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goldenavenger02 · 3 years

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Pillow Fights and Long Nights

5 Times Kai was in the hospital for Lloyd, 1 time Lloyd should have been in the hospital, and 1 time Lloyd was in the hospital for Kai.

Dedicated to @rosiehunterwolf

•••

'I should've been watching him.' Kai thought to himself as they all stood in the waiting room of Ninjago City hospital. Since there were multiple doctors in Ignacia, he and Nya had never needed to be here.

However, hearing Jay's horror stories about multiple failed inventions landing him in here for days at a time, or hearing about Cole's failed dancing resulting in at least two different injuries, not to mention the Triple Tiger Sashay incident, was definitely not calming his nerves.

He shouldn't have left Lloyd alone with the training equipment he didn't know how to use, when there had been multiple other people who could've been checking where they were while waiting on a Serpentine sighting.

When he had been forced out of the Bridge because of Jay screaming, saying that Lloyd was bleeding on the deck, Kai had only ever felt that sinking feeling in his stomach twice before.

When Nya was taken by Garmadon, and when Lloyd nearly sank into the lava inside of the Fire Temple.

Which led to where they were now. The hailed "protectors of Ninjago" leaning against chairs and the wall of the hospital, staring at the door that Sensei, Lord Garmadon and Lloyd had disappeared behind, and pretending that they were not there at all in order to keep their heart rates from getting out of control.

"-which is why I stopped trying to climb the piles of junk." Jay's voice rang back in his head, snapping him out of his thoughts and he could feel fire against his hand.

"Kai, calm down," Nya's voice perked up, gently setting her hand on his arm, and Kai allowed himself to take a deep breath, the fire extinguishing from his hand, "I know you're upset, but if you burn down the hospital, you're going to be in a lot of trouble. This is probably a place we don't need to get banned from."

"Yeah, I'm just worried. He's been in there for over an hour and we haven't heard anything," Kai explained, letting his eyes flutter closed with worry, "I shouldn't have left him alone."

"You didn't know he would get hurt," Cole explained, putting his hand on his other shoulder, "you can't put that on yourself."

"But I knew that he was still getting the hang of the training equipment, and I knew that you guys were standing by and waiting for the Serpentine sighting." Kai argued, but Zane just shook his head before speaking up.

"We've gotten hurt multiple times using that equipment, and it wasn't this bad. You were probably just expecting a bump or bruise at the most, even if it was more so an instinct than an actual thought."

"Yeah, no one blames you, dude." Jay added, putting his hand against Kai's back when finally, the door opened and Sensei came out.

"He's going to be alright," he assured before any of them could say a word, and Kai couldn't keep his sigh of relief in, "He has a concussion, and he has to stay overnight so he can be monitored, but he's going to be just fine."

"Can we see him?" Kai asked, and had to swallow when Sensei shook his head "no", because while he knew Garmadon wouldn't hurt Lloyd after they just got him back, he still felt uneasy with him being around Lloyd by himself.

"He's sleeping now, and his father is with him. We'll come back in a few hours, but we still have to stay vigilant and make sure that Pythor doesn't get the last Fangblade."

"Yes, Sensei." All six of them groaned and made their way back to the Bounty, and Kai had to force his feet to go and avoid disrespecting Sensei yet again, no matter how tempting it was.

"Well, the good news is that Cole's going to throw out expired spices now." Kai joked, sitting on the edge of Lloyd's hospital bed, phone in hand as he updated Nya on Lloyd's condition.

Due to a flu going around, only one person was allowed to visit at a time, and Sensei had decided that Kai should stay with him while he went to stock up on healing teas for this exact scenario in the future.

"Not funny, dude," Lloyd groaned, curling up on his side, "my stomach still feels like it's going to explode."

"I think it already did." Kai chuckled, immediately regretting it when he saw the look of pure misery on Lloyd's face, which had him shoving his phone in his pocket before looking right at him, "sorry, I'll stop. Can I get you another ginger ale?"

"I'm just going to throw it up," Lloyd sighed, rubbing a hand over his face before turning on the TV.

Unfortunately, they were immediately greeted by Gayle Gossip talking about how Garmadon had seemingly gone missing, which Kai reached over and turned off, seeing Lloyd put his head in his hands, "on second thought, I'd rather throw up."

Kai couldn't help but smile sympathetically at him, gently squeezing his hand. "You've got us, Lloyd," that's when an idea popped into his head, "let me text Zane, see if we can figure out a way to smuggle some of his chicken noodle soup in here."

"Don't let him use the expired spices," Lloyd groaned as Kai pulled out his phone again.

"It'd probably taste better than the food in here." Kai teased with a smile, receiving a glare from Lloyd; and in hindsight, the pillow he received to the face from Lloyd was most likely well deserved.

"Just a sprained wrist, Kai," the doctor smiled softly as they wrapped bandages around the cut that covered his left arm, "you're very lucky."

Kai nodded, although he wasn't focused on the pain in his wrist, and more so on the fact that they maybe had two minutes of peace before Lloyd had passed out against him due to the absolute exhaustion from the final battle.

And while he knew that he had his uncle and parents, he couldn't stop the worry from clawing at his heart as the moment replayed in his head.

•••

"There's no way of knowing what's around the corner, but as long as there's something worth fighting for, there's always a need for a ninja. And we'll be ready." Kai insisted to Sensei, watching as his team approached him.

He couldn't keep the grin off his face as they looked to the brightness, one hand on Sensei's back and the other on Lloyd's shoulder. 'Little Lloyd Garmadon saved the day.'

However, just when they looked away from the sun, and the others started to spread out, that's when Kai noticed just how pale Lloyd was, even with a smile on his face. "Lloyd? You okay?" He asked softly, nudging his shoulder.

"My leg hurts…" Lloyd mumbled, his words slurring slightly, but before Kai could alert the others, Lloyd was already unconscious and slumped against his chest.

"Sensei!" He called out, gently maneuvering Lloyd so he was on his back, watching as the others ran back towards him, "Sensei, a little help!"

•••

Kai made his way to the waiting room with instructions to avoid using his left wrist, and kept back the disappointment when he didn't see Lloyd, but he couldn't hold back his relief to see Nya and immediately engulfed her in a hug which she returned just as tightly. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"I'm glad you're okay," she smiled before pulling away, glancing down at his arm before looking back at him, "well, mostly."

Kai couldn't ignore the bandage against her cheek, and when he looked back at his other teammates, it seemed as though Zane and his father were the only ones unscathed.

Cole was absolutely littered in bruises nearly everywhere that there was bare skin, both of Nya's eyes had bruises around them along with scratches that covered both of her arms, and he could tell that Jay's ribs were at least bruised by the way he was breathing, not to mention the stitches that were peeking out from the neckline of his gi.

"How's Lloyd?" Kai asked softly, unable to stop holding onto his sister, watching as her face switched from a smile to a soft frown. 'That was never good.'

"He's absolutely drained, not to mention his ankle was nearly shattered. The doctors think that it was the adrenaline that kept him from feeling it. They're not letting anyone who isn't family see him until after they do surgery on it."

"They don't have the right to call us anything other than his family." Kai scowled, pushing past Nya as his chest burned, determined to find Lloyd even if he burned the whole hospital down around them.

Luckily for the staff, Lloyd's room was easy to find and Kai immediately walked in, resulting in the turn of Sensei, Misako and Garmadon's heads.

"Kai, calm down." Sensei insisted firmly, holding a hand out towards Kai but he couldn't stop him from going to Lloyd, which forced him to swallow.

His skin was the palest he had ever seen, even compared to when he had gotten food poisoning a few months back, his ankle was wrapped up, but Kai could still see the bruises stretch up his leg, and his under eyes were dark, like he hadn't slept in weeks.

"Kai, it might be best for you to wait with the others." Sensei suggested softly, putting his hands on his shoulders, but he shook him off and grabbed Lloyd's hand instead.

"I made a promise to protect the green ninja, to fight beside him; with all due respect, Sensei, I can't do that in a waiting room. And if any of you try to make the argument that I'm not family, I'm going to fight you tooth and nail," Kai stopped for a moment to look at Lloyd's sunken face before turning back to his three parental figures, "Lloyd's my brother, just as much as Nya is my sister. I'm not leaving him."

To Kai's surprise, Garmadon was actually the one who approached him and set his hand on his shoulder before he spoke, "no one is going to kick you out, Kai. And if they try, they'll have to go through me."

Kai nodded, and despite the fact he was no longer evil, he was still a little shocked that he was agreeing with Garmadon.

But at the same time, as he held Lloyd's hand in his, he had never been happier to have him on his side.

"I can't believe how awesome your powers are, Nya." Jay admired, resulting in a smile from Nya, which Kai watched from afar.

He knew that Nya viewed them as friends, but with the way Jay looked at her, he had a flicker of something telling him that they would get together again someday

"I can't believe that I'm still being put on the pediatric ward," Lloyd mumbled, throwing a crumpled up piece of paper at the trash can, "I'm one of Ninjago's protectors and I'm still being treated like a kid."

That brought Kai back to the present as all five of them had crammed themselves into Lloyd's hospital room after the events of what had happened in Stiix.

After all, nearly losing Lloyd to Morro was nerve wracking for all of them, and after the events of the battle against the preeminent, Lloyd had all but passed out on the way back to Ninjago City due to being sleep deprived and malnourished.

"In their defense, Lloyd, you are under the age of eighteen, which means unless there were special circumstances, you are required to be put with other minors." Zane supplied, which only received a sarcastic response from Lloyd.

"Thanks, Zane. Real helpful." And with that, he threw another piece of paper at the trash can.

Kai shot a glance towards Cole, silently telling him that he needed to talk to Lloyd alone and hoped that he got the newly turned ghost's attention, even though they were all still coming to terms with the change.

Luckily, Cole was still Cole, and got the message loud and clear before turning to the others; "Hey, let's go check out the cafeteria, see if we can find anything worth smuggling up here to Lloyd."

After Zane, Jay, Nya and Cole left, and Kai could no longer hear Jay's questions about if Cole even needed to eat anymore, he turned to Lloyd and sat next to him on the bed, taking in Lloyd's condition.

His under eyes were very dark, his skin was way too pale and Kai could see just how much muscle mass Lloyd had lost, and how he seemed like a shell of the lively kid who loved candy and pranking his brothers.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kai asked softly, gently squeezing Lloyd's right shoulder since his hand had an IV in it that was currently pumping him full of fluids and electrolytes.

"My dad...is really gone," Lloyd stopped to wipe the tears that started running down with his left arm, even though more followed immediately after, "I-I don't know what to do anymore."

Kai didn't stop himself from pulling him into a hug, feeling the warm tears leak through his gi as Lloyd gripped onto him tighter. "I've got you, Lloyd," he felt the tears against his cheek while squeezing his brother tighter, "You've still got me."

Kai couldn't keep his foot from tapping on the ground as he waited for Lloyd and Misako to get to the waiting room.

After Cole had become human once again, and Morro had disappeared, the majority of the group got to work on emptying out the Airjitzu temple, except for Kai, Misako and Lloyd.

When he saw the fact that Lloyd had a massive cut running from his left cheek to his jawline, and heard that Misako was taking Lloyd to the hospital despite his protests that "he'd have the coolest battle scar", Kai had offered to drive them to the hospital.

The only thing he knew about their Day of the Departed was from the hushed whispers that they had shared on the drive, which had the key words like "Pythor" and "my father", so he knew it was just as bad as what he and Nya had gone through with Chen, if not way worse.

The hospital was nearly empty, so his foot was tapping on the floor and he had his phone open to social media, trying to keep himself from losing his mind.

"Mom, I'm fine." He heard Lloyd insist as two sets of footsteps approached him, and he put his phone in his pocket, smiling when he saw the two of them, the younger of the two sporting a giant bandage against the left side of his face, which Lloyd seemed to take offense to as he snapped, "don't even start making jokes, Kai."

"Hey, hey, relax, Green Machine, I'm smiling cause you're okay," Kai insisted, wrapping his arm around Lloyd's shoulder as they made their way to the car before whispering, "if you need to talk to someone besides your mom, I'm here for you, okay?"

"I don't need to talk, but…" Lloyd trailed off, glancing at his mom before returning eye contact with Kai, "it'd be nice if I wasn't alone tonight."

"We'll figure it out, kid," Kai smiled, shuddering as they were met with the freezing air, feeling Lloyd get closer to him, "I swear."

5.5

"How could Lloyd be so...so stupid?!" Kai shouted, his hands going to his hair in anger, "he should've waited for us to come up with a plan!"

"You know that you did this once too, right Kai?" Cole piped up, and Kai couldn't respond with anything but a glare, because he was right.

Kai himself had fought Garmadon without a plan and even locked his team out of the room, but he thought that the golden weapons were being stolen, as for Lloyd…

Well, now that he thought about it, Lloyd had good reasoning as well; he wanted to bring his father, all of his father, back, and with how many nights he had fallen asleep in his arms, eyes full of grief, Kai couldn't even blame him.

He let out a frustrated sigh, the worry striking his heart like a loaded cannon that had just gotten new ammunition. 'I can't lose Lloyd, not now. Not after everything.'

Kai felt a cool, soft hand against his shoulder, and he didn't stop himself from clinging onto Zane while starting to chew on his lip, feeling his teeth start to make small indents against his skin.

"That's him!" PIXAL's voice rang in Kai's head as the Bounty slowed to a stop, Jay, Cole and Nya immediately rushing out, but Zane continued to hold onto Kai.

"Let me go!," Kai shouted, his vision going red as anger burned in his chest as he started to fight against Zane's hold, "I need to see Lloyd!"

"It would be unwise for you to see Lloyd until he's back on the Bounty, as we are trying to get out of here as soon as possible," Zane explained, the tight hold still feeling gentle against his shoulder, "they'll bring him aboard soon."

"Nya, how is he?" PIXAL asked over the comms, bringing Kai's attention to them as he focused in on his little sister's voice.

"We need the gurney, he's… He's in really bad shape," she explained, a sniffle cutting her off before she continued, "Kai, Zane, be ready to take him to control; it's still set up from where we fixed Zane."

"We're on it." Kai insisted, his heart beating so loud that he could hear it as he and Zane sprinted outside as the gurney was lifted on deck while the others climbed the ropes; Kai couldn't keep his gasp in when Lloyd's face hit the light.

His nose was definitely broken, both of his eyes were black, and the rest of his face was covered in scratches and bruises; he didn't even want to know what was under Lloyd's gi.

As he and Zane lifted Lloyd, the hot skin against their hands, he let out a groan that made Kai wince. 'Lloyd is the level headed one, he doesn't do this. He doesn't run off into danger.'

But as the two of them laid Lloyd down, Kai swallowed harshly, because Lloyd had in fact run into danger before...for his family.

As the others ran into the room, minus Nya who was calling Misako, and started to patch up Lloyd's injuries as best as they could, Kai couldn't help from speaking up. "He needs to be in the hospital. He's way too hot, and way too injured."

"Where would we even go? Harumi and the Sons of Garmadon are patrolling the city like crazy, we'll be lucky to even make it in, let alone get him inside of the hospital." Cole explained, gently wiping the sand off of Lloyd's face.

Kai relented; he knew Cole was right, there was no way to get him professional medical treatment, and he just had to hope that Misako had some idea of where to take him, cause he also knew that there was no way that Lloyd was going to live if they only used their limited medical knowledge and supplies.

Lloyd's wheeze was what brought Kai out of his thoughts and he instantly wrapped both of his hands around his left one before whispering in Lloyd's ear.

"It's going to be okay, we're going to save you. Just focusing on staying alive."

He had pushed himself too far.

As Kai sat in his room in the burn unit, looking at his fully bandaged arms and wrists, he knew that. He also knew that he was extremely grateful for the pain medication that kept him from feeling both the burns and the frost bite.

"So this is what the normal ward looks like." Lloyd remarked as he got up from the chair and sat on the end of Kai's bed with a smile.

"Yeah, not as many fun decorations, squirt," Kai joked before going serious, "I don't wanna see you in here unless you're visiting someone else, you got that?"

"Unfortunately for me, being the "prophesied green ninja" doesn't give me that luxury," Lloyd lamented before glaring at Kai, "and don't call me squirt, I'm finally gaining up on you."

"You could be six four and I'd still call you squirt, it's my job as an older brother, ask Nya. As for staying out of the hospital, you're supposed to humor me, chosen one," Kai snorted, receiving a pillow to the face, "hey, I can't retaliate!"

"I'd prefer being a kid over being the chosen one and you know it." Lloyd explained, glaring daggers at Kai, to which he raised his hands in surrender before asking.

"Alright, I'll stop. Where are the others? They usually don't let you walk around unsupervised."

"PIXAL and Zane are on a date, Nya insisted that they hang out together after we got back from the Never Realm; Jay and Nya are working on some upgrades to the Bounty, and Cole and my uncle went shopping, something about chicken feed," Lloyd explained before smiling at Kai, "besides, I'm not unsupervised, I'm hanging out with you."

Kai couldn't keep the smile from spreading across his face as he managed to sit up and ruffle up Lloyd's hair, even though it was immediately followed by a rush of searing hot pain from the movement.

"Alright, hot head," Lloyd laughed, gently pushing Kai back against the pillows, "leave my hair alone and get some rest; for once, let me take care of you."

"Pretty sure that's illegal." Kai retorted, immediately being smacked with another pillow, although not as hard as the first one, "can you stop doing that?"

'You better think of a creative threat against him.' He thought to himself.

"What're you going to do about it?" Lloyd challenged, picking up a third pillow, which led Kai to smirk before putting on his best pouting face.

"I'm going to tell Nya that you were being really mean to me when I'm injured and weak, and have her deal with you accordingly."

Whatever punishment Lloyd had thought of Nya giving him was enough for him to drop the pillow immediately with a look of terror on his face, and Kai couldn't even blame him; Nya was never a force to be reckoned with, whether you were an enemy or family.

The room went silent for a few minutes after that, until Lloyd sniffled, which made Kai's ears perk up as he sat up again, wrapping his upper arm around Lloyd's shoulder so his wrist and hand wasn't touching anything, "hey, hey, what's wrong? If it's about throwing pillows, I-"

"No, not that…," Lloyd's voice shook before he turned slightly and hugged Kai around the stomach tightly, nearly knocking the wind out of him, "I can't lose anyone else. Not anymore. I almost lost you and Zane, and I… Not again."

Kai pulled Lloyd towards him closer so he could cry against his shoulder, despite the fact that it sent the same searing pain through his body again, "I've got you, Lloyd. You're going to have a really tough time getting rid of me, you know that."

After a few moments, Lloyd emerged from his shoulder, now glaring at him again, and Kai knew exactly why this time; might not be best to joke about loss to the kid who had been abandoned by his mom and lost his dad twice now.

"Yeah, throw the pillow at my head, I deserve that this time."

Kai didn't expect the hit to be so hard that his head almost spun all the way around, but seeing the smirk on Lloyd's face made all the neck and jaw pain worth it.

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mx-julien · 3 years

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Continuation of a headcanon from my last post about Zane being irrationally afraid of the mechanics on the team (Jay, Nya, Pixal) because of Vex taking advantage of the thing with the mech in the Never Realm

Gen. Background Jaya. Other relationships are ambiguous though I was thinking about glacier when I wrote it so does that count (also I know the bounty has those kneeling seats but i wanted chair cuddles so let's just pretend, shall we?)

Also read on Ao3

It's been about a week since they all made it back. Cole, Kai, and Lloyd wouldn't say they're surprised when a team meeting was called, but they wouldn't say it was worrying. What changed that was Nya's raised eyebrow that suggested they do the night's dishes. At exactly 8:30 pm, there were four people sitting at the large kitchen table in the Destiny's Bounty.

Pixal had remained in her seat after dinner. Although she didn't eat, she enjoyed the company and sense of family it fostered. She was great at telling stories and often was the center of debates, moving her hands wildly and emphatically. Now, though, she's staring at the ceiling, seemingly lost in thought. The door swings open. She looks over; it's Jay.

"He hasn't come to us to fix that gash on his arm," Jay pulls up a chair and turns it around so that he can rest his chin on it and curl his legs around the back rest.

"And he got it a week ago," Nya's not far behind him, sitting behind Jay on the seat. With minimal complaining, he allows her to encircle his torso with her arms and put her head on his shoulder.

