank, pulling it away from the docks.

“Oh, there’s no room?” Garmadon said. “I’ll make room then.”

He jumped on one end of the plank, flipping as it fell into the water. He then kicked one of the men with face paint’s back. He fell into the water, sinking along with the wood. Garmadon landed gracefully on the boat, one hand on the ground.

“I stand corrected,” Clouse glared at Lloyd’s father. “There’s room now.”

“You need not worry, Clouse,” Garmadon put a hand on Lloyd’s shoulder. “I’m looking out for my own interests.”

The boat set sail, away from Ninjago City, and into the great unknown. Lloyd watched the lights fade away, and the stars shine in the sky once again. He was alone in the endless sea, heading towards an island of elements. Lloyd walked along the deck with his father. The others trailed behind him.

Other passengers were training for the upcoming event ahead of them. One was punching a metal barrel, another was meditating. There was even one man focusing his energy on growing some greenery on the boat. Clouse patrolled the deck with three other men trailing behind him.

“You know him. You said his name was ‘Clouse,’” Lloyd said to his father.

“Don’t be fooled by his demeanor, he is a master of the dark arts,” Garmadon said. “He is Chen’s number two.”

“I thought Chen’s number two was a yakisoba,” Cole said.

“Then…” Lloyd looked at the bracelet he was given. He shook his head. As much as he knew it was true, he didn’t want to believe that this bracelet was a lot more than just a welcome gift for the green ninja.

“Why didn’t you or Wu tell us that there were elemental masters like us?” Kai asked.

“There are some things we don’t want you to know,” Garmadon said. “You were lead to believe you were special, but you never questioned where your powers came from. Even [Name] was forced to deceive you in this regard.”

“She knew?!” Lloyd said.

“Only a few things, but yes. Some things slipped in discussions me and my brother had. She was just a little girl back then.”

“Are you implying that none of us are special?” Jay asked.

“Everyone on this ship is a descendent of an elemental master,” Garmadon ignored his question.

“An elemental master? Who’re they?” Lloyd asked.

“The First Spinjitzu Master’s protectors, each endowed with an elemental power passed down through generations.”

“If that’s the case, then Nya would be one of them,” Kai said. “And she can’t do what I can.”

“Can’t she?” Garmadon turned to Kai. “Perhaps her abilities haven’t awakened yet. Here, the other passengers serve no master, and have managed to reach their true potential on their own. For instance, that paleman is a distant relative to the master of light. Then there’s Griffin Turner, grandson to the master of speed.”

“Speed? How’s that an element?” Jay asked.

“Says the master of lightning.”

“Pfft, he got you there,” Cole chuckled.

There was someone else near the end of the deck. Her hands were holding onto a piece of rope separating her from the sea. She had a hood over her head, but Lloyd found a few strands of red hair peeking. Her eyes were dark as the sea at night.

“What about her?” Kai asked.

“I don’t know,” Garmadon said. “Most of these people I’ve never seen before. I’m mostly going off traits from their parents or grandparents. However, they will all be gunning for you. You are ninja, you fight with honor. Here, that means nothing.”

The girl was grabbed by that same guy who was punching the metal barrel. He had actual metal fists, and a black goatee.

“Everyone’s got their own definition of honor,” Kai walked towards the scuffle.

The girl was the first to notice him.

“It’s fine,” she said. “I can handle this.”

“This none of his business,” the guy said in a thick accent. “Karloff cold. Karloff just wants her cloak.”

“I told you it wasn’t a cloak. Just a hood,” the girl gestured to her hood.

“You’re giving her enough trouble, so just leave her alone,” Kai said. “It’s literally a hood. Besides, you look like you have good enough mittens.”

“Oh dear gods,” Lloyd muttered.

“These not mittens,” ‘Karloff’ made a fist with his metal gloves. “These crush ninja.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Kai said.

“Save it for the tournament, Kai,” Garmadon scolded.

“You think Karloff afraid of you?” Karloff said.

“Not really. I think that you don’t have much of a brain though,” Kai shrugged.

His gi was grabbed by the collar by Karloff. Kai was lifted in the air as if he were just a sack of feathers to the other guy. He kicked and grabbed at the metal glove, but nothing worked.

“Uh, just jump in whenever you feel like it,” Kai said. “No rush!”

“You think Karloff stupid?” Karloff asked.

“I think Karloff is smart enough to not start something he can’t finish,” Lloyd glared at Kai.

Karloff dropped Kai. He fell on his back, getting the air knocked out of his lungs.

“Whoops,” Karloff said. “Hand slipped.”

“Kai started this,” Garmadon had his arms in front of Lloyd and the others. “He can finish it.”

Kai wiped his mouth of any spit or blood. The underground fighting rinks might’ve done his endurance some justice. Lloyd knew that when he was just a child, Kai couldn’t take many hits in a fight. Flames engulfed Kai’s hands. He shot bursts of them towards Karloff like they were just a few gusts of wind from a fan. Karloff blocked them with his metal gloves, then klunked his two fists together. His entire body was metal now.

Kai gasped, but lowered his center of gravity. He was against the wall as Karloff dove for him. He continuously dodged his attacks before being thrown across the deck. Thankfully, Kai landed on the shingles near the edge of the ship. He and Karloff fought some more, edging closer and closer to the sea. Kai looked down for just a moment, and stiffened.

They both fell through the shingles and onto another floor of the deck. Kai had his fire out again, and he two kept fighting. Lloyd, Cole, and Jay kept following them everywhere. Lloyd was going in circles around the ship, watching Kai and Karloff fight. They went in that same circle, ending up where they started. Kai was on top of Karloff, about to hit him.

“Enough!” Clouse shouted. He glared down at both of them. Karloff turned back to normal, the metal gone.

Kai glared at Clouse, and got off Karloff.

“We’ve arrived,” Clouse looked towards an island coming into view. The sun was rising over the mountain. The sky was being painted orange that would fade into a blue in a little while. The island was practically a shadow of what was to come. Lloyd didn’t know where to start looking for his cousin.

“Welcome to The Island of Elements,” Clouse said.

The girl with the orange hood extended her hand to Kai.

“Sorry about that,” she said.

“I probably overreacted though,” Kai said.

“Don’t sweat it. No one on this boat really cares about a fight breaking out.”

The girl left. Kai stood back up like nothing happened. Lloyd turned back to the island. He gave Kai a mere glance. He didn’t have to say how foolish it was, they both knew.

…

They arrived at what seemed to be a palace. There was a wall with an emblem of two snakes covering the main gate. Two roofs were poking up from the top of the wall. People near the gates were chanting as a way of welcoming the new competitors.

“Woah,” Kai said.

“Let me see,” Karloff pushed past him.

“Do you mind?”

Clouse was the one to set up the plank again. He walked forward, hands behind his back. Lloyd looked down at his bracelet yet again, but kept his guard up.

“The Tournament of Elements welcomes its fierce warriors,” he said.

Garmadon was the first to walk down the plank. He and Clouse met eyes for just a moment. They turned away from each other though, turning up their noses to each other.

“Master Chen will be pleased you decided to return to him, Sensei Garmadon,” Clouse said.

“The pleasure is all mine, Clouse,” Garmadon said.

Lloyd followed his father, along with the others.

“I’m feeling some tension here,” Jay said.

“Yeah, and why are we on an island I haven’t seen on a map before?” Kai asked.

“Care to explain why the owner of Ninjago’s most popular ramen restaurant is holding an underground tournament who also had the power to kidnap our friends?” Cole stood in front of Garmadon, hands on his hips.

Garmadon shifted his gaze everywhere but at them. He bit his lip, but gave in the last minute.

“Master Chen was a friend, now he’s nothing but a traitor,” he said. “He turned against his own kind during the Serpentine War, and sided with the treacherous snakes.”

“The battle you and uncle fought together in?” Lloyd asked.

“He used deception to divide the Elemental Masters. We barely defeated the serpentine. He made a deal to get out of execution for treason, Chen was to never leave this island. But, we never thought he would build his criminal empire from here. Actually, the better word for it is a cult.”

“He may have divided our ancestors, but he’s not dividing us.”

They continued up to the doors to the palace. Everyone else was waiting for them to open.

“Keep an eye out,” Cole said. “This island seems pretty big. [Name] and Zane could be anywhere.”

The doors opened, revealing a purple line of carpet with white markings on it. They were serpentine marlings. Lloyd knew them all too well, having seen them on the serpentine he knowingly released.

Servants were pounding their drums and chanting as Lloyd walked in the line of elementals. The palace was big, however nothing came close to what the imperial palace looked like from the outside.

“So this is the house built by noodles,” Jay said. “Always wanted to go to a red carpet event. In this case it's a purple carpet, I guess.”

“Chen lives like an emperor here,” Garmadon said. “He is completely self-sufficient. The only way on or off this island is through him. You will have to earn his permission.”

“You never told me about this place. How do you know so much about this island?” Lloyd asked.

“Because before Chen was my enemy, he was my sensei,” Garmadon revealed a tattoo of an anacondrai serpent on his back. It was purple, bearing its fangs at his shoulder blade.

Lloyd ended up in a main room upon entering the palace. There was a red circle in the middle, a golden serpent emblem on it. The same one Clouse wore in fact. Lloyd sat in between his father and Cole.

“You never told me you had a sensei,” Lloyd said in a hushed voice.

“I sought out a darker means of guidance back then,” Garmadon said. “He taught me to win at all costs, no matter who I hurt. But it wasn’t until you saved me, that I saw the light.”

Lloyd smiled.

“Uh, he also never taught you to have a sense of humor,” Jay said. “Lighten up a bit.”

“That seems impossible these days,” Lloyd said.

A record player boasted loud music through its speakers. Someone was winding down something from the ceiling. A throne perhaps.

“All rise in honor of Master Chen,” Clouse said.

Lloyd did as he said, waiting to see just who this man was.

Chen was sitting on that throne made of velvet and bones. He had an anacondrai headpiece, a necklace of snake fangs, and a burgundy haori. He dressed like he really was an emperor, not just a man of nobility like Clouse. Red eye shadow was surrounding his eyes, and his robes were lined with gold.

“Welcome honored guests, to the Tournament of Elements,” Chen said. “Now all of you can di…rect your attention to me!”

“He has a pension for theatrics,” Garmadon whispered.

“Never in a long time have so many elemental masters gathered in one place,” Chen got out of his seat, and made his way to the crowd. His gait was elegant, and imposing his own power with every step. “I see fire, earth, shadow, speed. Ah! And look at this, the prophesied green savior is upon us. I do hope you enjoy that bracelet. Think of it as my gratitude towards you. And it looks to me that a former pupil has returned. What a surprise!”

Chen gestured to the gong, “The symbol all around you is of the great anacondrai. They were the fiercest warriors of their time. Their creed, ‘Only one can remain.’ Here, we live by that code.”

He went over to a weapon rack, picking up a blade the color of a shining emerald. “This is a jade blade. Here, it guarantees your freedom. Acquire it during the upcoming challenges, and you stay on the island.”

“Tell Karloff what happens if he wins,” Karloff said.

“Riches beyond your wildest dreams,” Chen grinned.

“And if you lose the tournament?” Garmadon raised an eyebrow.

“No one wants to lose do they?”

Chen smiled down at them. Lloyd furrowed his eyebrows. His hands gripped onto his knees.

“Now then, if you please, girls,” Chen clapped his hands twice.

A line of women strode out and gathered around the circle, forming their own. They wore white makeup and had their lips painted red. Their eyebrows were completely gone, drawn on a higher spot on their forehead. They had their hair up with an assortment of serpentine pins. Some had their own fans. The woman nearest Lloyd invited him to stand up. He did so, and she grabbed him by the arm.

“What the?” Lloyd said.

“Who are these people?” Jay asked.

“Kabuki servants,” Garmadon said. “Also known as Master Chen’s jesters.”

“These lovely girls will be taking you to your suites. Enjoy your time here as long as possible,” Chen clapped his hands again, and the kabuki were off.

Lloyd was dragged away from his friends to a different part of the palace. It was a building specifically made as a guest quarters. He was led up to the third floor, and stopped in front of where he assumed he would be staying. Then, something slipped into his sleeve. Some kind of bottle. He looked at the kabuki, who said nothing.

“We hope the suite is to your liking,” the kabuki girl bowed to him. “Farewell for now.”

She opened the door for him, and it was shut the moment he was inside. Lloyd took out the vile. There was a small note tied to it. He assumed it was from the kabuki girl.

Drink this in two days time, it said.

A sparrow chips from outside repeatedly. Before Lloyd did anything else, he opened the window. And there it was, on the railside of a small balcony. It had strange purple feathers. Dark ones for wings, and lighter ones for the rest of its body. It flew right into Lloyd’s room without a second thought.

“Hey, get out of there!” Lloyd chased after it. He ran all around the room, trying to catch the small bird. It was so agile, more so than the average sparrow, and that was saying something.

The sparrow landed on a countertop, a mirror right behind it.

‘Well that was a warm welcome,’ the sparrow said something. It echoed through Lloyd’s head.

“You talk?!” Lloyd shouted. “Wait, who are you? What are you?”

‘It’s a mind link, o’ chosen one,’ the sparrow said. ‘I am the one your cousin calls ‘Tohru’ and as you can see, I am a sparrow at the moment.’

Chapter Text

The dress’s skirt flawlessly draped over your legs. You were standing in front of a full body mirror. Your hair was being brushed by someone. A woman with the same blonde hair as the girl in your dreams. Her brushing was gentle, going through the tangled mess that was your hair.

“And one last thing,” the woman took out a white rose hair clip. She pulled your hair aside, and the rose was there. Its petals rested on your ear. The woman tapped your shoulders twice. “I think I did a pretty good job, didn’t I?” she smiled.

“You did great, Mrs. Sawyer,” you turned around. Your current self wasn’t in control. She was merely a spectator while this mysterious version of you was in control.

“The dress looks beautiful,” Mrs. Sawyer pointed. “Green is a nice color on you.”

It was green. The dress was green. You hadn’t noticed until now. The dreams you had up until this point had you wearing the color. Your former self spun while looking at the mirror. The skirt flowed around you like a lotus flower.

“You think she’d like it?” you asked, probably talking about the mysterious girl.

“Riley helped you pick it didn’t she?” Mrs. Sawyer smiled. “She’s probably just glad you’re even going to prom in the first place.”

Prom? What’s that? That must’ve been why you were in such fancy clothing. Although if this were you in the now, you would’ve had your nicest kimono. You looked back into the mirror, smiling to yourself. Somehow, you got the same feeling of wanting this ‘Riley’ girl to like it. That must’ve been her then. That girl from the garden. From your lost memories. From your other life. Your heart skipped a beat.

“Hey, you’ll be fine,” Mrs. Sawyer said.

A weight was lifted off your shoulders. Somehow, you knew she was talking to both versions of yourself.

You woke up on the cold hard floors of your cell. Your back hurt, shoulders aching. That was a memory you just experienced. Though it wasn't that same girl, but her mother. At least you finally got the girl’s name. Riley. It rolled off the tongue so well. You quietly said it. And your heart was light. Heat crept up your cheeks, resting on the tips of your ears. So that’s what she meant to you.

You shook your head quickly, snapping yourself out of the memory. It was night. You stood up, looking out to the same scenery of trees and an occasional leaf passing by. It gave you no inkling as to where you were on the island. Though you knew your friends would find you. They would not give up like you did. You clasped your hands together, still looking out the window.

Please Tohru, help them.

You glanced at the golden bracelet, the reason you hadn’t taken down the guards and found a boat to escape with Zane and Pixal. Your original plan. It was all because that man had the nerve to make your friends pay the price. You lowered your hand, still looking out the window as if the outside world would change. Perhaps it would snow, or rain during the night.

In the silence, something slipped from underneath your cell door. You turned around, finding a piece of paper laying on the ground. You crouched down, stretching the chain as long as it could go to grab it. You unfolded it, and read the contents in such a dark place.

Two days' time. My sister will come for you then.

No one signed it, and there was nothing else. You tore up the paper, tossing the remnants aside. There was no way in hell they would make you leave this cell on your own accord.

That was a risk you were not willing to take. Not ever. Not against someone you loved.

The door to your cell opened. There were three guards this time. One of them had a nice pair of chains, probably for you. The man they were guarding had a purple headpiece that hid his hair and curled around his head like a snake. His clothes were extravagant, dressing like an emperor. But no. He was just a normal person, like you.

“Knock knock,” the man sang. “Though I suppose I’m keeping you here on purpose. At least I gave you a window. It’s a nice view isn’t it?”

You turned to the window, and then back to the man. “It’s just a few branches and a bit of grass. Nothing I haven’t seen before.”

“You wound me, and I risked you being found out by the competitors to put you in such a nice place. Aren’t I kind? Oh, where are my manners? I believe this is the first time we’ve met while you’re conscious. You may refer to me as Master Chen or Lord Chen if you like to live in the past.”

You averted your gaze, focused on the chains.

“Those are for me I presume?” you asked.

“You guessed correctly. We’re going on a little trip!” Chen grinned.

“I thought I wasn’t supposed to leave, or else…”

“Oh, that old thing. That spell won’t work here because I’ve given you permission to leave. Although you’ll be under watch and in chains. So you still can’t free-roam my palace. Can’t let the competitors know I’ve kidnapped a ninja.”

The guard with the chains walked up to you, undoing the original chain you had on, and replacing it. Now there were two cuffs around your wrists instead of one. One cuff clanked against your special bracelet. You didn’t even retaliate like when they put the bracelet on you.

You were stood up by the guards. Two of them were at either side of you, holding onto your arms. The third one was behind you. The blade of their spear was so close to your neck that they might slit your throat by accident. Chen was up front, walking like royalty would. It made you sick to your stomach.

Torches lit your path down a flight of stairs that went on forever. All you heard were the echoes of your feet against stone and the occasional ramblings of Chen.

“I never would’ve guessed that your uncle would come to the tournament. He never got an invite,” Chen said. “What a nice surprise it was. An old pupil trying and failing to protect his precious son.”

You tried your best not to jolt, lest the blade pierces your skin.

“My uncle is here,” you said.

“Oh, I see, Clouse informed you that your friends would be in the tournament,” Chen said. “He didn’t know your uncle would try and interfere either. I think he knows you’re here, but not about your special gift.”

You bit your lip. A gift he calls it.

You continued down the steps as he talked about nonsense you didn’t want to listen to. All you thought of was how your uncle would react to you being alive. Hell, your father would be so happy, and devastated if he knew your circumstances.

“Uncle was your pupil?” you asked.

“That? Long time ago. I taught him a few things. Troublesome student, I’ll say. He sought a darker path but thought my methods were too dark. Hypocrite,” Chen said.

“I have one last question,” you said.

“Oh goodie. Say it then hold your tongue, girl.”

“Where are you taking me?” you asked, not even shuddering at the last word he said. Being called ‘girl’ so condescendingly was better than being called a ‘vessel’ in praise.

Chen stopped, so you had to as well. He turned around, grinning like a small child about to show their mother what kind of trouble they caused.

“Our first competitor failed out of the tournament earlier today,” he said. “And you’re an important part to the punishment.”

Chapter Text

 Lloyd couldn’t move. A god was right in front of him. An actual god. And they were a sparrow of all things. This was the person sharing a body with his cousin all her life? He cupped the bird in his hands.

“What’re you doing here?” he asked.

‘I was tasked by [Name] to watch over you while you’re in the palace,’ Tohru answered with no hesitation.

Lloyd bit his lip. Tohru lifted her wing, brushing her beak against the underside.

“Take me to her,” Lloyd said.

‘I can’t,’ Tohru said.

“What?”

‘Look at your bracelet.’

Lloyd did as she said, keeping her in one hand. There was nothing really going on with it at a quick glance.

“What about it?” Lloyd asked.

‘Must I spell it out? There are two spells on that bracelet. One that connects yours to another bracelet, and another will release a poison that would most likely kill you. [Name] has the second bracelet.’

“But why me?”

‘Chen must believe that [Name] might try and escape while the tournament is going on. It’s a behavioral measure for her. And it looks to me you’re the one he chose to kill if she escapes.’

“Knew it wasn’t just a gift…”

Lloyd put Tohru back near the mirror. He grabbed his bracelet, and pulled on it, trying to unclasp it. After failing many times, he rummaged through his new room for something to pry it. He found a pair of scissors. He scraped them against the gold where the clasp was. It was hard to find it since it disappeared right when the bracelet was around his wrist. Lloyd grunted, trying harder.

‘I don’t believe you can take that off,’ Tohru said. ‘Both enchantments are strong. Chen’s second in command must be quite skilled.’

Lloyd turned around, finding Tohru on the floor. She was dragging out a set of green robes, most likely for him. She flew back up to the table as if nothing happened.

“You dragged that out by yourself?” Lloyd asked.

‘Never underestimate a sparrow,’ was Tohru’s response.

Lloyd picked up the new set of robes. They were sleeveless and in the style of anacondrai robes. Lloyd saw them in ancient paintings in the anacondrai tomb as a child. He decided to put on the robes, heading to a small part of the room while Tohru flew to look at a wall. He looked in the mirror after putting on the robes. The bracelet was now sticking to his skin. The robes were a bit snug, but not so bad. A bit too extravagant for his taste. Maybe that was just Chen pushing his fashion agenda onto the other competitors.

Lloyd took the picture he brought with him out of his bag. Placing it near the mirror, he silently promised himself that he wouldn’t stay for long. They’d all get out of here alive.

A siren came through a speaker in the corner of the room. Lloyd jolted from the sound, before getting his own grip. Tohru flew onto his shoulder.

“Attention Elemental Masters,” Chen said. “As of now, there are enough Jade Blades hidden around the palace for every participant except for one. The one who doesn’t return with a Jade Blade will be eliminated from the tournament. The tournament begins now!”

Lloyd kept his guard up and just then, chaos sprouted from outside his room.

“Stay here,” Lloyd said to Tohru. “I don’t want someone accidentally killing you.”

‘Chivalrous how you care for my well-being, but you forget I’m a powerful immortal,’ Tohru said.

Lloyd got out of his room, looking around the hallway. Three elemental masters were already gunning for a blade hidden within a nearby statue. Lloyd decided to do the dumb thing and rush into the fight. However, he was stopped by another elemental master. The master of smoke.

He tried to land a hit on him, but the master of smoke disappeared into his element. Now there was Lloyd and four other people fighting for the same thing. Tohru was above him. Lloyd was exchanging a few hits with the master of sound. Down below, he found Cole slowly making his way over to a blade hidden in a gardening pot.

A false wind pushed Lloyd away from his match, courtesy of the master of speed. Lloyd pushed past the others, almost getting his hand on the hidden blade. Yet, he was pulled back. The actual carpet did that one. An enchantment. Clouse.

Tohru flew over to where he was. Her wings flapped out sakura petals. The flurry of that combined with infinity itself made Clouse lose concentration. It was enough that Lloyd’s father could tackle him to the ground. Tohru flew up high again, blending in with the shadows.

Lloyd silently thanked his father and Tohru before grabbing the Jade Blade.

“Hurry Lloyd! You mustn’t lose!” Garmadon shouted.

Lloyd ran down the stairs, weaving through each fight he came across. Tohru landed on his shoulder, the both of them entering the main courtyard. Karloff was dawdling outside, trying to find just where another blade went. He was fully in metal. Lloyd went past him like the others, making his way into the main room. Back where the competitors started. Lloyd was indeed not the first one to get back here.

He handed the jade blade he found to Clouse, and he put it on the statue. After a little while, Jay was the next person Lloyd recognized getting back with a jade blade. He did the same as Lloyd did, and the blade was added to the statue. And it didn’t take long until his father was at his side.

“Two jade blades remain,” Clouse announced.

Lloyd bit his lip, Please let Kai and Cole be the next two.

Speaking of the Oni, Cole came running through the doors.

“I made it!” Cole said. “Ugh, and I wanna throw up.”

“Don’t do it on my nice carpet,” Chen said. “I just had that cleaned for your arrival.”

“Cole!” Jay and Lloyd chorused, running to their friend.

“Thanks for the congratulations you two,” Cole smiled and looked around him. “But where’s Kai?”

“Hopefully with the last blade,” Lloyd watched the doors be shut by two guards. Its echo was felt even through his bones.

“Hey, Lloyd, who’s your friend?” Cole pointed to the sparrow on Lloyd’s shoulder. Jay raised an eyebrow at the bird too.

“Kind of a weird-looking bird, don’t you think?” Jay asked.

“Oh, this one? She flew through my window and hasn’t left me alone since. Not even when the chaos started,” Lloyd said before pulling in the two boys. “I’ll tell you more about it later.”

The two nodded. Garmadon knowingly glanced at Tohru. She kept herself on Lloyd’s shoulder, standing proudly.

Lloyd waited and waited for what seemed like forever. The fight for that jade blade must’ve been quite intense, and maybe slow given how Chen kept telling them to end it already.

The doors opened, and on the other side wasn’t Kai, but Karloff.

“He didn’t make it…” Lloyd’s voice trailed off.

“Karloff wins!” Karloff raised his metal fist, holding the Jade Blade. However, just as he did, Lloyd caught a glimpse of Kai right before the last blade could be on the statue.

Karloff’s metal glove was screwed off. The Jade Blade was dropped. Karloff turned behind him, fully showing Kai to the crowd.

“Looks like you’ve got a few screws loose on that hand,” Kai smirked as he took the Jade Blade. Before Karloff could retaliate, he took off, using his fire as rockets to get there quicker. As he landed, the Jade Blade was set on the statue. Chen smiled at him, while Kai only glared.

“So our first elimination has been decided!” Chen clapped his hands. “How exciting!”

“Karloff was supposed to win!” Karloff exclaimed. “He played dirty!”

“I did what I had to do,” Kai said.

“That is not the way you win,” Garmadon furrowed his eyebrows.

“I’m so sorry that your stay was so short,” Chen sat down as his throne lowered to the ground. He pressed one of the buttons, “However, as the rules say, bye-bye ~!”

The stairs from beneath Karloff opened up. He was unable to do anything but stand helplessly before falling down the deep hole. Lloyd could’ve sworn he called for help.

“As you can see, lose and you are out of the tournament,” Chen said. “Break a rule, and you are out. Hurt a guard and you are out. Never bite the hand that feeds you, at Chen’s Ramen Palace! Now rest! Tomorrow the tournament will begin again!”

Lloyd let out a sigh of relief.

…

Tohru didn’t leave Lloyd’s side, even in the dining area when there was no tournament happening. She was still on his shoulder, watching him eat the udon being served here. All of it was Chen’s brand. The others were around him, glancing at Tohru every once in a while. It took Lloyd a long time to notice Jay wearing similar robes he was, unlike Cole and Kai, who were still in the clothes they arrived in.

“At least the chow’s not bad,” Cole said.

“After all that’s happened, that’s what you say?” Jay said. “We’re still kind of trapped here.”

“Just try not to think about it,” Garmadon said.

“That's all I can think about. I moved on, but what if I don’t tomorrow. What’s under the trapped door that guy fell through?”

“How do you think I feel? It’s horrible. I don’t wanna be here anymore,” Kai said. “Tonight, we’re getting [Name] and Zane out of here, and getting off this island.”

“Tonight?” Lloyd said. “It’s not gonna be that easy.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll tell you when there’s someplace a bit more private.”

“Like this table isn’t private. Just tell us now.”

“I can’t.”

“He’s right. He can’t,” Garmadon said. “Chen could be listening in. Anyone could, and whatever Lloyd wants to tell us is something we don’t want anyone else hearing.”

“Meet me in my room at midnight then,” Kai said. “We’ll come up with a plan to rescue Zane and [Name] while Lloyd tells us what’s going on.”

Lloyd nodded, taking another bite out of his food. Zane cooked the same thing way better.

…

Midnight came by in a flash. No guards were nearby as Lloyd jumped from window to window, trying to find Kai’s balcony. The moon was full, brighter than it ever was in Ninjago City. Maybe that was the consequence of being on a remote island.

Eventually, Lloyd found Kai’s room. He ushered him in once the coast was clear. Tohru flew into the other boy’s room, landing on a nearby pot near the doors. Lloyd found his way inside as well, finding that Cole got there first. He was laying on Kai’s bed as if it was his own. He and Kai were wearing the same type of robes Lloyd and Jay were.

Kai’s room here was quite nice. It was a little like Lloyd’s room but less traditional and more like a modern suite. Not to mention red being everywhere and characters that meant things like flame or fire were on the pots.

Outside, Jay had yet to find his way into the room. He made a noise after presumably falling off the balcony.

“Did you say something?” another voice asked. Possibly the girl from the boat.

“Oh, nothing!” Kai said. “I mean. Beautiful night right?”

“‘Kay…” the girl trailed off. “Uh, do you know what happened to Karloff earlier? I mean, you were the one that took him out.”

“Honestly, I dunno. And I feel awful too. I wouldn’t have done it if I had an idea of what might happen to him.”

“Don’t beat yourself up over it. You did what you had to do. That’s kinda all there is to it in this tournament.”

“You might be right, but still.”

There was silence again.

“Anyways-” the girl continued.

“Actually, I’m a bit tired,” Kai let out a fake yawn. “Better call it a night. See ya later Skylor.”

“Nevermind then, g’night.”

The girl known as ‘Skylor’ must’ve shut her door. Kai showed up back in the room for just a minute, before going out to let Jay in. He was heaving as he stepped inside.

“Thanks for leaving me hanging,” Jay said sarcastically.

“Sorry,” Kai rubbed the back of his neck.

“Yeah sure, just a joke man. Look at this room! It’s so nice.”

“I know right?” Cole sat up from the bed. “It’s so much nicer than mine. He’s got chocolate-covered shell peas. And his bed, it’s like laying on a cloud! Mine’s made out of a rock!”

“Are you just exaggerating?” Lloyd asked.

“No, it’s actually made out of a rock.”

Tohru flew to Lloyd’s shoulder. He and the others were gathered in a circle, with Lloyd being on a bench.

“Okay, this room was impossible to get to,” Jay said. “The place is swarming with guards.”

“I know, I almost got caught,” Cole said. “So how do we search the island?”

“Easy, travel by shadow. Cover every square inch of the place until we find them,” Kai said.

“I already said it won’t be as easy as we thought,” Lloyd said.

“Then tell us why and we can think of a plan. We’re already in a more private spot.”

Lloyd looked at Tohru, and she jumped into the palm of his hand. He held it out to the other three boys, saying nothing.

‘I think he’d rather me speak about what’s going on,’ Tohru said.

Jay staggered backward. Kai’s eyes went wide. And Cole almost dropped the bowl of chocolate-covered shell peas.

“Did that sparrow just talk?” Jay asked.

‘Refer to me as Tohru from now on, elemental masters,’ Tohru said.

Jay almost fainted.

Lloyd and Tohru told them about the mind-link and everything else going on, even down to the kabuki girl giving him a strange vial. When he got to the bracelet part, Lloyd couldn’t even say anything, leaving Tohru to explain the spells on it.

“So…if we break her out,” Kai said, horrified. “You’re dead.”

Break a rule, you’re out. Break a rule, you’re dead.

“It could also be the other way around,” Cole said. “If you break a rule while you’re here. Then [Name]’s dead for real.”

“Don’t say that,” Lloyd shook his head.

‘That might be impossible,’ Tohru said. ‘After scouting around for several weeks, it seems that Clouse and Chen need her for something. Killing her would do them no good.’

“We can still break out Zane, it’s just [Name] we’ve gotta find a different plan,” Jay said. “Maybe he knows something.”

Cole let out a shriek before a plan could form. He tumbled over, his voice muffled, before he was up again. He didn’t have a bowl of food, and two pillows on the bed were gone. Cole was out of breath as if he were suffocating underground. He sat up.

“Guys,” Cole said. “The bed…”

“We get it, you like my bed,” Kai said. “Stop playing around.”

“No, that’s not what I mean. I think I just found a way to search the island. Everyone lay down on here,” Cole patted the spots next to him.

Strangely, Lloyd did what he said. Everyone lay down in a single row. The clock on the wall was ticking away the amount of time they were wasting. Tohru was on the bench, watching them while picking at her wings.

“This is ridiculous,” Lloyd said.

“You’re right, it is like a cloud,” Jay sighed.

“Are you joking?”

“I’m not. I did something while laying here. I kind of stretched then-” Cole was cut off by the bed flipping over.

There was darkness. Lloyd grabbed onto the sheets. Pillows fell, revealing a shallow fall. Gingerly, Lloyd stepped down onto the wood. There was an outline of the foundation in the room, and that was about it.

“The hell?” Lloyd said.

‘We’re in the walls,’ Tohru appeared on Lloyd’s shoulder.

“Jeez!”

Kai used his hand as a torch to get some light down the path. Tohru was right. They were in the walls.

“Woah, a secret passageway,” Jay said.

“Nice going, Cole,” Kai said. “We can totally explore the island this way. For now, at least, we can find Zane.”

They walked through the wall foundation, Kai leading the way. Flames made the place glow a bright orange. The light would move along with Kai as he looked around the place for anything at all, even down on the floor. Lloyd had to squint during those times to see what was right in front of him.

“It’s a maze down here,” Kai said. “Good thing you’re laying out a trail for us, Cole.”

Behind Lloyd, Cole was leaving said trail of chocolate behind him, happily eating the rest.

“Yeah, I meant to do that,” Cole laughed sheepishly.

The boys came across a spot at the end of the line of walls. It was a long way down. Wooden planks stuck out like a makeshift ladder. Lloyd was the first to go down it, not knowing where he would end up. He would get that answer soon once he landed on stone floors instead of wood. This was about as low as the palace went. The others dropped down with just about the same reaction as him. Lloyd nodded at them, and Kai was leading the way again.

The stone hallway was less claustrophobic than within the walls. And yet again, Kai’s fire was the only light Lloyd had. Up ahead, there was some kind of wire laid out. Kai was walking towards it with no regard for what was about to happen.

“Stop,” Lloyd grabbed the back of Kai’s gi. He bumped into him, causing a domino effect with the boys.

“What?” Kai asked.

“Tripwire,” Lloyd said. “From here on out, we’ll have to watch our step.”

“Wow! Traps! This is like a spy movie or something!” Jay’s eyes lit up.

Lloyd rolled his eyes and continued down the hall next to Kai. Then, Kai abruptly stopped in his tracks.

“What’s going on now?” Lloyd asked.

“You hear that?” Kai said.

That’s right about when Lloyd did hear it. There was chanting down the stone hallways. Four guards were walking down a line, the one in front having a torch. Lloyd and the others hid while they passed. Then, another group walked through the tunnels. They were all wearing the same kind of outfit.

The boys looked at each other and ambushed the guards walking by. Lloyd knocked out the one he grabbed with one hit. Four bodies were on the floor, still breathing.

“Come on,” Lloyd said, putting on the guard’s helmet.

“We’re just taking their clothes?” Jay asked.

“What else can we do? This is the only lead we have so far.”

“We can use the chocolate for their facepaint,” Cole said, already trying to mimic the patterns on his cheeks and forehead.

“Ugh, I feel sticky,” Kai groaned.

“It’s just chocolate. It’ll wash off.”

The four of them caught up with the rest of the guards. They were led into a big room, tinted in red. Patterns were carved into the ground, one of the ancestors of the anacondrai. They stood in the back, mimicking the chants as best they could. Lloyd watched the main stage with an anacondrai mouth behind it. Clouse was waiting to the side, waiting for his master.

Minutes of chanting later, Chen was stepping out with four other people. He was holding a serpentine staff with some kind of gem on top of it. Three guards were making sure the fourth person wouldn’t escape from their clutches. One had a spear to their throat. And that fourth person was [Name]. From what Lloyd saw, she was calm. Chen tapped the staff against the ground, and Lloyd bowed along with the other guards.

“[Name]...” Kai’s voice trailed off.

“Don’t blow our cover ‘cause of your sweetheart,” Cole whispered.

Lloyd frowned.

[Name] had something around her wrist beyond the shackles. It was the same gold bracelet as Lloyd’s. Tohru was by his hands, Lloyd cupping them so Chen wouldn’t see her.

“Bring out the failure!” Chen gestured.

Immediately, Karloff was brought out by two guards. He was in his full metal getup, but even that wasn’t enough to cloud his fear.

“Get hands-off Karloff!” Karloff shouted. “Karloff wishes he never signed up for this!”

Karloff was pushed to the ground, metal clanging against stone.

“What’s bowing for?” Karloff looked to Chen.

“Oh them? Part of the ritual,” Chen said. “Though use it or lose it, I guess? Now Clouse, the secret ingredient if you please?”

“Of course,” Clouse pulled out a knife, getting close to [Name]. Lloyd dug his fingers against the stone.

[Name] backed away just as the spear was away from her neck. She pushed at the guards that still had a hold on her trying to back away from Clouse.

“I would suggest you stop struggling, girl,” Chen said. “You never know if something like that will make the spell set off.”

[Name] stopped almost immediately. Lloyd chewed on his lip.

Clouse rolled up the sleeve of her hoodie and sliced it across her skin. Blood dripped from the cut, filling up a tiny vial. It wasn’t long before the spear was at [Name]’s neck again.

“What’re you doing with my blood?” she asked.

“I thought I told you to hold your tongue during the ceremony?” Chen said. “Do you ever listen?”

[Name]’s blood was poured from the vial, and at Karloff’s feet. Chen held up the staff, and ice was frosting over Karloff. When it dissipated, so was the metal from Karloff’s body. He fell to the ground.

“His powers,” Jay said. “They’re gone.”

“Not to mention, that staff used ice,” Cole said. “Chen must’ve taken his powers too.”

“No way.”

Jay raised his head. The chocolate on his face was melting off.

“Jay, your face,” Lloyd said.

The four boys raised their heads. [Name]’s eyes went wide, brows raising. Chen frowned, lowering his staff. Lloyd touched his face. The chocolate was melting off him too. It was the same with Cole and Kai.

“Intruders!” Chen shouted. “After them!”

Chapter Text

 “Run!”

That was the only thing [Name] said before she threw up. Tohru flew up to Lloyd’s shoulder. He and the others ran the way he came. The other anacondrai cultists ran after them, down the hall.

Cole tripped over the wire they came across earlier. His face was flat on the ground when a spiked wall fell behind them. Lloyd sighed.

Multiple axes slammed the floor one by one. Lloyd kept running to dodge the axes until he and his friends turned a corner. That was when they stopped.

“That was close,” Jay said.

From below them, there was a growl and a hiss. A tunnel that went down a few floors opened and a snake slithered out from it. It was huge and had purple scales and red eyes. It was anacondrai.

Lloyd was the first to run, jumping up the makeshift ladder he and the others previously went down to get to this dungeon. They were up to where the walls were. Kai came across a red button, pressing it without hesitation.

It was as if Lloyd could breathe again. They were back in Kai’s room, on his bed where it all started.

“Are we…?” Kai exhaled.

“Yeah, barely,” Lloyd said.

“What was that thing?” Cole asked.

“I dunno,” Jay said. “But it’s obviously a big snake. Let’s not sneak around anymore from now on. I can live with following the rules.”

“We may not have found Zane, but we found [Name] and something just as important as them,” Kai said. “This entire tournament isn’t about glory. Chen’s after our powers.”

“What’s he planning? Why does he want her blood for it?” Lloyd said.

“I dunno. But if we’re gonna find out as well as find our friends. We’ll have to play by his rules.”

“I’ll tell my father about this in the morning.”

“Good thing we weren’t caught at least,” Cole said. “That was close.”

Lloyd didn’t sleep for the rest of that night.

…

By morning, Lloyd was blindly going through the line for breakfast with his father. Tohru was on his shoulder, pecking him so he could stay awake and walk. Getting pecked by a god hurt a lot more than a regular bird.

“Nothing for you,” the man serving dango sticks turned his nose up to Garmadon.

“Let this be a lesson, son,” Garmadon took his tray with just the main dish. “If you turn your back on your first evil sensei to go straight, you may not be served tricolor dango.”

Lloyd remembered when Zane made these for him and the others. [Name] and Cole ended up taking most of them, eating five sticks each. Lloyd waved off the dango server, opting to sit with his father right away.

“Can I remind you guys that we don’t know where our friends are being held?” Jay said. “So it’s extra important that we win our first rounds to buy us more time.”

“Your future opponent got kicked out,” Cole said.

“Yeah, and I’ve moved on. Now I’m having a day off.”

“I thought ninja never quit.”

“Not everyone quits at the right time, y’know.”

Cole and Jay avoided eye contact on their way to the table. Lloyd never found out the details of their argument shortly after their friends’ deaths. However, Lloyd could tell they didn’t fully makeup. It’s not like Lloyd was any different. It was still difficult to make eye contact with them. The only one he could truly look at was his father and the sparrow sitting on the table, pecking at Jay’s extra dango.

“Whatever you both have to say to each other, say it now,” Garmadon said. “Harboring a grudge will not hurt anyone but yourselves.”

“You should be figuring out how to fight your next opponent, not each other,” Lloyd said.

“But what if we end up fighting each other? What then?” Jay asked.

“Besides, I already dropped my grudge,” Cole said.

“I dropped it even before you did.”

“We dropped it at the same time. Y’know, when we got the invitations.”

“Ah, I see. You’re still grieving even after you got the news that your friends are alive,” Garmadon said.

“How can you grieve someone if they’re not dead?” Jay said.

“There’s a lot of ways. I’ve been through it myself.”

Nothing else about the two incidents was said at the table. Lloyd took that opportunity to hushedly explain to his father what happened last night. Everything from Tohru being a sparrow, to [Name] getting her blood drawn to take Karloff’s powers. Garmadon gazed at the bracelet as Lloyd mentioned the enchantments on it.

“Is it the same for her too?” Garmadon asked. “You breaking a rule, and well…you know the outcome.”

“Maybe not,” Kai said. “Tohru said that Chen had a reason to keep her alive. There’s probably something non-lethal for her if you break a rule.”

“She did throw up before we left,” Cole said.

“There’s nothing about Zane either,” Lloyd said. “But they could be in the same dungeon we came across. The palace seems like a fortress built just for us after all.”

‘Yet they have not found me,’ Tohru said. ‘Pathetic mortals these cultists are.’

“Great, we have a mighty goddess that keeps eating my dango,” Jay rolled his eyes.

The intercom was turned on. A siren blared throughout the room. From the speakers, came Chen’s shrill and nasally voice.

“Contestants, contestants!” he said. “It’s day two of the tournament of elements. So fun! The following elementals masters must proceed to their assigned fighting arenas. Speed, gravity, smoke, nature, and…”

“Hey, maybe we’ll all have a day off,” Jay said.

“Fire! Remember, only one can remain.”

“I spoke too soon.”

Kai was silent. He stopped eating upon hearing the announcement. Tohru took the opportunity to steal a bite of his dango, which he hadn’t touched. There was no telling who he was fighting. There was a good matchup for Kai that Lloyd could think of on the spot. Kai could burn away anything the master of nature throws at him. The other elemental masters were neutral to him, no way for Kai to repel their powers with his.

“Good luck,” Lloyd said. “You’ll need it.”

“Thanks,” Kai said. “I’d better get ready for my match.”

“Yeah, see ya,” Jay waved him off.

Tohru was on Lloyd’s shoulder again. She bit his ear.

“Ow! Why’d you do that?” Lloyd asked.

‘You were spacing out,’ Tohru said.

“Maybe cause he doesn’t like that Kai likes his cousin,” Cole said.

“It’s not,” Lloyd said. “There’s a lot more than just that.”

There was the main incident, but now, Lloyd was thinking about Kai’s little crush. As a child, he thought that one of the boys would steal [Name] away from him. He kept thinking of different scenarios of one of them asking her out, and her saying yes. Though, that was little kid stuff he grew out of a while ago. But now, Lloyd only thought of the damage already done. Did Kai think he could waltz into [Name]’s heart after doing nothing about her deadly thoughts?

“Son,” Garmadon made Lloyd snap out of his thoughts. “Whatever happened between you two needs to be resolved on your own time. I cannot lose you to Chen. Certainly not because of a fight.”

The team was starting to fall apart again.

…

Kai’s opponent was the master of smoke. They were standing across from each other, over a pit of lava. There were only a few stalagmites from up the ground, and a jade blade in the middle of a rickety bridge for them to walk on. Kai may have been the master of fire, but he was not immune to lava.

Lloyd focused on the fight and the fight alone, not hearing any of his friends or his father’s words about it.

“Kai, Master of Fire vs Ash, Master of Smoke,” Chen announced. “And fight!”

Kai was the first to act, running across the bridge, towards the jade blade. Ash jumped onto one of the ropes holding the bridge up. He flipped it over and the blade was on a stalagmite. Kai was dangling from the fragile wood. Kai swung from one plank to another while Ash ran across. Kai punched through the wood, flying up before going right through Ash. Lloyd’s eyebrows raised.

So that’s what the master of smoke can do.

“C’mon Kai. You can win this,” Lloyd muttered.

‘I thought you didn’t like him,’ Tohru said.

“I never said that.”

Ash covered Kai’s eyes with smoke. Kai waved it away, trying to land a hit on the other boy. This time, Ash did not need his powers to dodge. Ash landed hit after hit while Kai went through nothing but smoke. All until Kai’s back hit multiple planks, breaking them at once. He was dangling over the lava again.

Kai swung up from the bridge, using spinjitzu to get back on. He was now back where he started. Fire shot from his hands, going right through a cloud of smoke. The bridge was engulfed in flames. Each shot of it only made things worse until the ropes were burned in half. The bridge swung downward, not having an anchor anymore. Both elemental masters moved onto a stalagmite to continue their fight.

The jade blade was on the one between them. They jumped from stalagmite to stalagmite, trying to get to it. There was no luck. The blade was still untouched.

Kai jumped in the middle of holding back Ash. He went through the smoke as if he was failing to land a hit. However, his hand was on the blade’s hilt. It was pulled out of the ground. Kai landed across from Ash, holding it up to the audience.

“We have a winner!” Chen clapped. “Master of fire moves on!”

With the press of a button, Ash was sent to the dungeon to await a terrible fate.

“Such wonderful fights!” Chen continued. “I will be looking forward to the next battles of the first round tomorrow. Those brackets shall be up by supper. Get ready to fight another day! Only one can remain!”

Lloyd crossed his fingers, wishing he wouldn’t fight his friends during this round.

Those hours went by until the brackets were up again. In the evening, Lloyd went with the others to look at those brackets. They were encased in gold, each competitor having a little card with their face on it. They were already there, set up near the edges.

One of the battles was between Skylor and the master of sound. Then, there was the unthinkable. Cole and Jay were in the same bracket. They were going up against each other.

“No way. He can’t do this,” Cole said once he and Jay got a look.

“He just did,” Lloyd said.

He didn’t know if this was worse than him fighting a friend.

Chapter Text

 It was nighttime when Lloyd decided to ask the master of the mind for help. Clouse has switched the brackets to make Jay and Cole fight each other. Lloyd knew that much. It was an inevitability that happened sooner than he thought. From the fight before Kai’s, the master of the mind used his abilities to trick his opponent. Maybe he could do the same with Chen’s fortress. It was worth a shot.

Lloyd led the others out to the courtyard near the competitors' quarters. Jay and Cole stayed far from each other. The master of the mind was meditating, levitating off the ground. His robes were different shades of gray, his hakama pants being beige. He looked a bit older than Lloyd and the others.

“Are you sure he’ll help?” Jay asked.

“Maybe? If we tell him what’s going on that is,” Lloyd said.

“Hopefully he can tell me about my opponent.”

“You already know Cole, Jay.”

“Yeah, but you know I can’t win this. I’m practically dead on arrival.”

“You’re acting like I’m gonna enjoy fighting you,” Cole said.

“Maybe you will. I’m pretty punchable,” Jay said. “And hey, you could be able to punch all your guilt outta me. Gods know you need it.”

“You’re looking even more punchable now.”

“I’m punching both of you if you don’t stop it,” Kai snapped.

“If you want something from me get over here.”

The argument was interrupted by the master of the mind. He was looking away from them, still meditating. Tohru bit Lloyd’s ear to keep him moving.

“Sorry about that,” Lloyd said. “Are you the master of the mind?”

“Call me Neuro,” the master of the mind said. “And yes, that is me. You want me to step into someone else’s mind to spy on Chen, correct?”

“Woah. You knew?”

“That’s kind of my thing.”

“Right, sorry.”

“Why should I help you, though?” Neuro turned around. “You’re all competition.”

“It’s not just for us,” Lloyd said. “It’s for everyone. You’ll get why when you look for it. Here, you can even look into my mind to know I’m not lying.”

Lloyd stepped forward, closing his eyes. He breathed through his nose. Tohru was still, silent, save for a single chirp. Neuro placed his hand on Lloyd’s forehead. There was more silence. Probably Neuro reading his mind. Lloyd was confident though, only waiting for Neuro to step away from him when he was convinced.

“You’re not lying,” Neuro pulled his hand away. “And that bird…it’s not your pet. That’s…Tsukigami-”

“Yeah, don’t tell anyone about the sparrow,” Lloyd said.

“Woah, he’s good,” Jay said. “Wonder if he can do me next.”

“I can tell you that Cole thinks you’re an easy opponent,” Neuro said.

“What?!”

“You said it yourself,” Cole defended himself.

“I did, but you didn’t have to agree with me,” Jay got real close to Cole. They were both growling at one another, ready to have their fight for the tournament right now.

“Jay thinks that Cole should’ve been knocked out of the competition sooner,” Neuro said.

“Don’t fuel them!” Lloyd and Kai scolded him.

“Why not? It’s fun to see you all argue. I could say plenty about you two, but we’d be here all night.”

“Do you wanna help us or not?” Kai asked.

“Since Lloyd speaks the truth, I will,” Neuro said.

A fragile alliance was made that night.

…

The next day, Lloyd was watching Cole train from behind bars. He was separated from the battlefield he and Jay would fight on. Earth was used as the floor, so Cole had the advantage in those terms.

Cole was punching a blue bag with Jay’s picture on it. Lloyd had no idea how he got it, or why he had it in the first place.

“You’re getting pretty aggressive for ‘just training’,” Lloyd said.

“I’ve gotta,” Cole said. “This is an actual fight.”

There was a moment of silence Lloyd gripped the bars as Cole kept punching the bag. He eventually used spinjitzu on it, destroying it and Jay’s picture. Cole suddenly stopped, gingerly picking it up. The corners were ripped. A part of Jay’s face was missing.

“Hey, Jay mentioned you and him fought after Kai left,” Lloyd said. “What was it about?”

“I thought that was obvious,” Cole said. “We fought about Zane and [Name]. Y’know, grief and stuff. I said some things I regretted.”

“What kind of things?”

“Well–I told Jay that it was his fault that [Name] decided to kill herself. He said it was my fault for not even knowing when it was obvious. But I knew he was lying about that.”

Lloyd let go of the bars.

“You probably hate both of us even more now. Using your cousin’s ‘death’ against each other. I’d hate me too,” Cole said. “But that’s fine. You’ve been mad at all of us anyway.”

“I don’t hate you,” Lloyd said. “I never did. It’s just complicated. I know [Name] had her reasons to not tell us, least of all me. And I know that Zane sacrificed himself to keep us safe. I would’ve done the same thing in his shoes. I’m starting to make peace with that. I want that for you and Jay.”

For the first time in a while, Lloyd was able to look Cole in the eyes.

It was time for Kai and Lloyd to leave the arena. They headed up to the balcony with Garmadon. Tohru perched on the railing.

‘She didn’t want you to worry,’ Tohru said to Lloyd, and him alone. ‘That’s why she didn’t want to tell anyone. The master of fire finding out was a coincidence.’

“You did your best,” Garmadon said to Lloyd and Kai. “Now it’s up to them to make peace.”

“Let the tournament continue!” Chen shouted. “Jay, master of lightning, versus Cole master of-”

Chen didn’t get to finish his sentence before Cole and Jay started fighting. Jay shot a string of lightning while Cole blocked it, smashing his fists against the ground to create a wall of stalagmites. Jay dodged the wall, glaring at Cole.

“That’s all you have for me! Least valuable ninja!” he shouted.

“Eat dirt bluebell!” Cole shouted.

“I don’t think my talk worked at all,” Lloyd said.

“Reserve your doubts,” Garmadon said.

Cole and Jay kept exchanging enormous blows of power at each other. Lloyd hadn’t seen them this powerful since the New Ninjago City incident. Those words they said to each other must’ve cut them deep. Like they were stabbing one another with daggers laced with poison.

“Stronger than you thought huh?” Jay said. “Your words are flowing through my veins right now. Blaming me for their deaths? How could you?!”

“Can’t wait for your complaints to be over once you’re out of the tournament!” Cole’s powers overcame Jay’s. Jay was pushed back by the recoil. Rocks gathered around him.

Cole blinked a couple of times. They looked at each other. Something about that collision made them snap.

“What’re we doing?” Cole asked. “What am I doing? We shouldn’t be fighting each other.”

Jay stood up, lighting wrapped around his arms, “Oh, I get it. You’re lowering my guard so you can swoop in for the kill.”

“I mean it! I shouldn’t have blamed you,” Cole said. “It was in the moment. We just found out. And our friends were gone.”

Lloyd leaned forward. Tohru gave him a knowing look.

“If we’re being honest. Then yeah, I never mean what I said,” Jay said. “I didn’t want to lose my friends, least of all you. You’re right. It’s complicated.”

“We should’ve just made up when we had the chance instead of bottling this up,” Cole said. “I hate to say it, but the pipsqueak and his dad were right.”

“Pfft, yeah. But how do we get out of this? It’s not like we can both win.”

“We can just draw it out until they have to let us both go.”

Jay nodded.

Lloyd sighed out of relief.

Cole and Jay both exchanged blows as if they were casually sparring instead of a fight. Chen was annoyed at this, and vehicles were sent into the arena with the press of a button. They had the heads of anacondrai snakes in the front. Cole and Jay stood back to back, waiting for the right moment.

One of the cars headed straight for them. They did spinjitzu to dodge. The car crashed against the wall.

“Finally, they’re working together,” Garmadon said. “Good work, son.”

“That wasn’t me. That was all their doing. I just gave some encouraging words.”

More cars circled the two boys. Cole created a ramp to take one of the cars out. Jay short-circuited another one, making the driver feint.

“Enough!” Chen shouted. “I know what you are trying to do! But I will not allow it! If neither of you wins, then both of you lose!”

Chen pressed a few buttons on his throne. They made the floor disappear beneath Cole and Jay. All there was beneath them was an abyss of darkness. They backed towards the pole where the jade blade resided.

“He’s right, neither of us can lose,” Cole said. “There can be only one.”

“Then it should be you,” Jay said. “I won’t last a second longer here.”

Cole looked at the blade, then back at Jay. He climbed up the pole and took it out. He then tossed the jade blade to Jay. This was enough for Chen to declare him the winner. Cole landed on the floor again.

“Win this for both of us,” Cole said.

Jay nodded, “I will.”

With that, Cole fell through the floor, never to be seen again.

Jay looked to the crowd, his eyes completely blank. In an instant, he ran up to where the audience was, weaving his way through servants and other competitors. Lloyd’s shoulders were suddenly grabbed by the other boy. The jade blade he was supposed to give to Chen and Clouse was dropped next to him.

“I’m sorry,” Jay said. “I didn’t know he was gonna do that. And oh gods, you don’t even know about the argument Cole and I had-”

“Jay,” Lloyd smiled. “You’re fine. You don’t need my forgiveness for anything. I’m not the person to go to.”

Jay paused for a moment, letting go of Lloyd. Lloyd smiled. Tohru chirped.

‘Between you and me,’ Tohru said to Lloyd. ‘Their fight today had the best outcome.’

At that point, it didn’t matter anymore. Lloyd was able to look at Jay again too. For a moment, he was content with being around them.

“Anyways, anything from Neuro? I forgot to ask you,” Lloyd looked at Kai with indifference, looking at the wall behind him.

“He didn’t find much,” Kai said. “But he saw into Clouse’s head. He talked about page 149 in a spellbook.”

Lloyd nodded. It was a small clue.

Later that day, Lloyd decided to retreat to his room, thinking about what could come up from that page. It was why Clouse needed their powers, that was obvious. However, why would he need his cousin’s blood? He stepped out to the balcony. Clouds were forming over the sky. A storm was coming.

Tohru watched the sky with him. She didn’t say anything as they watched the clouds move. Just a little bit of sunlight peeked from them, before disappearing. Lloyd couldn’t help but wonder where Cole was after his powers were taken if they were even taken yet.

‘He’s not dead,’ Torhu said.

“I know. It’s just-” Lloyd was about to say before his breathing was cut off. His face was suddenly hot. He was gasping for air, running back inside. The air was too thin everywhere he walked.

The red gem on his bracelet was glowing. The ‘chi’ was the brightest thing on it. One look and Lloyd instantly knew what happened.

[Name] broke a rule. [Name] escaped.

He grasped one of the wooden pillars. He was sweating profusely. Tohru flew back inside. Her calls and bites went unfelt and unheard. His lungs were collapsing, veins outlined on his skin. Tohru flew over to the bedside table. She flew up to him, uncapping the vial given to Lloyd on his first day with her talons and beak. She forced him to drink whatever was in it.

The vial was bitter, but when he drank it, Lloyd could breathe again. His veins were free from whatever was trapping them. It was almost instant. Lloyd coughed up blood, kneeling on the floor.

“What the fuck was in this?” Lloyd grabbed the empty bottle. “How the hell did you open it with your little bird body?”

‘A sparrow is stronger than you think,’ Tohru answered. ‘And I believe whoever gave you that vial gave you an antidote to your poison.’

The bracelet unclasped itself from Lloyd’s wrist. It fell in the small puddle of blood. It would’ve killed him if Tohru was a second late.

“Shit,” Lloyd said. “She escaped.”

‘She wouldn’t on her own accord because of you,’ Tohru said. ‘Someone broke her out without her permission.’

“Oh, kidnapping from the kidnapper. Great,” Lloyd said.

‘At least they took your life into account,’ Tohru said.

“So, are you gonna go to her now?”

‘No. If she calls for me. Then I will. But I think I’ll stay with you for awhile.’

Lloyd didn’t know if he was grateful for the person who saved [Name] or not.

Chapter Text

The school gym was packed with kids in nice clothes. The basketball hoops were branched up to the ceiling to make room for everything else. There was a small stage with a microphone standing on it.

You were in nice clothes, much like the other kids. It was that same green dress from the last memory you went through. All of a sudden, someone grabbed your hand. It was the same girl from your memories. This time, she was wearing a light blue dress with layers of crinoline to create the skirt. It was sleeveless and shaped her plump figure perfectly.

“Oh my god I love this song,” the girl said, you finally recognized her as Riley. “Let’s go dance.”

“Uh…” you trailed off. “Are you sure?”

“No one’s gonna care,” Riley smiled. “Hell, they probably don’t know that we’re dating-”

Involuntarily, you shoved your hand over the girl’s mouth. Heat crept up your cheeks and the tips of your ears. You looked down at the floor, clutching the skirt of your dress. That is until you felt your hand get wet.

“Ew! Did you just lick my hand?!” you pulled away from Riley.

Riley giggled, “Gotcha!”

You got pulled into the dancefloor, stumbling on your two left feet. The crowd in the middle hardly noticed you and the other girl.

“See, nothing to worry about,” Riley smiled.

Reluctantly, your past self began to dance with her. You let yourself go and flow along with the echoey music in the gym. And when the song transitioned, you kept dancing with her. The two of you ended up swaying back and forth to a slower song as minutes went by. You were comfortable enough to never let go. Your heartbeat was steady around her and an anchor to your previous self. Just as the music faded, the memory did too.

Suddenly, you were embraced by cold air, stone floors, and shackles. It was a reminder that you weren’t at that dance. And of the reason why you were in this cell in the first place.

Blood. That was all Chen wanted. A knife kept piercing into your skin, time and time again. It would create droplets on the floor, aiding in their strange plan. You were never bandaged. Never given food again to create more blood. You tried denying the inevitable, that all your blood would be drained before the tournament was over. You led yourself astray once they came to your door again. More people failed to win their tournament rounds.

You were led down the path and into the ceremony ground by Chen and his men. You silently went along with him. The shackles around your wrists were not so horrible anymore. You became numb to them bumping into the bones.

With a few steps, you emerged from the anacondrai head. The orange light didn’t blind you as it did the first time. You didn’t struggle when the guards brought you up. They didn’t even bring a weapon up to your throat today. What’s most different is that you didn’t vomit because your friends showed up. From what Clouse told you afterward, that was the work of the ‘chi’ bracelet.

Your blood was repeatedly drawn and spilled on the feet of competitors knocked out of the tournament. You could not say anything to them. There was only a look of remorse, like a message. There was smoke, nature, and gravity. You didn’t hear their names.

Then, all of a sudden, you found a familiar face. He didn’t have the bracelet, thank god. Although, seeing any of your friends was a tragedy. This time, it was Cole. His dark eyes met yours, and you held back the tears.

“What a surprise of a reunion!” Chen clapped his hands. “And the last loser of the night. You’re welcome for saving the best for last, dear girl.”

“Cole!” you ran to him without thinking. You pushed past the guards like a fool, past Chen and Clouse. They stood there as if you existed as a mere fly or rat. Clouse reached his hand out to grab you but was stopped by his master.

“Are you sure you want that?” Clouse asked. “He could help her escape.”

“She would never, not with your trick,” Chen said. “And besides, I love this kind of drama.”

You knelt in front of Cole, daring not to get closer. From here, you didn’t know what you were doing. He must’ve hated you. They all must’ve hated you. You couldn’t disagree, you hate yourself too.

“I’m sorry,” you said. “It’s my fault you’re on the island-”

Cole hugged you, not giving a second thought about the guards restraining him. You couldn’t hug him back. The shackles prevented you. Yet, you rested your head on his shoulder. It was like being wrapped up in a blanket after waiting for Garmadon or Morro to come home.

“Save all that for later,” Cole said. “I’m just glad you’re in front of me.”

“Awe, how sweet,” Chen cooed. “Separate them.”

“Find Zane. Leave the island without me,” you said as the guards pulled you away from him.

“No. I’m breaking you out too,” Cole said.

“You can’t. The bracelet-”

“I’ll find a way around it.”

The guards had you again, pulling up your sleeve. Your arm was still bleeding from the previous cuts. And now, a new one was made. You didn’t look, only hissing a little at the pain. You’d gotten a little more numb to it as more and more people failed.

Clouse spilled your blood on the floor in front of Cole. One second, the boy had his powers. A second later, he did not. Chen absorbed them in that staff of his. All the other powers he absorbed were at his disposal, but it was not enough. Chen still chuckled as he tapped the stone at the end of it.

“Your powers are mine now!” Chen said. “To the factory, you go!”

Cole was dragged away by the guards. He called out to you, promising to break you out. But it was no use.

You would rather be dead than suffer just a little longer for your rescue.

…

You waited an excruciatingly long time for your arm to heal. It would need to if it was going to be cut up this badly every day. Who knows? Maybe they’ll switch to the other arm to spice things up. Chen loved doing that.

The chain brushing against your wounds stung, but not much. You were able to bite back a hiss. Being in pain would satisfy the two men. And you would never give them that, no matter how much you wanted to beg them to kill you. Outside your cell, the guards conversed about the tournament.

“I definitely thought the masters of earth and lightning were going to kill each other,” one guard said.

“That would’ve been so weird though. Weren’t they friends?” the other guard said.

“Yeah, but they were in some kind of fight.”

Your eyebrows raised. Cole and Jay were put against each other in the tournament. Of course, it was inevitable for your friends to fight each other. But you never would’ve guessed it would be this early. What hurt most was that they were serious about it. You imagined the two boys giving their all against a friend. Your mind thoroughly described the blood that might’ve been spilled, one or the other begging for mercy. You covered your mouth, not letting out a weep. You knew the outcome. Cole lost. Jay won. Probably on Chen’s terms too.

Another person got pretty close to the door. The two guards sounded confused, and then, blood splatter. The two guards fell to the ground, unmoving, dead.

You peered through under the cell door, and there was only a pair of living feet. The guards’ killer of course.

The cell opened, revealing a hooded figure. This wasn’t Cole. It’d be too quick if he already made his way to you. She quickly went into your cell, hiding within the shadows created by the door. She crouched next to you.

“Who’re you?” you asked

She wordlessly pulled out a key, unlocking your chains. You freely wiggled your fingers.

“You got the message, didn’t you?” her voice was soft-spoken. “I’m breaking you out.”

“What?”

“Two days ago. My sister slipped a letter under your door.”

Two days ago. You glanced at the corner, towards the ripped-up piece of paper from back then. It still laid there, waiting to rot within the walls.

“I’m not going,” you showed the stranger your chi bracelet. “This is the reason why.”

“I already handled that,” the stranger said. “He has the antidote. Now come with me.”

“Why should I believe you? I’m not going with you. Nothing you say can convince me.”

The stranger went silent again. She stood over you, the shadows even more intense. She looked around. No guards were headed this way. No one knew of the deaths that just happened. You glared at her, sitting up straight to look as poised as possible. You picked up the cuff, putting it back around your wrist. It was shut tight, locking instantly.

“This is going to be harder than I thought,” the stranger muttered.

The stranger raised her hand above your head. You blocked her attack, despite how quickly she was lowering it. You kicked her shins, knocking her down to your level. The two of you tousled as you backed up closer and closer to the wall. All of a sudden, you lowered the stranger’s hood.

Her hair was dark, put up in a ponytail. Her eyes were red, shining through the shadows. They were like rubies.

“I’m sorry, but you left me no choice,” the girl’s gaze softened.

She hit your head with the side of her hand. A tingling feeling shockwaves through your bones and veins. You fell to the ground, unconscious. The last thing you heard was the cell door being shut.

…

You awoke on someone’s back. The stranger, no doubt. She was walking down a hall of wood and wall foundations. It was dark, save for a small lantern at the stranger’s hip. On the other side of those wall foundations, there was silence. No one was in any of these rooms. The stranger was careful to step over any holes that led back into the dungeons you used to reside in.

“I didn’t think you’d be awake so soon,” the stranger said. “Though it’s good you’re alive.”

“Where’re you taking me?” you asked, keeping your voice quiet. “Put me down. And where’s Zane?” Surely the stranger could’ve gotten him too if she took all this trouble to take you.

“I am taking you to me and my sisters’ quarters. And I’m sorry, but I cannot put you down. I injected you with medicine that numbed your legs. You can’t walk right now. But they should be fine in a couple of hours.”

You knew what that really meant. You could not run away from her. You couldn’t run back to the horrible comfort of your cell. You could not keep your friends and family safe by staying in Chen’s grasp. You pictured who would die from the poison. The choices faded within each other. Kai, Jay, Lloyd, and even Garmadon were in those horrific visions. The suddenness of how their lungs filled with nothing but death, to their last breath being drawn. You couldn’t help but want to scream at the stranger, tackling her to the ground.

“I’m meeting with your friend who had the other bracelet soon,” the girl said. “I heard that something happened to him while taking the antidote. It should’ve worked, but he could’ve forgotten about my directions. As for your other friend, I have no idea where Chen is keeping him. It took a long time to find where he had you.”

You stayed silent. She sounded so sure of herself. They were alive? Even after you were forcibly taken from your cell. Maybe it was Chen and Clouse taking pity on you since escaping wasn’t your decision to make. That was just wishful thinking. There was also Zane. It was foolish to even ask where he was.

The stranger eventually went through a little door to get to her and her sisters’ quarters. It was more like a medical office with a bedroom off to the side. There were three beds, one for each tenant. Two other girls were there, most likely the stranger’s sisters. They wore the same clothes, red kimonos with elegant wisteria embroidery. One girl came close to you, straightening out the stranger’s clothes. She had two dark braids and blue eyes.

“Maki, what took you so long?” she asked. “I was getting worried.”

“Avoiding guards took a bit longer than expected,” the stranger, now Maki, said. “Turns out killing a few of them attracted their attention.”

“Of course, it would. You murdered someone.”

“Can we save this conversation for later? I need to hide this girl.”

She gestured to you. You gave the two other girls an awkward smile.

“Give her a bath first, she reeks,” the third girl finally spoke. She wore her braid tied up in a bun and held together with a wisteria comb. She had green eyes.

“Later, I wanna get her walking first,” Maki carried you to a backroom in the medical office. It was a supply closet with bandages, herbs for different medicines, and supplies that wouldn’t be ruined because you were here. There was a pillow in the corner of that closet, a futon, and a blanket.

“You’ll be a bit cramped,” the blue-eyed girl said. “But, I wanted to make it a bit more welcoming.”

The stranger sat you down on the futon. It was like laying in an emperor’s bed in the imperial palace compared to a stone floor. Already, this was nicer than being in Chen’s dungeons. The three girls were still in the closet. Maki and the blue-eyed girl crowded around you, while the wisteria girl was near the doorway, watching for any patients or guards suspicious of them.

“Do I get the honor of knowing the names of my kidnappers?” you asked. You didn’t want to call them your rescuers yet.

“Where are my manners?” the blue-eyed girl said. “I”m Aoki.”

“I’m Maki,” Maki said.

“Call me Tenko,” the wisteria girl chided.

There was a knock on the door. You stiffened along with the three girls.

“Lady Doku,” a guard spoke. “I brought the boy just as you requested.”

“Thank you,” Maki said. “Leave him there for a moment, I’ll let him in.”

‘Don’t worry,’ Aoki mouthed to you as she followed Maki out the door. Tenko was the one who closed it, leaving you in darkness.

You desperately wanted to sleep, but couldn’t relax enough to. Whoever was visiting the three of them, was the one with the other bracelet. At least, that’s what Maki said. You crawled your way over to the door. Your legs dragged behind you, making you move like a worm and not a person. You cracked the door open just a little bit, enough to see who was there, but not enough that they would notice you.

“You wanted to see me?” that was a familiar voice. You hated that it was so familiar. You caught a glimpse of green gi, blonde hair, and a sparrow before looking away. Your hands covered your mouth, preventing you from letting out a single sound. Not even a squeak. It was him. Lloyd had the other bracelet. Maki was right, he was alive, despite the enchantments on it working. You looked at your wrist, the chi bracelet must’ve fallen off during your kidnapping.

Maki was right, but it was still awful that Lloyd was under that spell in the first place. Thank goodness you sent Tohru to protect him, and she was still there for him even now.

“That I did. Please, sit,” Maki said.

“It’s such an honor to meet the green ninja,” Aoki said.

“Yeah, an honor,” Tenko said.

“You don’t need to do that,” Lloyd said. “I’m just another competitor in the tournament.”

“Competitor or not, you still saved Ninjago from corruption twice,” Maki said. “Now I believe you had a run-in with some poison?”

“Yeah,” Lloyd said. “I’m fine now, but Ch-someone gave me a bracelet with poison in it. I guess it ended up affecting me before I took an antidote some kabuki left me.”

“I see. I would still like to check your vitals. You can never be too careful.”

You crawled back to your futon. Your heart was beating fast at the thought of Lloyd seeing you if Maki needed something from the supply closet. He wouldn't want to see you anyways. Not after what you did to him. What you did to the whole team. Ninja never quit, but you quit life itself the day the Golden Master attacked.

It seemed that Maki did not need anything after all. You had been waiting for someone to come in for several minutes, but there was no one. Maki had been checking Lloyd’s vitals the entire time.

“So, did you know this kabuki?” Maki asked.

“No. She just slipped me a vial from her sleeve after she took me to my room,” Lloyd said. “It was the first day of the tournament.”

Maki hummed, “If I told you I remember ushering competitors to their rooms. There was one boy in green that looked too stiff. He was sweating and kept looking to his father for help.”

“Hey, my dad-!” Lloyd paused. “Oh, gods. You gave me that antidote.”

“Try not to be so loud, but yes, I did. You were not good at when to take it though. I heard you almost died from the poison.”

“I would have if it weren’t for my sparrow.”

“Then your sparrow is quite talented.”

“She’s so cute too,” Aoki said.

You let out a silent chuckle. Tohru must be hating whatever was going on between her and Aoki right now.

“So…why did you give me the antidote?” Lloyd asked.

“Let’s just say…my sisters and I do not like how Chen runs things around here,” Maki said. “Your vitals are done. Seems like you’re a healthy boy. Off you go, now!”

“Wait, I want to ask you something?”

“Farewell,” Tenko said.

“It was wonderful to meet you,” Aoki said.

Just like that, Lloyd was out the door.

