tournament | ninjago {featuring your ocs!}

01 | setting sail

The night is darker than usual. From the harbor, the bright lights of Ninjago City are just visible in the distance. Murky water ripples below the pier, but the thick layer of fog hanging over it makes it near-impossible to see. The air is salty and thick with tension, wrought with the feeling that something isn't quite right.

Lloyd takes a deep breath as he arrives, clutching the straps of his duffel bag. A small cluster of people are already gathered on the pier. Some speak to each other in hushed murmurs, while others stand off to the side, staring around with apprehensive eyes. The blonde perks up when he notices his color-coded friends waiting nearby.

"There you are!" Jay exclaims as the youngest ninja walks over. Lloyd grins and nods to them, grateful to be reunited with what's left of his team.

"The Tournament of Elements..." murmurs Kai. His stark amber gaze sweeps over the crowd of people, studying them warily. "Do you think all of them have powers like us?"

"When I asked my dad about it, he got really suspicious," Lloyd says with narrowed eyes. "Like there's...something he's keeping from me."

Cole shoots him a warning look. "The fortune cookie said tell no one, or else there'd be consequences."

"Relax, we're cool."

They all tense as the horns of a ferry ring through the air—their ride is almost here.

"If Kira's coming, she'd better get here quick," Kai remarks. "Sounds like it's time to go."

"She said she would," says Lloyd. He squints into the distance but sees no one. She couldn't have changed her mind so soon, could she?

Suddenly, a feminine figure emerges from the fog. The dark blue of her gi makes her blend into the night, but the shimmery fabric adds a sparkle that's hard to miss, making Lloyd's heart skip a beat. She's tiny and delicate-looking, like a doll, with black hair that falls in waves around her shoulders, part of it braided back. Her brown eyes glint nervously as she stares around the unfamiliar scene. When she spots her friends, her face brightens and she hurries over.

"Oh, excuse me! Sorry! My bad!" she whispers as she picks her way rather clumsily through the crowd, earning a few odd looks and grumbles. By the time she finally reaches her friends, her face is flushed pink with embarrassment.

"Well, if it isn't the master of crystal herself," Cole says with a teasing grin. "You're late, little pebble."

"Yeah, sorry," Kira lets out a breathy laugh. "I would've gotten here sooner, but my mom insisted I stayed and ate dinner with her before I left. She says hi, by the way."

"Aw! Hi, Kira's Mom!" chirps Jay.

Lloyd nudges the girl gently. She looks up at at him, a shy smile adorning her face. "It's great to see you again," he murmurs. "I've really missed you."

She hums, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as her cheeks flush pinker. "I've missed you, too. I'm glad we're doing this together."

"Eugh. That's enough, you lovebirds," Kai teases. He makes a gagging gesture at them, causing Lloyd to pout at him and Kira to giggle.

The moment is interrupted as the horns blow again, far louder this time. Everyone looks up as a ferry emerges from the fog and docks. Two men appear and drop a wooden plank onto the pier. Then, another man appears. He wears his hair in a sleek black ponytail, his dark eyes surrounded by even darker circles. He gestures toward the ferry, and the other Elementals oblige, starting to load onto the boat.

"We don't know yet if this is a trap," Lloyd whispers to his team as they move with the group. "Wherever they take us, we have to stick together."

The man's eyes gleam as Jay approaches, making the hairs on his neck raise. "Master Chen will be charmed to see you've accepted his offer," he comments. "A Master of Spinjitzu shall fare favorably in his Tournament."