Pixal stills and her eyes brighten by the tiniest fraction. She lists Zane's tardy updates and missed check-ins for a few minutes until Kai recognizes it as the nervous habit it is and interrupts her.

"You guys," he pauses for a moment, glancing between the three of them, "I know Zane's usually not like this, but he did just come back from the Never Realm. Maybe he's out of it?"

"Yeah, but that's all the more reason to come to us," Nya looks over to Pixal and chews on her lower lip, continuing, "Plus, that doesn't explain why he's been actively putting off repairs and updates every time we bring them up."

"Actively?" Cole sits up, "As in, making excuses?"

"Well, it's Zane, so they all seem to make sense," Jay's eyes flick towards Lloyd, "But when I really thought about it, the things he said he was doing instead of getting fixed up weren't all that important or, uh, pertinent."

Lloyd sighs, "Have you asked him about it?"

Jay, Nya, and Pixal exchange looks.

"Well?" His voice came off more harsh than he'd notice at the moment. He was busy thinking about how he'd begun to feel like he'd jumped into the wrong end of the swimming pool. One moment thinking he's safe, only to flounder and start to sink the next, the water beginning to replace some of the air in his lungs. It wasn't a pleasant feeling to have while talking about one of his teammates who practically helped raise him.

Nya was the one to break the silence with a blunt: "He won't talk to us."

And there it was, the hand pulling Lloyd under by his leg without warning and leaving him without anything to breathe or grab ahold of.

"What do you mean, 'He won't talk to us'?" Kai crossed his arms and tilted his head slightly upwards, a worry mark forming between his eyebrows and the corners of his mouth pulling down.

"He's avoiding you?" Cole asked.

"More or less," Pixal took a moment, letting her eyes wander between people, eventually settling on Lloyd.

"He just kind of runs away if we end up alone in a room together and he flinches away a little when people try to touch him," Jay settles into Nya's arms.

"Not me or Lloyd," Cole rests his arms on the table, knocks on it lightly with his fists, and stares at what must be a very interesting piece of molding near the floor. "After training today we sort of dogpiled him and he didn't seem to mind," his voice is slightly wistful, as if this revelation made the morning feel like it'd happened years ago.

"He isn't avoiding me, either." Kai sits back in his chair, "So he's scared of you guys for some reason. Okay." He stretches his arms out in an attempt to seem relaxed. It would work if you hadn't known him for the past few years.

Lloyd casts an eye towards Pixal. Her memory banks would be the most reliable source at the table. "Any ideas?"

She shook her head, "I have examined all of my passing and direct interactions with Zane as of his return from the Never Realm and haven't found anything that would warrant this kind of caution."

"Nya, Jay?"

They looked at each other, then back at him. Jay shook his head.

Lloyd was choking on water now, "O-kay." Great. This was one of those moments when he wondered if they forgot that he wasn't actually their age. Whether or not he knew what to do, they would all look to him, The Leader, to fix things. It didn't help that the main person he could deflect to wasn't in the room, despite being the subject of conversation. How he missed Zane's reassuring side glances and whispers of clever alternate plans. Lloyd pushes a few strands of his hair back behind his ear and decides to approach this laterally, "Maybe we're thinking of this wrong."

The weight of everyone's eyes press him to his seat.

"What about taking a step back?"

More silence and a mildly annoyed look from Kai.

"Zane's acting weird and irrational, so maybe the cause is something weird and irrational, too? I mean, he was in the Never-Realm decades before we got there. Maybe someone did something or he saw something that happened that scared him real bad and you guys just happen to look like them or remind him of it." Well, he tried.

"Lloyd," Kai is really trying to make his tone patronizing, yet it still doesn't hide how worried he is. He sits up and leans towards him slightly, "What exactly do they have in common? Blue? Bad humor? Nagging? What in Ninjago could they remind him of that would scare him that bad?"

Cole must've gotten bored of the molding. Directing his attention at the man on the other side of Lloyd, he probably forgot that his mouth was near ear-level, "Not now, Kai, we really don't need your mindless yelling when we're-"

"Shut it! Both of you." While Lloyd had been praying for his hearing to miraculously fail for the next ten minutes, Pixal had run a query.

=Similar(Borg_Pixal, Smith_Nya, Walker_Jay); scope?broad; audio?yes; internal-files?yes; internet-search?yes

She found a few results. Specifically, there was one that simultaneously clicked everything from the past week into place and made her want to scream.

Unused to Pixal raising her voice, both obeyed, settling back into their seats, and look at her along with Lloyd, who is trying to communicate 'Thank you for saving my eardrums from premature death' through his irises and pupils alone. He does okay.

She takes an unnecessary breath that lets her internals cool and gives her algorithms longer to run, "I believe that," she starts, "among the several similarities we share," gesturing to herself and the couple sharing a chair, "the most relavent would be that we are more familiar with machinery and software relative to the rest of the team."

"Wait wait, hold on a second," Jay's pitch rose, "How does us knowing about technology make Zane scared? Shouldn't it make him more, like - I don't know - reassured? That we know what we're doing?"

Cole shifts in his seat, audibly enough for Pixal to look over in time to meet his gaze just as he's looking up. "Did Zane tell you guys about Vex?"

"No," Lloyd narrows his eyes slightly, "I mean, I- we know that he made Zane forget who he was," he trails off, looking at his teammate's reactions. Nya's fixated on Cole, as are Kai and Jay. All of them have this look of mild betrayal.

"I believe that only Cole and I were present at the time," they turn to Pixal, now, save for Cole. She takes it in stride, "Upon looking through his memories, he surmised that Vex took control of him by interrupting a diagnostic that required him to be plugged in to the mech at the time."

Cole's looking at his lap now, idly fidgeting with his hands, "He thinks that disconnecting him from it screwed with his systems and disrupted his access to his memories, so he was left more..." he pauses to gather himself, but ends up taking in a frustratingly shaky breath, "Suggestible, easily manipulated."

"Because he had no idea what was going on," Pixal added.

"Wait," Nya leaned forward, pinning Jay between herself and the chair, "I thought Zane was corrupted by the staff?"

"A bit of both, probably," Cole's voice is quieter than before, "He'd been using it for decades and Lloyd even said it looked like it was attached to his - Zane's - arm."

Jay pushes his girlfriend back a bit, so that breathing isn't as hard, and looks over at Kai. He'd been pretty quiet after Pixal sushed them. His eyes are wide, flicking between whoever's speaking and his hands, which are resting palms-up on the table in front of him. He looks worried. More accurately, he's allowing himself to look worried around them instead of blowing up at them, though he was doing that less now. Guiltily, Jay finds it reassuring to know that someone else is feeling just as helpless as he is.

"So what do we do now, then?" Jay asks, tired of the silence.

Lloyd isn't the slightest bit surprised when the others turn to look at him. What does surprise him is that Pixal clears her throat, an action that she definitely has no reason to do outside of grabbing their attention. It works, though, so she might end up doing it more often.

"You will need to talk to him about this," she's looking at the three people sitting in their own discrete chairs, "And figure out if he's fully aware of his situation and if there are any ways we can make repairs and updates less fear-inducing."

"Not tonight, though," Lloyd looks at the two ninja flanking him, "Everyone's tired and I think we all need a night to let this sink in."

Cole, Kai, and Nya nod, in that unfocused, more lazy way that suggests their minds aren't in the same room as their head. Jay just looks downright nervous and clearly didn't hear what he said, a sentiment Lloyd can understand, and Pixal is staring off into space, but has a determined set to her jaw that gives away all the programs and queries she must be running. She doesn't need sleep most nights, so she'll probably be working every angle of this problem until morning.

As Lloyd's ushering everyone down the hallway, Nya knocks twice on the door to Wu's study as she's passing by, letting Wu know to wrap it up with Zane. He'd volunteered to distract him while the others talked, and hopefully Zane didn't suspect anything. Or maybe he did. Either way, they were going to have that conversation in the morning.

A minute or two after the last candle was snuffed out and sheets stopped rustling, light floods into their sleeping quarters. Zane had opened the door. His glowing blue eyes dim after he closes it, once again wrapping them in the blanket of darkness. He doesn't slip into any pyjamas and just lays down on his perfectly made bed. Cole realizes that this means that he isn't planning on sleeping, Lloyd and Jay are more concerned about his uncharacteristic carelessness with lying down on top of the bedding, and the others are fast asleep already.

The measured breaths from Zane's bunk that start only a few moments after he's laid down aren't unusual, but they do strike Cole as odd. He'd known Zane the longest and he can't recall a single night sleeping in the same room as him when he couldn't hear Zane's breaths. After they discovered he was a nindroid and, thus, didn't need to breathe, Zane hadn't usually wasted the energy to. When you were standing close to him or walked in on him sleeping in his personal room in the monastery, it was obvious that he didn't inhale or exhale. It was unnecessary and wasted energy, why would he?

The ache Cole feels minutes later doesn't come from his worry about Zane's adverse reaction to the others or trauma from Vex's manipulation. He'd felt all of that during the meeting. Oh no, Cole falls asleep with his heart bleeding onto the sheets because it occurs to him how unfair it is that the most human one of them all doesn't even get the privilege of breathing for himself.

Part 2 is here (and on Ao3, too!)

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only-lonely-stars · 3 years

Text

The Future is Bright, Chapter 1

[Chapter 1 (Beginning) - you are here!] // [Chapter 2] // [Chapter 10 (End)] (FFN)

Credit for the inspiration of this newest story goes to @hot-anime-plundar! I finally got around to writing it in full (10 chapters). :) Thank you for allowing me the use of your idea! Updates will be on Sundays.

Summary: What would happen if Cole had indeed had a reflection in the tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master? How would that have changed his life later? What would it have been? This story follows what might have happened if he had seen something, and what it was; who he would have become. What if his future was already decided?... (Rated T for safety. Alternate title: the Cosmic Spoilers AU.)

Chapter 1: The Tomb and the City

The arrival of ghosts was not something any of the Ninja expected, and certainly not something Cole had thought would happen to them. No, he hadn't expected anything like what had happened; what’s more, he really didn't like being stuck as a ghost.

Of course, it wasn’t as if he could change the fact that he was a ghost. It was… irreversible.

Days, weeks later– how long had it been?– he was stuck in an underwater ship, going to Lloyd's grandfather's tomb. It was a wild goose chase, but they were there to hunt down a magic crystal and hope that Morro hadn’t killed the youngest of his brothers. It was a dire thought, but there was at least a little levity; the irony of it all made it at least a little bearable.

The seawater crashed against R.E.X.’s walls as they descended, and Cole tried to ignore it by cataloguing the events since Morro’s return. As he thought back to the beginning of this mess, it was a bit of a blur in his memory. One moment they’d been trying to advertise the tea shop, the next they were fighting for their lives and Lloyd’s freedom; it was all just too fast to keep straight.

He was too tired to remember.

No, he couldn’t say that anymore. Of course. Cole couldn’t blame tiredness, or hunger, or thirst, or anything he felt, for how messy the whole deal was. Now that he was a First-Master-forsaken ghost, he couldn’t feel anything but cold and emptiness… how fitting.

It was almost a relief when conversation resumed and they were attacked by a giant squid. Then they were at the tomb, with R.E.X. gone… and everyone else felt just as cold as he did.

-----

When they reached the ice maze, they knew Morrow was ahead of them, but it was hard to ignore the grandeur of the place despite him. Around them, great walls of ice reached up, dwarfing the Ninja as they regained their breath from the slides that went down to it from the chamber with the golden staff. Ice coated every surface but the rocky floor, making for traction but not the same amount of reflection. There was a source of light somewhere unknown, filtering through the ice in its watery way, and it made the area almost feel sleepy.

As he took in the surroundings, Cole couldn’t help but look up, up, up at the walls and wonder what the caves were for. Were they always there? Did the First Master make them? It was a curious thought– had the creator of the realm made something without the Golden Weapons, too?

The four didn’t take very long to stop and marvel, resolving to continue in and follow Morro. After all, they had to beat him to the Realm Crystal. However, they stopped again when they reacted the first of the ice walls.

When they reached it, Zane approached the wall alone, curiosity written on his mechanical features. “My reflection… is that me?” He paused, examining it and turning his head this way and that. “I look older, but my attire is… different. This is not what I look like right now at all.”

“Really?” Kai followed him. Then he stared at himself, taking a moment to redo the spikes in his hair a little. “Well… mine looks like me, but older. There’s a bunch of magic junk in this tomb; makes sense that the ice walls are magic too.” He grinned. “By the way, I aged super well.”

“Wait, really?” Jay ran up to his own with a beaming grin. “Let’s see!” He looked himself over in glee. “Woah ho ho! I get an awesome eyepatch!” he yelled, voice echoing through the caverns.

“Shh!” Kai hissed. “Jay! Morro’s in here!”

“I know, I know, give me a break!” Jay laughed. “Magic ice is telling me I’m gonna be a pirate, and he knows already.” He touched the ice. “There’s just a thing next to me– a blur. What is that…” Jay stopped talking and watched as the blur shifted, and then sighed, sounding completely smitten. Now he whispered. “...I end up with Nya.”

Cole tried to hear what Jay said, but for once, he was too quiet. Cole only shrugged to himself– it was probably nothing. No, he walked up to the ice wall as well, taking a moment to look at the others before his reflection. “I wonder what mine is.”

“Well, look at it!” Kai called. “We don’t have forever!”

“Fine.” After a moment of trepidation, Cole looked to the ice.

As soon as Cole caught sight of his reflection, Cole couldn’t help but stare. Looking back at him in the ice was himself. He didn’t smile or move if Cole didn’t, but it was no vision of his current self… it really was the future.

In the ice, Future Cole’s hair was longer. He wore white and blue, not black– a sort of robe that tied at the waist, with a belt that had his dragon symbol for the clasp. However, two things were most surprising: a yin-yang pin on his chest, and an orange scar on his very much not ghostly temple, reaching halfway down his face. He was everything that Cole was not right now.

As Cole took in the image, he couldn’t help but grin. Future Cole grinned too, and laughter lines appeared by his eyes. He stared, taking in the sight of himself, until he heard the sound of Kai’s impatient footsteps behind him. “Well? What do you see? You got all quiet.”

Cole turned to him, still grinning wildly, and couldn’t help a little laugh. “I’m human again!”

“What? That’s impossible!” Kai cried. “I mean, it’s good, but it’s still impossible!”

“Apparently not!”

“Kai, you forget that we believed ghosts were impossible before recently,” Zane interrupted, coming over to look as well. “Cole, what do you see?”

“I… well, I’m human.” He examined it again in awe. “There’s… there’s a weird scar on my temple, but otherwise it’s like nothing ever happened.”

Jay laughed. “That’s awesome! You don’t stay a ghost!” He tore his eyes away from his reflection and came up to Cole’s, looking at it curiously. “That’s weird... You’re dressed differently than I am.”

Cole tore his eyes away and looked at Jay. “Really? What do you mean?”

Jay shrugged. “I’m wearing something like, I don’t know, a sensei’s robe. You’re wearing a dress!”

“It’s not a dress! Those are formal robes!” He looked back at it, frowning. “Though… white and blue isn’t like the Ninjagian royal family, so that can’t be it. Plus, a yang pin…”

Kai gaped. “You’ve got a yang?!” The sound of his shout echoed through the ice maze, shrill and bouncing off the ice.

“Quiet!” Zane hissed, covering Kai’s mouth with one freezing cold hand. “Remember, Morro is here. We must stay focused!”

Cole grimaced as Kai recoiled from Zane’s touch. “Crud– okay, yeah. Having a yang is not so great, but let’s talk later!” He glanced back at the ice one last time. “We’d better find Morro.” Still, that was his future self...

He frowned again. Was his reflection glowing green, like a ghost? Why would it glow like that if he was human?

Realization crashed down with even more ghostly coldness as the glow darkened and grew. It wasn’t his reflection, or anything like it.

The words ripped from his throat before he could think. “Morro’s here! LOOK OUT!”

-----

For years, the memory of the First Spinjitzu Master’s tomb was one that stuck with Cole more closely than he would admit to anyone.

Long after Morro and the Preeminent had been defeated, he still found himself sometimes thinking about what he’d seen. Some days he’d ignore it, knowing he’d recognize his path when he saw it. Other days it would weigh on him, much more than it ever did on the others. After all, he had a different fate than them, and apparently a yang to go with it. What did that leave for him to decide?

Nevertheless, and despite Cole’s worries, it didn’t seem to come. Years passed with no sign of any of his brothers’ futures coming to pass– the only exception was Jay, whose relationship with Nya was rebuilt stronger than ever. Even so, the rest (including the eyepatch) didn’t seem to happen, and Cole wondered if it ever would. Maybe it was a trick, or a test from the First Master. What if it wasn’t real at all?

Whatever the truth was, the vision slowly faded from his mind, and he eventually conceded to let it come to pass when it would. There was too much to do and think about, anyway; a biker gang, being stranded in another realm (or three), and evil emperors were just a few of them. There was never a rest, never a break, until after they’d liberated the prisoners of Prime Empire. It was only then that he remembered the vision… and promptly tried to ignore it again.

Despite Cole’s desire to avoid his memories, another adventure came too quickly for his liking. It was an invitation to a place he’d only heard stories of, mostly from his mother as a child. It was to the mythical city of Shintaro, deep in the mountains in central Ninjago. On the surface, it looked like a vacation, but Cole knew better; it was bound to become yet another mess to clean up.

When they at last arrived, the Ninja looked in awe upon the ivory city. There were spires and minarets on every building, and especially the palace. The city’s flagstone streets were perfectly clean, the roofs were gilt, the people were the fairest-skinned people Cole had ever seen– all in all, it was a true wonder to see.

The city’s force of winged guards escorted them to the palace as honored guests, having saved them from horrid direbats as they entered. As they went into the palace, their eyes caught on the vaulted and painted ceilings, buttresses, and columns everywhere. Every wall seemed to be inlaid with gold and carvings, or painted beautifully enough that they would stop looking where they were going. That was what happened when Kai walked into Lloyd, who had stopped to stare– they’d hit their heads, and rubbed them ruefully as Nya rolled her eyes.

Despite their distraction and awe, the Ninja eventually reached the throne room, and without injury. When they reached it, two Shintaran guards opened the doors. The captain of the guard–a man named Hailmar, if Cole had heard him correctly– led them in, gesturing to them and bowing to the throne.

“It is with great honor, King Vangelis,” he cried, “that I present the famed Ninja of Ninjago!”

At his announcement, the king stood from where he’d been sitting on his throne to greet them. He wore white and blue robes that struck Cole as being very familiar, but he struggled to place the familiarity. The king didn’t seem to notice his confusion, as he smiled at them and spread his hands.

“Welcome, welcome! I’m most pleased that you were able to accept our invitation.” The king bowed in greeting. “It is an honor.”

“The honor is ours,” Sensei Wu responded with a matching bow. “Shintaro is beyond anything we imagined.”

The king smiled benevolently. “I’m only a figurehead. The citizens of our proud city are the heart of Shintaro.”

“Oh!” A cheerful voice came from the side of the throne room. “They’re here!”

Cole looked over to its source. The voice belonged to a lovely young woman, dressed in white and blue robes to match the king’s. She was grinning excitedly, and bowed in greeting hastily. Cole’s eyes caught on her– she was beautiful, in a young sort of way, and he immediately knew she was the princess. The colors were still so strangely familiar...

The king beamed at his daughter as she entered. “Ah! Please, meet my heart– her royal Princess Vania.”

Vania happily approached them, coming to stand in front of the Ninja with barely-contained excitement. “I am such a fan of yours. I’ve read all about your adventures! It was my idea to invite you to my birthday.”

Cole couldn’t help but smile at her. Her enthusiasm was infectious! He hadn’t realized it, but she was at least half a head shorter than him– not that her small stature contained her enthusiasm. “Well, it’s an honor to be here, Princess.”

She smiled back, cheerful and bright, and looked among them. “So, is it true that you’ve been to Hiroshi’s Labyrinth?”

“Affirmative,” Zane noted cheerfully.

“Competed in the Tournament of Elements?”

“Oh, do we have stories for you,” Kai added with a grin.

She gasped. “I need to hear them all!”