You lay down on your futon, staring at the ceiling in the lonely closet. The blanket draped over you, warm and welcoming. Perhaps, it was good you were kidnapped. You would not have your blood drained any longer. Your eyelids grew heavy. Sleep took over.

Chapter Text

 You were in a wooden tub of hot water with sakura petals and healing herbs in it. Maki said the tub was used to stir herbs, producing mass amounts of medicine for soldiers and kabuki. It was used once or twice when hundreds of them fell ill with the same sickness. Chen hid away in his chambers for weeks. He was vulnerable at least. Each soldier and kabuki were vulnerable, for now.

When you were little, you used to fall asleep in the hot bath whenever it was your turn. Every time you did, your fingertips would wrinkle. Morro said that if you kept doing that, you would turn into an old woman. It was a joke that you took seriously for several days before Morro said he was just joking.

You didn’t have the luxury of living in a home with a doting father now. You needed to bathe quickly so you could continue hiding in the storage closet. The healing herbs calmed you and made the cuts on your arm sting less the more you stayed in the small medicine tub. It also made you aware of your horrible smell from earlier in the day. Having been in a tree with two nindroids that did not need smell took its toll on you. The only times you would bathe were when it was less cold outside. Even then, you were in a tub a dead person used.

You returned to the darkroom and futon feeling refreshed. Tenko gave you her spare robe while she washed your hoodie and shorts. The three sisters had to keep working quickly if they were to keep their hiding you a secret. You thought they did quite well, despite the pressure they were under. At any moment, Chen could burst through the doors, demanding where you were, ending the charade, and killing the sisters.

“[Name], Aoki made some tea for us while I wrap your wound,” Maki came in, holding a tray of teacups, bandages, and a kettle.

“Are you sure you want to be the one bandaging me?” you asked. “It’s not that I mind, but you’re the lead medic, right?”

“No worries. Aoki is checking for any patients today,” Maki said “Tenko and I are handling you for the time being.”

Maki tentatively wrapped the bandages around your injured arm. It was like being covered with a blanket. The injuries didn’t hurt so much anymore because of her gentle hands. She served you the tea. It wasn’t too cold that it was bitter, or too hot that it would burn your tastebuds. You relished how warm it was.

“Aoki used lavender and roses,” she said. “She said that it would reduce your stress.”

“It tastes like home,” you smiled.

“Eh?”

You were suddenly aware of what you just said. You put down the cup, covering your mouth. You were sure it wasn’t just the tea that heated your face.

“Uh, I mean your tea just reminded me of home,” you said. “My father taught me how to brew the perfect cup of tea when I was little. So it reminded me of him.”

You picked the cup back up once you were calmed down. You swirled the liquid in it just enough so it wouldn’t spill over. What you told Maki was the truth. Wu used to let you help him with making tea for the family. After Morro died, you brewed him his favorite tea to make him feel better. Up until now, you and he would take turns brewing tea for everyone. It was something only you and him shared. You finished the tea with lingering grief.

“Do you miss him?” Maki asked.

“Of course I do,” you said. “But I can’t blame anyone but myself for that.”

You were the one that decided to kill yourself. You were the one that chose to leave the family you loved behind. All because of a void that would not stop telling you that you’d be better off dead. And you listened. You were weak for that.

“Hey,” you snapped away from your thoughts. “Do you know if any of my other friends got eliminated?”

“No,” Maki said. “And your uncle has been allowed to stay on the island. He was just never given a room.”

“Why not have him stay here?”

“We would’ve had to organize the closet again to fit two people instead of one.”

“You only wanted to find me?”

“That was the plan from the start. My sisters and I didn’t know that the master of ice was captive until later on. We couldn’t fit him into our plan. And besides, he is an android. You’re a human that would’ve died from blood loss once the tournament was over.”

“If you were just taking pity on me and not him, then take me back to my cell.”

You crossed your arms, looking away from Maki. She was looking down on you. That was for certain. She was more focused on the fact that you did not have Tohru with you, and no powers because of that.

“Chen said something about a factory when he took people’s powers,” you said. “Where is that?”

“The factory is around where the dungeons are,” Maki said. “It’s where the failed competitors are taken. The food served at the ramen restaurants outside the island is made there. Some of the people working there are cultists under suspicion of treason, or just people that didn’t know what they were getting into.”

For a moment, you looked at her. Maki had her shoulders squared in. Her eyes had a twinge of guilt. Guilt for the elemental masters that lost their powers, and for their parents thinking, ‘Where has my child gone?’ You had already planned to go back into the dungeons, to the factory to find Cole and Zane. You would save them and the innocents that had no part in this cult.

“What is Chen doing with my friends’ powers?” you asked.

“There is a spell,” Maki said. “Chen promised that it would fully indoctrinate the cult into anacondrai culture. Then, he will take his revenge for losing the serpentine war.”

She said it with venom in her voice.

“If you are curious,” Maki continued. “I do not condone Chen’s actions. However, defiance means death. All ex-cultist that tried to escape the island were ordered to be poisoned.”

“How are you so familiar with the poison in the bracelets, then?” you asked.

“Because it is the same poison. It took a lot of knowledge and a lot of death for me to create the antidote. I am only glad that your family survived it.”

Maki had a hand placed over her chest. She took in a deep breath. She was trembling with grief. Those people that were poisoned by Chen were ones she knew. You were not the only one he had been cruel to. You placed your hand over her other hand.

“You’ve already done so much,” you said. “Leave the regret you feel right now behind.”

“Only if you will do it too. I do not know your circumstances fully, but you are still here. I wouldn’t have a savior any other way.”

She calls you a savior. You did not deserve that. You were only a sad girl that wanted to die, and failed to. Strangers outside this island, outside this room, only regarded the god that used to share your body with you. Maki did not do this. She looked at you with an unwavering belief in your abilities, just yours, not Tohru’s.

“I am no savior,” you shook your head. “My friends are the saviors. I’m the sparrow that can’t fly without a god.”

You thought of what Ren said to you during the summer festival. The golden sparrow pin, and how she said it suited you. Your mind told you it was because of your weak resolve. You wished Tohru could guide you through this conversation, if only just to feel her presence in your mind once again.

“I remember seeing a sparrow when I was little,” Maki said. “In the months after, there was a bountiful harvest on the island. Now that I’ve seen you, there might be a bountiful amount of lives saved.”

Maki picked up the tray of tea and left you to ponder.

…

Over the next few hours, there were a few patients you needed to hide from. Some of them were soldiers that had a small fever, or a minor fracture. The sisters would hide you within the walls, behind a little door near your futon. During those hours, you either slept or devised a plan to break into the factory.

So far, you thought of going through the secret passageways throughout the palace. There was an abundance of them as if it wasn’t clear to you already. However, soldiers and even Chen himself walk down their paths. You would be caught if they were to see you. Not to mention, you did not have a map of where each tunnel led.

It was quite boring, leading a life of seclusion from the world. All you wanted was to find your friends shouting, ‘I’m right here! It’s me! I never died!’ However, that was just a fantasy.

You sat up from your futon, looking at the folded set of clothes Tenko washed for you. They were finally dried out. You slipped out of the robe, putting the hoodie and shorts back on. Wearing them gave you the comfort you were sure you never felt before. Maybe it was deja vu. But you had worn this hoodie more times than just in your dreams.

The closet door opened again. This time, it was Tenko that walked through. No patients were waiting to be treated or entertained by Maki and Aoki. Tenko knelt in front of you, handing you a cup.

“Here,” she said. “It’s to help you get your strength back.”

“It was only a few cuts,” you said. “I’m sure it’s nothing to go crazy about.”

“You were not fed for the past three days, correct? It’s to help you stomach your dinner.”

Before you could start drinking, she handed you something else. It was a strawberry candy.

“Put it under your tongue,” Tenko said. “It’ll help you drink all the medicine.”

You did as she instructed, finding a familiar taste in the candy. You used to give these to Lloyd when he was younger. He didn’t want to drink a similar tea to regain his strength after the Temple of Fire incident. You gave him the candy to stick under his tongue so it would taste better.

You happily drank the medicine, already thankful that you were given the strawberry candy. The medicine would’ve been even more bitter than it already was without it. You swallowed it down, giving the empty cup back to Tenko. She wordlessly stood up, walking out the door with it. You could’ve sworn you saw her smile just a little.

Once it was time for you to eat, you were given a few things the sisters could steal from the kitchens. There was an onigiri with pickled radish filling, a skewer of kushikatsu, and a ball of sakura mochi. You were ecstatic to see the mochi, not having had it in such a long time. You scarfed down the food you were given, thankful for the medicine so you wouldn’t regurgitate it. Each dish tasted good, but Zane always made them better.

You were finished, stomach satisfied for the time being. You stared at the ceiling while the Maki, Tenko, and Aoki made nightly rounds of all the sick people in the palace.

That was when the door was almost broken down. An intruder. You jumped from your spot, trying to find some sort of passageway through the supply closet. You felt the wall beside you and found your usual hiding spot. You quickly slipped inside, stuffing the futon in with you. There were already people walking around the medical office. Neither of them seemed happy as they paced around.

“Master Chen, she couldn’t have gone far,” someone said. Clouse.

“Of course, she couldn’t have,” Chen said. “But I know where she’s hiding. It was her! That medic girl.”

“I knew she was a traitor, but you never listened.”

“Yes, and my apologies for that. But the vessel is gone, and the boy lives. Two problems I wanted gone and you messed it up!”

Their voices were muffled, but you could still hear the seething anger coming from Chen. This was not the charismatic man that appeared to his followers with the grace of an emperor. Right now, he was a man struggling to keep his control. Good. Let him suffer a little. He deserved it for hurting so many people.

“Come! Search this office!” Clouse shouted to someone outside. More footsteps made their way into the medical quarters. You waited with bated breath for them not to find you. Your hand was over your mouth so you wouldn’t make a sound from behind the walls.

“Hey, look at this,” someone said from the other side of the wall. “I think one of the girls treated me with this plant.”

You let out a quiet sigh of relief.

The footsteps all around you soon dissipated, heading back outside. They probably told Chen and Clouse they found nothing, much to Chen’s disapproval.

“She escaped already,” Chen muttered. “Keep her within the palace before she’s found again.”

“Yes, Master Chen,” a soldier said.

Chen and Clouse left the sisters’ quarters after looking around one more time.

Minutes later, you confirmed to yourself that they were gone, unable to hear you. You gently opened the door, crawling out of your hiding place. You kept the futon where it was, waiting for the sisters. If you were here any longer, they would be in more trouble than they accounted for. You could not do that to them. Not with the amount of kindness they’d given you while you stayed in their supply closet.

You needed to leave. Tonight.

Chapter Text

 You found a piece of paper out in the medical office and rushed out a note. You didn’t have much time before anyone else came in to find you. You took the note with you, dropping it where you would’ve slept. You searched the rest of the supply closet for anything you could use as a weapon. If there was one secret door in here, there should be more.

“Why in such a hurry?”

You flinched, turning around to see Maki crouched right behind you. You retracted your hands from the walls and various jars of herbs. The supply closet door was already opened. Aoki and Tenko were cleaning up the disoriented mess Chen caused. The light from outside the closet only darkened the shadows on Maki. Nothing about her eyes changed. They were still crimson like a river of blood.

“Jeez, warn me when you’re coming in,” you said.

“I’m just surprised that I snuck up on a ninja,” Maki smiled.

You went back to searching through the closet, “Well, you saw the mess when you came in. Chen and his men searched through the place to try and find me. I hid pretty well, but he knows that you guys are keeping me here.”

“I’m afraid you got some info that I’ve been under Chen’s suspicion, then.”

“Clouse said he knew you were a traitor,” you said. “I’m sorry that it got worse. You could’ve gotten out of that and not break me out.”

“I was glad I broke you out,” Maki said. “I will have no regrets on my deathbed.”

That’s right. She would most likely be killed for this. Defiance meant death in a place like this. Maki would be poisoned by the same thing that could’ve killed Lloyd. From her words, she’d be letting it kill her too.

“What about your sisters?” you asked. “Will they be poisoned?”

“I hope not,” Maki answered. “I tried my hardest so that only I was under suspicion of treason.”

Maki went outside, coming back with a sheathed dagger in her hands. She held it out to you with both hands. It was like you were being bestowed a gift blessed by the gods.

“You will need a weapon if you’re escaping the palace,” Maki’s eyebrows were furrowed. “You can have this. But in exchange, I need a favor.”

“Anything,” you said way too quickly.

“I want you to kill Chen with this dagger. It’s laced with the same poison he’s killed so many others with. It should only take one stab in his heart to kill him.”

You took the dagger, unsheathing it. A snake was etched into the metal, intricately weaving through the dagger’s shape. One of the soldiers had the same kind of dagger. Maki must’ve stolen it. Just one prick from this dagger would make you vomit. You could only imagine what a single slice against the skin would do. You sheathed the dagger, putting it in your hoodie’s pocket. You would have no problem killing the tyrant with it.

Tenko and Aoki came into the room, leaving their cleaning behind. Tenko’s expression was largely the same, while Aoki’s was teary, her lip quivering.

“She’s leaving?” Aoki asked.

“She has to,” Tenko said. “Chen caught us while we were gone.”

Aoki looked at her sister, then back to you. She bowed to you, “I guess this is goodbye then. I’m so sorry we couldn’t look after you for longer.”

“It’s alright,” you stood up, placing a hand on Aoki’s shoulder. “This won’t be the last time you see me. Once I’ve killed Chen, I’m taking you to Ninjago. Then, I’ll visit.”

You smiled, making sure not to let the truth slip that Aoki’s sister might die.

“Go out the trapdoor in this room. Follow the tunnel and you’ll be outside,” Tenko said. “There’s still gonna be a border, so you’ll have to go through that if you wanna be outside the palace. It’ll be easier to get to the factory that way.”

“How’d you know I wanted to go to the factory?” you asked.

“Your friend is there. That’s how.”

You couldn’t help but smile at that.

You quickly slipped through the trapdoor as the sisters left the closet. You took the dagger out of your pocket, nodding to yourself, remembering the route, your promise to Maki. You would enact her final wish once she died.

You stood up after closing the door, now in the middle of a dark path within the palace walls. Leaving with some kind of candle or small lantern would’ve made this easier. Even having Kai with you would’ve been fine. However, you could not go back. You would linger for too long if you did. You made your way down, making sure not to trip over the uneven path. Your hand would glide against the borders that felt like they were pushing in on you. There was no one there to answer you. No voices either. People were asleep during this time. Or at least they should be.

At the end of the path, there was a small door like Tenko said there would be. You opened it slightly, peaking at the moon and stars above you. You were outside, but still under Chen’s radar. There was a border nearby that you could climb over. However, there were a few guards that would see you if you tried. You looked around and quickly hid behind the building they were guarding. There were balconies for each window, on every floor. The walls were made of jade and ruby. A bit of gold was sprinkled in here and there, morphing into serpents. The main building was not too far. It had two lanterns lighting up the doorway, where a few guards passed through. The ones closest to you did not move, grimacing at the fact they wouldn't attend some kind of ceremony. That ceremony had been where people got their powers stolen from them.

You pulled out your dagger. The only way you could get past the soldiers was if you used it. You got out of your hiding spot, ready to strike the first soldier in the back. Neither he nor his friend seemed to see you hidden within the shadows. With that in mind, you stabbed the first guard in the back. He yelped in pain before being swiftly cut off by death itself. He fell to the ground, and the other guard finally saw you. He didn’t even get a second to scream before you killed him too, slitting his throat so he couldn’t call for help.

Both men dropped to the ground, dead. You stood over their bodies for a moment. You just killed two people like it was nothing. It seemed like not long ago, you refused to kill Lloyd because of Tohru’s promise to the serpentine. In your time in the treehouse, and your time in that cell, something about preserving life changed. At this point, you would do anything to survive, even if it meant killing.

You no longer looked at the dead bodies and climbed over the border that kept the palace secluded from the rest of the island. You ran into the trees, letting the moon be your guide, as it did in your childhood. Your hoodie was perfect camouflage for this situation. The green and black made you look like you were just a bush.

You ran far enough that you didn’t see any lights coming from the palace. For now, you would be safe. You looked up at the sky being hidden away by the treetops. The moon peeked through them, showing you its bright and full light. It was as if Tohru was still with you during these times. However, you knew that she wasn’t. Even though you told her to stay with Lloyd and the others, you still craved to hear her voice echo in your head. You shut your eyes tight, shaking your head vigorously. You had to do this on your own. That’s how you always did things. Trying to save everyone and get off the island was no different.

You sat against a tree, pondering to yourself. The factory shouldn’t be very far away if you could get to it from outside the palace. Maybe it was around where your cell was? From what you knew, there was no such scenery from the palace you could've seen from it. And if the factory was like your cell, then the window would be your best opening to get inside. You stood up, wiping the dirt off your shorts and hoodie. It couldn't hurt to try and get in right now.

You wandered the forest, trying to find the right patch of grass you kept seeing from out of that cell. The problem was, that would be impossible. No one could tell one piece of grass from another, not even the master of nature could. Tohru would’ve been able to find your cell, and get all around the palace within a day at this point. You were starting to regret not asking for a map from the Doku sisters.

Nearby, there was the rush of a waterfall that flowed into a river. Once you checked and found there were no soldiers, you took a closer look. You cupped some of the river water in your hands, drinking it. It was cold, but you didn’t mind cold temperatures anymore. Not after what you went through in the past few months. Being cold was the least of your worries.

You drank more of the water before heading up the stream, closer to the waterfall. It was a sheet of liquid that could hide anything behind it. No one would notice. After all, they would worry about keeping themselves alive because they were falling. You climbed up the wet rocks, making your way up the hill the waterfall rested itself against. You found flat ground and shifted across it to get a better view of everything. Up here, you could see the palace. It looked like a city from where you were. If it were the emperor ruling this place, then you would marvel at the amount of construction done for the Ninjago’s royal family.

There was a path down below, starting from next to you, and down the bottom, where a bridge between it and the palace stood. Guards were there as well, two of them. Another pair would miss out on the next poor soul that got their powers taken.

An opening to a cave showed up as you got closer to the edge. You looked back at the guards, who didn’t once look behind them.

Useless.

You swiftly made your way inside, finding that the cave was empty, save for a truck. This one was red. Golden blades were sheathed within it. The hood was black, shadowing whoever was in the driver's seat. Based on the colors alone, you could tell that this was Nya’s work. Did that mean Nya was on the island? Was she trying to get everyone out too?

You carefully walked up to it to not set off any distress signals Nya put on the truck. You opened a hatch in the back and slipped inside. The interior was blue. A small couch was set up. Someone was sleeping there, but you didn’t recognize them in the low light. As you got closer, you found stubble on the person’s chin, the pudgy body, and the brown gi they were wearing. Drool dripped from the corner of their mouth as they snored. A gold medal was dangling from their neck. You staggered backward, bumping into the other couch.

“Who’s there?” the person was half-awake now, flailing his arms all around him. “I know martial arts, so don’t even try anything.” He did a sad attempt at a crane pose. It was so bad that you were sure your grandfather face-palmed from the heavens.

“Dareth!” you whisper-shouted. “It’s me!”

Dareth’s eyes opened all the way. You both just stood there, looking at each other. You were too stiff to try and move. Your throat was too dry to even say anything.

“[Name]?!” Dareth spoke first. “You’re alive?”

“Yeah, isn’t that obvious,” you said. “Now can you be quiet? And why are you here? Did you get this truck to the island all by yourself?”

“No. Nya brought me here with her to find the other ninja. I just wanted some fried tofu and sakura mochi.”

“Sakura mochi is only served when the sakura blossoms bloom. You should know this.”

You turned your head away from the man. You were still unsure of whether or not to tell Nya that you were even here. Maybe it was better if your friends kept thinking you were dead, and never find you. Then, you wouldn’t have to talk to them, tell them why you decided life just wasn’t worth living anymore. It would be easier that way.

“Why isn’t Nya with you?” you asked.

“She’s probably infiltrating the palace down the path,” Dareth said. “She told me to stay here and not get into any trouble. What happened to you?”

“I just escaped the palace. Is it cool with you if I stay here for the night? I’m heading to the factory tomorrow to break out the innocent people there.”

“Ooh! Can you get me some fried tofu while you’re there?”

“Ask them yourself.”

You sat on the couch across from Dareth. He didn’t even think twice about having you stay here for a day. He only laid back down, going back into a deep sleep. You did the same, staring up at the ceiling. You could think of nothing else but your new mission. You unsheathed your dagger, holding it up as if you were offering it to your grandfather as a gift. With it, you would shed more blood, including that of the master of this island. He would pay for what he did to you and Zane. He would pay with his life.

Chapter Text

 It was storming outside when the next fight commenced. Lloyd sat with Tohru on his shoulder up on the balcony. The arena below him had porcelain vases surrounding the border. Lloyd wished he could focus on the fight at hand. However, his mind drifted to his conversation with those kabuki nurses. They were keeping something from him. He could sense his cousin’s presence while he was in their office. Tohru looking at the door for just a moment was another indicator. The two of them silently agreed that [Name] was being kept there by the sisters.

“Skylor, Master of Amber. Versus Jacob, Master of Sound,” Chen announced to the crowd. “Battle begin!”

Skylor had a spear in her hands while Jacob plucked the strings of his bass. The Master of Sound was blind, using that instrument as his only way of walking around the room. Lloyd could hear him strumming it as he went down the hall until he could memorize his surroundings. If anything, he could find the blade just by playing some music.

“Master of Amber, huh?” Kai leaned forward, next to Lloyd. “That’s a weird power.”

“How so?” Garmadon asked.

“Well, I don’t even know what it does. I’ve talked to her a couple of times and she never told me, unlike the rest of these guys.”

“Her power is to absorb other people’s powers.”

“You interested?” Lloyd asked.

“Definitely not,” Kai said. “Even if I was, she already told me she’s into girls.”

“That’s one way to try and get him off your cousin’s back,” Garmadon chided, touching Lloyd’s shoulder.

“You’re not concerned?” Jay asked.

“My brother and I compromised that he would handle any boy that tries anything. Besides, I’ve seen the worst of it from her brother. Lloyd’s behavior towards Kai is tame compared to how he was.”

“Remind me never to meet him then,” Kai said.

Skylor launched the spear at a vase, shattering it. Within it, there’s a crossbow. Jacob keeps playing, wandering around the arena. Skylor ran around the border, loading the bow, and drawing back the string. She shoots three arrows in quick succession. Jacob dodged one and jumped on another, before landing on the second arrow that was fired. He strummed all the strings on his bass, creating a soundwave that broke the vases around Skylor.

“The Master of Sound has gotten stronger since I last saw him,” Garmadon said.

Jacob picked up three throwing stars out of the broken porcelain vase. Skylor dodged all three when he threw them. She hid behind one of the vases, her fingertips tapping against Jacob’s back.

“Y’know, part of me thinks we shouldn’t be sitting together,” Jay said. “It’ll just put more targets on our heads because they think we’re a team.”

“Don’t say that. We are a team,” Lloyd said. “We always have been. Sure, we lost Cole and still haven’t found Zane and [Name]. But that just means we have to work harder.”

The other spectators glared at him. Lloyd sat down while Tohru lowered her head.

‘Best not to raise your voice around them,’ Tohru said.

With the wave of a hand, Skylor broke another vase, revealing a bow staff. There was one vase left. Most likely, that was where the jade blade was. Skylor made a run for it while Jacob used blow-darts to stop her. None of them worked. Some of the darts broke through the paper screen walls. The cold wind from the storm outside blew in. It was enough to make Lloyd shiver.

“Still reeling from the poison?” Kai asked.

“No. I was told I should be fine,” Lloyd shook his head.

Jacob covered his ears, overwhelmed by the howling winds. Skylor took the opportunity to break the last vase, retrieving the jade blade. When she raised it high, the spectators broke into applause. Lloyd clapped along with them to not seem out of place.

“We have a winner!” Chen declared. “Master of Amber moves on!” He pressed a button, and let Jacob fall through the floor.

There was silence. A kind of silence that made Lloyd turn cold. The look in Chen’s eyes was not pleased with what has happened. He glared daggers at Lloyd the moment he stepped in to watch the fight. Chen’s plan was slipping away from him. [Name] was free, and Lloyd was still alive.

“I’m so glad that you have found the Tournament of Elements as entertaining as it is for me,” Chen said. “I would’ve rewarded you appropriately, but then, Master Jay and Master Cole tried to defy me. And as punishment, everyone will sleep in the dining hall for one night. That is all! Ta-ta~!”

Chen left with a different reason for the punishment. However, Lloyd knew that it was a mask. Chen may have been duped out of seeing a real fight, but two thorns in his side would continue to annoy him. Lloyd just wished [Name] could leave the palace in time so Chen wouldn’t track her down again. The other competitors walked past Lloyd and his friends, giving him a side-eye and even a full-on glare.

“Maybe your god friend has to do with it,” Neuro muttered so no one else could hear him. At least he kept Tohru a secret.

“Don’t worry about them,” Lloyd said. “We’re not here to make new friends, just to save two old ones.”

“Still, your exclusion of the other competitors is starting to bite you,” Garmadon said. “Treat them how you would want to be treated in this situation.”

…

That night, Lloyd could do nothing but stare at the ceiling. Tohru was nest to his pillow, sleeping as if she were a mortal human. Lloyd tossed and turned, but nothing happened. Jay was in bed to his right.

“Hey, Jay?” Lloyd whispered. “Are you up?”

There was no response. He was probably still sleeping.

“I’m up,” Kai said. “But you probably don’t wanna talk to me.”

“You’ll do, I guess,” Lloyd said.

Kai didn’t even flinch from the sharp tone of Lloyd’s words.

“Sorry, I just needed to get this off my chest. Something did happen while I was with the nurses,” Lloyd said. “They talked about the poison bracelet, and that they were the ones that gave me an antidote.”

“They did?” Kai asked. “But why?”

“They wanted to break [Name] out and didn’t want me to die in the process.”

“She broke out?”

“Yeah. That’s probably the real reason why Chen is keeping us in the dining hall. He couldn’t kill me, so he’s making everyone else face the consequences.”

Lloyd looked at the wrist that once had the ‘chi’ bracelet. Sometimes, he imagined that it was still there, ticking like a bomb before it would eventually kill him. If it hadn’t been for Tohru, Chen’s wish for Lloyd to die would’ve come true. If anything, Lloyd didn’t mind that he had to sleep here. Let everyone else live with each other’s snoring if it meant [Name] was safe.

“I told you I made a promise not to tell anyone about it, right?” Kai asked, pulling Lloyd away from his thoughts.

“You did,” Lloyd answered.

“I know that’s not enough for you to forgive me. I can live with that. But please, try not to blame anyone else until you hear from your cousin first.”

Before Lloyd could say anything, a gong echoed through the dining hall. The lights were on as soldiers took blankets away from the other competitors. Lloyd sat up, Tohru sitting on his shoulder again.

“Good morning, fighters,” Clouse stepped into the room, hands behind his back. “Oh, it’s the middle of the night, I almost forgot.”

A soldier came up to Lloyd and grabbed his feet. Lloyd tried to swat him away, but they wouldn’t budge. Soon enough, a pair of rollerskates were on his feet.

“Rollerskates?!” Kai said.

Lloyd stood up, gliding across the floor once the skates were strapped on his feet. This must’ve been another game Chen had planned for him.

“Wow! Rollerskates!” Jay grinned. “Hey, did I ever tell you guys that I got first place in the Mother-Son Skate-off? Now I wish I didn’t mention that.”

“Weirdo,” the Master of Light said.

“Master Chen wants everyone in the Royal Arena,” Clouse said. “I wouldn’t be late if I were you.”

“But most of us have already fought. Why’re we in skates?” Skylor asked.

“Only two of you will be fighting, yes. However, the rest of you will affect the outcome.”

“So who’s fighting?” the Master of Speed asked.

“The Green Ninja and the Master of Form.”

Clouse left with the soldiers. The competitors looked at Lloyd. Some had shock adorning their faces. Others were probably thinking of a plan to get him out of the competition. And Lloyd didn’t blame them. He would’ve liked to be out of the competition as well, if not to save his friends from the factory, and find his cousin out in the wilderness.

“Master of Form?” Lloyd turned to Kai. “Who’re they?”

“You haven’t heard?” Kai said. “She can change into anyone she’s ever come across. Before you know it, she’s already discovered your weaknesses. But, you’re the Green Ninja, what weaknesses could you have?”

Lloyd glared at him. The way the other boy talked didn’t sit right with him. Something was condescending about it when he asked that last question. Kai should've known what would get under Lloyd’s skin. This was not the real Kai. It seemed like the Master of Form was already trying to get to him.

“Other than a sore back, I can’t think of anything,” Lloyd said. “Did you think I’d say something else to you?”

Nearby, the real Kai was struggling to even approach Lloyd. Jay had to help him up numerous times as he skated circles around the dining hall. Finally, Kai got close enough before falling on his back.

“I don’t need an interrogation from you,” Lloyd said to the Master of Form.

“I didn’t need it either,” the Master of Form went back to her normal body. “When you all stay in the same room, you can hear anything.”

She skated away, tying her purple hair back with a headband.

“Here,” Lloyd helped Kai up from the floor. It turned out that she knew his weaknesses all along. So much for playing it smart.

The Royal Arena was on the other side of a stone tunnel many have walked through before. Lloyd kept close to his friends as he skated against the floor. A click was made whenever he moved onto a new stone. It was a steady rhythm that he could get behind. Kai was struggling to keep up, almost falling over. Lloyd and Jay had to catch him, holding his hands to keep him balanced.

When they emerged from the darkness, they were skating on red floors. They went around in a circle around a stone circle where Chen’s throne sat. There was a row of helmets. Half were green, the other half orange.

“Welcome to my favorite event,” Chen said. “Thunderblade!”

“Hey, I know this game. It’s just like-”

“No! Whatever you’re thinking about, this game is not like it! This is my game that I invented!”

Lloyd rolled his eyes. What a child.

“One Jade Blade for Lloyd, Master of Energy, and one for Chamille, Master of Form,” Chen tossed Lloyd a blade. “Skating a lap while holding those blades will earn you a point. The elemental with the most points moves on. The rest of you get to help or hurt anyone you wish.”

Everyone except for Kai and Jay took the orange helmets. Lloyd should’ve taken what Jay said about targets seriously.

“Guys, this isn’t looking so good,” Jay said.

Lloyd went up to the starting line with Chamille. Tohru transferred from his shoulder to Garmadon’s.

“Alright! Good luck to all the competitors, but mostly Chamille!” Chen said. “Battle begin!”

Lloyd and Chamille were side-by-side at the start of the game. Lloyd kept his eyes on what was in front of him, so he wouldn’t see what Chamille might turn into. Chen turned on some spectator ambiance over the speakers before his friends started their mark. Lloyd passed his first lap at the same time as Chamille. There was a ding before the scoreboard changed.

The two of them caught up to the rest of the competitors. They were trying to push Jay off the track, leaving Kai in the dust. The gaps in the crowd got smaller as Chamille got closer to the front. Lloyd couldn’t manage to find his way in. Jay must’ve noticed this, because he shocked a few of the people in orange helmets, knocking them to the ground. Lloyd got through the crowd easily after that.

“Thanks!” Lloyd called to his friend before moving on. Chamille had a pretty good lead now. She would finish her second lap at any moment.

All of a sudden, there was a weight pushing Lloyd backward. He dropped the jade blade, catching it in midair as he fell. The person who grabbed onto him like that was Kai. Lloyd rolled his eyes before getting back up again.

“Try using your powers,” Kai said.

“I wouldn’t be able to focus on the track if I did,” Lloyd said.

He made a few more laps, now having three while Chamille had four. Lloyd should’ve been fine for now. He was getting past the crowding just fine on his own.

That was until a ramp threw him off. It stretched upward on its own. Lloyd fell off the edge, somersaulting to not fall flat on his stomach. His rollerskates were still gliding against the ground, and he was back to it.

“Impressive,” Chamille landed next to him. “That kind of determination could get you close to finding her.”

That voice was hauntingly familiar. Lloyd turned his head for just a second. He found Chamille, disguising herself as [Name]. It was the same face, hair, and eyes. Lloyd could picture her giving him a strawberry candy to he could drink some medicine she was giving him.

“Shut it,” Lloyd said. “Don’t ever think you can use my family to get to me ever again.”

Chamille went past him, disguising herself as him to get another point. But Lloyd didn’t care. What she did was unforgivable.

Lloyd got up to Jay pretty quickly. Up ahead was the Master of Shadow before he disappeared.

“Where’d he go?” Jay said.

He got his answer when the Master of Shadow struck Lloyd in the back. Lloyd dropped the blade and it was picked up by the Master of Light. Jay knocked the pale man out of the rink and into the soldiers by the edge.

“You never learned that at your Mother-Son Skate-Off, did you?” Lloyd asked.

“It was a fierce competition. And now’s not the time to ask about my life. You have to skate faster than before,” Jay said.

Lloyd pushed himself harder, making the muscles in his legs ache and burn. But it was a good kind, like when you were on a run and about to give up before pushing forward. He couldn’t give up, not now. Not when he’s getting closer to his friends and family.

“Release the buggy!” Chen shouted.

Just then, a buggy came out of the floor. It was designed much like the vehicles that ambushed Jay and Cole’s fight.

It went past him and Jay. And when it did, Chamille latched onto it with one hand, Jade Blade in the other.

“She gets a lead and a lift?!” Lloyd said. “I know Chen wants me out, but this is ridiculous.”

“I’m somehow, not surprised,” Jay said.

Two people crowded Lloyd, looping their arms around his. He was unable to move, or go any further to try to escape them. The same thing happened to Jay. That was until the Master of Speed decided to make Jay a little dizzy. He hit Lloyd in the back and the two tumbled into the corner of the rink. That somehow made Lloyd’s back go back to normal.

Before either of them could get up, Kai was zooming down the track, fists engulfed with fire. He caught up with the buggy, pulling Chamille off her free ride. She dropped her blade, and Jay got it.

“Nice one, Kai!” Lloyd said.

He went another lap while Jay had the other blade. There were three minutes left on the clock, and not much ground to make up. The other competitors were on his tail.

Chamille had the blade again and was on his back. Lloyd was lucky a ramp came up all of a sudden. He would’ve been a goner. Up ahead, Kai and Jay were talking to the other competitors. It was all about the spell, Chen’s plan, everything.

Lloyd didn’t hesitate to catch up to them. His hand was on the Master of Speed’s back, giving himself a helping hand.

“It’s not too late to do the right thing,” he rushed forward afterward.

Those words seemed to be just enough for some help to come by. The buggy stopped right next to him. Kai was at the wheel.

“Kai? You took the buggy?” Lloyd said.

“We took the buggy,” Kai cocked his head towards Skylor. “Take the wheel.”

Lloyd didn’t hesitate. The Jade Blade was in his lap as he went through the course. Chen was angrily pushing buttons, but Lloyd stopped them all. He jumped off the buggy just as Chamille was catching up to him. A shockwave went from his feet to his head.

The two of them dueled with their blades. There was no way Lloyd could convince Chamille to join the fight against Chen at this point. The clinging of metal and the desperate pushing of buttons clouded Lloyd’s eardrums.

“Lloyd, don’t you think that giving up on this little game could help you,” Chamille transformed into [Name] one last time. “Wouldn’t it be nice to reunite with your lovely cousin? Oh wait, she’s dead, isn’t she? Surely you don’t think you could rescue her from the departed realm with this kind of tournament?”

“I thought I told you to knock it off,” Lloyd pushed her over. He skated as fast as he could, not looking back for a second.

Then, time was up. He was the last to pass the rink. He had fourteen points, while Chamille had thirteen. Lloyd sighed. He won. He could move forward. He survived.

“You did it!” Jay and Kai hugged him, almost taking Lloyd down. Garmadon smiled at him while Tohru flapped her wings in approval.

‘You did well, chosen one,’ she said.

From just one event, Lloyd got a step closer to finding a way to stop Chen. Now, he wasn’t just here to save a few friends. He was here to save everyone else.

“No! I can’t accept this!” Chen bellowed. “Lloyd cheated, so he loses!”

“He won fair and square,” Master of Speed said.

“If he’s out, then I am too,” Paleman said.

“So am I,” Kai said.

“Me too,” Jay said.

“Even me,” Skylor said. “It wouldn’t be much of a tournament without competitors, would it?”

Chen gave Skylor a particularly piercing glare. It was a small movement, but she stiffened just a bit while under his gaze.

“Fine then, have it your way,” Chen said. “Form is out.”

Chamille fell through the floor. Lloyd looked away. Some kind of alliance may have been made, but he was sure it would crumble beneath him.

Chapter Text

 The next evening, there was a feast. Kabuki servants handed out trays of various exotic foods. Others were dancing. Lloyd picked at a few pieces of his food, not eating any of it. That was until a kabuki girl handed him a bowl of eggs covered in a disgusting yellow goop.

“Try the wasp eggs,” Chen said. “They look quite delightful today.”

“Uh, I’ll pass,” Lloyd waved the kabuki away from him.

“Don’t be such a sourpuss, Green Ninja, this is a celebration for the eight of you getting into the second round of the tournament. And I must congratulate the Master of Shadow’s battle against the Master of Poison. She was a hard pill to swallow, am I right?”

The kabuki applauded with him. Lloyd frowned, going back to picking at his food. There was no reason the fight between those two had to be so aggressive. However, Lloyd did not blame Tox’s survival instinct for poisoning Shad. The poison was nonlethal, as she said, but it did cause pain. Watching Shad suffer like that reminded Lloyd of when he almost died to a deadlier poison than what came from Tox’s skin.

“Hey, relax,” Kai said. “Even if there was a fight, we still told the others about Chen’s plot.”

Lloyd nodded.

“Hey, I tried to enlist Shadow like you said to,” Griffin Turner said. “But he was giving me the cold shoulder.”

“Well, if you’re going to go through with an alliance,” Garmadon said. “You need everyone on board.”

Lloyd predicted that some people wouldn’t believe him about Chen’s plot. He wasn’t even sure Shad knew about [Name]’s blood being drained was true. Or even the fact that there was a threat about Zane’s own life in the message Lloyd got. Maybe Shad did, and he didn’t have the sympathy to care. Tohru flew to Lloyd’s shoulder and bit his ear.

“Dude,” Lloyd said. The bird’s aggressive wake-up calls were beginning to be less painful. Lloyd gave her a bite of the mochi he wasn’t planning to eat.

Chen clapped his hands, silencing the chatter and dancing. So that was why Tohru was trying to get Lloyd’s attention. He thought she just wanted some sweets.

“It has come to my attention that some rumors are floating around about this tournament. Something akin to, me stealing people’s powers when they fail,” Chen said. “Well, those rumors are true.”

Lloyd froze. He and Tohru looked at each other. How could he just admit it like that?

“But, it’s all for this staff,” Chen continued as the staff from that first ceremony was brought to him. “This here staff holds the power of your fallen foes, and soon, it will have all but one. The winner of this competition will get this staff and be the greatest fighter in all of Ninjago.”

Whispers went around the table. People were looking at each other with confusion and a bit of excitement.

Lloyd stood up, slamming his hands against the table, “You lie! What about the spell?!”

“Spell? What spell?” Clouse asked.

“The spell you’ve been draining my cousin’s blood for! You had her in your dungeon before she escaped. You were gonna poison me when she did. That’s why you made us sleep in the dining room. Not because of Jay and Cole, but because I lived and she escaped!”

“Lloyd, calm down,” Garmadon grabbed the back of Lloyd’s gi.

The other elemental masters gazed at him, then back at Chen, not knowing who to believe. Chen’s eyes were wide. It seemed like Lloyd caught him in his plan.

“Grief can cloud people’s judgments so easily,” Chen said. “It must be hard, losing a family member like that. Don’t worry, you won’t be punished for accusing me of such a thing. I know how hard it is for you.”

“I’m not lying,” Lloyd said. “Neuro saw into Clouse’s mind. He told me what happened. Come on, Neuro, tell everyone what you saw.”

Neuro shook his head, “I apologize, but I don’t remember anything. Truly, I’m more intrigued by what’s happening with the staff.”

“Why should we even believe you in the first place?” Griffin asked. “You could be lying to get the staff for yourself.”

Lloyd couldn’t do anything but sit down. The other four competitors were whispering to each other about what they might do with the staff when they win.

“So much for an alliance,” Garmadon said.

“They’re believing Chen over us,” Lloyd said.

“Well if we’re going to convince them of what’s happening, then-” Jay shook away a fan flapping too close to his face. “Would you cut that out?”

“Jay, it’s me,” Nya whispered.

“Nya?” everyone said.

“Keep your voices low,” Nya said. “I’m undercover here. And I heard what happened to Cole, I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. We settled things,” Jay said.

“Is it just you, sis?” Kai asked.

“Dareth’s also on the island,” Nya said. “We’ve been here for about a day now. The last message I got from him was that [Name] was in the truck for a single night. We’re also keeping in contact with Wu.”

“That means you can get close to Clouse’s spellbook,” Kai said. “All we know is something that’s on page 149.”

“I’ll look into it. But it seems like you’ve got your work cut out for you too.”

“How so?” Jay asked.

“How do you think they found out about your little alliance? One of the competitors is a spy.”

Nya left the table, keeping her fan over her face. Just as she was gone, Skylor showed up at the table.

“Do you guys know her?” she asked.

“No,” Kai said. “She’s just a recruit that bumped into Jay.”

“Here,” Skylor handed Kai a piece of paper. “There was a message in my food. Looks like your friends Cole and Zane are planning on breaking out just like your other friend did.”

“Seriously?”

“You’re lucky it didn’t end up in the wrong hands.”

“Thanks. It’s good to know we can trust a few people.”

“There’s a spy?” Jay said after Skylor left. “Who do you think it could be?”

“I have my suspicions,” Lloyd glared at Shad. It was a start of getting some suspects down at least. Shad didn’t accept being in the alliance at first. He’d also been a loner for most of the tournament. The only time he teamed up with someone was with Chamille, and that was just to get Lloyd out.

Lloyd didn’t dwell on it for much longer and started eating. He was just glad that his friends were going to find freedom, and that his family was safe for a little while.

All of a sudden, the doors burst open, revealing a girl stumbling through the threshold. She wore the same kimono other kabuki wore, but no makeup. Her braids were messy with hair falling out of place. Her blue eyes were puffy as if she had only finished crying.

“Master Chen! I have a body to report!” the girl said.

“Whatever it is, can it be until later? I’m entertaining the competitors, girl. You should know this,” Chen glared at her.

“My apologies, but you told us to report to you whenever someone in the palace has died.”

Chen rested his cheek on his fist, leaning back on his throne. He stared down at the girl with a threatening and predatory stare.

“Get on with it,” he said. “Who died?”

“The head kabuki nurse, Maki,” the girl said.

“Oh, so that’s why you look like a mess. Your sister just died.”

Sister? It was only now that Lloyd recognized the girl. She was in the medical office when his vitals were checked after taking the antidote to his chi poisoning. This was Aoki, the nurse’s sister. Her head was lowered as she waited for a public beating in front of Lloyd and the other competitors.

“Should we do something?” Jay asked.

“Wait until something happens,” Lloyd said.

“No, don’t do anything,” Garmadon said. “You will only stand out more in Chen’s eyes.”

“But we can’t just let her take a potential beating.”

The doors were open again, this time, another girl with the same clothes and no makeup came through. She was more composed than Aoki, running over to her sister without looking at how the competitors were judging her. Her green eyes showed no effect of Chen’s fear in them.

“My apologies, Master Chen,” she said. “My sister was only doing what she was told to, even if there are guests. There was a death in the medical office. My other sister, Maki, was poisoned.”

“Fine then, go on,” Chen waved the two girls off. “I’ll look into it and find the assassin after the feast.”

The two girls left, not believing the lie he told. The green-eyed girl glanced at Lloyd before taking her sister out of the room. Aoki was more composed now, but still in a panic from what happened a few seconds ago.

Lloyd stood up, Tohru flying up to his shoulder. He pushed his plate forward, allowing the kabuki in makeup to retrieve it. His hands were gripping onto the table cloth for dear life. The voices around him were discussing who died, and who might’ve done it.

“He’s not investigating it,” Lloyd said.

“We know that but who is?” Jay asked.

“I am.”

“You?”

“Those people helped me with the poison bracelet. The least I can do is find out who murdered one of them.”

“I’ll go with you,” Kai said.

“Thanks.”

Lloyd wasn’t sure why he didn’t hesitate. Maybe it was the words he said before his match with Chamille, or even at the noodle restaurant before the tournament even started. Just because Kai knew what was going on, didn’t mean he could predict something like that, and stop it. Lloyd was a fool to even think that over and over again, to blame him for someone else’s thoughts.

“Then let’s go. What’re we waiting for?” for the first time, Lloyd looked Kai in the eyes.

The two made their way to the nurses’ quarters by following Aoki and the green-eyed girl. Neither of them said anything, grief doing all the talking that was needed. It sowed itself into the walls in the palace as they walked. With every step, there was a cry of anguish in their hearts.

When the girls finally made it inside, Lloyd knocked on the door.

“What is it?” the green-eyed girl asked from the other side.

“Hey, it’s me,” Lloyd said. “I wanted to ask you about the poisoning.”

She wasted no time in opening the door to Lloyd. She glanced at Kai for a second before letting them both in. Her permanent frown got a little more intense now that he was there.

The room had death’s stench leaking throughout. That and the poison used to take care of it.

“Is he a friend of yours?” the green-eyed girl asked.

“Yeah, this is Kai,” Lloyd said. “He wanted to come with me and help investigate.”

“You’re investigating? Don’t bother. We already know who killed my sister.”

“Who?”

“And why did you tell Chen anyway?” Kai asked.

“Tenko, it wouldn’t hurt to tell them,” Aoki came out of a different room, wiping a towel over her face. “They’re clueless competitors that could get hurt if we don’t.”

“We know more than you think and we’re already hurt,” Kai said.

“Oh, I see. Tell them anyway. They should know more.”

Tenko opened the door, glancing back and forth to see if no one was watching.

“Fine,” she closed it. “The killer is Chen’s assassin. The only reason he wants an assassination reported was to confirm that was job was finished.”

“An assassin?” Kai asked.

“Yes, Chen has an assassin to take down those who even try to oppose him. Maki was one of those people, and as punishment for breaking the vessel out of her prison, she was poisoned.”

Lloyd’s brow furrowed from hearing the word ‘vessel.’ A word he hated over the months he was alone.

“Do you think the assassin could be a competitor?” Kai asked Lloyd’s next question for him.

“There’s no telling who the assassin could be,” Aoki said. “We don’t even know their gender identity. But we do know that the assassin is someone Chen trusts to a high degree. So it’s a possibility that he told them to infiltrate the tournament.”

“So if we figure out who the spy is…” Lloyd said.

“Then we have our killer,” Kai finished.

“We’ll find out who the assassin is. Don’t worry.”

“It’s a nice sentiment, but not needed,” Tenko said.

By the looks on their faces. Aoki and Tenko had gotten used to these kinds of killings while Chen was on his serpent throne. They were ridiculously calm, save for Aoki stumbling to Chen while there were guests around. So many were killed the same way, quietly, and reported to Chen so he knew that they weren’t a thorn in his side. It would’ve been the same for Lloyd if he didn’t have that antidote. But why didn’t Maki take it?

“Is the body still here?” Lloyd asked.

“Yes,” Tenko said. “Soldiers haven’t picked it up yet.”

“Can we study the body, then?”

“Look over the scene. Just don’t touch anything or you’ll get your fingerprints on it.”

Lloyd and Kai were led into the nurses’ bedroom. Three beds were in low light. One of them was occupied by Maki’s dead body. She was at the farthest end, near a window, and with the covers off her. A small drop of blood was dried out on her arm where the poison was injected.

“Are you sure about this?” Kai asked. “We’re not detectives.”

“We still have to try. This murder is one of the few good leads we have on who the spy is.”

Lloyd got closer to Maki’s bed. Her eyes were closed, meaning she died in her sleep. The assassin might’ve struck late at night, before Lloyd and Chamille’s match if they were a competitor.

“Do you think it was Tox?” Kai asked. “She would know a lot about different poisons. She’s the master of poison after all.”

“No, she’s not,” Lloyd said. “Chen would want to keep the spy in as long as possible. If Tox was the spy, he would’ve thrown the battle in her favor.”

“There’s still that tattoo,” Kai said. “Your dad got one of those when he was a student under Chen. Whoever has that is our spy and the killer.”

“Maybe.”

Lloyd couldn’t discern anything from the body. The assassin must’ve been doing this for a long time to get to the point where their crimes were too hard to solve from the naked eye. And if anything, Chen couldn’t care less about who broke the rules.

‘Break a rule, and you’re dead’ was what he said after all.

…

Everyone agreed to a meeting in Kai’s room about the spy in their little alliance. Lloyd was trying to hide his trembling in front of everyone. One of these people tried to get to his family, and he wouldn’t stand for it. He could only imagine what would’ve happened if they found [Name]. Those images would haunt his nightmares for the coming future. Lloyd liked to convince himself that a failure to catch the spy wouldn’t result in her real death. But his anxiety was proving him wrong.

Garmadon watched the door while everyone else was gathered around in a circle. Shad was sitting on Kai’s bed, next to Neuro. All eyes were on him.

“As I said,” Shad said. “I don’t wanna join your little alliance. I’d rather gun for the staff and not be dragged down for it.”

“This isn’t about you joining,” Lloyd said. “There’s a spy here that happens to be Chen’s assassin.”

“Assassin?” Jay said. “We’re dead.”

“The nurse?” Griffin asked.

“She was poisoned after committing treason against Chen,” Lloyd said. “Her sisters believe the assassin is hidden among us. So, no one leaves until we find them.”

“That’s why you keep staring at me? I’m not your spy, green bean,” Shad said.

“Perhaps I could see into everyone’s minds to find the spy,” Neuro said. “Someone is not who they say they are.”

“How do we know you’re not just covering up your crimes?” Skylor said. “Maybe I should see into your mind to find out.”

“Try, power hoarder.”

“Guys!” Kai got in between the two. “We don’t have to fight to figure this out. There’s the tattoo. Anyone who’s worked under Chen has the tattoo of an anacondrai on their back. Whoever has it is our spy.”

“It’s true,” Garmadon said. “I once worked under him, and I still have it.”

One by one, Lloyd and the other competitors were checked to see if there was that anacondrai tattoo. Some of them had normal tattoos, Griffin was the only one. This included Lloyd and his friends to gain the other masters’ trust.

There were only two left, Skylor and Shad. Skylor was up first, glaring at Kai all the while.

“Um, this is a little awkward, but we need to see your back,” Kai said.

“How could you not trust me?” Skylor asked. “I told you the message your friend left, and you think I’m a murderer?”

“This is for everyone, not just you. Unless you have something to hide from the rest of us.”

Skylor glared at him more, before turning around. That’s until Shad disappeared from behind her.

“Wait, where’d shadow go?” Griffin asked.

‘He’s in the corner,’ Tohru said.

“He’s in the corner,” Lloyd repeated. “Don’t let him leave.”

“I ain’t your spy, and I ain't your friend,” Shad said, his physical body nowhere to be found. He swiftly ran out the door, letting it swing back and forth before anyone could do something about it.

“Then it was Shad. He’s the spy if he had to leave so quickly,” Neuro said.

‘He’s not,’ Tohru said. ‘Don’t listen to him.’

“As much as I hate to say it, we don’t have enough evidence,” Lloyd said.

“Well the spy isn’t me either,” Skylor said. “And you still think I am, then watch me walk out the door.”

Skylor peeled back some of the fabric covering her back. There were no tattoos. She was silent the rest of the way out. And when the door shut, it was just Lloyd, Kai, Jay, and Garmadon.

‘She was lying,’ Tohru said. ‘The Master of Amber is the assassin.’

“What?!” Lloyd shouted.

“Did she say what I think she said?” Jay asked.

“Why didn’t you tell us before?” Kai asked. “I had to look at a dead body for longer than I wanted to.”

‘I’m sorry but my job was to protect you, not sniff out a traitor,’ Tohru said. ‘Although I could’ve put a bit more effort into the investigation. That was my fault.’

“What gave it away?” Garmadon asked.

‘Her voice. It was the same one from Dr. Julien’s treehouse when we were attacked. [Name] forced me to hide that day, so I couldn’t do so much but follow her as she was kidnapped. If anything, Chen probably doesn’t know that I’m a god and that she and I are separated.’

So that was it. Skylor was the assassin. She was a killer with hair the color of blood. And a traitor with a voice that sewed fake promises into their brains.

…

In the middle of the night, Lloyd couldn’t sleep that well. There was a new dream, how he imagined Zane and [Name]’s capture. It was one of those nightmares Lloyd could’ve prevented if he just dug a little deeper into the hole. He could’ve searched for them all this time, but he didn’t. That girl got to them first. He regretted ever letting Skylor leave the room.

He got out of bed, stepping out to the balcony. He leaned against the railing, letting the nighttime breeze soothe the pain he felt for a little while. Though it wouldn’t cure him. It was like those cream bottles that said they would fix your muscles. It was for a little while, but your hand would suffer the price of being cold and hot at the same time.

Tohru was perched with him, looking out into the forest.

“Could you not sleep?” Lloyd asked.

‘I don’t need sleep,’ Tohru said.

“Right,” Lloyd said. “But you’ve never been out here when I’m sleeping. You’re always near the mirror or watching me.”

‘That’s because I have to leave.’

Lloyd’s heart dropped.

‘I know this disheartens you, but [Name] has called for me,’ Tohru said. ‘I promised I would come back if she did.’

“I’ll miss your company,” Lloyd said. “It was nice mind-chatting with you every once in a while.”

‘I enjoyed it too. Perhaps she was right about liking you and your friends’ company.’

Lloyd was certain she was smiling.

With that, Tohru flapped her wings one last time, and she was gone.

Chapter Text

 You left a note for Dareth before leaving the truck the next morning. It was a plan for where you were going next, and a thank you for letting you stay for the night. He was still asleep when you left, just as you found him last night. Slipping past the soldiers wasn’t that hard. It was as if they were never there.

You went down the mountain the way you came, following the river. The water was white while under the sunlight, presenting itself as snow. The rest of that light would peer in through the trees, picking special spots to rest. You drank some of the river water before heading into the deeper parts of the forest.

The factory would be closer to the palace, among the tunnels you went through to get out. Your goal of getting as far away from there as possible might’ve been counterproductive. If only you had a map of the tunnel system so you could find your way right away. You leaned against the tree. You had no powers. Tohru was still watching over Lloyd and the others. You also had wounds on your arms that could reopen should you scratch them against anything. You clenched your fists, looking to the sky. You shouldn’t be thinking about what you didn’t have. You still had the knife Maki gave you. It did nothing but help you get out of the sticky situations you were in while breaking out.

You got up from the ground and started walking to the palace. Images washed through your mind of all the suffering faces. Pixal and her eyes going out when she was scrapped, the looks on the elemental masters’ faces when they realized what was going on. By then, it was too late. Finally, you thought of your friends’ faces as they saw your blood being drained, and Cole’s promise to find you. That was a promise made in vain. He would’ve been killed if he tried to break you out, just like how Maki was after she succeeded.

Those thoughts were interrupted by a bird. Its tweeting echoed throughout the forest, bouncing from tree to tree. They were cries of anguish and sorrow. It was a hard thing to read from a bird, but you were sure of it. Your instincts told you to follow the cries, so you did. It was just an animal. Helping it for a little bit wouldn’t get in the way of your plans in the factory.

As you wandered the forest, the cries got louder, until you found the bird. Its wing was caught in a metal snare. It had nowhere to go and nothing to do but cry for help. When it saw you, it hopped excitedly, waving its free wing to get your attention. The bird was small, with brown feathers that got lighter as they got closer to the middle. This bird was a sparrow that flew to the wrong island.

“There, there, little guy,” you crouched in front of it. “I’ll get you out of there.”

The sparrow stopped flapping its wings as if it could understand you. He looked at you with sparkles in his eyes.

You inspected the trap. It was one of Chen’s. Maybe one for hunting down smaller animals like the sparrow. However, with a closer look, you realized you’d never seen these traps until today. They were never on the land of this island until you escaped. These traps weren’t for animals. They were for you. The ensnare was big enough to fit around your ankle, or your wrist if it was small enough. Words were carved into the metal, characters you recognized on old spellbooks you found in your father’s private scrolls. These were Clouse’s enchantments, no doubt. If you stepped on one of these traps, he would know.

Carefully, you pried open the metal, making sure not to brush over the enchantment on it. It was enough for the sparrow to slip free from his cage. He flapped his wings a little and got a few inches away from it. He hopped over to you, thanking you with little tweets and chirps. Blood was on the wing that got trapped. It stained his feathers, dying them a pinkish red.

“Alright, alright, you’re welcome,” you said. “Here, your wing still needs to heal. I can get you something to help with that.”

You cupped the sparrow in your hands, letting him rest on your shoulder. He seemed to enjoy the ride given to him. He chirped another thank you and rested there for the time being.

“Looks like there are traps I’m gonna have to avoid now,” you said. “All for your friends, [Name]. Just keep remembering that.”

You kept repeating that in your head while climbing trees to find something suitable to wrap around a wing. Or even finding nuts and seeds to feed the sparrow. You took some of those for yourself to keep your stomach from throwing a fit. Finally, you came across a leaf big enough to go around the wing, you ripped it in half, and gently took the sparrow’s wing. You made sure it was on tight enough so it wouldn’t fall off, and loose enough that it didn’t hurt the bird.

He chirped a thank you, getting back on your shoulder after breaking apart a nut to eat.

You had only gotten close to setting off a trap one other time. You were desperate to get up one of the trees when you didn’t notice a net that was ready to fall when given the chance. The sparrow saved you from getting caught by that one.

The two of you got further and further away from the waterfall the more you wandered, trying to survive the island wilderness. There were even a few hours when someone was playing loud music from the waterfall’s cave. You knew who that was right away.

“Dareth,” you muttered. To think you were grateful for him letting you spend the night in the truck. He would’ve gotten you caught if he wasn’t asleep when you showed up.

You hid in the bushes while guards passed by you, heading towards the sound of Dareth’s horrible singing. He was doing a bad impression of Elvis. You covered your ears to make it stop. It didn’t. Soon enough, the music stopped. Dareth was probably caught and you would have to save him, along with the others. You wondered why Nya even brought him to the island in the first place. No. Nya would never.

The sparrow tugged on your hood, signaling to you that the guards were gone. You got up, glancing around to make sure, and moved on.

All the while, the factory got closer and you had to make a plan on getting in. Tenko said that breaking in from outside was easier than from the tunnels. That meant there should’ve been a barred window of some sort. If you could find it, and kick it in, you could get into the factory with no problem. Using the dagger to kill the guards was a simple solution if you were spotted.

Just wait for me, guys, you thought, I’m coming.

…

The moon was high above you. Crickets chirped their songs, jumping from one patch of grass to another. And your stomach was growling. Hunger was dissatisfied with the little bit of food you ate throughout the day. It was now gnawing at your body from the inside.

“Ugh, maybe I should’ve packed some food,” you groaned.

It was not only that, but your throat was beginning to dry out. The river was too far away for you to drink, and now, your thirst became noticeable.

Sounds of a crackling fire echoed in your eardrums. It was a comforting click that made your mind numb. Your eyelids had grown heavy as you walked even further. You could’ve easily fallen asleep, dreaming of more memories with Riley.

All of a sudden, there was a sharp pain in your ear. You yelped, touching it with your hand. The sparrow only sat on your head, satisfied with his job.

“Hey, you didn’t have to do that to wake me up,” you said.

The bird chirped, gesturing his beak toward the fire sounds.

“What if it's a guard? We could be caught.”

Your stomach growled in retaliation.

“Fine, we’ll just take whatever food they have,” you said.

The sparrow let out happy chirps.

You hid in the bushes after getting close enough to the small fire. You waited for someone to show up, or even have their food with them so you could take it. Surely they wouldn’t miss it if you took a few bites for yourself and your sparrow friend.

In the distance, the palace had its lights up, competitors probably asleep. Guards were beginning to patrol the pathways for you or anyone else that’s broken out. The factory wasn’t too far now. A cooling breeze blew through the forest, caressing your hair. Whenever they came along, you thought of your brother. Before you found out about his death, you thought he was creating those winds to send you all kinds of messages. Maybe they lasted until now.

Finally, you saw who kept the fire warm and carried the food. He was an older man, not in a solder’s uniform. His robes were white with black ones going over them. A green obi held it all together. He added a couple of sticks to the fire, setting a pouch of food beside him.

You couldn’t move. You had to leave. That man wasn’t a shoulder, but you recognized him. That was Garmadon. You knew he came with Lloyd and the others to the tournament, but you never thought you would see him now. You shifted in the bushes, trying to crawl away from the camp unnoticed. However, your surprise in seeing him failed you.

“I know you’re there,” Garmadon said. “Show yourself.”

Without another choice, you stepped out of the bushes. The sparrow poked his beak out of your hair.

Garmadon’s eyes went wide. His eyebrows were raised. The fire kept crackling, crickets kept singing, and guards kept walking back and forth at their posts. Your words were choking up, stuck in your throat while you shook.

“I’m sorry,” you croaked. “I’m so sorry, Uncle.”

He stood up and pulled you into a fatherly embrace. It was like you could finally rest. Tears ran down your cheeks. You were unable to stop them. Finally, you sobbed into him, muttering out apologies. Garmadon stroked your hair in response.

“I knew you were alive, but to finally see it…” he trailed off. “I almost can’t believe it. But I’m so glad you’re here.”

You could tell he was holding back tears.

After your little reunion, you sat at the fire with him. You told him everything that happened to you, the sisters, the blood being drained, even about your plan to break into the factory to free everyone.

“Those three broke you out?” Garmadon asked.

“Yeah, did something happen to them?” you said.

“One of them was dead. Chen’s assassin killed her.”

You already saw that coming. You already knew it was Maki. Still, hearing that from someone who’s been in the palace was a stab to the gut.

“There’s also something I wish you never had to know,” Garmadon began. “But now that you’re here, you might as well hear it. I was once a student under Chen’s tutelage. When I was young, I sought a darker path in terms of fighting. However, Chen’s way of doing things was something I knew was wrong. I left him behind, and eventually, we were on opposite sides of the Serpentine War.”

“I know,” you said. “Chen told me about it when I was still his prisoner.”

Neither of you said anything about it anymore. You both knew that it changed nothing.

Time went by, and you were eating some of the food Garmadon had. He let you have the entire thing. All of it was stuff he snagged before he was told to leave. The sparrow pecked at some of the food.

“Is that bird with you?” Garmadon asked. “I thought Tsukigami turned herself into a purple sparrow.”

“No, this isn’t Tohru,” you held the sparrow. “This is uh…Fuwa! Yeah, this is Fuwa. I got him out of a trap and he’s stuck by my side ever since.”

You placed Fuwa on your shoulder.

“Ah, it looked like she went back to you after confirming that Lloyd was safe,” Garmadon said.

“I haven’t though. She’s still with him,” you said.

“You never thought of bringing her back?”

“No. She needed to watch over my friends. And besides, I can get into the factory by myself. I owe everyone that much.”

“That’s noble of you, but you can still rely on her to help you. You already trust her enough to protect your friends. Why is this any different?”

You averted your gaze from him, “It’s not so much her as it is my friends. I can’t make them deal with me because of what I did. Then I’d have to look at those thoughts, and it scares me. I don’t want to experience them anymore, Uncle. I just can’t do it. I can’t go through another fight again.”

“So you wanted to die to make them go away?” Garmadon asked.

You nodded, burying your head in your hands. Tear droplets hit your legs while you sniffled. Garmadon placed a hand on your back.

“So many disasters happened in your life, and in such little time,” he said. “I know those can’t go away, and most of those were things I caused. And there’s no amount of apologizing I can do to get rid of it, no matter how much I try. But you have to keep moving forward. It’s the most we can do, no matter how much we lose. You’ll find that life becomes so much better when you do.”

You wipe away your tears, leaning on your uncle’s shoulder. It was like you were a small child again, being comforted by your father whenever you had a nightmare. After a moment or two, you pulled away from him, standing up.

“I’m sorry, but I have to go,” you said. “I should get to the factory. There are people there that need saving.”

Fuwa flew to your shoulder.

“Of course,” Garmadon said. “To think that the little girl that kept asking me for shoulder rides is all grown up.”

You gave him one last hug before disappearing into the forest.

…

It was even later in the night, and the factory was getting closer and closer. You’d be there by morning if you and Fuwa picked up the pace.

That talk with Garmadon was probably the one thing you needed to get enough courage to see your friends again, no matter your state of mind. The moon was still high and full, shining its heavenly light onto you. It was like all those years ago when Tohru first spoke to you. She had told you that you had a previous life back then, and now, that little line has turned into your bond with her.

You looked up at the moon and folded your hands together.

Tohru. Please, come back to me.

“You called?”

Up ahead, Tohru was standing under the moonlight. The trees spread themselves out to make room for her. Her violet eyes had a much more gentle look when you were under their gaze. Her raven hair was dancing against the breeze. Under this moonlit night, she was serene. She truly was a goddess.

“Tohru!” you hugged her tightly, with no restraint whatsoever. And she hugged you back without telling you she couldn’t breathe. You stayed like that for what seemed like forever. It would’ve been if you hadn’t pulled away.

“Tohru, I’m so sorry,” you said. “I was so selfish to my friends and you. It was like you were just a god and not a person. I didn’t think about what would happen to you when I attempted. All I thought of was dying, and I’m so sorry.”

“You needn’t apologize,” Tohru said. “I forgave you a long time ago.”

You told her about your time apart, and how you escaped. It didn’t matter that she was a god and probably knew all of it. She still sat there and listen to you tell your stories.

“Oh, and this is Fuwa,” you held out Fuwa. “He’s a sparrow I met and saved from a trap. He hasn’t left me alone since.”

“Well I trust that you’ve been taking very good care of my human, Fuwa,” Tohru said. “Or should I call you Hosha?”

“Hosha?”

“Hosha is his real name. He’s been a wandering sparrow for the past thousand years.”

“He has?” you said. Fuwa chirped. “Well, I’m still calling you Fuwa. It’ll be a little nickname for you.”

“He hasn’t corrected you, so I assume he likes it,” Tohru smiled.

The three of you sat in the forest, looking at the moon for quite some time. It was nice having your god back, even if you were not in the same body for a few months. At least this way, you could still talk to her instead of her talking to Lloyd and the others.

You couldn’t help but think of how to merge back with her again. There was something you read where a young girl needed to make a fox man her familiar. So, she had to kiss him. Maybe it’d be the same for you and Tohru.

“Tohru,” you said. “I don’t know if it’s too soon, but I want to merge again. You may think it’s because of your powers, but that doesn’t matter to me. They were never mine in the first place. I want this because I want you by my side. I want to move past what’s happened to me alongside you. So please, help me want to live.”

Tohru blinked a couple of times, then smiled.

“You didn’t need to say all of that. If you asked, I would say yes,” she said. “But I am glad you decided to continue living. However, the method of doing the merging is–rather odd.”

“Odd?” you said.

“When I first revived you, you were drowning. I had to give you mouth to mouth to do it. Think of it as a contract seal. And to seal the contract between us we need to…”

Heat quickly crept up your face. A little bit of blush coated Tohru’s cheeks. You’d never seen her like this before. Normally, she was so stoic when talking to you, and wore an occasional smile in the artwork she was in. Both of you knew what had to happen. You needed to kiss to merge.

This was just like a manga you read a while ago. The protagonist had to kiss a fox man to make him her familiar.

“Alright,” you straightened your back. “Do it.”

“You’re way too sure about this,” Tohru said.

“Well, it’s not like we have to tell anyone.”

“Fine. You’re right.”

You closed your eyes while Tohru got closer to you. Inch by inch, you could feel her breath fanning your face. However, she was taking too long. At this rate, you would have your eyes closed for eternity.

You took matters into your own hands and kissed her. It was a simple peck on the lips, but something you would never forget. Your hand gently cupped Tohru’s cheek. Her skin was soft and smooth. Under this pale moonlight, you had shared your first kiss with her. It was strange, kissing a god. Let alone having one be your first kiss. Yet you wouldn’t have it any other way. This was a seal to your contract with her. The renewal of a promise to stay with each other until death.

When you pulled away, Tohru was gone. But you knew where she went. She was a part of you again. And there came an echo in your head that you missed so much over the past few months.

You hugged yourself, “Welcome back, Tohru.”

Chapter Text

 Thanks to Tohru, you were able to get close to the factory without being spotted by any guards or falling into traps. After having surveyed the place as a sparrow, she knew where everything was. This included a barred window to get into the factory. It wasn’t unlike the cell you were in, barely peeking up from the ground.

You were leaned up against a tree, groggy from sleep. It must’ve been late in the morning. The sun was high, beating its light into your eyes.

“Alright, time to get into that damn factory,” you said. “Fuwa, can you scout around the window and see what’s going on?”

Fuwa saluted you with his wing, flying down to the barred window. You gripped onto the grass as you waited for Fuwa to come back.

‘He’ll be fine if you’re wondering,’ Tohru said.

“I know that. It’s what’s going on inside the factory that I’m worried about,” you said. If someone was getting hurt by the soldiers, you wouldn’t forgive them.

Parachutes were making their way down to the island. They were most likely Chen’s soldiers, looking for you no doubt. You hid further in the trees, praying that you won’t be spotted from up above.

Fuwa flew back to you, resting on your shoulder. He was tweeting with the urgency of a fire alarm. He pointed his wing toward the factory building, flapping his other one.

“What? What’s wrong?” you asked. “Did something happen to those people?”

Fuwa bit your earlobe.

“Ack! Okay, I’m going,” you said. “Jeez.”

You ran down the hill, peering through the window and into the factory. Dry noodles were strung out and broken on the floor. Some of it latched onto the iron bars, wrapping around them like a rope. Did the workers try to climb out? A noodle rope was too flimsy for multiple people. And even then, the window was barred. None of them would get out. Another thought came to mind. How would you get in?

You scooted back and kicked the bars. They shook, and an echo went through the factory. However, nothing else happened. You frowned and kicked it again. The same thing happened.

“What’s going on up there?” you heard Cole’s voice.

“It appears to me that someone is trying to break in,” Zane was there too.

They were both in the factory. They were both alive. You held back the tears welling up. Now wasn’t the time to get sentimental. A lot more people than just them needed saving. You tried one last kick. This time, you knew it was going to work. You just knew. It had to. Otherwise, you would have to put off saving everyone for longer. Chen would get away with his schemes for longer. More people would die by his word.

Your kick was stronger than you thought it would be. Infinity went through your veins, pushing all your power into what you were doing. Who you wanted to save. A wave of infinity sakura petals went through the bars, breaking all of them into pieces. That strength was inhuman.

“What the heck?” you said. “Was that you, Tohru?”

‘No, not at all,’ Tohru said. ‘Since you’ve been my vessel for so long, you must’ve inherited some of my power in your own way.’

You looked back at the window. It was big enough for you to squeeze through and get into the building. You peered your head in, seeing your friends and their surprised looks. Fuwa flew down already, chirping for you to join him.

“Uhh, hello,” you said.

“[Name]!?” Cole said. “You’re alive?!”

“Yeah. Someone broke me out of prison before you could.”

“I thought you were dead for real!”

“You’re not hallucinating, right? Maybe I’m hallucinating. Hold on, I’m gonna get down from here.”

You climbed through the window, dropping down to the floor. You’d jumped from higher places, but a factory window was a first. Fuwa was on your head, chirping happily. The other factory workers looked at you with wide eyes. To think that they saw you while Chen was threatening Lloyd’s life for your blood.

You were the most surprised to see Zane. He was working. All the work you, Pixal, and Tohru did wasn’t for nothing. You helped him survive by keeping his power core safe, clinging to it in your time in the treehouse. But where was Pixal? Shouldn’t she be here too? Then you realized that she couldn’t. Chen’s men and that red-haired girl tore her apart.

“Wow, Zane,” you hugged him first. “You’re–you’re working. That’s amazing! If only Pixal could’ve seen it.”

“I don’t understand, Pixal is here,” Zane pointed to the back of his head. “I inputted her into my system.”

“Are you being serious?”

“He’s got a woman in his head now,” Cole said.

“Aww, you too?” you said.

“I hate to interrupt reunion, but we were just planning escape before you broke in,” someone with metal gloves said. He was the very first one that got their powers taken away.

