Birthright | Ninjago

𝐕𝐈𝐈. BACK TO THE FUTURE

CHAPTER SEVEN

FINAL MEANS THE END. NO do-overs, no going back, no rewriting history. The Final Battle, now sometimes referred to as the Ultimate Battle by the Ninjago media—as if it were a fight like no other—was the fight that would end all fights. For Ninjago, it meant the end of darkness, the bringing of light, and the ending of the Age of the Ninja. For Hiro, it meant the end of his prison of darkness, the final goodbye to his father, a spirit of pure evil and chaos. Endings seemed to have many meanings in Ninjago—what Hiro defined as the end did not mean the same to many of the citizens of the land. And as Wu had told him only weeks prior, endings aren't set in stone.

Hiro supposed he was right. Endings aren't set in stone. Destiny was constantly changing her mind, finding new ways to screw people over.

He wondered if Wu hated being right all the time.

Hiro had adjusted to many things over the past few weeks. There was the fact that Wu had bought a school named Darkley's and renamed it Master Wu's Academy; then for about two weeks, Hiro got used to being the guy that a lot of the kids ran to for bedtime stories, or for questions about the Overlord.

("You being his son and all," Brad had once said, loud enough for Lloyd to throw Hiro a worried look from across the room as if worried that Hiro was about to punch a child. Hiro had sat down with Brad and told him about the Overlord anyway, not faulting him for his insensitivity, considering his parents had abandoned him at Darkley's, after all.)

Even if they were being bullied by other students. Somehow, Hiro had become the one the students came to if they were having issues.

Then he became Lloyd's "adventure buddy" (Jay's words, not anyone else's), leaving Master Wu's Academy—much to the chagrin of many of the students—to travel with Lloyd all around Ninjago, watching his friend accept awards and be praised for saving the city.

There were many things in his new life that Hiro had gotten used to.

Flying was never going to be one of them.

Hiro buried his face into the back of Lloyd's shoulder, arms wrapped around the Golden Ninja's waist as the familiar feeling of weightlessness made his stomach twist into knots. Lloyd chuckled; Hiro could feel the vibrations of his laugh more than he could hear it. "Alright back there?" Lloyd called, voice tinged with barely-concealed amusement.

"Fuck you," Hiro said back, moving his head to rest his chin on Lloyd's shoulder so Lloyd could hear him more clearly. He still kept his eyes shut tight, not wanting to accidentally look down. The golden dragon they rode on was made of energy, and most of it was actually see-through, which was a terrifying realization the first time Hiro and Lloyd had ridden on it. He'd almost backed out of being Lloyd's traveling buddy at that point, too scared about Lloyd losing focus and both of them falling to their deaths.

Lloyd tsked. "Now what would Sensei say about that type of language?" he teased. Hiro scoffed.

"Doesn't matter because I don't listen to him," he retorted. Lloyd laughed, his dragon beginning to fly faster. They were going to be late to the museum, after all. "I don't get why you're getting another award from them," Hiro added. "You've already gotten two from the museum. I think they just like showing you off."

"Of course they do, my existence is very profitable," Lloyd agreed. Hiro smiled, rolling his eyes fondly.

They'd just taken off from the school again, having said goodbye to the students and staff (which consisted of the Ninja, Nya, and Wu—Misako and Garmadon had opened their own school last week. Hiro thought to ask Lloyd if they were going to visit, as Lloyd hadn't seen either of his parents since the night of the Final Battle, but he figured it was best not to bring it up). They'd only been on the grounds for a few hours before Lloyd's presence was once again requested at the Ninjago Museum of History, and even though Hiro was tired from their last journey—seriously, a week of accepting praise and awards?—he'd still been packed and ready to leave an hour before Lloyd.