“Where shall we begin?” Cole was about to tell her a story, but he stopped, for Hailmar had descended between them. He was frowning, clearly protective and watching Cole distrustfully. However, he stepped aside for the king, who set a hand on Cole’s shoulder.

“You can begin by following me!” the king interjected with a smile. “Tomorrow will be a very busy day for all of us; I will show you to your rooms here.” He led them to hallway, and the whole group began walking together.

“Cole, the Earth elemental,” Vania began, coming up alongside him with no sign of losing her excited smile. “What is it like to command the very earth? Is it as fun as it sounds?”

He grinned back at her– it wasn’t hard. “Yeah, pretty much.”

“That’s what I thought. Personally, it sounds amazing! Imagine what you could do with the mountains!”

“Oh yeah, just about anything you can think of! It’s pretty cool.”

King Vangelis hummed in interest. “Are you quite strong, Cole?”

Cole looked to him, then shrugged sheepishly. “Well, uh, I guess. Not the strongest person– that’s probably Karloff– but I can move a lot.”

Vania flushed a light pink. “Come on, Father! He’s the Master of Earth. I’m sure he’s very strong.”

“But of course,” the king said indulgently, though not with the same enthusiasm. “I’m sure the Master of Earth is more than a match for our mountains.”

Cole grinned self-consciously. “That’s really nice of you to say, your Majesty.”

“Think nothing of it,” the king dismissed. “I simply hope you find Shintaro as lovely as we do during your visit. I have personally seen to it that you will want for nothing while in our borders.”

Cole smiled properly at the king. “That’s really nice of you, your Majesty. Thank you.”

“Consider it thanks for all you’ve done for us.” Vangelis smiled flatteringly. “After all, Ninjago’s business is our business. We’re at your service.”

“Yes, we are!” Vania repeated. “I’d be happy to show you around the palace, actually.”

“Well, we’d love a tour,” Cole responded hesitantly. “All of us are super excited to see Shintaro.”

“Of course.” A little wind seemed to be taken out of her sails, but she quickly bounced back. “I’d love to show you all around! I think there’s a spot in the garden you’ll love…”

From there, conversation flowed easily. Cole was completely engrossed in it, even as the king fell behind to talk to the others more, mostly with Master Wu. Behind the group, Jay stopped to whisper with Lloyd and Nya, watching Cole from behind.

“The princess seems to like Cole!” he remarked. “I mean, he’s my best friend and all, but… Cole?”

Lloyd glared at Vania’s back. “Yeah… weird.”

Nya elbowed Lloyd harshly. “Not every princess is like Harumi! Plus, Jay... you’re not subtle.”

“Nya, my darling, my yang, love of my life–”

“Jay.”

“–all I’m saying is that she has a thing for him! When has that happened?”

Nya was about to retort back, but paused, considering what he said. “...You know what? It’s been a while for him.” She pointed at Jay. “That’s really cool, but don’t tease him!”

Jay frowned, muttering. “I have to, he’s my best friend.”

Nya reached over and smacked him.

“Ow!”

“We’re in the presence of royalty!” she hissed.

“Fine,” he whined. “I won’t tease him in the presence of royalty.”

Lloyd gave him a curious look. “Is that code for ‘I’m going to bug him later?’”

“Yes. Yes it is.”

Lloyd snickered. “Do it.”

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jay-cult · 4 years

Text

Static and Stars: Episode 1 - Jay Day

Index

Jay and Nya haven’t been on a date in like... ever. So when they finally do go out on their own, some unexpected memories catch up with them.

AUTHOR’S NOTES: Hey guys! At long last, S&S continues. I hope it hypes you up just like it does me! I was planning this for OC Day when I realized that it actually didn’t have any of my OCs in it (yet) so I’m happy to throw it out now. This episode is quite guiltily Jaya-centered but PLEASE understand that it will be the only one. I laid out my plan for this fan season and I liked it, so I’m following through with having it kick off like this. This is a Jay fan season. Not a Jaya fan season. Thank you!

A patronizing BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! rang out beside Jay.

He groaned and sat up, hair messily flying all over his face. He slammed his hand onto where the sound was coming from, but found he slapped the smooth surface of his phone. He let out another grunt while the alarm was still judging him.

He shot out a small current through his fingertips and the beeping stopped. Right… he forgot. They weren’t in the Bounty anymore.

Jay climbed out of his sleeping bag and looked to his right, where Kai, who had just awoken, was trying to quickly rearrange his bed hair. Further past him, Cole was still sound asleep.

Kai noticed that he was still as a rock and, mid-hair-fixation, kicked him hard.

“Ow! Dad! Fine, I’ll get ready for dance practice-“ Cole jerked awake and then looked at Kai scorningly.

“This sucks,” Kai groaned. He plunged his arms into his “hygiene” kit and pulled out a hairbrush, some cologne, and a bit of blush fell out.

Jay stood up (while making sure his plushie stayed safely tucked in his sleeping bag) and smiled. “Aw come on guys, it’s not that bad!” He said, stretching.

“Whatever you say,” Cole sighed, tying his hair up in a bun.

In full pajamas, Jay exited the tent. Outside it was full sunlight, with shadows of leaves dappling the ground. He gazed at Ninjago City in the distance; it looked so much quieter from the outskirts.

Zane was already outside making a meal for breakfast. He slept outside. Jay didn’t see the appeal, but he said that it was better for him to be out with the stars and one with the (mild) wilderness.

“Good morning, Jay.” He smiled with ease. “You should really wash those gloves.”

He took a look at his hands. “Funny coming from you, ya barely change your clothes,” he playfully argued, knowing already it was a useless excuse. Zane sat there in full gi wear and looked up.

“I do not have the rather disgusting human body which pollutes cloth,” he responded simply.

“Any updates on how the monastery is going?” Jay asked, changing the subject.

“Indeed!” He flipped a pancake with a spatula. There was a whole contraption set up so that Zane could do his thing, even outside. “I have been notified that it is going smoothly.”

Jay nodded. He sat on a cushioned log. “I’m still so glad it’s over.”

“The First Realm was certainly a tiring event.”

“Yeah, and Garmadon… that fight was insane, huh?” Jay scratched his head. He was grateful that even with this makeshift living situation, they could rest.

“You don’t even know the half of it.”

The two ninja looked up. Nya was strutting toward them, tying up her hair casually. Unlike Jay, she had already gotten dressed.

“Nya!” Jay brightened up, even more energized from the sight of his girlfriend. The morning sun made her look quite phenomenal. She sat down by him, very close, physically. Zane’s (literal) inner timer dinged, and he stood up. “Breakfast is ready!”

At that moment both Kai and Cole rushed out of the tent, still very unready. Kai’s hair was half-done, his arm through just one sleeve of his jacket, and he was still pulling up his pants. Cole had yet to do much. He was just running out with his pajama pants on, and… that was it.

“What were you guys doing?” Jay asked.

“Shut up,” Kai said immediately, his eyes suddenly very focused on the pancakes that were now out and ready.

They all sat in their eating area on the cushioned logs in their circle beside Zane’s cooking tools and contraptions. It was a very average day, at least, for one where they had to camp together without a strong shelter and where they had nobody to fight anymore. But there were obviously some things missing.

Nya turned to Jay. “Well,” she shrugged, “Lloyd and Wu are off on their things.”

“As they have been for a while, making their own camp in Misako’s space,” Kai interjected, eyes narrowed. “Meanwhile we have to make it out here, in the wild, the cold-”

She ignored him. “And we have nothing going on, finally. So.. well… we haven’t really done much recently. And you were off in the realm for…. A while.”

Jay swallowed a chunk of bacon. “Right! How long exactly has it been since we’ve done something, just you and me, that didn’t involve snake venom or the fate of the world?”

She looked at her paper plate of food, thinking. “Like. Never?”

“Yeah.” He chewed more, a bit unbelieving. They’d only ever done fun things with at least one person from the team or when a villain was on their tail. Or if it was work or training.

“We have never really had a normal date, like, at all, have we?” She looked straight at him, making her point.

“Okay, today is perfect!” Jay finished the last of his meal happily.

“Alright, you guys, calm down,” Kai stood up, smirking. “I know that must mean you’re all very new to this, so if you’d like to ask the master-”

And then Cole just straight up picked Kai up. He just yoinked him from off the ground and slung him over his shoulder. He turned toward the pair, genuinely smiling. “Hahah, he’s one to talk. Come on buddy.” As he carried him back to the tent, Kai let out yells of protest, but it was nothing against Cole’s strong hold.

Zane smiled. “You enjoyed your meal, I hope?”

“Breakfast was great, Zane,” Nya commented, laughing.

“I guess this means we’ll finally have a day all to ourselves,” Jay winked, standing up. “I’ll devote this day to being Nya Day.”

She winked back. “And I, Jay Day.”

“Let me just go put on my clothes first.”

The wind of the mountains blew fresh through the couple’s hair. Jay had dug through his bag to try and salvage what he could of the nicest clothes in there and had just barely scraped out a clean look. He’d stepped back outside, surprised to find Nya in a brand new, somewhat formal outfit.

“Oh,” she had said, reddening a bit. “Maybe I should go get that other stuff back on.”

“No! No,” he’d interjected immediately. “You look really nice.”

Now they were climbing down the rocky side of a steep mountain that led down to Ninjago City from their camp. Or, well, they weren’t exactly- their hybrid elemental dragon guided them down slowly, walking so as to not be easily detected.

“Where are we going?” Jay asked from his spot behind Nya, who had the reins.

She glanced at her boyfriend quickly with a sly smile. “You’ll see.”

Jay grinned and kept his silence for a little while. But inside his thoughts were racing quite a bit. He felt tense and nervous- and not because of the date. It was all so familiar. Too familiar. Sitting behind Nya, holding onto her... the feeling of the dragon’s spine beneath him and the thrum, thrum of what was the dragon walking but what his brain turned into the panicked beat of wings. His thoughts wandered through that old experience and he wanted it to stop. But he decided not to say anything.

At the edge of the city they, to Jay’s relief, put away the use of their dragon and grabbed a ride from a surprisingly mellow fan who was happy to provide service to the “folks who’d saved the city’s ass more than once.” Nya whispered the destination into his ear and he chuckled. “Well y’all enjoy your time, n’.”

“Shut your eyes, boltbrain,” Nya pleaded, trying to hold back a laugh.

“I wanna see, though,” Jay whined with a smile, trying to swat her hands away. She was reaching from her spot in the passenger seat of the car.

He (eventually) complied and they stepped out onto what felt like some concrete. Jay heard the car drive away.

“Okay,” Nya giggled, sounding slightly embarrassed. “You can look.”

Light flew into his eyes as he shot them open. He blinked a few times and observed the building in front of him. It was a fairly average-looking concrete building on the outside, but the windows were plastered with 80s-themed patterns, stickers, and paint. He gazed up at the sign that marked the building, which read in bright neon letters, “Ninjago Roller Rink.”

He turned to his girlfriend with a shy smirk. “Nya, what is this?”

“Okay, okay, so. It looks a bit run down. But I remember that you were into roller skating as a kid. So I just thought-“

He pulled her into a tight hug, his excitement growing. “This is awesome! Let’s go!”

He tried to rush to the door, but Nya got there first and held it open for him. “Ladies first,” she said.

“Ha-ha,” he joked, unable to hide his grin. They stepped confidently into the building.

The floor, cheap carpet with an 80s pattern, stretched out beneath them. There were party tables all around them, broken up by counters on the side of the right wall selling the snacks and roller blades. And on their left down a ramp, in all its glory, was the large wooden rink with a disco ball hanging above it. Popular 80s music played but it was barely heard among the conversations of the many people in the building.

The couple got stares as they entered, but they were too excited to care too much. They rented their skates and set off towards the rink.

They stepped out onto the floor and the rink suddenly cleared. Bunches of people crowded around the edges to watch two ninja in fancy clothes do normal people stuff.

While Jay eased on Nya stepped on immediately, and almost fell to the floor but grabbed hold of the edge just in time. She looked surprised.

“You’ve never done this before, huh?” Jay questioned, sympathetic.

She shook her head, blushing. “I didn’t know it was that difficult.”

“Well it’s not, once you learn. Here, let me show you.” He held out his hand.

She grunted but took hold of it.

A scene flashed in Jay’s brain. He was forced to remember. The rooftops of the tall, wide building of the city stretched before him, and he felt a feeling of dread, the intrusive thought that this was where it started. He dropped her hand suddenly.

“Jay? Are you okay?” Nya asked, worried.

He took her hand again quickly. “Yeah,” he lied. “Just a little nervous, I guess.”

He took her along the walls of the rink, guiding her with his words. But all the while, he was wondering what had happened. It’s not like it was the first time they’d held hands, of course. So why get so heavily reminded of that now? He was fooling himself. He knew the answer. None of the other ninja were around. Just like… he shook his head. No, stop Jay, you’re literally on a date, he told himself.

They were eventually off of the walls together, rolling slowly and steadily around the rink. Since it was empty, there was no need to go in the required circles, so they freely went where was best.

“Alright,” he said gently. “I’m gonna let go now.”

She looked at him, panicked. “Wait! Don’t!”

Jay gave her a serious look. “I’m going to, okay? Are you ready?”

She paused for a second and then nodded.

“You sure?”

She nodded again.

“Go!”

With a gasp from the crowds, they let go together and Nya rolled ahead. She picked up her pace as they cheered, feeling confident, and then promptly lost her balance and fell down in a tangle of girl, skates and kimono.

“Nya!”

She punched the ground. “This is never going to work!”

Jay frowned. “Don’t say that, you’re doing real good! Look,” he brightened up a bit, “next time I’ll wait until you really want to do it yourself.”

Reluctantly, she nodded, and took his outstretched hand again. As he pulled her up the music turned to a certain kind of song. An incredibly sappy, incredibly overly fitting song.

“Oh.” As Jay scratched the back of his head, getting all red, the crowds murmured in wondrous anticipation. He looked around and saw the guy behind the counter put his phone down with a wink. “I guess this isn’t really what you expected,” he told her nervously.

“It’s cool,” she shrugged, smiling. “Besides, I wanna show you off.”

He chuckled. “I wanna show me off, too.”

And then it became perfect.

Nya picked up the skating incredibly quickly and was able to do very well by herself after just a few seconds. They rejoined at certain points and laughed. When he caught gazes from the crowd, Jay did some age-old skating tricks from way back, rousing several cheers. He always looked back at Nya wherever she was, who was always sporting a proud smile. It was foolish. It was childish. It was fantastic.

But their finish wasn’t as strong at all.

They met up towards the end of the song and started to feel something deep in the memories of their bones. Deep in their roller dance, they didn’t think and posed in a way they’d done before- in a fight. Like an instinct of feel-good thrill, they posed, and Jay suddenly gripped his head and fell to the floor.

It was dark and they were on top of a shining tower. Maybe they might’ve been able to hear the sounds of the black ocean, just maybe, if not for the cries and shouts of leader-blinded, bloodthirsty pirates. They were back to back, their swords drawn, fighting off the swarms of their enemies that no longer even existed within their realm. Jay thought of the lighthouse and this time he couldn’t stop.

“Jay!” Nya gasped, and the crowd let out shouts of concern. He was brought back to reality with their noise- somehow not hers. He was breathing heavily, still on the dirty wooden floor.

“I can’t…” he was almost okay when the music switched to something that bored into his brain. He’d never heard it before but it was saying things that couldn’t be unheard.

“We’re alone together, in a familiar place.”

He couldn’t stand it.

“Waves beat upon the rocks and moonbeams shine upon your face.”

It was pop and terrible but it still existed, and as Jay continued to fall in and out of reality he felt himself being hoisted from the floor by someone strong. “Let’s get you some water… ‘SM, this music… c’mon, Jay…”

Nya was leading him out of the rink and back onto the carpet, and in her hold he found himself back in the roller rink’s building- but not completely. She sat him down at one of the tables and left him staring at the ground for a moment. When she returned she put an opened bottle of chilled water right in front of him, and wearily, he took a few sips.

A teenage girl from the crowds, who were now mostly filtering back onto the roller rink, shuffled up to them shyly. “Is the blue ninja okay?” She asked.

“Yes,” Nya snapped, which quickly sent the girl scuttling away.

“Better?” She asked, her voice edged with worry. Jay nodded. She sighed, smiling in relief. “That’s good.”

“Oh, but I ruined it…” he groaned, staring at the top of the table.

“Ruined what?” She asked, confused.

“Our date…”

Nya gave his hair a ruffle. “No ya didn’t. Let’s go talk about this over some lunch.”

Twenty minutes later they were ordering their favorite dishes from Chen’s Noodle House. They sat along the edge of the kitchen and a familiar face decided to pop into their conversation.

“I think I know what happened,” Nya answered after said familiar face asked.

“Oh, what then?” Pushed Skylor, leaning in.

“I just can’t get it out of my brain. Now that we decided to do something on our own, I guess,” Jay frowned, feeling absolutely terrible.

“What?”

“It’s difficult to explain,” Nya said quickly, before Skylor delved too deep into speculation.

The redhead left for a brief moment to grab their food, and returned looking excited for a tale.

Jay picked around at his noodles. “You’re not gonna believe me, but it’s a different timeline. That only Nya and I remember, I think. It involves a lot of evil pirates, and everyone being trapped in a sword, and Ninjago being in the sky. You were part of my ninja replacements,” Skylor gave him a weird look as he was mid sentence, “and Nya even…”

He paused and dropped his chopsticks back in the tub. Nya stopped eating suddenly, and looked down, feeling sick.

“Nya what?”

“Nothing important,” Nya said, trying to force another bite of food into her mouth.

“Well, hm,” said Skylor, looking a little put off, “sounds like you guys need to somehow sort this out.”

“Yeah,” Jay stared at his food. “I know. You’re right. We have to stop pretending like it never happened. We have to think about it. Sort out all the lost… stuff from it.” He reached into a pocket to pull out his wallet, but Nya was there first, holding her card out to Skylor with a smile.

She shook her head. “Today’s on me, ya crazy lovebirds. I just hope things are okay for you from now on.”

“Thanks,” said Jay with an exasperated sigh. “You’re a life-saver, Skylor.”

“Well, where do we start, then?” Nya asked when Skylor left them, looking at Jay with some nervousness.

He narrowed his eyes and gave one of his eyes a rub. “The lighthouse.”

#ninjago #ninjago fan season #fanseason #jaya #jay walker #nya smith #static and stars #kai smith #cole brookstone #zane julien #skylor chen

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i-do-trash-fanfictions · 3 years

Text

Thera’s Journal Entry #44

I was walking still when I heard running. Not a Guardian, it didn’t sound the same. And it wasn’t just one, whatever it was. It was many.

I thought fast, and double jumped onto a tree branch, out of sight from anything that passed.

Suddenly, a bunch of fallen ran past, led by two captains. They stopped, looked around. The captain said something to the other in Eliksni. I couldn’t make it out though. Only, “Battle.”, “Village.”, and “This way.”. They started off again.

“Where could they be going?” I whispered to myself.

“They said village!” Scout exclaimed. “That means-”

“Ann might be there!” Poppy finished.

“And they also said battle. They must be planning to attack it, or they already are. We have to move.”

I jumped down and ran after them, making sure that I was out of sight and far enough behind them that they wouldn’t notice.

Soon I heard the sounds of fighting. Gunshots, screeches of Fallen, yells of people.

I soon saw the village. People were standing holding weapons as the Eliksni jumped out at them. There was silence except for the Fallen. I could feel the panic in the air. The fear.

I pulled out Hawkmoon and took aim at the Captain and in one shot towards the head, it’s arc shield fell. Then two more shots that weren’t my own rang out and it fell.

The fighting began again and sounds filled the forest once more.

I jumped down and switched to Riskrunner, firing at any Fallen I could take aim at. This was nothing to me.

I switched back to Hawkmoon and fired at three fallen who were surrounding a woman. She gave me a nod of thanks, and even though her left arm was covered in blood she still fought.

I twirled around and fired at a dreg who had jumped at me, and it fell in midair. I fired at three more and reloaded. I didn’t notice the other captain who was behind me, about to fire.

I turned just before he fired his weapon and heard three fast shots coming from an auto rifle. The captain fell, and behind him stood a tall man with chestnut hair and dark brown eyes staring at me.