“Right, that,” Cole sat on a conveyor belt. “Since we have [Name], she could get into places that we can’t. From that kick, it looks like she’s the only one with her powers back.”

“I was already planning on breaking you guys out,” you said. “I wanna help any way I can.”

“That’s great. So, anyone got ideas?”

“Karloff used to be aircraft engineer back in Metalonia. What go wrong with jets? One could take out entire army.”

“Well, there’s a problem with that,” Cole said. “We don’t have a roto jet, and jets aren’t good underground.”

The conveyer belt nearby was turned on, pushing Cole off along with a few crumpled-up pieces of paper. Dareth was standing on it, holding a lightbulb.

“Don’t mind me. Carry on what important business you’re all doing,” he said, hopping off the belt. He found a lever and a block of metal on another shelf.

“No problem,” Cole rolled his eyes. “We were just using that to create a plan. What’re you even doing, Dareth?”

“Well, if there’s no machine to get the mochi I want, then dammit I’m making my own.”

“That’s it, Dareth, you solved it,” Zane said.

“How’s mochi gonna solve our problems?” Cole asked.

“We can use machine parts to build the roto jet. Karloff, do you still remember the schematics?”

“Of course,” Karloff said.

“Then it’s set. Karloff and I will make a blueprint. Everyone else, find parts.”

“We’re still underground,” Cole said.

“Might as well humor them,” you said. “Come on, we should help.”

You took his hand, helping him up from the ground.

…

It was nighttime in the factory. Guards were putting up patrol around the factory because of you breaking the window. You hid in metal barrels with Cole and Zane while the hours passed by. Fuwa was next to it, watching the surrounding area. He seemed to be a pretty good guard. No one noticed him, thinking that he flew in from the window.

“It appears that this bird is older than all of us,” Zane said.

“Tohru said he’s around a thousand years old,” you said. “I found him in a trap and he hasn’t left me alone.”

“I guess I never noticed him,” Cole said. “Tohru’s always been around Lloyd as a bird, so I got used to it.”

“I think she’s finally starting to like you guys.”

“She liked our food. That’s for sure.”

“She stole your cake, didn’t she?”

“...It was dango, but yes.”

The three of you continued to chat in hushed voices so no one could hear you. The guards around you were still searching for you. They also began searching for Nya. The other elemental masters, as well as a few innocents, were working on the little conveyor belts they had. The rest had been used to create the roto-jet. It was still in progress, but Karloff said that you had enough materials that it wouldn’t be suspicious.

Despite having to hide, this was the freest you had been. You had your friends by your side to talk to, to comfort. There was no reason you needed to hide from them. It made you regret how you initially did. You leaned back as much as you could in your barrel and stared up at the ceiling.

You’ll wait until everyone was together before saying it. It didn’t matter how much you wanted to get it off your chest. If someone was going to hear it, it would be when the team was under the same roof again.

All of a sudden, the front doors rattled.

“Someone’s coming,” Zane said. “Stay quiet.”

The factory opened itself up, inviting a group of people in orange uniforms. They were led in by multiple soldiers, as well as Clouse.

“Get to work, right away,” Clouse said. “You’ll be here for a long time either way.”

“Master Clouse, we still haven’t located the Green Ninja or any of the other fugitives,” a soldier bowed to Clouse.

“Desperate times call for desperate measures then. Lock the factory down. It’s time for another search of the island.”

Any soldier that was guarding the place came for Clouse’s beck and call. It was as if they were all his lapdogs. Yet, he was a lapdog himself.

The doors were locked again, and the new arrivals were left to their own devices. Fuwa chirped to you that the coast was clear, and you got out of the barrels. You still took your dagger out, just in case.

One familiar face appeared in the crowd. Blue eyes grew wide. The figure ran straight for you, Zane, and Cole.

“Jay?” Cole said.

“Guys,” Jay shouted. “You’re alive!”

You and Zane were enveloped in a bone-crushing hug. At least you weren’t alone when getting a taste of your own medicine. However, it was nice to see Jay again.

“I missed you both so much,” Jay said. “I was a mess without you.”

“Hey, we’re here now,” you said. “That’s all that matters.”

“I agree,” Zane said. “It’s nice to see everyone after so much time.”

Jay pulled away, wiping his tears.

“So, what happened?” Cole asked.

“Nya was undercover as a Kabuki before getting caught,” Jay began. “The most recent event in the tournament was to hunt her down. I saw her, but I don’t know where she went. Then, that whole thing turned out to be a scam, and everyone got their powers taken away.”

“If that’s the case, then where’s Kai?” you asked.

“I was getting to that, but I might as well tell you now. He’s on Chen’s side getting ‘special treatment.’ If I’m being honest, I kind of knew he would do it.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions. He’s probably got something under his sleeve.”

“You think so?”

“I know it.”

“What about Lloyd?” Cole asked. “He should be in the factory too.”

“I don’t know where he is,” Jay said. “Chen’s goons weren’t able to find him and Garmadon.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry for too long. We’ve been finding a way to escape this hell hole.”

“Wow, a real-life prison break!”

“I know!” your eyes light up. “It’s just like the movies.”

“We’re gonna have to be quick if we wanna stop Chen from using the spell, then,” Jay said.

“You finally figured out the spell,” Cole said.

“I didn’t tell you?” you said. “It’s a transformation spell. Chen wants to turn his entire cult into Anacondrai.”

“Why would he want to do that?”

“He’s a cult leader,” Jay said. “They never make sense if you’re not in the cult.”

“We should have the jet ready by tomorrow,” Zane said. “Just wait until then.”

You were going to escape the island, and you had the wings to do it.

Chapter Text

 There’s a saying, ‘You don’t know what you took for granted until it's gone.’ That phrase described how Lloyd felt about Tohru. It was nice to have someone by his side that made him feel like his cousin was still there. Maybe it was because Tohru shared a body with her for her entire life? Even if that was so, Lloyd could sense [Name]’s presence.

He already knew that she was somewhere in the forest. Her goal was to get into the factory and save their friends. Garmadon came across her last night, and she told him all of this. Of course, she would need Tohru’s help, so that’s why she left.

He kept thinking Tohru was on his shoulder as he was flying in a blimp. The other competitors surrounded him. At least he had his father with him. That alleviated some of the tension in the air. In this blimp was a killer. Skylor, the Master of Amber, was working for Chen. How many people has she killed before Maki? What did she do to Zane, Pixal, and [Name]? Lloyd looked out the window, trying to drown out those thoughts in his head.

“We’re pretty high up,” he said. “I can barely see the island from up here.”

“I’ve had enough of this,” Neuro was pacing back and forth. “I can’t stand heights. Where’s Chen?”

He opened the cockpit doors. No one was there. A monitor stood in for a pilot. Nothing was out of control, however. The blimp was on autopilot for the time being. The monitor turned on, showing Chen getting really close to the camera.

“How do I know if this thing is on?” he muttered. “Hm, let’s see. The light’s there. Oh, I’m on! Right now?”

“Yes you are, sir,” Clouse said in the background.

“Good,” Chen cleared his throat. “Hello, final eight! I see that you’re all ready for the tournament to commence. Instead of fighting for a Jade Blade, however, today you’ll be fighting for something different. Or should I say, someone different?”

He pressed a button, showing camera footage of a girl walking through the forest. She was in armor, wearing red and a little bit of green. The camera zoomed in, showing the girl’s face. Lloyd recognized the mole on her face, how her hair was cut, and her amber eyes that were just like Kai’s.

“Nya?” Kai said.

“You know her?” Skylor asked.

“She’s my sister.”

“We have an uninvited guest on the island,” Chen continued. “Find her and you will automatically move onto the final round.”

“She must still have the proof we can use to stop Chen,” Kai said.

The spell. The reason they’re taking our powers, and using  her  blood to do it.

“He wants us all to hunt her down?” Jay said in a hushed voice. “She won’t stand a chance. Not like I don’t respect her skills, but this island is like a fortress outside the palace.”

“Then one of us has to find her first,” Lloyd said, keeping his voice quiet as well.

“In ten seconds, the bottom will drop,” Chen said. “But to show you that I’m not a bad man, I’ve left eight parachutes, one for each of you.”

The floor began to open like a trap door. Lloyd and the others scrambled for a parachute. People were pushing, kicking each other aside to get one.

“Oh, wait, Is Sensei Garmadon there?” Chen asked. “I guess I was one short. Silly me. Ta-ta~”

Lloyd lay across the opening floor, clutching onto his parachute. Chen’s love for trap doors was something he began to hate.

The doors were fully opened. Lloyd began to fall, letting go of his parachute by accident. He wasn’t alone in that problem. Others did the same thing he did.

Shad was the first to unlock his parachute. He cackled while gently floating down to the island’s surface.

Lloyd fell close to Jay. No parachutes were nearby. He could barely hear him, but some words came out of his mouth.

“Garmadon said something about an energy dragon!” Jay shouted. “Try using it!”

“What?! What’re you talking about?! I haven’t summoned that in a long time! I doubt I can even do it!” Lloyd shouted back.

One by one, more competitors were pulling up their parachutes. All the while, Lloyd was stuck with nothing. He was hanging by the thread of summoning a dragon or plummeting to his death. That would be a pathetic way for the Green Ninja to die.

Jay landed on the Master of Speed’s parachute before grabbing his own.

Lloyd was getting closer to another one. He flailed his hands and legs to swim through the air. Nothing worked. Gravity was too strong for him.

“Nothing has worked for you because you’re controlling your fear! Focus!” Garmadon shouted. He was closer than he was a few moments ago.

Lloyd grabbed the parachute. However, the Master of Light made himself visible. They had a tug of war which resulted in the paleman winning.

“Control your fear! Don’t let it control you!” Garmadon shouted.

There was one parachute left.

Lloyd closed his eyes. Control your fear. What was he even afraid of? There was a lot to be afraid of. Falling to his death, failing to stop Chen, but there was one that was stronger than anything else. He didn’t want to lose his family again. Images of them flashed in his head. Cole dancing when he thought he was alone. Playing video games with Jay. Sparring with Nya. Kai trying his best to teach him about his powers. [Name] reading him a bedtime story when he was a child. Watching Zane cook because he was bored. Finally, Lloyd hugging his father after defeating the Overlord. He didn’t want to lose any of those feelings.

He didn’t want to fail in finding his cousin and friend. That was his real fear. He loved his family too much. That was why the bracelet was so terrifying to him.

He pushed the last parachute towards his father, pulling the string.

“What?! What have you done?!” Garmadon shouted.

“I’m letting go of my fear!” Lloyd shouted back.

He took a deep breath. He focused on the good memories he had with his family. He won’t lose them ever again. Fear turns into a promise when you let it.

A wave of green light went through his body. It shaped itself into the dragon that he once flew on. Though it wasn’t gold. And it felt much more like him, not his grandfather. Lloyd touched the dragon’s neck. It was nothing but his energy. His hand went through. It was a dragon made of promises, not fear. It flapped its wings with pride, saving Lloyd from his fall.

“You made it!” Kai shouted.

“Of course he did,” Jay said.

“Atta boy!” Garmadon shouted.

Lloyd landed with his father. Speakers blared from the trees with Chen’s voice. He told them of special treats and weapons to help them with the hunt. Lloyd scowled. He could never trust someone like him anymore.

Moss covered the tree roots sticking up from the ground. Vines rained down from branches higher up. It was as if they were coming from the sky. Bushes of various plants acted as a blanket for the dirt. Garmadon took off his parachute, letting it settle and become one with the land.

“If we’re going to find Nya before someone else does, then we have a lot of ground to cover,” he said.

“Maybe we have our first step. There are some footprints,” Lloyd pointed to the footprints dented into the ground.

“Nya is more clever than that. She’d want everyone to follow the tracks, but only us to see these.”

Lloyd saw a carving in one of the trees. It was of a samurai helmet with an ‘x’ below it. He sometimes saw it on something Nya designed for the group, almost like a calling card. The carving was her Samurai X symbol.

“I can give us a lift to cover more ground,” Lloyd said.

“Save your energy,” Garmadon said. “It’s best not to draw attention to ourselves anyways. Come on.”

Lloyd followed his father into the forest. More of those carvings came up as they walked. It was a path only they could follow. It reminded Lloyd of Hiroshi’s Labyrinth. However, they had something to follow instead of just getting lost in it. He was also sure that they both would survive the endeavor.

Garmadon looked quite serious. The look in his eyes made them darker than they were. Something was on his mind. Something about Chen he wasn’t telling Lloyd about.

“Hey, dad?” Lloyd said. “You never talked much about your training with Chen. Is there anything else you’re not telling us?”

“There are a lot of things in my past that I am not proud of. But perhaps it’s time you know the truth,” Garmadon said. “After the Devourer bit me as a child, it took years for its venom to consume me. During that time, I trained under Chen as a young man, not that much older than you. Clouse and I were fellow students, and we dueled for the title of ‘Lord.’ I fought dirty to get what I wanted. That was how he taught me.

“It was also a time in history where man and serpent were not getting along. We hoped for a truce, but Chen had other ideas. He found the conflict entertaining and wanted to start a war. I had second thoughts about it, but Chen intercepted a letter to make me hold my tongue. It was a love letter my brother wrote to your mother.”

“Wait, mom thought that letter was from you,” Lloyd said. “My mom could’ve been [Name]’s adoptive mom?”

That was still a possibility, even now. Lloyd saw the way Wu and his mother looked at each other when Garmadon was still corrupted. He never liked the idea of them being together. It was just as bad as his cousin falling hopelessly in love with one of their teammates.

“I told you there were things in my past I am not proud of,” Garmadon said. “But I do not regret signing that letter. You wouldn’t have existed if I didn’t. But my fear of losing Misako lead me down a dangerous path. One I hope I can make peace with.”

“I don’t understand,” Lloyd climbed over a log with another carving. “You trained under Chen but fought alongside Uncle Wu and the elemental alliance.”

“The old saying goes, ‘Never trust a snake.’ That couldn’t have been more true. The serpentine armies struck first, burning down villages, and killing innocents. They even aimed to destroy Tsukigami Shrine as a revolt against the god that abandoned the world. The elemental alliance fought back as much as they could. However, we had never seen an Anacondrai warrior before. They were smarter, bigger, and natural leaders on the battlefield. They were a proud tribe that fought with every ounce of venom they had.

“Chen wanted to side with the anacondrai, thinking he would gain more. Although the evil in my veins tempted me, I did not go through with it. I would only fight a war to see Misako again. So, I left and joined my brother. We were the sons of the First Spinjitzu Master. Together, we formed the elemental alliance to fight the serpentine. Chen found a way to turn the alliance against each other. It wasn’t until we found a way to fight them, did we find hope. Hope was our way to end the war.”

“The flutes,” Lloyd said.

“Yes,” Garmadon continued. “We used the flutes to seal the serpentine in their underground prisons. They would never see the sun again, unable to pay tribute to their sun god. As a substitute for execution, the alliance voted on exiling Chen and Clouse to this island. As for the serpentine generals, they were taken away into the Cursed Realm.”

“Even after all this time, you didn’t tell Uncle Wu about your past?” Lloyd asked.

“What would I have said? I would’ve lost your mother, my brother. I wouldn’t have been able to see you or your cousin again,” Garmadon said.

“Someone once said you need to control your fear,” Lloyd said. “Not let fear control you.”

“You’re right,” Gramadon shook his head with a smile. “Once we’re off the island, I will tell Wu and Misako everything. First, we need to find Nya.”

…

The search went on into the night. Lloyd was getting anxious. Neither he nor Garmadon saw anyone go through the forest in their hours of following the carvings. He was sure they found Nya already. She would be captured by Chen, and the tournament would continue. Maybe that was why no one came to find him. He failed.

No. He was getting scared again. He couldn't do that right now.

Don’t let fear control you.

Something moved in the bushes. Garmadon put his arm in front of Lloyd. A figure was running toward them. Someone in armor. They were holding a piece of paper, a ripped-out page from a book. It was Nya.

“Nya!” Lloyd called out to her.

She stopped in front of him and his father, catching her breath, “They took Kai and Jay! They took everyone!”

“Slow down, Nya. What happened?” Garmadon asked.

“You’re the only one left Lloyd,” Nya handed him the sheet of paper. “I saw what’s on that page. You’re the only ones that can stop it.”

Lloyd unrolled the page. Snakes were inked onto it. It revealed a list of powers and a few words that needed to be spoken.

“It’s a transformation spell,” Garmadon said. “Chen is planning to turn everyone in his cult into Anacondrai. The tournament may be over, but the next Serpentine War has just begun.”

“I need to get into the palace,” Lloyd said.

“Don’t rush. That’s exactly what Chen wants.”

“But what choice do I have? They’re going to take everyone’s powers. They’ll be slaves and–”

You’re letting fear control you again. Stop it.

Lloyd took a deep breath. He still needed to get into the palace, one way or another.

…

It was evening the next day and Lloyd was already sick of hiding. He was on the wall with his father and Nya. Guards were still patrolling the place. By now, everyone’s powers would be taken, and he let them down.

“I can’t keep hiding like this,” he said. “Chen will keep getting more powerful the longer we stay here.”

“We have to wait until nightfall,” Nya said. “That’s the best way to escape.”

“Chen gets his power by taking from others. Real power does the opposite,” Garmadon said. “It gives to others, just like how you empowered me. We will get you to Chen, and you will destroy his staff.”

It took an eternity for nightfall to come along. Lloyd hated waiting for longer than he wanted to. His friends were probably suffering, waiting for a rescue that never came. He bit his lip. He couldn't wait anymore. He had to go.

Destroy the staff, and everyone’s power returns. He took a deep breath.

“You ready?” Nya asked.

“As I’ll ever be,” Lloyd said.

She unleashed a grappling hook. It lashed onto the roof of the main palace. The three of them slid down the rope, avoiding the guards. Lloyd was the first to enter the building. He was greeted by a long and dark hallway. He motioned for Nya and Garmadon to follow him down. He was sure he’d be ambushed before long, but he intended to stretch that out for as long as possible.

It was then that Lloyd tripped over something. An alarm sounded, and guards came through a side door. He knocked out one of them, letting Nya and his father handle the other two. More came through the window. Too many to count. Chen came prepared. He was also waiting for his arrival.

“What do we do?” Lloyd said.

“I’ll hold them off,” Nya got in front of him. “You two find Chen.”

“Gotcha.”

Lloyd took his father’s hand, running down the hallway as fast as he could. Jay’s speed training from when he was still getting used to his powers came in handy here. There were various other traps he’d avoided before. Borg had similar ones when trying to hide that last bit of gold from the Overlord.

He turned right, trying to lose everything trying to kill him. That might’ve been an infinite amount.

“Wait,” Garmadon stopped him. “Someone’s here.”

“Who?” Lloyd said. “Another guard. I can take them down easily.”

It wasn’t a guard. Purple smoke radiated from the approaching figure. His eyes glowed for a split second. Lloyd doubted anyone would believe him if he told. The purple smoke left Lloyd coughing and wheezing. His arms went limp. Lloyd thought he would fall over.

“Stay focused, son,” Garmadon said. “Leave Clouse to me.”

“Got it,” Lloyd nodded. “Good luck.”

“Your father doesn’t believe in such luck,” Clouse said.

“I know, it’s for you.”

Lloyd ran down the hall. Chen should be in the throne room. He was almost always there during the tournament. No one dared have an audience with him, so he would stay there by himself. Lloyd knew the way from heading there so many times from his room.

Blood stained the walls and carpet. A little dripped down the glass surrounding precious artifacts. The bodies spread out were guards. Someone went through this hallway before Lloyd. It couldn’t have been Nya. She would only incapacitate someone, not kill. Was it Kai? No. Weapons weren’t allowed to be brought to the palace. The bodies had various cuts on their skin. Some were stabbed, and others had their throats slit. One had both. The faint smell of blood and sakura petals entered Lloyd’s nose. That was a dead giveaway.

[Name] was killing all of these people.

“The vessel is on the loose! I repeat-!” a guard from far away screamed, but was cut off with the slash of a dagger. It was a swift death.

Lloyd’s voice cracked. The floor opened beneath him. He fell on stone floors. It was dark, save for a torch.

“Lloyd! Over here!” Kai’s voice echoed in the distance.

The viper hidden in the tunnels growled. He slithered quick. His mouth was gaping open, tongue waiting to get a taste of him.

Lloyd ran into another tunnel. Kai dragged him the rest of the way in. Lloyd could breathe again once the snake left.

“Kai? You escaped! What happened?” Lloyd said.

“I managed to slip free, but Chen took everyone else’s powers,” Kai said. “If we can find a way to get everyone’s powers back–”

“There’s no time. I have to destroy Chen’s staff. Even if I’m alone.”

Kai turned around. The look in his eyes was different. Remorse. Guilt. It made Lloyd’s heart sink. Something wasn’t right.

“I’m sorry Lloyd,” Kai said. “This will all make sense when it’s over.”

The fire went out. Lloyd’s vision went black.

“Kai? Kai, what’s going on?!” Lloyd shouted.

One by one, lights went up. He wasn’t in the underground tunnels. He was in the middle of the throne room, where the tournament started. The golden plaque only had two pictures on it. There was Lloyd’s and Chen’s.

“The final round,” Chen said. “It all ends here.”

Chen emerged from the darkness. His staff was hidden behind his back. The hakama that was once draped around his ankles was now tied to them. Lloyd lowered his stance.

“You,” he said. “You turned Kai against me. You hurt my family.”

“Ah yes, of course, I did all those things,” Chen said. “But only one can remain.”

Lloyd didn’t hesitate to fire a blast of energy. He continued to fire them while Chen dodged them. He couldn’t handle it anymore. Not the death of his friend and cousin, not after Cole was taken from him. Kai was the last straw. Lloyd didn’t know what he was planning, but he didn’t like it.

“Why not have one element, when you can have the rest?” Chen disappeared into the shadows.

“The anacondrai wars are over,” Lloyd said.

“You’re wrong, I decide when it’s over.”

Lloyd his behind the bracket as it was frozen with Zane’s powers. It was destroyed by Kai’s fire. Lloyd landed on the ground, a pang ran through his skeleton. His nerves shook.

“You’re all spent up Green Ninja,” Chen said. “Why not give up? Besides, I still have your precious cousin to worry about.”

As if on cue, someone punched Chen in the face. Her green and black checkered hoodie was stained with blood. Sakura petals radiated from the fist that landed on Chen. It would’ve broken his jaw if his bones didn’t turn into metal. Chen recoiled, spitting out blood. He smiled.

“Ah, so that’s where you were?” Chen said. “You’ve been a thorn on my side ever since you left your cell.”

“[Name]...” Lloyd’s voice trailed off.

[Name] gazed down at Chen. Her eyebrows were furrowed. A shadow cast over her eyes. Lloyd wasn’t sure if he wanted to see what they looked like or not. [Name] pulled a dagger out of her pocket. Guards walking around carried them around. Somehow, this person Lloyd was looking at was still his cousin.

“It’s like you keep saying, Chen. Only one can remain,” you said. “The thing is that it won’t be you.”

Chapter Text

 The guards were back to watching over the factory the next day. They forced the workers to fix the window you broke. All the while, a search for you was going on outside the palace. You had to hide. It was your only option while in this place. And to your credit, no one has found you. Occasionally, you would help screw in something for the roto jet when no one was looking. That was about all you did to help.

It made you feel useless, hiding away. It was no different than being in that supply closet or wallowing away in a cell. Occasionally, Jay, Cole, or Zane would visit, giving you some of the food they stole from a conveyor belt. You would silently thank them for their kindness and feed Fuwa a little bit of the food.

By nightfall, the roto jet was almost finished. Karloff said that he needed to do some last touches before it was ready for takeoff. At that point, you couldn’t wait anymore.

You scribbled down a note on a piece of paper a guard dropped. Fuwa chirped. You smiled, leaving the note with him.

“I’m sorry. You can’t come with me,” you said. “I need you to look after my friends. I wouldn’t want them getting into trouble because of their escape mission.”

Fuwa lowered his head. He took the note, flying it to one of your friends. Fewer guards were patrolling the factory. Some of them said it was because the Green Ninja was on the prowl.

Lloyd hadn’t been caught, but he was still planning to raid the palace. He was heading towards Chen, the person you were going after. You moved out of your hiding spot, hiding behind a large machine nearby. The guard standing by it, closest to a side door you found guards walking through. You looked back at your friends doing their work and smiled. This was all for their sake. You just needed to remember that.

‘Be wary of your new powers,’ Tohru warned. ‘They may be mine, but I have no control over what you do with them. We don’t even know your limits.’

‘Got it,’ you nodded.

“You’re going to confront Chen?”

You jumped, almost making yourself known to the guards. You looked around the corner, sighing when you realized he was still there. You turned around to see Jay behind you. He held the letter in his hand. Fuwa was on his shoulder. Of course, he had to be the one Fuwa gave the paper to. Blue eyes looked at you with worry.

“I have to,” you said. “You have your plan here. Lloyd needs me out there. You heard the rumors, didn’t you?”

“I know he’s coming, but,” Jay averted his gaze. “We just got you back. What if you get taken by Chen again?”

“I won’t. Trust me.”

You placed your hand on his shoulder. Your words would never make Jay any less worried. You knew that. He would still be thinking of the worst things to happen to his friends once you were gone. Thoughts of how Chen has hurt him and the others plagued you every day they were on the island.

“I promise, I’ll come back alive,” you said. “Your powers will come back.”

And Chen will pay.

You hugged Jay to seal the deal. You gently pushed him back to what he was supposed to do. It would’ve been bad for him if the guards caught you.

You waited for the guard to leave, and took his key without him noticing. Being a ninja had its benefits in thieving. You slipped the key into the keyhole, and the door unlocked. You went through the door like you never existed in the factory in the first place. Chen needed better guards if you could go through so many of his doors without needing to take out your dagger.

You felt the walls across your palm to see. You had heard of this tunnel system Chen had. You even went through it while passed out. Maki must’ve known the way by then. Now she was gone.

Best not to think of that.

The dagger was unsheathed, resting in your hand in case you felt someone approach you. No one would in this darkness. Not without a torch at least.

‘There’s an exit up ahead,’ Tohru said. ‘Quick. Before we’re spotted.’

You started running straight down the path. There was nothing but these blank tunnels. You wondered what had Cole so frazzled when he said he couldn’t let you go through the system. The worst that could happen was you getting lost in the palace and eventually caught again. However, Chen would not kill you. He found you too useful to his plans. Whether that be for your blood, or manipulating your friends. He had done both. Both were unforgivable.

Something slithered in the tunnels. A growl echoed in the darkness. You turned behind you, finding the silhouette of a snake head. It was big enough to fill the space. Its red eyes stared at you with hunger. They were glowing in this special kind of darkness. Its scales were purple, blending in with the shadows. The tongue stretched out of the snake’s mouth as it hissed at you. You knew those purple scales well. Guards painted purple snakes on their bodies. They were anacondrai in their purest form, a serpent with no legs or arms to grab a weapon. It was the form the Great Devourer took when it was revived.

You slowly backed away from the snake. Above you, was the exit. It was a ladder that lead up to the palace hallways. You jumped onto the first platform before the snake can start chasing you.

Quickly, you climbed up to the exit. The snake was quickly approaching. Its fangs were hoping to graze just a bit of your skin. It’d be a rush of human blood that the snake has tasted before. You knew from the look in its eyes. They were eyes the color of a river of blood.

You pulled a lever, and light streamed through the opening. You crawled out, slamming the trapdoor back down. The snake stopped its pursuit and retreated to the darkness. You scooted back against the wall.

‘Look alive,’ Tohru said. ‘The palace is still crawling with guards.’

You took out your dagger before walking through the palace halls. They were red with strokes of gold forming the floors. They shaped themselves into prints of snakes and various anacondrai myths. One was of their sun god, a young serpent that turned into a serpentine and mothered the Great Devourer. That is until the Overlord corrupted the egg. Your grandfather slew the beast before it could hurt anyone else. Legends say that during that time, Tohru held the sun god as she died.

On the walls were artifacts Chen must’ve collected over the years. He was able to preserve their lives well enough that they looked new at first glance. You touched the glass protecting an anacondrai blade. It was the same weapon General Arcturus wielded during the serpentine war. He used it to kill innocent humans that had no part in the feud. It was the perfect little weapon for a cult leader.

All of a sudden, an alarm sounded. You were certain you didn’t set off any traps Chen had all over the palace. Someone else broke in then. Probably Lloyd.

A set of doors slammed open. Four guards with spears are ready to find your cousin and slow him down. The leader’s eyes widened upon finding you. You lunged forward, stabbing him in the chest.

“What the-”

Those were his last words. You swiftly killed everyone else. Their blood splattered the glass. It blended into the carpet perfectly. Your sleeves were stained with more blood. The people bleeding out wasn’t even the one that killed them. It was the poison in your dagger. From the moment the guards were cut by it, you knew their lives would stop.

When Ninjago was still a new place, ninjas were typically assassins. You found yourself reverting to that old instinct. Truly, the combat lessons you learned from your father were meant to kill someone in the quickest way possible. But he was an honorable man and told you time and time again to never use what you learned for the wrong purpose. It felt as though you failed him, killing everyone in your path for pure survival. Now, you were going to kill someone he showed mercy to. But this was the only way to get back to your father, your family.

You moved on with that knowledge, killing more guards, figuring out the palace layout, and the directions to where Chen was. In all the rooms you looked though, they were either empty or empty of life itself. Each one was dazzling and filled to the brim with gold, jewels, and guards before you left nothing but blood staining all of Chen’s riches. You would never look at a bowl of Chen’s ramen by the end of this mission.

Finally, you came across a room with the most extravagant door you’d seen. This was most likely the throne room, and also where Chen could be. On the other side of that door, sounds of explosions and freezing occurred.

“You’re all spent up Green Ninja,” you heard Chen’s muffled voice. “Why not give up? Besides, I still have your precious cousin to worry about.”

You furrowed your eyebrows. Chen was deliberately using you to get to Lloyd. He was hurting him more than he already has. It was all pain Lloyd didn’t deserve. You kicked down the door, lunging towards Chen. He was still distracted by Lloyd to know what was going on. Good. You’d rather attack him by surprise.

When he turned, your fist was already fueled up by your new powers, and pure rage. The sakura aura touched his skin before he turned himself metal. You punched him with your powered-up fist. It had enough of an impact to make a dent into his metal bones. Much to your dismay, none of them broke. Chen didn’t even fall over.

He spat out blood and smiled wickedly, “Ah, so that’s where you were? You’ve been a thorn in my side ever since you got out of your cell.”

“[Name]...” Lloyd’s voice trailed off. He was laying on the floor, spent from the use of all those powers in Chen’s staff. The gem was glowing with all sorts of colors, being eaten by a still serpent that curled around the staff.

You brandished your dagger. Clearly, you couldn’t be finished with just one punch. You could at least, make Maki’s final wish came true.

“It’s like you keep saying, Chen. Only one can remain,” you said. “The thing is that it won’t be you.”

“So you’ve come to kill me,” Chen said. “Getting to this island to escape death was for nothing, then.”

You were the first to lunge at Chen. Your foot made contact with his stomach. Sakura aura went from your kick and into him. Chen held out the staff and disappeared behind his physical body. It turned into smoke, swirling behind you with a great speed. A puff of fire was unleashed from the staff, which was easy to dodge. Chen crouched low, sweeping the staff under you. You jumped and kicked Chen in the head. You punched him again. Both hits were enhanced by your powers. By then, your arms and legs were beginning to ache.

Chen froze your feet to the floor. Then he tapped his staff and tied your arms down with vines.

“I suppose the silver ninja has a few new tricks up her sleeve,” Chen said. “You’re both giving me quite the workout. I haven’t taken this much effort to fight someone since sparring with Garmadon.”

Chen got closer to you, lighting coating his staff. Before he could hit you, you slammed your forehead against his. The headbutt was surprisingly powered up with your new infinity powers as well. On that initial impact, there was another impact that had the sakura aura. Chen stumbled backward, dropping the staff. The ice and vines disappeared, and you could move around again.

You continued to fight through your aching pain, replacing it with adrenaline. Both you and Chen continued to fight with all you had. You pushed off from wall to wall with your powers, cracking the pillars holding up the throne room. Chen’s many powers were something to behold. Although, he used the ones your friends had more often. This pissed you off more than you already were.

Chen put a stone pillar between you and him. You punched it with your powers and jumped onto the base that was still intact.

“How dare you,” you said. “Using my friends' powers against me instead of using any of your other ones. You’d rather be entertained by my pain than by winning this fight!”

You landed another hit on Chen.

“Unforgivable!”

Another hit.

“You’re an unforgivable monster!”

“Call me one all you like. I’ve heard all kinds of insults from people I’ve killed,” Chen said. “Although, you seem tired of fighting, vessel.”

Chen used the power of speed to block another of your attacks. The pain came back when you couldn’t move.

“You don’t know the limits to your powers, do you?” Chen said. “I already sensed that you started getting tired when you used them a second time.”

He knocked an earth pillar into your stomach, knocking you to the ground. Your bones and nerves were screaming at you to stand down. You were gasping for air. Were you not even breathing while fighting Chen?

Vines wrapped around you, pinning you to the ground. Chen stood over you. The end of his staff hit you in the stomach. It knocked the wind out of your already heaving self.

“I have to say, I like your spirit, girl,” Chen said. “It reminds me of your uncle when he was young. His fighting was fueled by anger and desire, only for him to mess up and almost get consumed by his powers. Think of the strength you could have once you’re able to control your new abilities. I’m surprised you haven’t destroyed my home more than you already have.”

The vines wrapped around you tighter. The staff pushed down harder. That accompanying with your aching made you let out a cry in pain.

“Stop!” Lloyd shouted. “Don’t kill her!”

“Kill her?” Chen asked. “Do you even know how she survived The Overlord? It’s the god inside her, Lloyd. No matter how much pain your cousin will go through, Tsukigami is going to keep her alive.”

“Then don’t hurt her anymore,” Lloyd said. “You can take my powers, make the spell happen. Just stop hurting her.”

“Lloyd, don’t do this!” you said. “I can handle it.”

“I’m sorry. I have to do this.”

Chen took Lloyd’s deal into account. He took the staff off you. The vines were released.

“Fine. You have a deal,” he clapped his hands.

At that point, you blacked out from the pain.

Chapter Text

You awoke in a familiar room, in a familiar boy's arms. Kai's face and red gi were the first things that came into view. The rest of the stone tunnels filled in the blank scenery that would've been white edges fading into the image. You leaned your head against his shoulder. Had he always been this warm? The only other significant time he held you was when he carried you and Lloyd out of the Fire Temple.

Back then, you were focused on your cousin. He was about to be burned to death from the lava. You thought you were slowly being engulfed with flames. That may have been why you never thought of how warm Kai was. It was like you were sitting next to a fireplace, a blanket enveloping you.

Chen was ahead of you. Clouse was by his side. The staff was in Chen's right hand. The two of them seemed to not notice that you were awake. Lloyd wasn't with them. Was he already in the ceremony room? You stirred while in Kai's arms.

His gaze drifted to you. A small smile decorated his features. Another figure was next to him. A girl. Her hair was a bright red, and in a ponytail. She let out a silent sigh of relief. By then, you knew who she was. She was there when you were kidnapped. She led that group of soldiers to trash Pixal and take Zane. You wrapped your arms around Kai's neck, pulling yourself close to him. Your legs kicked a little. All you wanted was to get away from her.

"Hey," Kai said. "It's alright. Skylor is on our side. I have a plan, so just follow our lead."

Skylor gave you a light smile before looking away. The look in her dark eyes became dull while facing Chen and Clouse. You loosened your grip on Kai. Your limbs were still tired from your new powers. Had your powers been overused so much? The dagger wasn't in your pocket. A soldier took it, most likely. It had killed so many of Chen's men, that you knew it would be taken away. Especially since it was Maki's weapon before it was yours. It was a traitor's weapon. It killed many before you started killing soldiers left and right.

You went down a couple of steps before walking into bright golden lights. There was the serpent's mouth opening to form a gate for you. Clouse was the first to step out. He addressed the crowd, introducing Chen to them. They bowed to their master, their leader, their tyrant. Chen stepped out with the confidence he had since he first approached you in your cell. Kai and Skylor had no choice but to follow him. You had even less than no choice. Kai was still carrying you. Did you even weigh anything to him? He didn't seem tired.

Chen turned around and smiled at you like you were an old friend. "Ah! The Vessel is finally awake! I thought I would have to wake you myself so you wouldn't miss your cousin losing his powers." His arms were outstretched. Kai stepped back when Chen stepped forward. Both of you glared at him.

"Of course. Of course." Chen waved his hand. "She's still your friend, Kai. I won't make things weird. Although, I do need her in just about thirty seconds."

Kai's cheeks grew a pinkish tint. He cleared his throat and squared his shoulders. "Right, Master Chen," he said.

Chen turned back to his audience. "Now then, may my lovely daughter, Skylor, step forward?"

Skylor wordlessly stepped up to her father's side. She took a knee, bowing her head to him. She was his daughter. That made sense why she would do his bidding without a second thought. Yet the look on her face whenever she looked at her father said otherwise. It was not a look of respect and love. Not anymore.

"I'm happy to offer you my power, father," Skylor said.

"Thank you, my dear," Chen said. "Now, will The Vessel step forward?"

You inwardly cringed at the title. Kai hesitantly put you down. You stood up fine. When you walked towards the front of the crowd, your legs were fine.

You glared at Chen, rolling up your sleeve. The cuts that were previously there healed in no time. Thank gods there were no scars. You wouldn't dare kneel or bow to him. He was no emperor or god.

"Already, you're prepared for your blood to spill," Chen said. "Marvelous."

"I'd rather get the job done quickly," you rolled your eyes. You could never understand why your father and uncle didn't have him executed as soon as possible.

Clouse was the one who had the knife. He cut it into your skin with no mercy. You didn't once flinch or hiss in pain. Having done this before meant your skin was used to being cut numerous times in a single day or hour. Your blood dripped onto the ground next to Skylor. Clouse recited the spell to take Skylor's powers. They went into the staff like they were a magnet along with your blood. Skylor did not feel anything on the outside like the others did. They would cry in anguish, shouting at Chen about what he did to them. Skylor merely raised her head, looking at her father with dull eyes.

"One down, one more to go," Chen said. "Bring in the Green Ninja."

Two soldiers brought in Lloyd. He did not struggle against their grip. They had him kneel up front, shackling him to the ground. When your eyes met, he was relieved. He held no regret for turning himself in.

Your blood continued to drip into a puddle next to him. When he saw it, he looked at Chen.

"You said you wouldn't hurt her," he spat.

"Well, she's not in any pain," Chen said. "Besides, this is necessary for Clouse's spell. So I'm told."

"So you're told? You don't even know if you need my blood?" you said.

"Easy there. I wouldn't want you to overuse your powers trying to kill me again."

Both of you knew you wouldn't hesitate to do it.

"Magic like this requires a sacrifice," Clouse rolled up his hakama sleeve. "Blood works fine for this one." His wrist was adorned with cuts. They were most likely from previous spells he did.

"Ugh, your magic talk is boring me, Clouse," Chen said. "I'd rather take the final element I need right this second."

So he did. Lloyd's powers were drained from him. He let out a cry in pain. It was like you were witnessing someone's heart being ripped out of them. It was like that for the rest of them too. Your blood went along with the stream of energy. It made its way into the staff.

'Are my powers in that staff?' you asked Tohru.

'No." Tohru answered. 'Chen only took your blood, not mine from my physical body.'

'What about the weird punch-thing I have?'

'That's a tricky one. Still no.'

'That didn't take much time to think about it.'

Lloyd was out of breath. His sweat dripped to the ground.

"Behold," Chen rose the staff to his followers. "Every elemental power from the Spinjitzu Master! It's all in my control! All that bears the mark of the Anacondrai, it is the time!"

Clouse held his hand, reading a page in his book. It was the transformation spell. You looked to Kai and Skylor. Surely they had to do something so Chen wouldn't succeed. You could've killed him beforehand. But you were too weak. Your powers were too underdeveloped.

"We will shed our skins for new ones!" Chen said. "And be the most powerful force in all of Ninjago!"

"Father, let me stand beside you," Skylor said.

"Yes, of course," Chen said. "This is a joyous moment for you and me. Chen will not only be the number one ramen house but Ninjago's number one ruler!"

"Hey, Chen," Kai said. "You forgot one element."

"Oh, hers," Chen pointed to you. "I don't need that one. Another god has it. It'll mess up my spell."

"Not that. The element of surprise."

Skylor kicked the staff away from her father. The crystal hit the ground but did not break. There wasn't even a crack in the staff. Chen looked into his daughter's eyes. He was furious.

"You betray me? Your own father?!" he said.

"It runs in the family," Skylor kicked Chen in the stomach.

Kai scrambled to get the staff. He held it in his hand, standing over Chen.

"Also," Skylor said. "You'll want this to land the killing blow."

Skylor gave you the dagger. The blade was still sheathed. It was tucked in as much as it could be too. She probably knew of the poison-laced in it.

"How did you-?" you said.

"Sneaking food when no one was looking. That's how," Skylor said.

She dumbfounded you. Fascinated you. She would allow you to kill her father when just a few months ago, she was helping him kidnap you. Just what happened in Chen's little tournament?

Guards ran to you and Skylor, only to be shocked by the staff. Kai used the same lightning to cut through Lloyd's chains.

"It was all an act?" Lloyd rubbed his wrist.

"Don't worry. I had things, mostly under control," Kai said. "Didn't think [Name] would show up to try and kill Chen, but oh well."

"And I'm still trying to do that, so give me some time," you unsheathed the dagger, rushing towards Chen.

He grabbed your wrist, stopping you from pushing the dagger deep into his heart. His teeth grit, trying to keep everything under control. The two of you wrestled. You were trying to stab him while he dodged it every single time. You couldn't even cut him from it. The most you got was his clothes.

Chen grabbed your wrist again. The dagger fell into his hand, gentle as a feather. In your state of shock, you left yourself open. He pinned you to the ground. The blade was at your throat. It didn't touch your skin. The look in Chen's eyes said that he knew it had poison. Your heart must've stopped for a moment. You wouldn't die, but as Chen said, you would be in the most pain known to man. It was a fate worse than death.

You were still. Using your powers might force the blade into your neck. You didn't even know the limit to your new ones. Using them up now would mean you'd have a harder time later on.

"Hmm, it looks like a backed you into a corner, girl," Chen said.

All around you, many powers were being used by the staff. Guards were burned, stuck in the air, or tied down with vines. Kai was grinning like a madman. His eyes were flickering from amber to a bright red.

"Kai! The staff is holding too much power! Destroy it!" Lloyd shouted.

"No one is taking this staff," Kai snapped. "You had all the power. Now it's my turn." He slowly walked to Lloyd. His eyes were completely red now. No. They were not his eyes. Kai's eyes would never have such malice within them.

Kai's arms went limp, "What am I saying?"

The staff pulled him back in. "Nothing I don't already feel."

"Yes, embrace the power," Chen smiled wickedly at Kai.

"I can't control it," Kai's eyes were normal again. He gazed at the staff with fear in them. That didn't last for long. His eyes flashed red. "I should've been the Green Ninja!"

An image of your brother flashed in your eyes the moment Kai said those words. Morro said them once or twice. He would lash out in anger, quickly gaining his senses when he almost hit you.

Before Kai could do anything, the stone snake's head toppled from its spot. You and Chen tumbled away from it. You were able to secure the dagger again. Up from the roof, a roto jet flew into the ceremony room. Cole was the pilot while the other factory workers ran out of the empty tunnel. This included Nya and Garmadon.

"Did somebody order kung pao!" Cole shouted.

In an instant, the factory workers and elemental masters were fighting the guards and soldiers around you.

"Cole?!" you said. "You finished the jet!"

"Yeah, you could've waited a couple of hours before going off to kill Chen!" Cole called back.

Chen scrambled for the staff, not even paying attention to you anymore. Kai went for it as well. He grabbed it first and didn't hesitate to smash it into the ground. The crystal that held those powers was in a million little pieces. The powers themselves flourished, going to their respective master.

Lloyd was at your side, helping you up when you didn't need it. Your legs were fine. You gave him a quick hug. His head rested against your shoulder and chest.

"That was really stupid," you said.

"Like you haven't done anything stupid to protect me before," Lloyd said.

"Fair point."

"We can talk about this later. Right now, we need to fight."

You nodded. The two of you fought through the guards with your powers again. It felt nice to have everyone on the same battlefield. You got in the middle of a crowd of guards. Already, you knew what to do. You held up two fingers, closing your eyes.

"Bloom!" you shouted.

Nothing happened.

"Uh...bloom?!" you tried again.

There was still nothing. The guards looked at each other. You knocked them out, looking at your hands as the bodies fell.

'Tohru?' you asked. 'What's happening?'

'I suppose gods can get surprised when something doesn't work,' Tohru said.

'What?'

'You cannot use the infinite sakura blossom anymore. The adaption of it to suit you must've taken it away.'

You and Tohru were at a loss. It was rare for gods to be that way. They were always wise and cunning in the stories of old. You suppose Tohru was like that back then. But living in a body that wasn't hers was new for her. No creature had done it before. Much less live in a human because she wanted to live.

With this realization, you were left to hang dry. Two soldiers tackled you to the ground. They wrapped you with some rope, taking your dagger again.

"We've got The Vessel, sir," one of them said.

"Good, bring her down with us," Clouse said.

They did as he commanded. You were taken down a stone tunnel again while everyone else was fighting. You weren't sure they even noticed you were kidnapped. A flight of stairs opened up a dead end. Chen pulled a lever, and another path opened before you.

In the line of soldiers, you found Skylor. She was in a similar situation to you, bound by rope. You made eye contact with her, and she stepped back.

"Skylor?" you said.

"My father still needs e for the spell," she said. "It was a sort of, plan b in case something like this happened. I still have almost everyone's powers."

"What?"

"I'll be fine. Someone will find us, and we can stop Chen again."

"I know that, but you never told me you had everyone's powers."

"I'm the Master of Amber, those are my powers. Touching someone else with elemental powers can give them to me."

You looked at your feet, "Hopefully, they notice before it's too late."

"They will. I have a good feeling about them," Skylor smiled.

There it was again. That same mystery as to why she was doing what she was. From the way she talked to the look in her eyes, she did not regret betraying Chen. You followed her lead and came quietly. Although, this was the third time he kidnapped you. You were getting a little frustrated by it.

"I can't believe it! They have all the power again!" Chen stomped on the stone path.

"Relax, Master," Clouse said. "It won't be for long."

...

Kai searched every nook and cranny of the ceremony room and the tunnels. He could not find his new friend, Skylor, or his other friend, [Name]. A part of him liked to think he and Skylor were still friends, despite everything. She never told him herself–and probably never will–but he knew she never approved of her father's wishes.

Skylor was someone he thought he was friends with. That may have been why he hesitated to fight her in the forest. For some reason, his brain kept saying that she was one. A friend that would help him find his other two.

Then there was [Name]. Kai didn't pay much attention to people teasing him about his feelings for her anymore. He didn't believe it back then, even when Jay called him 'lover boy.' He always thought himself a concerned friend whenever [Name]'s safety came to mind. It was only when Chen said something, did Kai realize Jay and so many others were right.

Now I understand why you came. I recognize that look. Garmadon had the same one when his wife was so much as mentioned.

When Chen asked Kai to carry her, he knew that Kai's feelings were more than platonic. He said those words like he figured something out after hours of thinking.

Skylor once teased Kai, saying that his 'dead' friend was his girlfriend. Kai didn't understand that he was so obvious to everyone but himself.

He left the ceremony room empty. At that point, he was alone with his thoughts while the others took the guards and other cultists outside.

The sun was rising, beginning a new day. There was still a search going on for Chen, Clouse, Skylor, and [Name]. Lloyd had been talking with two girls for a little while. They were the nurse's sisters. The ones who helped them in breaking [Name] out of prison.

Kai went over to Zane. He was staring at the horizon. The sunlight reflected on his titanium face. Kai's mind couldn't shake off that new detail. It was so different, but that was what Zane had always been.

Zane turned around, smiling. Kai hugged him.

"It's good to have you back, buddy," he said.

"It's great to be back," Zane hugged him back.

Kai's chest was bubbling with happiness. This was what truly mattered. He could have his friends again without anyone else in the way. Soon, all of his friends would come back to him and they could all go home in peace.

He let go of Zane when Garmadon came along. He strangely waved at them. Jay called it an 'awkward dad wave.'

"I hate to interrupt the reunion, but there are no signs of Chen or Skylor and [Name]," he said. "But I'm certain we'll find them with enough searching."

"We can only hope," Kai said. He clung to those words for dear life.

Chapter Text

You were at the edge of a bed wearing a dark green hoodie. You were messing with the white drawstrings and the bed sheets. You already had the feeling you were at someone else’s house. Outside, children were riding their bikes. Birds were flying from tree to tree. Beyond the street, there was nowhere. It was like watercolor paint spreading out and ending when it couldn’t anymore. It would lead to a white void.

A nightstand was next to the bed. It had a lamp and an anime figurine sitting on the edge. She had purple eyes. A butterfly hairpin tied her hair back. There was a smaller figure made entirely out of rectangles. He was wearing a white gi and held golden shurikens. Wait. Golden shurikens? You knew who this was. It was Zane. He looked a little different but he was still the same Zane. His skin was yellow, and he had weird-looking blue eyes. You scooted away from him, looking away. You’d forgotten that you were just in a show your previous world had. It was all just a show.

You sometimes thought of what could’ve happened with Nya and Jay. Tohru said that they were a couple in the show. However, she did not know much else. Maybe everything else wasn’t necessary.

The door opened, pulling you out of your thoughts. Someone came in. Riley. You recognized that blonde hair now. Those brown eyes.

“‘Kay, I’ve got it,” she said. “I know you said you didn’t want gifts, but it’s your first birthday, and we’re dating now. I got you something.”

Riley handed you a red box with a yellow ribbon on it. You stared at the box while she waited with bated breath for you to open it.

“Thanks,” you said. “You shouldn’t have.”

You untied the ribbon delicately. It was as if the gift would be ruined if there was a single rip or struggle in getting it off. The lid came off easily. It revealed a hoodie. The same hoodie you’d worn in the treehouse, and the entire time you were on Chen’s island. You were still there. This was just a dream. A memory. You brushed your hand over the black and green checker pattern. It was clean of any blood on the sleeves or torso.

“It took me a bit of digging to find a good one of those,” Riley sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. “The Tanjiro pattern was the easiest I could find. He’s one of your favorites, so I picked that one. I hope that’s okay.”

You threw your arms around her. The box fell to the floor with a light thud. Riley went stiff before she hugged you back.

“I love it!” you said with a laugh. “Thank you.” You kissed her cheek. It was a moment of bliss that you could get lost in once again. That was how all these memories with Riley felt like. She was your first love and the one you missed the most.

It was when the feeling of wrapping your arms around her faded that you realize this was just a memory. It would be nothing more.

…

You woke up chained to a rock with Skylor. It was just another dream. You liked to remember the dreams about memories more than the nightmares about others. Two guards had their spears blocking you from the rest of the cave. They were talking about something you could care less about.

“I guess you getting knocked out is a habit,” Skylor commented. It was the first thing she ever said to you. A slight smile painted her face. Her red hair was a bit messy, threatening to free itself from her ponytail. Her dark eyes were not as blank as when she faced her father.

“I guess,” you said. “How’re you holding up?”

“I’m fine. Chen hasn’t done anything yet,” Skylor said.

She called him ‘Chen,’ not ‘father.’ Skylor noticed this too late. She pursed her lips, correcting herself by calling Chen ‘father.’

The two of you sat in silence for what felt like forever. It was so much waiting for him to come back. All the while, you kept glancing at the other girl. The glimpses you got of her when she attacked the treehouse were nothing like how you saw her now. She was beautiful. You were sure someone like Kai would put the moves on her. He struck you as a guy who goes for redheads.

“Hey,” you said. “If you’re Chen’s daughter, then why did you betray him? You kidnapped my friend and me, had my other friend scrapped, then you betrayed the man you did it for. Why?” It was the one thing you couldn’t wrap your head around.

Skylor looked at the ground. Her eyes were blank again. Your heart threatened to leap out of your mouth. You wanted to hate her so badly. She was the one that disturbed the peace in the first place. If she hadn’t shown up, you could’ve gotten your bearings without worrying about your family. You clenched your hands into fists. You wanted to hate her. But you couldn’t.

“I used to believe my father was a good man,” Skylor began. “You know how kids are, they always think their parents were the smartest people in the world. When he told me to do things I knew were horrible, I did them anyway. I didn’t want him to hate me. It was only after I killed all of those people as an assassin that I saw what was wrong with me.”

“You were his assassin?” you said. “You killed Maki.”

“I had no choice. It’s selfish, but it was either her or me. I don’t expect you to forgive me for what I’ve done either. I’ve come to terms with the horrible things I’ve done because my father said it was okay.”

“If you’re going to call yourself a monster,” you began. “Don’t. You may have killed, but you are not the monster. Your father is.”

Skylor’s eyes widened.

“You know, my uncle was the evilest person Ninjago had ever seen. He’s probably killed thousands. He was given a second chance when he turned human again. If Garmadon can get a second chance, then you definitely should.”

The two of you sat in silence. Neither of you was as innocent as the other. You killed innocent victims of Chen’s wrath, all for the same reason. Survival.

More moments of silence drifted through the cave until someone else showed up. He walked through a side entrance to the cave. Light seeped in to capture the darkness surrounding him. It was the same man you had been speaking of. Chen. He walked towards the guards, turning his head from one to the other. The guards were stiff, speechless.

“Free my daughter,” Chen said.

“Master, she still has her powers,” one guard said.

“Doesn’t matter. Free her, now.”

The guards undid the locks on her shackles. She shook her hands, adjusting her ponytail so it wouldn’t fall out.

“My dear, Skylor. How dare they tie you up?” Chen said. “I blame myself for your slip in judgment.”

“It wasn’t a slip,” Skylor said. “It was a long time coming. The ninjas were right.”

“And I was wrong. Wrong to steal their powers. Wrong to want to transform me into a snake. Wrong because you needed a father, and I wasn’t there.”

“You think my powers can still turn you into an anacondrai, don’t you? [Name] is only here to be the spell’s sacrifice.”

“You have absorbed the powers of every elemental,” Clouse strode from behind Chen.

“The staff crystal was destroyed,” Skylor said.

“And the crystal was made from the caves on this island, which we can use to complete the spell. We have everything we need to make everyone happy. Isn’t that great news?” Chen grinned.

“But it’s not just my powers, it’s all of them. You said that taking them could hurt me. Or worse, kill me.”

“No plan is perfect.”

“You care more for your power than you do your daughter!”

“Without power, I’m insignificant. Is that what you want? An insignificant father?”

“I knew I never had a choice to do your bidding. But I regret not knowing how to stand up to you earlier. You should’ve never taken the chains.”

A fire was in her eyes. No longer did she have a compliant look you saw on them. She knew that for too long, Chen had manipulated her. You could not do so much as speak because of his power over her. It was time to change that.

Skylor set your chains free, kicking away the guards. She took your hand, and you both ran as far as you could.

“Get them!” Chen ordered the guards around him.

Skylor used the power of light to make herself invisible. However, you couldn’t predict that you could be invisible too. You couldn’t see your hand. The light went through it like it was air. You got up to a nearby rock. Below was an anacondrai crusher. Its outer skin was made from blades painted purple. They were summoned from snake mouths surrounding the wheels. Skylor made you visible again, glaring at Chen.

“You’re not insignificant. You’re pitiful,” she said. “I should’ve done this a long time ago.”

When you took her hand again, you were weightless. This must be the power of gravity. You were floating through guards and toward the anacondrai crusher. You kicked off the guards while Skylor found a red case. She opened it and found a hover glider.

“Come on. I’ll send a message to your friends so they know where we are,” she said.

“Right,” you nodded. You were out of the cave before long. The waterfall was shimmering under the rising sun. A cloud of fog hid you from the soldiers chasing you down on their vehicles. You held onto Skylor for dear life. These gliders weren’t exactly a two-person ride, despite how fast it was.

‘Tohru, have you found out how many times I can use my new powers?’ you asked in your head.

‘Twice,’ Tohru answered. ‘They’re new, so I’m putting you on that limit so you don’t faint from fatigue.’

‘Good to know.’

Two hits. Those couldn’t even put a scratch on Chen. You shivered at the thought of feeling like you did when fighting Chen. He overpowered you because you were careless. Tohru told you to be careful, but rage took over. You couldn’t let it happen with him again. Not today at least.

You passed through an overgrowing small town. The plantlife covered the pagodas with nothing but green. The stone pathway had plants in its crevices. The soldiers following you were gaining more and more track. You could never truly hide from them.

The closest one had the blades on. They spun so fast that there was only a blur and not actual knives. You had to stop at a dead end. Skylor activated the power of smoke to get the both of you out of the soldiers’ way. They crashed into the dead-end instead of you.

The peace you had didn’t last for long. A soldier with a mohawk gained up on you. His vehicle’s blades skimmed the glider, almost cutting the skin of your Achilles tendon. Skylor hit the gas before your foot could be cut off. You were whirling around in the air, trying to get distance from the soldier. But you didn’t have to anymore.

The cruiser collided with another one. The person driving it was wearing all red. You knew who he was.

“Kai!” you called to him, unconsciously smiling.

“Kai?” Skylor said.

“That looks like fun,” Kai said. “Mind if I join you guys.”

“Is there an extra in there?” you asked.

“I think there is in the other one,” Kai hopped on the mohawk guard’s head after taking his glider out. He took the other one, tossing it. You let go of Skylor to grab it. The glider unfolded itself before you. When you hopped on, it was like standing in the air.

It was hard to get used to how the glider moved. Your feet were attached to it, so you couldn’t walk. The glider wobbled from side to side. Your arms flapped in an attempt to gain balance. It only worked when you stopped moving your entire body. The glider pushed forward, following where Skylor was going.

Kai was having similar problems with balance.

“You guys okay?” Kai said before almost falling off his glider.

“Better than you right now,” Skylor scoffed.

A helicopter followed you. Chen was the pilot and only passenger.

“I have an idea,” Skylor turned to Kai.

“You read my mind,” Kai smirked.

They shot streams of fire toward the helicopter. Smoke shrouded the three of you. Skylor turned into Kai, flying around the helicopter. All the while, you escaped into the forest with the real Kai.

You hid under the roof of an abandoned house, waiting for Skylor to return. Your hand went over your heart. It was beating fast. Your vision was blurry. Your head was spinning.

“Those aren’t as fun as I thought they would be,” Kai said. “I’m dizzy.”

“Me too,” you said.

Kai turned on the radio, saying that he found you and Skylor. You’d be heading back to the palace they recently took over.

“That was Jay,” Kai said. “You didn’t want to say anything?”

“I’d rather say something in person,” you said. “There’s a lot I need to explain to all of you.”

It was a reminder of what you did. You took a deep breath. In due time, you’d talk to them. There was already so much going on right now, that the time wasn’t there. Kai knew this too and didn’t say anything else.

The helicopter flew in the other direction. Moments later, Skylor landed where you were. She and Kai high-fived.

“I alerted the team that we found you. We’re headed back,” Kai said.

“Are we in the clear?” Skylor asked.

“I guess for now. This is a pretty cool place.”

“Are you seriously playing tourist?”

“Right. Everyone’s waiting for us.”

A net fell on the three of you. You grabbed the ending threads, pulling on it. The net didn’t come out of the ground. There was a strong root in the net keeping it there. The threads shimmered gold when in the sun. Two soldiers were on the top of a nearby pagoda. They cackled.

“Ha ha! Kapow and Chop, for the win!” one soldier said.

“Let’s see how your powers work on a vengestone net!” the other one said.

“Fuck,” you said.

…

You were taken to a cave filled with crystals. All were the same kind that was on the staff. They could absorb elemental power. You were chained up, your sleeve rolled so your arm could bleed again. Skylor was chained up next to you. She struggled to get out of them to escape. They were extra tight around her wrists so she couldn’t without taking her hand off. Kai was chained up to a different crystal, further away from you.

“Okay, so we cut this girl and then start the spell?” one of the soldiers who kidnapped you asked Chen.

“Yes yes, get it over with,” Chen waved his hand.

“Ugh, I’m not the best with blood,” the other soldier said.

“That’s why I’m doing it,” his friend said.

“I know. Thanks, babe.”

Oh. They were more than friends.

The squeamish soldier looked away while his boyfriend cut your arm. Your blood was quick to drip onto the crystal. It shimmered, satisfied with the sacrifice given. With every drop of your blood, it did this.

“T-trayeux, keelie, neptide,” the squeamish soldier struggled to read out the spell. “Eek, mojo, uh…gloop? No, glop!”

“Are you sure you don’t need to turn around?” you asked.

“Nah–no I’m good. Don’t stop the blood on my account.”

“Master Chen? Shouldn’t we have Clouse do this?”

“Well, Clouse isn’t here, is he?” Chen said. “Keep reading.”

The non-squeamish boyfriend continued to read the spell, “Okay. Trayeux. Keelie. Neptide.”

Chen fell to his knees. A green swirl of light circled him. He pushed the two soldiers to keep going with the spell.

“Vein donner, klactu barnato,” the squeamish soldier became a crutch for his boyfriend. Both of them grew purple scales and fangs.

Skylor bit back the pain from the spell. Her ponytail was undone. Fangs grew in her mouth while the rest of her body became scales. Her legs fused into a serpent tail. She couldn’t fight this transformation no matter how much she tried.

Chen was the only one not showing the pain of his transformation. It was almost euphoric for him. His eyes looked to the heavens to spite the gods above. He laughed maniacally, staring at his newly grown claws.

“Finally, I’m the most powerful warrior in all of Ninjago!” he laughed.

The boyfriends also got their anacondrai forms. You couldn’t stop the spell from happening. You couldn’t kill Chen before he became a serpentine.

“Woah, look at you,” the non-squeamish boyfriend said. “You’ve got a tail!”

“So do you!” the squeamish one said.

A bolt of fire shot at the two. Kai was out of his melted chains. He grits his teeth, eyebrows furrowed.

“You’re both still ugly,” he shot another fireball at Chen. This went missed by the man.

“A little flame wouldn’t hurt an anacondrai,” he burrowed underground. He swept Kai’s feet with his tail.

You broke from your chains, punching Chen away from Kai with your new powers. Not even an anacondrai could withstand something like that. No longer would you let him control your freedom using those you loved. You couldn’t allow yourself to be afraid of him. No. You weren’t afraid of him anymore. You weren’t afraid of your family’s reaction to seeing you anymore.

Light peaked through the crevices in between crystals. Sakura petals rose from the crystal floor beneath you. The light lifted you onto something it was creating. It turned into the body of a giant bird. It had a chubby body, its wings flapping quickly to release sakura feathers. Its beak brushed against the underwing before chirping. The bird was a charming and gigantic sparrow.

‘Tohru, did you do this?’ you asked.

‘Nope. This was another thing you did on your own,’ she said. By the gods, you knew she was smiling with pride.

Kai and Skylor stared at the bird in awe.

“I think we solved the problem with getting out of here,” Skylor said.

“Well, what’re you staring for? Get up here,” you helped her and Kai get up on the sparrow with a smile. You didn’t spare the anacondrai a second glance. The sparrow flapped its wings a couple of times before flying out of the cave. The false wind it created was like a breath of fresh air. The bird was fast, taking you across the island in such a short amount of time.

Down below, transformed anacondrai warriors were seizing the palace. The others tried to close them off as best as they could. Blades cut their way through the doors. You thought the others were done for. Then, Chen showed up. He declared that it was time to leave the island. The warriors left your friends and the other elementals behind. They mounted helicopters and the roto jet. They went past the rocks surrounding the island before disappearing over the horizon.

Those innocent people were still in Ninjago. The elementals’ families were still there, wondering if they were alive. You flew in closer to the palace. Everyone was on the wall surrounding it.

“Hey!” you waved at them. They looked up, stepping back upon seeing the sparrow. Your uncle was transformed into a serpentine just like Skylor was.

Over the trees, a dragon made of blue light came in. Frost surrounded its wings. Zane was the dragon’s rider. The others looked at both you and Zane.

“Zane?!” you said. “You have a dragon?”

“And you have a sparrow,” Zane said.

“None of us could do that before,” Jay shook his head in awe. “How did you guys do it?” Fuwa was on his shoulder.

“I faced my fear,” Zane said. “When I realized there was nothing in front of me holding me back, but what was inside me. I found something deeper.”

“Really? I just punched a guy in the face,” you said. “But I guess I did that subconsciously though.”

“Is that why yours is different?” Jay asked.

“I honestly don’t care why. This is just cool!” you giggled. Your father would freak out if he saw this.

“So if Zane’s right, then we all have this power inside of us,” Kai said. “But it’s not the anacondrai we’re afraid of, it’s our doubt.”

“Well get your own ride if you have it.” You gently nudged his shoulder with a chuckle.

“Excuse me for wanting a taxi,” Kai jokingly rolled his eyes. He jumped off the sparrow, and flames molded into a dragon. Hard parts of the skin formed a place for him to sit and not burn himself.

“Uncle, before we go after them, what about the others that defected?” you asked. Aoki and Tenko, are they safe?

“Your nurse friends are safe. They went under the transformation, but we’ll come back for them,” Garmadon said.

That was enough for you.

One by one, your family and the other elemental masters summoned dragons of their own. They took flight by jumping off the wall. The dragons’ looks depended on the element. Cole’s dragon was made entirely of rocks. Jay’s had lightning on its wings, becoming a storm with every flap. Fuwa flew from the dragon to your shoulder. He nuzzled your cheek.

You may have been the odd one out, but that was okay. The sparrow was beautiful, and it was made from your power alone. There was nothing from Tohru. And as much as you loved her, you preferred it that way. You finally had the wings to take flight on your own.

Chapter Text

Chen was a day ahead of you. He was already on the mainland when you arrived on Ninjago. They were already ravaging the rural areas, making innocent people do their bidding. It wouldn’t be the first time this happened. Snakes seemed to be a reoccurring menace to you and your friends. Whether or not they were fake was beside the point.

You made a landing in Ninjago City. It wasn’t touched just yet. Usually, the big bad would use such a place as a starting point.

“Remember, whatever happens down there, we’re stronger united,” Lloyd said.

You landed in the middle of the street. It wasn’t the best place, but you made sure not a lot of traffic was stopped. Landing a bird was more straightforward than landing a dragon. Skylor was still riding with you and in her serpentine form. The moment the citizens saw her, they were appalled and afraid.

“Serpentine!” a child screamed.

“I wish I could still change my appearance,” Skylor sighed.

“You changed, mentally,” you said. “I think that’s better than turning into a serpentine.”

“If we’re the first ones they’ve seen, then why hasn’t Chen been here already?” Garmadon said.

“We have to get you off the streets before anyone else is alarmed,” Lloyd said. “Everyone else, protect the people!”

“Wait, look at this,” Skylor gestured to her arm. It was normal again. The scales faded back into her skin. Her claws turned back into nails.

“Maybe we found out why they haven’t attacked yet?” you said. “Uncle, does your arm look like hers now?”

“As a matter of fact, yes,” Garmadon’s hand changed back. “Is the spell temporary, then?”

“If there’s something about it, then we can go back to the Samurai X Cave and check it out!” Nya called from Jay’s dragon.

You were running out of time and options. But also, you found a way through the spell.

…

Nya’s Samurai X Cave was more refined than you imagined. It was a place she stored all of her mechs. This included prototypes, ones that needed to be fixed, and vehicles she hoped to use. A path with vibrant blue lights created an entrance to the main area. There were multiple monitors across it. One contained a map of Ninjago, one ran diagnostics, and another was for security cameras.

Zane’s falcon flew in, landing on his robot friend’s wrist. Fuwa flew to it, chirping with curiosity.

“Well hello to you too, old friend,” Zane smiled.

Wu and Misako were working on the radar monitor. Your auntie and father were there. Two people you hadn’t seen since your death. Wu turned around upon hearing Zane’s voice. His jaw dropped. Tears welled up in his eyes.

You ran to him like you were still that little girl seeing him come home. You hugged him. He hugged you back with almost the same amount of force.

“I’m home, papa,” you said.

“Welcome back,” Wu let go, gesturing to the others. “Welcome back to all of you. Zane, you look so different. You’re all shiny.”

“But where’s your father?” Misako asked Lloyd.

“I’m over here, Misako,” Garmadon slithered out from the crowd. He met Misako’s eyes with a timid look.

Misako gasped.

“Don’t worry, we have reason to believe the spell is wearing off,” Skylor pointed to his and her hand. “Look. Our hands are normal.”

“Since it is, then Chen wants to act now more than ever,” Kai said.

“Auntie, Father, this is Skylor,” you said. “She’s Chen’s daughter. But don’t worry, she’s on our side.”

“You’re amongst friends, Skylor,” Misako smiled.

“Thank you for looking after my Misako,” Garmadon said to Wu.

“As any brother should,” Wu said.

“Right…as a good brother should…” Garmadon’s gaze faltered. A frown was apparent on his face.

“There isn’t much time,” Lloyd walked up to the radar map. “Our allies are on standby, but we don’t know who’ll strike first. And if we’re all not there when Chen strikes–”

“Ninjago will be lost. Everything we fought for forty years ago would mean nothing,” Garmadon finished.

“Well, how do we prevent a war? We’ve only fought one just like them,” Jay said.

“Actually, there was something on the spell page that can give us a clue,” Nya said. “On the back of it, it said that to complete the transformation, you need the essence of a true anacondrai. But there’s only one they can get that essence from.”

“Pythor,” Cole said. “How do we even find that guy?”

“Is he still on the run?” you asked.

“No. He was captured by the authorities and brought to Kryptarium Prison. He swallowed a shrinking pill that made him easier to apprehend,” Misako said.

“There’s more.”

“More?”

“Two more anacondrai. Well, kind of. They’re part anacondrai. Do you guys remember when we went to that bar to get into the serpentine tunnels?”

“You don’t mean the people guarding it were serpentine disguising as humans, do you?” Jay said. “Because that’d be ludicrous. There’s no way a serpentine can transform into a human.”

“Are you speaking of the two serpentine halfbreeds?” Wu asked.

“Yeah, those two,” you said. “That bartender’s mom was invisible, which is something only an anacondrai can do. I’m just assuming that the girl and her mom are anacondrai.”

“There are serpentine-human hybrids?!” Jay said.

“Yeah. You didn’t know?” you said.

“Of course not. How did you know?”

“That’s not the point,” Cole said. “We just know that those two are potential targets. But I don’t know if they would be just as important as Pythor to Chen. I mean, they’re hybrids.”

“Then the rest of you go to Kryptarium. I can look after Ilya and her mother by myself.”

“No,” Lloyd said. “We have to stick together to win.”

“I think it’ll be fine,” Garmadon said. “This is only a precaution. Sending more than one person to do it would make Chen notice.”

“Then it’s settled,” you clapped. “Someone watch Fuwa for me until I get back.”

“Wait, Fuwa-?” Misako said.

“He’s your typical thousand-year-old sparrow. Bye!”

You ran out of the cave in a hurry, getting on your magical sparrow to leave. Illya might still want that favor after all this time. That might not be the same after being dead for so long. It was strange. You were dead. It was something you wanted. A common saying you heard was the ‘sweet release of death.’ Death was not sweet. It was bitter.

Amidst your thoughts, you arrived in Ninjago city. Surprisingly, you remembered where the bar was. It was the only washed-up place in the city. You landed near the front door. A toddler tugged on his mother’s hand after seeing you. You only gave him a sheepish wave.

You stepped into the bar, seeing Illya drying a newly washed glass. She looked at you with not a lick of surprise in her eyes. They were normal, like a human’s eyes. Her kimono was still falling off her shoulders like when you met her. The only difference between the past Illya and present Illya was that her hair was down and trimmed to her shoulder.

“Oh hey, ojou-chan, you’re back,” Illya said.

“Yeah, and it’s another crisis,” you said.

“I know. You’re not in uniform.”

“That’s not–never mind, have you heard of a guy called Master Chen?”

You sat on one of the barstools. Illya leaned over the counter, thinking to herself.

“Rings a bell,” she said. “My mom said something about him being an ‘anacondrai wannabe.’ Why?”

You were silent. That was all she needed to get the situation.

“He didn’t,” she said.

“He did,” you said.

