NINJAGO: Corrupted

26 - Threat or Farewell

Everybody in the courtyard lowered their weapons and sighed in relief. Jupiter was no longer under the dreadful control of Sigma's mysterious jewel. The ninja huddled around their seventh team member - she was dazed but was more or less back to normal.

"Okay, what the hell was all that?" Nya exclaimed. "A woman with four arms appeared out of nowhere, admitted to tormenting our friend, tried to take her and the jewel, then disappeared?" 

All heads turned to Axel - if anyone from the group knew about Sigma, then surely it was him. Axel sighed and scratched his head. 

"I apologise for causing all this - I had no idea that she deceived me, or that the jewel would cause harm or that she'll appear out of nowhere." 

Zane went over and patted him on the back. "We understand - I think all of us are confused as to what her motives really were." 

"I hope she's not a major threat - we barely know anything about her." Jay inputted. 

"My brother had spent some more time with her. Maybe he knows more than I do." Axel explained. 

Kai nodded and responded; "Then I supposed we go speak with Marcus - he's still in Ninjago, in Kryptarium Prison." 

"Of course he is." Axel sighed. 

Whilst the group all exchanged thoughts and comments, Jupiter had moved a few feet away mid-conversation. She stood in the centre of the courtyard, staring at the palace in the bright morning sun. Her eyes were tired and disturbed as she glared at it's foreign beauty. 

Lloyd approached her and asked softly; 

"It is good to have you back to normal - you okay?" 

She took a deep breath, still looking at the building and replied; 

"Do you think what she said was true? That she was the source of my power and not my ancestors, like everyone else?" 

Lloyd hesitated before responding again. 

"It's probably nothing to worry about. You still have your powers, don't you?" 

She lifted a hand and formed a gleaming orb of stardust; her stardust.

"Yes, thankfully." 

The green ninja handed her staff back to her - he had been carrying it the whole time, hoping he'll find the lilac ninja safe. 

"Thank you." She smiled. 

In the moment. Lloyd remembered what was in his pocket - a squished red rose. He tentatively reached into his pocket to retrieve it when Hector approached them, clearing his throat in an exaggerated manner. 

"I - uh - think this is a good time for all of us to head back to Ninjago City." 

"Hector's right. But who'll look after this place? Their Empress barely lasted a day!" Kai queried. 

Jupiter shuffled over to Axel, who was sulking in shame and put a hand on his back. "They already have an Emperor." 

The man looked surprised, and shook his head. 

"But what will I tell the people? That I looked far and wide for a leader that never existed? I'm not worthy of ruling this place anymore."

"Of course you are worthy of ruling Azure Valley," Jupiter consoled. "Yes, you've looked far and wide for a rightful, honest leader, but there's one place you didn't look-" 

"Where?" The sulky man asked.

"In the mirror." The lilac ninja assured.

Axel looked around at the group of teenagers surrounding him. They all smiled and nodded in approval. 

"Azure Valley is lucky to have such a great Emperor," Eleanor said.

The Emperor stood confidently in front of his palace. He thanked everybody individually for forgiving him, and wished them good luck on their way out of Azure Valley. As Jupiter was about to walk through the circle-marked rock, Axel halted her. 

"Don't forget that Sigma is still out there - her true intentions are unknown to me, but I hope that you find my brother and he may give you enough information, before she potentially does something irreversible." 

"Thank you, Axel." She nodded, and followed her friends. 

***

Outside the circle-marked rock, the sun was high in the sky, beating down hot familiar rays onto the desert sand. Next to the parked Land Bounty was Ari's car; her high-school friends were all buckled in, ready to head home. Jupiter stood outside the car, ready to say goodbye.

"It was great seeing you again, Jellybean." Hector smirked from inside the open car window. "And thanks you guys, for y'know - freeing me from my servant boy days." 

The four friends chuckled in unison. Ari started her car. 

"You gonna be okay continuing this adventure with your other friends?" The red-head asked in a caring voice. 

"I'm the lilac ninja - I'm sure I'll be just fine. We'll figure this all out." Jupiter smiled back. They waved goodbye as the car sped away back to the city. 

The ninja were all packing up their things, preparing to head back to Ninjago City to start their investigation. Before settling into their seats, Lloyd remained outside the vehicle, waiting for Jupiter to go inside too. 

"I was going to give you this," He said, taking out the very nearly destroyed red flower. "Like 2 days ago." He chuckled anxiously. 

Jupiter laughed softly and took the decaying rose in her hands. A small spark of stardust was all it took to restore it to it's former elegancy. The green ninja marvelled at the rose's transformation.

"That's very sweet of you Lloyd - Thank you." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek in which he suppressed an infatuated grin. Jupiter headed up the steps into the Land Bounty.

"Now let's go find Marcus and find out what we're dealing with." 

So the team fastened their seatbelts and were on their way to Kryptarium Prison; If this new and perplexing woman Sigma was a threat, there was only one person in that prison who could tell them.

The End (For Now...)