“Who are you?” He asked, turning and firing at other dregs.

“Name’s Thera. Young Wolf. Glad I came upon your village when I did.”

“Thera! You have a friend here. Ann.”

“Ann’s here!” Poppy exclaimed, shooting out of the satchel.

“Yes, but I suggest you stay down. Don’t want you to lose your life.” The man turned and fired at some fallen who were surrounded two of the other fighters. Poppy quickly returned to her satchel.

“Where is she?” I asked.

He pointed to another spot and I saw her, hair flying as she twirled around to stab at another dreg who jumped at her with a vandal’s knife. I ran towards her and shot a few more dregs with Riskrunner.

“Thera!” She exclaimed, still shooting.

“I see you’ve been getting into trouble without me.”

“You know me. I can’t stay out of trouble for long.”

“Angelica!” Poppy came out of the satchel and flew to her. She dissipated. “I’ve had no idea where you’ve been! Thera’s been looking for nearly two days!”

“Well I have a lot to tell you guys. But I suggest we finish this first.”

Soon, the fallen numbers began to dwindle down and when the last few remaining dregs and vandals saw they had no chance, they ran off into the forest. We let them.

I turned to Ann and wrapped her into a big hug. Then I turned to the man.

“I never caught your name.” I stated to him.

“Callum. But you can call me Cal. Head to the medical house, everyone! There you can be checked over and treated for any injuries!” He shouted to the fighters.

They helped each other and walked off, covered in dirt and blood.

“They fought bravely.” I said, following after him and Ann as they began to walk a different way. I couldn’t help but feel that I knew the man’s name from somewhere. I haven’t met him before, but perhaps he was mentioned to me by someone else at some time?

“They always do. I’m the only Guardian here, and while they do trust me to protect their home, they know that I can’t do it alone.”

A Guardian. Named Cal. Leading a village. In the middle of uncharted territory on Earth.

“I think you know an old friend of mine.” I said.

“Sora.”

“You’re the Callum she always talked about. The one she visited once a month.”

He nodded.

“How long did it take? For you to get the news? I would have gone myself to tell you, but Sora never gave me or anyone else the coordinates to this place.”

“Two months at least. We found it strange that she didn’t come one month, but I just assumed she was busy and thought nothing of it. But usually she would say something, give me a message either before or after. And she didn’t. So when I tried to contact her via the comlink on her Ghost, Argent said the line didn’t even exist anymore. So I went to the Tower. A Guardian there told me what had happened.” He sighed. “I didn’t take it very well.”

“Neither did I. Especially since she wasn’t the only one I lost.”

“I heard that too. The exo she talked about, Zane.”

I nodded.

“But let’s not dwell on that.” He said as we arrived at a house. “Right now, I’m sure the two of you want to share your stories of how this all happened.”

Callum went off to get food while I sat on one of the chairs. Ann sat on the couch and told me everything as soon as Cal came back. She told me all the details, her noticing the skiff far too late, her ship going down and her blacking out, her waking up without her Ghost. And I told her my side. Poppy getting ahold of the Vanguard and them getting ahold of me, and me setting out to find her.

“I was glad I came across here when I did. You guys seemed to be in trouble.” I said.

“We were.” Said Cal in between sips of his drink. “There have never been that many Fallen to attack at a time before. It’s always been a small few and they can easily be taken care of.”

“I believe,” His Ghost Argent chimed in. “That their numbers are growing. You’d think that with how long this village has been here, that they would just give up this part of their territory, but I guess not. I suppose they plan on taking it back.”

“You could always go to the City, you know.” Suggested Ann.

“Sora would always suggest that. But this is the people’s home. They don’t want to leave. Every year I ask around to see who would want to leave. No one wants to. If they did, I would allow them to. And, it’s become my home too. I like it better out here. It’s calming.”

I nodded. “I can see why. It’s secluded. And while you do have your troubles out here, it’s free from all the fighting that’s going on.” I paused. “Do you wish to keep this place a secret? Is that why Sora never gave Zane and I - or anyone else - the location?”

He gave a simple nod. “I’d like only a few Guardians to know of it’s whereabouts. That way fighting cannot be led this way. I’ve heard that the more Guardians there are, the more chances that there will be trouble soon to follow.”

“That’s as true as it gets.” I stood. “Ann, we should probably head back to the Tower. Scout, call my ship near here.”

“Okay,” Ann said, “But I have to check in one someone first.”

I nodded and she ran off.

“Can I ask a favor?” Asked Cal, turning to me. “You know how Sora would come once a month? She would arrive not only to spend some time with me, but to also keep me updated on what’s going on out there. Do you think you could do that?”

“Sure.” I answered with a smile.

“And make sure to bring Ann. She seems to like it here.”

I nodded once again.

“The ship’s here.” Scout said.

“Well, we had better be going. Zavala and Ikora need to get the update that I’ve found Ann. And I’ll be sure to leave out all the details.”

He smiled.

I left the home and Scout told me that Ann had already transmatted back to the ship. I transmatted there too and passed by Ann who laid on the futon, fast asleep already. I went to the cockpit, and flew off.

“Vanguard, this is Thera, I’ve got Ann and I’m coming home. I’ll fill out my report once I get there.”

I flicked off the coms and had my helmet appear back on courtesy of Scout. I let him turn on my music, not wanting to wake Ann, and started to fly back home.

#destiny 2 #oneshot #destiny #destiny guardians #destiny game #theras journal entries

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aweebwrites · 4 years

Text

Allies Ch6

The journey up north was longer and colder than expected on both sides. The Knights could have taken a boat which would be much faster than horseback, but it ran the risk of them being ambushed on water which they could hardly defend themselves on. Kai couldn’t swim, Zane has yet to have a buoyancy update so he would sink like a rock and while Jay and Cole could swim, Jay didn’t have much stamina and Cole’s strength is negated in water. Speaking of, the Earth Knight was still sore about their loss over the Golden Scythe. Figuratively and literally.

“When I find out who’s the dirty rat selling secrets to Garmadon, I’m gonna wring them until they pop.” Cole grouched, rubbing the back of his head that still throbbed with pain before placing the chunk of ice wrapped in a piece of cloth Zane gave him back there.

“We’ll worry about that later. Right now, we’re leaving the Taiga area and entering a thin strip of Tundra before we reach the Arctic zone.” Zane told them as he looked ahead.

“Jee. It’s almost like I couldn’t tell.” Jay huffed, able to see his breath as he rubbed his shoulders.

“Isn’t that a good thing? It means we’re getting closer to our next destination.” Kai pointed out.

“Yes. But it is a good and bad thing.” Zane told them, gesturing to the vast plains ahead. “From here on out, we won’t have any cover against Garmadon’s Generals nor the harsh cold of being this far up north. Should there be a blizzard, we may end up in trouble. While our horses can handle the cold for some time, a blizzard would be pushing it.” He warned them.

“Well we can’t stop here. We have to keep going and pray for the best.” Kai says, as he pulled the hood of his snow coat up.

“Luckily…” A voice says and they all jolted, whipping around with powers charged ready to attack. “The best is here.” Nya says as she walked out of the Taiga forest and they deflated.

“Nya” Kai says with a smile, walking over to hug his sister. “What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to stay with Emperor Wu?” He asked her, confused.

“Yeah- until we figured out Garmadon knew about the plan with the weapons. I was sent to warn you but I saw you already realised that.” She told them as Zane slid off his jacket he didn’t need to give her once she rubbed her arms. “He sent Ultra Violet to stop me and if it hadn’t been for an out cold dragon in the ground, I don’t think I would have made it here untouched.” She admits and Kai looked horrified.

“It would be best to keep this conversation going while we travel.” Cole spoke up and they nodded, Nya slipping on the hood.

Up high in the trees some distance away, Emperor Garmadon’s team watched them as they went.

“It will be significantly harder to stay out of sight while tracking them across the Tundra and Arctic biomes ahead.” Cryptor says as they all hovered mid air on their Floating Cougars.

“Indeed. But we must follow them nonetheless.” Kozu huffed as Lloyd pondered the situation.

“We’ll be able to keep our distance.” He told all three Generals. “There’s snow collected on the ground and the sky is clear for now. We will use their footsteps in the snow to track them.” He told them and they nodded, lowering to the ground and allowing their cougars to walk along the path they took.

"That will be a task easier said than done. I'm cold blooded. I wasn't made for cold temperatures." Pythor says with narrowed eyes at the cold that had his tail curling under itself to keep the tip somewhat warm. "Had I known we would be coming to a place like this, I would have packed warmer." He huffed.

"You're the only one to fail at doing so." Cryptor huffed as Lloyd pulled a thick coat from the carry on satchel the cougar had attached to its saddle.

“Take it.” Lloyd says, tossing it at Pythor and they looked at him surprised. “I’m not fully cold blooded like you are. You’ll need it more than me. It has dark crystals inside so it should keep you warm.” He says as he focused his eye on the empty horizon.

“This isn’t a point to be considerate. Pythor can-”

“We’re still taking a risk being out in the open like this. The Knights are ahead of us still. They have a greater number than we do now. It would do us poorly for us to have our numbers lower now. If the Knights plan on ambushing us with Pythor down then we’d be in serious trouble and they might be able to take back the scythe.” Lloyd says, cutting Kozu off, glancing back at them. “So if I have to get a little cold to ensure our success, so be it.” He says focusing ahead again and the three Generals were quiet- that is, until Kozu cuffed Pythor over the head.

“Ow!- em...” The serpentine was quick to cut off his protests at both Kozu and Cryptor’s pointed glares. “Thank you for your kindness, my Prince.” He spoke with a bow, not surprised when Lloyd hadn’t acknowledged him any further.

He lowered his head so he could rub the back of it, grumbling under his breath about Stone Generals and the toughness of his hand.

_______

“Is that it?” Jay asked as they stopped at the edge of a large glacier covered in snow, looking at the large conical structure of ice down below.

“Yes. Let us make haste. No doubt Garmadon’s Generals are close by.” Zane says then turned his shaking horse away from the edge of the cliff so they could travel down the easier slope.

“Will this place have a dragon too?” Kai asked Zane, riding up next to him.

“Well, Emperor Wu did say each location would be protected by a guardian and since a dragon was at the last, I’d say yeah. Only, this dragon will no doubt freeze us if we aren’t careful.” Cole says, scanning the area for signs of their enemy.

“Alright. Then Kai and I will head for the Shurikens while you, Jay and Nya will keep an eye out.” Zane instructed.

“Sounds solid to me.” Jay says, his face barely visible from the white fur lining the inside of the hood of his jacket, the sight pulling a small smile out of Cole.

He really was an adorable little gremlin.

“You’ll need to set up somewhere for the horses though. Much more of this cold and they’ll give out on us.” Nya says from her space behind Kai.

“Right.” Zane nodded as they moved in.

“The Shurikens of Ice must be there… And so will its guardian dragon.” Lloyd murmured to himself as they watched them move towards the structure.

“More reason for us to keep our distance.” Cryptor says irritably, the weight of his mechanical body sinking him pretty deep into the snow, despite his position lying on his stomach.

The same was also true for Kozu, the larger General sunken so deep into the soft snow that only his eyes were visible. It made for good camouflage however. They were adorned in black, a very striking colour in an endless wasteland of white. A gust of wind blew by then and Lloyd shivered despite him trying not to. His fingers and toes had long gone numb with the cold and despite the mask over his nose and mouth he wore, he was sure both were tinging blue by now. But none of that mattered. They had a mission and-

“Head back with Pythor and the animals to keep warm. We’ll keep watch.” Kozu says with a tone of dismissal though his voice was slightly muffled by the snow.

“This isn’t for consideration either.” Cryptor says, cutting off any protest Lloyd was about to voice. “How do you expect us to succeed if you go around succumbing to hypothermia and frostbite? You need fingers to hold the Golden Weapons and toes for balance if you've forgotten.” He reminded and Lloyd frowned, not pleased with that but knowing they were right.

Without a word, he shuffled his way down the small hill of snow before he got to his feet, walking over to the base of a blue glacier where they had used dark fire to carefully melt a cave in, the Cougars and Pythor close around the purple and black flames inside. Pythor wisely didn’t comment when Lloyd sat closer to the fire than all of them. He knew when to keep his mouth shut sometimes after all. Lloyd stared at the dark, dancing flame that bore the colours of his father. He wonders how he fairs…

___

“Emperor Garmadon. Emperor Wu is fortifying the Golden Peaks in preparation for the arrival of the golden weapons. He has arranged for a very powerful elemental master to guard the area until they return.” Shade reported to Emperor Garmadon from his throne as an Umbrian servant handed him his prepared helmet that sustained significant damage from the first battle with his brother in decades.

He however, left with mere scratches. Wu was the one who walked away with the most damage. But he had always been a fast healer. He has no doubt recovered by now.

“Which brings me to even more news.” Shade spoke in a lighter tone and Garmadon narrowed his eyes as he slid his helmet on.

“Well? Spit it out.” Garmadon says impatiently and Shade smirked, meeting the Emperor’s glowing red eyes.

“Emperor Wu has a son.” He says and Garmadon huffed through his nose, darkness escaping them as he did.

“That I’ve found out on my own. What else?” He asked Shade, dismissing that piece of information.

“He’s a wielder of wind, a Prince kept secret from even the middle walls of his palace and he is the one to guard the Golden Peaks. He is very powerful. Perhaps even more so than the Knights of Fulgor themselves.” Shade was quick to continue and Garmadon frowned, leaning back into his throne, thinking tactically.

Any child of Wu’s would hold great power. It was good Wu hadn’t sent him after the weapons, otherwise there would be a chance that Lloyd and his Generals would fail. But if he was guarding the Golden Peak he needed access to once he had the Golden Weapons, then he might have some trouble. Forging the Golden Weapons into the Megaweapon will take time. He smirked however. He too had an advantage. His Stone Army was impervious to wind. They were too heavy to be moved by even the strongest of windstorms. Garmadon chuckled to himself, clasping the fingers of his upper arms under his chin while folding his lower ones. As long as his son brings him the Golden Weapons, his victory was certain.

“He’s also obsessed with the title of Green Knight since Wu suspects it will be him.” Shade continued and Garmadon rose a brow at that.

A weakness. Excellent.

“Tell me Shade, what is his name?” Garmadon asked him.

“His name… Is Morro.”

______

“Father, I don’t understand. Why send Nya? Why not send for me instead?” Morro asked his father as they walked through the inner walls of the palace.

“Because you are needed elsewhere.” Wu told him, glancing at the frustrated expression his son wore, the green cape attached to his dark green stained armor billowing behind him.

“Elsewhere?” Morro asked, bewildered. “Where else is so important that I should go there instead of on the quest to find the Golden Weapons that will decide the tides of this war?” He asked Wu, unable to comprehend anyplace more important.

“The Golden Peaks.” Wu says quietly and Morro stood firmer at that. “Should the Knights bring back the weapons, we will need uninterrupted access to the peak to craft the most powerful weapon of all and end this war once and for all. Should they fail… We need for Garmadon to not have any access to it.” He told Morro, turning to his son.

“I know you are impatient, that you wish to fulfil the Destiny of the Green Knight, but you must understand Morro. We do not have the weapons to confirm nor deny that you are. You must brace yourself for either great triumph… Or great disappointment.” Wu told him, walking over to place a hand on his shoulder. “One thing is certain. We will find out the true identity of the Green Knight soon, whether we’re prepared or not.” He says and Morro sighed through his nose then nodded, both of them continuing on their path to the stables where the rest of the Elemental Masters had gathered.

“You will lead them to the Golden Peaks and protect it until the Knights and I arrive.” Wu says to Morro and he nodded, taking his jet black steed the palace servants brought to him.

He then mounted it, grasping the reins tightly.

“I don’t see my horse anywhere.” Skylor spoke up, looking around to see everyone else with their horses.

“That is because you aren’t going with the others.” Wu says then nodded at them, signaling them to take off.

“What? Why? I-”

“I need you for something more urgent.” Wu says instead, cutting her off and Skylor frowned. “I need your help flushing out a pest…” He began and she looked intrigued.

______________

(Next chapter gets... Deep isn't the right word. Just know that we're getting into the story of how Lloyd lost his eye and it is not pretty. No gore is involved but they sure as heck mistreat the poor kid. Thanks for reading!) _____________ Ch1 Ch2 Ch3 Ch4 Ch5

#ninjago #lloyd ninjago #kai ninjago #cole ninjago #jay ninjago #zane ninjago #nya ninjago #kozu ninjago #cryptor ninjago #pythor ninjago #shade ninjago #Lord Garmadon #garmadon #Sensei Wu #morro ninjago #skylor ninjago #aweebwrites' work

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krisseycrystal · 4 years

Photo

rated: g+

original story: The Diamondback

prompt: “Hostage Video” + Nayden

requested by: @moominquartz

so the light of my life requested “Hostage Video” with one of my own personal OC’s for a WIP I haven’t even...I mean I’ve shown it only to the writing squad discord server i’m part of, but that’s like, it. so...these OC’s haven’t seen the light of day before

but i guess now they are for this modern-day detective au-ish thing i’ve concocted. funny how that works.

if you read, i hope you enjoy!!

- o - o - o -

Temblor [Read on AO3]

- o - o - o -

There is no coffee in the world kind and dark enough to set Kaimana Lee’s head on straight and wake him up to deal with the slumped over idiot half-asleep on his doorstep with one of those long, fancy smartphones cradled in his lap.

“Kid,” he grumbles and shoves his toes into the bunched-up leg. When that doesn’t get the teen to rise, he tries his arm. “Hey. Kid.”

As if struck instead of poked, the messy mop of black hair shoots upright. He blinks blearily up at Kaimana, before jumping to his feet. His hands latch around the cell phone, before one jerks away to rub at a sleepy brown eye. “Kaimana Lee?” the kid mumbles. His voice far younger and groggier than Kaimana was actually expecting for one with such heavy and broody eyes.

Kaimana pulls out the toothpick from his mouth and looks the kid up and down. “Who’s askin’?”

“Boaz Diggory.” Betting by the sudden light taking fire in his hearth-eyed gaze, he thinks the kid is finally awake. Boaz looks down at the phone in his hand. “It’s eleven fifteen.”

“And?” Kaimana turns. The kid backpedals out of his way, but as soon as his front door is open, he hugs close to his heels.

“Your office hours say--”

“--that website hasn’t been updated in years, kid.” The door slams shut behind them with more force than necessary. Kaimana brushes past the Boaz and the empty secretary's desk gathering dust, striding straight for the foggy-glass door at the back. “What the hell do you want?”

“I need your help.”

Kaimana stops with one hand on the tarnished doorknob and turns to give the kid his best hard, duh look. “Yeah. I gathered that,” he gruffs and returns the toothpick to its place between his teeth. “Get to the part where you tell me what for.”

Boaz’s frown is more like what he was expecting; it matches the stiff look in his eyes that reminds Kaimana of an unyielding boulder. But he does hold out the phone.

Kaimana takes it slowly, with one last glance at the kid’s face. He opens his office door.

“What’s the password?”

“February 12, 2003,” Boaz rattles off, crossing his arms over his chest. His eyes rake over the messy library of books lined up against the wall, haphazard and unorganized. “Uh, with a zero in front of the two and just the ‘03.”

“Got it.” Kaimana sticks one leg up on the corner of his desk, back hunched over as his eyes zero in on the unlocked screen. “Birthday?”

“If you assume that’s my phone.”

Kaimana glances at the kid. “So what’s this, then? A video?”

Boaz had just sat down; he stands up just as quickly once Kaimana mentions it. With one final look at the kid’s tense form, his thumb taps over the screen. It takes a moment for the feed to come into focus, but once he sees the steel folding chair and the kid chained and blindfolded into it, ice settles in his gut. There’s a pair of overly large ear-muffs wrapped around the back of a head of black hair.

“Y…you’ll want to turn up the volume,” Boaz says and for the first time since he marched inside Kaimana’s office, he sounds small.

Kaimana turns over the phone, but after a moment of aimless searching, Boaz takes the device from him and presses along its thin side. A crescendo of beeps later, and a low and distorted voice rings out.

“--to see anything happen to him, would you? Then let’s make a deal, Mr. Diggory. If you’d like to see your son alive and in one piece, we suggest you get paying. One million should do the trick. But if that’s too much, don’t worry. We’ll give you one week.”