“Holy shit. Where’d that guy find the people to do it? I mean, an anacondrai transformation spell. You’d need someone with a lot of magic skills to do that.”

“His right hand was an enchanter.”

“That’s convenient. What about everything else?”

“What do you think he was doing for forty years? Probably planned it all in his free time.”

“So why’d you come here?”

“He forgot to flip the page for his spell. He needs real anacondrai DNA to make everything permanent.”

Illya placed the dried glass down on its rim, “How’d you know I was part anacondrai?”

“When my friends and I went in the back to get into the serpentine tunnels, I noticed that your mother was invisible,” you said. “I just assumed from there.”

“You’re right, but why didn’t you tell?”

“It wouldn’t be right. My friends would react the wrong way if I did. It looked like you wanted to keep a low profile.”

Illya’s gaze was distant. She looked at the ceiling. A second floor was there. Most likely, her mother was there. A small smile adorned her features.

“Cole said that since you were only part anacondrai that Chen wouldn’t go after you. But hey, you can never be too sure,” you exhaled a chuckle.

“So, you’re like me and my mother’s bodyguard?” Illya asked.

“That’s just about it,” you said. “It’s a little weird, but I don’t mind being here to make sure the mission goes well.”

Illya smiled again. She took out a glass, “Hey, do you want some water or something?”

“Water would be great.”

It was like you never died in the first place. Over the past months, it was almost the first thing people you came across would talk about. They wouldn’t believe that you didn’t die. They called your death a tragic accident. That was for the best. You weren’t sure if you could take a stranger knowing that you wanted to end your life.

The most Illya did to welcome you was a smile and some water. It was like breathing fresh air again after being trapped under a mountain.

“How’d you know I was still alive?” you asked.

“It was kind of obvious,” Illya said. “Something like The Overlord can’t kill someone like you.”

You couldn’t tell if she believed in you. Or she knew you were kind of immortal because of Tohru. You started at your reflection in the glass. It was still you in those rippling waters. Despite everything, you were here. That was the weirdest part.

“Why the long face, dollface?” Illya asked.

Dollface?

“It’s just a little weird,” you said. “Y’know, coming back to your home after everyone thinks you’re dead. Do you think it’ll get easier down the line?”

“‘Course it will. You have your people, right?” Illya said. “They’ll help you. If I was in a weird mood, my mom was there. It shouldn’t be so different for a protector of Ninjago.”

A burden weighing you down was lifted. You had your friends, your family. How could you forget them? Telling them after all of this was the hard part, but it would get easier when it happens. Wu said something about letting go to reach your true potential. Back then, telling Kai that you didn’t want to live was always part of it.

The door was broken down. You got off your bar stool with a start. A group of anacondrai was at the door. It was small like you predicted. Illya and her mother were not as much of a priority as Pythor was. The leader smirked at you.

“So, they only sent one of you here,” he said.

“Hey, fakers,” Illya said something before you could. “I’m trying to run a respectable business here. So why don’t you skedaddle and leave me and my friend alone.”

“You have the gall to call us fakers when you’re not even a pureblooded anacondrai. Pretty pathetic, don’t you think?”

You popped your knuckles. Footsteps synced with your popping joints to warm up a punch.

“Sweetheart, did the police break our door again?” a woman said. Her voice was light and sweet.

“No, fake anacondrai thugs. They’re human, but they don’t like to talk about it,” Illya said.

“I’ll get the rope.”

“Rope?” you turned to Illya. “What’s with your mom? These guys are dangerous.”

“So what? This is a normal Tuesday for a serpentine,” Illya said.

The leader lunged for you first. You stopped him with a kick to the chest. It did almost nothing. A serpent’s skin was tough. You needed something stronger if you wanted to make sure Illy and her mother could get the rope to round up everyone. You picked up a chair and smashed it against the leader’s forehead. He grunted, rubbing his head.

You stabbed his arm with your dagger. Surely, he’d die with one stab. There was nothing. His eyes weren’t blank. He was still moving. Breathing.

“It’ll take a lot more than a poison dagger to stop an anacondrai,” he said.

A beer glass was broken over his head. Blood streamed down his face, staining his armor and the rest of his clothes. Illya was behind him. She smirked.

“Hmm, not the worst bar fight I’ve ever seen,” she punched another serpentine behind her. “You can take him from here can’t you?”

You nodded, “Thanks.”

You kicked the leader in the chest again. This time, it was with all of your might. A sakura aura came in with a second impact. The leader was blown back with the other serpentine. They were in the street, getting in the way of cars and pedestrians. They ran away on sight. You ran out of the bar. The only thing that was destroyed was a chair and the door. The serpentine imposters were knocked out.

“Woah, where did you learn that?” Illya rested her elbow on your shoulder.

“I kicked a window a couple of days ago,” you said.

“I feel sorry for the window. Ma, time to round ‘em up!”

The anacondrai rejects were tied up with a sturdy rope by a middle-aged woman. The shape of her face was similar to Illya's. Her hair color was also the same, light purple. A few scales faded into her cheek and neck.

“Hi, you must be Illya’s mother,” you said. “I’m [Name].”

“Oh, I know who you are. You’re the silver ninja,” she said. “My name is Nana. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“The honor is all mine. I didn’t know you were so skilled with intruders.”

“They happen all the time. Police come in and want to search the place without a warrant.”

“Also, robbers,” Illya said. “Ojou-chan, want me to interrogate them?”

“I’ll do that,” you went over to the serpentine thugs. Their leader was the only one conscious. His yellow eyes glared at you, brimming with vengeance.

“So,” you said. “Are there more of you?”

“I ain’t telling,” he said.

You flashed your dagger at his eye, “I may not be able to kill you, but I can blind you with this. Come clean, or your eyesight is gone.”

He was silent. You held your glare, slipping into the cold killer you were on the island. It was a bittersweet taste left in your mouth.

“We’re the only ones Chen sent,” he said. “But he’s coming here. To Ninjago City. By now, he already has Pythor and is ready to make the spell permanent. There’s nothing left you can do, little vessel.”

You took away the dagger. Chen was headed to Ninjago city. There wouldn’t be much time, depending on where he was. You turned on the radio bracelet you took on your way out.

“Guys,” you said. “Chen is heading to Ninjago City. You were right. He was really after Pythor.”

“Some trucks tried to get us apart a little bit ago,” Lloyd was the first response. “They took over some dense villages. They also have Pythor.”

“Shit,” you said. “What do we do?”

“I dunno. We could regroup at the Samurai X cave?”

“Sure. I can head there once everything on my end is settled.”

“Change of plans,” Nya jumped into the call. “Chen and his army are headed towards the Corridor of Elders. We’re headed there on the bounty right now. Hopefully, we can intercept them.”

“Alright,” you said.

“Thanks, Nya,” Lloyd said.

“Good luck, Lloyd.”

You shut off the radio, sighing. The leader of the anacondrai you took down was now unconscious. His head hung low.

“Alright, what’re we waiting for?” Illya clapped you on the shoulder. “Let’s go overthrow some serpentine.”

“What? Overthrow? This isn’t a kingdom?” you said.

“I know, but overthrowing kings and stuff is a lot of serpentine history. Remember the tale of Aspheera and the Deceiver?”

“No.”

“Of course, you don’t, she wasn’t important. She like, ruled for a day. Then she was overthrown by the king she overthrew. It’s all a mess.”

“Right. Also, we?”

“Yeah, I’m coming with you.”

“Why?!”

“First of all, I haven’t been able to use some weapons I found. Second, wouldn’t it be hilarious if Chen was killed by the girl he kidnapped and a halfbreed anacondrai?”

“If that’s your kind of humor, then alright,” you said. “But what about your mother?”

“I’m not so worried for my Illya, dear,” Nana said. “I’m worried for Chen.”

“Cool, it’s settled,” Illya had her arm around your shoulder, dragging you to the back. “Time to prevent a war from happening, halfbreed style.”

Chapter Text

The first thing Illya took out was a bazooka. She slung it over her shoulder, wearing it like a backpack. She tucked a bag of ammo into her obi. She then dragged you to a glass case. It protected a jagged purple blade. She tucked it into a sheath, finding another spot in her obi to put it. You let her hold your dagger for a bit. She unsheathed it, taking a look at the craftsmanship.

“It’s good enough for a few human guards,” she said. “You said it was laced with poison, right?”

“Yeah. Guess it doesn’t work on an anacondrai,” you said.

“Well, you’d need to stab a serpentine a few more times to get a lethal dosage of that poison. It depends on the tribe, though. A venomari would be immune to most poisons, including the one in this blade.”

“What poison is it?” you asked.

“Hell if I know. But you’d need more of it to kill an anacondrai. They resist poison too but not as much as a venomari would.”

“So I stab Chen a few times with it and I’ll be golden.”

“Exactly.”

“Also, what’s with the blade?”

“Oh, this thing?” Illya grabbed the blade’s scabbard. “It was my grandad’s. He was a soldier in the OG serpentine war. He was already married to my human granny, at the time. I think my mom was pretty young too. She was like, five or something.”

“Woah.”

“It’s not that remarkable. The war was forty years ago.”

“I guess.”

“The bazooka is a prototype I haven’t been able to test out. Scales wants a couple of things for defense if all the big bads in Ninjago decide to take over the sewer.”

“That’s a lot for just you,” you said.

“Not really. I’m just pulling my weight. I gave the boys down below my designs and they make the prototypes. Did you know Selma is pretty good with math? She helped me come up with something realistic,” Illya said.

“Scales is a lucky man.”

You headed downstairs with Illya. She said that everything was mostly ready. She put on war paint like she was Rambo. Nana waved at you both on your way out.

You were quick to summon the sparrow, making your way out of Ninjago City. The Corridor of Elders was to the east of the city limit. It would take you a couple of hours to get there. Hopefully, you weren’t too late. Your hands were shaking. Your heart was racing. The sparrow was faltering in its flight to the canyon.

“Hey, you need help keeping her steady?” Illya asked.

“I’m fine,” you said.

“You want some whiskey?”

“I’m flying. That’ll make things worse. We might crash into a tree or something.”

“It’s one sip. I doubt you’ll get blackout drunk from it. And I can tell you’re a lightweight.”

“Fine, gimme.”

Illya twisted the cap off a flask, handing it to you. You took a swig of it. The alcohol burned the back of your throat. You swallowed the drink before coughing. Illya chuckled, took a swig herself, and put it back.

“Ugh, that’s horrible. Why do people even like that stuff?” you said.

“I guess you’re not a fan,” Illya said. “Might change my favor then.”

“Your favor was a drink?”

“Several drinks. It was gonna be a few years down the line. The only underage drinking I can do is a sip every once in a while.”

You continued to fly. You weren’t shaking anymore. The sparrow wasn’t threatening to poof midair. You still had quite a ways until you got to the Corridor of Elders.

“Hey,” you struck another conversation. “Your mom said something about the police searching your place without a warrant.”

“Oh, that,” Illya said. “It’s because we’re part serpentine. Normal humans don’t trust that we’re harmless. I mean, it’s in our name. Mugai literally means ‘harmless.’ Whenever me and my mom bring it up to the mayor, he doesn’t give us the time of day.”

“What if he gave a ninja the time of day?” you said. “I can bring it up to him. He’ll listen to me.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes. I’ll even go to the royal family if I have to.”

“You know they don’t do anything political, though. I doubt they’d even let you in.”

“Probably not, but I can get a megaphone and shout at the palace doors.”

“Alright, cool. That’s your new favor. Tell me how it goes.”

You were close enough to the canyon to see the battle below. The anacondrai were pushing in on your friends. The statues lining the corridor were the witnesses to this battle. You lowered the sparrow. Chen was in some sort of canon, carried by his men.

“Ooh, more imposters,” Illya said. “Lower the bird. I think I can get a mid-air shot.”

“Fuck it. Let’s risk it,” you said.

“Hell yeah. That whiskey did something.”

“Sure.”

You kept the sparrow steady, letting Illya aim at where she wanted. She loaded the weapon with a rocket. A densely populated area of serpentine was the target. Chen was in the clump.

Illya fired the shot. The crowd of soldiers spreads apart, landing against the statues. Jets flew over the pushing crowds, finally noticing you. Illya fired another shot. It took only one of the jets down. The master of shadows took another jet. The bounty was next to fly in. Nets were released, trapping the anacondrai in their hold.

“Now it’s a party,” Illya said.

The bounty’s anchor dropped, skidding against the ground. Three jets flew in to try and take it out of the air. Illya fired another bazooka shot to take all three of them down. They crashed into more anacondrai soldiers.

“Holy shit that was lucky,” Illya said.

“I know,” you laughed. “Let's get to Chen.”

“You gotcha.”

You flew closer to Chen’s jet. It was headed toward the end of the canyon. Illya aimed the next shot at the tail end. When the explosion happened, the soldier with Chen fell to the ground. Clouse wasn’t there. He never came back.

The jet crashed into the flat land above the canyon. You were quick to go after it. The sparrow poofed away when you were at a good landing distance. Illya took out her grandfather’s sword. Chen was in the middle of a disaster. He slithered out of the jet’s remains, dusting off his clothing.

You didn’t give him time to breathe. He didn’t deserve to. Illya got behind him, the blade was against his throat.

“Bet you didn’t expect to see a halfbreed, did you?” she said.

“Wonderful, you brought a friend,” Chen said. “Like that’ll do anything.”

You kicked him in the chest. The infinite sakura bloomed within his body. He was knocked into the dirt. Blood flung out of his mouth. He seized your arm the moment you took out the dagger. He was only prolonging his death. With a swift swing of a blade, Illya cut off Chen’s hand. It let go of you to have gravity take it. Blood spewed out of the stump.

“Finish it!” she shouted.

You got on top of Chen. Without hesitation, you pushed the dagger’s blade deep into his heart. Chen let out a cry in pain. The blood poured out like a fountain. His tail struggled to be free of this misery. Illya pinned it down with her sword.

“You can’t finish it that quickly,” Chen said. “That poison blade won’t work. The anacondrai will rule Ninjago in no time. I’ll rule-”

“Will you just shut up!” you shouted. The dagger went into his throat. You stabbed him again and again until you were certain he was dead. Blood painted the dirt, rocks, and your jacket. The gift that was so meaningful had the stains of a tyrant.

You got off of him, laying under the sun. The battle raged on with the rest of the army, and yet, you delivered the final strike to Chen. Illya reached out to you with a smile.

“We did it,” she said. “Fuck yeah, we did it!”

“We killed him!” you ran to the edge of the cliff. “You hear that fake anacondrai, I killed your leader!”

“Suck a dick!” Illya shouted.

“Woo! I killed Chen!”

“Yeah!”

“Rot in hell, bitch!”

“Rot!”

“I’m so grounded for this!”

“And arrested!”

The radio on your wrist beeped. You cut off your celebration. It was probably your father, uncle, or Lloyd that was calling you. The bounty had already put up its anchor with him on it.

“Hey, what is it?” you asked.

“If you’re done shouting about killing a man, can you do us a favor, human puppet?” the other line had an eloquent and high-pitched voice. There was only one person that ever called you a human puppet.

“Pythor?” you said.

“Woah, the true and the halfbreed anacondrai, together at last,” Illya joked. “What is this, a crossover episode?”

“We’re doing a spell,” Garmadon said. “A spell to open up the cursed realm. I will be sent there in place of the anacondrai generals from the war. We need a blood sacrifice to do it.”

“What?” you said. “You’re being sent to the cursed realm. Who’s idea was this?”

“It was Pythor’s idea to open the cursed realm. But it was my idea to be sent there.”

“No. You can’t do that. You just got back.”

“Lloyd isn’t keen on it either. But I have to do this. It’s the only way I can make it up to Ninjago. And to you.”

You were silent for a moment. Nothing was real anymore. This was supposed to be a happy moment. You had your family back. Chen was dead. Maki and all of those other people were avenged. You took a deep breath. None of this would stop until this happened.

“I can get the body to you,” you said. “Does that work?”

“That works,” Garmadon said. “I’ll-”

“Say your goodbyes when I get to the bounty.”

You and Illya wordlessly got on the sparrow to get there. You bit your lip to prevent any tears from coming out. The physical pain distracted you. Illya had Chen’s body on her back. Her kimono was covered in blood stains.

When you finally got there, Illya plopped the body in the middle. Chen’s eyes were blank, almost white. There was no life in them whatsoever. Lloyd wasn’t on the bounty. He had already taken off into battle. The attacks he landed on the serpentine were relentless and aggressive. You did not blame him. You killed a man because you were so angry about his actions.

You rested against the railing with Pythor and Illya. She didn’t say a word.

“I’ll miss you, uncle,” you said.

“I’ll miss you too, [Name],” Garmadon handed Clouse’s spellbook to Wu. “Read it, brother. You know just as well as I do that the ninja don’t need two senseis.”

“Very well,” Wu said solemnly. “Komodo, nicktu, demic tara.”

A swirl of green and blue lifted Garmadon from the ground. A harsh wind blew in. Illya held Pythor so it wouldn’t push him off.

“Misako, will you ever forgive me for the letter?” Garmadon said.

“I already have,” she said.

“Tell Lloyd I’m sorry.”

“You can tell me that yourself,” Lloyd landed on the bounty. “If anyone should be sending you off, it’s me.”

Lloyd took the book from Wu. He started where the man left off. In Lloyd’s eyes was a deep sorrow you couldn’t comprehend that well. Although, you shared it with him.

“Kenji, severus, toto-demada,” Lloyd said. “Cursono, neeboro.”

A beam of light entered the clouds. Garmadon rose into it. It grabbed him as a magnet would to metal.

“Actu, cursono, neeboro,” Lloyd continued.

“I yearned to make the world in my image,” Garmadon said. “I never realized that it had that in you.”

“Sono, hokido, bo-rock!”

Garmadon was sent away in a blinding light. The last you saw of him was a tearful face. It was one of a man that loved his family too much. Several green lights emerged from the portal. They descended onto the corridor of elders, whisking away the anacondrai soldiers. They tried to run, but it was too late.

They were spirits sucked into a hell that would trap them forever and ever. The last spirit to be taken was the one from Chen’s dead body. He was asleep but still cursed to a life of eternal misery.

The portal closed. All that was left were the humans, Illya, and Pythor. You hugged Lloyd. Both of you held back your tears.

“The war is over,” Misako gently placed a hand on each of your shoulders. “But it had to be done.”

The fallen anacondrai generals descended onto the bounty. The leader was General Arcturus. He was the one to lead the serpentine army in the war.

“I thank you, Pythor. You will be rewarded for your courage and bravery,” Arcturus said. “You made your ancestors proud.”

“Oh, what can I say? Everyone can change,” Pythor said.

A beam of light turned him to his normal size. Pythor looked at himself, gasping in a normal voice.

“That’s more like it,” Pythor said.

“And thank you, Green Ninja,” Arcturus said. “Because of your friends, you have done what we never could, united the serpentine and your kind as one. And because of your father, our spirits are free.”

“Uh, I’m kinda the example of that. Y’know, part anacondrai and all,” Illya said.

“Of course,” Arcturus said. “Your grandfather is proud of what you’ve done.”

“Aw, thanks, gramps.”

“Gramps?!” you said. “You told me he was a soldier.”

“Yeah, generals are also soldiers.”

“You have our highest respect, Green Ninja as the greatest warrior to ever fight for Ninjago,” Arcturus bowed to Lloyd before flying free with the other generals.

“Hey, mind taking me home, ojou-chan?” Illya asked. “Ma probably has dinner cooking.”

“Of course,” you said.

…

It was sunset when everyone else left. You just got back from dropping Illya off at her home. Nana was a little shocked by the blood. She was okay when you said none of it was her daughter’s or yours.

Now, you were sitting by a small fire Kai lit. Fuwa was sitting atop your head. A teacup was in your hands. It was nostalgic, making you remember a fond dream. Those years you had with all of your family would never go away. Not for a second.

“To the anacondrai, the greatest warriors of our time,” Kai raised his cup of tea.

“Now it’s our turn to make our ancestors proud,” Jay said.

“Because we were proud of those who were here before us,” Lloyd said. “To show the way, goodbye father.”

“His loss will affect us all,” Wu said.

“Not his loss, his life,” Misako said. “He made us stronger, and brought us together.”

“Don’t forget to toast these two,” Jay wrapped his arms around you and Zane. “We finally got them back after all this time.”

“Speaking of that, well,” you said. “I’m sorry. I should’ve told you what was happening. I thought I could handle it alone. And I didn’t want to worry you.”

“Don’t apologize. You’re not alone,” Lloyd said. “You never were. We’re a team. And everyone on a team helps each other.”

“Kai told us everything,” Cole said. “It’s tough, but we’re here for you. Everything will be okay in the end.”

“No matter what happens, we’ll always stick together,” Kai said. “No one is alone.”

“That saying can be pretty ominous,” you said.

“This is supposed to be a sweet moment.”

“I know, and it is. I think.”

You and the rest of your family drank your tea. Garmadon’s sacrifice quickly got to the news. No one has said anything about it yet. But you were sure the people would remember him for what he’d done to save them.

‘Can we get some dango on the way home?’ Tohru asked.

‘I thought you’d never ask,’ you thought. Fuwa chirped. He seemed to agree.

You were finally home.

Chapter Text

Hi. Fuck the Fourth of July. I hate the American government so I'm writing the interlude to this fic instead. My first order of business is to link my Tumblr and Ko-fi. My Tumblr will have some fun extra content that has to do with shitposts that won't be in interludes. My Ko-Fi is something I've opened up for donations and writing commissions. The rules for commissions should be on Ko-Fi.

Commission rules: No NSFW, Yandere, cheating, or anything else I'd be uncomfortable with. You can request something that has to do with this fanfic. I will do ships, x reader, and x OC.

Tumblr: ohhiimweird.tumblr.com

Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/ohhiimweird

Commissions range from $10-$16.

Now that that's out of the way. I want to clarify the ages. None of them have changed, but they will in season 5 because a full year would have passed. My whole thing is I'll have new ages when a full year has passed in the story.

Anyways, let's move on to the facts of the season.

- Fuwa is a name derived from Fuwafuwa, a rough Japanese translation for 'fluffy'

- Fuwa's other name, Hosha, is the rough Japanese translation of 'radiant'

- We'll learn more about Fuwa the Sparrow when we learn more about Tohru's past. I plan for a lot of that to be in the Oni Trilogy

- I kind of regret the season 4 segment for having so many chapters. I got burnout at some point. That's why I did a double update for the end.

- There was so many season 4 chapters because of the two storylines being told. Lloyd's storyline with the tournament, and MC's storyline with her escape

- Chen dying by MC's hand was planned from the beginning

- MC's sparrow is not an elemental dragon because she was never born with elemental powers. It's a symbol that she's not fully an elemental master. The sparrow also symbolizes MC's inner strength. It comes out when MC learns to accept what she's done and that she wants to live.

- I listened to Taylor Swift while writing a few chapters

Next, let's talk about love interests. Characters like Illya, Aoki, and Tenko are not going to be love interests. I want there to be a limited number of them so I won't be overwhelmed by routes or endings.

That being said, I'm not too sure about Skylor. She has her importance in future seasons but I don't know if it's enough to build her up as a love interest for MC. Let me know your opinion on this.

Also, there will be more time given to other love interests like Cole, Nya, and Jay. It's the point where romantic moments with them are spread out evenly.

Now it's time to tell you some things to look forward to in the next season.

- sibling angst

- that gay shit

- child MC flashbacks

- horror vibes

- and more!

Alright, that's all from me. Take care for now. I can't wait for y'all to read the season five arc.

Chapter Text

 The sea smelled of salt and algae molded into the rocks below. The calm waves reflected the sparrow and dragons onto itself. Daylight was cracking over the sea.

Lloyd was leading your little group. The rest of you weren’t that far behind. The wind tossed your hair around. Kai laughed a little, going ahead of Lloyd. His dragon spun in a small circle.

“Getting ahead of yourself, Kai?” Lloyd chuckled. “I’m the one leading this charge.”

Lloyd caught up with him. The two dragons spun around each other. The fire dragon’s wings brushed against the sea, getting Kai wet.

“That’s one way to cool a hothead,” Jay laughed.

“Hey, no one messes with my hair,” Kai laughed.

Kai circles back to the rest of you. His dragon’s wing brushed against the water. You flew away from it to avoid getting splashed. Zane wasn’t so lucky. He was the most affected by the splash of water. Yet he didn’t shut down with an overload of electricity because of it. While he was built, Pixel made his new body resistant to water and other liquids. Zane was spitting away some of the water, wiping it from his glowing eyes.

“You okay there, Zane?” Cole asked.

“You need more than a little water to take me out,” Zane said.

“What about a big fish?” Jay pointed to the water. “Incoming.”

A fish swiftly swam below you. Its fins protruded from the water, cutting into the gentle waves. The fish leaped for Zane. It would’ve eaten him if he didn’t fly out of the way in time.

“There he blows!” Cole said.

“Pixal says this is the one,” Zane said.

“Kay, time to get it back home,” you said.

“Did any of you catch a fish that big?” Jay asked.

“Hell no,” Kai shook his head. “He was twice the size.”

“I doubt that,” you said.

The fish showed its entire body when it jumped again. It had whiskers like a catfish, blue and green scales, and retractable teeth.

“He’s almost as hungry as you are, Cole,” Jay commented.

“And twice as ugly as you are, Jay,” Cole remarked.

“Looks like it’ll be the catch of the day,” Lloyd said. “Inline formation.”

You all got into a single file line. A boat with a red sail was ahead of you. It was close to the coastal village you got the mission from. The fish was gaining up on you, ready to eat Cole’s dragon. Finally, Lloyd gave the signal to spread apart. The fish leaped onto the boat, scaring the sailor and his family.

It was brought to the docks and hoisted into a large glass tank. You, Jay, Zane, and Cole were watching it play out. The town's mayor said he would take it to its natural habitat. He thanked you profusely.

“We should get a picture,” he said. “Over by the tank. It’ll be great for our town.”

“That’d be great,” you smiled.

He went to a photographer to set up the camera. You watched as the fish wrestled within the crane’s grip. The sea around the town would be safe until the next dangerous fish came along.

“If only my uncle could see this,” you mused.

“You don’t look all that sad about it, though,” Cole said.

“Of course I’m sad. I miss him every day,” you said. “But time’s arrow always marches forward. It’s a part of being a protector.”

“Time’s arrow marches?” Jay said. “That’s a little weird. ‘Hey look at me. I’m an arrow. Look at me march.’” Jay had his hands stretched forward, doing a silly voice as he marched in place.

The fish dropped into the tank. Water splashed around the glass. You moved out of the way while the boys were soaked in seawater. You giggled. Kai and Lloyd were off to the side. Kay was ruffling the younger boy’s hair.

“Hey, you two gonna get in the picture or what?” Jay called them over.

The two boys made their way over to you. You all gathered in while the fish was behind you, in its tank. The photographer was backing up to get everyone in the photo. He succeeded, but at the price of falling into the water. The camera snapped a picture, but not a very good one. It would be soiled by the sea in minutes.

Although, you didn’t mind. The memory could be told in a story instead of a picture. You always thought legends were fun. They were stories no one knew if they were true or not. You would know which ones were because Tohru would tell you which ones were exaggerated for drama. Movies were a prime case of that.

“Great, now who will know this happened?” Jay said.

The fish slammed its tail against the water, splashing you. Coming home soaked from the sea will give your father an answer to what happened.

…

The wind helped you dry quick enough that you wouldn’t track in any water from the mission. You landed at the gate of a tea shop on the outskirts of Ninjago City. Your father liked the view of the mountains.

Opening a tea shop was appropriate for someone like Wu. He liked brewing tea, drinking it, and finding the perfect tea leaves. He always mused to you about having a garden of plants just for tea. There wasn’t enough room on the mountain for it. And if there was, you would have to get rid of the training courtyard.

“I’m just saying, it was a big fish, but I’ve seen bigger,” Kai said.

“One bigger than your ego,” Jay said.

“Impossible,” you said. “No mutated fish can rival that.”

“Ninja,” Wu came out of the teahouse with a box. “You need to find customers.”

“No ‘hello,’ ‘welcome back,’ ‘glad you saved the day?’” Jay got off his dragon in a huff.

“Yeah, we’re tired, sensei,” Cole said. “Can’t we handle this tomorrow?”

“You all have a share of this business if it goes well, you know,” Wu said. “How do you expect me to pay for your new uniforms. Which reminds me, they just arrived.”

“New suits?” Zane said.

“Ooh, I wonder what they look like,” Cole said.

“You got these for us a month ago,” you said. Your uniform was black with a silver lining folding it over. There was a circle where the two lines met. In the middle was the character for infinity, ‘Mugen.’

Wu held up a beige t-shirt with a blue-collar. On it, was a teal teapot resembling the one you had.

“Those do not appear to be ninja uniforms,” Zane said. “They resemble work attire.”

“Well, we must focus on brand awareness,” Wu said. “Here, there are some flyers in this box. I want you boys to pass these out around the city.”

“What about me?” you asked.

“You have your first delivery,” Wu said.

“My first delivery,” you beamed. “Who is it?”

“Your friends from the serpentine bar.”

“Aw, that’s a pity order.”

“Might I remind you that you freed them from Chen?”

“They don’t owe me for that.”

You walked alongside your father into the teashop. Misako was on the phone while Nya stocked the merchandise on the back shelf. In the backrooms, were multiple kettles to brew and steep the tea. Tables were set up so there was a walkway to the counter. There was a small bag on it, most likely your first delivery.

“Aren’t we going to look dorky if we’re flying around with these things on?” Kai asked.

“You won’t be flying around on anything. We’re selling tea, not magic.” Wu said. “Besides, some of you have been relying on your powers a bit too much.”

“It’ll be our honor, sensei,” Lloyd said.

Misako hung up the phone, “Thank you. I’ll let him know right away.”

“Is it an order?” Nya asked.

“It was the police.”

The police. They wouldn’t call you often, only when something big had happened. They would take care of the smaller crimes in the city. If everything went to shit, they would call a ninja. Police couldn’t handle the fish. That was why you were sent. However, they don’t call within two days.

‘They’re not calling about you murdering thirty people,’ Tohru said.

‘I wasn’t thinking that,’ you thought.

‘You were.’

“What for?” you asked.

“They asked for Lloyd. There’s been a break-in at the museum.”

“Go on. I’ll take your flyers,” Cole said.

“Thanks,” Lloyd handed Cole his share. He was about to run out the door when Misako stopped him.

“Aren’t you going to kiss your mother goodbye?” she asked.

“Mom, we talked about this,” Lloyd rolled his eyes. “I’ll catch you on the way back.”

“The rest of you, no powers,” Wu said.

“Not like I could use mine in the first place,” you said.

“How many times can you use ‘em?” Cole asked.

“Still twice.”

It’d only been three months since you got your new powers. It was an entirely different set with the old ones gone. You couldn’t do anything but train. Training took time. You didn’t expect to get three usages in a simple week. And yet, you were growing impatient. Time’s arrow had to move forward.

…

“Delivery from Steep Wisdom!” you opened the door to the serpentine bar.

“Hey, ojou-chan,” Illya looked up from the bar, smiling.

You handed her the bag of tea leaves. She handed you the money you needed. It wasn’t all that much for such a small order. However, there was a five hundred yen tip.

“The tip is from the Doku sisters,” Illya said. “Think of it as a ‘thanks.’”

“Really?” you said.

“You’re part of a business. Take the money.”

“This is already a pity delivery, though.”

“Yeah, that’s how you get started. You saved the Doku sisters and avenged their third sister. Then you gave them a job here. Ma’s even letting them live here.”

“Oh, that’s great,” you smiled. “That’s enough repayment for me.”

“Too bad your dad had to get a tea business started,” Illya sighed. “Would’ve been nice to have you as a worker. If anything, having a cute girl for a worker helps business.”

“I’m gonna pretend you didn’t just call me cute.”

“The halfbreed only speaks the truth. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of your friends hasn’t caught feelings.”

“That last thing you said is definitely a lie. It’d be weird if that happened.”

Outside, people gathered toward the city gardens. The boys were handing out flyers like they were supposed to. However, they were using their powers. Cole was lifting a man’s car. Zane used his dragon to create a teapot made of ice. Kai set fire to the street in the shape of a teapot. And Jay had most of the ads be Steep Wisdom ads when you had none.

Once again, your friends did not listen to your father. Yet, they were selling.

“I’ll let you handle your idiots,” Illya said.

“Right,” you said.

You got out the door in a rush. The city gardens weren’t far. Even then, the boys were sticking out like a sore thumb. In some ways, you envied how they could use their powers so easily. Yours were only useful in combat or a building had to be demolished.

As you got closer, a cold wind blew in. The flyers being handed out were blown out of peoples’ hands. It brought a shiver up your spine.

You finally got to the gardens, and all of the attractions were gone. The torch Kai used was now a simple flame. The ads were gone. Cole was almost crushed by the car.

“My powers aren’t working,” Kai said.

“My powers aren’t either,” Jay said.

“Hey, a little help,” Cole said from under the car. You, Jay, and Kai got him out from under the car.

“Oh hey, [Name]. When did you get here?” Cole asked.

“The attractions led me here,” you said.

“Oh.”

“Looked like things went well.”

“Wait, if our powers are gone, then…” Jay’s voice trailed off.

Zane was falling from the sky fast. His arms were flailing around to try and stop the fall. You caught him before anything bad happened. The weight of the fall hit you fast. Your knees skid against the ground, scraping the skin protected by your ninja pants. You bit back hissing in pain.

Zane stood up, wiping away the dust on his clothes.

“I told you we shouldn’t have used our powers,” Zane said.

“What powers? Where did they go?” Jay said.

“Do your powers still work, [Name]?” Kai helped you up. His hand lingered over yours for a moment before letting go.

“Do you think it’s a good idea to test them here?” you said.

“Right. Stupid question.”

The wind blew in again. Another shiver. This time, you got more familiar with it. Way too familiar. It couldn’t be. He shouldn’t be here. He was dead. He’s been dead for seven years now. You shook your head. What does the wind know? It cannot sense when someone of the wind comes back to them.

You summoned the sparrow. That was enough for you to know that your powers were still here.

“Come on. Let’s head back,” you said.

“I guess she could’ve done that instead of punching something,” Jay said.

“Are you expecting all of us to fit on your sparrow?” Cole asked.

“Yeah,” you said.

Needless to say, the ride was uncomfortable. The sparrow was big, but not as big as an elemental dragon. The boys had to squish together if they didn’t want to fall. It was a little hard to fly because of how close they were. Kai had to cling to your back like a koala bear. He was getting warmer and warmer the longer the flight took. You could’ve sworn he didn’t have a fever before. Although, having fever-level temperatures was normal for him.

It was night when you got to the tea shop. Misako was preparing something for a customer at the counter. You ran into the shop, almost breaking the door.

“Sensei!” Zane said.

“It’s an emergency!” Jay cried.

“Where’s Lloyd?” you asked.

“Lloyd hasn’t come back yet. And not so loud. Can’t you see we have our first customers?” Misako said.

“Wow, the real ninja!” a little girl said. “Can you shock me?” She looked at Jay excitedly.

“Uh, sorry kid. Maybe later,” Jay said. “Where’s Wu?”

Wu came out of the backrooms with a bag of tea leaves. He put the bag down, approaching you and the boys.

“You called?” he said.

“Sensei,” Kai said. “We were getting the word out about the shop. Then there was this wind.”

“Our powers disappeared,” Zane said.

“You were using your powers?” Wu said.

“I know. I know. We’re terrible students, but what happened to our powers?” Jay said.

“Father, you don’t think he has to do with this, do you?” you asked.

“He? Who’s he?”

The wind gently spun the old windmill outside. Leaves passed through the doorway, swirling around the shop. It brought a chill up her spine. You knew who it was now. Someone you never wanted to see again.

The figure was Lloyd’s, but it wasn’t him. His face was obscured by a hood that wasn’t his. He wore a blue and green chest plate.

“I know that wind,” Wu said.

The boys ran out to the courtyard in the intense wind. ‘Lloyd’ glared at them, gritting his teeth.

“Step aside,” he said.

“Lloyd? What’s wrong with you?” Jay asked.

“I’d like a word with your master.”

“Woah, Lloyd’s gone through puberty.”

“I sense some kind of foreign entity has taken over his body,” Zane said. “So the question is what or who has gotten into him?”

“Whoever you are, whatever beef you have with sensei, you have with us,” Kai said. “Now give us back our friend.”

‘Lloyd’ chuckled. His skin faded into a sickly green, his hair turning black. “Let me show you,” he used the wind to blow your friends back in one swoop. One by one, he kicked away your friends as they ran toward him.

Cole used spinjitzu, only to be blown away. His back hit the wall, taking the air out of his lungs. The same thing happened to Jay.

“Take the truck,” Wu told the customers and Misako. “You have to get out of here, now.”

“What about you?” you asked. “He wants you.”

“I’ll deal with that on my own.”

“What’s happening to Lloyd?” Nya asked.

“There’s no time,” Wu said. “We have to leave.”

“I’ll handle my brother,” you said.

Zane ran out with shurikens in his hands.

“Shurikens? Cute,” Morro said. “Try this one for size.”

Morro broke the windmill, making it crash into your friends. They were almost lifeless on the ground like that. They might not handle another minute stuck in a fight with your brother. You had to do something quickly.

You dashed out into the cold courtyard. Your foot pushed off the ground with the help of your powers. Glowing sakura petals radiated from your body as you got close to Morro. Your fist winded for a punch that would have no impact. Morro stopped it with the palm of his hand. The wind stopped. Leaves drifted to the ground as a car rushed away from the tea shop.

Morro’s eyes gazed at you expectantly. Nothing about him resembled your kind-hearted cousin anymore. He had completely taken over. It was a kind of possession that was nothing like Tohru’s. You doubt Lloyd knew what was going on and why he was hurting his friends and family.

“My my, you’ve grown up quite a bit,” Morro said. “Little sister.”

Time’s arrow halted.

Chapter Text

 When you were young, you thought that reuniting with your brother would be a lot more special than it was. The monastery, your childhood home, would still be standing. Morro would be at the door, apologizing for everything he had done. You would hug him, saying that everything was okay. You would brew him tea and introduce him to everyone. All would be right with the world.

That fond dream was supposed to be dead. It died when you were ten, the day Morro died. Your father felt him die within the spirit smoke. That was how he knew that your brother was truly gone. Now, your brother stood before you in Lloyd’s body.

“That’s your brother?!” Jay asked. “Your brother is a ghost?”

“I recall [Name] saying that her brother was dead,” Zane said.

“Get out of Lloyd’s body, bastard,” you spat.

“I’d rather not,” Morro said. “You see, I still need this body for a few things.”

“You just want to be the Green Ninja after all these years.”

“Maybe I do.”

You kneed him in the stomach. Your powers amplified it. Morro’s back rammed into the gate. He coughed before smirking. You couldn’t think straight. You didn’t care about the limit to your powers. All that mattered was taking Morro down. You dashed in for a punch. He blocked it. It turned into a pattern of trying to hit him and him blocking it. A shield of wind encased both of you inside. Your friends were calling for you. However, the wind was too strong for you to hear their voices.

With each hit, you grew more aggressive. Your blood boiled with your movements. It was a special kind of heat. The heat only rage brought. You’d never feel this kind of anger very often. Even when you were so determined to kill Chen, it wasn’t at this level. This was personal.

You used your powers a third time, creating a crack that went down the path. Morro had already dodged it. He grabbed your ankle when you tried kicking him again. You jerked it downward. Morro lost his balanced, and you punched him into the ground with your powers. The glowing petals merged with the wind and leaves. Morro got up again, wiping blood from the corner of his lip.

You tried to punch him with your powers again. Morro’s arms made an ‘x’ to block you. You were getting tired. The world around you was blurry under the moonlight. You took in a deep breath. Just endure it and you’ll be fine. You did spinjitzu to gain the upper hand. Morro did the same. The vortexes clashed.

All of a sudden, the windshield broke. Both yours and Morro’s vortexes disappeared. The sakura petals disappeared. Jay grabbed the back of your gi, pulling you into him. Morro tried to knock him away, only to bring you both to the ground. Kai, Zane, and Cole were also knocked down.

“Why’d you do that?!” you asked Jay.

“You could’ve fainted if I didn’t,” Jay said.

“I could handle him.”

“I’m afraid Jay is correct,” Zane said. “Your powers are limited and you already passed them.”

Morro sauntered his way into the tea shop. Nya and Wu were still inside. Nya glared at Morro, a dagger in hand.

“You’re not welcome here,” she said.

“Go stock some shelves before you get hurt,” he said.

“I can take you on any day.”

“Nya, stay back,” Wu said. “It’s me he wants.”

“It’s not you, just your father’s staff,” Morro said.

“I see you found the Allied Armor, Morro. But you haven’t summoned anyone yet.”

“Your pathetic students haven’t given me a reason to. [Name] was the only one putting up a good fight.”

“Hey, no one calls me pathetic!” Jay argued.

Morro shut the door with a gust of wind. It got stronger as a fight broke out within the shop. Nya and Wu came out victorious and with the staff.

“To the barn!” Nya’s voice cut through the wind.

“I’m not running away from Lloyd,” Kai argued.

“We will not win this fight today. We have to leave,” Wu said.

You tried getting up. It was almost impossible to walk. Pain screamed through your legs and arms. It was as bad as it was back at Chen’s island. However, you didn’t faint almost immediately. Tiredness didn’t overtake you. Cole hoisted you on his back, carrying you to the barn. Fuwa had flown out of the shop. He rested on your head. His frightened chirps cut through the wind.

The bounty was started quickly. It was floating through the air, the rockets combatting the wind. Kai was still on the ground below. He was in front of the shop. Morro slowly came out of the shop in a blind rage.

“Is he crazy?” Jay said.

Morro lifted Kai by the collar.

“Where’s my brother?” Nya asked.

“He’s fighting the Green Ninja, alone,” Jay said.

“Not for long,” you started to climb off Cole’s back.

“Oh no you’re not,” Cole backed away from the edge. “You’re staying here.”

“I’m the only one with enough skill to beat Morro,” you said. “I can’t do nothing while he’s still there.”

‘You passed your limit awhile ago,’ Tohru said. ‘I can’t let you.’

‘I can do this, Tohru. Just let me,’ you thought.

‘I know that you’re angry-’

“You don’t get it,” you cut off your thoughts. You couldn’t listen to a god. Not now. You climbed off Cole’s back. Jay, Zane, and Nya tried to grab hold of you. They didn’t get it either.

Cole had his arms around your waist before your vision went black

…

The bounty was slowly passing by. Kai had his arms wrapped around Lloyd’s neck tight enough to immobilize him. The other boy was struggling, clawing at Kai’s arms. The wind circling him was intense. The others were calling to him, but he heard none of it.

“The staff is getting away. Let go of me!” that distorted voice shouted.

“Only when you let go of Lloyd!” Kai said.

“Kai…” a small and weak voice entered Kai’s ears. “Help me…” He knew that voice. If he were deaf, he would know it.

“Lloyd?” Kai said.

Before anything else happened, Kai was taken by the bounty’s anchor. Lloyd’s body was fully taken over again. Kai looked down, then back up.

“Put me back down!” he called to his friends. “I heard Lloyd! Get me back down there!”

I have to look after him.

“No can do. We already had someone else try to jump off the bounty,” Cole said.

Kai was reluctantly pulled up to the bounty. It was just him and Cole. The others were on the bridge.

Kai didn’t have time to question anything. The wind suddenly became more intense. The stranger was trying to pull down the bounty with the wind. He ran into the bridge, finding Nya at the helm. [Name] was knocked out, leaning against the window.

“We have to turn back,” Kai said to his sister.

“I’m sorry, but that’s what I’m trying to avoid,” Nya said.

The wind pulled him and his sister down. Nya was sliding away from the wheel.

“Gimme your hand,” Kai said.

He pushed her closer to the helm. Nya pulled a lever. A bit more juice was added to the rockets, and they were flying once again. Jay, Zane, and Cole were on the bridge. Tohru was still outside.

“Do you know why Tohru is here?” Kai asked.

“Well, [Name] was trying to jump off the bounty to fight her brother. I guess she gave out and fainted,” Cole said.

Kai almost forgot. The stranger possessing Lloyd was the brother [Name] barely mentioned and seemed to hate. He couldn’t blame the girl. He hated her brother too.

Wu came into the bridge. He was exhausted, leaning on his father’s staff.

“Alright, sensei, time to explain,” Jay said. “Who was that back there? What have they done to my friend?”

“You four were not my first pupils, and neither was my daughter,” Wu sighed. “There was Morro, the Master of Wind.”

“Well looks like your Master of Wind just caught his second wind, look,” Nya pointed to the radar. The cameras showed the stranger on an elemental dragon. It looked battered and bruised like a zombie.

“We’ll take care of it,” Kai took off his tacky uniform worn over his gi.

“Alright, take the position,” Wu said.

Kai and Jay took one side of the ship while Zane was on the other side. The dragon was speedily catching up to the ship.

The dragon shot a green ball of light toward the ship.

“Portside!” Zane shouted.

Nya turned the ship accordingly to avoid it. The dragon flew around the ship again like a wildcat ready to pounce on its prey. Jay fired up the cannons. All of them missed Morro and the dragon.

Wu was out in the wind, watching the dragon circle the ship.

“You’re only telling us now that you had another pupil before us. Now his cursed spirit is possessing Lloyd, also he’s [Name]’s brother?!” Jay yelled. “I mean, what the hell is going on?”

“Morro won’t stop until he gets what he’s after,” Wu said. “There’s a secret message on the staff. After all these years, I had no idea.”

“Of course. Just another day in Ninjago!”

“I need ink and parchment to find the message on the staff.”

“Kai and I will take you to our quarters,” Zane said. “Jay and Cole will keep him busy.”

Kai was quick to get Wu through the trapdoor on the deck.

“Wow, how kind of you to nominate us,” Cole rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, why do you get the easy part?” Jay asked.

“Because I’m the intelligent one,” Zane said.

Kai and Zane trekked the hallways with Wu. The ship was twirling around in the storm. It flipped on its side. Kai’s shoulder rammed against the wall. He let out a pained hiss. He could only hope that Jay and Cole were keeping Morro busy. That was all they could do, as much as Kai hated to admit it.

Down the hall, a window cracked open. Morro crawled through the space. Kai’s faith was wrongfully placed. Kai struggled to gain his balance.

“Our quarters aren’t much further,” Zane told Wu. “Kai and I will hold him off.”

Kai took out his sword. He and Morro tumbled from one wall to another. The ship tipped again. Crates fell down the floor, hitting Zane’s head. Kai tried to stop Morro from getting to the friend he just got back.

“Your team will fall apart without its green leader,” Morro said.

“I’ll lead them,” Kai said. “And I’ll take you down if it’s the last thing I do.”

“Then you’ll be the first one I kill.”

“Sensei says you won’t give up. Neither will I.”

Alarms blared throughout the bounty. It was crashing down. Morro had done something to make that happen. Kai wished flames would flare up in his palms so he could burn away the ghost possessing Lloyd. Yet, there was no heat. There was only a cold embrace death brought to the table.

Kai grabbed his sword again. Morro pulled out a ghostly green blade. The two clashed pushing in on one another. Kai’s feet dragged against the wooden floors. His back was to the end of the hall. The bounty was still tilting downward.

Then, something was hit. The wood broke and the wind pulled Kai outside. He was quick to grab hold of the torn remains of painted wood. If he weren’t wearing gloves, Kai’s hands and fingers would’ve been splintered for days on end. Zane was holding onto the stairs, calling for Kai in worry.

Morro pushed many gusts of wind to make Kai lose his grip. Nothing worked. Although it was hard, he kept holding on. Kai was out of breath. The air in his lungs was being used as a weapon against him. Kai shut his eyes tight. The wind was too strong to see through. Footsteps quickly approached the hole in the bounty. Then a voice cut through the storm.

“If you want the staff, take it!” Wu threw the staff out of the bounty. Morro jumped after it. The wind stopped pushing Kai. That was its mistake.

Kai let go of the bounty. His heart stopped for a second. He was falling into the dark mountains. A hand tightly took his own. Kai opened his eyes to see Zane.

“Got you,” he said.

Kai was pulled up to a vague idea of safety. The bounty got closer and closer to the ground. It fell into the trees. Leaves drifted inside a grim reminder of what had been lost. Kai wanted to throw up.

“Remind me to never go through that again,” he slid down the wall, huffing, and puffing.

Jay, Nya, and Cole came down, inspecting the hole. Zane told them what happened.

“Just think, if Sensei didn’t hand Morro the staff, things would be much worse,” Jay said.

“Yeah, but we don’t know the message,” Cole said.

“Not exactly,” Wu said. “Come with me.”

He led them to a wall splattered with ink. Three images popped up. A tornado, a sword with clouds, and a skull.

“‘Kay, what does that mean?” Jay asked.

“My father told me long ago that he would leave a message leading me to his final resting place,” Wu said. “I spent a long time looking for it after he passed, not knowing that it was in my hand this entire time.”

“You don’t mean…” Kai’s voice trailed off.

“Those symbols will lead us to the tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master. But I haven’t the foggiest idea of what they mean.”

They got out of the crashed bounty, sliding down a rope to solid ground. The moon was high. It must’ve been around midnight of the morning based on the spot. Kai couldn’t believe they’d been running for only a few hours.

“Misako could help us find the clues. She’s a total history buff,” Cole said.

“Pixal, release the falcon and deliver our location,” Zane said.

A metal falcon flew from the ship. He soared above the trees to get a stance on where they were. The other birds around them chirped while owls hooted. Crickets and cicadas welcomed them to their domain, much like a homeowner would to their guests.

“Guys, why are we in a tree?” a distant voice from the bounty called. “Did Cole try to land again?”

“What?” Cole said.

“Oh shit. [Name] is still up there,” Jay said.

“What?” Kai said.

“Tohru fell unconscious a little bit after she was taken to the bridge,” Nya said. “I guess she’s back to being [Name].”

“Why does my head hurt so much?” [Name] said.

…

So much for staying conscious after passing your limit. Although, you were the one to blame for that. However, you were still angry that Morro got away.

You were given the story of what went down while you were out. Morro had sabotaged the ship and it crashed into the forest. The engraving on your father’s staff was a message to find your grandfather’s tomb. Tohru was completely silent when his death was brought up in passing.

The night was still young. The moon was full. A fire was going. Its smoke was leaking through the trees and up to the sky. All was silent between you and your friends. You were still tired. Your limbs were sore and in pain. You hugged your knees, resting your chin on them while watching the fire. You felt the safest like this.

“Care for a ghost story?” Wu broke the silence.

“You mean Morro’s story, right?” Kai said.

“Yes. That’s what I mean. You weren’t the first pupils I had. And Kai wasn’t the first pupil obsessed with becoming the Green Ninja.”

“I already know this one,” you got up. “You can tell them, but I’d rather not relive it.”

You ignored any protest that came your way. Your father said nothing of it. He lived through it too. You could both empathize with each other’s sadness in Morro’s departure. You didn’t like to call it sadness, but that was what it was.

You escaped into the darkness the forest brought. The moonlight was the only way you knew where you were going. The smoke from the fire would guide you back to the bounty. You weren’t worried about getting lost. You sat down, leaning against a tree as you stargaze. The air felt so much fresher here than near the fire.

Time passed by, and your brother kept coming up in your thoughts. Lloyd was hurting because of him. He was probably hurt because you were fighting Morro. He didn’t deserve to be involved in your sibling issues. Although, he would’ve been involved the day he was born if he was destined to be the Green Ninja.

A bird tweeted, flying towards you frantically. You knew who he was.

“Hi Fuwa,” you tried to make your voice sound sweet while drowning in sorrow and rage. “I haven’t seen you all day. How’ve you been?”

Fuwa had stuck by your side even after you killed Chen. Tohru spoke nothing of how he became over a thousand years old or how she knew him. You didn’t mind. You liked the sparrow, and Fuwa liked you back. The bird was tweeting about what happened to him. You didn’t understand a thing. Yet you knew he was afraid for you and Tohru.

“I’m sorry I scared you,” your finger gently rubbed his head. “But don’t worry, it’ll all be over soon and things can go back to how they were. We don’t have to think about it ever again.”

It was words of comfort for Fuwa and yourself.

Chapter Text

 Willoughby were kind in nature. A small group of them came around this morning as you ate breakfast. You weren’t all that hungry, too much on your mind. Instead, you gravitated toward the animals. They did the same. Their doe eyes were filled with curiosity as they walked around the camp. One of them was eating Kai’s food left for him. He was still asleep, breathing erratically.

Must be a nightmare. I’ve had plenty of those.

Kai woke up with a yelp. The willoughby eating his food licked him before going back to it. Kai let out a disgusted noise, wiping his cheek. He found Auntie Misako looking over three images that came from your grandfather’s staff with Wu.

“Misako got our message,” he said. “And you guys made breakfast.”

“We put your food down over there,” Nya said. “But…”

Kai turned to the willoughby eating his food.

“As far as I knew, the tomb was only a fable until I saw what was on the staff,” Misako said.

“You know what the symbols mean?” Kai asked.

“Not the last two, but get this, the first one stands for airjitzu,” Cole said.

“It’s a lost martial art created by the late Sensei Yang. If mastered, airjitzu lets the user temporarily take flight,” Misako said.

‘Taking flight,’ Tohru grumbled. ‘Humans like him are ungrateful for the gifts they’ve been given that they strive too close to the sun.’

“Did you hear that, Kai? We get to fly!” Jay’s eyes lit up.

“Not yet. You will still need to find the scroll, located in the Ancient Library of Domu,” Wu said.

“Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but my records display that it was recently stolen,” Zane said.

“By who?”

“Let me guess, Ronin,” Cole said.

“Who?” you asked.

“Let’s just say he’s not a friend,” Kai said.

You vaguely remembered the boys going on a mission about two months ago. You couldn’t go with them since you were still training with your new powers. With how your friends spoke of Ronin with disdain, you were sure they had a run-in with him during that mission.

“Wait, this is good news,” Jay said.

“How so?” Cole asked.

“If Morro doesn’t know that the scroll was stolen, then we’ll be ahead.”

“And Ronin is most likely held up in the village of Stixx.”

“Then it’s set, the ninja will head to Stixx on the willoughby,” Wu gestured to Nya and Misako. “We three will go back to the tea shop and decipher the next clues.”

“But Lloyd is my friend too,” Nya protested. “The ninja will need my help.”

“I’m sorry, but you’re sitting this one out.”

The willoughby nuzzled your cheek. He let you get on his back. You gently grabbed his horns. Who knew they would be easy to ride? Maybe it was because the one you were on took a shine to you out of all the others.

“Okay, stay still,” Kai was struggling to get on his willoughby. He fell off once or twice before getting himself situated. “Don’t worry sis,” he said. “With me in charge, we’ll have the scroll in no time.”

“Because time flies when you know airjitzu,” Jay said. “Get it, time flies.”

“Be careful, ninja. For the path we seek is never a straight line. Rely on each other to guide your way,” Wu said.

“We will,” you said.

The willoughby happily trotted away from camp. Stixx was a town in the middle of a river, which was where it got its name. Some say that the river leads to the cursed realm. Tohru was quick to shut down the rumors going about in your head.

The forest quickly blended into a desert. The sun was high, and shining down on your back. The black on your gi attracted the heat.

“99, 998 bottles of tea on the shelf, 99,998 bottles of tea,” Jay, Cole, and Zane sang. “You take one down, pass it around, 99,997 bottles of tea on the shelf.”

“Alright, I’m really thirsty, so can you stop singing about tea,” Kai rolled his eyes.

“Oh, someone should’ve had their breakfast,” Cole teased.

“We’ve been following the sun for hours. We should be at Stixx already.”

“But Stixx is to the east. We should be riding away from the sun,” Zane said.

“Why’re you telling us this now?” Jay asked.

“Because Kai wanted to lead.”

“I had a feeling we were going the wrong direction,” you said.

“We just had to get lost after getting a leg up,” Cole sighed.

“I swear, my gut says we should be following the sun,” Kai said.

“You’re arguing with a nindroid,” Jay said. “Seriously, why do we look to Kai when Lloyd is gone. We should be following Zane.”

The willoughby immediately turned away from the sun to follow the right path. There was less heat blowing against your face. You scratched your willoughby’s head. He hummed, closing his eyes as he carried you back across the desert. The mountains made their way into the sky the further you got to Stixx. The sun was beginning to set. The skies became orange blended with blue and a bit of purple. The clouds spread themselves out as if they were laying across a cot.

After a while, you came across train tracks leading to Stixx. It was the only other way there that wasn’t by boat.

“See, Kai. They lead to Stixx,” Jay said. “We follow Zane and look what happens.”

“But sensei said that the right path isn’t always a straight line,” Kai said.

“He also said to rely on each other to guide,” Zane said.

As the others sang, you thought of Nya. Your father said that he would tell her something soon enough. Some of it was about her and Kai’s parents. You knew that they were Wu’s friends and elemental masters. They were fire and water to be exact. Although, you never knew if Nya would have water or fire powers like her brother. Wu said it would be water. Like so many times before, you had to trust his judgment.

The pale gem of a moon rose over the mountains. You were closer to Stixx than you were earlier in the day. Kai had joined the rest of the boys in on the singing. They were laughing without a care in the world. It was like you were on a nice joyride instead of a mission.

“I wish Lloyd was here,” Jay said.

“So do I, but we’ll find the tomb,” Kai said.

“Y’know, I wonder why the tomb is so important? Apparently, it holds great power or something like that. That’s what Sensei said.”

“Wouldn’t it be nice if we had someone to speak to the god closest to the First Spinjitzu Master?” Cole said.

The boys all turned to you.

‘The realm crystal, most likely,’ Tohru said.

“The realm crystal?” you said.

“Realm crystal?” Jay asked. “What’s that?”

‘I’m not sure why he would want it, but that is the only thing I can think of,’ Tohru said. ‘He said that he would bury himself along with it to keep it away from the world. However, I do not know where the tomb is. I sealed myself in my mind before he could tell me.’

She spoke like she was gazing at your grandfather’s grave, filled with regret. Grief was branded on her shoulders all her life. Even now, your heart ached with that emotion no matter how much you wanted to deny it.

“I guess the realm crystal allows you to travel through the sixteen realms,” you said. “Tohru says she doesn’t know where the tomb is, though.”

“Do you know why Morro would want the realm crystal?” Cole asked.

“Tohru doesn’t know,” you said.

“No. I’m asking you, [Name].”

Your heart stopped. You should’ve expected it sooner. However, you could never truly be ready to talk about your brother. The boys were such good friends, yet something held you back, rooting you to stay in your miserable spot under the mountain.

“Sensei mentioned that you and Morro were close,” Zane said. “If anyone were to know why he would want the crystal, it’s you.”

“What’s there to know?” you said. “He wants the crystal. End of story.”

If you were honest, you didn’t know why he would want it either. However, it was obvious why he wanted to possess Lloyd to get to his goal. The others knew that too. You gripped your willoughby’s horns tighter. Every time your wretched brother was mentioned, it made you want to turn away. Now that he was directly hurting you and your friends, it would be harder to do that.

“Perhaps this isn’t the right time to talk about it,” Zane said.

“You think? I’m pretty sure she’s mad now,” Cole said.

“Look over there, it’s a rest stop,” you pointed ahead of you. There was an abandoned train station with a brittle water tower. With just a brush of wind, both could topple over. For you, it was enough to pivot the conversation away from Morro.

The pivot was successful, your feet were on creaky wood while the willoughby were resting against the cool ground. There was a small gust of wind that carried a soft chuckle with it.

“Hold on, did you hear that sound?” Cole asked.

The chuckle came by again.

“I don’t know, but be on guard,” Kai said.

A bike jumped under the moon’s gaze, skidding across the old wood. A chain swirled above it. Its blade could barely cut through the skin. Zane was about to throw a shuriken. You grabbed his wrist to stop him.

“That won’t work,” you said. “It’ll go right through them.”

The bike circled the station, chain still swinging.

“Morro must’ve summoned some friends. We’re sitting ducks out in the open,” Kai said.

The ghost came around twice. Their bike swiftly took down the station, plowing through all of you. The chain missed you, but it struck Cole’s willoughby. He became transparent, green, and glowing. A ghost.

“They turned my willoughby into a ghost,” Cole said. “No one turns my willoughby into a ghost!”

The rest of the willoughby ran away, going back to the forest. All of you had your backs to each other. Your polearm was out and ready for combat.

“If our weapons do nothing, then how are we supposed to fight a ghost?” Jay shouted. He was shaking.

Papa, how do you stop the bad ghosts?

You were young when you asked that question. It was on the Day of the Departed. You and Morro were walking from house to house for candy. Your father was holding your hand. He would have the same fond smile when answering one of your questions. That is if he deemed the question safe enough for him to answer.

It’s simple, a bit of water would make them go back to the cursed realm. Poof!

The water tower could still have a few drops of water in it.

“Guys, distract him,” you said. “I have an idea.”

“What’re you doing?” Kai asked.

“Taking down the water tower.”

“What’ll that do?”

“Trust me. Get the ghost to the train tracks. I know what I’m doing.”

The tower was fragile. You reckoned a simple tap to the top of it would cause the water to rush out and splash the ghost. You scaled the fragile ladder to the top of the tower. The bike’s chain was tossing Kai around like a ragdoll. At that rate, he could turn into a ghost. You were climbing faster, minding the ladder steps breaking on your path up.

Cole took the chain and wrapped it around the tower using his sword. It tipped the tower just a bit, not enough for you to fall with the water. Finally, you got to the top. The ghost rider was where you wanted him to be. His bike tumbled on the wood, becoming a normal bike instead of the giant green bike attacking you.

‘Wait,’ Tohru said. ‘A train is coming.’

You silently nodded.

She was right, a train obscured the ghost rider from the splash. The ghost went through the train, scaring the boys.

“You thought a train could stop a ghost,” the rider said. “Your world will pay once Morro finds the tomb. The whole realm will be possessed-”

You tipped the water on the ghost, “We already know that. Sorry~!”

The water splashed on the ghost, the tracks, and the brittle wood. Your father was right. The ghost disappeared back to the cursed realm. All that was left was a little bit of green goop. The boys looked at you, then back at the goop.

“Uh, what just happened?” Cole said.

“He went–ka-blooey,” Zane said.

“Ta-da! To stop a ghost, all you need is water!” you jumped down the tower.

“Wow, how did you know that?” Kai asked.

“My father told me when I was little.”

“Unusual. I guess it’s true, the path we seek is never a straight line,” Zane said.

“Glad we sorted out the ghost problem and all. But if the train is going to Stixx, then catching a ride would make things go faster,” Jay pointed to the train. It was quickly going past the horizon. There would be no way you could run to it in time.

“I’ve got this one,” you said. “Grab onto me.”

“That’s not a joke, is it?” Cole said.

You said nothing, smiling. It was indeed, not a joke. You had your arms out. There was plenty of room for them to grab your arm. You weren’t exhausted either. Using your powers just this once would be fine.

One by one, the boys held your arms. Your foot went back, pressing down. The wood cracked the moment sakura petals were radiating from the soles of your feet. You jumped, approaching the train overhead. The boys’ screams echoed through the night sky. The landing was not as rough as you thought it would be. There were no dents in the metal. The conductor might be a little spooked by your arrival.

“Never do that again,” Jay lay down, panting.

“That’s it, you’re not gonna be the new leader,” Cole said.

“I thought Zane was the new leader?” you asked.

“You took charge during the attack, which means you were the leader for a while,” Zane said.

“Yeah, not anymore,” Jay said.

“That’s fine. Being a leader is boring,” you said.

“At least you got us on the right track,” Kai said.

“Thank you.”

Your mind went back to that Day of the Departed memory. After your father answered your ghost question, you cried. You said that if your father or Morro became cursed realm ghosts, then your tears would make them disappear. Your father comforted you by saying that neither of them would be cursed. He was horribly wrong.

Chapter Text

 Stixx was in the water, held up by the docks. A bridge carried you from where the train stopped and the village. The gate welcomed you as the locals stared at you. Perhaps it was because of your attire? Or the fact that the legendary ninja came to their town?

Jay looked into the dark waters. They were black like ink. Strangle weeds were seeking a way to grab your ankle, pulling you. Kai was in the center, shaking with every step he took. His breathing was a lot like when he was having a nightmare. Your hand gently touched his shoulder.

“Is something wrong, Kai?” you asked.

“Yeah, I didn’t know you were afraid of heights,” Jay said.

“No. I’m fine with heights. It’s water I don’t like,” Kai said.

“Oh, come on,” you chuckled. “You never had a problem with it before.”

“It was worse when I was a kid. But now that I can’t create a fire dragon, it’s come back. I haven’t felt more scared in years.”

“Do you need me to hold your hand?”

“I can’t tell if you’re teasing me or being genuine.”

“Since we know that ghosts don’t like water, we should be safe,” Cole said.

“He’s right,” you said. “We won’t be in the village for very long anyway. There’s nothing to worry about.”

You pulled him through the bridge’s path. When you let go, he rubbed his hand. He wasn’t shaking anymore. You moved forward into the village. It smelled like fish and seaweed. The air was permanently in the locals and the buildings. They were in overalls and waterproof boots. Traditional clothes were hardly seen. To them, you were the riceball in the fruit basket.

“This place is a dump,” Jay covered his nose. “You’d think a thief like Ronin would hide somewhere that isn’t so putrid.”

“This is Ronin we’re talking about. He’d steal the sea if it were worth anything,” Cole said.

“He could be in that pawnshop over there,” you pointed to a rickety shop with its sign close to falling off. “Master thieves like to set up shops like this one to look unassuming.”

“How’d you know that?”

“I read it in a light novel.”

The five of you went into the pawn shop. On the outside, it was as expected, filled to the brim with nick-nacks and oddities. You dug into the merchandise a bit further and found the stolen goods. One of them was a priceless pendant rumored stolen from Nikko Shrine. Stories say it was a gift from the moon god to the sun god during an eclipse. You put it back in its hiding place. It was best not to stir up anything before getting the scroll.

‘Why is Nikko’s eclipse gift here?’ Tohru said. So the stories were true. It was clear as day that she hated Ronin already for stealing it.

“Wait a minute, this is my dad’s Blade Cup trophy,” Cole said. “What’s it doing at a pawn shop?” He pulled out the trophy. His face was in the reflection of the blade and the gold.

“That should’ve been destroyed, shouldn’t it?” you said. “How did they get it back?”

“Selling stolen goods? Looks like [Name] was right. We stumbled on the right place,” Kai said.

From the back, the shop owner came in. He was a scruffy-looking man with a red amigasa and an eyepatch. He was carrying a vase, whistling. Zane and Jay approached from behind him. Jay tapped on his shoulder. Cole and Kai did not look so pleased to see him either. The man stopped whistling, shocked to see who it was.

“Ronin, going so soon?” Jay asked.

Ronin was quick to tread to the doorway. Your friends crowded him while you followed like a lost puppy.

“Hey, if this is about our last encounter, it was only business,” Ronin said.

“You left us in the mouth of a-,” Kai said.

“Alright, you’re still upset. Let me make it up to you.”

Ronin set the vase aside. Behind the counter, he pushed a red button. A net was unleashed. One that failed to capture any of you.

“Nothing here is legit,” Cole said. “Including you.”

“Yeah, and whatever happened to that ship of yours? What did you call it, Ryan? Ruby?”

“Rex,” Ronin corrected. “And could you have a little sympathy? I sold her so I could buy this place? As you can see, I’m trying to make an honest living.”

‘Lies,’ Tohru said.

“Honest enough to steal the scroll of airjitzu?” Kai said.

“The scroll of what?” Ronin said.

“Airjitzu,” Jay said. “It allows a spinjitzu master to fly.”

“So hand it over, or we’ll make you fly,” Cole threw an abacus to the wall.

“Woah, settle down, fellas,” Ronin said. “Even if I had such a thing, it seems pretty old and important. Not something I keep on sight.”

“So it’s in here, then?” you pulled a scroll out of the vase he was carrying. It was a horrible hiding spot to keep for a master thief like him. The scroll was quite fragile. It held the emotions of a man blinded by ambition. The ink craved the will to fly, but could not.

Ronin shuffled backward, finally aware of your presence. He quickly straightened up, a bit less friendly now.

“How did you find that?” he asked.

“Years of trying to burn a few scrolls. That was the classic ‘hide it in a vase’ trick,” you said.

Ronin released his glare. He might’ve seen a fellow thief, or maybe a mischievous child. His shoulders relaxed. “Not bad, kid. I take it you’re with these guys?” he chuckled.

“Of course, but we’re here on business, not for petty revenge,” you said.

“Sure, but it’s unlikely you could afford that scroll.”

“What about a weapon to fight a ghost?”

“A ghost?”

“It’s a family matter. Ghosts hate water, so we need something more reliable than a plastic water gun.”

Ronin rummaged through a box of weapons. He tossed out jade blades and obsidian armor. The last thing he pulled out was a shuriken a shining navy blue.

“What you’re talking about is an aero-blade. It’s forged from deepstone, mined from the endless sea,” Ronin said. “Unique and even more expensive than the scroll.”

“Ugh, can’t you see he’s giving us the run-around,” Kai grabbed Ronin’s shoulders. “Just give us the scroll, Ronin. What do you want for it?”

“20,000 yen,” Ronin said.

“20,000?! We don’t have that kind of dough,” Jay said.

“You guys once had the golden weapons. You’re telling me you haven’t pinched anything?” Ronin leaned against a shelf.

“We don’t pinch. We don’t even have pockets,” Kai said.

“What if we were telling you all of Ninjago depends on it?” Cole said.

“That changes everything. 40,000 yen.”

“You can’t just double the price!” Jay complained.

“My shop, my rules,” Ronin said.

The five of you huddled up to get a plan together. You left the scroll on the counter. It was obvious you wouldn’t get the scroll right away. None of you had that much yen on hand. Tohru mainly wanted to get out of the shop as quickly as possible. If you were only following orders from her, she would’ve had you steal the necklace she gave the sun god. You could sense the anger radiating from her. It made your blood boil as well.

“Okay, my gut says,” Kai began before being cut off by Cole.

“What do you think, Zane?” Cole asked.

“What? My gut doesn’t matter anymore?”

“We don’t listen to your gut anymore, Kai,” Jay said. “Zane is the leader, you’ll only just get us lost.”

“I sense that we give him what he wants,” Zane said. “If we don’t, then Morro will.”

“Alright, but let me negotiate,” Kai went up to Ronin. “20,000.”

“40,000,” Ronin said.

“30,000.”

“40,000.”

“35,000.”

“45,000.”

“Deal!”

You left with an impossibly high price and no scroll. Jay had his hand over his eyes.

“Nice, negotiations, Kai,” he said.

“I didn’t see any of you do it better,” Kai said.

“We’ll have to make some money now,” Zane said.

You took a job at the docks. There was one unfinished part that no one else wanted to take. The fisherman that posted the job was ecstatic to see someone take it, and a few outsiders no less.

Kai used a crane so he didn’t have to work over water. The rest of you were warned of the strangle weeds. Zane kept the strangle weeds away while the rest of you nailed in wooden boards. The job was going by quickly. Zane kept you motivated with a cheesy rhyme or two. However, he stopped for a moment.

A fly flew close to the nindroid. He was batting at it ferociously. Kai took this as a signal to swing it. He held onto it tight and was back on the unfinished dock. That didn’t solve what happened to him. Zane was speaking in gibberish? No. He was speaking backward.

A strangle weed wrapped around Cole’s ankle. Zane was pointing to it frantically. Your polearm cut through it just as Kai mistook Zane’s pointing as another signal. He dropped a wooden pole that was supposed to root in the river. It made all of your progress sink into the river. You did not get paid.

Jay took a look at Zane after the disaster.

“His voice mod is on the fritz,” he said. “I can fix it, but it’s gonna take me some time.”

“Sorry, Zane. You tried to lead, but I guess it didn’t work out,” Cole put a hand on Zane’s shoulder.

“No money, and no scroll,” Kai said. “Couldn’t have happened at a worse time.”

“What are we, a bunch of quitters?” Jay said. “We don’t understand Zane, but did we ever. And Kai is the last person I would follow. I’m in charge now.”

“So, are we stealing it?” you asked.

“Yeah, actually. How’d you know that?”

“We wouldn’t be able to find the money in time.”

“We’re ninjas, not thieves,” Cole protested.

“And we’re stealing from a thief,” Jay said. “Haven’t you heard? Two wrongs make a right.”

