The Imperial Battle II: The Emperor of Ninjago

Chapter 1. Dancing Prince

Dense fog was hovering in the wet, wooden streets of Stiix. The city was gloomy and most people appeared to prefer to stay indoors in such cold weather. Well, most people.

A young man dressed in torn black jeans and a dirty red hoodie was quietly creeping across the streets, past the houses, towards a very small house on the very edge of the city.

"They raised the bounty on the Crown Prince's head. It's now two-hundred and sixty million yens,"

The young man, Kai, stopped to listen to the two people talking. The music they were playing on the old radio was drowning out their voices a little, but he could still hear bits of their conversation.

"Gee, I'd have use for that kind of money."

"The Emperor will probably offer even more eventually. He seems desperate to find the brat."

Kai gulped slightly, but continued his way. The house he had been heading to was soon in his sight. The windows were dark and the whole house seemed utterly abandoned, unless mice and spiders were counted as residents. He came to the front door and knocked on it three times in a specific rhythm. He waited for a while until he heard three similar knocks from inside. A smile made its way onto his lips and he pushed the door open with a loud creak.

Kai didn't manage to even look around before he was already pushed hard in the chest.

"Kai Raymond Smith, I hate you! You just left the house without a word, were gone for hours and now came back as if nothing was wrong!"

Kai just barely managed to take a firm hold of Lloyd's arms to prevent him from smacking the breath out of him. He could see the angry expression on the blond's face, one which had clearly been riddled with concern just a while ago.

"Lloyd, Lloyd, calm down," Kai chuckled, knowing it was probably going to make things even worse.

"'Calm down'? Do you have any idea how worried I've been?" Lloyd inquired, giving him the most reproachful of looks. "I thought you'd been captured or killed or hurt!"

"Lloyd—"

"Do you know how dangerous it is for you to go outside alone without telling me anything? What if you got taken? I would have no idea until I would learn you've been killed!"

"Lloyd, I'm sorry!" Kai exclaimed and finally let go of him.

"Well, you have every reason to be!" Lloyd replied. "I thought you agreed on letting me know where you're going and when you're coming back."

"I did."

"Do you know how worried I've been?"

"Yes."

"How do you think you would've felt if I'd suddenly disappeared?"

"Been there, done that," Kai grinned. "Though, this time, I would go full-on sicko mode."

"Exactly!" Lloyd crossed his arms.

"Sorry, Beojkkoch," Kai apologized with a smile that Lloyd could still not resist for its pure innocence.

Lloyd huffed and slowly calmed down. "What did you go outside for?"

Kai smiled widely and pulled out the dark hair stick with small cherry blossoms decorating it. "Happy birthday!"

Lloyd sighed, but smiled a little. "Idiot..."

Kai smirked, grabbed Lloyd's hands and started to sing. "You are the dancing que— prince! Young and sweet! Only seve— nineteen!" He blushed in embarrassment, but at least Lloyd giggled.