“How considerate,” Kaimana grumbles.

Boaz’s fists clench at his sides.

“We’ll be in touch soon regarding a drop-off location. And if you even think about going to the cops, we’ll--”

Kaimana drops the phone onto the desk. He looks at Boaz. “But you thought hiring a private investigator would be fine?”

Boaz glares by way of answer.

“I take it this is your father’s phone. And this kid here’s your brother.”

“Sister.”

There’s a fire and fight waiting to happen in that voice. Kaimana watches Boaz: he sees the unspoken dare in the kid’s gaze and the tension in his form. He looks to the phone lying face-up beside his thigh, still paused on the image of the other kid in question. It’s hard to make out any identifying details other than they had been moving. Writhing. Trying to pull against their restraints unsuccessfully time and time again while the stranger had been talking. The footage is undoubtedly set on loop; the voice track had been recorded and overlaid afterward.

“Sister,” Kaimana repeats.

Boaz nods. “Her name is Nayden.”

Kaimana taps the screen and rolls the video back to the beginning. “Got it.” He runs a hand through his hair but a moment later regrets it. He had pulled it into a loose bun for a reason. He reaches back instead for a notepad and pencil. “Apparently, someone didn’t get the memo.”

“Yeah, well. That someone doesn’t fucking matter.”

A small smile quirks onto Kaimana’s face. “I take it you and your family have reason to believe the threat is real and not just a hoax?”

“Are you calling me a liar?”

There’s a moment--a strange instance--in which the fight and the fire reached its peak and burst--and with it, at the same time, Kaimana’s bookcases rattle. A small magazine that had been stuffed to lay on top of his incomplete collection of Zane Grey novels flutters to the carpet. Kaimana snaps around a hair too late; by the time he’s taking stock, everything is still again. Dust motes have been flung into the air, illuminated by the midday sun filtering in through the windows.

Kaimana frowns and looks back at the kid.

Boaz’s eyes flick open, caught in the middle of a slow breathing routine. As he carefully exhales, his hands unclench.

“Okay,” Kaimana slowly says. “Where’re your parents?”

“That’s why I’m here.” In two quick strides, Boaz stands in front of the desk and turns the phone. He drags the tiny red marker on the bottom until Nayden’s head is turned as she’s jerking in her seat. He points at the pair of giant, bright yellow ear-muffs wrapped around her head. “I have good reason to believe my father arranged this entire thing.”

Kaimana freezes.

His frown deepens. He curls forward further, resting his forearm against his knee. His notepad dangles loosely from his fingers. “The video is addressed to him.”

“A ploy to throw off suspicion.”

“Are you sure?”

“I--” Boaz’s eyes flicker to the phone again. His mouth opens and shuts once, flapping uselessly, before he fists the hand that had been pointing at the earmuffs. “--I can’t tell you why. I just am, okay! I have my reasons.”

“All right.” Kaimana rises to a stand and tosses his notepad onto his desk. “So then why don’t you take those reasons with you to the cops?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Then what, exactly, are you hiring me for?”

“To find her!”

There it is again: the small, unfelt tremor that shakes the room. The notepad and desk lamp rattle; Kaimana’s eyes snap to the short, violently swinging gold chain on the side of the lamp’s green porcelain shade.

When he looks back to Boaz, the kid’s hands are fisted on either side of the phone. His head of black, messy hair is bowed.

“Please.” Boaz’s voice is as tight and bare as a whisper. “She’s all alone. She…”

Slowly, Kaimana’s eyes drift to the opposite wall. He doesn’t have much that he’s bothered to hang up, but his framed diploma and license that he nailed the same day he signed the lease to this small office are two small wooden-framed dots in the midst of all the cornflower blue paint. They hang slightly crooked, now, bothered by whatever strange force it is that has been bumping his room off-kelter.

Earthquakes?

After a long moment, Kaimana sighs. He bows his head and pinches his temples. “Damn it. Private investigators ain’t cheap, kid.”

Boaz’s head snaps up. His brown eyes are enormous on his pale, round face. Immediately, he jerks upright and wipes his sleeve over his face. “I know.”

“I take pay by the hour.”

“I know.”

“You’ve got the money?”

“I’ll get it to you.”

Somehow, that severe, hard look in those eyes is like a promise. Not for the first time, Kaimana feels a little unsettled by just how hard they seem to be. They are too much and trying too hard to be so strong for someone clearly still so young. If he’s bluffing about the money, he doesn’t give any tells.

Kaimana would be lying if he tried to say half the reason that gaze is so unnerving is because it reminds him too much of a damn mirror.

He grumbles and reluctantly picks up his notepad again. “Fine. Tell me everything you know.”

#original story #bad things happen bingo #bth bingo #angst #original characters #writeblr #hostage video #krissey writes a thing #ocs #bthb #wip: diamondback #whoa do i have a tag for this already??#guess i do #laksjdflkjadsf #whaddya know #a little bit of i'm your dad now mixed in #bc that's kaimana lee in a nutshell

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siriusordo · 4 years

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Taking Down a Fortress--Chp 15

Amazing I know! A post on Tumblr AND an update to Fortress!!! Yay! I'm still working on this. It's been slow but I haven't given it up yet! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Previously:

He allowed me to guide him for a few steps before he stopped and pulled out of my hold. He took a step away and asked again, "Theron," his breathing growing more rapid and shallow as his anxiety skyrocketed. "If you're here," he managed between ragged breaths, "then is he... ," Zane trailed off, shaking his head. He took another step back and tried to sit down on the edge of the bed but missed, sliding to the floor instead, dazed and devastated. He finally reached the only conclusion that he could with the information that he had. Theron wasn't here, I was and no one would tell him what was going on. .

"Oh god. Dead—Theron's dead."

Taking Down a Fortress

Chapter 15

Jace’s POV

“Oh god. Dead—Theron’s dead.”

Zane bowed his head and covered his face with his free hand, and finally his shoulders silently started to shake as his grief overwhelmed him.

For a moment everyone was frozen in shock at the sudden turn in the situation as the emotions in the room swung from one extreme to the other.

For More Click read more or: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5660230/chapters/58260721 https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11718919/14/Taking-Down-the-Fortress

Jayd came out of it first and cleared the room of onlookers. “Everyone out,” his tone left no room for argument. No one need to see their Commander break down, even if it was understandable.

I nodded my thanks to the doctor as we knelt down next to my son’s grief stricken partner, one on each side of him.

“Commander.” Jayd tried as he gently laid a hand on the man’s shoulder. “Listen to me.”

Zane just shook his head and refused to look up, as his shoulders continued to shake with sobs. He was drowning in his grief.

When that failed, I tried to get the younger man’s attention. “Zane,” I called from his other side, a note of command still in my voice.

After a moment, his shoulders quit shaking and he took a deep breath before looking up and meeting my gaze. His eyes were filled with pain and grief for my son's, his mate’s, supposed death.

I made a motion to the doctor on his other side, “Hear Jayd out.”

Without a word, he turned and looked to the man on his other side. As he waited silently for the doctor’s explanation, Zane took short, shallow breaths almost panting for air. The pain was close to the surface and threatened to overwhelm him.

“Theron isn’t dead.”

“He isn’t here,” Zane argued softly “nothing else would keep him away.” He inclined his head towards me. “And Jace is.”

“Just listen,” I said.

“Theron is alive,” Jayd met Zane’s gaze, his eyes hard and determined, “I swear it.”

With Jayd’s words of reassurance, the tension drained from Zane’s body and he sagged back against the bed. He looked up and seemed to struggle with tears before he mumbled, “Thank the gods.” He took a breath, looked back at the doctor, and asked, “Where is he then?”

When Jayd didn’t answer right away, I could see the muscles in Zane’s body tense, readying for another fight. None of us need another brawl, so I answered the younger man. “He’s been badly injured. I don’t know all the details,” I looked to Jayd, “...yet...but I do know he’s alive and fighting.”

“What happened?” Zane asked, adjusting his position a bit and holding on to his arm that was in the sling, “The last I saw him on the shuttle he was fine.”

“What do you remember of the mission?” I asked, readying to tell him what I knew.

He wrinkled his nose and made a disgusted face. “Successful but it went fubar.” (Fubar is Military slang meaning=Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition)

Before I could say anything, Jayd raised his hand and interrupted us. “Let’s get you back up on the bed and I can take a look at your head and shoulder while Jace fills you in.” He offered Zane his free hand, “After that I’ll fill in any missing details.”

Zane took the proffered hand and with a grimace of pain, Jayd helped him to his feet and on to the bed behind him. He sat on the edge of the bed while the doctor got to work, checking him over. He ignored Jayd’s ministrations and looked at me. “Go on.”

I stood up and stepped back from the bed, giving the doctor some space to work. I crossed my arms across my chest and leaned against a nearby dresser. I took a breath and collected my thoughts. “It definitely went fubar,” my face darkened at the thought of Samgir, “but you made it back to the shuttle and escaped before the explosion.”

“We did,” Zane agreed, voice laced with pain as the doctor took his injured arm out of the sling. “But you still haven’t explained how Theron was hurt. There weren't any other other missions planned and he’s safe here on the base.”

“He should've been,” I agreed.

Zane had been watching the doctor and looked up sharply at my words. I could see something dark and angry in his eyes. It promised swift and painful retribution to anyone that harmed his mate. For less than a split second I felt bad for Samgir and Lana but it was ended by the remembered sound of Theron’s heart rate monitor flat-lining. “Go on,” he said low, tone full of danger.

My own body language reflected Zane’s mood and he nodded sharply, acknowledging it. As Jayd continued to work on him, I launched into the story, giving him as many details as I knew about Samgir and the unfair fight, which made Zane growl low in his chest. I went on to explain how Vortena stepped in to try and break it up.

“Sounds like Koth and his crew,” Zane said as Jayd carefully moved his arm, checking range of motion and his shoulder.

“That’s not the worst part,” I informed him, echoing Nico’s earlier words to me.

“With no warning, a strong Force wave was used, supposedly in an attempt to end the brawling,” my tone was colored by my growing anger.

“Theron was already badly injured from the fist fight,” Jayd took over the story as he looked over the injuries to the back of Zane’s head. “From what I understand, he wasn’t ready when the force wave hit him and it knocked him off his feet.” He stepped around and sat down on the bed next to Zane. “When he fell, Theron fell on to a broken metal table.”

I watched as every muscle in Zane’s body was tensed, his breathing rapid and shallow as he worked to contain his emotions. Concerned for his health, I watched Zane closely as Jayd finished our tale. Zane’s emotions seemed to swing madly like a pendulum from one extreme to the other. I knew this last part wouldn’t be easy for the younger man. People he trusted had caused mortal harm to Theron, accidental or not.

Jayd was silent for a moment, watching his patient. I’m not sure what he was looking for but he finished, “He was run through by a broken table leg. It tore through his lower back muscles and came out just under his belly button.”

All of the blood drained from Zane’s face, he was white as a sheet. “How bad?”

“If not for the quick thinking of Ash'dani, a medic who happened to be in the cafeteria, Theron would’ve bled out before he ever made it to the medical bay,” Jayd rested a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Unable to contain his emotions, Zane closed his eyes and hung his head as silent tears streaked down his face.

“But he made it,” I reassured the grieving man, “And Jayd was there.”

“I was,” the doctor agreed. “My team worked to stabilize him as I contacted Jace. We rushed him to surgery after that.”

Zane took a deep breath and let it out slowly, visibly steadying himself. He wiped at his face with the back of his free hand before looking up again. “And?” his voice was rough and grief filled, “How did it go?”

“Between the damage to Theron’s body and massive blood loss, I didn’t expect him to pull through,” Jayd admitted, “And we lost him more than once while he was on the table.”

Anger flared and burned through me. I’d nearly lost my son again...and still may...due to someone else’s negligence and stupidity. “Frack,” I growled as I turned and pulled back my fist, the need to hit was overwhelming. I needed to feel something, anything other than anger, worry and grief.

“Jace!” Jayd shouted but he was too late.

My fist collided with the metal wall, once and twice. Pain surged through my hand and washed away some of the dark emotions weighing me down. Ever since Jayd's fateful holocall, I’ve had no time or privacy to deal with my pent up feelings about Theron’s injuries. This was just the last straw. I punched the wall again. White hot agony burned out the rest of my rage. I rested my undamaged hand against the wall and leaned into it. My chest was heaving and my injured hand throbbed with my heart beat.

“Damn it Malcolm.”

I ignored him for now. I slowly breathed in through my nose and out through my mouth, in and out until I could think clearly again. Theron did not die. He was still with us, still fighting.

“Come over here and sit down with Zane, so I can take a look at your hand,” Jayd interrupted my thoughts.

I opened an eyes and glanced down at my damaged hand. The skin on the back of it was already turning some vivid colors. There were at least two large lumps already forming under the skin and it was badly swollen. The worst, I was unable to move a few of my fingers. After a last deep breath, I straightened up, walked to the bed, and sat down next to the younger trooper.

“So that’s where Theron gets his temper,” Zane said as he looked at my hand. “Doc’s gonna have your head.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” I shrugged.

Zane just shook his head.

Jayd leaned out the door and called to someone I couldn’t see. “Genna can you bring me a wrist splint, a wrap, and a sling.”

“Right away,” a feminine voice answered.

“Thanks,” Jayd let the door slide shut as he grabbed a stool, dragged over next to the bed, and sat down on it. He carefully took my injured hand into both of his, making me hiss in pain. “Now where we before Jace decided to go off the rails and mangle his hand again,” he said as he continued to examine my hand.

“You lost Theron more than once during surgery,” Zane whispered, his voice breaking.

“Right,” Jayd reluctantly agreed as he looked up, “but the important part, we got him back each time. He’s a fighter and he hasn’t given up yet,” he held Zane’s gaze, “And we won’t give up either.”

The moment ended when the nurse brought in the requested items. “Here you go doctor.”

“Thanks Geena,” she handed the supplies to him. “I’ve got this. Can you see if x-ray has time to take a look at Commander Malcom’s hand.”

She acknowledged him with a sharp nod before leaving the room again.

“Theron really was incredibly lucky,” the doctor continued as he carefully placed the splint against my wrist.

“How do you figure that?” I asked, my tone laced with pain both physical and emotional..

“There was a medic on-scene in the cafeteria to keep anyone from removing the table leg from Theron’s back,” he started, “And the placement couldn’t have been better.” The doctor started wrapping the bandage around my wrist to hold the splint in place. “While it nicked a few veins and caused severe internal bleeding, it missed his spine, most major organs, and his bowels.” He slipped my injured arm into the sling and secured it around my neck. “Theron ruptured his spleen but that was caused by the fight, not the table leg and that caused most of the blood loss.” The doctor sat back on the stool, “I removed it. We regrew him another. When Theron’s stronger, it will be a quick surgery to replace it.”

“And his prognosis?” I asked.

“Guarded,” Jayd answered as he looked at both of us. “He’s in serious condition and it’s still touch and go.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “He’s still in the kolto tank and we plan on removing him tomorrow, if everything goes to plan.”

“I want to see him,” Zane said in a tone that left no room for argument.

“Me too,” I added.

“I’m not sure that’s...” Jayd started with a frown.

“Doc,” Zane cut him off, face hard, “It wasn’t a request. I will see Theron. You can cooperate or not...your choice.”

I sat silently next to the Commander and watched the stand off between the two men. Zane Starwarrior was the Alliance Commander in charge of leading this faction in the battle against the Eternal Empire and Arcann. Doctor Jayd was the lead physician for the Alliance faction and the final authority in all medical matters. Neither man was used to having his orders questioned and I couldn’t help but be curious about who would win this battle of wills.

The pair stared at each other for a few long seconds until Jayd finally sighed, “On a few conditions.”

“Which are?” Zane’s body relaxed a bit.

“You quit fighting the medical staff,” the doctor directed at Zane, “And you let me double check your injuries, make sure you didn’t do yourself some unseen damage.”

Zane nodded his agreement, so Jayd turned his attention to me. “You’ve broken that hand in multiple places...again.” I could hear the irritation in my friend’s tone. “You let a doctor treat your broken hand before you see your son.”

“It will be fine…,” I tried but the hard look in Jayd’s eyes had me rethinking my words. I rolled my eyes and sighed, “Fine, a doctor you trust while you check over Zane.”

“Dr. Belman,” Jayd said immediately before sliding the stool back, “And last but not least, you wait until I check on Theron’s condition and get an update first.”

We started to argue but Jayd raised a hand to stop us. Both Zane and I started to argue with the doctor but he raised a hand and stopped us. “It’s non negotiable. I don’t want any more surprises.”

Zane seemed to think it over. He looked from the doctor to me and back again. “We’ll wait,” he reluctantly agreed, “But not for long, so let’s get this done.”

The doctor pulled a holo communicator from his jacket pocket. “Dr. Belman.”

After a few moments there was an answer. “Yes doctor?”

“Can I see you in the Commander’s room?”

“I was just finishing up some paperwork. I can be there in a few minutes,” she answered, “Is there a problem with the Commander?”

“Commander Starwarrior’s awake.”

“Wasn’t that the plan? So he’d be awake when Agent Shan’s father arrived?” It sounded like she was walking down a passageway.

“Yes it was, though he woke a bit earlier than planned,” Jayd agreed, “But he’s not your patient.”

The room door whooshed open. “Then who is?”

“Me.”

“Supreme Commander Malcolm,” surprise evident in the new doctor’s tone. “When did you get here?”

“We docked just a short time ago.”

She seemed to shake away her shock at my arrival and her professionalism took over. “I’m Doctor Belman,” she took in the splint and sling, “What happened?”

Jayd answered her before I could. “Jace has a bad habit of punching walls.”

“Sometimes, it’s either punch a wall or someone’s face.” After finding my son dying of alcohol poisoning on the floor of his own apartment, I’d put my fist through a plexiglass in frustration. Later, I broke it a second time after the callousness of a young doctor got to me. It was either strike the wall or him. I took the wall but it hadn’t made Jayd happy to have to reset the breaks a second time or the new one in my wrist.

“Maybe,” Jayd allowed, “But I’d prefer to never again need to reset your broken bones.”

“Probably a fool’s hope,” I told him with a grin.

“Probably,” Jayd admitted with a laugh and a shake of his head. “Malcolm men will be the death of me.”

That reminded me. “Speaking of Malcolm men,” I glanced at Dr. Belman, “Give me a minute.”

She nodded and motioned toward a computer on the far wall. “I’ll be over there.” She stepped away and gave us some privacy.

I wasn’t sure how to tell Zane that his son was on the planet, so better just to say it. “Shane’s with me.”

Zane looked up sharply, his eyes quickly surveying the room as if he’d somehow missed the boy earlier. “He’s here? My boy is here?”

TBC….

#trooper theronshan SWTOR romance zanestarwarrior mywrting takingdownafortress

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victoriagrace00-blog · 6 years

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Battle For The Power: Chapter 10

Summary: Y/N Y/L/N is the most powerful mobster in England. Her family’s business being in power over many of generations. But your family never saw the Holland’s as a threat to steal your throne. So know you must fight Tom Holland for the monster throne. Little did you know that to stop all of the fightings you would sign a contract to marry him so the two mafias would become one. How could you do this you already hated him but now you had to live with him.

Word Count: 1282

Previous Chapters: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9

A/n: Hope you enjoy this chapter of Battle for the Power. If there are any grammatical errors please let me know. Please like and follow for weekly updates of my stories and fanfictions. I have decided to post this series every Saturday. If you would like to request a story message me or put it through the asks, ask me stuff or tell me stuff in the asks as long as its positive.

The plane lands and you are still asleep on Toms' shoulder. He shakes your shoulder slightly and whispers into your ear "Darling it's time to wake up." Your eyes blink open slowly "Are we here already?" "Yeah, the plane just landed. How did you sleep the entire flight?" "I was pretty tired." "We did have a very eventful day yesterday." "Ha, yeah we did."

Harrison walks over to you and Tom "We can get off the plane now, you guys coming?" You and Tom get up, Tom walks down the stairs of the plane and you follow. A black SUV is waiting when you reach the bottom. Tom gets in the driver's seat, Harrison in the passengers, you sit in the back behind Tom with Harry and Zane next to you. "Is everybody ready?" Tom asked. Harry speaks up first "Yeah we're ready." Tom takes the car out of the park and hits the gas pedal.