“I don’t think that’s how it works,” Kai said.

Zane said something akin to a protest.

“Shut it mush mouth,” Jay said. “I’m the leader, and what I say goes. After Ronin locks up for the night, we’re stealing the scroll.”

…

It was night when you struck the shop. Ronin’s shop wasn’t far. You were mindful to be quiet jumping from roof to roof. They were fragile. One wrong step could make you fall through the shingles.

You quietly broke into the shop. Glass from the window scattered on the floor. It wasn’t the best way to get in undetected. You also weren’t alone. There was a presence in the shop you couldn’t put your finger on.

“Great, now we’re on the hook for breaking and entering,” Cole said.

“I don’t like this just as much as you do. Let’s just get the scroll and get out,” Kai said.

You sought out the vase. It never moved from the counter. However, there was no scroll. Of course, Ronin would hide it in a different place. You stepped away from it, trying to find another spot a scroll could be. Your father used almost everything, even keeping it in a bag that you eventually found.

Jay took a sheet off that covered an old pipe organ. A green aura surrounded by pipes. They caught the boy in their metal hold, blaring into his ears.

“Guys, the organ’s got me!” Jay shouted.

“It’s possessed by a ghost,” Cole said. “Quick, water! We need water!”

Kai pulled out a fake flower, hoping some water would be in the vase. There was none. Cole found a tub of water and splashed it over the organ. Could that have been Morro? No. That would mean he broke away from Lloyd. He would’ve been softly calling for help if he wasn’t possessed.

“sdneirf s'orroM fo eno rehtonA,” Zane said.

“I think he said ‘another one of Morro’s friends,’” Kai said.

“There’s more where that came from,” Morro appeared from the doorway. Three ghosts sprouted from his armor.

You slammed your brother against the wall, your hand over his neck. His hands clawed at yours scratching your skin and clothed wrist.

‘Don’t strangle him,’ Tohru said.

‘I’m not,’ you said.

Ronin hopped out of the same room Morro came through. He was trying to wriggle out of the rope he was tied in.

“I guess I can see why you called it a family matter,” Ronin said.

“Where’s the scroll?!” you and Morro shouted at him.

“Untie me first, then we’ll talk.”

“Uh, kinda busy here,” you gestured to Morro.

“Aeroblade, coming your way!” Kai said.

You caught it while it was still behind you, not taking your eyes off your brother. The blade cut through Ronin’s ropes. He went into a shelf, pulling out what you wanted.

“The scroll!” Jay said.

“There’s only one of us that can possess it, and it’s gonna be me,” Ronin whistled. The floor rumbled beneath your feet. It cracked, splintering the wood. A ship pulled itself out of the water. It must’ve been the one he said he sold. Ronin got on, taking the scroll with him.

Morro brushed Ronin off the ship with a gust of wind. You both ran after him through the poor village. You climbed to the roof of one house, kicking him away. You pursued Ronin from there. Morro was quick to follow you.

“Ugh, do you ever just go away!” you said.

“You can’t get rid of me that easily,” Morro said.

“Oh, like it was so hard to leave me all those years ago!”

A ghost arrow chased after Ronin. He blocked it with a caution sign. Morro approached him from behind. He took the scroll.

You kicked him in the stomach, taking it for yourself. Morro was the one chasing you now. The docks were a maze, one dead end after another. You could only hope that the boys would catch up to you. Maybe Jay can be competent and lead them to where you were. They shouldn’t be far anyway.

You approached the unfinished dock. Another step would lead you to the water. Morro was at the other end. You held the scroll over the water without hesitation.

“One step closer and I’ll drop it!” you shouted.

He stopped, “You still need it too.”

“I could care less about the scroll. Now get out of Lloyd’s body so we can settle this!”

“So you don’t care about his well-being. He’s getting weak while I’m possessing him you know. No matter how hard he’s been trying to fight it, he just can’t seem to break free.”

“Don’t get him involved in this.”

“He already was.”

You didn’t try to deny what he said. In a way, he was right.

Something brushed against your wrist. It was a leaf. There were no trees nearby, and it was still the middle of summer. No leaves should be falling off the trees. It was wet too. Shit.

A strong wind blew away the strangle weed. Morro dashed forward, pulling you away from the end of the dock. The scroll fell away from your grip to go to Morro. You gained balance again, attempting to tackle Morro. He grabbed your hands. You both pushed on each other. The scroll folded in on itself against your hold.

“You tricked me,” you said.

“I saved your life,” Morro said.

“I could’ve handled it.”

“By what? Swimming? You never learned.”

“How do you know I never learned while you were gone?”

“Look at you.”

“Are you guys done arguing so we can get the scroll?” Kai jumped down from the nearest house.

Morro was quick to get away with the scroll. He jumped from one dock pole to another. You and Kai followed him. However, Morro was always one jump ahead. You had to stop at what you thought was the end of the path of wooden poles. There was another, but it was too far of a jump. Neither you nor Kai would make it.

However, Morro did. He propelled himself with the wind to get to the next pole. He unrolled the scroll. That was enough to learn to fly. A cyclone of air surrounded him, bringing him up to the mountains. He summoned his dragon not long after.

You summoned the sparrow to chase after him. It quickly caught up to him. Morro’s dragon was carrying another ghost. He had a bow and arrow strapped on him. He was swung to the dragon’s back. He shot an arrow, aiming for you. You quickly blocked it with your polearm just as Ronin did with the sign. It turned green and transparent. It fell through your hand, into the river where it disappeared.

You looked back at Stixx. Your friends were still there. If anything, they still needed you. And you needed them. Morro may have gotten away, but you would find a way to learn airjitzu.

You landed the sparrow at a table where Cole, Zane, and Jay were.

“He got away,” you said.

“Great, Morro gets airjitzu and we’re left with zipping. Ugh, I hate being leader,” Jay sighed.

Kai was dropped off at the dock on Ronin’s ship. You gave a small wave to him.

“At least we didn’t lose everything. Kai’s okay,” Cole said. “Tomorrow, I’ll be the leader and we’ll figure something out.”

“Thanks for the ‘pick me up.’” Kai got off the ship.

“Remember what I said about second chances,” Ronin said. “I’ll hold you to that deal. So long, and I hope you get your friend back.”

Kai approached the table with a solemn look. His gaze lingered on the ship rising over the mountains. A second chance. That’s what they were talking about?

“What did he mean by second chance?” Cole asked.

“We may have lost the scroll, but Ronin said something about another way to learn airjitzu,” Kai said.

“Wait. Ronin only makes deals in his favor, and you’re a horrible negotiator.”

“Kai, what did you give him?” Jay asked like an angry parent.

“I may have given him my shares of the tea farm. Along with all of yours…” Kai’s voice trailed off.

“What?!”

“Wu is gonna flip,” Cole said.

“I should’ve given you a lift when I had the chance. My apologies,” you said.

“I did what I had to. And for Lloyd, I’d do it again,” Kai said.

“So where are we going to learn airjitzu?” Cole asked.

“It’s called the airjitzu temple, where Sensei Yang taught his students. It won’t be easy. But I’d say we have a ghost of a chance.”

That was another way of saying to have faith.

Chapter Text

 The Airjitzu Temple was where Sensei Yang taught his students before he died. Tourists peruse the building now. They never go inside, only circling the ghostly presence of a forgotten art. There was irony within those tales today.

The temple itself had wooden boards nailed to the doors. The gardens were kept in check, but only for those wanting to wander them. A small river ran throughout, giving life to the flowers the temple kept safe. The bridge crossing over it was fragile. Moss covered the statue of Yang. Vines dangled off his amigasa and beard.

There were other tourists with you, taking pictures of everything in sight. They commented on how it looked nothing like the old paintings they saw. Of course, it wouldn’t. It was a new building back then. History eroded it in all corners.

“Unfortunately, we cannot take our tour inside the temple,” the tour guide said. “Rumors say that those within its walls at sunrise will turn into a ghost permanently. And if we listen closely, we might hear the ghost of Sensei Yang looking for his lost pupils.”

“I hope it’s not a rumor! For it’s our only hope!” Zane shouted.

“Sorry for my loud friend,” Cole apologized to the tourists. “He’s a little hard of hearing.”

The leader frowned, moving forward with the rest of the group. You and your friends stayed behind, not wanting to cause more trouble.

“I thought you said you fixed him?” Kai said.

“At least he isn’t talking backward,” Jay said. “I guess my tinkering got his volume level stuck.”

“You can at least-” Zane was cut off by you putting your hand over his mouth.

“Maybe you should talk if you have something really important to say,” Cole said.

“Who put you in charge?” Kai asked.

“I did. You guys messed it up and [Name] doesn’t want to. So, I’m in charge. I like plans simple. We sneak in, learn airjitzu from the ghost and get out before sunrise.”

“Let’s just hope Morro hasn’t found the next clue yet.”

The tourists gathered onto the bus as the sunset. The five of you hid away until nightfall. The owls echoed their hoots off the trees and up to the moon. The temple was covered with a shadow upon shadow. They folded within each other. They kept the dead company. That was why the grounds were so eerily quiet. The souls were waiting for their next idiotic visitors.

The front door was easy to open, despite the boards covering it. It shut on its own once all of you were inside, locking itself. The temple was dimly lit, like any other haunted house. You found your way into the study. A painting of Sensei Yang sat over a lit fireplace. Books tipped over on their shelves. They were dusty, the pages easily torn. A spider lowered itself to say hello. Cole flinched, stepping away from it.

“Relax,” Kai said. “If this place is really haunted, we just have to wait until he shows himself.”

“He should’ve been here by now,” Cole said. “The tour guide said we’d be ghosts if we’re not out by sunrise.”

“You don’t believe that, do you?”

“I’m just saying that I don’t want to be a ghost. And no one ever told us that this place would get so creepy at night.”

“Maybe he didn’t expect visitors and is trying to freshen up a little,” you said. It wasn’t true in the slightest. He was waiting the entire day for you. Come in. Have some tea. Stay awhile.

“Remind me why the one afraid of ghosts is in charge?” Jay joked.

Zane pulled out a book from one of the shelves, “Listen to this!” Jay took the book from him, and read.

“Wait, it says here that though many believe Sensei Yang’s rigorous teachings drove people away, no one has ever seen someone leave the temple grounds. Woah, how cool does that sound?”

“Not cool at all,” Cole said.

“Yang was hard on his pupils for a reason, for in his words,” Jay continued to read. “As iron sharpens iron, sensei sharpens student.”

“Wonder what that means,” Kai said.

An old grandfather clock chimed, rocking from side to side. A voice moaned from within it. The door was rattling.

“Oh no! It’s him! He’s in the clock!” Cole hid behind you.

That audio track was familiar. Morro used it to try and scare you. It didn’t work all that well. You thought the scary ghost was grandpa and told your father. None of it amused him, and neither was Morro. You were left with disappointment.

You opened the clock door with Cole still behind you. Zane’s falcon came flying out. Cole was screaming before he even knew what was going on. The falcon stopped playing the track and returned to Zane’s side. You couldn’t help but laugh with the rest of them.

“A prank?” Cole said. “Really?”

“We were just trying to help you relax,” Kai said.

“You should’ve heard your scream,” Jay said.

“I admit, that was a good one,” you said.

The fun was interrupted by a sudden crash. A signal that the spectral caretakers were ready for you. This was only the waiting room after all.

“Another prank? Didn’t anyone teach you to quit while you were ahead?” Cole left the room.

“Cole, wait,” you followed him into the hall. More paintings hung among the walls. Some were covered in wood.

You both stopped at a rattling door. The knobs were twisting and turning all on their own. Cole didn’t hesitate to try and open it.

“As if I believe in ghosts,” Cole said.

“Cole, we’re fighting one,” you said. “And besides, I don’t think this is another prank.”

“I mean, this is pretty good. How did you get the handle to move all by itself? Is Nya behind there?”

“Don’t open that door!” Jay shouted.

The others caught up to you. However, it was too late. Cole already opened the door to a dojo. The tatami mats were lit with a green light surrounding another painting. There was nothing special about it. Not at all. Incense was already lit, carrying small lines of smoke through the room.

“This must be where Yang taught his students,” Kai said.

“Or got rid of them,” Jay said.

“Come on, guys. If it wasn’t you behind the rattling door, then who was it?” Cole asked.

“An actual ghost,” you said.

As iron sharpens iron, sensei sharpens student.

A voice echoed throughout the temple. That was the ghost of Yang. He was here. He was knowing of your presence all this time. His eyes peered through the painting, watching every one of you.

The swords mounted on the wall shook. They were unhooked, pointing at you.

“Let’s get out of here!” Kai shouted.

You were chased down the hall by bats, narrowly missing the blades the moment the door closed. Yang’s laugh was still there. It made your heart pound.

“Does this mean he isn’t going to teach us airjitzu?” Jay joked.

“Forget that, we need to find a way out,” Cole said.

The window didn’t budge. Even with your powers, it didn’t. The laughs were getting louder. They taunted you.

“What about the front door?” Cole asked.

“That’s downstairs. We won’t make it in time,” Kai said.

“There’s a dumbwaiter,” Zane said.

“Hey, watch who you’re calling-hey, there’s a dumbwaiter over there,” Jay said.

It was a tight fit with barely any room for two people. Jay and Kai pulled on the rope to take you down. It was dark. You could only see a few inches in front of you.

“Geez, I can’t see in here,” Cole said.

Zane used his eyes for some semblance of light. The moment you did, Yang was there. He was transparent, a light green. You abruptly backed into the wall.

As iron sharpens iron…

The dumbwaiter fell fast. You got out as quick as you could. The front door wasn’t that far. You were the first to get there with Yang’s lingering voice and specter behind you.

As iron sharpens iron, sensei sharpens student.

The door opened. There was no outside world waiting for you. Green swirled upon the green. A dark void was at the end of the spiraling tunnel. You spread your arms out, keeping the boys from falling in. Nothing good could come from that.

“What the hell is that?!” Jay shouted. “No! Don’t tell me!”

“We appear to be trapped in an interdimensional ethereal realm!” Zane answered.

“Knowing that makes things worse!”

You couldn’t speak, only shut the door. It was enough to get you breathing again. How could that get your heart pounding so much? You thought it would break out of your chest to get away. You took a deep breath. Now wasn’t the time to think about that.

Before long, you were back in the study with the boys. It was almost 2 a.m. It’d been that long since you arrived. You could’ve sworn that it was shorter.

“Sure, we can’t get out of the temple; but at least the commotion died down,” Jay said.

“Yeah, we just have to get through the night together. Show Yang that we’re not scared,” Kai said.

The painting’s eyes glossed over you. The clock struck two. You dare not scream while the others did.

“It’s just a clock. We’re not afraid of time,” Cole said. “But I’m afraid of not getting out in time. Ugh! Why did we have to stay in a haunted temple like this?!”

“Everyone, get ahold of yourselves!” Zane shouted. “If my volume wasn’t stuck, I’d still be yelling at the decibel!”

“Zane’s right. What’re we doing? We need to toughen up. We missed the opportunity last time, so we can’t now.”

“Guys, paintings aren’t supposed to move are they?” Kai shivered. The painting he was pointing to moved like a film. Ocean waves were rocking a ship back and forth. It was all gray, the sea the darkest thing of all. Jay touched it. The painting swung before water dripped from the frame. The sea and the ship came to life.

Water pooled near it before spreading out. It soaked your shoes. The little ship bumped from wall to wall like it was still in that storm.

“Why would you touch the scary picture, Jay?” Cole said.

“I didn’t know it would do that, Cole,” Jay said.

Kai rushed to the door. The water quickly piled into the room. It would flood sooner rather than later. You followed him, turning at the door knobs. It was locked. Neither of you could swim, least of all Kai.

As iron sharpens iron, sensei sharpens student.

You kept fiddling with the knob. There wasn’t much time before the room would flood. The water was up to your waist. Your hands were cradling the door knob under the surface.

“Water…oh no, water,” Kai was hyperventilating. “We’re all gonna drown!”

The water piled up. You had no choice but to go under. Your eyes shut tightly; your grip was unwavering. Kai was desperate to open the door like you were. Maybe even more. He was the one afraid of water. Water was used to put out a flame. It was fickle and could pass through anything if desired.

Finally, the door opened. The water pushed you out of the study and into the end of the hall. You could breathe again.

“Well that wasn’t refreshing,” Kai said.

“First the haunting, now water, what’s next?” Cole said.

“That’s it. He’s testing us. Don’t you see,” Jay said. “Cole is afraid of ghosts and Kai is afraid of water.”

“As iron sharpens iron,” Kai said. “Sensei sharpens student. He’s making us face our fears.”

“Which means whatever he throws at us next, we face together,” Cole said. “No running away. Or swimming.”

“Fine, but time’s running out. We may not be alive if we don’t do this quick,” Kai said.

No running away. That was all you wanted to do now. Out of all the fears you had, you knew which one Yang would pick. You’ll be done for if they saw it. You tied to them with rope. If you tried to run, they would know. If you weren’t in this situation, it would be comforting. They won’t leave you alone.

“Just so we’re not surprised, Zane, Jay, [Name], what sort of things are you afraid of?” Kai asked.

You couldn’t answer. There were plenty. Saying something about your fears was a fear within itself.

“I think I know what I’m afraid of!” Zane turned around. “It’s Morro!”

He was at the end of the hall. He wasn’t possessing Lloyd. He was shorter. A green streak was in his hair. His eyebrows were thick and permanently pointed downward. He looked at you like a hopeful child. He was that hopeful child from back then. Your big brother.

Your friends were not seeing him that way. They only saw him as he possessed Lloyd. They were shaking from it. In a way, Yang was showing you a vision along with the rest of them. This one was all yours for a little while. It was a secret between you and no one.

“Of all the times we have to fight him again?” Cole said.

“And he knows airjitzu too,” Jay said. “We don’t stand a chance.”

“Hold on, f we’re all afraid of Morro, this must be the next test,” Kai said. “We can’t save Lloyd if we don’t have the courage to face him.”

“Wait!” you ran after him.

Morro was running down the hall. He beckoned you to follow him. The boys were tripping over themselves. It was hard to drag them along with the rope. They kept talking. Saying ‘What do you think you’re doing?’ ‘Maybe let the rest of us know if you’re going after him.’ You didn’t hear who was talking.

Don’t go. Not again.

He would turn to see if you were still following him. You ran faster when he did. It was your way of saying you were still there. The ghost of a smile traced his face. He went up a ladder to the attic. You stopped at the foot. The boys trampled over each other.

“He went up to the attic, huh?” Kai said.

“Great, attics. Pretty high on my list of fears,” Jay said.

You climbed up the ladder without hesitation. The attic was dark. Darker than any attic you’d seen. The walls weren’t made from wood. They were stone. You were caged in stone. A cave under the mountain.

“That’s weird. Why’re we in a cave now?” Kai asked.

This couldn’t be. You covered your mouth. Your stomach was heavy, queasy. It squished out the food you ate today. You had to swallow to keep it from coming out. Your legs gave out. You were on the ground. Everything was numb.

Don’t go. I still need you.

A voice echoed within the cave. Your younger self. It was quiet, too quiet for anyone else to have heard.

It’ll only be for a little while.

Morro. He told you that when he left. That was one of his lies.

The wind began to swirl around you. It was just like that night under the mountain. Morro shielded you both from the debris. The sounds of battle, the quaking earth, and your cries echoed in the cave.

“[Name], what’s wrong?” Kai asked.

“Perhaps it’s her fear!” Zane said over the wind.

“So she’s afraid of caves? A little weird to get so worked up about,” Jay said.

“Maybe she’s claustrophobic?” Cole said.

“Kai invented Santa Clause from a drug trip. I doubt that.”

“No, you idiot. I mean she’s afraid of tight spaces.”

“I thought the lid was shut,” you said.

The voices that were once in your head echoed in the cave louder than the other sounds.

Uncle went someplace far away, didn’t he?

He’s distant. He won’t talk to me.

Stay out of trouble, okay?

He’s gone.

I don’t want to live anymore.

Your heart was heavy. It was hard to breathe. You were suffocating under the mountain. There was no one to comfort you. No one to hold you and say everything will be okay. The fear of the past overtook you.

“I know it’s scary!” all of a sudden, someone spoke, Jay. “But we’re facing it together, aren’t we? You’re not alone anymore. You can rely on us.”

Your first instinct was to hug him. Your breathing slowed down. The voices were quiet. The battle ceased. The winds were no longer howling. The others hugged you. Sunrise was just around the corner. And you were willing to face it with them at your side. Maybe that was why your father brought them to stay with you in the first place.

The cave turned into a normal attic. Morro stood on the other side. He was no longer a boy. You saw him just as the boys did. Someone hurting your family.

You got up with the others. You stepped closer to him.

“He’s just standing there. What do we do?” Jay asked.

“I dunno, but go face him, Jay,” Kai pushed the other boy forward.

“What? Why me? You face him.”

“We’ll all face him,” Cole said.

It was too late. Morro turned into Yang. He stared at you with indifference and a touch of pride.

“As iron sharpens iron, sensei sharpens student,” he said. “You have passed the test.”

“Does that mean you’ll teach us airjitzu?” Kai asked.

Yang merely held a scroll. Cole took it.

“Only those who see things through will reap the benefit of the reward,” Yang said. “A new dawn is arriving. Get out before you join me and my students if you can.”

A small group of ghosts stood behind their teacher. He was their captor, the one who cursed them because they wanted to fly. They could never do so because of him.

You fell down the ladder trying to escape. Yang’s laugh taunted you once more.

“Why did we tie ourselves together?!” you shouted.

“No complaining. Let’s just go!” Cole started running with the scroll.

You were running in sync with the others. The clock was ticking louder and louder. You could turn into a ghost at any moment. And yet, you weren’t afraid. The boys were with you. They would be with you until the end. Time and time again, they would be there. You were okay if they were by your side. And you would be by theirs if they turn into ghosts. None of you would separate.

Cole was right behind you. You were both so close to freedom. The scroll took the opportunity to fall out of Cole’s hand. It fluttered around in the air, bumping from one end to the other. You and Cole stopped. Both of you were getting dragged.

“Go ahead. I’ll get it,” Cole untied the rope around his waist.

“What if you turn into a ghost?” you asked.

“I’ll be fine,” Cole gently pushed you out the door.

You rushed down the stairs, into the sunlight. Morning arrived with a kiss on your cheeks. The birds were chirping. Their song echoed in the sky.

“I can see my hand again,” Kai sighed. “Thank goodness.”

“What about Cole? Where is he?” Jay asked.

“He’s-” you couldn’t say it. There was no other way you could. Was Cole still in the temple? What if he was tied to Yang forever because of you? If only that scroll hadn’t slipped out of his hand.

“Guys, I got the scroll!” Cole was outside. He wasn’t still there, attached to the ghosts like the curse. Did that mean he was still human?

You turned around to be disappointed. He was seethrough, a sickly green. His voice echoed in his vocal cords. It was like multiple voices were talking at the same time. They were all him.

“Cole you’re a…” Kai’s voice trailed off.

“I’m a ghost,” Cole said.

Cole was a ghost and it was your fault.

Chapter Text

 You had to go on another uncomfortable sparrow ride. Your father told you to meet at the tea shop when you were done with the temple. The sparrow was the fastest way to get there. You were almost in the same position you were in the first time you and the boys used the same bird. You would do just about anything to get out of this position. All the touching, the squishing, it was all too close.

"Wow, the silence is so loud today," Jay commented.

"Of course it is. We're tired from the temple and...well..." Kai's voice trailed off.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry for bringing it up."

None of you wanted to acknowledge it. Not even Cole. It was so apparent that you couldn't say the word, 'ghost,' when referring to him. He may not have died, but the fact that a curse made Cole the way he was now made things worse. Your heart was breaking, everything was frozen. It was all frozen. It weighed on your ribs, your lungs, and your entire body.

"I'm a little curious though," Jay said. "[Name], what exactly was your fear in the temple?"

The sparrow almost disappeared. You gripped the reigns, biting your lip. You should've known they would ask. The past wasn't an obvious fear, unlike water or spiders. The boys looked at you quite curiously. By then, you knew you couldn't escape from them.

If you don't tell someone about a problem, then nothing will change.

Your father's words ate at you again. It was just like back when you unlocked your true potential. Although, today was a quiet day and not a calm night. They rang true still. You took in a deep breath.

"I guess, I fear the past," you said. "When the attic looked like a cave and all the wind came in, that was a memory I had. I think I was six."

"Jeez, what happened when you were six?" Jay asked.

"Uncle Garmadon was cast into the underworld. Morro and I had to hide in the mountain so we didn't get hurt."

"That's way too intense for a six-year-old."

"Is it?"

You'd heard that phrase from strangers in nearby villages. It wasn't long after that incident. They would comment on it as you walked past them. Their looks were all so pitiful. It was forced emotion toward a child they barely knew.

"I guess Morro was nice back then," Jay said.

"Sensei said that to us when he was talking about him," Kai said.

"I don't mind telling you a few more things," you blurted. You regretted it the moment you did. If you weren't focused on flying, you would try and get as far away from them as possible. What made you think it was a good idea to say that? They can't know. And yet, you still experienced those memories even when you didn't acknowledge them.

Wu's words came back to you. That's when you knew that they should know. They were kept in the dark for so long. They were probably worried. No. They were worried.

"You don't have to," Cole said, the first thing he said since turning into a ghost.

"But I want to," you said. "So I hope you like a good story."

The story was about two siblings.

...

In and out. In and out. That's what it felt like to be possessed. Lloyd was looping from the real world to the subconscious of his captor. Today, he was in the subconscious. That was better. He did not want to see his friends getting hurt by someone controlling him. Lloyd always thought that ignorance was bliss.

This time, he was walking down the road, following someone. The sun was high. The steps up the mountain were familiar. Lloyd kept moving forward. He was following a small child with chin-length raven hair. There were other children there. Their faces were scratched out like a kid crossing a word they spelled wrong.

Finally, Lloyd got to the old monastery. His heart fell the moment he saw the gate, the tiles ceiling, and the concrete walls. He was so young when the serpentine burned it down. He had not given the order. Scales had done it while Lloyd was tied and treated like a prisoner. A part of him said he deserved it.

The children were rummaging through the garbage cans outside the monastery. Slugs crawled out of rims. They grabbed the slugs and any leftover food thrown away. Their clothes were tattered. Dirt was on their faces and bodies. They reeked of the alleyways in villages. Lloyd sat and watched the group of kids. Something would come of it, he was sure of it.

Eventually, it did. Someone opened the main gate. A man holding a child saw the kids going through his trash. Lloyd knew this man was his uncle Wu. He was so young. His hair was blonde; he had a goatee. The child he held looked no more than two. She had curious eyes. Her face was so familiar to Lloyd. That was [Name]. She was so tiny.

The children ran away from him the moment they were caught. All except for the raven-haired boy. He hid behind the trash can. His eyes peered at Wu as if ready to pounce.

Wu left the front door. He came back with a tray of food, tempura. Wu hid behind the gate. The boy slowly made his way to the food. He ate one, then two. Before long, the boy was engulfing the tempura.

"Please, pace yourself," Wu said. "I wouldn't want you to choke."

The boy stopped eating. Wu was kneeling near the door. The boy looked almost embarrassed when staring at him.

"What's your name?" Wu asked.

"...Morro," the boy hesitated at first. His gaze went to the rock he was sitting on and the strange man smiling at him.

Lloyd backed away from the boy. He's heard that name. Morro was the ghost possessing him. He was in his childhood. His dreams. A wave of fear washed over the blonde. He was trembling. That innocent, homeless child would grow up to hate and hurt so many. That included him. He was the person Morro hated the most.

Little [Name] stumbled out of the gate. Morro pulled the plate away from her. However, it looked like she wasn't gunning for the food. She went down one stair before tripping. Wu stretched his hands out to catch her. Morro got to her first. His movements were quick. Lloyd watched as little [Name] laughed.

"That little girl is my daughter, [Name]," Wu said.

Little [Name] turned around. She successfully went up the stair. She leaped into her father's arms, "Papa!"

"Why don't you come inside?" Wu smiled at Morro.

That was how the memory faded.

...

You ran through the monastery halls, finding the doors to the courtyard up front. At that time, you were around four. Morro was training outside. That meant he couldn't play with you. You clutched Usagi, your stuffed rabbit, in your arms. You stepped outside, sitting him on the step next to you.

Papa and Morro sparred across the courtyard. The dragon didn't unleash the mechanisms underground. Wooden swords clashed several times throughout the circle of cement. Watching these sparring sessions were fun. You found all the little details that no one else could. The footwork, the slashes made with wood, and everything in between. You could only wish to be on the battlefield alongside them.

The end of Papa's wooden sword stopped near Morro's throat. The wind around the courtyard stopped blowing in. The sunlight got warmer and warmer within milliseconds. They both pulled out of the battle.

"Good work, Morro," Papa said with a smile.

"Thanks, sensei," Morro said. "Did you see how close I was to beating you today?"

"Yes, I did. One day, you will. Just have some patience."

"'Kay, I know."

"Papa!" you waved using Usagi's arm. "Morro!"

The two looked at you with smiles adorning them. Morro knelt to your level. You kicked your feet back and forth quickly. It was like you were wagging your tail at the sight of its owner. All you needed now was some fur and to bark.

"Did you enjoy watching?" Morro asked.

"Can I do that too?" you asked.

"Do what?"

"I wanna swing one of those swords. Ooh! What about a spear-thing like Tsukigami?"

"You mean a polearm?"

"Yeah, that thingy!"

You squeezed Usagi, unable to contain your excitement for battle. Papa ruffled your hair as he passed the stairs.

"[Name], you're still too little to start training," he said. "Come on. We have to get you ready for the festival."

"Are we gonna see the fireworks?" you asked.

"We do every year."

"Yay! Fireworks! Fireworks!"

You jumped around and took your father's hand. Usagi was under your arm. You loved the summer festival when you were young. Every year, you would go to Jamanakai village with Morro and Papa.

Your favorite part was when night would fall. That was when the fireworks started. This year was the same as every other. Papa would let you stay up later than usual.

You were in your favorite kimono. The stars were so bright, accenting the fireworks blooming in the night. There was a nearby hill you would go to. The view of the sky was beautiful. It was so quiet, with no strangers to stop the joys of family time. If you could go back there, you would.

...

Lloyd stood by the doorway, peering into a memory with a six-year-old [Name]. On the other side were the golden weapons. Wu and Morro were in the middle of the pile. Morro didn't look so pleased. Lloyd already knew what this was. Although, the little girl still wondered what her father and brother were yelling about.

"I'm sorry," Wu said. "Destiny has already made its decision."

Morro walked backward. [Name] was quick to run away like a thief. She held the paw of a rabbit plush.

"Then I refuse to listen!" Morro ripped the thin door off its hinge. "I  am  the green ninja! You made me believe!"

The memory quickly faded. It was a short one. Lloyd was a bit glad about that. The more he looked at it, the more his heart broke.

...

You sat in front of the gate. It was chilly outside. You were six. Not long before, your uncle was cast to the underworld. At least, that was what your father told you. Usagi was in your lap as you waited. Despite it being made from stuffing, you tried to keep it warm.

All of this was done for a wish. You were wishing that Garmadon would come through that door, that Wu was wrong. Garmadon wasn't far away. He, Auntie Misako, and Lloyd would come back to visit. Your family did not disappear in front of you. No. They didn't.

There was also Morro. Ever since that night under the mountain, he was distant. He snapped at you a few times. You didn't blame him. All of this was hard to take in. However, there seemed to be a rift between him and Wu. Morro told you he would defy destiny once. Perhaps your father did not agree.

"[Name], it's time to come inside."

You turned to see your father. You used Usagi to wave at him before going back to the gate. Wu sat down next to you. He gently tried to coax you to go to bed. You didn't budge. What if Uncle came back and you weren't there to see him like always? Part of you knew that it wouldn't happen.

"Uncle went someplace far away, didn't he? He's not coming back, right?" you admitted the truth. "What about Morro? He's distant too, and he won't talk to me. Is it because he's not the Green Ninja?"

Wu opened his mouth, then closed it. He was at a loss for words. You could not look at yourself, but you felt the tears in your eyes. A few dropped on Usagi. You hugged the plushie tighter.

"Is Morro gonna leave too?" your voice quivered. It was a question you never thought you could ask. It wasn't long ago that Morro said he would stay with you. He promised.

'We'll stay together, I promise. We won't fight like Sensei and Garmadon. The two of us together, we can't be beaten!'

He promised you that. How dare you question his words.

You sobbed into your father's arms. He took the opportunity to pick you up and take you back inside. From that day onward, you didn't like the Green Ninja anymore.

...

Lloyd followed an older Morro down the hall. He could've been around thirteen. It was the dead of night. He had a bag slung over his shoulder and a sheathed dagger. He didn't even try to hide from Wu. Perhaps he knew what was going on all along.

Morro stopped at one door in particular. He gently opened it, revealing a bedroom. It was [Name]'s bedroom. She must've been eight now. She was still asleep. Lloyd followed Morro inside. He couldn't help but do so. He was in too deep. Every once in a while, Lloyd thought he was intruding. He would always shake away any thoughts like that. Morro was the first to intrude. It wouldn't hurt that much for Lloyd to look at a few memories while held hostage. He sat across from Morro, on the other side of his cousin's futon.

Morro gently shook little [Name] awake. Her eyes fluttered open. The same stuffed rabbit was in her arms.

"Morro?" she said, her voice groggy and filtered with sleep. "What's all that stuff?"

Just a few things for a journey."

"You're leaving?"

"Just to find something."

"Don't go! I still need you!" little [Name] lept into Morro's arms. She tried holding him to the ground, desperately clinging to him. The look in Morro's eyes showed a tinge of regret. Lloyd never thought he could feel that.

"It'll only be for a little while," Morro said. "Besides, don't you want to meet your grandpa?"

"I get to meet him?" little [Name]'s eyes lit up.

"Of course, you do. I'm going to find him. Then, I'll come back as the Green Ninja," Morro ruffled her hair. "Promise to stay out of trouble while I'm gone, okay?"

Little [Name] hesitated before nodding. Lloyd could only grimace at the white lie. It may have been with good intentions. Yet he couldn't shake what those lies would bring to the present. Lloyd was chilled by the hatred in [Name]'s eyes when he was first possessed. All he could think to say to her was, 'I'm sorry.' Those words would never come out.

Morro was gone into the night. Lloyd felt he had no choice but to follow.

That was how the memory faded.

...

You were ten when you found out about Morro's death. When you were nine, your father finally let you start your training. It was what you put most of your time into back then. Because one day, Morro would go through that door. You would spar. He would find out how strong you'd gotten. Everything would go back to normal.

One morning, you were practicing your form with a polearm. Your father said to practice your footwork. If you didn't, you might trip over yourself in a real fight. You made sure to try and sync the step with each swing.

The polearm you had twirled and spun with grace. It was flashy. It could distract you and an enemy. But it was so pretty too. You couldn't help but make your training look like a dance.

You were interrupted by your father. The door was busted open. The sound was stifling. It made you drop your weapon. You quickly retracted your hands from it, squaring your shoulders.

Wu was breathing heavily, his chest heaving. Sweat was dripping down his brow and slowly growing beard. His eyes were wide. He smelled of spirit smoke and incense sticks. Perhaps, he saw something unpleasant in the future.

"Did something happen?" you asked.

"I...I saw something in the spirit smoke," Wu said. "It's Morro. He was in the Caves of Despair."

"Is that where grandpa is? Did he find him?"

You could've sworn that was where the Scythe of Quakes was being held.

"He did not," Wu said. "The cave closed in. He's gone."

You already knew he was lying about wanting to meet your grandfather. Part of you wanted to think he was going for your sake. Morro only cared for that green gi. That was all he wanted when he thought he could be the chosen one. He said he would seize destiny. Destiny killed him as a result.

"It's all his fault," you walked past your father. That dream you once had of your brother coming home was gone. He lied to you and became too obsessed with becoming something different.

Like Morro's fixation with destiny, your grief slowly transformed into hatred.

...

"I didn't see him for seven years after that," you said. "Come to think of it, this is pretty predictable. Y'know, the siblings that were on good terms, and now they hate each other. Runs in the family, I guess."

"Oh you poor child," Jay hugged your head. It threw you off balance. The sparrow frantically flapped its wings to try and stay on track to the bounty.

"Hey, I'm trying to fly here," you said.

Jay let go. The rest of the boys were back in their uncomfortable positions. Even if it was shocking, you were glad. Not even your father had such an emotional reaction to your despair. You did not blame him back then. He was going through his own grief with Morro.

You whipped the reigns. The sparrow flew faster. It was only a matter of time before you would get home. The boys shouted as if they were on a roller coaster.

"I know we're in a rush but why are you going so fast?!" Kai's voice quietly echoed in the wind.

"Somen!" you said. "The best way to take a break is to eat somen with your friends."

"How is Cole going to eat the somen?!" Zane said.

"...Ghost somen," you said.

"That's not a thing," Cole said.

"I'm gonna make it a thing!"

The sparrow let off the speed so no one fell off. However, it was still going fast. Your heart was light as if it were bouncing around in your ribcage. For now, until you got back to the others, the burden on your shoulders got lighter.

Chapter Text

 It wasn’t long before you were up in the skies again. The bounty was back in order after Nya fixed it during her water training. Kai was most shocked to hear about his sister’s newfound power. That might’ve been because neither sibling knew their parents were elemental masters. The others thought it was cool while you knew all along.

Ronin became the newest edition to your little group after what Kai did. You expected him to be useless, but that was far from the case. He helped you practice airjitzu by raising a red flag. You each had to get to it by doing airjitzu. None of you have achieved the goal yet.

Kai had his turn to catch the flag. A cyclone surrounded his body, lifting him. His was tinted red. He was fast approaching the flag when it disappeared. Ronin was sitting on a metal ledge, snickering to himself.

“A bit too short, kind of like your temper, Kai,” he said.

“Let me try again,” Jay said. “I’m for sure better at airjitzu than you.” His taunt was directed at Kai.

“Oh yeah? When did that happen?” Kai said.

“Right now, it did,” Jay geared up his cyclone. His was like Kai’s but blue. He didn’t reach the flag like he said he would. Jay fell from grace, landing flat on his back.

“Wow, that was so much better than me,” Kai rolled his eyes.

“It was,” Jay said.

“That wasn’t airjitzu at all,” Ronin teased.

“To master airjitzu, we must uplift, not put each other down,” Wu stepped onto the bridge, staff in hand.

“You closed up for a week. At least let me have some fun.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier with our old outfits?” you asked. “These new ones are the same design but super heavy.”

“They’re embedded with deepstone,” Wu said. “It will protect you from possession.”

“Maybe it’s because airjitzu isn’t an uplifting enough name?” Jay got up. “How about this? ‘Cyclon-do.’”

Jay tried to get to the flag again. He missed, going too high instead of too low. However, he got the apple Ronin was eating. When he landed, Jay took a bite.

“See, super uplifting,” Jay said.

“Speaking of uplifting, where’s Cole?” Kai asked. “I haven’t seen him all that much since…that.”

“I can go look for him,” you said. “You guys keep training.”

No one protested.

You traversed the newly built hall, polished with clear lacquer meant to push through an enemy attack. It was limited but couldn’t be taken down by a simple ball of energy. You finally stopped at the boys’ room. It was cracked open ever so slightly. You softly pushed it open. The squeaking door echoed from wall to wall.

Cole’s ghostly form sat on his bed. His hand phased through an empty cup. He gently floated over his sheets.

“Can I come in?” you knocked. Cole didn’t turn around. You took it as an invitation to enter.

You gingerly sat next to him. You hesitated to touch him, even if you couldn’t.

“Everyone’s worried,” you said. “You haven’t started airjitzu training either.”

“What does it matter?” Cole tried grabbing the empty cup. It didn’t work. His hand went through the ceramic. “If you already can’t tell, I’m a ghost now. This is who I am.”

“That’s not a bad thing,” you said. “You’re still the same Cole, even if you look a little different. What’s important is that you can’t give up.”

“I can’t change back, so what’s the point? I can’t touch anything; I can’t get wet without poofing into the cursed realm. I’m not alive anymore.”

He was suffering. His hand was over his eyes as he flopped on his back. It was almost painful to look at. Cole desperately clung to life as it was being taken away from him. And yet, he did not die like a normal human. The temple was merely cursed. If you had stayed with him in the temple to retrieve the scroll, would you share the same fate? Would Cole not have such a lonely look in his eyes?

“Life has its own twists and turns; it’s what we do with them that matters,” you said. “Take me, for example. I had no idea I would have a god sharing a body with me, but I put up with her anyway.”

Cole sat up a little, looking at you with uncertainty you’ve seen countless times before.

“Besides, curses eventually break, don’t they?” you said. “Someday, you’ll turn back into a human. Even if I have to break the curse to do it.”

“You don’t mean…” Cole said.

“Did you forget who raised me, Cole? Trust me, we’ll go outside once it rains and you’re human again. I promise.”

Promises were fragile, but you wanted to keep this one. You didn’t want to see Cole have such sad eyes anymore. He would still suffer down the line. Having his curse broken would alleviate it just a bit.

Cole was upright. A smile crept on his face little by little. You smiled too. It was contagious. His arms wrapped around you suddenly. You didn’t feel his touch. There was only a specter, an imitation of a real hug. That was what made it so special. You hugged him back as best you could. It was nice to pretend for a little while.

“Hey, guys. What’s going on?” Kai barged in on the moment.

“Nothing,” Cole pulled away from you. He was abnormally quick. He kept his arms to his side as if he were a toy soldier. Was he embarrassed by trying to hug someone?

“Kay,” Kai said. “Misako wanted to brief us on the next clue.”

“Sure, come on,” you said.

You and Cole followed Kai to where the others were. Misako had a projector in the middle of a dark room. She pulled up the slide for the next clue on Wu’s staff. It depicted a sword piercing the clouds.

“Now that you and Morro both have airjitzu, it’s time to turn our attention to the second clue,” Misako said. “The sword in the clouds.”

“Me senses tell me it can be many a sword. There be the fire sword, the sword of destiny, the golden cutlass,” Zane said.

You covered your mouth to hold in a laugh. Zane’s voice was a lot like how a pirate spoke. At least if the pirate was in a silly movie. Jay was close to laughing hysterically along with you.

“I thought you fixed his voice,” Kai asked Jay.

“I did. Then I made it better,” Jay said.

Zane continued to list through more swords. You held in your laugh like holding your breath. Eventually, it came out in a sputtered guffaw.

“Aye, Zane. To add to your colorful account, there are a lot more swords than what you just named,” Misako said. “It wasn’t until Morro and his allies commandeered Nya’s Samurai X mech that it all became clear. It’s the Sword of Sanctuary, protected in the Cloud Kingdom.”

“There ain’t no place in Ninjago called the Cloud Kingdom,” Ronin commented in the back of the room.

“You’re right. It isn’t in Ninjago,” Wu said. “It’s a parallel realm that can be reached through the blind man’s eye.”

‘The Cloud Kingdom. That’s where the writers of destiny lay,’ Tohru grimaced.

‘You don’t sound excited,’ you thought.

‘Let’s just way…we’re not on the best of terms.’

The blind man’s eye is a raging storm above the clouds. It resides on Ninjago’s highest peak, a place called the Wailing Alps. Many that try to traverse the mountains don’t come back alive. Corpses have been found by rescue teams. However, the actual amount is possibly double.

Misako flipped the slides, showing the summit. Wu stood up, gesturing to the screen. It was a drawing of what looked like you and the boys ascending to the cloud kingdom with airjitzu.

“When the blind man’s eye passes its peak, you five ninja will jump into the eye of the storm. With airjitzu, you can enter the Cloud Kingdom,” Wu said.

“What makes the Sword of Sanctuary so special?” Cole asked.

“Upon looking at its reflection, you can foresee your opponent’s next move.”

“Whoever gets it, has a huge advantage.” Misako turned off the projector. “This is more than about finding the sword. It’s about saving my son. You cannot fail.”

“And we won’t,” you said.

“Then let’s gear up. We have one big mountain to climb,” Kai said.

…

The bounty passed over the snow-capped mountain. A cold wind bit any exposed skin you had, no matter how little that was. Snowflakes blew off the mountain. It went toward the ship, a warning for what was to come.

“Is it just me, or is it getting really cold?” Jay shivered.

“Freezing if you ask me,” Kai replied.

Ice froze over the bow. Icicles dripped while frost covered the outside. You were glad Nya called you down before things got worse.

Five mechs were lined up along the walls. Each was color-coded to your suits. How nice. You got into yours after putting on a fluffy coat for the trip. It wouldn’t be enough to hold back the cold, but everything counts for something like this.

“Without these mechs, you won’t be able to survive the extreme cold,” Nya said. “I’ve also installed headsets into your hoods for easy communication.”

“Tell me, Zane, how tall is this mountain?” Jay said into his hood.

“The precise elevation of the Wailing Alps be well over three leagues and twenty-eight fathoms,” Zane said.

“Pfft,” you and Jay held back a laugh.

“Once you get to the peak, you only have one shot to shoot the blind man’s eye,” Ronin said. “Don’t miss.”

“Uhh, I don’t know, guys. You had time to practice airjitzu,” Cole said. “Maybe I should sit this one out.”

“Don’t even think about it,” Kai said. “You may be a ghost, but you’re part of this team.”

“And if it weren’t for you getting the first clue, we wouldn’t be here,” Jay said.

“So, what’re you gonna do, Cole? Are you in or out?” Nya said.

Cole hesitated before grabbing the handles on his mech. “Open the hangar doors,” he told Ronin.

You were dropped into the whirling snow. The mechs made it easier to land without getting it on your face. The cold frosted devil attacked the moment you stopped moving your mech. Your arms were starting to become numb with frostbite. You couldn’t feel your nose anymore.

Cole fell flat on the mountain. His mech barely got up from the fumble. Kai and Jay helped him the rest of the way.

“Are you sure you guys still want me along?” Cole asked. “I mean, I can’t control the mech very well, let alone this new body.”

“Everyone has bad days. We’ll pick you up so you can return the favor next time,” Jay said.

“Jay be right,” Zane said. “The only way we get up the mountain is to be a hardy crew.”

“This isn’t about who’s a ninja, nindroid, or ghost. Above all else, we’re family,” Kai said. “And as iron sharpens iron, sibling sharpens sibling.”

“Alright, now that we’re past that, let’s go before limbs start freezing off,” you said.

The starting point was a lot higher than where most climbers would start their journey. Nya said that the blind man’s eye would pass over the summit in four hours. If there was no trouble, then you could get to Cloud Kingdom in no time. The mechs should be strong enough that you wouldn’t fall off the mountain when it cries.

The mechanical turning and metal stepping into snow became a comfort as you made your way up. The sky was a lot clearer than you imagined. Perhaps the mountain was having a happy day. It must like visitors that are strong enough to stay for a long time.

“So the Sword of Sanctuary can let you see all of your opponent's attacks?” Jay asked.

“Not all of them. Maybe just the next couple,” you said.

“But if we had that kind of power, not even Morro can stop us.”

“That means if Morro got the sword, we’d be powerless against him,” Kai said.

You had gotten up the first major hill. The mountain got steeper and steeper with each step you took. Minutes began to feel like hours. You were wondering if you would be here for a lifetime, living among the snow once again.

Tracks covered the path up ahead. Zane went ahead. They were big enough to come from a mech, not unlike yours.

“Pixal has analyzed yee tracks,” Zane said. “We not be the first ones to climb this pass today.”

“You think it was Morro?” Kai asked.

“Who else is trying to get to the sword?” you said.

When you said those words, the mountain cried. A gust of wind and snow brushed across you. It sounded like all the pain and suffering from previous climbers in one scream. The mountain did not like conflict.

“Wind gusts! Anchor down!” Zane said.

The metal from the mech’s hands dug into the frozen rocks. You were hunkered in, trying to keep warm from the sudden gusts of wind. Cole slipped down the mountain. Zane’s grappling hook got him before he was thrown off the mountain.

“Woo, that was close. I owe you one,” Cole said.

“Come on. There’s still a lot of mountain to go,” Kai said.

It didn’t take very long for there to be another cry. This time, it did not sound like one the mountain made. It was a scream, something so primal and high-pitched. A cloud of snow tumbled down the path you were on.

Whoever did that caused this avalanche.

You couldn’t control your mech anymore. The snow overtook it with its force and desire to take all life with it. Corpses of climbers were buried this way.

Jay slid down the mountain, hitting a rock that destroyed his mech. He was sliding with one of the hands. He clung to it for dear life. You hopped off your mech. It was too flimsy to survive with. You hugged a dead tree.

Kai must’ve had the same idea. He grabbed onto one of the branches.

“Made it,” he sighed. It wasn’t for long. Both of you were pushed off the tree by a gust of wind.

You fell on Jay’s mech hand on a collective sled ride. If this weren’t a dangerous situation, you would’ve counted it as your first one.

A giant ball of snow rolled past Cole. He was closest to a cliff of ice. Cole dove into it as if it were the ocean. The snow glowed a sickly green.

You were sliding faster and faster. Zane finally caught up to you too. You thought you would fall to your doom. It was close to that for that matter. You failed auntie. You failed Lloyd again. You failed yourself in trying to protect him.

Forgive me.

No one could forgive you. Because you weren’t dead. Cole saved you, Jay, Kai, and Zane from that doom. At least, you thought it was Cole. He was made of snow with glowing green eyes.

“Woah, Cole! Is that you?” Jay said.

“Just returning the favor,” Cole put you down with Zane’s mech. He got out of his snowy form, turning back to regular Cole. The snow fell around him, blocking the sharp cliff.

“You possessed the snow?” Kai said.

“I guess I did,” Cole looked at his hands.

“That’s amazing!” you beamed.

“First we have cyclon-do. Now we have a ghost on our side?!” Jay’s eyes sparkled.

“‘Tis good to see you smile,” Zane said.

Kai turned around, “We’re up in spirit, but down four mechs. How’re we going to catch up with Morro?”

“Let’s see what else I can do then,” Cole said.

Cole went into Zane’s mech. It became one with him. You, Jay, and Kai were on the shoulders while Zane was in the chest cavity. Cole did the rest. He was running up the mountain with no problems. The snow wasn’t a problem anymore. Cole didn’t need to do much climbing either.

The wind was at peace with this resolution. The mountain was smiling down at your little group. To think that such a sensitive soul could ever be happy at a time like this. It reminded you of your childhood. You were once a crybaby hardened by broken bonds and abandonment. Being more like the mountain could do you some good.

Sensitive souls are a beautiful thing. They felt the most and weren’t afraid to show it.

“It’s like your possession gave the mech boosters,” Kai told Cole.

“Boosters? Is that a ghost joke?” Cole asked from the monitor.

“Glad to see your sense of humor hasn’t changed,” Kai said.

Cole climbed up the rough terrain with no problem. It was enough to approach the Hanging Temple. It was built near the summit before the Wailing Alps froze over. No one has visited it in hundreds of years.

Icicles grew below the deck holding it up. Most of the buildings and lanterns were taken over by snow and ice piling them over and over again. Tohru sighed within your head. Your heart sank. It was like you saw the specters of those who once traversed these grounds. Many were priestesses and villagers that didn’t mind the cold.

Tohru must’ve loved this place. That’s why you felt this way while looking at it.

‘Yuki…’ Tohru couldn’t finish the name.

“Incoming!” Jay shouted.

An arrow cut through the wind. A ghost arrow. It hit Kai square in the stomach and disappeared.

“Kai!” you and Jay shouted.

Kai got up, shaking his head. “Wow, this armor really works,” he said.

You weren’t given the time to marvel at the craftsmanship. Something pulled you up the mountain. It was another mech. It resembled Nya’s old mech. A ghost with a skull for a head was piloting it. Your back slammed against the frozen wood, knocking the air out of you.

To your left, Morro was running through the small temple. He was already at the bridge and on his way to the blind man’s eye. It was beginning to settle over you, the eye of the storm.

“Morro’s getting away,” Cole said.

“Oh no he isn’t,” you got up quickly. Your feet moved on their own in an attempt to pursue your brother.

“Oh yes, he is,” a ghost appeared in front of you. “You must be the fabled sister. Oh well, you could’ve helped us. But now we have to stop you.” Your feet came to a stark stop. She had her mouth covered. She screamed that same scream that caused the avalanche. It pierced your eardrums and shook the lantern icicles. They struck the wood.

The banshee scream melted into a cry from the mountain. A sharp wind blew in, sharper than the last.

“Oh no…anchor down!” Jay shouted.

You took out your aeroblade and dug it into the wood. It scraped against it and led you to the edge. Then it was over all of a sudden. That didn’t last nearly as long.

Unless…Morro stopped it.

You bit your lip. That was for his own sake. Not yours. Stop getting your feelings in a twist.

“Ugh, I wanna get off this stupid mountain. I hate heights,” Cole whined.

“Zane, can you carry us back up?” Jay asked.

“Aye aye,” Zane said.

He did so and came face to face with the ghost mech. The mech through you, Cole, Jay, and Kai off it to fight Zane. The archer shot an arrow aimed at Jay.

“Look out,” you said.

“Got it,” Jay threw how aeroblade at the archer. It made the archer disappear with the price of never seeing the blade again. “And I lost it.”

“Not the time. Let’s get out of here,” Kai said.

Zane hopped out of his mech while the ghost was still attached to it. The mech flew up in the sky with the ghost attached to it. He was quick to catch up with you.

The blind man’s eye was fast approaching the summit. You had little time left. There was no way you could get there before it passed over.

“Get on,” you summoned the sparrow. “Should’ve done this the whole time.”

There were no arguments. Not when a ghost arrow was heading straight for you. The sparrow zipped to where Morro was. He was holding one of the icicles. You smirked.

Finally, beat him.

You thought you did until a gust of wind came in. The mountain cried again. Morro held onto the icicle. The sparrow faltered in its flying path. You couldn’t keep up with it for very long. The sakura energy dissipated. The wings were the first to go.

Out of instinct, you grabbed the nearest icicle. The boys, thankfully, had the same idea. The wind was unmerciful. The sparrow couldn’t clear anything like it no matter how hard you tried.

“How do we get up there?” Jay said. “We can’t just climb. We’ll fall.”

“The blind man’s eye is passing,” you said. “We won’t make it in time before it's gone.”

“Wait,” Kai said. “The only way to get up there is airjitzu.”

“Cyclon-do!” Jay said. “Great idea.”

“But I haven’t practiced,” Cole said.

“We’ll catch you if you fall,” you said.

Kai was the first to do it. He got to the very top of the mountain. He let out a relieved shout. Jay followed his lead, then Zane. You were next.

The wind carried you, shielded you from itself. It lifted you to where you wanted to go. You were gently placed on the snow, below the eye of the storm. Airjitzu reminded you of back then. That moment where Morro shielded you in the cave. It made your heart yearn for your brother again.

Cole was the last one. He clung to the icicle, shutting his eyes tight.

“Come on, Cole. You can do it! Brother sharpens brother!” Kai encouraged the boy.

“The only thing sharp right now is this icicle!” Cole shouted.

“You’re the strong one! Even Jay could do it!”

“Wow…thanks,” Jay said.

“What if I can’t grab your hand? I’ll fall and die!” Cole shouted.

“You’re a ghost. You can’t die,” Kai said.

That was enough for Cole to let go. He let go of wishing for his mortal body. He was still the master of earth after all. The wind surrounded him and carried him to the top with the rest of you. He was unsteady, yet he did it.

You became a tumble of a group when Cole fell on you. His hands were at either side of your head. Despite being a ghost, you could feel his warmth. Your heart thumped like a banging drum. You both pulled away from each other.

“Way to go, Cole!” Kai said.

“Hehe, I knew you could do it,” you said.

The storm was overhead. Morro was fast approaching the top of the mountain. You were on your feet, staring up to the sky. A stream of gold peaked at you through the clouds.

“Arrgh, we have one shot at this,” Zane said.

You let the wind carry up to a world of golden clouds. They covered the storm the moment you entered the realm. They separated to reveal a pristine gate made from shining marble. Distant ships glided through the skies. It glowed under a forever setting sun.

“Hey,” you gently shook Jay. “Guys, we’re here.”

“Cloud Kingdom,” Kai said.

‘Be on your guard,’ Tohru said.

‘Right, the locals don’t like you,’ you said.

‘I’m serious.  Be  on your guard.'

Chapter Text

 The man at the front gate glared daggers at you. It made the golden clouds you stood amidst less heavenly. Behind those gates were shimmering marble stairs, each end coated in red. Floating pagodas and skyships traveling from street to street were beyond that. The man up front made a passing smile to the boys.

“Welcome to Cloud Kingdom,” he said. “We’ve been expecting you.”

“How’re we-?” Jay picked his foot up slightly.

“Standing on a cloud? In other realms, there are other rules,” the man bowed. “I am Fenwick. I was asked to show you around.”

Something uneasy settled in your stomach. You couldn’t tell if it was Tohru feeling nervous or not. It could’ve been you after what she said. You took a deep breath. You were just here for the sword. Nothing more.

“Nice to meet you,” Kai said. “I’m-”

“Kai,” Fenwick said. “We all know. You are all quite popular with the monks. Up here, we see everything that goes on down in Ninjago.”

“Then you know-” Cole said.

“You’re traveled far and wide for the Sword of Sanctuary. It is a powerful weapon that shows your opponent's next move. It is also the next clue to find the First Spinjitzu Master’s tomb.”

“Blimey, how be you-?” Zane said.

“Finishing your sentences?” Fenwick smiled. “It can get annoying. Let’s just say that up here, we know what comes next. Come, follow me and I will explain.”

The path was smooth beneath your feet. Nothing in the kingdom was broken or imperfect. The monks would know when something would go wrong and fix it before it happened. Fenwick went back to his glare from the side of his eye. There was nothing but venom in them. A part of you wanted to stay rooted at the front door. Who knows what other dirty looks you’d get by existing? As far as you knew, everyone here doesn’t like the vessel.

Fenwick opened the doors to a glorious temple. Shelves of various scrolls sat within. Everything else was desks used to write more scrolls about the future. A red carpet lined your way through the aisles and under a black bell.

Monks at their tables whispered amongst themselves. Some were excited to see your friends. Others were disgusted at Tohru. A select few were fearful.

‘Just go forward,’ Tohru’s voice echoed in your thoughts. ‘We’ll find the sword and get out.’

‘That sounds obvious,’ you thought back.

‘You’re trembling. So, I thought I would say something.’

She was right. You were trembling. You held your fingers to get it to stop. It didn’t. What did Tohru do to get the Cloud Kingdom so mad?

“I know you are familiar with a few of the realms,” Fenwick said. “Cloud Kingdom is just another of the sixteen realms parallel to Ninjago.”

“Sixteen realms?” Kai said.

“In this one, we strive for greater understanding and let go of distractions. There is no television or video games.”

“No video games?” Jay said. “Hmph, not impressed.”

“It appears all anyone does here be writing,” Zane said.

“That is because here, our words matter,” Fenwick said. “We are the writers of destiny. It was decided here that Lloyd was the Green Ninja. Oh look, just now, we decided that Zane will find his voice again.”

“Wow, I sense that my vocal pattern has returned with no repairs,” Zane said. He no longer talked like a pirate.

“How did that happen?” Cole asked.

“It was written,” Fenwick showed you the scroll a young monk was writing on.

Did that mean they decided to tear your family apart? Did they choose for Morro to leave you? What else did they decide to make your life that much more miserable? It doesn’t make sense. No one would make someone so unhappy because they were mad. That’s impossible. It could ruin them as it ruined you.

Jay sauntered to another monk writing in his scroll. He found Dareth’s name on the parchment. Ink splashed on it, covering the previously written words. Jay stepped back, awkwardly chuckling.

“Oh, poor Dareth,” the monk said.

Fenwick swiftly moved forward.

“If you know what’s going to happen next, then you know how important it is to give us the Sword of Sanctuary,” Kai said.

“Yes, and I know that you promised to save your friend, Lloyd. Sadly, we cannot ensure promises,” Fenwick said. “We are not allowed to choose sides. Tell no one this, but we had intended for Morro to stay in the Cursed Realm. He was never supposed to escape. Somehow, that boy defied destiny.”

It was just like he promised you when he left. He did it, but he was not happy.

“Do you think we wanted you to become a ghost?” Fenwick said to Cole. “That’s preposterous. Ever since Morro broke free, things have been happening out of our control. We don’t know how this will end.”

“Then quit talking and give us the sword,” Kai said.

“Look, we want to give it to you. But first, the Master Writer wants to see you.”

‘He’s the Master Writer,’ Tohru said.

“Aren’t you the Master Writer?” you asked.

“I’m flattered that you think that,” Fenwick lied through a chuckle. “However, I am not. I will take you to him.”

Everyone’s backs were turned. They couldn’t see the one tugging on your gi. You were swiftly pulled back, taken away from your friends. You couldn’t help but be silent. Any gasp for help would detriment the mission.

The monk pulling you away was small. His feet padded the ground as he took you behind a shelf no one guarded.

“What the hell?” you asked. “Why’d you take me away from my friends?”

“How did you know Fenwick is the Master Writer?” the monk asked.

“Oh. Tohru told me,” you said. “Now where is he taking my friends?”

“She told you? Of course, she would tell you. You’re the reason the Master Writer is mad at her.”

“Excuse me?”

The monk flinched, “She didn’t tell you? You weren’t meant to exist in Ninjago. When Tsukigami revived you, the Master Writer was furious.”

His voice was meek, almost like you could kill him after getting the information you wanted. You sighed, looking back at the door. Fenwick already left with the boys. They might be wondering where you had gone.

The fact that you caused the Cloud Kingdom to hate Tohru was worse. You were meant to die that day. And Tohru didn’t care about that. She saved you anyway. You didn’t whether or not to internally slap her, or hug her.

The young monk went back to his post. You didn’t leave your spot. You hugged your knees, burying your face in them.

‘Why did you do that?’ you asked Tohru. ‘You knew it would make the writers mad.’

‘I know. They’ve tried to undo it many times,’ Tohru said. ‘But I’m a god. I’m above them. So, they can’t do anything to you. That’s why the Master Writer is furious.’ She chuckled in your head.

‘Thank you. You didn’t need to piss them off for my sake, but you did.’

Chaos erupted behind you. The monk who pulled you aside scurried up to Fenwick. He was more nervous than he was talking to you.

“Master Writer! The ninja are in trouble,” he said.

“Of course they are,” Fenwick said. “Come on now, don’t be shy. I just made a deal with our new guests. It’s too bad the girl escaped. Though I guess her friends don’t have to see her get killed in front of them. You don’t know where she is do you?”

“No. Of course, not.”

You were out of your hiding place. The aeroblade pressed against the Master Writer’s throat. He backed into the wall.

“I’m right here,” you said. “Now where did you take my friends?!”

“I merely took them to Nimbus. He just has a few new play-things for the next couple of hours,” Fenwick answered.

The writers were in a frenzy of hushed voices. They were asking who wrote down that you would attack the Master Writer. No one found the answer.

Your fist made contact with Fenwick’s head. His body went limp before flopping to the floor. He was motionless but breathing. The nervous monk gasped, hands over his mouth.

“Did you kill him?” he asked.

“I just knocked him out. You know where Nimbus is, right?” you asked.

The monk nodded.

“Go find my friends while I handle my brother.”

You opened the door once the monk was gone. Morro was on the other side. His eyes were wide, eyebrows raised. His mouth pressed into a thin line. His comrades were behind him. The banshee brandished a knife and the archer drew back an arrow. Your aeroblade was at your side.

It wasn’t surprising he was there. Morro didn’t sound too disappointed in not getting through the storm in time. He went through the back door anyway.

‘Do you know where the sword is?’ you asked Tohru.

‘It’s in the next door building. If I remember correctly, it’s at the top,’ she answered.

In an instant, your aeroblade pushed through the two ghosts behind Morro. The archer shot his arrow, barely missing you. You swiftly shuffled your way through the three ghosts and sprinted down the path to the next building. It was the tallest building in the kingdom.

Morro was quick to catch up with you. He twisted your arm back, tackling you to the ground. You kneed him in the stomach and squirmed free. A ghost arrow shot the ground. Transparent energy festered into the ground. You ran to the other side before the stone path could become fully possessed. Morro had to do the same after remembering that he was in a mortal body.

You continued to fight him, escaping into the confines of the sword building. There, you couldn’t use airjitzu. The room was small, cluttered with scrolls and ancient writings. Morro approached the stairs. You went after him, vigorously attacking him with every punch you had. You leaped up the stairs, breaking them with your powers.

Morro blocked your next hit with a wind shield.

“Why do you want the realm crystal?!” you said.

“I don’t!” Morro argued. “It’s for someone else!”

“Who!”

“My master. I made a deal with her.”

You forgot your progress up those steps a while ago. So much so that you were already at the sword with no time passing by in your head. Neither you nor Morro could focus on it, however.

“The deal was that if I got the realm crystal for her, she wouldn’t touch you when she curses everything,” Morro said.

You didn’t believe it. Nothing he said had any line of logic. Him? Wanting to protect me? It was absurd. You weren’t a child anymore. He was the one that left you behind. If he wanted to keep you safe, then he shouldn’t have done it. His master can find someone else to do her bidding.

Morro’s hand hovered over the sword. Something reflected in it. The paper-thin windows were torn apart.

Moments later, what was in the sword happened in real life.

The boys broke into the tower. Kai threw his aeroblade, which Morro dodged. Cole swung his blade around, Morro dodged that too. He backflipped across the room. His gaze sauntered to the sword. The future was in the palm of his hand.

“It’s too late,” Morro said. “I know your every move.”

“We’ll see about that,” Kai said.

Jay ran in and Morro kicked him out of the way. Cole was next in Morro’s little onslaught to the broken window. Your hand went straight for his eyes. If he just couldn’t see, you could get the sword. Zane jumped overhead when you did this. Morro blew a gust of wind at him. Your wrist was twisted, and you were thrown into a pillar.

Morro jumped out the window just as Jay and Zane’s blades spun in his direction.

“I think he saw that too,” Jay said.

You were the first to go after him. He wasn’t far. He was on the next roof. The boys clumsily followed you.

“Why keep fighting? I’ll win every time,” Morro said.

“Doesn’t mean we can’t try,” Cole said.

The shingles flew off the roof and flung themselves at you. Your feet slipped against them. Morro airjitzued away, laughing at your friends’ misery.

“Buh-bye, ninja!” he said.

Morro landed on a skiff piloted by his ghost friends. The banshee howled. It flung off more shingles, making you cling to the edge. It wasn’t for long. Your grip slipped and you were falling down a sea of clouds.

You landed back-first on a different skiff. A short old man was at the helm. He looked at you and the boys with wide eyes. His mouth was agape.

“Sorry, just passing through. Again,” Cole said. “Actually, mind if we borrow your skiff?”

Surprisingly, the man agreed. You were hot on Morro’s trail before long. Your limbs were aching, and you hadn’t used your powers that much. It may have been about what Morro just told you.

The skiff tipped back and forth. Your hands tightly gripped the edge to not fall off. Cole was at the helm with no idea how to drive the small ship.

“[Name], Morro’s planning to unleash the Preeminent with the realm crystal!” Jay shouted.

“No, hello?” you said. “Glad you’re okay?”

“We kinda got that already,” Cole said. “That Fenwick guy locked us up with some weird monster too.”

“Oh great.”

The Preeminent was the cursed realm. She was a sentient being, as well as a realm. She was the one that Morro called ‘master.’ The one he made a deal with to protect you.

‘I never got what her deal was,’ Tohru said.

The skiff became unusually still after you passed a land mass. A pair of big and hairy hands gripped the wood. The culprit was a monster with a wide face and sharp teeth. Its eyes were white with dots for pupils.

“Let me guess, that’s Nimbus?” you asked.

“That thing has a name?!” Kai said.

Nimbus caught sight of Fenwick, turned around, and chased after the man.

“Oh, that was anticlimactic,” you said.

The skiff pressed on, closing in on the blind man’s eye.

“Hold on, looks like the ride isn’t over yet,” Cole said.

You were swayed along the clouds, joining Morro’s skiff on the whirl. You passed through realms once more. That was when the boat stopped working like a sky boat. In different realms, there were different rules.

The skiff slid down the Wailing Alps. The snow clouded up, leaving a trail behind. It sped up next to Morro’s skiff.

“Got you now,” Kai said.

“You think so?” Morro said.

He made a gust of wind blow his skiff away from them. It slid with ease down the snow and ice.

“Abandon ship!” Zane shouted.

The skiff ran into a tree, breaking it. You clutched onto the bow with Jay. It was sledding down the mountain at an alarming rate.

“There’s no way to control this thing!” Jay shouted.

You caught up to Morro’s skiff, along with the others.

“Hold on you guys!” Cole shouted. “I’m coming to get you!”

The archer shot an arrow at you and Jay. You ducked and the ghost arrow shot past you and Jay.

“Ha! You missed us!” Jay shouted.

“I never miss,” the archer said.

The arrow turned back around and aimed for you again. Your arm blocked it from getting to Jay. This was a deepstone gi. The arrow shouldn’t affect it.

The bounty came swooping in over the mountain. The silver anchor lowered, revealing your father. Cole and Zane were with him, holding onto the anchor. Wu held his hand out to you and Jay.

“Need a lift?” he said.

“Definitely, Sensei,” Jay said.

You gripped the edges of the broken bow. Jay was on the anchor in no time. Kai had no sign of going with them. His eyes were on that sword.

“Go ahead,” he said. “I can still catch up to them.”

“I’m staying too,” you said.

The anchor was reluctantly lifted. The clanking chains got quiet as your friends and father rose to the bounty.

Kai threw his aeroblade when he got close enough. Morro saw it through the sword.

“Watch out!” he and the ghosts ducked. A third ghost joined them this time. The blade sliced through the sail. It skidded against the snow. Kai was sledding close to the ship. Morro looked at him with a snarl. “You again…”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Kai said.

You climbed onto the broken sail, balancing on the beam to the deck. The other three ghosts were nowhere. Strange. Where did they go? You shook away the thought and aimed a punch at Morro. He saw it coming, including your powers infused with the hit. Kai climbed the ship the same way you did. You and Kai took turns landing a hit on Morro. He avoided every one of them.

Morro separated from you both. He smirked, the sword reflecting in the pale sunlight.

“I guess our fates are being tested. Thankfully, I already know how mine will end,” he knocked Kai’s aeroblade out of his hand. “Now, I know how yours will.”

“You’d fight someone unarmed?” Kai joked.

“Let me think…yes.”

Morro was about to strike and froze. His hand was shaking, eyes shut. Your brother was heaving. Your hand gently reached out to him before pulling away. He may have been your brother, but he was still the enemy.

“Take the sword…I can’t hold him much longer,” he said. That wasn’t his voice.

“Lloyd…” your voice trailed off. His voice was raspy and weak. It limped through the words and treading blood across the letters. You couldn’t move. Everything was frozen. The cold crept up your hands and legs. It hurt.

“You can fight him, Lloyd,” Kai took the sword. Lloyd was in his arms.

Morro was back a moment later. He pushed Kai away. You put him in a headlock.

“Lloyd, fight him,” Kai said.

Morro grabbed your wrist. The hold you had on him was broken as quickly as when you got it. You were slammed into the ship. Morro went in to kick Kai but got a taste of his own medicine. Kai grabbed hold of your wrist, pulling you into him.

“Looks like you’re going down in a few seconds,” Kai said. His airjitzu cyclone surrounded him. He took flight. You did the same a moment after. You both drifted over the snow, watching the ship Morro was on fall off the cliff. His scream echoed in your eardrums.

Kai quietly apologized to Lloyd. You got back to the bounty in silence. Your heart was still frozen with doubt and sorrow. It was truly broken.

Chapter Text

[Name]’s bird followed Nya everywhere when there wasn’t danger. He was sitting on a nearby tree branch, watching Nya train. At least, that’s what Master Wu called it. Nya felt like she was staring at her reflection in the lake rather than controlling it. A droplet leaked off the bamboo stick in front of her. She took in a deep breath. Become the water. Go with the flow. Concentrate.

Nya’s fingers pushed on the sides of her forehead, eyes closed. She sensed the movements of that single droplet through her veins. Nothing else happened to it. Nya frowned. It was the same as always. The water wouldn’t obey her. It had no master. Perhaps Wu had joked that she was to be the water ninja. Then she made it rain in the dry mountains. Ronin said it himself back then.

“Face it. You  are  the water ninja.”

Similar incidents like the droplet happened when she was little. Nya didn’t tell anyone in her village, not even her brother. She longed for those days again, when she only thought she and the sea had a connection. She wouldn’t have to try and fail.

Nya turned away from the faucet, groaning. Ronin was under the shade of a nearby tree.

“Giving up already?” he asked.

“Of course not,” Nya said. “Sensei just thinks that I need to overcome my supposed fear of failure to control the water. I made it rain when I wasn’t paying attention. I should at least reverse the flow of this old thing.”

“Take it from someone with a slew of failures, don’t try so hard. You won’t fail if you don’t care.”

“What kind of backwards advice is that?” Nya asked. “I have to try hard to excel. If I don’t then–”

“Speaking of backwards,” Ronin walked away with a bucket of water.

Nya turned to the faucet again. The drops of water that once fell into the pot were rising.

“Woah…” she gasped.

“Like I said, don’t care so much,” Ronin said. “Usually when you want something too badly, you trip over your own feet.”

He grabbed a brush when he approached his ship, Rex. However, before he could start cleaning it, Ronin dropped the bucket. His eyes were wide like he heard something. Nya looked around. Nothing. Ronin quickly ran into the teahouse.

“What’s got him in a rush?” Nya said to herself.

[Name]’s bird ruffled his feathers before flying to her shoulder. His beak pointed to the shed. The shed the others kept the Sword of Sanctuary in.

“Of course,” Nya sighed. Ronin said that his ass was bound for the cursed realm if he didn’t repay his debt to the Soul Archer. Of course, he wouldn’t try to get the money the right way.

Nya ran straight for the shed. Ronin was still in the teahouse. She had time to take the sword before he could find it. The bird flew into the teahouse through an open window, probably to tell [Name] what was happening.

It felt like hours before Nya go to the old shed. It was cramped and dusty. She coughed while digging through the worthless tools to find the sword. It was in a pristine red box, its edges lined with gold. The sword itself was gold. It shone in all places, reflecting the future in its blade. Nya quickly shut the box before hiding. The sword showed her that Ronin was quickly approaching.

Lo and behold, the sword was right. Ronin busted the door open, digging through the dust and tools as Nya did. He found the box, opened it, and saw nothing but emptiness.

“I thought about what you said,” Nya got out of her hiding spot. “If you didn’t care, then why are you here? You could get your debt paid off in time, or you could speed up the process by getting Morro the Sword of Sanctuary. I guess I was right about you picking the quicker way out.”

“So where does that leave this?” Ronin asked.

“I don’t need the sword to know how this will go.”

Ronin grabbed the first thing he saw, a farming hoe. Nya intercepted his attack with the sword.

“I need that sword. I don’t wanna have to hurt you,” Ronin said.

“You’ll have to because I’m not letting you have it without a fight,” Nya clashed her sword with the hoe again. They dueled like that for a while.

That was until Ronin hit Nya’s ankles with the hoe. She fell, letting go of the sword by accident. Ronin caught it perfectly.

“See, if you try too hard, you’ll trip over your own feet,” Ronin said. He dropped the how and left.

Nya quickly got up, chasing after him. She tackled him to the ground, pushing his head to the ground so he couldn’t look at the sword’s reflection. [Name] and the others ran out of the teahouse and found them.

Ronin pushed Nya off him. Numerous traps set in the courtyard went off. Water balloons hit the boys while Cole tried to avoid them. [Name] tried fighting him, but since Ronin had the sword, she had a disadvantage. He knew almost every move she could make while they sparred.

The water was sporadic. Nya couldn’t find anything she could latch onto while it ran rampant. She clutched her fist. It wasn’t like her. She wouldn’t try to run from a fight like this. Ronin was getting further and further away from them. He ran into the teahouse and out the back. He unleashed Rex with a whistle. He ran out from behind the teahouse and into the forest.

“He’s getting away!” Kai said. “Get to the Bounty.”

Nya ignored her brother, following Ronin into the forest. She got far enough to find a river good for a getaway boat. There was nothing for miles. Perhaps Ronin got away before Nya could get to him. She frowned. Here she thought she could be useful without a mech. Nya walked away from the edge of the river. The water could not speak to her, no matter how calm it was.

All of a sudden, Nya heard Ronin whistling down the river. He was on a boat as red as his ship. Nya ran down the river, trying to catch up to the man.

“Why’re you doing this?!” Nya shouted.

“You know why!” Ronin answered. His voice bounced off the trees.

“But what if Morro doesn’t hold up his end of the bargain? You can’t trust him!”

“This is all I have, or else my soul is gone!”

Nya stopped in her tracks. Ronin’s ship was too quick for her. She couldn’t find a way to him…unless. She looked at her reflection in the water. Her mouth was slightly agape. Her raven hair was tousled but still managed to be straight. The water was ever-changing, something that she could not do. That doesn’t mean she shouldn’t try.

She took a deep breath. Be the water. Reverse the flow. Her hands extended in the boat’s direction. The water wasn’t talking with her. She felt it, but could not hear anything. Everything was muffled. Nya exhaled. She relaxed and let herself sync with the water with nothing but willpower.

A log from the water moved backward against eh current. Ronin’s boat slowed down. Nya smiled. She was doing it.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Ronin shook his head. He tried to row against what the girl was doing. She smirked.

That’s not gonna work.

She focused even more. If this was working, then what would happen if she tried? Nya shut her eyes.

Become the water. Become the water.

All of a sudden, the water was slipping from her fingers. It was like she was dangling off a rope and she couldn’t hold much longer. Nya wanted to cling to it, to climb up to the top. And yet, her body and mind said ‘no.’ The water stopped flowing under her control. The current became normal again. Ronin rowed forward, away from the teahouse. Nya was exhausted. Her eyes were droopy.

“As I said, you care too much!” Ronin shouted before he was gone.

Nya failed. Her fist hit the ground as she yelled. How could she do that? She let him go when she had him in her grip. She came back to the teahouse, defeated.

The boys and [Name] already gathered inside. Nya could already feel the shame creeping up her spine. They were already arguing about where Morro was.

“Look, I know you’re not a ninja, but if you’re gonna be–” Cole started.

“I’m sorry!” Nya said. “I should’ve told you when I suspected Ronin would take the sword.”

“Enough,” Wu said. “We all knew the path to save Lloyd wouldn’t be a straight line. We were all fooled by Ronin. At a time like this, we mustn’t butt heads.”

The falcon above them squawked, flapping his metal wings. [Name]’s sparrow was next to him, frantically gesturing to the bigger bird. A blue hologram projected from the falcon’s eyes. Ronin’s form showed, glitching.

“I can’t talk for long,” Ronin said. “But I wanted to let you know, Nya, you were right. Morro didn’t hold up his end of the deal. And the scroll and sword revealed where the tomb was. It’s in the Caves of Despair.”

“What?” Jay said.

“I know you can beat Morro to the tomb, even if he has the sword and scroll-” Ronin got cut off when the message blurred out. Nya reached her hand toward the hologram, hoping he would come back.

“The Caves of Despair? We’ve been there before,” Wu said. “I didn’t see a tomb at all.”

“But there’s still a lot of unexplored mines there,” Misako said.

“It’s a trap,” [Name] said. “Morro’s trying to lead us astray.”

“I agree. Ronin could be lying,” Nya said.

“What other choice do we have?” Kai said. “Lloyd’s life is at stake. We have nothing else.”

It was decided. The boys and [Name] would go to the Caves of Despair in search of the tomb. Nya had to stay behind. Wu declared that she was not yet ready. Zane patted her on the back for comfort. Secretly, Nya was relieved. She wouldn’t have to be useless when it mattered most.

…

You knew Morro too well. You couldn’t help but think he set up a trap to capture you and your friends. However, your emotions got the better of you. Instead of staying behind with Nya and your father, you went with the boys. Part of you wanted to think what Morro said about wanting to protect you was true. You knew that it couldn’t have been. Cursing an entire realm cannot keep someone safe.

The sun was beating down on your back as you approached the quarry. A multitude of caves lined the walls. One of them held the Scythe of Quakes. You mentally chuckled at the memory.

“It’s almost like we’re going full circle,” Cole commented with a small laugh.

“Please don’t say that. That means things are gonna end. I don’t want my life to end in the Caves of Despair,” Jay sighed.

Zane scanned the area around you. One of the caves had the symbol of a skull. It was much like the drawing on grandpa’s staff. Too familiar. You shook your head.

“Isn’t that drawing a little suspicious?” you asked.

“It’s good enough for me,” Jay shrugged. “Maybe the FSM put the drawing on there on purpose.”

The other boys agreed. It wasn’t like they had any other choice. As Kai said, this was the only lead you had to save Lloyd’s life. You couldn’t help but think it was true too. None of this was set up by Morro. Perhaps, your brother truly cared about you.

You moved forward, climbing up to the cave with false hope in your mind. No torches lit the way down your path. A track was in the center lane, leading through endless darkness. You looked back at the daylight streaming in. For it might be the last time you see it.

Symbols were plastered on the walls and minecarts. All of them were the skull. It was as if someone took a stamp and pushed it onto the same paper until it filled the entire thing.

“Looks like nothing but darkness for miles,” Cole said.

“Good thing there’s some light,” Kai pointed to a shelf of lanterns. They were already lit, waiting for you.

“What if it’s all a test?”

“Or a trap?” you pointed out.

“Yeah, Sensei said that the tomb was protected by deadly tests,” Jay said. “If we pick the wrong lantern…”

Kai slowly grabbed a light hanging off a rusty metal hook. His fingers went back and forth, reaching and retracting. Finally, he took the lantern. Nothing happened. You let out a quiet sigh.

“Just a normal lantern,” Kai continued down the path. The boys took a lantern for themselves. You left without one. Something about them made your insides feel icky. “Hey, there’s a cave-in over here,” Kai pointed to a spot filled with darkness.

You got closer to the spot. Your nose was hit with a waft of rotting corpses. You covered it, stepping back. Your eyes were closed. Did someone die here recently? Did they want to find the tomb as well? Or were they an unlucky miner caught in the crossfire?

“What’s that smell?” Jay complained, covering his face.

“My senses pick up traces of Kethanol, a highly flammable gas released from deep-well mining,” Zane said.

“It smells like a corpse,” you said.

“How do you know what a corpse smells like?” Jay asked.

“I killed Chen and carried his dead body to the bounty, that’s how.”

“Guys, there’s some rocks somebody recently moved,” Kai peered into the darkness, through a few bamboo sticks. “Morro could’ve already been through here.”

Something boiled at the end of that dark path. Red light radiated from it. Ash covered the ground. Something was burned here. It was recent. You found a singed piece of paper broken off the pile. The word written on it was rushed. Ink melted within the page. Yet, you could read it. Sister, it said. Let it burn with the rest of those false words.

“It’s a Kethanol geyser. We cannot stay long,” Zane said.

A corner was calling to you. It spoke your name desperately, crawling out of whatever piece of rock it was under. You found the voice, unveiling the rocks in your way. A skeleton lay motionless. Its head was tilted on its shoulder. A piece of green cloth hung off the ribs. The bones cracked courtesy of the poisonous geyser. A lone pen was trapped between bony fingers. You gasped, stepping away from the bag of bones.

He was your brother. This wasn’t the tomb. This was where Morro died. He wrote ‘sister’ in his final moments.

“What’s wrong?” Cole asked, then, he found your brother. “Oh…”

“What? What’s going on?” Kai asked. He, Jay, and Zane were there too. The four boys gazed at your brother’s body.

“It’s the master of wind,” Zane said.

“What do you mean? Isn’t that the FSM?” Jay asked.

“[Name] is horrified to see the skeleton. I can assume that’s her brother,” Cole said.

You weren’t exactly horrified. You were shocked. Although, you may have looked struck with fear the moment you saw your brother as the dead man he is. You’d seen corpses before, but never ones of your family.

‘Stay focused,’ Tohru said. ‘We know it’s a trap now.’

Her words brought you back to reality. Morro had been long gone the moment he left your home.

A figure came out from the other end of the cave. He was a ghost, glowing a sickly green. He carried a scythe. His face was a skull.

“It is trap!” the ghost spoke in broken sentences. “Now you suffer same fate!”

The scythe came down, cracking the ground and bringing the rocks with it. They chased you as you ran toward the exit. You were too late when you got there. The rocks blocked it.

“There’s no way out,” Kai said. “If this is a test, then I think we failed it.”

“All this gas is making me light-headed,” Jay coughed. His head was swiveling back and forth. His feet teetered left to right.

“I knew it was a trap,” you said.

“And you walked in with us anyway.”

Jay was right. You waltzed into a trap out of a false sense of security. All that was left now was to find a way out or die.

“Pixal has located an opening. It must’ve been created by the cave-in,” Zane scanned the heated geyser.

“What if it’s just a dead end?” Jay asked.

“If we don’t try it, then we’ll be cooked,” Cole said. “Wait, I’ve got an idea.”

Cole picked up a boulder, shoving it over the geyser’s one opening. Zane protested him, yet Cole didn’t hear a sound from his friend. He wiped his ghostly brow, turning to the group. “See, I think I fixed it.”

“Correction, you made it worse. Now the pressure will increase and the explosion will increase tenfold,” Zane said.

“Ugh, what’re you trying to say?!” Jay groaned.

“When that rock goes, every cave within a ten-mile radius will be incinerated.”

“Great…” you rolled your eyes.

“Then we better get hot on our heels,” Kai was the first to airjitzu out of the cave. The rest of you followed suit, sprinting through the dark path. You dragged Kai by his wrist away from a current of fire. Morro’s body would’ve been incinerated by now. You weren’t sure how to feel about that. He was your brother, but your enemy at the same time. Your younger self would’ve gladly seen him burn beneath his mistakes. However, tears were building up in your eyes at the thought of his mortal self utterly gone.

You and Kai jumped through a hole, landing in a minecart with the others. You were in darkness again. The heat seeped through the ceiling above you. It made your forehead sweat with dread.

“Um, how do you push this thing forward?” Jay said.

The minecart answered him by leaning forward and pushing down the track. Your hair was blown back while you clung to the edge of the cart. It went uncharacteristically fast for a cart. Perhaps your weight had something to do with it.

The ghost from before showed himself up ahead. Jay threw his aeroblade at him, making him disappear. Jay caught his blade this time, bouncing up and down with glee. That was short-lived because the minecart was still speeding away.

You held onto Jay so he wouldn’t fall over in excitement. The cart brushed past a dead end with ease. The boards were bumped against you and Jay’s heads.

“Quick, use your aeroblades as brakes!” Zane said.

You did as the nindroid said. It did not help. The screeching of wheels only made the cart work harder to push itself forward.

“Is it just me or is this getting faster?” Jay shouted.

“No, it’s going faster!” you shouted back.

Up ahead was a small ramp that lifted you off the rail. Underneath you was not solid ground, but a pit of Kethanol deep within the abyss. The minecart was flying beneath your feet. It fell into the kethanol and melted.

You felt weightless. You were weightless. Your chest was light. Time slowed down just for this moment. The heat was smoldering against your skin. It reminded you of the Temple of Fire. Both heats stifled your lungs as you clung to life for as long as possible. Then, at the last moment, your life was saved.

That’s what happened in the Caves of Despair. Except a person didn’t save you, but a ship. Kai grabbed your hand as you dangled against the ladder. He didn’t let go until you found your footing. You climbed up the red ship.

“Is this Ronin’s?” Cole asked. “I dunno whether or not to kiss him or slap him.”

“He’s crusty, so don’t do either,” you said.

You climbed into the ship, heaving with gas in your lungs. The ship was on autopilot. Ronin could still be with Morro. Jay called it cowardice. However, he was proven wrong when a message appeared on the screen. Ronin’s face appeared in gritty blue pixels.

“Hey, you probably have some choice words about me once you get this message,” Ronin chuckled. “But, it wasn’t me that told you to come here. Morro was possessing me. I know you think I’m just a crook for taking the sword to Morro. To make up for that, I’m giving over my airship rights. I know it’s not what you had in mind, but I’ve remotely entered the real tomb’s location.”

A map came up on the screen. A red dot off the coast marked where your grandfather’s tomb was.

‘Oh dear,’ Tohru said. ‘Be prepared for some emotions when we get there.’

‘Right,’ you said.

Her voice was melancholic already. At the mere mention of the First Spinjitzu Master, you were grieving. It’d been centuries since he passed, and yet the memory of him lived in Tohru and yourself.

Chapter Text

 The problem with your grandfather’s tomb being underwater was that you could not swim. Thankfully, Kai couldn’t swim either. That made you feel less alone on the ship. The screen's arrow was getting closer to the red dot. While that happened, a familiar weight made itself known in your heart, grief. It was Tohru’s. You knew that. She had a way of melancholically waiting for it to subside, yet it wouldn’t go away.

Your father was on a different monitor, keeping in touch while they headed toward your location. Misako was behind him, sorting a few papers. It was evident that Morro was ahead. Wu kept saying it was up to the five of you to find the realm crystal before he did. You kept hearing that over and over again. It became a constant reminder that your brother wanted to end lives because destiny denied him.

The ship dipped underwater. Fish swam around the headlights and bright red paint. They had never seen such colors in the endless sea before. The sub avoided them the best it could.

“We’re almost to the tomb,” Zane inspected the map.

“I can’t believe it. After all that we’ve been through–” Cole said.

“I can’t believe that I’m underwater,” Kai shivered.

“You? What about me? Just how thick is this glass?”

“Wonderful, Cole’s a ghost. Kai and [Name] can’t swim. We don’t have a magical sword. What could go wrong?” Jay chuckled lightly to hide his fear.

Misako got closer to the camera, unraveling a scroll at her desk. “I may not have found what the tree tests were, but I have a riddle,” she said. “A spinjitzu master can. A spinjitzu master cannot. To move forward, don’t look ahead to find his resting spot.”

‘He always enjoyed annoying me with riddles,’ Tohru said.

The ship ascended through a rock, peaking up from the water. Outside the glass was a statue of your grandfather. Stone hands failed to keep the candles lit.

The doors opened with a whistle. You jumped across a small puddle of water. A ripped piece of green cloth settled on a stray rock. Jay held the cloth in his hands, frowning.

“Just as I thought Morro couldn’t find this place,” he grumbled.

“Hey, stay positive,” Kai said. “We’re about to risk our lives going through a bunch of traps. All we have to rely on is each other. At least feel lucky we got this far.”

“Oh, sorry. Great, Morro found the tomb. We’re not alone!” fake happiness laced Jay’s voice. “Now we get to fight him again and get our asses kicked. Better?”

“I’ll take it.”

“Look,” Zane pointed to the First Spinjitzu Master’s statue.

“Woah, it’s the FSM,” Cole said.

You stepped toward the statue wearily. Your grandfather had a long beard. It was as if your father was his clone. Your younger self would’ve climbed onto your grandfather’s stone lap. You’d ask him all of the questions you had for him. You wrote them down before the monastery burned. Morro said he would take you there to meet him at his tomb. Then, he died.

Now, you did not need to ask your grandfather anything. You weren’t a curious child anymore.

“Destination reached. Beginning auto-return,” the ship descended into the water again. You jumped out of your childhood dreams to chase after it.

“No, no, no!” Jay said.

“Our aeroblades were in there,” Zane said.

“Not to mention our only way out,” Kai said.

“Might as well move forward,” you said.

“Right, no sword, no powers, no problem. We can do this.”

The hall ahead of you was lit by small, blue lights. They shined like gemstones in a dark mine. They beckoned you to come closer. Over here, they said. You approached a door that took you to many more. They circled the room, becoming the border. Above them were symbols drawn in white.

A sculpted figure on the doors held a blue light. Each door had the light in a different position. The figure held that light as if it were the moon.

The door you walked through closed behind Cole. The loud sound echoed in the tomb.

“This might be the first test,” Cole said.

“It looks like one, at least,” you said.

“Looks like we have to pick a door, but which one?” Kai said.

“What was the riddle Misako said again?” Jay asked.

“A spinjitzu master can. A spinjitzu master cannot. To move forward, don’t look ahead to find his resting spot,” Zane said.

“There are three tests and three ideas listed in the riddle,” you said. “If you think about it, the tests should line up with the riddle.”

‘Good. You used more brain than the boys,’ Tohru said.

“A spinjitzu master can–can what?” Kai said.

Jay picked the door with the tornado symbol. His hand was about to touch it before Zane grabbed the boy’s arm.

“Step away from that door,” he said.

“Why? What do you see?” Jay asked.

“We’re inside a zoetrope.”

“Huh?”

“The carvings in rapid succession create a moving image.”

“Oh, it’s like an animation,” you said. “If we do spinjitzu in the middle of the room, we can see what it creates.”

“A spinjitzu master can do spinjitzu!” Kai said.

“Right!”

You stepped back and let Zane use spinjitzu to find the image. Ice swirled around him in a tornado as he deciphered what the moonlight drew. He stopped, pointing to the door you just came through.

“It’s this one,” he said.

“I dunno, Zane. Isn’t that the door we came in?” Cole asked.

“Are you sure you want to doubt a nindroid?”

“Open the door, and we’ll find out,” Kai said.

Jay approached it and did what Kai said. On the other side weren’t shimmering blue lights, but a room of overlapping stones. A bamboo staff hung at the end. The floor below you was fragile, shaking with anticipation. For what? You didn’t want to find that out.

“How could that have been the way out if that’s the way we came in?” Cole asked rhetorically.

‘Don’t they know that he’s a god?’ Tohru commented.

‘They do, but they don't,’ you answered her.

Kai stepped forward, in awe of the staff ahead. Cole pulled him back before the floor could take him.

“Wait a minute. This is the second test,” Cole said. “Zane, can you see anything?”

Zane scanned the room, “Pixal doesn’t see a pattern. For this room, I am at a loss.”

“It looks like the floor was shaking to me,” you said. “If we take a wrong step, we’ll fall.”

“Wasn’t the first test, ‘A spinjitzu master can?’ The next test is ‘A spinjitzu master cannot,” Jay said. “I don’t like the sound of that after saying it out loud.”

Kai stepped forward. No one stopped him as the floor beneath him sank. It was like pressing a button for the shaking floor to grasp him. You pulled him back by the hand. Spikes shot out of a cannon, almost hitting you both. Kai’s face was as red as his gi. His mouth was slightly agape. Then you realize that his head rested on your chest.

Kai quickly got off you, staring at the spike that almost hit your hand. It would’ve impaled it if you hadn’t moved.

“Is everyone okay?” Cole asked.

“That was a close one,” Zane said.

“Every step uh, a trap,” Jay nervously chuckled.

“Then how does one reach the staff? If it gets more difficult with every step, then we’ll never get it.”

“So a spinjitzu master can’t do it. Then how are we supposed to get the staff?” Cole asked.

“Watch and learn,” Kai stepped forward again. You didn’t stop him this time. He used airjitzu to get to the platform closest to the staff. Spikes shot at him. He lept back. Fire shot from the floor. More spikes swung back and forth, trying to take his head off.

A stone-wrecking ball swung through. Your feet moved on their own. Your arms wrapped around Kai, pushing him out of the way. You tumbled to the ground with him. The floor divided you both from Jay, Zane, and Cole. You hid your rushed breath well.

A boulder rolled from the door you came through. Zane and Jay jumped to the other side with you and Kai. Another trap went through Cole’s body. However, a stream of water poured from the wall. He jumped to the other side too.

“I can still make it,” Kai said. The determined look in his eyes was overwhelming. All of it was toward saving Lloyd. It was like he was a better big brother to him than you were a big sister. That was justified. All you could think about were your problems with Morro. For so long, you looked at the gate. You waited for your brother to never come back.

Kai booked it with the staff again. Stalactites dropped from the ceiling, taking out more floor pieces. Gas strode into the room with yellow clouds. The burning smell of rotting corpses entered your nostrils. It set fire to your throat, tossing a fit of coughs at you.

Fireballs shot from the walls while more spikes dug themselves into the rocky walls. Kai stood alone on a single stone. It tapered into everlasting darkness.

“Will everyone please stop moving?!” Jay shouted. That got Kai to stop.

“But we can make it. It’s just a hop, skip and a jump,” Kai argued.

“Look where a hop, skip, and a jump got us,” Cole said.

“The test is clearly, ‘A spinjitzu master cannot!” Jay emphasized the phrase. “Why are we still trying?!”

“What if this was just a trick?” Cole proposed. “We can’t do it because we were never meant to reach the staff.”

“A spinjitzu master cannot give up,” you said.

“That’s right.”

“You’re saying we should quit?” Kai asked. “Are you insane?”

“He has a point,” you said. “We can see what’s at the bottom.”

“No!” the four boys shouted at the same time. Their words barked at you like rabid dogs. You were immediately ashamed. You were a fool to think they were over your attempt at death. Even when Cole was the one first proposing the solution, he was afraid of you jumping.

Cole looked at the bottom. There was nothing there. However, he was already dead. He couldn’t die again if there wasn’t water. With no hesitation, he jumped down the rabbit hole.

“Cole!” Jay called out to him.

You took the next step. A part of you wanted there to be nothing but death at the bottom. At least you would get away from it all. Why am I still like this? That void of emptiness pulled you in as it did so long ago. At least, it felt like that. It’d only been about a year.

In a way, you accepted that the void would always be there. Your family and friends would do their best to protect you from it, but it wouldn’t work. You closed your eyes. Death never came. You were glad but disappointed at the same time.

You slid down ice. It became a slide, winding around the cave. It was cold. You were freezing. Goosebumps crept up your arms. It bit your skin, making your muscles and bones ache. It was the same cold on the mountain. The others went down with you. They slid down the ice at the same speed as you.

“Try to stay together!” Kai shouted.

“Stay together? I’m trying to stay alive!” Jay shouted. He was behind you. His voice bounced from wall to wall. It was shrill with fear. You squeezed the boy’s hand. His skin was as cold as yours. His palms were soft.

The two of you approached a wall of snow. You both crashed through it. The cold stabbed you in the eye. It burned all of the nerves on your face. Strange that the cold did that to people. You landed in a pile of snow, still holding Jay’s hand. He was quick to retract himself.

A maze of ice was sculpted from the floor. You couldn’t see the end of it.

“Is everyone okay?” Zane asked.

“Yeah, just fine,” you said.

“Totally,” Jay’s cheeks were pink. He touched one of them with his palm. He looked surprised that they were.

“Are you cold?” you asked him.

“Nope!” Jay exclaimed.

You nodded slowly. You’d keep an eye on him until you leave the tomb. You got up from the snow, dusting off the flakes. The ice sparkled with desire and fading time.

“What did we get ourselves into?” Kai said.

Jay climbed the snow pile, looking over the maze from above. He smiled. “It’s a maze! I’m really good at mazes,” his blue eyes lit up.

The five of you went down a hall of shining ice. One of those walls showed your reflection. You were older. Small wrinkles were on your cheeks. You gently stroked the lines on your skin. One of your fingers had a ring. A wedding ring. You were clad in fine silver robes woven from silk. Pink accents littered the sleeves and where it would fold over.

A scar lined her forehead, diagonally crossing the bridge of her nose. It ended just under her eye. It looked like a slash. A nasty one.

“If my reflection is saying anything, we might be in this maze for a while,” Kai said.

“Is that me?” Zane said. “I don’t look any older, but my clothes are different. These are not reflections showing that we don’t escape, but a glimpse of the future.”

“Misako said that to move forward, we can’t look ahead,” Cole looked at his reflection. Nothing showed up. His mouth went agape. His hand covered his mouth. “Why can’t I see my reflection?”

“Probably because you’re a ghost,” Kai said.

You looked back at your future self. It was amazing that she lived that long. Long enough to get married.

Someone approached you from another spot in the mirror. It was a group of people. They were your friends. All of them were older, except for Zane. Cole was human. Lloyd was alive. You were all together like a happy family. No. You were a happy family. You smiled at the image. Lloyd would be well enough to smile with you like in the reflection.

“Guys, guess what? I have this awesome eyepatch!” Jay beamed.

“I have this weird scar,” you chuckled. “Kai better not swing a sword at me on accident.”

“I wouldn’t,” Kai said.

“I’m kidding. The scar probably isn’t important.”

“Wait a minute, I think I can see my reflection,” Cole said. A blob of green emerged from the ice. It faded just as quickly. A figure approached Cole with malicious intent.

A golden sword slashed through the icy wall. Morro was on the other side. He sauntered over to Jay. The sword was pointed to his throat.

“All you ninja do is talk. Blah, blah, blah,” Morro said. “Just shut up already.”

You pushed Jay out of the way just as Morro swung the Sword of Sanctuary. He blocked your punch with the palm of his hand. The sakura aura you released broke the ice walls surrounding you. Stalagmites are strung up from the ground, growing like plants. You grabbed one of them and struck the sword. You pushed against it, grinding the ice. It cut into it, creating flakes dropping like snow.

You tried to step on his foot. He avoided it, almost tripping over your feet. You punched him in the stomach. That hit was one he couldn’t predict. He didn’t have time to look at the sword’s reflection. No amount of future or destiny would stop you from getting to your brother and cousin.

“Touch them and you’ll die again,” you growled.

“I should’ve known you wouldn’t believe what I said,” Morro said.

“Of course, I wouldn’t. You don’t think I’m that dumb, do you?”

“I wasn’t lying to you.”

“Guys! The siblings are making things personal again!” Jay shouted.

You and Morro dueled across the maze. You lept off the ground, leaving a trail of sakura petals behind you. Morro’s back hit the wall. It cracked the ice. In its reflection, you saw Lloyd’s pained expression. He was weak from the possession. He was barely thinking under Morro’s influence.

“We’re coming!” Kai shouted. He and Zane ran toward you and Morro. He pushed them back with a gust of wind. You let him.

“This doesn’t involve you!” you shouted.

“Yeah, this is a family matter!” Morro shouted.

“You say that like we aren’t family to her!” Zane shouted. He got on Morro’s back, pulling him away from you. Jay threw snowballs at the boy, which he saw from within the sword. Jay took a stalagmite and dueled with Morro.

You and he swapped places, trying your best not to hurt Lloyd’s body in the process. Although, it was hard for you because you wanted to break all of your brother’s bones at once.

Zane took an icicle of his own. He joined the fray and you became a trio of attackers bombarding Morro. Your strikes were quick enough that Morro didn’t have time to look at the sword. Icicles rose from the ground, encasing Morro’s foot in ice. You stepped backward. Cole joined in next, he took an icicle and used it like a sword.

It wasn’t long before Kai showed up. You locked eyes with him. You both looked at the icicles growing and growing once they were cut.

Morro blew a gust of wind at the three boys. You caught Jay and Zane while Cole fell through the wall.

“Hey, catch me if you can,” Kai said with a wide grin.

Morro cut through the icicles, causing more to grow behind him. He cut through more of them, and he was trapped within the ice. He cursed. At some point, he would come out. He said he wasn’t lying to you. He still cared. That was worse than him leaving because he never loved you.

You turned around, not wanting to look at him. The anger in you was quelled for now.

“That should hold him for a while,” Kai said.

“Cool, how do we get to the body, though?” Jay asked.

“It’s obviously not in here,” you said. “I didn’t find a rotting corpse other than that one over there.” You pointed to Morro.

Jay suppressed a laugh.

“To move forward, don’t look ahead,” Cole said.

“Don’t look ahead…” Jay’s voice trailed off. He gazed at the floor. Light leaked through the cracks. “Look below,” he continued.

“Below?” you asked.

“It’s under the floor,” Jay said. “Come on, let's dig to see.”

You stomped on the ground. Your powers were embedded into the ice. A piece broke off, shattering when it hit the ground.

“That works too,” Jay nodded.

You jumped down, surrounded by little blue lights. Stairs staggered to a lone skeleton presented with holy light. Streams of water settled the moment you arrived. It was as if they were waiting for you and Tohru to come here. She finally paid a visit to her old friend.

A weight was placed on your chest again. Tears threatened to leak from your eyes. You weren’t even close to your grandfather yet. You stepped forward, your hair bounced with each step down the stairs. Your eyes were locked on that skeleton before you.

‘Forgive me,’ Tohru sounded like she was going to cry.

‘I’m fine,’ you thought.

You continued walking even when the boys tried to make you wait for them. You were transfixed by someone else’s grief. For a moment, a young boy was comforting a girl with two sets of pigtails and purple eyes.

“[Name], what’s going on?” Cole’s voice was the first to reach you. Your hand ended up in the ghost of his.

“Huh?” you turned around.

“You weren’t hearing us at all.”

“I’m sorry. Tohru…” your voice trailed off. The words escaped you. How could you explain something like that? The words didn’t want to show up at the gate among other things. You brushed your hand away from Cole’s. A smile crept up your face.

“Oh,” Kai said. “It’s him. It’s the FSM, right?”

You nodded. The skeleton before you got closer and closer. A gem settled into its hands. His hands. That was the realm crystal. It was beautiful, shining like a diamond. Your hand tantalizingly hovered over it. A string of apologies echoed in your mind. You were taking something that didn’t belong to anyone.

‘Forgive me, Izanagi,’ Tohru said behind a sob. ‘I never got to say goodbye to you.’

“How does it work?” Kai asked.

“How it works is you hand it over or say goodbye to your friend.”

You held the crystal close to you. Morro was at the top of the stairs. His ghostly form was out of Lloyd’s body. The mossy green glowed against your cousin’s skin. It was white as a sheet. His breath was barely escaping him.

The sword barely touched Lloyd’s throat. He might as well not have it near him at all. He wheezed, “I’m sorry.”

“So…what’ll it be?” Morro asked.

You stepped forward with the crystal cradled in your chest. Kai stopped you. His warm hand settled on your shoulder.

“If we give him the crystal, Morro will unleash his master onto all of Ninjago,” Zane said.

“And if we don’t, we don’t get Lloyd back,” you said.

“He’s too weak to protect himself,” Cole said.

“Either option sucks,” Jay said.

Kai gently took the realm crystal from your hands. It was as if the weight of your and Tohru’s hearts were in his hands. Shame tickled the hairs on your body. You could not hold it on your own.

“I guess it’s up to you, Kai,” Morro said. “So stop stalling and choose.”

“I’m not stalling, I’m thinking,” Kai said.

He got you in a huddled circle. Clearly, he was stalling.

“Ugh, I swear when this is all over,” Cole smacked a fist against his hand. The ground beneath him cracked. Pebbles hovered above them.

“Your powers,” you said.

“It’s because Morro is out of Lloyd’s body,” a small flame appeared on Kai’s hand. “They’re weak but they’re there.”

A spark coated Jay’s fingertips. He smiled like he just reunited with an old friend. “How do we fight back, then?” he asked.

“Leave that to me.”

“Time’s up,” Morro said. “You leave me no choice.”

“Wait,” Kai heated the crystal in his hands. “We’ll give you the realm crystal.” He throws it to Morro. It seethed with heat. The orange flames blended in shining blue. Morro cries out in pain, letting the crystal drop into the water.

“The crystal! What have you done?!” Morro shouted.

Lloyd slipped free, using the little strength he had to kick Morro away from him. Morro blasted a gust of wind at him. Lloyd drifted into the water. He kicked as best he could to stay floating.

You cried out his name. Your feet moved on their own to go after him. You paid your brother no mind. Kai and Cole followed behind you. Thankfully, the current didn’t take Lloyd that far. He fought against it too. Always the fighter. You reached your hand out to him. He barely missed it.

“I can’t get to him,” you said.

“Neither can I,” Kai said. “I can’t swim.”

“You can’t swim? I can’t touch water,” Cole said.

Great.

Lloyd flailed against the water. His coughs were mixed with calls for help. You balled up your fists. You weren’t afraid of the water like Kai was, just a sheltered childhood.

“Might as well learn to swim now,” you dove into the water. Your first instinct was to grab Lloyd. He was colder than the Wailing Alps. You mumbled any comfort you could think of to him. He’ll be okay. You won’t let go. You’ll protect him. It was those same words from the Temple of Fire. It overtook your chance of survival or defeating Pythor. That didn’t matter anymore.

Your head sunk into the water. Lloyd weakly pulled you up. It wasn’t enough. Bubbles burst from your mouth. It was a cold and sweet embrace. At some point, your father or Morro would find you almost drowning. You’d be a little kid again, trying to hear the merlopians in a fresh-water lake.

Then, Kai embraced you instead of death. He took you and Lloyd up to the surface. Someone too weak to swim was being saved by two people that couldn’t. Ironic.

“Cole! You have to grab them!” Zane shouted. “It’s the only way to save them!”

A waterfall dripped into nothingness. You almost didn’t notice the darkness there was so much of it. Cole hesitated. His eyes drifted from the stream to the impending doom you would face. He extended his hand. Kai took it. He pulled him and Lloyd out of the water while Kai reached for you.

You hugged Lloyd again. He was safe again. You held back from crying. Lloyd didn’t deserve that after going through so much.

The realm crystal fell down the waterfall a few feet before being brought up by a gust of wind. Morro caught it before leaving. At least, not until you locked eyes with him.

“I’m doing this for your own good, y’know. That god needs to leave,” he said.

“We have to go after him,” Jay scrambled from his spot.

“No,” Zane stopped him. He cocked his head toward Lloyd. That was enough for him to stop.

You and Kai helped Lloyd walk out of the cave. It was the only exit you could find. The sun was setting over the horizon. The bounty stood among the waters, welcoming you to the outside world. You sat down with Lloyd so he could rest. He took in a breath.

“You all sacrificed so much to save me,” Lloyd said.

“I promised I’d look after you, didn’t I?” Kai said.

“But what now?”

“First, you need to rest,” you said. “Then, we’ll think of a plan. Finally, I’m kicking my brother’s ass for all he did to you.”

Chapter Text

 The summer festival was coming once again. It was a time when citizens of Ninjago celebrated the upcoming harvest. Blessings lay on the land for an abundance of rice, fruits, and vegetables. Ectoplasm and blood would rain on those crops.

The bounty landed on the tea farm. Wooden boards covered the shop’s front door. Morro was in Stixx. He had the realm crystal. Surely, he would summon the Preeminent in a river claimed by ghosts. Lloyd’s arm was around your shoulder as you helped him walk down the path. He should be fine, but he did not complain when you stepped in.

“Shouldn’t we be going to Stixx?” Kai asked the same question you were going to. “The longer we wait, the worse it’ll get.”

“We need to stock up,” Wu said.

“On what? Magic tea that can make us invincible?” Jay turned around, walking backward under the gate. “Give us special powers? Oh! Is it gonna give us four arms?”

“I don’t think we’ll be brewing any tea,” you pointed to the front door.

Jay finally noticed that the building got shut down. His excited smile instantly turned into a frown.

“Sadly, there is no tea,” Wu approached the front door. “I had to sell the shop and all that’s in it.”

“Father…” you said.

“That was for your retirement,” Zane said.

From the side of the building, Borg approached your group. His wheelchair crackled the rocks under him. They made popping sounds when skidding across the sidewalk. Borg’s hair was clean. He was no longer operating a slew of spider legs. You were glad to see he was alright after The Overlord’s possession.

“Hello again, ninja,” Borg chimed.

“While we were away, I asked Borg to pool the tea-farm money together to create a few new ‘toys’ to balance the scales,” Wu said. “They’re expensive, you know.”

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen all of you. I can barely recognize your faces,” Borg smiled. “Zane, look at you, a titanium ninja. I heard [Name] has new powers too. You both recovered so well after Chen’s palace. I see a water ninja. Cole is…a ghost. Lloyd looks older. Jay is still short. And…there’s Kai.”

“Hey, what do you mean I’m still short?” Jay grumbled.

“Sorry, Dr. Borg, but cut to the chase. We don’t have much time,” Kai said.

“Yes, always the impatient one. Let me show you,” Borg pressed a red button on his remote.

The circle framing the courtyard opened. A panel of metal raised two vehicles and one mech. One was blue with a vacuum sticking to the side. Lightning lined the front of the car to make it glow under the shimmering sunlight. Bulky tires glided against the ground with ease.

The other vehicle was black with two wheels. One was in the back, the other in the front. Magma layered on the black paint. The metal shimmered teal like the sea.

The one in the middle was a white mech with vacuums on its wrists. Other than that, it was identical to the one Zane had on the mountain. Fresh white paint made it look like melting snow.

“I’ve made Jay a lightning-fast ghost taker GT,” Borg said. “Front spectral intake and incorporable storage.”

Jay hopped into the car. He revved it up with a spark of lightning in his eyes. “Say, why did the ghost cross the street? Cause they saw me coming in with this!” he grinned.

“Zane’s ice mech appears to be the same, but I equipped the underarms with deepstone particle shooters. It’ll allow you to freeze the competition,” Borg continued.

“Super cool, and I mean literally,” Zane ran up to his newly improved mech.

“Cole, I’ve made you a ghost cycle,” Borg gestured to the bike. “Twin carbine blasters, auto-evasive handling, and made entirely of deepstone. You know, for the bodyless. I set all the radio presets to your favorite, soft rock.”

“I always loved a good slow-jam,” Cole hopped on the bike and turned on the radio.

“I guess there’s nothing for us,” you awkwardly chuckled.

“Sadly, there isn’t,” Borg rubbed the back of his neck. “I was too busy building the other three, and I thought Lloyd wouldn’t have come back by now. But, I do have something for Kai.”

He handed Kai a red headband. It is tied together in a neat bow. Kai tried his best to smile when thanking the rich man. Borg said it had a thirty-two-thread count. The weaving was like any other headband. It seemed like Borg picked the first thing he saw before leaving for Steep Wisdom.

“We can take the sparrow,” you said.

“I’m just happy to be here,” Lloyd said.

“I hear Morro has opened a bridge between our two realms,” Borg said. “It’ll take time for the Preeminent to cross.”

“Which is why Lloyd will destroy the realm crystal before it’s too late,” Wu said.

“They’ll be expecting us,” Nya said. “Morro has the Sword of Sanctuary too. Even if we have all these vehicles we don’t stand a chance.”

“There’s one thing he doesn’t know we have,” you grinned.

“We have a water ninja,” Kai dragged his sister to the middle of the circle. You followed the siblings as Nya struggled to get away from the spotlight.

“I just started my training. I haven’t even found my true potential,” Nya said.

“Nya, when our parents passed, you were there for me. It’s my turn to be there for you,” Kai said.

“And who knows? True potential shows up at the weirdest times,” you said.

“You’re right. She is our greatest weapon,” Cole said.

“And as brother sharpens brother, the same should go for a sister,” Zane said.

“So, are you ready to lead the team into battle?” Wu asked Nya.

She hesitated, biting her lip. You smiled at her. It was all you could do. For you did not know what she thought. Finally, she nodded. Her lips pressed into a thin line. “I’m in,” she said. “Let’s show Morro that not every path is a straight line.”

…

Stixx was overrun by green. It sauntered in clouds over the buildings and rickety docks. Ghosts floated in the moldy skies, enjoying their undead lives. Some of them attempted to eat food meant for the living. It went through their hands, smushing against the dirty wood. Sauces leaked through its pores, dripping onto you and Nya.

She planned to distract Morro while Lloyd went into the cabin to steal the realm crystal. She was in the Green gi to do that. It was the only way he would notice her. You would come in and keep him away from Lloyd with a fight.

Lantern lights danced with the wind. Their green shined through the gray clouds and gloomy waters. It made you remember going to the summer festival when you were young.

“I used to love watching the fireworks with him,” you said. Nya turned to you. Her eyebrows raised. She already knew you were talking about Morro. She smiled beneath the green mask she wore. It held a silent promise that you’d watch the blooming lights together when the battle was done.

“Brothers are weird sometimes,” Nya said. “They’re annoying. They stink. And they’re overprotective. But, they love you to death.”

“That’s a weird thing to say before going into battle,” you smiled.

“I just thought you needed that. You acted weird earlier when Ronin stole the sword. I’m not the best with words, but I thought I should’ve said something. We both have brothers after all.”

You blinked a couple of times. Was it that obvious you were troubled by the Cloud Kingdom? Maybe dodging every question the boys asked was a bad thing. Now, people other than Tohru read your mind. You smiled, hiding your troubled sibling bond.

“I think you’re getting better with words, Nya,” you said. It wasn’t a lie. They helped you, but they showed a truth you were not ready to face.

“Anyone have eyes on the realm crystal?” Kai’s voice from your watch interrupted your conversation.

“It appears to be inside what was once Ronin’s pawn shop in the center of town,” Zane said. “Morro is at the top of a tower. It’s like a fortress.”

“Do you really think we can get Lloyd in there to destroy it?” Jay asked. “I don’t think we can pull Morro away long enough.”

“That’s where I come in,” you said. “Nya said she and I would fight him while Lloyd got to the crystal.”

“Everyone in position?” Cole said.

“Yeah, let’s do this,” Kai said.

Nya hopped out from under the deck first. You swiftly followed her from underneath. She went between houses, stopping near a crane. Jay was on one of the wooden boxes filled with cargo.

“Hey, move back,” he said to the ghosts as he blocked them with the cargo.

Nya ran faster through the town. Not a cursed soul saw her weaving through the fish-smelling path. Zane dropped a bucket of water near two ghosts to distract them. So far, this was according to what Nya was talking about.

“Sorry, it slipped,” Zane said.

Finally, a ghost caught the girl. An arrow pointed to her forehead. The Soul Archer snickered, “Look what we have here.”

Two other ghosts and Morro surrounded her. Yet, Nya was not afraid. She wasn’t even shaking.

“The Green Ninja,” Morro mused. “Hasn’t anyone told you it’s rude to be late to the party?”

The ghosts pushed her in front of him. They twisted her hands behind her back, making her look up at your brother. He leaned against the Sword of Sanctuary. If he had a human body, it would cut him to pieces.

“Now that we have him, what do you want us to do?” the banshee asked.

“Surely it’s not just you? I bet my sister isn’t far,” Morro said. “Come out, come out wherever you are! I have your beloved Green Ninja!” The taunts were a windchime ringing too many times in a storm. The metal would break from the force and water battering them. The chains were weak like Morro was.

You bit your lip. You couldn’t fall for his words. He did not have Lloyd. He was down the street, following you on your journey through a dead down.

“You think you can come into my home and take the crystal I rightfully earned?” Morro asked. “You think I’ll hand it to you like the green gi was? Tell me and everyone else here that I’m better than you. Maybe I’ll let you go.”

“Okay, I’m better than you,” Nya flipped off her hood. Water surrounded her fist.

“What? She’s a water ninja! Protect the realm crystal!” Morro backed away from her.

Nya blasted the ghosts around her with a few drops of water. They were gone into green clouds. You jumped out of your hiding spot under the dock. Your polearm took in the small amount of moonlight peaking through the clouds. Morro stepped back. His eyes went wide. Your polearm clashed with his sword. He didn’t look at his reflection.

Water gurgled into a big ball. Morro pushed it back with a gust of wind. It splashed at Nya’s feet. She shot smaller splashes of water that he avoided. You dueled him with your polearm.

The realm crystal’s blue glow leaked through the pawn shop. Ghosts phased through the walls, jumping back into the fight. Nya took them out again, only for more to be released from the building. The portal had been made. Morro had an endless supply of henchmen to throw at you.

Ice froze the ghosts wandering through town. Lloyd had begun passing through. There wasn’t much time until he destroyed the crystal.

Morro hovered above you and Nya. It made it easy for him to swiftly dodge Nya’s attacks. You couldn’t fight him from the ground either. You clicked your tongue. Might as well start using some energy.

Your foot pressed into the ground for a good leap, high enough to get to him. The polearm struck the sword like it was an old one from the pasture and not a legendary weapon. Morro came to think of it that way too. He stopped constantly looking at it and fought you for once.

You twisted the polearm around like a normal bo-staff. In actuality, a polearm was a staff with a sharp end. It could not cut through Morro, so it might be one for once. Your feet weaved your form around the formless. Metal clashing became the music Ren would guide you through in Tsukigami Shrine. The steps were quicker, more precise to cut through nothing but spectral air and a sword.

Morro swung the sword aggressively. His movements were filled with anger, jealousy, and a strange vulnerability only you could see. Beneath the hate was a boy.

The wind took you up higher. You used your powers to keep up with your brother. Your legs ached from the amount of energy coursing through them. You slammed both of you down to the roof with your powers. Now, your arms ached. The pain was easier to spread if all of your limbs were like this. You learned that while fighting Chen.

“Watch out!” Lloyd’s voice echoed behind you. He kicked Morro aside the moment you moved. Morro’s back hit the building’s wall.

“The green gi belongs to me now,” Morro heaved a breath he could not breathe.

Green webs of energy radiated from Lloyd’s hands.

“You’ll think I’ll make this easy? Let’s see how good you are,” Morro avoided getting hit by Lloyd’s energy spheres.

The wind pushed against Lloyd while he made a big sphere. It was knocked against him. He fell off the building.

“Lloyd!” you cried out.

“Stay strong!” Nya shouted.

“I’m stronger than you. I always have been, Lloyd,” Morro said. “I’ve been in your head. I’ve seen your fears. You can never do things alone, can you? Weak. You’ve always relied on them. I don’t need anyone.”

The shop floated into the air. It swirled around stray pieces of wood and ghosts. They chanted for their master, their mother. Pain stabbed you in your muscles and bones when you stood.

‘I can punch the crystal, can’t I?’ you asked Tohru.

‘It’s small, but maybe. Is this your backup plan if Lloyd doesn’t know airjitzu?’ Tohru asked.

‘Yup,’ you thought.

Lloyd jumped from platform to platform. He stumbled to get a good footing. “I did learn a thing or two with you in my head,” Lloyd smirked and tried his hand at airjitzu.

‘Oh, he does know it,’ Tohru said.

You grabbed your cousin’s hand when he lost his grip on the cyclone. As if the door knew what you were doing, it swung open. You pushed Lloyd into the shop with no time to lose.

“End of the line, you two,” Morro said. “I’ll miss you.”

“Better late than never!”

A red ship flew in with an open door. Ronin was in the pilot’s seat. You had never been more relieved to see someone in your life. A sigh escaped your lungs.

“Glad I saved up for this,” Ronin pushed a button. Coins dumped out of the hatch. The rained down on you. The weight crushed the shop, lowering it to where it once stood on the dock. Lloyd fell out of the shop. He gasped for air.

Morro would’ve tackled him to the ground if it weren’t for your powers pulling him into a fight. You hadn’t finished what you started at the tea farm after all. You coaxed a cyclone out of him. Your powers were a ruthless blockade of punches and kicks. That was all you knew how to do at this point. Your polearm was worthless.

You both did spinjitzu. Your tornados clashed before pulling away again. Everything was so quick that Morro couldn’t look at the sword. Good. That was where you wanted him to be.

“You keep saying that you’re doing this for me. Have you ever thought this wasn’t what I wanted?!” you shouted.

“Destiny destroyed us,” Morro argued. “This realm destroyed us. You know that the writers made Garmadon disappear. They denied me the right to protect you! He took our family away! Don’t you get it?! That’s why I made the deal!”

You didn’t listen to him. Lies. Lies!

‘He’s telling the truth,’ Tohru’s solemn voice echoed.

Your brain came to a halt. Your body’s memory took over. The strikes got more aggressive with Morro on the defensive. That was until they slumped, unable to move anymore. It was like you were being ripped apart. Guts called emotions spilled onto the dock.

A glimpse of memory flashed. The fireworks were blooming in the sky filled with stars. You were a little girl again, on Morro’s shoulders, in your favorite spot in Jamanakai. Wu was next to you both; he watched in awe. He comments that the festival planners outdid themselves every year. Dreams of the peaceful family time faded like how flowers withered. And yet, they fondly echoed in your heart, your soul.

It pushed you to persevere through the pain. Your blade is tempered with sakura petals. It glowed pink. The polearm swung against the Sword of Sanctuary a final time. Reality stopped but the slash continued. It was the only thing that moved in an eternity of stillness. You lowered your polearm. The sakura petals surrounded you, becoming permanent objects. They tossed themselves around in the wind. Their sweet scent comforted you.

Morro pushed away the cyclone. The sword was nothing but a handle. Its pieces took a dip in the river. They would rust and live with the mud, fish, and rocks forever.

“Did you just break the Sword of Sanctuary?” Morro’s voice was calm, like a parent asking you if you did something wrong.

“I think I did,” you said. That was the wrong thing to do. It took you a second to realize you weren’t breathing until you spoke. You gave into a fit of coughs. Your knees hit the dock hard. Blood splattered. The taste of iron flavored your saliva.

“Oooh, the writers are gonna kill you,” Morro said.

“They already hate Tsukigami,” saying Tohru’s formal title felt weird.

“Not if the Preeminent can remove her.”

“What?”

“Bye.”

Morro left for Lloyd and the crystal. Your voice left you. Your hand stretched out to your brother. He had priorities other than explaining himself.

‘That’s new…’ Tohru said.

‘How can you be so casual? Morro wants to separate us!’ you thought.

‘He won’t. I won’t let him.’

“[Name]!”

You mustered the strength to turn your head. Nya ran to you in a fit of panic. Her arms went under yours, pulling you against her. She was warm, just like Kai.

“I can’t move,” you said. “I wasn’t breathing the entire time.”

“Oh my FSM,” Nya said.

“I can’t feel anything, Nya.”

Chapter Text

 Admitting to not being able to breathe was strange. It was like common knowledge to you. Your lungs didn’t work right when fighting your brother. Your powers drained you like an electrical plug stabbed through your bloodstream. It became take, take, and take until you had no more to give.

“Come on. You have to move,” Nya tried to get you on your feet. At least, that’s what you think she did. Your feet were heavy against the wooden dock. It felt more like a cushion than the ground of a ghostly war zone. Your feet toppled against each other. Your body dipped into gravity. You would’ve fallen into the water, never to be seen again, if Nya hadn’t caught you. “Okay, we’re not ready for that,” she said. She pulled you up into her arms bridal style, looking through a hole in the fallen pawn shop.

Lloyd held the glowing realm crystal. Morro sauntered toward the boy. His eyes were forced to be sympathetic.

“But if you destroyed it, you’ll never get the chance to see your beloved father again,” Morro said.

“There he is,” Kai came up to the window.

“Lloyd, get out of there,” Nya said.

“I’ve seen him, Lloyd. He waits for you,” Morro said. “You don’t want to disappoint him, do you?”

Like everything else Morro said, you didn’t want to believe it. Although, this was a bit more plausible than most other things. Garmadon was in the cursed realm. Morro could’ve seen him in the Preeminent’s ribcage. They could have been chained to the same bone. What would they have talked about? Wu? Lloyd? The prophecy?

You reached out to a loose wooden plank, tugging on it. The nails sprung from their holes. They let you get a closer look. Your arms were aching again. You could feel the pain biting into your nerves with drooling fangs. Its spit spread across your gi and skin. Your feet touched the ground with the delicacy of a wrecking ball.

“Use spinjitzu!” Kai shouted in a desperate attempt to reach Lloyd.

“Wait for me, Lloyd! I’m coming!” your legs gave out. Kai and Nya hoisted you up in their arms to keep you standing.

“I don’t think you can if you can barely walk,” Nya said.

Zane was next to run up to the shop, “Lloyd! Get out of there!”

“You saw him?” Lloyd’s eyes were glassy like a doll’s, filled with tears threatening to rush out of him. “No. He’d do anything to save Ninjago. You just want to destroy it. The realm crystal has to–”

A tentacle came out of the portal above him. It snaked around his body, crushing the crystal out of his hands. Morro looked up at his arriving master with a grin on his face.

“You had it wrong. Ninjago must be destroyed,” Morro said. “Say hellos to your father for me.”

“No!” Zane shouted.

You covered your mouth, throat croaking a cry from deep within. Morro did this for you, but at what cost? He should’ve known that possibly killing Lloyd would make things worse, right? It only puts a guilty shadow behind you. This was your fault. You’re the reason Lloyd is in the cursed realm.

The boarded walls broke just enough for you to slip through. Morro was still inside the building. A tentacle slipped out of the hole the realm crystal created. It was dripping with ectoplasm. The liquid snuggled against your cheek, feeling human flesh for the very first time.

“Lloyd! [Name]!” Kai’s hand shot through the hole you crawled through. Nya held him back from going any further. Yet, something in her eyes wanted to drag you out of the shop too.

You fell to the floor, staring at the tentacle inspecting you. It was as if it had an eye to make sure you were Morro’s real sister and not some girl he got attached to. You rested your face as much as possible. It didn’t matter how fast your heart was beating, or how your bones trembled at the sight of a single limb the Preeminent had.

You tried crawling away from it. The tentacle only got closer to you. She twisted and turned around your head and body. She inspected the god within you. Infinity sakura coated your fist. You brought it to the tip of her tentacle quick as a deer running from predators. The ectoplasm forming her limbs rippled into the portal. More limbs snapped out of the gaping hole in the ceiling. They clung to your arms, spreading them out along with your legs.

Morro sauntered toward the tentacle, kneeling in front of it. His hand ghosted over your back. He smiled at his master. In his mind, he was finally protecting his little sister. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

‘Please don’t leave me, Tohru,’ you thought.

‘I never will,’ Tohru answered.

“Master, you realize that you are trying to kill my sister, right?” Morro asked. His eyes darkened, glaring at the Preeminent. “We had a deal. I gave you the realm crystal. Now, you do your part.”

The Preeminent let go of you, save for one of her limbs wrapped around your arm. She threw you up into the air, and it snapped around your body. Your arms were stuck to your sides. The cursed realm gently squeezed you like you were a small child. She felt how small a human was compared to her.

You couldn’t say anything. It was like your voice got stolen. Muffled cries and screams from your friends trying to break into the building. Kai scrambled into the room, flames coating his hands. Morro blew a gust of wind to push him out. The flames spread. It would’ve set the shop on fire if everything around you wasn’t so damp.

“None of you are going near my sister,” he glared at Kai and Nya. “Especially, you.”

The portal above you got bigger. More of the Preeminent’s body stepped out of her cage. A gaping hole pulsated, letting out ghosts to push your friends away. Morro hitched a ride with a stray tentacle. The realm crystal glowed brightly in his ghastly hands.

Screeches and dead moans banged against your eardrums. You couldn’t cover your ears to shield the agony. Make it stop. Make it stop!

Fluid made you sink into the Preeminent’s essence. The cursed realm would take your soul tonight. Would that mean Tohru had to find a new body? Or would she wander on her own until she sealed herself from the world again? You hoped she would be under a sakura tree. The shade can comfort the god, filling her nose with sweet scents. Perhaps she’d finally be at peace after watching so many lives taken from her.

‘Stop thinking like that,’ Tohru pulled you out of your thoughts. ‘I already said I won’t leave you.’

That was the last thing you heard before being transported to the belly of the beast.

…

Something pulled at your soul, trying to tear it apart from the seams. Two people stuck together were being pulled apart to a painful degree. You could move again, but the cost became laying in agony. This was what it meant when Morro said the Preeminent can remove Tohru.

You tripped into a fleshy wall of paper that easily tore down. Your face fell flat on the gushy floor. Fluids soaked into your gi. Her essence. Her blood.

‘Where are we?’ you asked Tohru.

‘Noroi must’ve brought us in,’ Tohru said.

‘Noroi?’

‘It’s the Preeminent’s true name. And it looks like she’s trying to separate us.’

‘I can feel it.’

‘You can feel it not working.’

It wasn’t working. You were filled with relief and an urge to mentally punch Tohru. Who knew something like rejecting a separation could be so painful? You took in your surroundings. The sickly green and ghosts wandering through the pathways made a dead giveaway that you were in the cursed realm. Lloyd was probably here too, having been dragged away not long before you did.

“Lloyd!” you rushed through Noroi’s system. Ghosts wandered through, waiting to be let out of a gaping hole in their mother’s face. Liquid squelched with every step you took. Noroi must not have minded that. Or maybe she was trying her hardest not to hurt you out of a deal she made. The gods had to keep their end of a favor. At least, the responsible gods did.

You passed thin walls encasing a few ghosts in particular. They were like prison cells. The cursed realm might as well be a prison itself. It took in horrible souls or those not smart enough to know they were horrible.

Finally, you passed someone you killed. Chen was a human instead of a snake. His headdress was coated in ectoplasm. In place of a hand, was the nub where Ilya cut it off. A hole punctured his neck, representing where you stabbed him. His brow furrowed upon looking at you. He can’t speak. That’s why he wasn’t using every curse word in the book toward you.

“Are you done staring with pride, demon?” a voice behind you asked.

Demon? Demon?! You whipped your head around to find Clouse in an opposite cell. Dark eyes peered into your own. Slowly, you walked toward him. You might as well go with being called a demon.

“Where’s my cousin?” you asked Clouse.

“Why should I tell you? You killed my master.”

“I’ll kill you and him again if you don’t.”

“Empty threats coming from you. Your cousin just passed down the hall for his dear father,” Clouse’s voice dripped with serpentine venom on that last word.

Uncle is nearby?

You ran away from the cells, heading where the string of familial love pulled you. It was more like a strong rope tugging at your heartstrings. It played them like a koto, weaving beautiful melodies filled with tragedy.

Someone was running toward you the further you got down the hall. He was another human. He wore black and white robes lined with gold. A purple piece of cloth tied them together. Those were Garmadon’s clothes.

“Huh?” you said.

“[Name]!” a familiar voice chased you down. Lloyd’s voice. He was the first to reach you and the first to hug you. You squeezed him tight, spinning him around. Your cheek nuzzled against his.

“Aww, look at you!” you said. “You’re wearing uncle’s robes.”

“I know. He lent them to me, I guess,” Lloyd said.

“What?” you said. “Never mind that, we just have to get out of here.”

“I think we can do that just fine.”

Green energy popped out of Lloyd’s hand. As if you were telepathic, you knew what he was thinking. You kicked the Preeminent’s insides. Infinity sakura broke through the plane between realms. Lloyd did the same with his powers. You crashed into Stixx once again. The roof you landed on cracked a thin line.

Morro was near the end of the dock. A boat was preparing to leave the city. It slowly paddled against the river, narrowly escaping tentacles. Ronin fought him with a shimmering turquoise blade. Deepstone.

A gust of wind pushed Ronin against two barrels. It knocked away all other air around him.

“I’ll deal with Morro,” Lloyd said. “You go and take out the stilts. That Preeminent needs to drop into the river.”

“Sounds like a plan,” you said.

You ducked underneath the docks, polearm cutting through the supports like pieces of paper. You had taken out around three of them when more were cut by several aeroblades. Four of them to be exact. You airjitzued onto a roof along with four other figures.

“Guys!” you couldn’t contain your grin.

“[Name]!” Jay shouted.

The four boys gave you quick hugs. Quick enough to not distract yourselves, but long enough to get the embrace you wanted from them.

“I swear to all gods in the sixteen realms, never get involved with your brother’s shenanigans again!” Jay said.

“I would never,” you said.

Your moment was interrupted by a roar. Noroi had armor surrounding her body. All of it came from innocent people’s homes. Their cursed lanterns lit up the night. The gaping hole that was Noroi’s mouth popped out more ghosts than you could count. She gave birth to a new one every other second.

“Well, just when you think you see everything…” Jay’s voice trailed off into nothingness.

“Pixal has calculated five hundred ghosts around the fortress and counting,” Zane said.

“Might as well take her down one ghost at a time,” Cole said.

A claw attached to Noroi slammed down on the roof. You and Kai jumped toward it, landing on another house on her leg. You broke the window, climbing inside. The house was on its side with everything in it emptied into the river.

Jay, Cole, and Zane were bombarded by ghosts. One by one, the ghosts poofed away by getting struck by streams of water Nya created. She was on Noroi’s foot with the boys. Thank your grandfather she was alright.

“Knock, knock,” Nya chimed while knocking on the door to the house.

“Come on in,” Kai played along. “Let’s rock this house.”

The six of you were now inside the one-room home. The air was clammy and stank of moldy water and sweat. Jay stood on the other side of the room, gesturing to the house that made up Noroi’s knee.

“Docter, it appears our patient needs to be put on ice,” Jay said.

“I’m happy to help,” Zane coated the joint in ice, leaving Noroi to fumble. You swayed into a wall as Noroi shook it off. Her foot went into the water. It sizzled like grease on a hot pan over a stove. The realm shrieked. The paddle-boat was far enough that she couldn’t follow. At least, that’s what you thought.

Noroi took a chance and stepped into murky waters filled with strangle weed. She teetered after the boat with her children surrounding her.

You fumbled out of her knee and into the dark skies. The moon would be settling down soon.

Wooden boxes tumbled into the river so the boat could move faster. It did nothing against the artificial waves knocking it back and forth.

Something wrapped around your wrists, pulling you into it. Noroi was hunting you down again. Pain lurched from your lungs and heart. It curled into you, coaxing you to give in. Noroi and Morro wanted you to give in. Tohru has to leave, they said. You can’t resist forever. You pushed their voices away. Nay muffled them with metaphorical headphones.

“I have to get out of here,” you gasped.

“Why? What’s happening?” Nya asked.

“Morro wants the Preeminent to separate Tohru and me.”

Nya gave you a hesitant look. Her dark eyes said everything. Is that really a bad thing? You both put that thought in a box, never to open it again.

“None of our powers are working, either,” Jay said.

“You’re right. We have to protect the ship,” Nya said.

“Alright, ladies first,” Cole said.

You and Nya got to the ship with ease. You used airjitzu while Nya shot water to propel herself to the boat. You settled near the bow where Ronin steered the ship into thick fog. Noroi was catching up quickly and you were on the highest speed. Wu and Misako watched her steady herself in the water.

“If we’re going to destroy the Preeminent, we will have to do a lot more than we have,” Wu said.

“Speaking of more, we need more fuel,” Ronin said. “If we turn back now, we’ll make it to shore. However, if we arrive in Hollow’s Trench, we’ll be sitting ducks.”

“You think Hollow’s Trench will be enough to drown that thing?” Kai asked Wu.

“It won’t hurt to try,” Wu switched the lever to move faster. “Full steamer ahead.”

Noroi didn’t give you the chance to try that idea. Her arm slammed onto the paddler, making it sink into the river pooling into the sea. A portal appeared above her. Morro dropped out of it, but Lloyd was gone.

People screamed, running across the dock. Mothers and fathers held their shaking children close to them. A pregnant woman’s water broke. It was strange that new life could be born the day a ghost wants to take over all sixteen realms.

Nya strode out to the front. Her eyes were dazed as she stared at the god before her. Someone bumped into her shoulder.

You followed the girl, your hands intertwining with themselves.

“Nya?” you said.

Her head tilted. It was like she didn’t even hear her.

Droplets of water scattered like rain. She hovered over the floor. A vortex of water surrounded her. It swirled into the skies and around the boat. You gingerly stepped backward. This was her true potential.

It wasn’t long before the boys arrived. You made sure Cole was far enough that he wouldn’t get a fatal splash.

A large wave lapped against Noroi. It covered her entire body. She sunk into it like you sunk into her. Only for the god, she gave in to her weakness. Morro hovered above it all with a single stream of wind. In his other hand, was the realm crystal.

The water surrounding Nya disappeared. You held her while she steadied herself.

“I can’t believe it!” Kai hugged his sister. “You did it, Nya!”

The crowds around you cheered for the destruction. You only had one thought running through your head. Morro. Where was your big brother? Was he alright? Can you still save him? You ran toward the water, summoning the sparrow.

The bird’s wings sped across the drowning god. Morro weaved through the tentacles reaching for her children.

“Morro!” you flew toward your brother, not in anger, but in worry.

Morro kept up his wind gust but got closer to you. His eyebrows were raised, eyes widening. “I thought Sensei would be the one to look for me,” he said.

“Father might be a little slow,” you said. “But hey, we can talk about it once you get on the boat.” You extended your hand to him.

“Why aren’t you looking at me with all of that hate in your eyes?” Morro asked.

“I don’t know,” you said. You truly didn’t. Your instincts pulled you here along with the rope of familial love. The koto strings in your heart played a sad song. “I don’t know if I hate you, or even if I forgive you for everything you did,” you said. “But if you come with me, just know that you’re still my brother.”

“If I don’t?”

“You’re still my big brother.”

Morro took your hand, placing the realm crystal in it. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I thought that if I made the deal, I could make up for leaving.”

“You’ll make up for leaving by not leaving me now,” you said. “I still need my big brother with me.”

Noroi’s tentacle snapped around Morro.

“No!” you clung to Morro’s hand. “Let my brother go!”

“It’s okay,” Morro said. “You can let go.”

He pushed the realm crystal into your palm. He was the one that let go. Morro sunk into the water, disintegrated by the liquid. You stared at the glowing realm crystal. Tears approached your eyes. You let them drip down your cheek. You let out a hiccup, and then a sob.

Your screams filled the skies. Part of your cries was for your big brother. Part of them was for Garmadon. All of them made you sound like a small child, crying to your father after having a nightmare. Your sobs were backtracked to the rising sun. It peeked out from the approaching sea to dry your tears.

Your father flew on his dragon to you. He took you off your disappearing sparrow and placed you behind him.

“Now, now, don’t cry,” Wu’s voice always had light inflections when he comforted you. He wiped your tears and snot with his sleeves. He stayed with you until you were calm enough to return to the ship. Your cheeks were stained with tears, eyes puffy and red.

Lloyd came back with the realm crystal. All was okay with the world for now.

Chapter Text

I'd like to start by giving my Tumblr and Tik Tok links out. I post some of my art on there, along with other brain rots when I feel like it.

Tumblr: ohhiimweird.tumblr.com

Tik Tok: @ohhiimawkward

Now that that's over with, welcome to the season five interlude. Here we talk about fun facts, incorrect quotes, and age confirmations. First off, we'll go through character ages.

Kai: 17

MC: 17

Jay: 17

Cole: 18

Zane: (mentally) 18

Nya: 15

Lloyd: 15

Morro would have been around 22 if he was still alive during this season

Next, I want to announce that updates will be less frequent. I am currently going through college and still have to mold my schoolwork and the two fanfics I'm writing. Thank you for understanding.

Moving onto facts:

- Noroi is roughly translated to curse in Japanese

- Brainrot: Lloyd giving MC dango and saying it's for Tohru

- I wanted to add MC seeing Chen's gory dead body in the Temple of the Haunted Hill episode but it was cut for the cursed realm

- If MC was a villain instead of a ninja, this would be the season she's in. She would probably work with Morro in a Gyutaro and Daki sort of way

- Skybound is my least favorite season but I'm still going to write it

- I've been watching Rottmnt because of my roommate

Now after all of that, time for some stuff about the next season arc, Skybound + Day of the Departed:

- Jay and MC moments

- Nya and MC moments

- Echo Zane!

- Tohru drama

- Moving on from trauma

- light on MC trauma but heavy on everyone else's trauma

- foreshadowing

- Cole content

Anyways, get excited for the next update while I go and take a break to start writing and get done with assignments!

Chapter Text

 The Domu Library is sacred. It held much knowledge, including the Scroll of Airjitzu. Curses were one of the many things books and scrolls stored for safekeeping. You had been there so frequently that the clerks and volunteers knew you by name instead of by ghi color. To be fair, you would not be wearing combat gear. A yukata was much more appropriate in a civil environment. The locals at the village you visited as a child always said that to you. It didn’t matter that your father trained you in the art of war and bloodshed.

Today, you wore a plain indigo yukata. A breeze gifted by early autumn leaked through cotton and on your skin. It was a comforting chill you were more than happy to bask in if you weren’t in a hurry.

You pushed the doors open, unveiling the towers of bookshelves that led up multiple stories. The man up front, Gus, greeted you with a smile. Not once did he comment on who you were, or what you were wearing.

“Welcome back, [Name],” he said. “More research on the haunted temple?”

“Of course. Where else would I go?” you said.

“Boy, that friend of yours must be so grateful you’re going this far.”

You hadn’t told Gus that it was the Earth Ninja, Cole, that you were trying to save. Some things were better a secret from the public. As far as fans of the ninja assumed, Cole would be a ghost for the rest of his days. You sifted through the books on Yang’s curse. That was the first part of your research. To break a curse, you had to learn about it.

Back then, Konokuna Yang was merely a strict teacher. His methods were brought down to a single phrase, ‘As iron sharpens iron, sensei sharpens student.’ His sights were always on immortality. This led him down a path that ended with him and the students living in his temple being cursed. Now, they were specters walking on the temple grounds with Yang as the master of the house. Anyone who entered and didn’t leave before sunrise never left.

Cole left the temple grounds with you that day. He became a crack in that little string of ghosts cursed to stay with their teacher. Yang might want to bring him back to that temple. You won’t let him.