The car drives into a neighborhood where the roads were all dirt, Tom makes a left turn. Shortly after the car stops in front of a large house. "Tom this is a pretty nice house." You shouted half way up the many stairs to the front door. He hurries up to meet you and responds "Only the best for you." He pulls a key out of his pocket and unlocks the door. You step inside and giggle when you see the orange kitchen and dining room. "Why are you laughing?" "It's orange." "I thought it would be charming. if you don't like it I guess we could redo it." "No, we can keep it like this." "Only if you want to." "Let's keep it like this. We should get to work on finding Carson." "Good idea. We should set up in the basement."

Tom opens a door to a stairwell. "Harry, Zane help me set up downstairs. Harrison help Y/n bring in the luggage from the car and put it in everyone's room." Harrison asks Tom "Who's room is who's?" "I'm in the masters, you are the room to the left down that hall, harry you are on the right, Zane is in the room downstairs to the right, that leaves us with you Y/n." "Where am I going to sleep?" "Well, there is one room left downstairs that I was going to let Carson sleep in when we locate him," He rubs the back of his neck nervously. "I was thinking maybe you could sleep with me in the masters." "Oh...Um...Okay." "If you don't want to you don't have to" "I mean like only sleep right, Tom?" "Yeah, nothing other than sleeping." "Okay."

You and Harrison walk outside to the car. "That was really awkward, huh?" "What do you mean?" "That whole thing between you and Tom inside just a minute ago." "Yeah, that was pretty awkward. I didn't think he was going to do that." "I had no idea either." "Really you're his best mate though." You open the trunk of the car to start grabbing luggage. "I am but this is the first time anything like this has happened to Tom." "This mob stuff?" "No, him actually liking a girl and building a relationship with them like he has with you." "He's never had a girlfriend?" "Not since Dom gave him the mob, just a lot of one night stands basically." "Whoa really?" "Yup." "We have to stop talking and bring in the luggage, Haz." "Okay if you say so."

After about half an hour later you and Harrison finished with your task so you decide to head downstairs to see how Tom, Harry, and Zane are doing. You walk down the stairs with your hand on the rail. You walk in to see Harry with headphones on looking at his computer. Zane typing away on the keyboard of his computer. Tom, as usual, was on his phone talking to someone. It makes you wonder why he is always on the phone, you never been on the phone nearly as much Tom is. Then again you were a better a mob leader and busier and hired people for that. Toms mob was smaller, could that be how he nearly won and stole your mob.

You walk over to the corner where Zane set up and tapped his shoulder. "Hey, do you have any leads yet?" "Hey, we're getting closer there are only a couple places he could be around the area, in Milford, there is only one place he could be." "Where's that?" "Acorns resort, you can either camp there or rent a cabin." "Have you checked who has rented their cabins within the last month?" "Um no. Why?" "Just check." "It will take a while to hack into their system to see. Why do you care I doubt he is there?" "Zane, do as I say." "Okay." "Let me know when you get in." "Yes, I will." "Thanks, Zane." "Welcome."

You walk over to Harry, you see that he is watching Camera footage on his computer. You gently take the headphones off his head, "So what did you find out from the footage?" "Well from the traffic cameras it shows that every night he comes back somewhere in the town. But the traffic cameras only went so far so we don't know where." "That's great news Harry, I think I know where he is." "How the bloody hell do you know where he is?" "You will learn someday, Harry." "What happens when you're wrong?" "I'm never wrong."

"Y/n, I got in." "Great, Harry come 'ere and see if I'm wrong." You look through the list of names that have rented a cabin and a particular one catches your eye. "Iggy Terrell" You mumble. "What?" Harry and Zane shout at the same time. "He is Iggy Terrell." "How do you know?" "Harry I spent my whole childhood with him I know lots of things. Plus we came when we were kids on vacation at the Acorns Resort in their cabins."

"Did you even need Zane and I to find him?" "Well yes that was years ago, the memory just came to me after Zane said 'Acorns Resort'." "So do we go to the cabin?" "Harry are you new to this? We will go when we know he is in the cabin. It's also rather late we did land here at nine p.m. its like midnight we should all rest and we will go early tomorrow morning." "Sounds good," Harry stated. Zane shook his head while shutting down his computer.

You walk over to Tom, you take his phone from his grasp to hang up his call. "What was that for?" "We know where Carson is." "Really that fast?" "Yeah, I remember coming here on vacation as a kid so I kinda figured he was there again." "Do you want to go now?" "Of course I want to go now. but we need to wait 'till the morning." "Are you sure?" "Yes Thomas I'm extremely sure, we all need to sleep."

"Okay, I'll race you to bed." Tom dashes up the stares in a blink of an eye. "You are acting like a child!" You shout as you run up after him. When you get to the room you see tom laying on the bed, you close the door then jump on to the bed with him. "I won, darling" "I see that, Thomas." He brushes your hair behind your ear to cup his hand around your check. He kisses you softly on your lips. He pulls away "Good night love." "I guess I have to get ready for bed since you won't distract me." "Oh, you want more?" "Soon Thomas, soon."

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dragonnadder · 6 years

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Quicksilver and Pyrite

Before I begin, I should introduce. This is the first chapter of an AU Ninjago fanfiction I started post-TLNM, and plan to continue for some time. It’s been up on Wattpad for a while, but as I’m not friends with as many Ninjago fans there as here, I decided to try sharing here to see what y’all think. This also takes place after this one-shot I wrote.

Chapter 1 - Gilded Solstice, Part 1

Zane was the first one awake. He blinked his optical sensors open and performed a brief self-scan, making sure nothing was out of place. Satisfied, he climbed out of his bed (unnecessary, he knew, but comforting nonetheless), and wandered onto the deck of the Destiny's Bounty, floating at about two hundred meters in the air and roughly a kilometer from New Ninjago City. After climbing up on top of the poop deck, he sat down and watched the clear night sky slowly fade into the sunrise of the first day of the Gilded Solstice.

Cole was next up. He burst out from under his covers and sat on the edge of his bed, panting. His dreams were bothering him again, and meditating before bed hadn't helped. He tried another breathing exercise, but his heartbeat refused to still. If he even still had a heart - he was still a ghost. Visiting Yang's temple had done nothing for him, only given him more nightmares of their last visit. With a quiet growl, he stormed out through the bedroom walls and ran a few laps around the main deck. When his legs refused to carry him any longer, he collapsed on the ground, winded but clearer of mind. After flopping onto his back, the earth ninja noticed Zane sitting on the rooftop and watching his exertion. Sighing quietly, Cole quickly made his way up to his teammate, who looked down at him with a mild smile.

Lloyd woke up to a faint banging sound under the floorboards. A glance at the other beds revealed everyone but Kai having gotten up already. Jay and Nya's beds seemed hardly touched, which was concerning. With a small exhale, he stood up and let out a small laugh/groan as he put weight on his left leg, which was asleep. Ah, First Master, he cursed quietly, half limping to Kai's bedside and shaking the older ninja awake. He stirred and got up, one hand brushing loose strands of hair out of his face. "Lloyd? What's going on?"

"It's morning. I'm gonna go look for Jay and Nya, and I think the other two are above." A yell, a clang, and a peal of laughter interrupted him, followed by indistinct chatter. "That's probably them. Care to join me?"

"Sure," Kai blearily responded, pushing himself up. A red coloring tinged the fire ninja's cheeks as he sat up and closed his eyes for a moment.

"You okay, Kai?" Lloyd asked. "Your face is red."

"Hmm? Oh, no, I'm... I'm fine." He stretches and tried to stand, but collapsed with a wince.

"You are the opposite of fine. Come on, I'll help you down." Lloyd pulled his teammate back up and supported him as they walked out of the room and down the stairs. "What happened between you and Jay?" he asked as the tingling in his leg faded and he could stand straighter. "Ever since you guys came back from that trip last week, there's been a weird vibe between the two of you."

"Nothing happened," he insisted, a small shiver running through him. "We're just-" He broke off in a fit of coughing.

"You're sick, Kai. Something happened, and now you're sick. You need to take it easy for once."

"What! I can't do that! I have three interviews scheduled for today! My fans need to be updated! I have to do things!"

"You can have Jay or Zane set you up with one of those facecon apps if it's so vital for you to contact them. But you're not heading into the city. You need to recover."

Kai continued protesting as the two headed down the corridor and stopped in front of the entrance to the mech dock the two techies had set aside for their projects. Lloyd pushed the trapdoor open, knelt, and looked around at the odd chaos the two had caused.

By some technomagical ingenuity, the inside of the mech dock was bigger than the entire ship seemed able to contain. Six color-coded mechanical beasts were arranged roughly equidistant from one another around the room. Each seemed designed after a different creature, all of which had capabilities of flight. Five of them - the red, green, black, and both blues - were sitting relatively peacefully around the hangar doors in the center room, albeit occasionally sparking from exposed wires and with various pieces of scrap metal sitting around and on them. The white mech, however, was a different story.

Seemingly designed to look like Zane's falcon, the mech was plated in silver and white with glowing blue eyes. Jay was sitting on the bird's shoulders (or whatever they were called, Lloyd certainly didn't know), yelling at the mech and waving a socket wrench wildly. His hair was vaguely poofy from being untended-to and probably awake the entire night. Nya was sitting on the ground nearby with a discarded welder and a few bits of metal, laughing.

Kai leaned over his shoulder and made a small sound of disbelief, and, before Lloyd realized what he was doing, pushed him aside and began to climb down the ladder. His grip failed him a few rings down, however, and he fell down the rest of the way, hitting the floor with a muffled whump. Lloyd quickly hurried down after him.

Jay had heard Kai's fall, and dropped his gear immediately. He slid down the back of the bird mech, which shuffled its feet and snapped its beak, and rushed over to him, Nya close behind him. He hardly noticed Lloyd coming down the ladder, all his attention focused on Kai. With Nya's help, he turned him over onto his back and checked him over for injuries, of which none were noticeable.

"Is he okay?" Lloyd asked, having come over at some point, and Jay gave a panicked laugh.

"Okay? Of course he's okay! Anyone would be okay after falling thirty feet off a ladder!" He continued ranting for a few moments more, but stopped as he felt Kai stir under his hands.

"Jay-Jay, stop panicking," his muffled voice said slowly. "It's... not helping."

"First Master, Kai! You scared me half to death!"

There was a pause.

"You scared both of us almost entirely to death," was the fire ninja's response as he slowly sat back up.

Jay laughed and hugged Kai, and Lloyd and Nya glanced between the two, obviously confused.

"Weird vibe, I'm telling you," he overheard him say to her.

"Jay, get off, now," Kai said after a few moments. He released his stranglehold and backed off as he stood.

"Where're Cole and Zane?" Jay asked after noting their absence. "I don't feel like explaining these mechs more than once."

"They're above, most likely," Lloyd replied. "I think they're-"

"Speak of the devil," Nya interrupted, gesturing to the ladder. The two missing ninja were climbing down and walking over to the other four.

"'Morning!" Zane said cheerfully. "We heard a bit of a commotion and decided to come down. Hopefully you haven't forgotten about the Gilded Solstice celebrations?"

"The... Oh, First Master," Jay groaned, putting his face in his hands. He felt someone - Kai, probably - put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"We completely forgot. The mechs aren't quite finished yet, but almost all the wiring and coding's complete. Maybe you boys could help us finish up?" Nya asked.

Cole responded, "You're gonna have to catch us up a bit first, Nya. We got a lot of work to do, and I'd rather not screw it up."

Kai's mech was a streamlined firebird in red and orange whose form could be ignited with a press of a button. He was quick to point out that he could also light them up with his own powers, and was eager to test it out before being shouted down by the other ninja, for obvious reasons.

The darker blue mech was Jay's, in the form of a dragonfly/firefly fusion. The wings and abdomen of the bug would be able to light up in glowing lightning blue and course with electricity when complete. At the moment, they were just semitransparent reinforced glass or tough cloth.

Nya's mech was also a bird, designed after the legendary sigmarus, a water-elemental form of a phoenix. Painted in every shade of turquoise and ocean blue, it would be a sight to see out in the sky.

Next to Zane's falcon stood Cole's mech, a brown, copper, and bronze dragon with striking similarity to his first dragon, Rocky. Its onboard AI had been designed to mimic Rocky as much as Jay could remember, with a bit of unknowing input from Cole himself.

The final mech belonged to Lloyd. It was a serpentine, wingless dragon in various hues of green and accented with gold, a nod to his former place as the Golden Ninja. The dragon's eyes whirred to life and it looked at its blonde owner with a slightly tilted head. He waved back, nervous, and the mech responded with a small puff of warm air and a slow blink.

The six ninja set to work quickly, fixing, adjusting, and testing the mechs. Zane shouted out the time every so often, to their annoyance - the celebrations would begin at sunset, which, as Zane reminded them, was at 8:43 in the evening. About an hour before noon, Kai took one of the skimmers Cyrus Borg had built for them a little while before and headed out to the city to grab lunch for the group. By the time he got back with noodles from Skylor's noodle place, the others were about to give up and go make food themselves.

After a short lunch break, Jay and Nya were satisfied enough with their progress that the group took their mechs out for a test flight. One by one, they dropped out of the mech bay and sailed into the open sky. Although the mechs still had a few kinks to work out, Nya was happy with how far they'd gotten. They might even be able to decorate the mechs before the Solstice festivities began. They'd definitely have time to deck the ship, though.

With a bit of struggle, the ninja managed to split into two groups to continue preparing. Zane, Jay, and Lloyd stayed and continued working on the mechs, while Nya, Kai, and Cole went up and started finding decorations for the Destiny's Bounty.

As they dug around in the storage rooms, Kai was struck by the sheer amount of tea supplies. Sensei Wu had obviously been prepared for many long journeys before he was sent into the time rift. He sifted through one small container, crushing some of the leaves together on his fingers and smelling them. They smelled vaguely like peppermint and lemon.

"I found a stash of lanterns," he heard Nya announce. "We could string these up on the railings, and on the roof of the pilot's cabin."

"That could look good on the sails, too. Kai, mind lighting these up for us once we get above?"

He lifted his head and nodded. "No problem."

"We can't put lanterns on the sails, it'll impede their function and we wouldn't be able to go anywhere."

"Maybe you're right at that."

Nya scoffed. "Maybe."

"What've you got there, Kai?" Cole asked, kneeling next to him.

"Sensei's tea leaves."

"He had a lot of them."

"You could say that again."

There was a brief pause as the three remembered their old Sensei.

"How old even was he?" Kai eventually asked. "I don't remember him ever telling us, and since he's the First Spinjitzu Master's son, he must be pretty dang old."

"He mentioned to the three of us before you arrived that he was roughly a hundred and fifty, something along those lines," Cole responded.

"A hundred fifty!" Nya exclaimed, having joined the other two. "That's absurd. The average person lives for maybe eighty years, ninety if they push it. Even then, they're almost completely bald. Either something genetic in the First Master's lineage gave him really long life, or he was lying to us."

"Sensei wouldn't lie to us," Cole protested.

"Wouldn't he?" Kai challenged.

"What cause would he have to lie to us?"

"To keep us safe? To make sure we couldn't destroy him and the rest of the team if we decided to turn against him? He's already-"

"You'd turn against us? What kind of ninja are you?"

"Hypothetically speaking! Why would I want to betray you guys? You're my best friends!"

"Like that's stopped you from leaving us behind before!"

The argument raged on for the better part of a minute, until Nya interrupted with an explosive "Enough!"

Both boys turned to look at her.

"Your arguing isn't helping anyone, least of all yourselves. We have an entire ship to decorate before sunset, and you're bickering like drunkards in a barroom. We are a team, whether you like it or not, whether Wu lied to us or not, so you had better suck up the insults you're throwing at each other and help out or I swear to the First Spinjitzu Master I'll have you cleaning up the streets on your own after the celebrations are over."

Kai exchanged looks with Cole. "Understood, sis."

"Good. Now help me get these lanterns up on deck."

The team of three made quick work of hanging the red paper lanterns around the ship. Off the railings, on the roof's overhang, anywhere they would decoratively fit and not impede the function of the ship. Kai was, for once, careful not to light entire strings of lights on fire, instead focusing on the fires to make them small and concentrated, as Wu had tried to teach him from the start. Cole had found some red and gold ribbon, and climbed up the mast to decorate a bit further, while Nya fastened the lantern strings in place along the ship. The sun was just an hour or so from touching the horizon when the other group of three came up on deck and announced that they were done, and Zane brought out a meat pie for the team's dinner.

Roughly fifteen minutes before sunset, the ninja headed belowdecks to check out the mechs. After settling in and reconfirming their familiarity with the controls, the hangar doors opened, and one by one the team dropped down and flew toward the city.

The often-bustling and chaotic city was decorated similarly to the Bounty, in streams of gold and red. Glowing paper lanterns hung along rooftops and across roads, and depictions of all manner of creatures adorned every meter. Near the center of the city, merchants and food-sellers set up shop in several of the town squares and were hawking their wares as the people danced to the festive music and held cheerful conversation with friends, strangers, and out-of-towners alike. The parades hadn't begun yet, so the ninja landed on the flat roof of a tall nearby building and dismounted, telling the mechs to stay put until they were called.

"Shall we head down?" Lloyd asked with a grin, gesturing to the ground several stories below.

"Race you!" Kai responded, leaping off the building. Jay hurried to the edge, along with the other ninja, and saw him shooting fire out of his hands and feet to slow his fall. He grinned and vaulted over the side, magnetizing his hands and jumping between metal outcrops. Zane flew past him, surfing down an ice bridge forming before him, and Cole followed close behind on a flat slab of rock. Nya shot down nearby, starting a Cyclon-do spin to stop from splatting onto the ground. Behind all the rest, Lloyd swung down, carefully parkouring down the side of the building.

After regrouping on the ground, the team set off to Diamond Square, where the main festivities were taking place. They quickly split up, each heading to a different section of the square. Jay hurried to the food stalls and stared at the goods for sale. Melons and fruits sat next to cherry pies and caramels, and jerky and kebab sticks abounded. He noticed that Chen's Noodle House had set up a small shop a few stalls away, and waved as a break in the crowd appeared and he caught sight of Skylor, who grinned back. Seeing as he had little else to do, he headed over to talk.

"That's 35 back. Enjoy your meal!" she said to the last person in line, who thanked her and walked into the crowd. "'Evening, Jay. What brings you here?"

"We're waiting for the parades to start organizing," he said with an offhand shrug. "You taking part this year?"

She snorted a laugh. "Hardly. There's a chance next year, if I can get someone else to run the booth. Even then, I'd need to build a float or something of the kind, and I'm not sure how much time I have for that."

"Nya and I built our team flying mechs this year. We could probably build you one, too," Jay offered. "We could hold on to it when you're not using it, too, in case you don't have space."

The Master of Amber seemed lost for words, and perhaps the slightest bit confused. "That... that would be great," she finally got out, brushing a lock of red hair behind her ear. "Thanks, Jay."

"I'll send you a message later with details."

"Jay! Sky!" The two turned and saw Kai heading toward them.

"Kai!" she called back with a wave. "You guys are gonna be in the parade?"

"Yep! This guy-" he lightly punched Jay's shoulder "-and my sis built these awesome mechs for us."

"He told me. He also offered to build me a mech for next year's festivities," she said, favoring Jay with a small smile. "Maybe I'll join you then."

"That would be awesome," Kai agreed. "I'm gonna go find Cole."

"I think I saw him by the DJs," Jay told him, gesturing to a spot a short distance from the dancers. As he left, the music changed from cheerful and light to rock and roll.

"He's still a ghost, right?" Skylor asked, and he nodded. "Poor guy. How's he dealing with that?"

"He went to Sensei Yang's temple a few weeks back, before the whole Hands of Time thing. Thought it would help him turn back to human, but it didn't work. He's been having nightmares since then, too."

"Man."

"No kidding."

The two watched the crowd for a few minutes with a few insignificant comments about the festivities before a gong's chime quieted the city. Rising from the post he had been leaning against, Jay told Skylor, "That's our cue to prepare. See you in a bit?"