You pulled out a book adjacent to the curse. ‘Artifacts that Probably Cursed our World,’ was the title. It was almost too on the nose for it to be an actual book. However, you had to let go of your preconceived notions of literature in the name of research. Auntie Misako did that all the time. You were pretty sure she read this book too. She looked through the section on the Helmet of Darkness.

You opened the table of contents. The artifacts were in alphabetical order. Many of the artifacts were unhelpful. They had nothing to do with the Temple of Airjitzu. You brushed past the Amulets of Wojira, the Teapot of Tyrhan, and the Oni Masks. It was near the end that you found a clue that related to Cole’s curse.

The Yin blade. It was a chain with something that looked like an aeroblade at the end of it. The picture etched into the pages gave off a strange aura. A deadly aura. Your skin raised into goosebumps under your sleeves.

‘Yang used the blade on the temple roof during a yin-yang lunar eclipse. Legends say that this was how he was cursed as a ghost,’ the novel said. You shut the book, echoing your breakthrough to the rest of the library. People’s heads snapped toward you. If they were any quicker, their necks would snap in two.

‘Do you want to know when the next yin-yang lunar eclipse is?’ Tohru asked.

‘Is that even a question?’ you said. ‘It’s been months and we finally have our next lead!’

‘The next eclipse is on this year’s Day of the Departed.’

“I’ve gotta tell Cole!” you sprung up from the chair you sat at, speedwalking past strangers to check out the book. Finally, living proof to save your friend. You could fulfill your promise to Cole. You’d dance in the rain together when he turns human again.

…

Cole was not there when you got to the bounty, but Nya was. Her fists and feet tore apart the training bots Jay made a while back. Water shot out of her fists, spilling electricity out of the gears and circuits. Her brows were furrowed, teeth grinding as she trained. Her growling echoed off the deck. Water pooled beneath her feet, soaking her sandals. Her short raven hair was messy, parts of it tossed to one side. Her lips pouted at the destruction she created.

Your feet hesitated on the first step. It was like stepping into a warzone. Yet, Nya was your friend. Seeing her like this had become normal as of late. Fuwa flew to your shoulder as a way of support. He chirped for you to go in and talked to her.

“Another rough day?” you asked like you were walking on pins and needles.

Nya’s expression loosened. Her eyes were wide when she turned to you, lips parted. She released a soft gasp. That was enough for you to get that she asked what you were doing here. “You could say that,” she said. “I got to Dareth’s weird filming studio late, but it turned out they filmed without me on purpose. Then, get this, he joked about me doing a segment on how to do makeup!”

“Oh gods,” you sighed. “Did anyone get blasted with water?”

“Not today, but Kai tried to punch Dareth. It took everyone except for Cole to hold him back. I’d appreciate it more if we weren’t controversial to the public.”

Nya slumped her shoulders. On a typical day, this was classic Jiang sibling behavior. Nya’s attitude and Kai’s fierce protectiveness over her was a combination people didn’t like all that much. They would rather they not be close at all. They’re vulnerable that way.

“Do you think they’re gonna respect me? Or even both of us?” Nya leaned against the railing. Her question was a drop of hope hidden in a fountain of wishes she made throughout her life. Those words, ‘both of us,’ rained more wishes in your well.

Cole’s curse kept you from thinking about the public. Although, you did not care whether they wanted to see you or not. Dareth made the effort to keep the vessel hidden. Your titles reverted to Old Wu’s lively little girl rather than the Silver Ninja and Vessel to Tsukigami. You were still called ‘The Vessel,’ but it hurt less because it was a generalization and not out of praise. Forums online spoke of your powers, but you never read them past the titles. Outside of Clouse, you had only seen ‘Demon’ circle around once or twice.

Nya didn’t take the various titles all that well. She hated being called ‘the girl ninja’ just as much as you hated being called ‘the vessel.’

You approached her. Your head was heavy as it bonked against her shoulder. Your body relaxed. It told you it wanted to rest. Nya tensed. She gazed at you with her cheeks tinted pink. You figured she wasn’t used to being touched so casually. “I respect you, Nya,” you nuzzled your cheek against her.

“Not an answer to my question, but I’ll take it,” she sighed.

“By the way, do you know where Cole is? I found something that has to do with his curse and I have got to tell him.”

You pulled away from her shoulder. Nya’s eyebrows dropped. Her mouth settled in a slight frown. She straightened her back, pointing to the cabins below.

“He’s training with Sensei Wu,” Nya said. “They started a little bit ago.”

“Thank you. I’ll see you later,” you ran past her and into the cabin. It was quieter down here than outside. The wind could not touch you. No memories could seek you out, plaguing your mind as if what happened in Stixx was only yesterday. In reality, it had been a couple of months. It stuck with the pattern of adventures followed by peace.

You entered the training quarters. It was covered with tatami matting added not too long ago. Incense burned from sticks in a ceramic vase your grandfather passed down to Wu. Your eyes wandered to a few items laid out on a table under the windowsill. A piece of green cloth, a wooden sword, and a kite. They were all Morro’s.

Silently, your feet padded toward your father’s voice. He sat in front of Cole, who was in a meditative state

“Look inward,” he said. “When one is a ghost, one will unlock new abilities.”

You hid behind the corridor, although, Wu saw you through an open eye. You clutched the book in your hands, and he knew right away.

Cole’s ghostly form hovered a couple of inches above the ground. Then, he faded into nothingness. A gasp softly went down your throat. It was gentle in its shock, letting you process what happened to your friend. He disappeared, and yet he was still there. Cole’s physical form returned before you could exhale again.

“Woah! Did you see that? I disappeared! I mean, did you not see me?” Cole said. Bushy brows raised with a rush of adrenaline. A grin painted his features.

“Wonderful, Cole,” Wu said. “See, only you can unlock what is truly inside. That will be all for today.”

“Really? I thought there’d be more.”

“I think there’s someone here to see us. More importantly, you.”

You stepped out from your hiding place. The book settled behind your back. It was heavy on your fingertips. The air was unease as Cole looked at you. He waited with bated breath for what you wanted to say. It was a clue, yes. However, he was so happy being able to disappear. Was it alright to take that shine away from his eyes? You bit your lip, already knowing your answer.

“Actually, I wanted to talk to my father,” you said.

“Oh, could’ve sworn you wanted to talk,” Cole said.

“Nope. Nothing to report.”

Cole smiled. His fingers tentatively lifted before retracting into a fist. Hesitation crawled up his skin, reminding him that he was a specter, not human. Quickly, he drew back into insecurity. Your heart jumped into your throat. It vomited out words stuck in it for the past few minutes.

“It’s really cool that you can disappear,” you said. “It’s like when you possessed the snow.”

“I know, right?!” Cole quickly stood up. His expression snapped to delight, “I’ve gotta tell everyone.” His shoulder brushed past yours like a breeze. Heat bloomed from the contact like tiny sakura blossoms. The tips of Cole’s ears darkening were the last thing you saw before he was out the door.

You stared at it like the action was in a loop. You swung the book so that it was in front of you. Somehow, the curses felt more like curses than blessings.

“Why didn’t you tell him?” your father asked. You turned around, the book acting as an anchor for your actions.

“He looked so happy,” you said. “I didn’t want to ruin it.”

“He already appreciates what you’re doing, child,” he said. “Sometimes, you don’t need words to get something across.”

That was before you had to hold your tongue to survive Chen’s cruelty. You didn’t dare complain about the lack of food or spill your blood to take your friends’ powers. He only saw it as entertainment, drama. You were an object on display for his cultish desires. Your life was wasted for several months until you were finally a useful tool to him. A part of you said Wu had no right to say you didn’t need words.

Wu walked toward the door, gesturing for you to follow him. “Let’s take a look at surveillance in the meantime,” he said, already knowing you were troubled. You happily followed your father.

It didn’t take long for the two of you to find something suspicious. A specter that should have died in Sitxx wanders Ninjago with a ticket. A familiar goatee and burgundy robes appeared in pixels under the camera. They tinted green with death. Clouse.

Are you done staring with pride, demon?

You thought nothing of him that night. Perhaps you should have looked for him after saying goodbye to Morro. Then, you wouldn’t have to see him on that camera, mocking you without words.

“Curious,” Wu said.

“I’ll alert everyone,” you pressed the siren tone over the intercom. The others were all in one place, hanging out while Nya continued to train and destroy dummies. They were quick to arrive, although in a curious kind of fuss.

“What’s going on?” Lloyd asked. He stepped toward the screen with squinted eyes.

“Yeah, I was so close to beating Zane at chess for once,” Jay filtered his voice with sarcasm and an eye roll.

“Nothing just yet,” you said. “Father and I just found someone suspicious. My apologies for being hasty with the sirens.” You bowed by the waist.

“The footage we found was of Clouse buying a ticket to Stixx. It looks as though he plans to travel back there,” Wu said.

“Our old friend, Clouse,” Lloyd grimaced. “Looks like the Cursed Realm didn’t bring enough of her kids in the water.”

“We can help by pushing them in,” you said.

“You’re right. Let’s go see what’s in Stixx.”

“Are you sure that is the correct choice?” Zane asked. “According to mine and Pixal’s database, the denizens of Stixx do not think kindly of us, especially Lloyd and [Name].”

“Don’t we have to go to a Grant-a-Wish thing in the Ninjago City Hospital too?” Kai asked.

“Nelson only broke both his legs,” Lloyd said. “If he wants to be a ninja for a day, that can be tomorrow.”

The problem did not settle, not even when you were up in the sky on your sparrow. Nya’s water dragon struggled to steady itself under her control. She was far from falling into the city, but still had a ways to go if she were to master creating an elemental dragon.

City folk cheered for you and your friends. They tried to get the attention of their favorite ninja. Their words passed on like muffled soundwaves to you and them.

“Y’know, the hospital Lil’ Nelson is in isn’t far,” Kai said. “Mind if we stop there? In and out, simple.”

“We don’t have time,” Lloyd said.

“We do if we do not run into any problems,” Zane said.

“Sensei says ‘Never put off until tomorrow what can be done today,” Cole said. “Might as well practice his advice.”

“I’ll fly ahead to Stixx,” you said. “If there’s any trouble and you’re still at the hospital, I’ll call.”

“Are you sure?” Jay asked. “Nya or Kai could go with you.”

“It’s fine. Clouse probably isn’t doing anything important.”

…

Piles of rubble lined the border of Stixx. Cranes constantly rebuilt the dock and homes people lost. Fishermen grumbled as their boots trekked shaky wooden pathways. Their eyes were watchful for anyone in colored gi, wishing to berate them for what they’d done.

Because of this, you had to go in a much different disguise. Even a yukata would make you stand out. Although, wearing a hoodie and leggings was jarring. Other than wearing something similar on Chen’s island, it reminded you of dreams from your previous life. It reminded you of her, Riley.

You took a sharp inhale of fish air before stepping into town. No one greeted you like the first time you arrived to find Ronin. They did not care to be civil anymore. Hastily made action figures of your friends were broken and battered among the rubble.

You passed two fishermen grabbing a drink. A screen filtered with static played in front of them.

“Ya think those news people know about what those ninjas did here?” one of them downed a sip. He looked at his friend with a raised eyebrow.

“Probably not. They come here, destroy our village, and everyone else thinks they’re heroes,” his friend said. “At least they sidelined the Moon Demon. Wasn’t the ghost that started it all her brother?”

Moon Demon? That was new. You supposed it was an ugly nickname created by the people here in Stixx. You did not blame them for their bitter words. You had one final job to do here after all.

A pile of rubble being dug through by thieves and homeless people caught your attention. One of them was a specter against the sun, the only one that was seethrough. He was quick to toss anything and everything aside to find what he was looking for. The hood over his face was a poor disguise for Clouse. You hid behind a large piece of driftwood and watched him pull out a rusty teapot.

He inspected it, nodding slowly, then smiling to himself. He got off the pile of rubble, running into an abandoned building. You ran after him, looking through a cracked window. Clouse admired the rusty shine the teapot provided in the sunlight.

“Finally, the Teapot of Tyrhan,” he mused, turning parts of the teapot to form an image. His eyebrows would furrow in frustration when it didn’t work.

The Teapot of Tyrhan was in the cursed artifacts book you checked out. It held someone called Nadakhan. He was a Djinn, a creature hailing from a different realm before staying in Ninjago with his pirate crew.

Clouse threw the teapot aside with frustration. However, as he began to walk out the door, a cloud of orange mist filled the corner. It shaped into a masculine body with four arms. One of them had a hook for a hand. The smell of saltwater and sand wafted itself into your nostrils.

“I’m free?” he said. “Where am I? What year is it?” He had no legs, only a tail of mist guiding his movements toward Clouse.

“Nadakhan,” Clouse said. “It’s you. I’ve freed the Genie. Or was it Djinn? Oh, what does it matter, I want my three wishes.”

“But I must warn you,” Nadakhan hummed. “You cannot wish for love, death, or more wishes.”

“I know. I wish for my book of spells.”

“Of course. Your wish is yours to keep.”

A flutter of magic made Clouse's book of spells spring to life. He chuckled as he turned the pages, boasting about how he tricked a Djinn. His goal was not a simple one. That, he should have known. The book turned into a pile of ash before his eyes, lit by a fire.

“My deepest apologies,” Nadakhan said. “The book was last burnt to a crisp by a master of fire. Perhaps you should wish for more than a pile of ashes.”

“You conniving Djinn,” Clouse bit his lip.

“Your second wish?”

“Fine, I cannot find the ninja if I am a ghost. I wish to be mortal again.”

“Your wish is yours to keep.”

Clouse’s hands faded into becoming solid again. His skin was pale and sickly with death coating the blood in his veins. It wasn’t long before he could feel the sensation that is touch again, this included pain. Agony laced in his cries of pain. His hands shook as the man pulled the roots of his hair.

“Yes, becoming mortal is quite the painful process,” Nadakhan hovered over Clouse’s suffering body. “Although, you could wish for that to go away. I would do that for you to end your pain.”

“I wish it all to go away,” Clouse croaked.

“Your wish is yours to keep,” Nadakhan smirked. This was his plan all along. Djinn were known to take the souls of those they make wishes for. Clouse became Nadakhan’s latest victim and went into the teapot.

‘This is not good,’ Tohru said.

‘I’ll tell everyone else,’ you thought back.

‘There’s no time. He knows you’re here.’

‘What?’

A presence suddenly grabbed you and brought you into the building within seconds. Nadakhan’s face was now up close to yours. He inspected you with his dark eyes, stroking his goatee. Your breath hitched, your heart threatening to hop out of your throat to punch him away. That was until Nadakhan backed away from you.

“Curious,” he hummed. “You’re human, but someone powerful is living in you.”

“Who do you think they are?” you asked.

“From what I can tell, it’s someone called Tsukigami. My ancestors have met her before with the First Spinjitzu Master. A shame that I never did.”

“That’s off the table now. What do you want?”

“Perhaps I’ll find my crew after you’re dealt with. So, care to make three wishes?”

You quickly pulled a dagger from your pocket. Your arm snapped to make it meet Nadakhan’s throat. He smirked, then teleported behind you

“I said, care to make three wishes? Not care to stab me?” Nadakhan drawled.

“She will make no wishes,” Tohru’s voice echoed throughout the room. An outline of her body flickered in front of you. She floated over Nadakhan with a stare she would only give to her enemies. Nadakhan did not stir in her presence. He merely bowed.

“Ah, Tsukigami, it is quite the honor,” he said.

“You have two choices little Djinn,” Tohru said. “Leave and find your crew, or die here alone.”

“Dying is something I don’t want after escaping that wretched teapot. Although, I would like the girl’s soul.”

“That is not an option. Leave.”

“Is that a wish?”

“It is a command. I am not a fool.”

“Then I will leave and take the girl’s soul another day.”

Nadakhan disappeared, yet Tohru’s specter stayed. Her gaze softened upon looking at you. The goddess became a simple young woman protecting someone she cared about. You could only sit there, speechless.

“Forgive me for this,” the ghost of Tohru’s fingertip touched your throat. “I have to prevent his threats from coming true.”

“Tohru?” you said.

She drew a crescent moon on your throat before disappearing. You tried to call out to her, yet your voice wouldn’t come out.

Chapter Text

 Jay’s awareness blurred realities while he signed Little Nelson’s left leg. The sharpie bled into the cast, weaving his name so the young boy could be proud to be injured. Jay wasn’t sure why two broken legs granted something like this. However, he had a job to do, and Nelson looked happy to get a visit from his heroes. He was smiling with childlike wonder at Jay the entire time he held that sharpie.

“I officially dub thee, honorary ninja for the day,” Lloyd dramatically knighted Nelson, the side of his hand tapping his shoulders. It was dorky, a brand Lloyd had even before he was hit with the Tomorrow’s Tea. To think that he and Nelson would be the same age if that incident didn’t happen was strange. Jay’s mind couldn’t fully comprehend the fact that it lingered within him like a tumbleweed in the desert. Jay shook his head quickly, staring out the window.

“Thank you,” Nelson said. “Do you think you can sign everyone else’s casts?”

“I’m sorry,” Nya said. “A last-minute mission came up. Duty calls.”

“Not sure how far we’ll get through,” Cole said. “Looks like we have company.”

An enormous cloud of people gathered at the hospital. Their muffled shouts could be heard even from up here. Jay wanted to cover his ears and ignore the ringing those screams brought him. That was the thing about being famous, it challenged his sensitive ears.

“How did they find us?” Jay said. He got his answer when he found Kai with Twitter on his phone. Ever since Jay taught him how to use it, he’d been a pain.

“Of course, I’m at the hospital, my hair is sick,” Kai said to himself.

“Not again,” Nya rolled her eyes.

“If you recall, I said we would get to Stixx in time if there weren’t any problems,” Zane said. “This constitutes a major problem.”

Helicopters raised to the window. Cameras captured the hospital room and the people inside. Jay stepped away from the window, hiding in the shadows to avoid being seen. Sparks of lightning trembled across his fingertips without warning. Jay took in a deep breath to make them go away, lest he shocks his friends with a single touch.

“I don’t think we can fly out of here,” Cole said. “We might run into those helicopters.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Lloyd said. “No dragons.”

“What about Airjitzu?” Jay asked, not even thinking to crack a joke about cyclon-do.

“In this space? I don’t think so,” Nya answered for Lloyd.

“Well, if I’m a ninja for the day, call me the purple ninja!” Nelson pulled down a hood cut out from a spare hoodie. The drawstrings still hung from the hemming. “Follow me!”

Jay and others had no choice but to listen to him. They had to if they were going to get to Stixx and meet up with [Name] in time. Perhaps she should’ve taken Kai with her so he wouldn’t blab on Twitter about where he is.

Nya was close to the front, making sure Nelson didn’t take a hard fall on his wheelchair. “Did you make that hood?” she asked.

“You have a lot of time when you keep breaking your bones,” Nelson rammed the door to the stairs with his wheelchair. It slammed open as he led Jay and the others inside. Nelson pressed his back to the door again. Fans were already trying to bust it open. “Follow the stairs up to the roof and go back a few streets,” he said. “I can hold these guys off.”

“Lil’ Nelson, I mean Purple Ninja,” Lloyd said. “Thanks.”

“No. Thank you.”

Jay wasted no time in climbing up the stairs. He pulled his hood over his face. Although, it didn’t make much of a difference. The public still knew what he looked like. He wasn’t even sure why the suits kept them in the first place. It didn’t feel like they were actual ninjas anymore, just celebrity vigilantes.

The sun was in the middle of its cycle across the sky. Shadows made their way across the concrete roof, mainly from a billboard. All was quiet again, save for the fanning choppers making their way up. Jay covered his ears, unable to gauge the sounds around him. Just focus on your friends, he thought.

“The nearest building is too far a jump,” Lloyd said.

“Airjitzu?” Kai said.

“Are you sure? My airjitzu is still unstable,” Nya said. “I’ll fall if we try that.”

“But if we don’t leave now, we’ll never get to Stixx to stop Clouse,” Zane said. “[Name] may be there, but she is expecting backup.”

“We’re a team. We have to stick together,” Jay said.

“Thanks for the sentiment, but I can stick up for myself,” Nya scowled beneath her hood, stepping away from Jay and Zane. Her arms were crossed, eyes closed.

“Nya, he’s just trying to be nice,” Cole said.

“It’s fine,” Jay said. “She has her priorities.”

“What priorities?” Nya turned to him. Her half-lidded frustration told him to answer her or face the consequences. Jay would rather face silence than say what he thought. It was clear to him that Nya was thinking of [Name] alone in Stixx. It made Jay uncomfortable in a way he didn’t think it would. Nya was his friend. He felt no romantic feelings lingering in him for years. Unless–he was jealous of her.

Stop it, Jay berated himself. Stop thinking about that. Now’s not the time.

“It’s nothing,” Jay said. “We all have the same priority, right?”

“No, you said it like it was just me,” Nya said. “So what do you think?”

“I already told you, it’s nothing.”

Helicopters soon caught up to them. Lloyd told everyone to take cover. That was easy for Jay. He and the others used airjitzu to get behind a billboard filled with graffiti. Some of it was beautiful dragons sweeping across the blank canvas. Others were initials or cartoonish dicks. Nya was left alone, still looking at Jay inquisitively.

“Nya, you have to hide too,” Jay said. “Just take my hand. Take anyone’s hand for gods’ sake.”

“No,” she said.

“Nya, this is not the time for feminism!”

Before Nya could say anything else, helicopters swooped behind the building. It was like they heard the argument from miles and miles away. Dareth stood inside with the doors opened. He held a megaphone, a confirmation that he was not here to rescue them.

“Looks like we’re too late,” Cole said.

“Let’s just hope that Clouse missed his train. Or that [Name] has things under control,” Lloyd said.

“The second part is untrue,” Zane said. “I picked up a high-level distress signal from [Name], however, there is no message.”

“How did that happen?” Jay asked.

“Either way, something’s wrong,” Kai said.

Jay tried to make himself as small as possible, sinking his head into his shoulders. The cameras on the helicopter pointed at him. They focused on the freckles he covered with concealer, trying to point them out from under that blanket.

“Hey, don’t run away from the cameras, run toward them!” Dareth shouted through the megaphone. His voice was covered by the mic static and wind rushing through the copter and the city around him. “‘Ninja visit Hospital’ this is gonna be gold,” he mused.

“We don’t need more publicity!” Lloyd shouted. “Ugh, just get us to Stixx so we can find Clouse!”

“Could be a big scoop,” Dareth hummed. “Alright, hop in!”

Jay could not have been more relieved.

…

Jay hid among a crowd of village locals to look for either Clouse or [Name]. He came up with nothing. Not even the people around him had an aura of green or sakura petals floating around them.

“Pixal says he isn’t here,” Zane got on top of the remains of someone’s house.

“He could be long gone by now,” Cole said. “What about [Name]?”

“No traces either.”

“Just our luck.”

“My mom says that Wu is at Domu trying to think of what Clouse is looking for,” Lloyd said.

They continued to search apart before settling down at an outside bar. Jay looked into the half-empty cup of bourbon he was handed. He didn’t drink any of it, although, he was tempted. Instead, Jay looked out into the river. He found nothing, much like everyone else. Lloyd paced around the table, hands scratching at his scalp.

“I don’t get it,” Cole said. “You’d think someone would remember seeing a ghost.”

The news softly played over the chatter of bar patrons. Jay rested his chin on his hand as the reporter straightened a stack of papers.

“Where are the ninja? This reporter has the answer,” the man said.

“Hey, could you turn it up?” Lloyd asked. If there was something on the ninja, perhaps there was something on [Name]. That thought was passed to everyone at the table.

Fisherman shushed them, keeping the news at a low volume.

“Don’t you know no one cares about those fruit-colored ninjas,” one fisherman said.

“What kind of fruit is black?” Cole muttered.

“Blackberries?” Jay joked.

“Not the time.”

The reporter continued speaking over the television, “They’re calling the Crime Wave of the Century. Earlier today, Green Ninja, Lloyd Garmadon was seen robbing the Ninjago City Bank. This is another one of these strings of crimes springing up all around Ninjago. All the while, there is no sign of the Vessel to Tsukigami.” Camera footage showed Jay and his friends doing cartoonishly evil things. One of Zane freezing the track on a rollercoaster came up. It was almost funny to Jay. No one would believe something like that for a million years.

Then, Jay saw his parents on-screen. The person behind the news camera followed them home, bombarding them with questions about him. Jay’s mother backed away from the stalker while his father shooed them away.

“Our son would never do that!” he shouted. “And if he did, he probably had a good reason!”

“What the…?” Jay’s voice trailed off. His parents would be arrested for saying something like that, being accused of helping him carry out his supposed ‘crimes.’

“Can you believe them?” the fisherman from earlier said. “They destroy our town, act like they saved the place, and then do this. The next thing we need is the Moon Demon causing chaos.”

“If you see any of the ninjas, report to the police, immediately,” the commissioner in Ninjago City said. That was how things went from bad to worse.

Zane pressed a button inside his wrist. A beep echoed across the table as he dialed the police. Jay reached across the table, grabbing the nindroid's arm. He slammed it against the wood, trying to keep his friend from speaking.

“What are you doing?!” he whispered.

“It is in my programming to notify the police of a criminal siting,” Zane said. “This includes us.”

“Are you crazy?”

The fisherman heard him. One of them growled at Jay. His teeth bared like a wolf’s fangs. Jay gulped, letting go of Zane’s arm. Jay looked down at his hands, they were trembling. He had to find [Name], Clouse, his parents, anyone he knew. The police’s muffled voices came out of Zane’s arm. The sky absorbed them.

Jay murmured a curse before running from the table. The others had the right idea and ran with him. They hopped from rooftop to rooftop, making sure not to hurt those chasing them. That was a bit hard for Jay since his hands wouldn’t stop trying to electrocute someone. Lloyd was up ahead, using airjitzu to get across the dock. Nya begrudgingly grabbed Jay’s hand so she could get over with them. This time, she didn’t look so angry.

Stixx’s denizens surrounded them from alley to alley.

“What do we do now?” Jay sighed.

“This,” Kai used spinjitzu to get under the floorboards. The flames from his tornado burned through the wood. The edges became black and singed with bits of orange ember threatening to start a fire. Jay didn’t hesitate to be supported by dock posts. Although, he lingered behind to make sure Cole didn’t get hurt.

“Mom, we’re in a bit of a jam,” Lloyd called his mother from his wristwatch.

“I watched the news and I’m headed there now,” Misako said. “Did you find [Name]?”

“No, but she sent a distress signal. Whatever she was so worried about might have to do with what Clouse was doing.”

A crane dropped through the dock, splashing the water. Jay got in front of Cole to block him from it. To think that the fishermen were so willing to destroy their town because they hated them so much. Another crane dropped, then another. Each one tried to garner where they were. Lloyd swiftly got on one, gesturing everyone else to do the same.

Rusted metal gently scraped against Jay’s fingertips. He was glad his mother had as many vaccinations done on him when they could afford it. He held onto the chain as the crane raised to the sky. The fishermen and other bystanders below focused on the shadow-covered river. A policeman flashed a light on the water. Jay sighed. They were safe, for now.

Misako flew in on the bounty. Siren sounds backed her up, but not in a good way. The police drove down the bridge leading into town, ordering each other to take down the ship. Dark lines from grappling hooks brought it to a halt.

“So much for home sweet home,” Kai said.

“We have to split up,” Lloyd said.

“What?” Jay said. “Nothing good happens when we all split up.”

“I don’t like saying it, but we have to. If any of you find [Name], alert everyone else, immediately.”

Jay had no choice but to nod. He hopped off the crane, taking in the shadows of Stixx. They were dark and moldy, almost green. The scent of them made the start of a sneeze climb up Jay’s nostrils before going away. Finally, he found a spot to rest where no one would follow. It had felt like hours he’d been chased.

Lloyd might be looking for his cousin by now. The desperation in his eyes when he said to notify him when she was found was clear. Even from under that dorky fedora. Kai and [Name] shouldn’t have said it was cool. They acted more like parents than older siblings. Jay smiled to himself, Yeah, they would make a good couple.

All of a sudden, a hand flew over his mouth. Jay’s attacker was almost delicate in the way they pulled him into an old building. They couldn’t have been part of the police. They were louder, the fishermen too. It could’ve only been a ninja.

Jay turned around in the low light, getting a glimpse at the stranger. Well, she was more like a friend. To be more accurate, he found [Name]. Her gaze held a special kind of warmth. It transferred to Jay, blooming in his chest. His heart softly sang. Weird.

Weird, but nothing new.

He’d felt this before. It went back to when they first reunited in Chen’s noodle factory. Back then, he dismissed it as being happy to see her after months of thinking she was dead. He was the one teasing Kai about having feelings for [Name] after all.

Jay’s mind snapped back to reality when [Name] dragged him out of the old building. She didn’t speak, not even when they were running down the streets. Jay didn’t feel the need to, for once in his life. One look at her, and he saw she knew everything.

They got to the edge of the dock. Police sirens echoed from house to house. Muffled voices shouted, ‘Get them!’ and ‘They’re over here!’ Jay snapped his gaze from behind him to [Name]. She was already crouched down, motioning him to get on her back.

“Kay,” he nodded, doing as she said.

Her foot pressed into the wood, leaving behind sakura petals. The leap across the river and into the forest injected adrenaline into Jay’s veins. This was worse than the first time she did this to catch up with a train. At least everyone was holding onto her.

They landed with [Name]’s feet skidding against the dirt. It didn’t take her long to grab Jay’s hand again. She led him through the forest before stopping in front of a cave.

“[Name]?” Jay asked. “You don’t have to stay quiet, now–Woah!”

She threw him down in the cave, looking around to see if they were safe. She let out a sigh with none of her voice in it. Jay’s hand stopped him from falling all the way backward.

“What’s going on with you?” Jay sat up straight.

[Name] turned to him hesitantly. She raised her chin, letting the sunlight shine on her neck. A crescent moon lay there, purple and imposing.

“It’s nice, but what does it mean?” Jay asked.

She pointed to the mark and shook her head. Jay’s eyes went wide. The mark’s shape made it clear that Tohru did this. He wasn’t sure to believe Tohru had bad intentions, or that the threat was so dangerous, it required divine intervention.

In an instant, Jay sent a voice message to the others from his wristwatch. His voice was shaky. His throat cracked beneath the social pressure that was his friend’s stare. Unintentional, but terrifying.

“Guys, good news and bad news,” he said. “Good news, I found [Name]. Bad news, I think she’s cursed by Tohru.”

Chapter Text

 You sat in a forced silence across from Jay. He already sent a message that he found you. A curse was what he called your mark. He could not have been more accurate. It was the reason you decided not to talk to Tohru for the time being. Stixx was no longer a place you wanted to return to after she drew the moon on your throat. The others’ voices from Jay’s watch shared the same angered sentiment you had.

“Tohru, what the fuck?” Lloyd said. His voice rumbled with a growl. You said the same thing to her when you were in that old building after Nadakhan left. Her only argument was that he would take your soul if she didn’t do it. Logically, it made sense, and yet, you wondered if this mark would last forever.

“Okay, it’s kinda fucked up,” Jay said. “But I don’t know anything else other than that. She hasn’t told me anything yet. Wait—wrong word.”

“Well, find a paper or something so she can write it down,” Cole said.

“Oh sure, let me pull one out of my pocket. Oh wait, none of us carry paper!”

The conversation continued when you checked outside the cave again. Sticks lay around the trees. You took one sharp at the end, poking it to make sure. It dipped into your fingertips like gyoza in soy sauce. You brought it into the cave, crawling around to find a spot damp enough to write in. Jay let out a curious noise, following you deeper into the cave. The light from his communicator helped you find a spot. Finally, you found some soil that wasn’t too wet or too dry.

What would be the right message though? ‘Help, Tohru cursed me because a Djinn is after my soul?’ ‘A Djinn took away Clouse and now Tohru won’t let me speak?’ Those would get the information out but scare Jay into revealing your location to the police. Their shadows lurked around the forest, waiting for the right time to catch you. You bit your lip and started writing.

Clouse is gone, but someone worse took his place. A Djinn. Tohru is protecting me from him.

Jay repeated the words to himself in a questioning tone. His eyes were wide, hands shaking. Oh, he’s panicking again. You gently took his wrist, drawing the character for ‘calm’ over his palm. Morro did it when you were little. He said he made a talisman to make you brave and face the shadow monsters on your own one day. You’re fond of memories like those nowadays.

“I’m fine! I’m good!” Jay hastily pulled his hand away from yours. His cheeks tinted a light pink under the dim light of his wristwatch. He looked everywhere except at you. He read the words again, this time, to the others. They each had varying levels of disbelief in your story. However, their animosity toward Tohru dwindled.

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow,” Lloyd said. “For now, find somewhere safe.”

“I’ve got the perfect place to meet,” Kai said. “I’ll tell you in the morning.”

You smiled as the watch turned off, leaving you and Jay in the dark cave. Although not completely silent, your lack of a voice made it uncomfortable. You placed the pointed end of your stick against the ground, beginning to write more than your first explanation.

“You don’t have to do that,” Jay said. “Just tell everyone tomorrow.” He was smiling, hiding that he was afraid of what could happen to him and the others—fear of what happened to you already.

The sun set over the trees, leaking the last bit of golden light before disappearing. The moon took its place, comforting the plants crying in loneliness over the sun was gone—their one source of food. The moon says that the sun will come back like it always does. You wanted to relish in those soft and silent words, feel her light kiss your cheeks like it used to. And yet, you could not feel it.

…

Kai wrote the meeting location hint in a tweet. Perhaps he thought it was the only way he could reach everyone in silence, his words vague enough that the average person would be too lazy to decode.

You and Jay hid in a bar in the meantime. Jay switched out his gi for casual clothes you stole for him. Doing that would not plead your case for the others, but you didn’t care. The public did not see you as one of them after all. Only the Moon Demon and the Moon Demon does as she pleases.

The news played in the bar, saying that Misako was already in custody. A couple of hours ago, she disappeared with no sign of escape. You knew whose fault it was. Sighing, you went back to the message Kai wrote.

A place of peace. A place to fight. A brotherhood born, on one fateful night.

He spoke of the old monastery, the place where you met everyone. In the present, abandoned, but in the past, a foundation of childhoods and friendships. His riddle, far from lyrical, had a hint of sentiment in the last line. You stood up, tapping Jay’s shoulder as you moved closer to the door.

“We’re going?” Jay asked.

You nodded, motioning him to follow you. He hesitated, fingers lingering against the table as he left with you.

After getting to a more secluded area, you both flew to the monastery on your sparrow and dragon. The autumn breeze kicked into a harsh wind. The clouds kept your elemental creatures hidden like they were specs of color among the white. They began to reveal your burnt childhood home after a couple of hours of flying. As time passed, it became more deteriorated. The boards that once held up the roof when you first left tipped over. Anything flimsy got caught by the wind.

You descended with Jay, meeting everyone else in the stone courtyard dyed with ashes. Barely any fence protected it.

“Were we the ones who figure out the riddle last?” Jay asked. “[Name] was raised here for gods’ sake.”

You had been further from the monastery than you thought.

“There won’t be much time until they find this place too,” Lloyd said. “[Name], can you tell us what happened?”

“Um, no voice,” Jay gestured to the mark on your throat. You pointed to it for good measure.

“Right…”

“Here, I found some paper and something to write with,” Nya handed them both to you with a smile.

Quickly, you sat down and pulled together a way to say it. Like with Jay, you explained that Clouse was gone, but a Djinn is free. Now, he roams Ninjago in search of your soul, and possibly theirs. You mentioned in your little paragraph that Clouse was after the Teapot of Tyrhan—the one thing keeping the Djinn at bay.

“There’s no way that could’ve happened, right?” Kai said. “I thought Djinn didn’t exist.”

“Quite the contrary,” Zane said. “I gathered security footage at the Library of Domu. Wu visited there, but he was not alone.”

Grainy blue holograms pictured your father sitting at a table, nose in a book. Something materialized next to him, peering over his shoulder with a wicked grin. Nadakhan. Father…He went after your father.

“The library database indicated that he checked out a book on the Teapot of Tyrhan,” Zane said. “If [Name] is correct, we may have a Djinn on our hands.”

“So, what do we know about Djinn?” Lloyd asked.

“Not much,” Kai said. “They’re sneaky, give you three wishes, but you’ll only wish you never met one.”

“So that’s why Tohru cursed [Name]. It’s more like a shield,” Cole said.

You nodded. No matter how much you hated it, the curse was a shield.

‘I truly am sorry,’ Tohru said. ‘It was the only way.’

‘Was it?’ you asked. ‘You couldn’t have just told me not to wish for anything?’

‘That Djinn would have made you make a wish if your life depended on it.’

‘Since when did I start caring about my life?!’

Your final words echoed in the chambers of your mind. They were words you knew you wanted to say for a long time. It was as if you slammed the door, blocking Tohru. She did not plea to keep talking, nor raise her voice. She simply lets you sulk in the madness that comes with losing a voice.

“Then it’s settled. Since we know so little about the Djinn, we need to head back into town to investigate,” Lloyd said.

“If we go in together, the police will arrest us on sight. We need to split up,” Cole said.

“But anyone caught alone with him suddenly disappears,” Kai said.

“We’ll go in groups of at least two,” Lloyd said. “Zane and I will look around Domu to find anything else.”

You wrote that you were going with them, mentioning the book you checked out from the library. Although, you did not say the reason.

“Jay and I can check the scene of the crime,” Cole had an arm around Jay’s shoulder. “Just like old times, right?”

“Yeah, sure,” Jay stiffened under the taller boy’s touch.

“Kai and Nya will check on what else is out there then,” Lloyd said. “The Djinn could be anywhere, and we need to take him down quick. Look out for each other.”

You had to leave the monastery once again. As it grew smaller, you imagined yourself looking at the moon from the courtyard one fateful night.

…

You scoured the library after hours like a thief. Only a single librarian, Gus, wandered the halls, closing up for the day. You gazed in between two books, guilt weighed in your chest. Gus had made an effort to talk to you whenever you visited. He reminded you of an old man in Jamanakai who always talked to you while your father ran his errands. You bit your lip, pushing those memories into the back of your mind. They were not needed for this mission. If anything, it would be harder if you had them at all.

Lloyd stood next to you in a fedora, watching Gus leave the library. His eyes narrowed at the turning key, locking you in with the security guard manning the cameras. “Coast is clear,” Lloyd whispered.

You hopped through the shadows, into the main hall of books. The darkness led you to a table with an open book and another closed. Peeking through a shelf, you barely read the words. They spoke of the Teapot of Tyrhan. The other book had a sticky note inside, marking a specific section. You had no doubt it was also about the legendary teapot. You faintly read the title. ‘Artifacts that Probably Cursed our World.’ The author—Dr. David Yost. You hadn’t noticed one of Auntie’s friends wrote it.

“Wu’s book is still here,” Lloyd said. “There’s another one too.”

You pointed to the closed book, then to yourself.

“It’s yours?” Lloyd asked. “Why’d you get it? When?”

“The library database says that the book got checked out before the Djinn incident. Perhaps it was for Cole,” Zane said.

“Instead of looking at who checked out what, can you hack into the security cameras and disable them?”

“No one appreciates the work of a nindroid these days,” Zane shook his head. “Hacking into the cameras, now.”

The cameras nearby lowered their heads like they were about to recite a prayer. To you, it meant safety.

Lloyd approached the table first. His fingers traced over the paper and ink. You opened Yost’s book, flipping to the section on the teapot. Both books described the teapot as being a relic that trapped mortals inside. The one who put the Nadakhan inside was Captain Soto of The Destiny’s Bounty two hundred years ago.

Nadakhan was a former Djinn prince, fleeing to Ninjago to run the Misfortune’s Keep. His crew’s locations are unknown, but they are likely dead. Little is known about the other crew members, except for Delara. Although, she was worth mentioning because she was Nadakhan’s lover, killed by Soto.

“It mentions that if a Djinn is taken out of their imprisonment, the only way to stop them is—” Zane cut himself off. He was stiff as a board, eyes dimming.

No.

You tapped Zane’s shoulder. Nothing. You paced in front of him, grabbing his shoulders. You shook him back and forth.

“What’s wrong, Zane?” Lloyd asked. “Why did you stop reading?”

Zane’s eyes went dark as he went still. He powered off like he wanted to sleep. He did not do it out of his will.

A camera turned back on, pointing to you and Lloyd.

“I took the liberty to close off the wing,” a familiar voice echoed, smooth as silk. “Didn’t you say reading was the first step to every adventure in that dumb show you’re doing?”

You grabbed the windowsill, only to be blocked by metal bars coming down. The shut vibrated in your stomach.

“Those were meant to keep bad guys out. Or was it to keep the good guys in? I can’t remember for the life of me,” Ronin said. “Which one are you, Lloyd? Good or bad?”

“You know we were framed,” Lloyd said.

“I know. But, I was given this job for a clean slate. Just know that I hate doing this as much as the next guy.”

Ronin’s voice stopped echoing, becoming flat and dull. He pulled a book away, looking at Lloyd with a smirk.

“How’s Nya by the way? Boy, I missed that kid,” Ronin said.

“Piss off,” Lloyd shot a green ball of energy at the bookshelf.

Before Ronin could get back up, you kicked his side, pinning him down with your foot.

“Didn’t know you were here, kid,” Ronin said. “Quiet as a mouse today.” He pulled out a gun that you kicked upward. He took your ankle in an attempt to retrieve it. The two of you tussled in a game of hot potato, consisting of you kicking the gun away and Ronin trying to grab it. Your hits twisted around his body before fading into spinjitzu. Ronin’s back his the shelves. The gun was behind his back. He smirked, teeth shining in the dim evening light.

The gun shot out blue goo, sticking your wrist to the shelf. You gasped, shaking your hand against it.

“Be lucky I didn’t throw more at you,” Ronin said. “You’re not the one I’m looking for anyway.”

Ronin walked away to find your cousin. You wanted to scream, curse him for all eternity. And yet, your lack of a voice would not let you. Tohru did not let you because a Djinn would take your soul if it happened.

“Let’s make this easy. I can take you back to the station, you can answer their questions and clear your name,” Ronin said.

“Not until my cousin can talk again!” Lloyd declared.

“Oh, so she can’t talk. Here I thought she was giving me the silent treatment.”

“You’ll pay for what you did to Zane too!”

Lloyd knocked shelves over like dominos. Ronin got thrown off balance while Lloyd ran toward the door. He gave you one final look as if to say, ‘I’ll come back for you.’ However, he would never be able to do that.

The door didn’t even open when Lloyd was tied in glowing blue rope. He struggled against the weight of it, cheek pressing to the floor.

“I don’t think I’ll take your revenge offer today,” Ronin said. “Two down. Four to go.”

He rounded up Zane and Lloyd, leaving you behind.

It was as if Ronin knew you would find your way out. He knew you had a dagger to cut yourself free. It was a shame you didn’t use it earlier to grab Lloyd and escape the library. Your conscience nagged you, berated you.

The only way to fix it was to find help. You only thought of one person who hadn’t disappeared because of Nadakhan.

…

Running down the city streets was easy. Not a soul bothered to look at your hurried breath and fast feet. Wandering eyes went to your body instead of your face. It may have helped that you were still wearing your street clothes. A disguise for Stixx.

You came across Dareth’s apartment complex, a vaguely nice place that he could only afford because of his self-proclaimed job as your friends’ manager. He lived in apartment 214. In an email, he said that you could drop by anytime. To him, that meant a mission, not that someone was in jail and he needed to find a way to get them out. Still, that is his purpose.

There is no elevator. You scurried up the flights of stairs, running down the hall of white lights. Muffled voices questioned why someone was running so fast. You started pounding on the door when you got to 214.

“Just a second!” Dareth shouted from the other side. You pushed past him when he opened the door. His pot belly was front and center, the rest of him being wrapped in a brown robe. His hair was towel-dried, having come out of a shower. He abruptly turned around, clearing away any sharp objects you could have walked on. “Hey, what’s going on?” he asked. “Oh shit, don’t touch that.”

You scoured the room for a piece of paper, coming across a poster of Gayle Gossip. You took down the pins holding it on the wall and found a pen. You began to write while Dareth’s worries crumbled around you like harsh rain. You weaved the explanation, telling him that you could not speak, that a Djinn was on the loose, and that the others were being hunted down by Ronin. To put it simply, you wrote that you needed his help.

The paper settled in Dareth’s hands, bending the corners and Gayle’s face. Dareth carefully read through it with disbelief etched into his eyes. He flipped over the paper, grimacing at the image.

“Ack, you bent her face,” he said.

That’s what he focuses on? You raised an eyebrow at him.

“Right, you can’t talk. That’s more important,” Dareth said. “Ugh, I knew I should’ve paid more attention to them. What kind of manager am I?”

You stomped on the floor. ‘They were framed and you know it!’ you wrote on the poster.

“You’re right! You’re right…” Dareth held up his hands in defense. “I just don’t know what to do.”

You pointed out the window, in the direction you think the police station was in.

“Buddy’s Pizza?” Dareth tilted his head.

You pointed in the other direction.

“Oh, the police station. They should be there if Ronin is catching them. I’ll get my jacket and we can go.”

When he left for his closet, you sighed. You may not be talking to Tohru, but you knew she couldn’t believe you were asking Dareth for help.

Chapter Text

 Mega Monster Amusement park was creepy at night. Jay sucked in the autumn air laced with midnight. It made him glad that he was not alone. He didn’t have to panic over the metal shaped like monsters because they were not real at night. Those childish beliefs felt like nothing after seeing things like the Serpentine, cult activity, and stone warriors.

“Oh, the memories,” Jay muttered to himself.

“What kind?” Cole asked.

“I mean, this is the place where I got my true potential.”

That day felt like eons ago when it was only a couple of years. Perhaps it was the deaths of two friends that soured the timeline in his head. Nine months of moping around before finding where they were kidnapped. Jay didn’t believe Chen in that first letter. It gave him false hope. Only when he saw [Name]’s terrified face when he got discovered did he believe it.

“Oh yeah, you went on that date with Nya,” Cole said. “Weird how it didn’t work out. I thought you really liked her back then.”

Jay didn’t deny that he might have. When Zane asked Nya if she liked blue for him, he was ecstatic when she said it was her favorite color. Now, Jay enjoyed thinking of her as a friend. Nya liked that too because of who she really had feelings for. And, who he found his feelings growing toward.

He went back to the cave in his mind. Her hand traced over his palm, writing ‘calm’ on it. Her touch was gentle, making Jay’s heart skip several beats. Stop it. The phrase nagged him to the point where Jay pulled himself away from [Name]. He was almost grateful that she couldn’t ask him what was wrong. Grateful that she was so dense.

“Uh, you okay?” Cole’s voice snapped Jay out of his trance.

“Gah!” he yelped. “Sorry, I forgot you were even there. Must’ve been the ghost powers.”

“I didn’t even turn invisible. Come on, let’s inspect the crime scene before you lose your mind.”

The two boys came across the rollercoaster “Zane” froze over and broke. A camera supposed to show photos of the riders was set off to the side. Yellow caution tape covered the scene.

“What’re we supposed to be looking for?” Cole asked. “It’s not like there are witnesses around to tell us anything.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Jay walked toward the camera. His fingertips shot a little electricity through them. A push to make the screen turn on. He found a remote control, clicking the buttons to flip through the pictures.

“Wow, it’s like a visual timeline,” Cole said. “You’re a genius.”

“Of course. It’s where I got my true potential.”

Jay flipped a couple of pictures back before Zane showed up. A stranger took the place of Zane. A man with golden brown skin and a goatee. Jay went back in forth. That man went from himself to Zane in an instant.

“That’s our guy?” Cole asked.

“I think so,” Jay said. “Can Djinn shapeshift?”

“If it’s the Djinn framing us, then I guess they can.”

Jay pursed his lips. It was obvious that the Djinn was framing them.

Music suddenly started playing over the speaker. The cars on that broken rollercoaster began to move along the track.

“Jay, what’d you do?” Cole asked.

“Nothing,” Jay said. “I swear I only activated the pictures.

“Time to add trespassing to your charges,” Ronin said. “Don’t bother calling your friends either. I already caught them.”

With only a second of eye contact with Jay, Cole disappeared.

“What? You’re just abandoning me?” Jay asked.

“He can’t catch both of us,” Cole said. “I’m sorry, but you’re on your own.”

Jay sighed. He was right, of course, Ronin couldn’t catch both of them if he already had the others. There would be no one to track down the Djinn. He had no choice but to run.

He didn’t get far before his leg got wrapped in an electrical binding. Although, the electricity in it didn’t so much as shock him. Jay easily unwrapped it, throwing the rope aside. Ronin was already there, gun in his hand, waiting to take another shot.

“You plan on electrocuting the Master of Lightning?” he asked.

“I do. Luckily, that’s just a distraction,” Ronin raised the gun onto his shoulder, planning to take another shot.

The roller coaster took a dip down to where they were. Jay grabbed one of the cars and jumped inside. Ronin became a spec in seconds. Jay let out a sigh. Cole showed no signs of being around the area. He could’ve gone somewhere else in the park, or left entirely. At least he was safe.

A grappling hook went around three cars down. Ronin swung up into the car.

“You know it wasn’t us, Ronin!” Jay grabbed the back of the seat. “The real criminal can look like any of us!”

“Tell that to the judge,” Ronin misfired a net. The rollercoaster dipped down a hill. Jay fell on his back as Ronin lept toward him. A loop came around, and the two hung onto the seats for dear life.

“If you put us in jail, who’s going to protect Ninjago?” Jay asked.

“Not my problem,” Ronin answered.

Another train of cars sped under the two. Jay dropped down, his powers breaking the call. Lighting coursed through the metal like blood rushing through veins, bringing Ronin down from where he hung.

“Thank gods,” he said.

The ride went upside down in another loop before abruptly stopping. Jay climbed the sides of the track like monkey bars. Another grappling hook wrapped around his ankle, tugging on him. Seriously? Jay thought.

An aeroblade swung his way, the blades grazing over his knuckles. His fingers responded to that by slipping away. Jay wanted to seek it out again like he were in a void, trying not to lose his little hope. It flickered out when he landed in that back. The world went black at the same time his consciousness did.

…

Jay awoke during the most inconvenient of times. An officer hauled him into a bus as if he were a mere sack of cargo and not a human being. The sudden fluorescent lights made his head bang and his eyes hurt. Keeping them closed helped a little, so he hung onto the crutch for the next few moments.

The others were there, going through the same thing as him. Lloyd and Zane were quick to adjust their eyes, Nya and Kai doing the same in quick succession. Cole was there too, his ghostly hand on Jay’s shoulder. His eyes glossed over with worry.

“Everyone okay?” Lloyd asked.

“Head…hurts,” Jay’s hands held his hair, trying his best not to tug on it. The light hurt; the darkness scared him. He hugged himself, shaking with the beat of a rumbling bus. The seat was hard against his back. His friends talking about what happened came out in muffled mumbles and mutters in frustration. They were accompanied by a ringing in his ear Jay thought disappeared when he was little. Cole let go of his shoulder, still keeping watch of him while the others talked.

“Does your head still hurt, bud?” Cole asked.

Jay nodded, the only thing he could do that didn’t overwhelm him. His eyes closed again as he took a deep breath. Find the darkest corner and sit for a little while, Jay. His mother said when he was little. The darkest place he could crawl into was the back of the bus. At the first sign of shadow, Jay could finally see again. Cole followed him at a distance while the others kept a keen eye. He was watched in a way that made him feel safe.

His senses finally regulated when the bus stopped at Kryptarium Prison. Warden Noble, previously Principal Noble, greeted them in person. His smile was just as kind as when Jay first met him in Darkly’s.

It was like a warehouse, heavy doors sliding up to greet them. Vengestone cuffs wrapped around Jay’s wrists, bruising his skin.

Criminals in the main hallway waved cups, cussing out Jay and his friends.

“Don’t look scared. Look mean,” Cole said. “You have to be in a place like this.”

“What do you know about prison?” Jay asked.

“Jay is correct. We’ve only been to Kryptarium Prison as guests, never inmates,” Zane said.

“Prison movies, obviously,” Cole rolled his eyes.

Jay closed himself in the middle of his crowd of friends. None of the furious inmates would touch him that way.

“Don’t mind them,” Warden Noble turned behind him. “They get a little grouchy.”

They had to awkwardly through the hall to get away from any inkling of violent looks.

“Since you’re celebrities, I took the liberty of taking you out of the general population,” Warren Noble opened another door. “And into the super mean and dangerous population.”

A courtyard held more prisoners within its walls. The sun beamed through a small dome and onto the sand scattered across concrete floors. It ensured you didn’t forget that this prison was in the desert, the middle of nowhere. They were in isolation from society.

“It’s no problem, Warden Noble,” Lloyd said. “We’ll do out time until all of this is sorted out. As I said, we were framed.”

“Maybe you were. Maybe you weren’t. We’re just trying to follow the law here,” Warden Noble opened the cramped cell they would be staying in. “Now get in your cell, inmates.”

Jay wasted no time in getting in the cage. It felt safer than the outside world at the moment. It didn’t matter if the criminals he and his friends dragged in were locked up. Nya settled into a corner, closing herself off from everyone else. Jay felt bad for her. She hadn’t been a ninja for very long, and now she was being accused of crimes she did not commit.

“Let’s hope Dareth and [Name] get us out of here soon,” Kai said. “Or else we’ll be dead.”

…

It took a day for Dareth and [Name] to find them. [Name] practically dragged the poor man by his feet to where Jay and the others sat. Lloyd held the telephone, opting to let everyone else share. A shared relief swept over Jay and the others. A relief that one of their own was safe from the law.

[Name] elbowed Dareth to pick up the phone. He did so, although gingerly. His hesitation was warranted because his ear became bombarded with questions.

“How are you gonna get us out of here?!” Cole asked.

“This is not a place for a nindroid!” Zane said.

“I don’t look good in stripes!” Kai whined.

“I’ve already gotten five death threats today! Five!” Jay cried. It was true, various criminals insulted his friends, threatening to kill them once they were out of this hell hole.

“Guys, stop. You’re gonna blow out his ear,” Lloyd quieted everyone down. “The Djinn is still out there.”

“I know. We’re doing the best we can. Borg wanted me to let you know that the Djinn broke into the stronghold in Hiroshi’s Labyrinth. He took the Realm Crystal,” Dareth said. “[Name] wrote down that he’s an old pirate named Nadakhan. If she’s correct, he might have his old crew back.”

“You guys have to get us out of here,” Kai said.

“I’m trying my best,” Dareth turned to see the guard at the door was distracted. “Did you get the cake? I baked some tools in it to get you out.”

“What cake?” Lloyd asked.

Jay eyed Cole. The moment the ghost boy saw it, he most likely ate it without a single thought. Everyone else got the same idea.

“How was I supposed to know there was something in it?” Cole held his hands up in defense. “I thought it was extra crunchy.”

“My question is how could you even eat it?” Nya said.

[Name] scribbled something down on her paper, showing it to Dareth. The look in her eyes indicated she had an idea. The tiny sparkle made Jay’s heart unwantedly jump.

“What?” Dareth said before returning to the phone. “She wants to find the Djinn alone.”

“Absolutely not,” Nya, Kai, and Lloyd said without hesitation.

[Name] pointed to the mark on her throat and shook her head. ‘I can’t make a wish,’ she mouthed.

“It doesn’t matter if you can’t make a wish. You’re not going alone,” Lloyd said.

She wrote something down with a frown on her face. The pen pushed aggressively into the table over and over again.

Dareth sighed, “She says, and I quote, ‘When did you become my dad?’ Her words, not mine.”

“Oooooh,” everyone else but Lloyd said.

“Please don’t encourage this. She’s been cranky since the voice loss,” Dareth said. “And I don’t wanna be in the middle of a family argument.”

“Fine,” Lloyd said. “Wait until we get out tonight. Then you can start looking on your own.”

[Name] let out a huff of agreement. It was a compromise neither cousin was happy with. Yet, it let Dareth breathe for a little while longer. He pulled [Name] out of the seat, pushing her away from the glass pane.

“We’d better go before the warden things [Name] sent a secret message or something,” Dareth said. “Mark my words, the Brown Ninja will make sure nothing happens while you’re in there.”

[Name] rolled her eyes, flapping her hand up and down like a puppet. Jay snickered as they disappeared out the door.

…

Prison food felt more like clumps of mush and not real food. It made Jay want to bring Zane into the kitchen and cook for them instead. Jay couldn’t tell what kind of food the lunch lady served him. Perhaps it was some kind of grit gone through the processor too many times. Were they trying to kill him off early by making him eat this?

Jay walked beside Cole, toward an empty table in the center of the cafeteria.

“Great, the bad guys are free while the good guys are in prison,” he said.

“What was it Fritz Donnogan used to say? ‘Fair isn’t a word where I come from,” Cole imitated the actor in Jay’s favorite sci-fi movie.

“No. It was ‘fear’,” Jay said. “Lloyd changed it to ‘fair’ before he magically aged up.”

Jay sat next to his friend, pushing the tray of gross food in front of him. He hadn’t felt like eating anyway.

“Hey, just because we’re out of the action, doesn’t mean we can’t take action,” Lloyd said. “[Name] said the Djinn’s name is Nadakhan. What else do we know?”

“Nadakhan?” a stranger from the table next to them asked. “Did you say, Nadakhan?” He had an eyepatch and a fork for a peg leg. Jay finally recognized the man as Captain Soto of The Destiny’s Bounty. His hook for a hand went under Jay’s chin, pulling him up to meet his gaze.

“Answer me. Did ye mention Nadakhan the Djinn?” Soto asked.

“We did,” Jay said. “Now can you please let go of me?”

“Fine, pajama man that says everything obvious.”

Jay took the hateful comment. It was on the lesser side of insults. Soto turned to Nya as she snickered. His one eye inspected her features like a forensic scientist looking at a dead body. Words were on the tip of his tongue, a name.

“You, are you some kind of pajama woman?” Soto asked.

“You could say that,” the tiniest bit of venom laced itself in Nya’s voice.

“Strange. I think we’ve met before. You look familiar. The name’s on the tip of my tongue.”

“Nya. Nya Jiang. Ring a bell?”

“It was a different name.”

“Can you cut with the small talk?” Lloyd asked. “Tell us what you know about the Djinn, Soto.”

“Know him? I caught him,” Soto sat down next to the boy.

“You caught the Djinn before?” Kai asked.

“The passage in [Name]’s book mentioned something about you imprisoning him,” Zane said. “Do you mind explaining how?”

“Catching a Djinn is harder than steering a galleon upstream,” Soto crossed his legs on the tabletop. “But, I will try to articulate my words. We were aboard Destiny’s Bounty, the finest ship ever built. Save for one, Misfortune’s Keep. Nadakhan the Djinn was the most feared pirate of the endless sea. His powers from a different realm were unmatched, always a step ahead. Luckily, I had the perfect vessel for him.”

“So, you wished him into the teapot?” Kai asked.

“That’s the thing with wishes. I would’ve been bound to him like the rest of his crew,” Soto said. “I could not take that risk. So, I–”

A metal hook adorned with buttons and gadgets slammed the table, cutting off Soto’s story. His eye was not covered with an eyepatch, but a blue stone covered with metal. He must’ve made it himself. The man introduced himself as The Mechanic barely twenty-four hours ago. He said he used to work for Chen before [Name] killed him.

“Well, well, it looks like there are some open seats,” he said. “Hows about we talk about your friend’s spared parts.”

“Shut it, iron socket,” Cole said. “We’re dealing with a first-tier villain right now. You’re the fourth tier at best.”

“Fourth tier?” the mechanic raised a dull knife meant for cutting up butter, not skin. Although, if be put enough force on it, the man can lug an arm off.

“Pajama people, they have weapons. You are chained,” Soto said.

“Yeah, it almost makes this a fair fight,” Cole said.

Jay grabbed his tray, his only weapon, and hit the first guy that charged at him. An all-out brawl broke out in the middle of the cafeteria. The inmates craved violence and survival like it was a piece of chocolate. They needed it like blood needed oxygen to function. Jay’s back went against his friends like they were the nearest wall or corner to hide in.

“Finish what you said,” Lloyd said to Soto. “How do we stop Nadakhan?”

“The only way to slow down a Djinn is the venom of a Tiger Widow spider,” Soto said. “He won’t be poofing around or twisting your words into a curse.”

“Where do we find one?”

“You don’t. They be the rarest of creatures in this realm, indigenous to only one island found on no map except for my own.”

“Then where’s your map?” Kai tugged on another inmate’s chest, kneeing him in the stomach.

“I will tell you if you give me my freedom,” Soto said.

As he proposed the deal, guards came to break up the situation. They turned the inmates around, holding their wrists together so they don’t escape. It was easier to do that to Jay, he was already chained up.

“Fine, we’ll take your deal,” Lloyd said before the police got to them next.

“Take the ninja into the hole,” Warden Noble called from up in the rafters. “They’re the ones that started all of this.”

We didn’t. Jay thought.

Chapter Text

 The pit was under a cage of iron bars. Fluorescent lights shone through them. It was around six feet underground, comfortable should someone die in this place. Perhaps that was what Ninjago wanted, for Jay and friends to rot for the rest of their days.

“This has got to be rock bottom,” Jay sighed.

“Look on the bright side,” Nya said. “If we were never arrested, we wouldn’t have been able to talk to Captain Soto.”

“Now what? We can’t use our powers to get out.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Lloyd pulled out a fork from the cafeteria. Meticulously, he picked at the locks on his shackles. The metal fell with clangs and chimes against the stone wall. Lloyd charged up his powers, breaking everyone else’s chains.

Jay shook the debris off his hands. The metal disintegrated over his wrists. The remains of it fell around the boy like ash. Electricity scoured his fingertips like meeting an old friend after years of not seeing them. Jay’s lips curled up into a smile. Kai let out a tiny flame through an exhale. Nya’s fingertips were coated in her sweat. They sharpened into thin strokes of water. Zane had frost covering his hands and the spot where his power core should be. Cole had disappeared again. And yet, Jay felt his giddy presence in the room.

“That was quick,” Jay commented.

“So, how do we get out of this hole?” Kai asked.

Lloyd described the plan cooking in his head for the past half hour. It wasn’t that complicated, something out of a prison movie. When everything finished, the plan turned into reality instantly. Cole floated through the iron bars and broke the lock to free everyone else. Jay and the others airjitzued up to the surface. It didn’t take long to get out into the hall.

Jay disabled every camera he came across. At a high enough voltage, Jay’s lightning could short out every camera in Kryptarium. Jay called it ‘playing the safe route.’

Eventually, they found Soto’s cell. The pirate captain’s snores bounced around the walls like an echo chamber. Kai first approached the cell while Jay and the others kept a lookout. Flames melted the metal, glowing at the curling ends.

“Come with me, quietly,” Kai whispered into Soto’s cell.

The captain of The Destiny’s Bounty would have been quiet if it weren’t for his air horn of a leg. Each step he took was followed by a honk. This was enough for the prison guards to see them. Jay thought it was absurd. Kai melted a cell and they get antsy over an air horn?

Red lights blared as an alarm sounded across the prison. Inmates still in captivity groaned from being woken up in the small hours of the morning.

Jay ran ahead, rounding a corner into a dead end. Lloyd said this would be where they’d escape. There was a gap in between the walls that gave way to a pipe system. Guards chased after them, slipping under the ice Zane coated the halls behind him with.

Lloyd was correct when he said there were pipes behind the walls. Jay jumped across them in quick succession, occasionally looking behind to see if the guards found them. It would be easy for them. Kai merely covered the hole he and Lloyd made with some wallpaper.

Lo and behold, Jay was correct. Warden Noble tore through the paper, guards trailing behind him.

“They’re over there!” the man pointed to Jay, who just stopped where the sewer started.

He covered Cole’s ghostly form as much as he could, protecting his friend from the water. Nya was tasked to make a quick getaway. The water she commanded propelled their little group down the pipes like a waterslide.

It was ironic. Cole was the only one out of any of them to have ever been to a waterpark.

Jay inhaled the fresh air of the night given to him as a gift. He had survived something he never thought he could. Prison. He lay down on the damp pool of water and mud, taking in the view of the stars. A comforting chill ran through his body, calming his heartbeat and the breath in his lungs.

“Thank you, pajama people,” Soto dusted his pants after kissing the solid ground.

“Alright, Soto, we held up our end of the bargain, you hold up yours,” Kai said. “Where’s the map?”

“It is within a lantern. Light its candle, and it will show you the way,” his back was to them, walking toward the moonlight.

“So, where’s the lantern? Gods, you pirates are so long-winded,” Jay sat up from the mud.

“It’s in our nature. We love a good treasure hunt.”

“Where’s the lantern?” Lloyd commanded.

“There’s the tricky part,” Soto turned back. “It’s abroad his ship, ‘Misfortune’s Keep.”

“His ship? I thought we were supposed to stay away from Nadakhan?” Cole asked.

“I just said that was the tricky part,” Soto took one last look at them, before raising a brow. “Oh, now I know why you look so familiar, pajama woman. That be a charm. By the gods, you’re the spitting image of her.”

“Of who?” Nya asked.

“Delara, Nadakhan’s former lover.”

Soto left with no further details of who that girl is.

…

Jay didn’t think he would be back in the police station the moment he escaped prison. He and Nya were in disguises, roaming as if they belonged there. Like it was another day at work. Nya’s fake mustache was particularly goofy to look at, almost as goofy as Lloyd’s fedora. Although, the commissioner had that kind of mustache as well. Hers just looked considerably fake, Jay wasn’t sure the police were smart enough to point her out. Nya could’ve gone as a woman, and no one would bat an eyelash. Still, Jay didn’t want to judge how she wanted to go undercover.

The station was particularly wild, what with their escape from Kryptarium a couple of days ago. The commissioner walked with that kind of urgency, pointing to anyone he could.

“Those ninjas couldn’t have escaped Kryptarium and suddenly disappeared,” he said. “I need witnesses. I need locations. They’re ninjas. They can hide right under our noses.”

Jay didn’t react to the last sentence. He had grown good at not thinking of the people he was hiding from. He had to over years and years of being under Wu’s tutelage. He continued to hang papers on the bulletin board, a great deal of them being files on himself and his friends. All except for [Name]. Nya was at the nearest desk, the mainframe on her screen.

“I still need that password,” she said.

“Uh, hey,” Jay called out to the nearest officer. “Do you know what the password is again?”

“That’s easy. It’s “password,” the man continued to eat his donut, paying no mind to him.

“How the fuck…?” Jay muttered to himself as Nya logged in. Truly, there was no security.

“Okay, here’s the last known location of Misfortune’s Keep,” Nya said. “It says it’s in a place called ‘Lady’s Cove.”

“Gotcha, Delara,” Cole said. “I mean, Nya.”

“Not funny. See how you like it when you look like an enemy’s former sweetheart.”

“Lady’s Cove isn’t far,” Lloyd said. “Cole and I will let you know what we see when we get there. What about [Name]?”

“She’ll be meeting with us when we’re done here,” Jay took the liberty of answering.

After a while, Jay and Nya got a transmission from Cole and Kai. Kai was in the midst of a chase in the repo yard housing the bounty. Cole and Lloyd had only found evidence of Misfortune’s Keep. They said some repairs were made, enough of them for the ship to fly and not just sail the high seas.

“Ugh, just where is it if it’s already in the sky?” Cole groaned.

“Good question,” Nya said.

“What’s a good question?”

Jay and Nya jumped, turning to the commissioner leaning over them with curious eyes.

“Um, a good question is when’s lunch? Gods, I’m starving,” Nya said.

The commissioner paused before answering, “Of course. We can’t work on an empty stomach. We’ll resume after lunch.”

Jay and Nya looked at each other. Nya shrugged, shaking her head. At least they would get to meet with [Name] sooner rather than later. They went to join the line of hungry officers and strode out of the building, looking as casual as possible. Jay looked everywhere his gaze landed to find [Name].

Eventually, the two found a relatively cheap food truck. Still, Jay didn’t have enough money to pay for them both, let alone himself. Thankfully, Nya had the money. She gave him a look when she paid the man, apologizing to him for his behavior.

They sat at a bench far enough to Nya could take off her fake mustache. She said it was would be hard to eat with it.

“I swear, that thing itches,” she grumbled.

“Sorry,” Jay said.

“For the mustache?”

“No, for the money. Ha, if I had a nickel every time that happened…”

“It’s fine. I had to pay for my brother sometimes.”

“Still, you shouldn’t have to all the time.”

Nya stayed silent. She gave thought to what he said, if only a little, before returning to eat her sandwich. The silence between Jay and his friend was so loud, the tension thick enough to cut through.

As if an eternity passed, someone approached from behind Nya. Someone familiar. [Name] tapped Nya’s shoulder. When she turned, [Name] moved to the side. Jay held in a chuckle. [Name] did it again, Nya continuing to be fooled. Nya finally realized what was happening, and [Name] revealed herself. She wore a navy blue kimono instead of her silver gi. It was smart, trying to separate herself from the ninja.

[Name] instantly latched herself onto Nya in a playful hug. Pink bloomed across the other girl’s cheeks. It reminded Jay of his predicament. He looked away from them, almost embarrassed to even think about it.

[Name] sat next to Nya, notepad in hand. She motioned for Jay to come over and see what she was writing. Jay did so, keeping his distance from the girls.

“What did you find?” Jay asked. Ever since Lloyd gave [Name] the clear on searching, Dareth said she’s been nonstop researching how to break her curse.

‘I found nothing on how to break it without Tohru,’ she frowned as the ink formed her words for her. ‘I’ll have to wait out the curse until she lifts it. That might be when the Djinn leaves.’

She sighed, setting the notepad aside. Her chin rested in her hands as she leaned forward. Nya hesitantly put her hand on her back, rubbing circles.

“Uh, there, there,” she said. “We’ll stop him quickly so you can talk again.”

Jay stepped away further and further from the girls. An excuse popped into his head to leave them alone. It was better if they were alone, anyways. Nya could get closer to [Name] if she wanted, and Jay wouldn’t have to watch it while his heart ached.

“Um, I’m gonna check those Borg…tablet…things to see if we can find more info,” Jay said. “I’ll see ya.”

“Are you sure you don’t want us to come with?” Nya asked. “We’re not supposed to be alone.”

“I’ll be fine. It’s not that far.”

Jay speed-walked before Nya could say anything else. He wondered if he should give an encouraging look, a thumbs up, or a wink, something to let her know he was being a wingman for the poor girl. He chose not to, keeping an oblivious front to whatever love triangle went on with the Jiang siblings.

He reached the Borg Pads, fake-entering a question to make it look like he was researching. For now, no one has caught him in his disguise. He sighed involuntarily.

“My, my, what a dilemma you have.”

A voice smooth like the silk on a kimono made Jay jump. It was as if the world around him became darker. Someone floated behind him, the tail being bright orange. His skin was a deep brown, and he had a goatee on his face. Jay turned around to see the Djinn. He knew it was Nadakhan. He couldn’t have known any other Djinn running around, kidnapping his friends while forcing another into silence.

“Nadakhan…” Jay exhaled, almost tripping on a bench. “Shit, I should’ve taken someone with me.”

“Why would you? I can help you fix whatever’s going on in that head of yours,” Nadakhan said.

“You’ll only take my soul, just like you did with Wu and Misako. I have a loud scream, y’know. My friends will hear me from right over there.”

Jay pointed to [Name] and Nya, still having a one-sided conversation. Nadakhan’s breath was behind him again. It was almost as chilling as the cold wind that blew whenever Morro arrived in Lloyd’s body. Goosebumps pulled at the hairs on his skin. His heartbeat quickened, instincts telling him to run. Yet, Jay’s legs would not move when he told them to.

“Those two seem to be distracted, though. And judging the way you look at the silent girl, you want to be the one making her smile,” Nadakhan said.

“No. It’s not like that,” Jay spat. “I don’t like her like that. I wouldn’t try to take a friend’s girl.”

“Perhaps you wouldn’t. But, I know you’re lying to yourself when you say you don’t like her like that. Deep down, you want her all to yourself.”

“Can you not talk about my friend like a piece of meat?”

“Only if you stop thinking about her like a piece of meat.”

“Fine, I wish I didn’t have romantic feelings for [Name].”

Nadakhan backed away from Jay, almost surprised that he said those words. They were ones that Jay wanted to say for a while now. Just let me get rid of them, he thought. I don’t want them if it hurts the people I care about.

“Are you that stupid, boy?” Nadakhan asked. “I can’t do anything that has to do with love. I cannot give love, nor can I take it away. My father said it was because emotions are too complicated for our magic to comprehend. But, I can at least help you get what you want. What else do you want your first wish to be?”

Jay had nothing else. His heart dropped at the fact that he could not get rid of his feelings. He knew the legends, how Djinn could not wish for love. He didn’t even think taking it away wouldn’t have worked. It was a false hope for he foolishly latched on.

“Fine, whatever, I wish I had enough money to pay for lunch,” the words tumbled out of Jay down a slide of instant regret. How could he use a wish when he wasn’t supposed to?

“Your wish is yours to keep,” Nadakhan disappeared without a trace.

“Oh shit.”

Jay paced around the square, trying to find the Djinn once again. For what? He didn’t know. He could tell him off, say that it was an accident, but that didn’t matter. Jay didn’t get what he wanted, so he let himself talk. That was a bad idea for an enemy like this. The world became blurry. Vignettes of black and white took over his vision.

A bicycle bell rang, snapping Jay out of the weird trance he put himself in. He almost shocked the mailman riding the bike. He’d seen the man before, all around Ninjago. The old man might as well be the most dedicated mailman Jay’s ever seen.

“Woah, no need to get all jumpy,” the mailman said. “Do I look like I’m the police?”

“You’re not going to report me?” Jay asked.

“That’s not my job. I’m here to deliver the mail. Here.”

An elegantly sealed envelope appeared in Jay’s hand. The paper was soft and smooth, delicately catered to him. The wax seal popped under his touch, revealing the ink-weaving words that he did not want to read.

‘Jay Walker, we regret to inform you that your father has passed away. You have inherited parts of his will, including his mansion and lots and lots of money…’

Jay dropped the letter, letting it flow to wherever the wind would take it. His father wasn’t rich. The junkyard was a family heirloom to him. He even said that Jay would own it one day. Jay’s heart threatened to jump out of his throat. “No. No, no, no, no,” he muttered.

“I’m deeply sorry for your loss,” the mailman said. “But hey, you get a bunch of money out of it.”

Jay ignored his insensitive comment, opting to run out into the city. He didn’t care that so many people would see him gather his dragon in the sky. Tears pricked the boy’s eyes at the thought of his mother all alone. He returned to when he was a child, his father showing him how to use a wrench.

…

He arrived at the junkyard in a rush. Jay didn’t think much when he burst through the door, grabbing his mother’s shoulders. Her glasses almost fell off her face when she dropped her embroidery circle.

“Oh honey, you’re here,” she said. “I didn’t expect to see you at all. Did you see the news? All of those people think you committed all those crimes.”

“Where’s dad?” Jay asked.

“I’m sorry. He’s no longer here.”

What? That can’t be.

“No, no. Gods, no,” Jay shook his head, backing away from his confused mother. She should’ve known. Although, his mother always framed her sentences a little weirdly. Whatever she said could mean something completely different. Couldn’t it? But that letter was real.

The door opened again, revealing a familiar voice within it.

“I’m back. Oh, Jay! What a welcome sight.”

Jay didn’t hesitate to pull his father into a much-needed hug. The older man hugged back, gingerly patting his shoulder. His hand went up, smoothing Jay’s approaching curls and flyaways. All Jay could do was sob in his father’s arms.

“Son, what’s wrong? Are you all over-stimulated again?” his father asked.

“Ed, if he was over-stimulated, he wouldn’t be hugging you,” his mother said.

“I’m sorry,” Jay pulled away, sniffling. “It’s just that—I thought you were gone for a second or two. I got this letter that my dad passed away and that I inherited a ton of money. I would’ve never wished for this. I didn’t want it to be true.” His voice died with every word he said, vocal cords rubbing against each other in dry heat.

“Jay, it’s alright,” his mother said. “There’s something we’d been meaning to tell you for a long time.”

“Aw, gee-willickers. I thought we had another year before telling you this,” Jay’s father said. “I guess there’s just no easy way to say it but, you’re adopted.”

A ringing showed up in Jay’s ears. His heart stopped, knees giving their all into steadying the rest of his body.

“We found you at our doorstep as a baby,” his mother pulled him back into reality. “The person who left you there had a letter and a key. We raised you ever since. The envelope said we couldn’t open it until you were eighteen, but I guess we’re a bit too late for that.”

She handed him the letter and the key neatly tied to it. They must’ve kept it somewhere safe if Jay never found it in all his time here. In this home. From what he heard, Jay suspected his birth father wanted to meet him someday.

Yet, he couldn’t. Not anymore.

“I’m so sorry,” his father said. “I hope this doesn’t change anything.”

“Of course it doesn’t,” Jay said. “You’re both still my parents, and I love you guys. If anything, I’m sorry for being such a stranger lately.”

“You have your reasons. Don’t worry about little old us.”

“Hey, why don’t you go to that address?” his mother said. “Maybe you’ll find something there about your birth parents.”

Jay had no choice but to listen to his parents. They had a stubbornness to their affection Jay grew more and more aware of the further he was from them.

“I will. I just need a minute,” Jay said. He needed a minute with the people who raised him.

Chapter Text

 Jay rubbed the old key with his thumb, getting into the metal creases. His mother said they were supposed to give him access to the gate and his birth father’s home. The gate was a forcefield of a stone wall. It intimidated Jay, like stepping across the threshold would knock him into prison once again.

Judging by the pristine steps leading Jay up this mountain, he deduced that his birth father was very rich. All the more why he felt like he wasn’t supposed to be here. If anything, a year should have passed before Jay could consider visiting his birth father. That supposed father would’ve been alive as well.

Why did he have to let that wish roll off his tongue like that? All because he couldn’t stop having feelings for a girl.

Stop thinking about that. Jay took in a deep breath before twisting the key inside the lock. With a soft click, the gate pushed open squeaking against the hinges. It was like it welcomed him.

For what felt like forever, Jay walked through that path to a door with a star in the middle. He unlocked that as well, pushing through and into his birth father’s home. A potted bonsai stood beside him like a hostess. Its surroundings felt like an attempt to make the home feel more traditional. Jay was not fooled. He found the statue of Starfarer beyond the shoji door. The sci-fi hero held a snake behind him, gun pointing at the wall.

Jay pressed the button at his feet, earning a ‘Fear isn’t a word where I come from.’

“Looks like my birth dad was a Fritz Donnogan fan too,” he mused.

His hand brushed across the various trophies on the counter across the room. They were smooth and gold. The statues were carefully carved along with his father’s name, Cliff Gordon. The final figure was practically stuck to the table. Jay gave it a light tug only to find the entire trophy pulled toward him like a lever. Something clicked. The wall opened. A doorway into a dark hall revealed itself to him. Jay hesitantly walked in, finding a tiny room filled with costumes and a mirror. Pictures surrounded a mirror, ones of Cliff and some woman.

She had wavy blonde hair and a smile that lit up the photo taken of her. There were a few other pictures of that face. In one of them, she wore a wedding dress. The scenery around them was extravagant and theatrical. Cliff had a dark suit, his arm around her with a smile. They looked genuinely happy at that moment. Jay’s fingertips lightly brushed against their faces.

“So that’s my mom,” he said to himself. “She’s pretty.”

On the other side of the room, Jay saw a copy of his old gi on a mannequin. Photos of him and his friends surrounded the outfit, almost like a tribute to him. They were taken far away and were of Jay using his powers. It made Jay wonder if Cliff looked at those pictures with a smile.

“Are you ready to make your second wish?” a voice appeared behind Jay. Nadakhan.

…

You and Nya approached the gate to a rich man’s home. Ed said Jay should be that this house. You weren’t sure as to why, but when Nya called him, he sounded nervous. You pushed on the metal bars gently, watching them swing open with a slight creak that bounced off the trees around you.

“Looks like it’s open,” Nya commented with an awkward chuckle.

You nodded, leading the way while Nya took a look at the glamorous surroundings. The owner must not have taken care of all of these plants. A gardener must’ve been here recently, perhaps a day ago. Although, the master of the mansion was not there. The house itself was a combination of traditional and modern homes in Ninjago. The combination of shoji doors and concrete walls was odd to you. It seemed as though the rigid walls would scratch the thin paper-like doors. The front door was made of wood instead of shoji. It was a lot more durable than the other ones.

Nya knocked on the door, calling Jay, the only person in the mansion. You twisted the doorknob, feeling it smoothly turn to the right. The door swung open, wafting the scent of plastic, candles, and musky cologne.

Jay stumbled out of a hastily closing corridor behind a distant wall. He closed it quickly upon seeing you and Nya. An awkward smile crept to his face, bordering on fear.

“Oh, hey guys?” he said. “How’d you get here?”

“We got worried when you left,” Nya said. “Your dad said you’d be here. Don’t know why though?”

Jay was silent for a moment. He blinked a couple of times. He clammed up his hands, avoiding eye contact with you and Nya. Finally, he took a deep breath, eyeing the statue of Fritz Donnagan next to him.

“Well, uh,” he stammered. “If you have a secret hideout, why can’t I?”

“This is your stuff?” Nya asked.

Jay nodded.

‘That is a lie if I’ve ever seen one,’ Tohru said.

‘Quiet. I’m not talking to you,’ you thought back. It was the first time you spoke in a couple of days. Tohru had wanted to protect you from the Djinn, however, you couldn’t help but think she went too far with her shield. She had never done something so drastic before, destroying the boundaries you both placed when you first met her that fateful night. She promised she wouldn’t do anything without your permission.

However, Tohru was right this time around. Jay was never a good liar. Something happened to him and he came across this home, and you were certain you knew what that thing was.

…

You met with the others in an underground fighting rink bathed in red. Your little group sat around the corner, away from most people watching the fight going on. Kai was most uneasy, fidgeting with his fingers and looking around to find the bartender.

Everyone discussed their findings. Cole and Lloyd learned that Misfortune’s Keep was moved from Lady’s Cove and is now in the air somewhere. Kai and Zane found that the Bounty was in a scrapyard watched over by a man and his dog.

“We could only recover one thing,” Zane said.

“And, it was this,” Kai let go of his sheepish disposition and held up his palm. Fuwa, the immortal sparrow, chirped bouncing on the boy’s palm.

You gasped, wanting to call your bird as he excitedly flew around you. Once he calmed down, he settled into your shoulder.

Nya spoke about her and Jay’s infiltration of the police department, and the little they found. She also spoke of your lack of a way to break your curse without Tohru’s involvement. She was quiet about Jay’s new home earned through mysterious means.

Kai finally broke, resting his palm on his cheek.

“I’m tired of sneaking around,” he said.

“Easy, Kai,” Lloyd said. “We’ve all been itching to get back into action, but two of our own are missing and we have no idea how to find them.”

“If only someone faced the Djinn and told us what to expect,” Zane said.

Jay averted his gaze from everyone, hiding his eyes behind his blue beanie. He knows something but didn’t want to tell. You tightened your jaw. Why can’t he just say it? He had the voice to after all.

“I wish–” Lloyd began before Jay cut him off.

“Don’t say that!” he stood up quickly. He earned confused silence from everyone else. “I mean, why wish when all that we want is right here? Go, ninja, go, am I right?”

The patrons looked toward you, their line of sight on the television above your table. The news station showcased a flying ship crashing into several buildings in Ninjago City. The camera footage cut to a news reporter at his desk where the NGTV logo floated behind him.

“Ninjago City is once again being under attack by pirates, or do I dare say sky pirates?” the reporter said.

“We have to help,” Cole said.

“But we’re fugitives,” Zane pointed out.

“It doesn’t matter. We protect the innocent,” Lloyd said.

“Soto said the map to the Tiger Widow is on there too,” Nya said. “This could be our only chance to get it.”

“What are we waiting for, then? You said we were all itching to get back into action,” Kai said.

You quickly jumped from building to building, getting closer to the airship. The Misfortune’s Keep was a lot bigger than the Bounty. Its wings stretched out, the ends scraping against the fragile windows. Cannons broke through them, hitting innocent civilians. Nadakhan was at the bow, looking over the chaos he caused. You flipped on your hood, concealing your identity and soul from him. Fuwa quickly got somewhere safe on your silent instruction.

“For our safety, travel in pairs,” Lloyd said.

“What does the map look like?” Cole asked.

“It should be on a lantern. Look for a lantern,” Zane said.

You jumped down into the streets with Jay and Kai. Barrels of explosives set off against people’s cars. The police commissioner barked orders at his officers, trying to defeat the menace and arrest your friends. Someone from the ship dropped down, swinging on a chain where the anchor should be. It was a monkey made of metal. Its joints glared under the sunlight.

He dropped a barrel, rolling it towards the three of you. A line on the end sparked, dwindling it little by little. You were only able to tackle Jay aside while Kai kept running. The red-clad boy jumped over the barrel before it could explode.

You and Jay got up while the monkey did a little dance.

“I’m going after the lantern!” Kai said.

“Wait! We’re supposed to stay together!” Jay ran after him. You trailed behind, pushing aside a venomari on a peg leg. Or was he a hypnobrai? Perhaps both.

Kai swiftly jumped from a light pole and a radio station to get to the next building. You had Jay get up on your back, attempting to launch him and yourself to where Kai was. Your foot pushed against the ground, but a significantly weak charge sprawled through your leg. It wasn’t enough to jump to that height.

Jay got off you, airjitzuing up to the roof instead. You followed him, having no other choice but to keep an eye on the boy.

The moment you go there, Nadakhan had his hands on Kai. He gripped his shoulders, poofing him away from the action. All that was left was orange specs of dust and sparkles.

“Kai!” Jay screamed.

Screaming would not bring him back.

‘What happened to him?’ you asked Tohru. ‘What have you done to me?’

‘The Djinn has taken the Master of Fire to a remote location. He will likely make a few wishes and have his soul taken,’ Tohru said. ‘As for what I’ve done to you, I have suppressed your powers to avoid the Djinn’s detection.’

You had no time to react. The ship was close, shooting cannonballs in your direction. The only way to escape them was to jump on the ship.

You grabbed Jay’s hand, landing on the wing to climb over. The wind was intense against your bodies. However, no one shot at you anymore. Any cannon would make the entire ship go down. You and Jay sighed, out of breath after getting on the deck.

Cole ran by, a lantern dangling in his grip. A map wrapped around the light.

“I’ve got the lantern. Let’s go!” he shouted.

You summoned the sparrow, grateful that Tohru did not get rid of it, and flew down to where Lloyd, Zane, and Nya were.

“Alright, let’s check out this map,” Cole said. “Kai, a little light please?”

Kai wasn’t there. As Tohru said, he had been wished away. Fuwa tried to look around for him but to no avail. He was the first to go.

Chapter Text

 Nadakhan’s attack made you go into hiding once again. Thankfully, Jay knew just the place to bring you. He led you through the rich man’s home, a little less nervous than when you and Nya were here. Cole was by your side, eyes narrowing at Jay as the other boy tried to explain how he found the place.

“I saved,” he said. “Yup every penny went into getting this place.”

Jay accidentally leaned on a button, activating a voice line from the Starfarer statue in the corner. He scrambled to try and get it to shut up.

Cole leaned over to you, “You’re not buying this either, right?”

You shook your head. Fuwa chirped a reply, most likely the same as yours. If only you could understand him. If only the others could. Then, he could tell them what you were thinking. But no one knew the complex language of birds.

“First we lost Wu, then Misako, and now Kai,” Lloyd said. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to sense a pattern.” He didn’t even bat an eyelash at the fact he didn’t call Misako his mother.

“Whenever we find ourselves alone, one of us disappears,” Zane said.

“Then we’d better stick together from here on out,” Nya walked over to the table in front of the light gray sofa. “Zane, hand me the lantern. Jay, can you hit the lights, oh, and find a lighter too.”

“Sure thing. Lighter and lights,” Jay said. “Better figure out where I last put it.”

You pointed to the doorway you just walked through, then to yourself. You thumped your chest a little so the others could notice you.

“Did you find something back there?” Lloyd asked.

“I believe [Name] wants to look for the lighter,” Zane corrected him.

You nodded. If anything, looking for the lighter can let you explore whose house it was. Jay was a fan of Frtiz Donnogan, but you never considered him a superfan. Lloyd was a bit apprehensive about the idea before Cole clarified that you couldn’t make a wish even if you wanted to. You pointed to your throat for good measure. This was the only blessing Tohru brought when she took your voice away.

With a ton of reluctance, the other lets you spend time alone in the house. You went up to the second floor, hopefully where an office was. A lighter could be around that the real owner used for a candle or cigarette.

Instead, you came across a bedroom where the lighter resided. You flicked a small wheel so the flame could sprout from it. This was one used to light a cigarette or joint of weed. You came back just as Jay found the light switch.

You lit the lantern and the map hit the table. Various shadows created lines that formed a map of Ninjago, minus the Dark Island. Instead, a small island appeared in the northwest part of the map.

“This lantern is supposed to show us the way to slow down Nadakhan?” Nya asked.

“It should,” Lloyd said. “We’ll need to figure out a plan first.”

Despite the importance of a plan, Cole pulled Jay aside while the others talked. From what he said earlier, he was probably questioning Jay on how he found the mansion.

“So the tiger widow is on this island?” Nya pointed to the island in the northwest.

“It does not appear in any of my databases,” Zane said.

Another secret island? Wonderful. Perhaps you would not get kidnapped by a cult leader this time. At least you had some of your powers instead of none of them. At least you knew why Tohru was reasonable about her actions.

“How would we get there?” Nya asked. “We’d be spotted if we fly.”

“Then we’ll go by ship. Problem is, we don’t exactly have a ship anymore,” Lloyd said.

You pulled away from the conversation mentally. Jay paced back and forth for a moment before sitting on the couch. Cole was next to him, intently listening to what he had to say. Jay was shaking and bouncing his leg up and down. It all culminated in an overstimulated scream when the house shook.

You kept yourself steady, grabbing the lantern so it wouldn’t break. Jay had leaped into Cole’s spectral arms, which the other boy did not have a problem with. The Fritz Donnagan statue fell, almost hitting Nya in the head.

The painting on the wall opened to reveal a flatscreen television behind it. The news turned on automatically.

“Just another earthquake,” Jay peeled himself from Cole. “Boy, didn’t think we’d get one of those in the mountains.”

Earthquakes originate from mountains.

“Another piece to the puzzle, gone,” the reporter said. “Ninjago has stumped again when another piece of the land suddenly goes missing. This time, from none other than Ninjago City.” The picture beside him showed a chunk of land dented in the street. Buildings that should have been there are gone. They vanished like a magician doing a disappearing act.

‘Nadakhan’s realm is a land known as Djinnjago. It’s a realm of islands in the sky consisting of all Djinn,’ Tohru said. This time, you were grateful for her words.

‘You don’t think…’ you said.

‘It is highly likely Nadakhan is at fault.’

“Looks like we need to find a ship quickly,” Lloyd said. “Or else, Ninjago might fall apart.”

Zane summoned his falcon, “Find Nadakhan’s ship and see what he is up to.”

Fuwa fluttered into your hands, pointing his wing at the falcon. He chirped. In an instant, you understood what he wanted. He wanted to go with the falcon. It was as if your vision blurred. Fuwa couldn’t go with the falcon. The falcon was made of metal, a machine designed for things like this. Fuwa was a mere sparrow, no matter his age.

Fuwa chirped again, this time louder. A weight was behind it, almost forming into words, a sentence. Let me go.

You finally nodded, and Fuwa followed the falcon out the window. You could only clasp your hands together, and pray to the gods he was safe.

…

You had no choice but to go to the docks around Ninjago City. It was the only way to go out into the ocean to find the island. Although the land is a victim of Nadakhan’s wrath, the sea remains unaffected. Its liquid flimsiness is harder to take out like a puzzle piece to place in the sky. More water would fill that spot.

A fisherman with a glass eye whistled whilst staring at the horizon. The seagulls turned away from him, sickened by how off-tune he was.

“Excuse me, sir?” Lloyd waved to the man. “We’d like to charter a ship.”

The man cleared his throat before laughing, “This eye may be glass but the other one sees crystal clear. A wicked storm is coming and there ain’t no ships to chart.”

“Um…alright. I guess we’ll find another dock,” Cole said.

“Everyone’s the same. The only way you’ll get out of a storm is on a wish and a prayer.”

Jay stopped walking with the group upon hearing that sentence. He looked at the surrounding area before gazing upon a magnificent ship. It wasn’t nearly as big as the Bounty but was much sleeker in design. It was white, with a star at the bow. His eyes lit up before gazing back at the glass-eyed man.

“Say, that wouldn’t happen to be Cliff Gordan’s boat now would it?” Jay asked.

“Why yes. Who’s asking?” the fisherman asked.

“Uh, a family friend.”

The man paused before allowing Jay and the rest of you to use the boat. Perhaps Jay knew you were there so he lied through his teeth to get to the boat. His family couldn’t have known Cliff Gordan.

Either way, it allowed you on the boat with everyone else except Cole none the wiser. Lloyd began shouting phrases people used by sea-faring folk. None of them were accurate to what everyone else was doing. Between you and the others, it was a way for him to have fun saving the world.

This moment of peace did not last forever. Dark clouds shifted the sky’s hue to a deep and dark gray. Flashes leaked through them going one after another. The waves sloshed under high-pressure winds that could pull anyone off the edge if they weren’t careful. However, there was no rain.

“Looks like that’s the storm the guy said was brewing,” Nya said.

“It’s an electrical storm too,” Lloyd said in despair before his eyes lit up. “Jay! We’re gonna need you.”

“For what?” Jay called down from the crow’s nest.

He did not look forward to the job he was tasked with. You saw it in his eyes as he climbed up the pole. He was relegated to a glorified lightning rod to keep the storm at bay. No one else could have done it. You couldn’t volunteer, what with your suicidal tendencies that were never left behind the moment you left the Island of Elements.

Electricity coursed through the ship still as if they were veins. It all led to Zane, unaffected by the sparks by his feet.

“How come the lightning is still getting to the ship?” Lloyd said.

You waved to Lloyd, mouthing Zane! It’s Zane! Neither he nor the others noticed. Cole had to be the one to mention it for Zane to go below the deck.

Jay shouted something incomprehensible because of the electrical storm. Before you had the chance to discern it, Zane was already below. The door shut with a click. Your heartbeat quickened. He was alone. That was what Jay wanted to say. No one could be alone for even a second, lest Nadakhan finds them.

You ran toward the door down the inner ship. The doorknob rattled, hitting against a lock. You rattled it harder. Nothing happened. It was as if you thought if you rattled it hard enough, the door would open. Your palm banged on the door. Silent breaths and desperate shaking threatened to rip the door off the hinges. The storm drowned you in lightning strikes crackling in the sky. Anything you could’ve done to get your friends’ attention would’ve been overlooked and unheard.

Voices echoed from the other side of that rattling door. They were silenced shouts and a low chuckle before the door unlocked itself. You burst through the door, almost ripping it off its hinges.

Not a soul was below deck. The sheer emptiness made your heartbeat loud. It weighed heavy on your chest, making it hard to breathe.

A table was knocked over. Chess pieces scattered across the carpet. Zane couldn’t have been playing the game by himself. So, he couldn’t have been alone. You already knew who was with him. If you had only followed him, Nadakhan wouldn’t have taken him away.

It was no different than when you and he were taken to Chen’s palace. You were separated from Tohru and still healing from an injury you brought on yourself. Your desperate cries not to touch your friend went unheard that time too.

The sea became restless as the storm raged on. Indistinct shouts about rocks carried from outside. The ship was going to crash no matter what they did. You peeked outside, the island close by. The ship already ran into the biggest spike in the water. The sea splashed over the edges and lapped onto the deck. Cole staggered back, his feet almost touching it.

Cole.

You didn’t hesitate to drag him down with you when he got close enough. He yelped and almost fell through the floor. Your hands on his arm were the only thing that kept him steady.

“What the?!” Cole’s voice trailed off the moment you caught his eye. Your gaze was fixated on the floor, so you couldn’t tell what expression he had. All that mattered was that he was safe again.

The ship rumbled again, breaking through another rock. You hugged Cole’s specter, tucking his head under your chin in a protective hold. He was silent, mouth practically hanging open as you tried to shield him. You kept him close even as you fell onto the sand with a broken and battered vessel.

You pulled him away from the shoreline, but not as far so you wouldn’t be out of sight.

“I’m fine. I’m fine,” Cole said with a chuckle.

Lloyd was already up and about, stumbling on his ankle. “Is everyone okay? Where’s Zane?”

Nya groaned, holding the side of her head as she sat upright.

“Gone,” you mouthed.

“He’s lost at sea?” Nya asked.

“No. Nadakhan took him.”

“Nadakhan?”

“She’s right,” Cole said. “It couldn’t be anyone else. Don’t ask me how I know. Ask Jay.” He pointed to the boy laying on his stomach in the sand.

Jay looked like a deer in headlights. You already knew he encountered Nadakhan before, but now that you heard Cole’s angered inflections, you began to see how much of a problem that was. Out of both of you, he could give the warnings without being ignored. Hell, he even tried to without letting out this little secret.

“Jay, what’s he talking about?” Nya’s voice was like a stern parent's.

“Uh, look! There’s Zane!” Jay stammered before pointing to nothing but the sea. Zane was not there, as much as everyone around you wanted to believe it. Nya frowned.

“The only thing I see is your stupid hand,” she said.

“No. He’s there!”

“Enough is enough!” Cole snapped. “Jay has already been alone with Nadakhan. The boat, the mansion, he wished for those things. The only reason he’s still here is that he hasn’t made his final wish. If Zane knew that, he would still be alive!”

“Why didn’t you tell us?!” Nya shouted.

“I just…couldn’t,” Jay’s gaze fell to the sand.

“Well, now I know who’s volunteering themselves to extract the Tiger Widow venom.”

You followed her into the tropical forest. For a second, you lingered a bit. Jay didn’t try to defend himself. It was sad. He stood there while taking the blame for all of it. Of course, it was a mistake. A part of you was furious he didn’t try harder to warn Zane and Kai. You wanted to yell at him but also at everyone else for not listening to you. You wanted to yell at Tohru for doing this to you. However, you would land on deaf ears.

The voiceless do not get a say after all.

You continued to walk, looking back now and again to see Jay following you. He was several feet behind, flinching every time your gazes touched. You could’ve sworn a warm rose bloomed on his cheeks.

“Looks like the den is up ahead,” Lloyd said as you crossed a rickety bridge.

“Hey, if I’m getting the venom, do any of you know how to extract it? Anyone?” Jay asked.

“Well, if Zane wasn’t kidnapped by Nadakhan, maybe he’d tell you,” Nya said.

“Low blow. We don’t even know much about this Tiger Widow other than its venom can kill humans but slow a Djinn. I could die down there.”

“Zane told me it's the last of its species,” Cole said. “We’ll only have one shot at this. So, don’t accidentally kill it.”

“That doesn’t help with the extracting part.”

“I don’t know. Use your canteen.”

After crossing the bridge, you came across a cliff that led into the den. Webs coated the trees and housed the decaying bodies of travelers and explorers. The amount of them grew just like how fog grew dense.

Jay stood at the edge of the cliff, canteen in hand. Lloyd, Nya, and Cole looked at him expectantly.

“Well, are you going?” Cole asked.

“Well, sorry I’m not jumping down into the den immediately,” Jay rolled his eyes. “Are you seeing what I’m seeing right now? Probably not because all I see is my life flashing before my eyes.”

“Now are you ready?” Nya raised an eyebrow.

“Whatever happened to stick together? Any number of things can happen while I’m down there. Nadakhan could appear. That spider could kill me and we’d get no venom.”

The others stared at him in silence. They expected him to still go down there with a dangerous animal on the prowl. A drop of that creature’s venom will kill him. His parents would never see him again. Your friends would regret ever sending him to his death. So, you decided to do something about it.

You took Jay’s hand and willingly climbed down the cliff with him. You ignored the others as they tried to reach out to you, holding back the urge to slap them away.

“What’re you doing?” Lloyd asked. “A drop of venom could kill you.”

You didn’t say anything. It wasn’t like you could. They didn’t deserve an explanation from you, anyways. You continued to drag Jay toward the nest much to his protests. When you got close enough to the entrance, you stopped walking with him.

“What?” Jay asked.

You pointed to the cave of webs beyond.

“Right, extract the venom. You’re just making sure I don’t die.”

You nodded, lips parted. It didn’t take much for him to understand the words you wanted to say. It didn’t matter if you were mouthing them out. You first noticed it in the prison. Jay would try and see what you were writing for Dareth to repeat to them. He watched intently as you messed with Nya when you met up with them near the police station. He always kept an eye on you, someway, somehow.

Jay wandered into the cave. For a moment, you wanted to follow him in, just in case. Although, you’d already done enough. If anything happened outside, you’d be able to help. The same went for the nest.

Jay called for the tiger widow as if he were calling a dog. Screams followed about how large the spider was.

“How do I extract venom when the venom only comes out when it tries to bite me?!” he shouted.

“Let it bite you, then!” Cole shouted.

“When I get out of here, I’m gonna bite you!”

You ran into the cave, watching as the tiger widow had its eight eyes set on Jay. Tiger stripes lined its back. Its legs caged you in even when it hadn’t noticed you lurking. Hitting the right spot could kill it and Jay would be able to grab the venom. However, the venom leaked from the spider’s fangs like drops of water from a closed faucet. A few drops could fall into the canteen without the need to kill it. This was a lot riskier for you and Jay.

You exhaled. It was like stepping on a spider that got into the bounty or monastery. You kicked the spider’s leg when it got close enough to you, making its bite miss Jay. Jay shot lightning at the spider, keeping it away from your both. Its feet jittered at the sparks conducting the veins like an orchestra.

“Guess you don’t like that,” Jay sparked the spider again.

Venom spouted from the spider’s fangs. You took the canteen from Jay and let it drop into the canister. You made sure none of it got on you or Jay, lest you both die in this cave. Jay wasted no time in getting out of the cave with you. The spider chased you out into the sunlight, deadset on catching its prey.

Outside, a pirate crew attacked the others. Lloyd flew after a small ship with his dragon. Nya fought a big and burly woman in the forest while Cole tried to land a hit on Nadakhan. This was his crew from the Misfortune’s Keep.

You stowed away the canteen before climbing up the cliff. Jay's screams alerted the others that you got out. Nadakhan gazed upon you in a strange state of horror.

“Get the venom!” he shouted.

Jay led this time, practically dragging you midair toward the bridge. Lloyd, Nya, and Cole met you halfway. The rickety bridge was less stable than earlier. It swung from side to side. Vines snapped at the end. The tiger widow’s legs clamped around the wood just as the bridge fell. Your body slammed against the cliff. Jay yelped, feet pushing against the spider’s eyes.

“Haven’t I suffered enough?!” Jay shouted.

“Getting closer,” Nya said, mostly to Lloyd.

“You don’t say?”

A puff of orange appeared next to Jay. It formed into the form of a Djinn. Nadakhan had a cup of tea in his hand as if he didn’t get knocked over by Cole.

“You seem to be in quite the predicament,” he said. “Are you sure you don’t want my help? And what of your silent friend? You can always wish–”

“You think my skull is thick enough to fall for that?” Jay asked. “Not a chance.”

Nadakhan stroked his chin, his other hand behind his back. The cup disappeared, becoming nothing but dust. “Have it your way then,” he replaced the cup with a dagger. It sliced through the vine. The bridge became lighter as if it took away a dead weight. Nadakhan did not allow Jay the bittersweet release of death. He took Jay’s canteen. “Say goodbye to your friend as well as the only thing that can defeat me,” he said.

The liquid poured into a sandy abyss. Not long after, he poofed away with Jay. The spider fell and Nadakhan’s crew was safe and warm in their ship. It was only after Jay was kidnapped did you get pulled up from the bridge.

“I’ll come back for the rest of you,” Nadakhan shouted from above. “I guess since you can’t leave the island, I’ll know where you are.”

You couldn’t look at him as he flew away. The grass was prickly against your fingertips. It was like tiny cuts barely going through your skin. You wanted to leave this place, but not because Nadakhan would be after you. Because you didn’t want to be reminded of this feeling. Losing someone you and everyone else should’ve protected. But they didn’t. You didn’t.

“Do we fly after him?” Cole said.

“No, save your strength,” Nya answered.

“But he has Jay. Not to mention the one thing that could’ve stopped him.”

You took the canteen out as a retort, practically throwing it to the group. The deadly liquid swished around in that small metal compartment. You hugged your knees, eyes still on them. Jay may not have died, but he was still gone.

Chapter Text

The mop swished back and forth on the ship deck. Soapy water soaked it, becoming one with the cloth. It belonged to a peg-legged serpentine. Judging from the way he looked at Jay while he used it, he was very protective of the mop.

He taught Jay how to clean the deck. “Back and forth, back and forth,” he said with a stutter. “The sun is my friend. She tells me when I missed a spot before anyone else can.”

The serpentine wasn’t wrong. Any dry spot the sun pointed out was a missed spot. Although it worked for the serpentine, Jay was not so lucky. Nadakhan had already knocked the bucket over after saying it. Jay sighed, biting back his tongue. One rude meant getting his skin flayed from his body and he had enough near-death experiences to fill a memoir. Jay’s skin was sizzling from the way Nadakhan glared daggers at him. If looks could kill, he would be responsible for slaughtering thousands.

“I won’t say it,” Jay said.

“Say what?” Nadakhan tilted his head. “That you wish it all away? You could. It’d take up your vacant wish.”

“My friends will be here before I can.”

“I hope so. They can wish themselves into my jambiya. The more souls it collects, the stronger I become. I will need a lot of strength if I’m to create a new realm from scratch. I am no god after all.”

He stuck his jagged blade into the deck. Faint screams from in a green gem called for help—his help. Kai and Zane’s collective voices shouted the loudest, Kai being the most desperate to get out. The vengestone ball and chain around his leg kept him from running away or even using his powers.

“You can join them if you wish?” Nadakhan said.

“Is zapping you off this ship an option?” Jay turned away from the sword. Nadakhan picked it back up. His face got closer to Jay’s.

“I know this is all an act. You make yourself stronger than you appear to hide your weakness. You make jokes to hide the fear in your eyes. But I can see it. You don’t have to hide from me. It’s why you’re not doing anything about your silent friend or the two siblings in love with her. It’s why she’ll choose one of them and not you.”

He sauntered away from Jay, letting the boy breathe for once. The air above the clouds was as thin as the summit of the Wailing Alps—although, not as cold.

“You will break somehow, Jay,” Nadakhan said. “Flintlocke, when he’s done swabbing the deck, make him swab the hull.”

“The bottom of the ship?” a man with a bushy mustache asked. He had two guns attached to his belt.

“You worry he’ll fall?”

The man hesitated before nodding, “Of course not. I’ll make it so, Captain.”

Not long after, he was under the Misfortune’s Keep, scrubbing the hull. The man with a mustache, Flintlocke, had a curious look in his eye. It felt like pity—an emotion Jay didn’t need.

…

Over the next few hours, Jay was graced with a companion in the form of Clancee. He was the serpentine who let him borrow his mop. He had it no while Jay had the same scrubber he used to swab the hull. Now, he was at the helm, watching Flintlocke and a silent man discuss blueprints.

Clancee talked Jay’s ear off with stories from centuries ago. He spoke of the rivalry Misfortune’s Keep had with Destiny’s Bounty. He mentioned Delara and her fierce eyes that only looked at him with kindness. He said Nya had those same eyes, dark as a sea of ink. He had a stutter, which Jay paid no attention to. Clancee looked grateful for that.

“And before we were in Nadakhan’s crew, we were castaways. One way or another, he brought us together and made us whole,” Clancee said. “Take D-Dogshank for example. It’s not easy being the second prettiest at the b-ball. She wished to stand out. She does, but it ain’t for being pretty. Then there’s Dubloon over there. He was a two-faced thief caught trying to steal N-Nadakhan’s gold. He tried to wish his way out of it but then the captain went and made him two-faced. Monkeywretch wasn’t always a m-monkey either. Wished to be the greatest mechanic of his kind. T-too bad for him, his kind is now the mechanized primate variety.”

Jay continued to let him talk. A quill sat at the blueprint table. Flintlocke and Dubloon were getting ready to leave, likely to get the monkey to work on what was there. The paper still lay there on the desk. A bottle was to its left. It was as if the tools to leave a message were perfectly left there. All that Jay had to do was get Clancee off his back.

“I never made a wish,” Clancee continued. “No, no, not I. I couldn’t think of anything to w-wish for even if I tried. I’ve got everything I need right here. S-See, I never fit in with the other serpentine, being a h-hybrid of tribes and all. I’m happy enough to have a family.”

Flintlocke and Dubloon finally left. Now was Jay’s chance. He put his hand over his back, heaving.

“Ugh, my back,” he groaned. “If only I could wish this pain away.”

Clancee dropped the mop. “Is that true?” he stuttered.

“Yes! Yes! I’m in such misery! Please I need this pain to go away. I beg of you!”

Clancee nodded and ran down the stairs to alert Nadakhan that Jay finally broke. Jay quickly approached the table and flipped over the blueprints. He dipped a feather pen into some ink, hastily writing a message.

Friends,

If you read this. I am safe. Focus on surviving. I will try and endure Nadakhan.

Jay.

He hastily rolled it up and put the note in a glass bottle. The cork next to it fit perfectly. He hid it behind his back and rushed toward where he had been cleaning.

“You left him unsupervised?!”

“M-My apologies captain!” Clancee said. “But we broke him! This might be yer only chance to take his s-soul!”

Jay jumped down the ship, making a run for it.

“Find him!” Nadakhan’s shouting roused his crew. They didn’t waste a millisecond in catching Jay.

The first two that got him were dogshank and monkeywretch. Dogshank was a tall and burly woman with a mask over her face. Clancee hadn’t been wrong in saying that she was ugly. She was so insecure about it that she had to hide her face to show herself in public. Monkeywretch was the metal monkey shining under the sunset. His wrench whacked the barrel he stood on, screeching to alert the other crew members.

Jay jumped over some crates and ran toward the end of the ship. The sky was covered in orange-painted clouds. He could barely tell where the sea was. He had to go lower. Thankfully, a blimp passed under the ship. He jumped to it, the ball and chain anchoring his landing. Nadakhan shouted to his crew to get him. Clancee was kicked to the blimp. He had nothing but a mop to defend himself.

Dubloon willingly crashed the ship to get the two off his tail. Jay clung to the ropes binding the pieces of Ninjago to each other. Jay slid to the nearest island before cutting off its connection to the others. He ziplined from one to the other with Dubloon on his tail. When Jay reached a dead end, he jumped to the last thing visible to him. That happened to be a metal ball with screws coming out of it like pores.

The Misfortune’s Keep approached. Dubloon’s face switched to a smiling one. Nadakhan approached the end of the ship with a smirk. “It appears you’ve found a sky mine,” he said. “A single shot from Flintlocke and your life will end.”

Jay looked to the world below him. The sea finally showed through the clouds. It was just what he needed. He hid the glass bottle behind his back, absentmindedly dropping it into the water. Then, he let go of the ball of vengestone he carried to escape. “Alright, I surrender,” he said.

…

“The captain wants to see you for dinner. That’s an order.”

Flintlocke interrupted Jay from cleaning in the dead of night. No punishment had come of him since he dropped the note into the ocean. For that, he was grateful and fearful. Jay didn’t endure any physical pain from Nadakhan and his crew yet. It only made him think of when someone would lay a hand on him.

Jay had no choice but to follow Nadakhan’s first mate into the captain’s quarters. The walk there was silent and uncomfortable. Two guns faced Jay’s back egging him to keep walking without looking back at him. And yet, he could tell something wasn’t right with the man.

Flintlocke opened the doors to reveal Nadakhan at the center of a long dining table. An assortment of foods lay there. Their aroma enticed Jay’s stomach to growl.

Nadakhan gave Jay an unassuming smile. “Please, sit and eat. You must be famished,” he said. “But please, don’t be a fool.”

“Are you trying to be a kiss-ass now to get my last wish out of me?” Jay sat in the chair across from the Djinn.

“Of course not. I wouldn’t stoop so low. I simply wish for your company.”

Jay held himself back from eating each dish with a single bite. He would not look so desperate in front of the pirate.

“Though we are from different realms we share something in common, an affinity for a special someone,” Nadakhan said after taking a couple of bites of sushi. “Although I was a prince, I had to work for everything. This ship, this food, to earn Delara’s love.”

“Delara isn’t Nya,” Jay said. “She just looks like her.”

“Tell me, have you heard of the concept of sister realms?”

“No.”

“Sister realms are when two realms are connected. When one is destroyed, the other is as well. You see, my realm, Djinnjago, was destroyed because of its sister realm. A realm you destroyed.”

“You don’t mean…”

The cursed realm. Nadakhan’s home realm was connected to the cursed realm. Jay’s heartbeat could’ve stopped completely when he put two and two together. Nya drowned the cursed realm, and now Nadakhan wants Nya.

“I don’t intend to win Nya’s heart by any means,” Nadakhan said. “I only need her hand in marriage. My father once told me that when Djinn marries, they will gain immense amounts of power. They gain the ability to make their own wishes.”

Infinite wishes, infinite power. Nadakhan wanted to become a god of wishes. That was why Tohru stole [Name]’s voice. She didn’t want the process to speed up and prevent something like this from happening.

“You weren’t in love with Delara,” Jay said. “You loved what she could give you.”

“And after I take your friends and your home, Nya will be mine.”

“She’s fifteen!”

“Would you prefer seventeen? Your silent friend is that age.”

“That’s still an underage girl!”

“As well as a girl you love.”

Jay held his tongue for the rest of dinner. His heart twisted in his chest with little strength to say anything. He didn’t like her like that. Of course, not. He would never try and take a friend’s girl. Especially a girl two people already liked. I don’t see her that way. He lied to himself again, anything to keep these feelings at bay. All the while, his heart raced at the thought of [Name] in a wedding gown.

Nadakhan smirked as if he claimed victory in battle.

…

By the next day, Jay was back on his grind, swabbing the deck. The crew kept a close eye on him, although doing their own things. Flintlocke watched him the closest. He kept one eye on Jay while his ears remained open to hearing an argument between Monkeywretch and Clancee.

“That was your side of the story, M-Monkeywretch!” Clancee said. “The way I see is that I can use my free time however I like.”

“Clancee’s right,” Flintlocke said. “Just because there’s a new low man on the totem pole, doesn’t mean Clancee has to give up swabbing the deck.”

“Thank you Flintlocke. It relaxes me. I told you I was in the right.”

Clancee left the room. Monkeywretch turned his back to the serpentine, rolling his glowing eyes.

Flintlocke went back to watching over Jay. Again, there was that same conflict in his eyes. He didn’t want to make eye contact with anyone on the ship, much less his captain. It was the type of conflict Jay could use to his advantage. Turning the ship against its captain would create enough crossfire for Jay to escape.

He went with his plan, moving toward Flintlocke little by little. “The crew listens to you,” he said.

“That’s because Nadakhan is a good captain,” Flintlocke said. “My job is to keep the ship running smoothly.”

“But how can you make the ship run smoothly if your captain doesn’t tell you what you need to know?”

“Like what?”

“It’s nice that you’re helping Nadakhan restore his old home–”

“Djinnjago is for all of us.”

“Maybe, but how long will he keep you around once he gets infinite wishes?”

Jay continued to walk. He heard Flintlocke’s footsteps following him. Good. The first mate was intrigued. And it wasn’t like Jay was manipulating the man. He was telling him what Nadakhan said at dinner.

“Everybody knows Nadakhan don’t get no wishes,” Flintlocke said. “Ain’t nobody can wish for that.”

“That’s not what he told me,” Jay said. “He said that after a Djinn prince marries on Djinn land, he will get infinite wishes. I’ve seen how he looks at my friend, Nya. She reminds him of Delara. But what do I know? I’m just the low man on the totem pole. I’m sure he would’ve told his most trusted first mate and not someone he kidnapped. But…it doesn’t have to be that way. The crew listens to you. If you want to revolt, there’s no better time than now, before he becomes as powerful as a god.”

“As powerful as a god? What lies has our little canary been singing now?” Nadakhan appeared behind Jay from thin air. Suddenly, it was cold. Goosebumps ran up the boy’s spine as Nadakhan slithered to Flintlocke. “Perhaps another ploy to escape?”

“I’m telling the truth. Nadakhan is lying to you.”

“Right, and I can’t shoot water in an ocean,” Flintlocke chuckled.

“Perhaps we’re being too hard on the boy,” Nadakhan said. “He’s done a decent cleaning job. How about we introduce him to our on-ship entertainment?”

“Scrap-N-tap?”

“Of course.”

Jay found out what that was when he showed up in the center of a circle of pirates. They were laughing Nadakhan said there was only one rule, the best one wins.

It was a fighting rink where Jay was the only opponent. However, Jay wouldn’t describe it as a fight, more like a one-sided beatdown. Monkeywretch was the first person. He wasn’t painful, small enough that any hit Jay took wouldn’t do much damage to his body. Even the vengestone falling on his stomach wasn’t bad. It merely knocked the wind out of him.

Dubloon was next, coming in with a staff for a weapon. A single whack to the face made Jay bleed. Dogshank wasn’t great either. Her size and strength were at the same level.

The game culminated in a hook-handed crewmate taking their hook to Jay’s eye. He felt the scrape, the warmth of the blood dripping from his eye socket, drowning his vision until his eye could see nothing. Jay could’ve sworn part of his eye was on the floor.

“That looks so painful,” Nadakhan said. “You can wish that pain away if you’d like. You can wish it all away, even.”

“Shut the fuck up, Nadakhan,” Jay grit his teeth.

No one won. The crew simply grew bored of Jay and he was thrown into the healer’s care. Bandages were carefully placed on his injured eye. Anesthetic shot through the injury and the pain was numbed significantly. It still throbbed like a maniac. By the time Jay was in his bunker to rest, it was already nighttime.

His entire body ached. Thankfully, no bones were broken. Nadakhan just wanted to hurt him a little, not to be at the point where Jay would die before he had the chance to make a wish. However, Nadakhan wasn’t against leaving him half-blind.

Clancee came knocking at his cage. He dropped down a tray of food Jay could barely reach out to.

“You have to eat,” he said with the slightest hint of concern.

“I’m not hungry,” Jay’s voice was dry from the pained screams erupting from his throat from the torture and the healers.

“Well, might I say you fought well?” Clancee asked. “You stuck it out like a pirate. Have this so you can look the part.”

An eyepatch drifted down the door. This time, it landed closer to Jay. He wasn’t in pain when picking it up. The eyepatch was blue and a bit worn. Tears were at the edges. Still, he put it over the bandages on his eye. Jay heaved out a laugh, “Just like the ice.”

Not long after, Jay heard the sounds of a tweeting bird. It came up to the cage and slipped its little body through the holes. That tweet grew more and more familiar as he flew toward him. The bird was frantic the moment he saw what happened to Jay.

“Huh? You’re [Name]’s bird,” he said. “Fuwa.”

Fuwa chirped, resting on Jay’s palm. Zane’s falcon wasn’t with him. In fact, Jay never saw the falcon on this ship. He would think a mechanical bird would be noticeable. He asked the sparrow what happened, earning a lowered head.

“Oh no,” Jay exhaled. “I’m sorry.”

He was glad Fuwa wasn’t found. What the crew could’ve done to him would’ve been far gorier than what they did to the falcon.

“It’s alright,” Jay rubbed the sparrow’s head. “We’re gonna get out of here soon.” It was just as much of a comforting promise to himself as it was for Fuwa.

Chapter Text

You had a knack for getting stuck on islands that never appeared on the average map of Ninjago. First, it was the Dark Island, then the Island of Elements, and now, the home to the last tiger widow spider. Ahead of you was the sea, shimmering like starlight under the sunset. It made Ninjago look like a distant memory.

A spec of green appeared in the distance, growing into a majestic dragon. It was Lloyd’s elemental dragon, coming back to the island. Its wings frantically flapped so Lloyd wouldn’t fall into the ocean. You caught him when the dragon disappeared. He was gasping for air, eyes half-lidded and ready to close completely. His arms and legs were limp. You set him down on the sand, letting him collect himself before Cole and Nya could ask him any questions.

“Are you okay?” Cole asked. “Did you see any land?”

“No. Just water,” Lloyd said. “We can’t get to the mainland on our dragons without exhausting ourselves.”

Cole let out a chuckle.

“What’s so funny about our predicament?” Nya’s hands rested on her hips.

“I was just thinking about Jay’s reaction to all of this,” Cole said. “You’re telling me we went into all that trouble to get the venom to stop Nadakhna and now we have no way to get off this island?! It’s been a day and I already miss him.” Cole tried his best to sound like Jay. It was a poor impression that made you smile.

You found a stick and wrote your response into the sand. ‘Jay collected the venom by himself. The rest of us sent him to his death,’ you wrote. It was a fact that made you guilty for even writing it. Cole, Nya, and Lloyd leaned over your shoulder to read the sand. They were not surprised but disappointed. You couldn’t tell if it was towards you or themselves.

“You’re right,” Nya said. “After he lied to us, I was so hard on him. Now, he’s captured and all alone. Some friends we are.”

‘I tried to tell you that Zane went off on his own. You weren’t paying attention. I know it was a storm, but our friend was still in trouble,’ you wrote. This was more of an impulse. Your hand kept going and going, spouting about how you tried to warn your friends even before Kai got captured. Yet, they hardly noticed. They didn’t hear it come from your voice, so it didn’t matter.

Lloyd sat next to you. His arm went around your shoulder. Tears threatened to stream out your eyes like a waterfall. All of the guilt wanted to be set free in silent sobs.

“I know. What Tohru did to you made communicating hard, huh?” Lloyd said. “I’m sorry I didn’t see that earlier.”

‘I’ll take part of the blame for Jay,’ you wrote.

“What? Why?” Nya asked. “You only encountered Nadakhan at Stixx.”

‘I didn’t tell you what was going on. So, I’m taking part of the blame.’

You wrote the same thing over and over again. Your friends pleaded for you not to blame yourself, but you knew you couldn’t. The guilt wouldn’t let you. You could only blame yourself after all. It was your fault you didn’t stay behind at the hospital when Clouse summoned Nadakhan. Perhaps, your voice wouldn’t be taken. You’d be as clueless as everyone else. You touched the crescent mark on your throat. Tohru. You were angry with her the entire time. All she wanted was to protect you.

‘You have every right to be angry with me,’ Tohru said. Then, she was silent again, observing.

“Jay will be fine. He’s tougher than he looks,” Lloyd said, attempting to console the group. “It’s like what Wu said, if you want something bad enough, you find a way to make it happen.”

“Then, if we can’t fly our way to Ninjago, maybe we can build a way,” a lightbulb appeared over Cole’s head. “I’ve seen it in enough movies to know it’s possible. What’s one raft going to do–”

“Across an endless sea with monsters trying to eat us?!” Nya interjected. “Sorry. That was my Jay impression. What are we waiting for? Let’s get started!”

…

Building the raft was simple. You needed to gather enough wood to sustain four people. Then, you needed to gather enough grass blades to tie everything. Finally, you had to have faith in the sea and your weight to get to the mainland. The moon and the light from Lloyd’s power were all you could use to see what you were tying together.

“One more round of palm ties and I say she’s secure enough for sea,” Lloyd tied the last tie on his side of the raft.

“I wonder why they call them she,” Nya hammered in something resembling a sail.

“I dunno, it takes a lot of paint to make ‘em look good?” Cole joked.

Nya glared at him. It was a warning that she could easily splash Cole if she wanted. Cole’s chuckle turned into him clearing his throat.

“I kid, I kid. Lighten up a little, water lily,” he said.

“I get it,” Nya shook her head fondly, “My mission to rid the world of its prejudices is wearing thin.”

Lloyd reached for the rest of his ties. He grabbed sand and nothing else. “Uh, did someone grab my ties?” he asked.

You shook your head.

“Nope,” Cole said.

“I didn’t touch them,” Nya said.

“Weird, I could’ve sworn I put them next to me. I’ll go back into the jungle to collect some more,” Lloyd dusted the sand off his gi. He left for the trees without looking back.

You went back to tying palm leaves around wood. Your movements were precise and careful like you were always taught to be with the blade. Not to mention, a woman in the nearby village taught you how to tie a decent knot. Under the mountain, and into the dragon’s den. You internalized those instructions. So much in fact, it was part of how you did spinjitzu at twelve years old.

“You know, the real reason I think sea vessels are called she is that people name them after the most important people in our lives,” Cole’s voice broke through the silence. “Mothers, wives, sisters, daughters. The people in life we trust when life gets choppy.”

“Jay didn’t trust me,” Nya said. “He still doesn’t and I don’t know why.”

“Maybe it’s because he doesn’t want to lose a friend. I get it, not wanting to ruin a good thing,” Cole said.

“Never thought you’d be the one to defend him after exposing him. You’re a good friend.”

“You’re wrong. I’m his best friend.”

Something in the sand sank Nya’s hammer into the ground. You gripped the handle and pulled. Whatever had it was not letting go. It turned into a tug of war that began pulling you into the sane with the hammer. Cole stopped tying. His lips parted.

“[Name]? You alright?” he asked.

“My hammer!” Nya went behind you. Her arms went around your waist, pulling with you. A ripple of sand rose behind the grip. Cole was up on his feet. A second ripple surrounded the raft. It got behind where the first one was. The sand was rising and rising. Scales peeked up at you like a curious animal.

Sand rained upon you as a worm rose from within it. You had no choice but to let go of the hammer. You scrambled to your feet and backed from the creature. The raft gave you somewhat of a haven. Nya and Cole yelped. The sand began to move, the worms no longer having to hide from you. Your back was against Nya’s. It was warm from facing the sun.

“What do we do?” Nya said.

“I think they’re attracted to sound,” Cole said. “Just stay quiet and maybe they’ll leave us alone.”

Your heartbeat felt like it could be heard by the worms already. It echoed throughout your body as if it were an empty and echoey space. Even a breath could alert the worms. You shut your eyes tight. A hand went over your heart to calm it down.

The sand settled around you once the three of you were silent. You thought they would leave you alone until Lloyd came out of the forest.

“Guys, look at how many palm fronds I found!” he shouted. Under his arm, were many palm fronds, too many.

“Lloyd!” Nya whisper-shouted. “Keep it down.”

“What?”

It was too late. The sandworms rose from the sand once again. You jumped off the raft with Nya and Cole. All of your hard work was swallowed by the island. It disappeared so easily. You could only wonder if something like that would’ve happened at sea.

“The trees!” Cole shouted. “Get to the trees!”

Lloyd used airjitzu to get to the tallest treetop. You and Cole did the same. You clung to the tree for dear life, hoping the worms wouldn’t get to you because of it.

Nya lingered on the sand. How could you forget? Her airjitzu wasn’t as stable as the rest of you. You wanted to reach for her, beg for her to take your hand. But silent words would fall upon deaf ears.

Nya twisted her body into the starting position for airjitzu. The cyclone was shaky. The wind did not fare her at the time. It threatened to drop her and feed her to the worms. Yet, Nya made it obey her. She grasped a high branch the moment she could. Her breaths were heavy, her chest quickly rising and falling.

“You did it!” you mouthed twice so she got what you were trying to say.

“You want something bad enough, you make it happen,” Nya smiled.

“That’s great and all, but what do we do now?” Cole asked. “We can’t rebuild the raft if the sandworms will swallow it again.”

As if to answer him, the sky rumbled. However, it wasn’t with thunder. It was a helicopter, bright white and flashing blue and red lights. A side door was opened. Ronin was waving to you. You grit your teeth. How did the police find you? This was a remote island.

“Need a lift?” Ronin shouted.

The sandworms caught the sounds, striking at the helicopters. They stretched their skin until they couldn’t anymore. The aircraft flew higher, avoiding them.

“Ronin?” Lloyd said.

You had no choice but to hop into the copter. Ronin was quick to shut the door. The pilots up front quickly maneuvered the outward. The Police Commissioner sat in the hangar. He stood in your presence. You got in front of your friends, an arm stretched out protectively.

“How did you find us?” Nya was the first to speak.

“We followed storm patterns while tracking your boat–” one of the pilots said.

“Detective work, ma’am,” the other pilot said. “We’re detectives. We detect things.”

“You came all this way to arrest us?” Cole asked.

“Oh gods, no,” The Commissioner said. “We came to rescue you. After you saved the city from the sky pirates, we looked at the evidence again and realized it was all fake.”

You lowered your arm. So they decided to double-check for once.

“We also got this message,” Ronin held up a glass bottle. “It’s from your friend, Jay. As a way of apology, let’s say we get him back.”

…

Upon getting back to Ninjago, you were instantly pushed to Dareth. He was wearing sunglasses with gold frames. He stood in front of you while you saw on foldable chairs one might see on a movie set. Two other men were with him. They sat awkwardly as they watched Dareth like a car crash. They both wore glasses. If one didn’t have a beard, you wouldn’t be able to tell them apart.

You didn’t see the point of meeting in a film studio. That would only create more work from staff to keep you away from the actors and director. You slumped in the foldable chair, sighing. If only you had a voice to let Dareth know how you felt.

“I wish I could tell you this mission is gonna be simple. It’s not,” Dareth took off his glasses. You inwardly cringed at his word choice.

“It is,” Cole said. “And in case no one told you, we have what we need. We go up there to save Jay and then take care of business.”

“And when you fly your elemental dragons up there, how long will you get caught?” Dareth raised an eyebrow. As hard as it was to admit it, he was right. You’d be either killed or tortured to make a wish.

“The Commissioner said we have his department at our disposal,” Nya said. “We can gather enough force to take them on.”

“Then the word is goodbye,” Dareth said. “As in, say goodbye to Jay when they see you coming. This mission is not simple. But, it isn’t impossible. Not without a little magic. I’m talking about movie magic, not real magic.” He gestured to the two men with you this entire time. “Kevin, Dan, the floor is yours,” he said.

The two men in the corner the entire time got up from their seats. They strolled to the whiteboard, each grabbing a marker. Dareth said they were screenwriters.

“How are they going to help with a rescue mission?” Tohru said. You couldn’t help but agree with her.

“So, the message in the bottle reads, ‘Focus on surviving. I will try and endure Nadakhan,” the clean-shaven man said.

“That’s straightforward but very unhelpful,” the bearded man said. “What’s more interesting is the message behind the message. He wrote it on the back of some blueprints of a small zeppelin.”

“So, we can recreate one of those ships so you can blend into their fleet. You can learn a pirate’s dialect and dress as pirates to go undetected.”

“Arr ye, we be pirates,” Lloyd did a terrible impression of a pirate.

Pause.

“Okay,” the clean-shaven man said after a pause. “The green one cannot do dialects.”

“Mute sky pirate,” the bearded one said. “Back to the plan. Once we get you blended in, Cole will sneak onto Misfortune’s Keep. He’ll poison Nadakhan and trap him.”

“The venom can slow him down. How would we trap him?” Nya asked.

“Okay, spitballin’ here,” the clean-shaven man said. “What if there’s an incantation with a lot of hard consonants.”

“That’s genius. Then, when Nadakhan gets trapped in the blade, everyone is free,” the bearded man said.

You went to the whiteboard, borrowed one of the men’s markers, and wrote a simple message. ‘That’s not how curses work.’

The screenwriters batted their eyelashes. You gave each other a blank stare. Cole held back a laugh, knowing that you were right.

“I’m guessing the lady wrote that this is a dumbass plan.”

You turned around, finding Ronin leaning against a slanted gray pole. His knee was bent to support his posture, letting his back rest against the metal. His teeth shone under the dim light.

“You’re sending them up there without a real idea of what they’re doing,” Ronin sauntered toward the whiteboard. “They don’t know what they’ll find or what they’re up against and your answer is movie magic?”

“Okay, we still have a few things to work out,” Dareth said. “And I know it’s a stretch, but this is the best idea we have. Jay’s note doesn’t have much to go off of in terms of who’s on Misfortune’s Keep. Not to mention, pieces of Ninjago are going missing. If we don’t act now, we might not have a home to save.”

Dareth was correct. The stakes were too high for you to goof around and research. Ronin was right too. There isn’t much you know about what the skies look like. You wrote on the whiteboard again, listing each crew member you could remember from Ninjago City and the tiger widow’s island. There was the serpentine, the large woman, a metal monkey, and a man with impeccable aim. You surveyed what you wrote down and nodded to yourself. They were members of Nadakhan’s formidable crew. They were exceptional, but not impossible to take down.

“Okay, that’s still not a lot, but I’m not hearing any other ideas,” Dareth’s arms went around the two screenwriters. “Now come on, let’s get working!”

…

It took three days to plan for Jay’s rescue. Most of that time was dedicated to building the zeppelin and creating pirate disguises.

You had to ride in, covering yourself with the clouds and pieces of Ninjago floating above them. Some were taken from forests, others were from the city. You even saw a mountaintop and Yang’s Haunted Temple. Misfortune’s Keep was in the center of it all. It was like the palace in the center of Ninjago City. Except, the ship was a lot more out in the open and less covered by imperial guards.

Nya was steering the zeppelin near the bottom of these pieces. She was dressed as a man to blend in better. A fake mustache was attached to her upper lip and her hair was tied back. Cole had a wide pirate hat usually worn by a child. You and Lloyd had more simple clothing, practical enough to work below the deck.

“You have the venom, right Cole?” Lloyd asked. “I mean, Black Blood.”

“Sure do, but aren’t you supposed to be silent, Mutt the Mute?” Cole leaned his body against the sail.

“Don’t waste a drop of that,” Nya’s hands were trembling. “I don’t like this.” Her breath was shaky, coming out seconds between each inhale.

“What’s wrong? I’ve never seen you look so scared.”

“I just hope he’s alright. It’s been so long since we’ve seen him. What if he’s…?”

Your fingertips ghosted over the back of her hand. Her breath hitched before calming down at the sensation of your touch.

“He’ll be okay,” Cole said. “We’ve lost enough people. We won’t lose him.”

Nya nodded. She brought in the zeppelin close to the bottom of the ship. You gave her and Lloyd a thumbs-up before climbing onto the balloon with Cole. The plan was to have you come with him for backup.

Cole dropped the glass vile of venom while climbing up the ship with you. You caught it before it could fall through an abyss of clouds. You got to the lowest part of the ship, immediately spotting the metal monkey keeping guard. Cole made himself invisible while you hid behind a barrel.

It didn’t take long for you to get to the top. Cole nabbed the key to the captain’s quarters from a man with a porcelain head.

An array of drinks sat on the table. They went from straight sake to one of the sweetest wines you’ve smelled. You carefully opened the wine bottle, letting Cole open the vial of venom. He was struggling to get the cork open.

“Cole? [Name]?”

A voice wheezed from the corner of the room. Your heart dropped to your stomach. Despite the layers upon layers of pain, you knew it was Jay. He crawled from the shadows he hid in. A ball and chain made from vengestone dragged on the wooden floors. He wore an eyepatch over bandages on his left eye. There were more on his face and body. Dried blood leaked from them, staining his skin.

A familiar and sweet chirp came from the shadows as well. Fuwa fluttered his wings and carried himself onto Jay’s head. At the sight of you, he happily fluttered around you. He circled your head before resting in your palms.

“Jay!” Cole made his way over to Jay. “You’re alive. What happened to you? Who did all of this?”

“Cole? Why are you and [Name] dressed like pirates?” Jay answered.

“Don’t worry about that. We’re here to rescue you.”

Cole picked the lock on Jay’s chains. Jay leaned onto him for support. You went to his other side, wrapping his arm around your shoulders.

“Boy am I glad to see you guys,” Jay said. “I thought you wouldn’t come for me.”

“Of course, we would’ve,” Cole said.

“But, I lied to you. I kept all that stuff from you.”

“And I should’ve known why you did. Save your strength for now. We’ll lave about it when it’s all behind us.”

The door clicked behind you. Jay swiftly hid in the closet while you and Cole hid behind Nadakhan’s bed.

The djinn came into the room, hands behind his back. He reached for the golden teapot. He popped off the lid and looked inside.

“We’re out of Fiddlehead Cider,” he said. “Make sure someone plunders it for me.”

“Will do, Captain,” a man with a bushy mustache said. “Are you sure you don’t want to put on a cloak? It’ll be windy this evening.”

Nadakhan was about to reach for the closet before the ship rocked. It unleashed the ball and chain Jay escaped from. Both he and the mustache man gazed at it. Nadakhan went from calm to full of rage in a second.

“Our prisoner has escaped. Search the ship!” he barked.

You made sure they disappeared before getting Jay out of the closet. You needed to get to Lloyd and Nya quickly before someone finds you. Thank the gods you knew where they parked the zeppelin.

You would’ve gotten there if it hadn’t been for one thing.

“Wait,” Cole said as you approached the bottom of the ship. “I left the venom in Nadakhan’s quarters.”

“You what?” Jay said. “We can’t go back. It’s too risky.”

“We have to. Look, [Name] can take you to where Lloyd and Nya are.”

You took Cole’s hand. There was no way you would risk another one of your friends disappearing. Before you took one step, a blade was close to touching your throat. It was a jambiya, you could tell from how it curved. You could already feel its sharpness, even though it wasn’t touching you. It stole your breath and hearing, leaving only a ringing sound.

“My, my,” Nadakhan said from behind you. “Are you going somewhere with my prisoner?”

“Shit,” Cole cursed under his breath.

“Should we put them in where the other two are going, captain?” another voice said.

“Have these three go in with the blonde boy. I want the girl in my quarters,” Nadakhan said.

You were swiftly put in a dark brig under wooden floorboards. Sunlight became an array of tiny squares from being blocked by iron bars. Fuwa stood in front of you, sitting like a protector. Your finger stroked the top of his head. If he was the only one to survive Misfortune’s Keep, then the falcon must’ve been scrapped for parts.

You were stripped of your powers with vengestone around your ankle. A ball and chain rooted you to the ground. Jay sat in the corner, unbothered. Cole tried to free himself but failed. The vengestone didn’t allow him to ghost through it. You never saw the logic in that. Although, it may be because he is the Master of Earth.

“Cole, you said you left the venom in Nadakhan’s chambers, right?” Lloyd asked.

“Yeah. I hope Nya can get to it in time,” Cole said.

“How? She doesn’t know it’s there,” Jay said. “Ugh, I don’t like that that creep is alone with her. If he lays one hand on my friend I–”

“Don’t worry. We won’t let that happen,” Lloyd cut Jay off.

“We’d better not. If he takes her hand in marriage, he’ll become as powerful as a god.”

“A god? He’ll be unstoppable!”

“But then, his crew will be expendable,” Lloyd said. “If we can get them to–”

“I already tried. It didn’t work,” Jay said. “How do you think I lost my eye? Thanks for trying to save me. But, maybe it would’ve been better if you never came.”

“Hey, we may not have our powers, but we’re not without hope. Between the three of us and Nya, we’ll have ten wishes.”

“Wishes? You wanna think that through? Making wishes is why we’re here.”

“Yeah, and then he’ll turn it around on you and make you wish it all away,” Cole said.

You nodded. The fear of making a wish is why Tohru cursed you in the first place. If he gets all of your souls, Nadakhan might as well have Ninjago float over the sea. What are you thinking?!

“Fine. We’ll only use wishes as a last resort,” Lloyd said.

You understood better now. If Nadakhan wanted to be a god, having the soul of one would speed up the process.

…

You were abruptly taken out of the hole by the serpentine and the man with guns. A plank was being prepared at the end of the ship. Quite a few crew members were watching it being prepared. It was like they were the audience to a play, waiting for someone to die or a couple to kiss.

Nya rushed toward the cage, only to be stopped by a large woman wearing a mask. By the look of things, she wasn’t supposed to be here.

“You wouldn’t dare!” she shouted.

“I make the orders around here,” Nadakhan said. “The sooner you learn that the smoother things will go.”

“If you hurt them, you can forget about any deal!”

“Then agree to marry me right now and it will all be over.”

Nya went silent. She already knew she couldn’t marry him. Tears welled up in her dark eyes. You regret turning around. The last thing you see shouldn’t be your friend crying.

“Fine, the silent one goes first,” Nadakhan commanded.

Your ball and chain added weight to the wooden board. It bent toward the clouds, making you slide down it. You thrashed against the serpentine and the man with guns as they tried to push you off the plank. The chain clanged as you tried to wriggle free.

“I don’t get it. You should be pushing her over,” the man with guns pointed at Nya. “Djinnjago is supposed to be what matters, not her.”

“Quiet you hairy-lipped fool,” Nadakhan barked. “Or should there be one more walking that plank?”

“I…I wish,” Cole said.

“Don’t do it,” Jay said. “That’s only gonna make things worse.”

“I wish vengestone didn’t stop our powers but made them stronger!”

Cole didn’t listen to Jay’s warning. And, since Nadakhan did not expect the coming wish, he could not twist his words. You kicked one of the crew members pushing you down the plank. They were knocked back, fuming with sakura energy. It became a cloud of infinity and flower petals.

Sparks were already flying off Jay’s hands. The crew went into a frenzy, trying to stop you as your powers overtook you. If someone so much as touched you, your powers would react by flinging them across the ship. Fuwa flew off your shoulder so he wouldn’t face the same fate.

‘Tohru? Tohru!’ you tried to call her. Her voice was too incoherent to hear her words. The voice that always softened whenever you were in danger or emotional was no longer there. Suddenly, you were back in that cell in Chen’s palace. Alone and scared.

A break of the chain brought you back to reality. Lloyd was at your side. His worried gaze morphed into one of relief. Thank the gods it was all over.

‘That was an idiotic wish,’ Tohru’s voice showed up in your head again.

‘It was,’ you wanted to cry.

“I ain’t afraid to shoot you where you stand,” the man with guns pointed one of them at your group.

“I wish you were a lousy shot!” Lloyd shouted.

“I never miss.”

The man fired his gun. The bullet dropped to the ground as if he put it there. He fired a couple of more times before taking down an airship.

“Stop firing or you’ll put a hole in all of us!” Nadakhan commanded.

“And would everyone stop wishing!” Jay shouted.

Nadakhan thrust his blade into the metal floor. It was covered in ice. Your feet slipped, unable to gain a balanced footing.

“I wish Nadakhan didn’t have that sword,” Cole said.

The blade was thrown out of Nadakhan’s hands into the hands of the man with guns. He handed it back to him.

“Well, that was a great use of a wish, boulder brain,” Jay rolled his eye. “Words matter. We can’t fling wishes from the hip like this!”

“Jay’s right. We only have six left,” Lloyd said. “We have to be wiser with what we wish for.”

“Not wiser, quieter. No more wishes!”

Lloyd did not listen, “I wish I was wise, like Wu!”

He gained a footing on the ice. His feet stomped on two pieces of metal. He used them as skates to move around the ice.

“Lloyd’s right. Maybe we’re overthinking this,” Cole said. “I wish us all out of here!”

Nadakhan stiffened, “You fool!”

The Misfortune’s Keep began to tip. You slipped on the ice and slid down the metal. The one thing stopping you from falling was the plank Cole tried to save you from.

Jay was beside you. The vial of venom from earlier came slipping. He caught it and pocketed it as quickly as possible.

“I wish you hadn’t said that Cole,” Nya said.

“Your wish is yours to keep,” Nadakhan smirked.

“That’s another one wasted. You guys aren’t very good at this,” Jay said.

“Well unless someone doesn’t wish our way out of this, we’re screwed!” Cole argued.

“Then I wish the clouds would stop us!” Nya shouted.

Your grip slipped from the plank and onto the nearest cloud. It was bouncy, not like how you thought a cloud would feel. Your heart was pounding. Find someone. Find anyone!

The first person that wouldn’t try to kill you was Lloyd. He was laying on the clouds, letting them consume his very being. You ran and knelt next to him. Wrinkles were all over his face. His blonde hair became a light gray. He looked—old. Nya and Cole were next to appear.

“Don’t worry about me,” Lloyd said. “Jay and I have one wish left, and I won’t waste it on myself.”

“But you’ll continue to get decrepit!” Jay was the last to make his way over. “Let me use my last wish to save you.”

“No. Don’t do that. I’ve seen beyond the now. You’ll need it. That last wish will come from the heart.”

“Hearts can’t speak!”

“If you think you can use your wishes to stop me, then you’re mistaken,” Nadakhan emerged from the clouds.

“I wish for a sword!” Lloyd used up his last wish like it was nothing. A blade appeared in his hand. “I know they will. Just not today.”

You shook your head, already knowing what he was about to do.

“Look after them,” Lloyd cut through the clouds.

They dissipated around you, Jay, and Nya. You were weightless while falling through the sky.