She smiled and waved him off, and he quickly headed to the building they had landed their mechs on. Zane was sitting on his falcon already, and waved a welcome to Jay as he climbed over the edge of the roof. His lightning bug (he internally chuckled at the pun) was still sitting in the same spot he had left it, luckily. It whirred to life and turned to look at him, and he patted its head before hoisting himself up in front of its wings, checking the panels and levers in its head.

The other ninja quickly appeared, and with a few last-minute power checks and décor adjustments, the group set off to where the parade was organizing.

"Ah! Ninja! We have a spot for you near the front if you'd like to walk, but it appears you've come prepared to fly. Would you like to do that instead?" An organizer dashed up toward them. Her auburn hair seemed disheveled, and she brushed a wavy lock out of her slightly flushed face as she spoke.

"We can fly if there's enough space on the roads," Lloyd responded, climbing down from his dragon, who snorted and nudged his head with its snout while Jay held back laughter at the friendliness of the dragon.

"There should be plenty if you don't all line up side by side."

"Awesome, thanks." Lloyd climbed back up and the team took off into the air, planning out some group maneuvers.

"I have a name for you now," Jay told his mech, who looked back at him and whirred curiously. "Storm. Whaddya think?" It made a sound of approval, and he grinned, patting its side.

"All right! Ninja are heading out first! Repeat, ninja are heading out!" a different organizer called, gesturing a go-ahead to the team. With a shared smile, the ninja zigzagged through the streets and entered Diamond Square as they activated their special abilities.

Kai's phoenix lit on fire as he flipped upside down and high-fived the crowd beneath him, while Nya's sigmarus seemed to ripple and glow slightly. Mech-Rocky breathed out a burst of stone and corkscrewed through the air, and Zane's falcon threw up snow clouds wherever its wings passed. Jay began channeling the lightning, lighting up Storm's transparent bits and glowing with an electric blue, and Lloyd's dragon grew semitransparent, crackling green energy wings as it swooped through the air. Jag felt a wild grin light up his face at how well the mechs were functioning, and whooped as he pulled Storm into a backwards loop.

The crowd cheered, clearly in awe of the mechs, and chattered excitedly. Jay spotted Skylor standing with Camille and Neuro on the far side of the square and waved a hello, which was quickly returned by all three. An effusive grin on his face, he guided Storm in a glowing loop around the square and down a side road, meeting back up with the other ninja as they went up and landed on a building overlooking the square to watch the rest of the parade.

A troupe of dancers had come after the six, and were currently spinning and leaping in flashes of orange and yellow as a small group of musicians played a sprightly accompaniment. After they vaulted through, two battle suits, one in gold and green, the other in black and violet with an extra set of arms, reenacted a scene of combat that Jay recognized as Lloyd and Lord Garmadon's combat some time ago. A glance over at his teammate confirmed his guess. Lloyd was watching them with a faint mixture of a frown and a laughing smile. Beyond them, Dareth and his trainees displayed their skills, to the ninjas' hilarity.

The parade continued for what must have been an hour at the least. As they neared the end, the center of the square opened up, and more festive music began playing as couples entered the opening and began a dance Jay thought he recognized.

"Should we head down and join them?" he asked, looking at his teammates. With the exception of Cole, they all agreed and quickly joined the circles of dancers.

Cole looked at his ghostly green-grey hands and sighed. Rocky lay down next to him, and he stroked his head with one hand. "If only going to Yang's temple had worked," he said quietly. "If only anything had worked. I miss going swimming with the others. And water balloon fights. Now I can't even touch a glass of water without going paranoid."

The dragon made a rumbling sound and nudged at his side, seeming to recognize Cole's... sadness? He wasn't sure what to call it.

"I can't age, I can't eat or drink, I can't even touch half the things around me. If I stay dry, I would just... exist, possibly forever. I don't want that, but I don't want to die without becoming solid again first." He leaned back against Rocky's side and exhaled a sigh. "Am I dead already? I don't need any of the essentials of living life, but I still feel. I still hurt, and I still laugh and sadden and all of that. Maybe I'm just an in-between. Not dead or alive, just... existing, here, now. Forever."

The two sat on the roof and watched the moon cross the three-quarters-down mark, surrounded by deactivated and sleeping mechs and seeming for all the world as sentinels of a forgotten age as the dances continued below.

As the stars turned in their endless cycle above him, Cole drifted through his thoughts aimlessly. A new vision overlaid the cityscape before him - crumbling ruins colored with rust and vines, dust swirling through abandoned roads. The patterns of the Diamond Square were chipped and faded, untouched in what must have been decades, perhaps centuries. The mechs around him were rusted and torn, never again to raise their heads and spread their wings for flight. The sky was clear and filled with stars in a way the living city, the old city, never could have seen. Despite the ruins all around him, a sense of serenity pervaded the air, albeit tinged with a bit of sadness. He was the only "living" creature in this new world, the guardian of a past unremembered and watcher of a future unknown.

Here was a world where he could fit in. Here was a world where he could walk through the city without being stared at and hidden from.

Here he was alone.

In both this future and the present, Cole was still as the ghostly traces of music rippled through his thoughts and the moon slowly set behind him, marking the end of the first - and last - night of the Gilded Solstice.

#ninjago #ninjago jay #ninjago kai #ninjago zane #ninjago cole #ninjago nya #ninjago lloyd #ninjago plasmashipping #plasmashipping #Fireshock #ninjago skylor #ninjago camille #ninjago neuro #ruby writes #writing #fanfiction #fanfic #ninjago fanfiction

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vlogsquadau · 7 years

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It’s a prank baby| Scott Sire

Request: Can you do a Scotty sire imagine where you do a hickey prank on him? Summary: You are dating Scotty and decide to pull a hickey prank on him to get your revenge. Warnings: Language and that’s pretty much it

You were trying to think of a prank idea to get revenge on your boyfriend Scotty for a while now. About a month ago he made you think your cat died and it was fucking horrible. Between him and your best friend David pranking you all.the.damn.time you literally can’t have a normal, relaxing day. After some help from the internet and Liza, you decided you would do the hickey prank. Since this was your first prank you wanted it to work perfectly so once you decided what it would be, you started preparing for it momentarily. Acting kinda sketchy, changing Liza’s contact name in your phone and being kinda distant from Scotty were only a few of the things you were doing in order to nail this prank.

When Scotty, David and Todd were leaving for a hike one morning, you told Scotty that you and Liza would be going to the mall. The plan was to have Liza come home before you and tell Scotty you canceled on her the last minute and that she didn’t know where you were. You actually went to Liza’s house and she helped you make a believable hickey using eyeshadow. When David told her they were on their way back home, she left so she could set up the cameras in the house and you stayed at her place a bit longer. You kept ignoring Scotty’s messages and Liza kept you updated about what was going on. Naturally, Scotty asked about you and when she told him the story you came up with he started calling you like crazy. That is when you left for the boys’ house. After short 15 minutes you arrived there.

“He is pissed!” David yelled as soon as you got in. “Why weren’t you answering his messages?”

“Umh, my phone was on silent,” You were acting awkward so that David would buy it too. “Where is he?”

“In his room,” Zane said looking at you weird. It was like he knew that something was up. You wink at Liza and find your way to Scotty’s room.

“Hi babe!” You greet him.

“Where were you? Why didn’t you answer my calls? I thought something happened to you!” He says getting up from his desk chair and coming closer to you.

“My phone was on silent,” You lie and try to hug him, but he takes a step back.

“You said you were going with Liza and she said you canceled on her last minute so where the hell were you that you didn’t check your phone once and couldn’t answer my call one fucking time?”

“Babe, I was shopping and I just didn’t check my freaking phone,”

“So, what did you buy?” He raises his eyebrow.

“Nothing,” You almost whisper, trying not to laugh.

“You never buy nothing. I’ve been dating you for more than a year and you never go shopping without buying something. I’d really app-What’s that?” Finally he noticed a purplish blue thing on your neck.

“What? Nothing,” Now you were the one taking a step back from him.

“Y/n, I swear to God. What the hell is that?!” Since you had no more room to go back, he had you almost pushed up against wall when he moved your hair out of way. “Please, please tell me that this is a fucking joke,” His hands were now rubbing his face but it wasn’t in anger or frustration, it was pure disbelief and sadness, you felt like.

“Baby I-,”

“No. The truth, y/n. I need the fucking truth please,”

“What do you want me to tell you? I already told you everything,”

“No, you just kept lying to me. God, I should’ve figured it out. You were acting so sketchy and distant, secret phone calls and changed password on your phone. Was it worth it at least?”

“Scotty, it-” He interrupted you once more.

“I really sure hope so it did. To throw away year and a half of love and happiness for it,” Your prank was working perfectly but you couldn’t stand seeing his hurt face and hearing these words.

“It’s a prank, baby. I swear this is just make up and everything that has been going on in the past few days was on purpose so this would work,”

“Yeah okay,” He shook his head and sat down on his bed.

“Baby I would never do this to you,” You chuckle. “There’s a camera, look,” He looks over in the direction you were pointing at finally looks you in the eyes after what seemed like a century.

“You are a fucking asshole, yeah?” Scotty go up, a small smile creeping up to his face. “How the fuck.. Dude, how did you..” He was scrubbing eyeshadow of your neck. “I was about to kill someone,” He hugged you.

“Ha, you were about to cry bitch,”

“Well, I didn’t invest two years of my life, love and time to get fucking cheated on. Dude, you were working on this for a week?”

“Yeah, Liza helped me. She was in on it the whole time,” You laughed.

“David, your girlfriend is an ass!” He screamed and few moments after that Liza and David came into the room.

“Did you get him, did you get him?” Liza asked.

“Girl, we got his ass so good. He was moments away from crying but I couldn’t do it anymore. I felt bad,”

“He made you think your cat died and let you cry for ten minutes!” Liza yelled.

“Well, he is a heartless lil bitch and I’m a good girl,”

“Baby, a good girl can’t pull off what you just did so well. Sorry to burst your bubble, but some Satan blood has to be running through your vains to make this happen,”

“You’re such a sore looser,” David teased him, his vlog camera already out.

“Oh, I didn’t lose shit. This is a war now baby, I hope you get that,” He smirked and kissed you. You went and got the camera from behind his lamp and held it up.

“Did you hear that guys? I guess Scotty and I are now officially in a prank war. This should be interesting,”

“I’m gonna get you back so so bad,” You laugh at Scotty’s childish behavior and high five Liza.

“So guys, thank you for watching. If you liked it make sure to hit that thumbs up button and subscribe cause this obviously just turned into a war. I’ll see you all on Friday! Bye!”

A/N: Unedited and probably bad but I’m trying to find a style that I’ll like the most so :) Requests are open and you can send them in for anyone in the vlog squad!!

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silver-ninja-of-the-tides · 7 years

Text

Silver and Gold

Chapter 4--Beneath the Surface

(AO3 ver.)

(Prologue Tumblr ver.; AO3 ver.)

Zane’s POV

We had agreed to gather at our dining room to share the information we had obtained, and it was proving to be very troublesome news.

“Inhuman, you say?” Garmadon asked, musing upon the statement.

“Seems to me that the Overlord’s returned,” my father said.

“And this is why you guys need to slow down before you rush into things,” Nya reprimanded.

“Eh heh,” Jay squeaked sheepishly.

“Everything seems to be pointing to the Overlord’s return,” Lloyd said. “Even if it were him, he’d have to be regenerating. I’m pretty sure I did more than a number on him during our Final Battle.”

“So we should take him out now while he’s weak,” Kai suggested.

“This is the Overlord we’re talking about here,” Cole said. “We have to think this through before we jump in head first.”

“And not to mention the new recruits still have a long way to go,” Jay added, to which Destiny crossed her arms.

“I’m assuming the plan is to be on the lookout and continue training Destiny and Janet?” I asked.

“Your father and I will keep you guys updated for any more suspicious activity,” Nya said.

“And I’ll see if I can find anything more about the connection Janet and Lloyd have,” Misako said. “It may help us against the Overlord.” Both of them exchanged looks.

“It is decided,” Sensei concluded. “Destiny and Janet, your training will continue. The rest of us will prepare for whatever the Overlord has in store for us.”

“Yes, Sensei,” my brothers and I said.

“All right, back to work, guys,” Cole said as the others dispersed.

“Just a moment,” Sensei called to us. “Destiny, there are some things I wish to speak to you about.”

“Uh sure,” she replied.

“The rest of you are dismissed.”

Sensei’s POV

Once everyone had gone, Destiny looked to me.

“Now, there’s the matter of your elemental power,” I said.

“Right …” She cleared her throat. “So um, I’m guessing I’m a water ninja?”

“Well um, not exactly.”

She skeptically turned her head a bit. “What do you mean ‘not exactly’?” This is not going well.

“Let’s, um, not get to that yet.”

Her skepticism increased, and I cleared my throat as I sat down. “Can you tell me about your parents?”

“M-my parents?”

“If you can.”

Destiny hesitated before taking a seat. “… My dad was the one who trained my sister and me. He’s trained us ever since we can remember. Almost everything we know is from him.”

“So you are familiar with the ways of the Ninja.”

“Actually, my dad was a ninja. Just … not the type that has elementals.” Her fingers drifted to her pin. “Janet and I … we were told we were the only ones with elementals. It was a gift we had.”

“And no one knew of this?”

“No one except our parents …”

“I see …" Something is most certainly off. A piece of the puzzle is still missing, but perhaps that may be because it doesn’t want to be found yet …

“So! You said I wasn’t exactly a water ninja.”

“Uh yes. Yes that is correct.”

“So then how can I control water?”

“Because you are the um …” Use her belt. “Silver ninja of …” Now something similar to water. “The tides. Yes, the tides. You are the Silver Ninja of the Tides, and—”

Her pin glowed immensely, forcing us to shield our eyes as the silver light quickly grew. Once it subsided, the both of us found that her black suit was now metallic silver. Her shoulder pad armor matched her suit and resembled wings. On the hems of her sleeves and pants were aqua waves. Her belt was also aqua, and two ocean blue straps crossed over her torso. Keeping the straps together was her pin.

Destiny shot out of her chair. “What the—how did I get this?!”

I mentally shook myself out of bewilderment. “I … don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?! Was I wearing this the whole time?!”

“It … would appear that way.”

She plastered a hand to her forehead in shock as I tried to make sense of it all. These sisters are proving more and more mysterious with every passing day.

Lloyd’s POV

I locked hilts with her as she kicked Zane back. As she bit back a grunt, I pushed against her, but she pushed right back with as much force as I did.

“I’m not sure who trains harder—you or Des,” Jay said.

“We had a tough teacher,” Janet said, and she shoved me back before ducking a scythe swing.

“Who was your teacher?” Zane asked.

She leaned back from a punch from Kai. “My dad.”

"Did he teach anyone else?”

“Nope. Just Des and me.”

“He didn’t happen to be a Ninja, did he?” Jay asked.

“In a way …”

“That would explain a few things,” Cole commented.

“Hey uh guys? I have a class in ten minutes so—AAHH!” Dareth narrowly avoided a deflected shuriken and shot back into the room he came out of. Janet and Jay gradually became as fast as lightning the longer they went at each other, but Kai swiped his leg under her from behind. Reflexively she shot lightning at Cole, who staggered back several steps as the shock traveled through him.

“Hah! Quite the shock you got there, huh, Cole?” Jay teased.

“T-that’s—n-not—h-helping!” Cole stammered. The second Janet was on her feet, the guys and I had her surrounded.

“Wooahh wait a second,” Dareth said. “Who’s the new black ninja?”

Zane and Jay bolted forward to get the jump on her, but she jumped up with a burst of air and let them collide into each other. She blindly landed on the flat part of one of my swords, and she kept her balance for a few seconds before flipping back and nearly grazing my chin with her foot. “It’s Janet.”

The top of Cole’s scythe was centimeters away from her back, and a mischievous glint flashed in her eyes before he hopped away with a flaming foot.

“Seriously?! Why am I the only one getting hit by her powers?” he yelped.

“ ‘Be prepared for the unexpected,’ Cole,” she quoted as she kept going.

“Somebody learns fast,” Kai complimented with a smirk. The door to the dojo opened, and Destiny walked in with—oh hey she has her suit!

“Glad you could join us,” I called.

“Nice suit, Des!” Jay said before he was nearly knocked unconscious. Kai ducked down from a punch from Janet, and one look at Destiny plainly said he was smitten.

“Kai watch out!” Zane warned, but it was a second too late. Janet blasted him back with air and sent him face first into the punching bag.

“Heh. Looks like Kai’s out.“

Destiny almost got the jump on Cole with a ball of water, but he managed to block it much like last time.

“Thought you could catch me off guard, huh?” he said. “Let’s see what you got!”

Cole’s POV

Des rolled forward from another shuriken and was almost electrocuted by a stream of lightning. Janet nearly kicked the back of my head but I swept under the kick to fire earth at her, which she deflected with a wall of ice.

Destiny, meanwhile, formed a water whip and made near hits on Zane, who deflected any hits that came too close. She quickly leaned back from Kai’s sword swing and countered him by aiming her whip at his feet.

"Hey! Watch it! Ah!” he yelped.

“Ice!”

The ice froze the water within seconds, and the water shattered onto the ground. Kai suddenly performed Spinjitzu, and Des unexpectedly surrounded herself with a rope of water and tackled him to the ground.

“How’s that?” she taunted.

“Not bad,” Kai complimented.

While those two were tousling it out, Janet blew Lloyd’s swords out of his hands with a gust of wind and darted behind him. My scythe was just out of reach from her, and before Jay could stop her Lloyd let out a yelp as she held a sword to his neck.

“You and your wind,” Lloyd mumbled, and the rest of us lowered our weapons and elements.

“You’ve both improved since yesterday,” Zane said.

“No kidding!” Jay said.

Lloyd’s POV

My eyes were glued to the TV screen as Jay’s character swiftly fought against mine.

“You and Destiny really have it out for each other,” I said over my shoulder.

“Yeah, talk about competitive,” Jay added.

“Well talk about Janet creaming you,” Kai fired back.

“She didn’t really ‘cream me,’ Kai,” I said.

“I totally got you, though,” Destiny added.

“You did not—I got you!”

“Hah. Let’s just call it even.” Sometimes I wonder why those two are so competitive.

“Two outta three tomorrow?” Janet asked me.

“He can take you with his hands behind his back,” Jay challenged.

“Oh can you now?”

“Totally.”

“Wait what?” I stammered.

“Hmph. All right, then.” I couldn’t help groaning. Really, Jay? I expected that from Cole!

As I focused back on the game, I could hear Kai and Destiny talking behind me.

"You’re not bad for a newbie, by the way,” Kai said.

“Oh really?” Destiny said.

“I mean you’ve obviously had experience before, and all.”

“Heh. More than you think.”

Jay nearly chopping a chunk off my health brought me back to the screen.

“That was lucky,” Janet commented.

“Yeah. Too lucky. I could’ve had more health than you!”

Once I had Jay on the run, I tuned in again to behind me.

“About what happened yesterday, and today,” Kai started. “Sorry for being such a jerk. I guess I was just—”

“Bitter?” Destiny finished.

“I was not!”

“Two mysterious people making it to the scene of the crime before you can? I would be.”

Kai stayed quiet. “All right all right. Maybe I was a little upset.”

"Hmm.” They both stayed quiet for a bit. “You are pretty strong. You just gotta work on that temper of yours.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me.”

“Aaaand dinner—is served,” Cole announced.

“Don’t tell me you cooked.”

He flashed Kai a look as Jay and I paused the game. “I’m going to pretend I’m not insulted and say no. Zane cooked. And made cake.”

“What’s so bad about Cole’s cooking?” Destiny asked. We couldn’t help laughing at that (well Cole did).

“Leeeet’s just say he’s still learning,” Nya said. “A lot.” After Zane placed the chicken on the table everyone took their seats. Cole and I decided to let Janet and Destiny have our seats, which placed them between Kai and Zane.

“So, anything on the Overlord?” Kai asked as we served ourselves.

“We haven’t seen any sign of him,” Dr. Julien said from the kitchen island. “Maybe he’s deciding to show up once every day. After all he does need to regenerate.”

“This guy’s out for revenge and we all know it,” Jay said before taking a bite of mashed potatoes.

“Who’s the Overlord, again?” Destiny asked.

“The Overlord is an ancient being of pure evil. Pure darkness,” Dad explained. “He tried to take over Ninjago not so long ago, and it was because of me. If I hadn’t been so focused on turning Ninjago into my own image, maybe he wouldn’t have been able to cross over.”

A heavy mood settled over the table, sticking to the inside of us as we remembered the Final Battle and the events that occurred on the Dark Island.

“Those events are in the past, brother,” Uncle said. “What matters is what happens now, in the present.”

“Um, on another note, this is the best chicken I’ve ever had,” Destiny said. Everyone was quick to agree.

"Thank you,” Zane replied.

As dinner went on, Destiny kept looking at the clock, like she was anxious for something. It’s probably none of my business, but I can’t help wondering what’s going on in her head …

(First chapter) (Next chapter) (Previous chapter)

#Ninjago #Kai #Cole #Jay #Zane #Nya #Lloyd #Sensei Wu #Garmadon #Misako #Dr. Julien #Destiny the Silver Ninja #Janet the Gold Ninja #Ninjago City #training #fan fiction #fan fics #Ninjago--Silver and Gold

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mylifemydiary · 4 years

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Graduation and new dilemas

June 23, 2020

We did it. We drove 13+ hours (including multiple stops) to Fort Worth and back for my son’s graduation. Overall it was a wonderful trip where I got to see family, take pics, work on my tan, and watch my son get his diploma. Well, the diploma holder. The baby did great on the car ride, with the circumstances, and only lost it on the way back with about 3 hours left. He was over it in a big way. But my husband was able to calm him down, as usual. I think my baby can sense his patience and his calm, whereas I am impatient and angry and overwhelmed with things. The days leading up to the trip were anxiety filled and lead to arguments between us. I don’t know how caught up this diary blog is but we recently had to replace the entire a/c unit at our house back home, that lead to finding a leak in the roof, which also lead to finding out the foundation needs additional repairs. The whole in the ceiling in the garage is still there, there are cracks in the walls in the living room, and several appliances need updating or replacing. The dryer door, the ice maker, the vent hood, blah blah blah home ownership woes blah. People keep calling and texting my husband to make a cash offer on the house, and I made a comment about yeah they are only seeing the outside, not all the problems inside and that sent us into an argument. Not to mention the argument the next morning as we are packing to leave. I, as the mother and woman, make lists of everything we will need on our 4 day trip. What I need to get ready for the graduation, what we want to take to leave at our house, things for the baby... My husband literally needs clothes and deodorant and he’s good. It doesn’t work that way for me and he knows it. Cue the argument about packing things. In reality, I did over pack because I didn’t work out ONCE during the trip like I had originally planned. Shame on me. But I was tired and heavy from all the extra food we had been consuming on this trip. Not to mention I was on serious pms emotions because I was supposed to start my period while we were there, and I didn’t, which is a whole other story in itself. I’m not pregnant, btw, I did a test this weekend and it was negative. My period has been messed up for months now. ANYWAY, my son LOVED his graduation gift from us, a laptop computer with music software that he likes, and we were able to celebrate briefly with my family on Sunday before the ceremony. We enlisted as a last minute SOS his sister to help us take pics, and she did a fabulous job. We were out in the texas summer heat but we did it and I have some amazing pictures to commemorate the occasion with my son. Both my sons. I did, however, forget the face cutouts my sis in law had had made that we were to use during the graduation, and we were late getting to our seats because we were waiting on her to get to our hotel room so we could leave. I had always envisioned watching the kids file in while pomp and circumstance played and becoming overwhelmed with emotion... I heard it briefly as I sulked over leaving the face cutouts in the trunk and security not allowing us to retrieve them as I rushed to find our seats. By the time we were seated the pledge of allegiance was over and the principal was speaking. It was very different from what I had pictured but we were in a pandemic and all in all it was as good as it could be. I was able to get pictures afterward with Zane for the last time before we left town, and say my tearful goodbye. We made it back without incident.

I’m getting my tattoo this Saturday, which still sounds like a distant dream, so I’ll be happy when it’s over and done with and I have new ink in my skin.

On his return, my husband found out a coworker put in his two weeks. Basically, he has been told the job is his if he wants it. There have been many discussions recently on where we see the future going, especially with all the recent problems we have had with our house. Ultimately, my husband wants to fix it up and rent it out. That leads us to discuss where we actually want to live. Here in Florida? Back in Texas closer to his work? Or fix up the house we live in now and stay put for the next 10 years until it’s just about paid off and THEN make a move. I think, last we discussed it, and believe me it is hard to keep track, he wants to finish the job here, which will likely wrap up at the end of this year or beginning of next, fix up our house just enough to rent it out, and then roll our mortgage into a gigantic new one and get a new house somewhere in Texas near his job. He wants to be back in Texas because he thinks his dad doesn’t have many years left. And he most likely doesn’t. He’s not in good health and doesn’t take care of himself. I am in agreement with all this, but there is still the matter of having one more baby. Our original plan back in the day was to start trying once we move back. I have a huge problem with being hot pregnant during the Texas summer months, which when we visited just now was in the 100s and it wasn’t technically summer yet, and want to wait until June or July to get knocked up so I can spend the heavily pregnant and hot times spread out over the winter months and have the baby in March. I will be just shy of 40, and Leo will be 3. Not to say I will be able to handle both children at once, especially since I have NEVER in my life seen that done firsthand, but I can’t imagine trying to keep a toddler busy and out of my hair while juggling a newborn and pumping or breastfeeding every 2 hours and not sleeping for days. When Leo was a newborn, I slept in the two hour windows he gave me. I won’t be able to do that while having a toddler to look after too. I honestly don’t see how women do it. Or I do see how accidents happen in the home more easily. Oh, the toddler fell off the furniture? Into the pool? drank the poison from the cabinet? yeah, probably while I was exhausted and chained to this other human being mouth to feed we felt like having. Let’s just make things THAT much harder, shall we? My husband gets 4 weeks off of work now, thank GOD so that should help me get caught up with rest in the beginning. I can only hope that jump start is enough to keep me going. And throw in the need to return to the gym in there somewhere. Not that I’m in immaculate shape, but I would like to continue to work on my body and not just let myself be disgusting and let go once I’m 40. It makes me break out into sweats just thinking about doing it all. But I digress.

Now that this new job has become available, there is a new option on the table. Possibly buying a house here, renting out the texas home, and staying put. I don’t have an issue with that, actually, barring we can get a nice house with a pool (I can’t be expected to lug this boy to the beach all the time) down here in a nice area. Interest rates are supposedly down right now because the world is currently falling apart. But that leaves us with fixing up the house back home enough to be livable to someone, hiring a management company because I’ll be damned if we are to be expected to deal with a broken water heater at 5 in the morning from Florida, and with the stipulation that it be rented to someone other than my husband’s enormous family. Because I can see it now. Someone falls on hard times and ‘rent will be a few days late this month’ and how my husband will be super understanding, and then ‘a couple of months behind’ turns into us paying for both houses and strapped for cash and him unable to evict said deadbeat tenant because they are ‘family’. Nope. Not happening.

Then he drops this bomb on me. After he tells his dad, mind you. He’s thinking about this job down here in Florida, but wants to move his dad in with us for 6 months at a time. oh. hell. to. the. no. I don’t even want family visiting us as it is, invading my personal space while my husband is at work all day, let alone taking up residence with us and being in my face all day. I don’t mind his dad, I really don’t. When he lives somewhere else and we can exchange pleasantries and then go back to our lives. He isn’t a very good housekeeper, and I don’t plan on cooking just because he is there. I get a long just fine the way we are here now. I work out in my living room since I can’t go to the gym anymore. And that works for me. I do not under any circumstances need an audience while I try to work out. I don’t need an extra person to clean up after. I don’t want someone interfering with how I raise my son. I’ve been there done that with my own family and that did not turn out well. I just like my privacy. Always have. And then what? I’m supposed to be pregnant and have the baby down here with zero people to help? And then my husband throws in the dad as an option to help. The man can barely help himself, he won’t be able to pick Leo up or control him other than talking to him. And 3 year olds don’t exactly do as they're told all the time. Or any of the time. I know my husband loves his dad and he is a good man, but I just don’t want anyone living with us. It’s an inconvenience to say the least. If that’s the case, I’d rather be back in Fort Worth in our house, fixing it up and spending the summer melting away with no pool. Part of this is that I don’t like change. I loathe it. Part of this is that I value my privacy. Part of this is I don’t want more housework to do. Part of this is I loathe entertaining. Expecting to keep people entertained and happy and have guests. I want to do my own thing and everyone else to do their own and everybody’s happy. We are right now at odds over this. If this is how we have to do it, then I would rather leave Florida and never return. As much as I love it down here, a huge part of that is the fact that there are no family members (his or mine) here to meddle. We are on our own and I love it. We can visit home when we want and on our terms. This is something my husband and I have always had arguments about. I keep my family at arms length, he can’t get his close enough. Which I understand. It’s how we were raised. I was raised with a family no larger than 4 people. He was raised with hundreds. Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Sisters, Brothers, Nephews, Nieces. I had none of that. Zero. And I grew quite accustomed to my time being my time and my things being my things. Doing what I want when I wanted. Not having to wait on anyone else or invite anyone else or take a poll to see when the best time to do what is. Yes I’m spoiled in that way. But it’s a huge thing to do to ask me to move someone into my home. Where I go to get away from people and be in my own personal space. I don’t even want my family to visit for 2 weeks. I’m going to tell my grandmother she can come for 1 week max and no she can’t stay here while she’s here. I would hope my husband will do the same for his brother and his family but I don’t know how that is going to go. I’m not some evil person. But my space is my space and I don’t need an audience or a guest to dote over and clean up after. I don’t want to worry about us not having any food in the fridge. We live how it works for us now, and I don’t want to have to change that.

I have a feeling the worst is not over for me. Far from it. But I know me and I won’t be able to keep from pouting and sulking if I don’t get my way. Which will lead to more arguments. Which will lead to more resentment. I don’t want to lose my husband but I don’t want to gain another houseguest either. I honestly am angry and upset about the whole thing. Why shouldn’t I get a say in our future? Why can’t we have some mutual agreement, why is it 6 months at a time or nothing? That’s half a fucking year! And I know how hard it is to get a parent to leave. My mother was supposed to stay with me for 3 months and that turned into a whole year. I know how he is, and when the 6 months is up he won’t be able to say OK now get out, please! 6 months will turn into a year easily and then I don’t think I can keep the act up. I will be bitter and resentful and we will only grow apart. I don’t want that at all. I don’t know what we are going to do but I do know this situation is only going to get hairier. Help.

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busines303-blog · 5 years

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Borderlands 3: release date, news and trailers for the next Borderlands game

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Borderlands 3: release date, news and trailers for the next Borderlands game

Borderlands 3 has finally been announced, with a firm release date for us to count down the days.

After a number of teasing tweets from developer Gearbox, a formal trailer was shown at PAX East, showing off some of the new characters, environments, and guns making their way to the next entry in the shoot& apos; n& apos; pillage franchise. We& apos; ve even spent some hands-on time with video games now.

It& apos; s been over six years since Borderland 2, though we haven& apos; t precisely been short on Borderlands in the meantime- there have been VR ports, additional DLC expansions, and a& apos ;P re-Sequel& apos; follow-up to keep our trigger fingers busy. But fans have been clamoring for another fully-fledged entry in the series, and Borderlands 3 is finally on the way.

With larger-than-life characters, a lively and colorful foreigner planet to explore, tons of absurd weapons, and a wisecracking sense of humour, Borderlands has managed to blow some fresh air into an FPS genre that often sticks to& apos; gritty& apos; visuals and dull urban environments.

Here& apos; s everything we know so far about the newly-announced game, and when it& apos; s finally going to be landing on PC and consoles.

[ Update: There are reports that Gearbox is planning a Borderlands 2 DLC which will pave the way for Borderlands 3. Read on to find out more .]

Image Credit: Gearbox

Cut to the chase What is it? The third numbered game in the first-person shoot and pillage franchiseWhen can I play it? September 13, 2019 What can I play it on? PS4, Xbox One and PC Borderlands 3 release date

Gearbox has now disclosed a release date of September 13, 2019.

That fits with what we learnt from publisher Take-Two& apos; s investor call last year, when Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said a” highly foreseen new title from one of 2K’ s biggest franchises” was in development for the fiscal year of 2019- which runs between October 2018 and September 2019.

The release date had technically been leaked through some leaked encompas art( spotted by Wario6 4 ), but we know now straight from the horse& apos; s mouth.

Borderlands 3

Borderlands 3 trailers and preview

While we wait for the game to land, we do have a number of new trailers to pore over. Gearbox took to the stage at PAX East( March 28 -3 0) to show off the formal announcement trailer below. You get a good look at the new villains of the series( a brother and sister ?), new shiny cities and creaking scrapyards, and series-favorite robot Claptrap doing some breakdancing.

It seems … pretty much the same as any Borderlands game before it, which is both reassuring for fans and a bit disappointing for those looking for a new spin on the series. It& apos; s too early to judge before we& apos; ve find more, though.

What we know for sure is that there& apos; ll be a lot of guns( over one billion, and even one with little machine legs) and a whole lot of looting in expansive sandbox surroundings. Oh, and a saxophone solo- because why not?

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There& apos; s also a separate announcement trailer for the release date, which also names the four vault hunters and the name of the villains: the Calypso Twins…

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The official announcement came only days after a& apos; Mask of Mayhem& apos; teaser you can see below. It& apos; s packed with little clues and clues of the game to come, including everything from a morse code to braille, and what seems to be a broken-up redeem code( C35TB – WS6ST – TXBRK – JJH6H – TTTJT) that we imagine will be usable for some sort of DLC reward or exclusive skin for eagle-eyed viewers.

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What& apos; s more, we& apos; ve been able to spend some time with the game thanks to a hands-on gameplay reveal event that TechRadar attended. The gameplay loop-the-loop, at the least, is familiar, with your job to take down foes, seem their corpses, and level up. It looks like Gearbox is putting plenty of detail and imagination into the weaponry this time around.

What& apos; s new is a focus on movement that& apos; s more fluid, and improvements to multiplayer, including the option for allies to revive each other. There& apos; s also “loot instancing”, designed to level the playing field a little for groups of friends who& apos; ve expend different sums of time in the game. Borderlands 3 also gives you your very own spaceship, the Sanctuary 3.

For a full rundown of everything we saw in our time with video games, check out our hands-on preview in full.

Borderlands 3 news and rumors

Reports of Borderlands 2 DLC

It& apos; s not long until Borderlands 3& apos; s release date but there are reports that Borderland 2 could soon receive a DLC which will bridge the gap between the titles. The rumors point to an E3 2019 announcement, but nothing has been confirmed just yet. With E3 just around the corner, we don& apos; t have long to wait.

Details, details, details

We managed to have a chat with Amanda Christensen, a concept artist at Gearbox and a key character decorator on Borderlands 3. She told us that “the most obvious jump is in terms of our level of detail” in the upcoming game, and that there are a “bunch of cool little details” spread throughout. It& apos; s a uncovering chat and you can read everything Christensen had to say about Borderlands 3 here.

DLCs: quality over quantity

The DLC future of Borderlands 3 seems bright enough, after Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford intimated on Twitter that future DLCs would focus on quality over quantity: it seems as though Borderlands 3 might focus on fleshing out the capabilities of the game& apos; s starting class instead of asking players to start building new ones from scratch, and that& apos; s fine with us.

Epic Games Store exclusive- to start

While Borderlands 3 will launch on PS4, Xbox One and PC, the PC version will start as an Epic Games Store exclusive, before joining the Steam Store six months on.

Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford hinted at this back in December, when he voiced his support for the new marketplace. Epic has been courting various exclusives for its store, including Metro Exodus and The Division 2, so we& apos; re not overly surprised.

Cross-platform co-op could be included

A listing page for Borderland 3 on the Microsoft store dedicated a hint to a very-cool potential new feature landing with the game- cross-platform multiplayer. Though the page in question has since been pulled, it indicated the game& apos; s feature set to include play across consoles not limited to Microsoft& apos; s own. With video games initially an Epic Games Store exclusive, and that platform& apos; s biggest title, Fortnite, being cross-platform in many console scenarios, there& apos; s certainly the genesis of the infrastructure to support the feature if true.

A representative for the game& apos; s publisher, 2K Games, told IGN that” Cross play is something we’re looking at closely, but don’t have anything to confirm or announce at this time .”

Vault Hunter names

The release date trailer also gave us the names of the four vault hunters, which offer their own spins on the traditional four classes. We have a Gunner weapons expert( Moze ), a Siren with floating fists at the ready( Amara ), an android Beastmaster( Fl4x ), and a suave, stealthy Operative( Zane ). We also got the names of the entry& apos; s villains: the very evil-looking Calypso Twins( not identical ).

Borderlands 3 corroborated- as well as a board-game

Gearbox gave us the announcement we wanted on March 28, at PAX East in Boston. The showcase was hit with technological difficulties- like a lot- and for some reason included a really long magic trick. But we got our first look at the anticipated title, as well as a tie-in board-game called Borderlands: Tiny Tina’s Robot Tea Party.

Image Credit: Gearbox

4K remasters( for free !)

Good news for anyone with a copy of Borderland 1, 2, or the Pre-Sequel: Gearbox is releasing improved 4K remasters of the previous games, and anyone who already owns them will get to download the remastered version for free. You& apos; ll need a 4K ready console or PC to induce the best possible use of it, but it& apos; s wonderful fan service for those who do.

All coming up PAX

The rumor mill has been turning fairly fast these past few weeks. Earlier in March, the official Gearbox Twitter account posted a photo hinting at the upcoming PAX East indie games conference- and another pixellated still of Borderland 2, teasing the 4K remasters that were announced alongside the new game.

A tweet the following day shared an image of a half-built robot on some sort of operating table, with a caption stating “Time to tease another game for PAX! “- which now seems to have been DLC for We Happy Few, launching on April 4.

The Flamethrower

A interaction between Randy Pitchford and Elon Musk in early 2019 threw yet more weight behind the rumor that a new Borderlands game is in development.

After Tesla CEO and all-round benevolent billionaire Elon Musk released a& apos; Boring Company& apos; flamethrower for sale as a reward ” members of the public having purchased 50,000 hats, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford got in contact to see if he could set the gun in the “next Borderlands game.”

To everyone& apos; s astonish, Musk agreed to the bizarre request- inducing the Boring Company Flamethrower the first confirmed weapon in the unannounced game.

Hints, lots of hints

At PAX West 2017, Pitchford announced during a panel that 90% of the Gearbox team is” working on the thing I guess most of you guys want us to be working on .”

Pitchford also took part in an IGN Unfiltered interview around the same day, when he said that if another Borderland game were to be made, it is even more of a true sequel as opposed to another Pre-Sequel spin-off.

Caught in the act

And in April 2017, Pitchford took to Twitter to post a picture of himself wearing a motion capture suit with the caption” Doing a shoot … I may or may not be a psycho bandit in a video game we may or may not be working on. Also, happy Bulletstorm launching day !”

Given that Psychos are a Borderland adversary we’d say this tweet can be read with a fairly large nudge and wink.

The GDC presentation

Before all of this Pitchford took to the stage during Epic Games’ Unreal presentation at GDC in March 2017, where he presented off new rendering tech that” may be used in a future Gearbox game .” He explicitly said the footage shown was not from a video game but what was shown was highly reminiscent of Borderlands.

He also revealed that this new tech is capable of simulating different physics depending on a planet’s properties. Specifically he said ” there might be different physics and the sunlight and the moons might be in different positions than what we’re used to on Pandora .”

That seems to have been pretty prophetic- as we know Borderlands 3 will be making use of some new environments beyond what we insured on Pandora in the previous games.

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Some changes

Borderlands regular Mikey Neumann won& apos; t be writing on the new game, as he was unfortunately forced to resign from the project due to health complications. The lead writer on Borderlands 2, Anthony Burch, has also since left the company. There’s been no clue with regards to who’ll be taking up the pen after their deviations.

Another change is that the voice behind Claptrap, David Eddings, has left Gearbox for Rooster Teeth so it’s unlikely he’ll be taking up the role again.

Most anticipated games 2019: upcoming titles for PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch