Paradise

Chapter 19: Style

Authors Notes: Finally able to put this in. Internet still isn't the most stable. But its stable enough for now.

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Paradise

Chapter 19

Style

The buildings were taller than she had expected. Actually, twice as tall as she had expected. So many colors, so many lights, cars...lots and lots of cars. Oh, what was that?

Ronin and Dareth watched her run from one end of the window to the next looking at everything. It was almost as if her eyes couldn't get enough. Skidding to a stop when she saw something fly overhead again. It was the Bounty. It still confused her to see a ship fly overhead without a balloon attached to it like the one they flew on previously. She turned to look at them.

"What's that?" She asked pointing to the ship. Both men stepped forward to see what she was talking about.

"That's the Destiny's Bounty. It belongs to Ninjago's greatest protectors." Dareth said crossing his arms, his ego jumping in the way again. "Rode it a few times myself. I am the brown ninja after all." He ran a comb through his brown hair. He looked around at her with a bright smile.

Jannah leaned over to Ronin and tried to say without moving her mouth.

"Should I be impressed?" She asked him. Ronin shook his head and looked at his boyfriend.

"Well since we'll be going to the Jade Palace tomorrow...how about we at least get you something suitable to wear." Ronin said. Dareth gasped looking at his boyfriend.

"Oh, you don't plan on taking her to that cheap place are you Ronin? That place sold a dog tag right off a dog to a kid for twice as much as it was worth." Dareth said. He looked at Jannah. "She's a princess. She deserves something more than just...this." He poked a hole in Jannah's sleeve. Jannah pulled her arm away and tried not to laugh. Obviously, a ticklish spot.

Ronin walked into the shop that Dareth had steered them into. Jannahs eyes were wider than he had ever seen on her. The lavish dresses adorned the walls, and racks were far more luxurious than she could have gotten on the island. "Was this what they wore in the city?" She whispered to no one in particular. She looked around spotting a few people browsing the racks. A young girl sat on the counter looking over a magazine. Her brown hair ran down one shoulder while the other pigtail ran down her back. She couldn't tell just how long her hair really was.

"Hey ya there Dot!" The girl looked up at Dareth. Her eyes weren't as lazy as Jannah had thought at first. Quite the contrary. They were shockingly sharp. Almost like a hawk. Her eyes went from him, to Ronin, and then to Jannah. Her cheeks grew pink at first.

"Who's the chick?" She asked blowing a bubble. It popped loudly and she chewed it even louder.

"This is Ronin's...cousin. Jannah." Dareth lied. The girl named Dot hopped down off the counter. "She's in need of a good dress. She'll be meeting with royalty tonight." He told her. The girl stopped and looked around at Dareth. One hand on her hip.

"Bullshit!" Dot barked. Dareth crossed his arms and watched Jannah step forward.

"It's true." She told Dot. Dot shrugged her shoulders. "Alright...come on back." Jannah at first looked at Dareth and Ronin unsure. She didn't really want to go back there without at least one of them. Dot waited by the curtain. "Go on kiddo...it's alright." Ronin picked up a magazine and opened it up. Dareth looked over his shoulder at it.

Jannah followed Dot into the back room and gasped at all the custom made dresses around the room. She reached out running her fingers over the folds of the dresses.

"You need something elegant, and functional." She motioned to a sat. Jannah sat down. Her eyes kept going from one dress to the next and then down to the shoes that sat on the floor in front of the dresses. She couldn't see how anyone wore them. Those heels seemed terribly uncomfortable.

"Alright we'll try some of these." Dot said holding up one. Jannah walked into a dressing room. The mirrors within the room were full length and it was the first time in months since Jannah was able to see herself. She turned to look in the mirror as she let her clothes fall to the floor. She looked a bit more like a woman instead of a teenager. She ran her fingers over her figure realizing 'yes indeed this is me' she ran her fingers over her cheek bones.

Gone was the milky white skin of a child who was born within the walls of a temple. Her tanned skin, and muscular tones. Her hair hadn't been washed in milk and ginger. Mostly herbs found up in the mountain along with water. So the straight hair seemed a bit more curly. The one thing that has definitely changed a lot more was her...she looked down at her breasts and realized they were indeed there. How could that have changed in six months? She turned sideways to look at herself a bit better and blushed.

"You alright in there?" Dot asked. "Want me to zip you up?" She asked.

"Oh sorry...uh...hang on a second." She pulled on the lilac dress and opened the curtain. Dot zipped up the dress and looked at it. Dot shook her head and threw her in another dress. "Top heavy...try this one..." It went on like that for nearly an hour until she stood there in a dress of sky blue and purple. Her hair had been placed up into a headdress, and her makeup placed perfectly.

She slowly walked out of the back room into the front area, the heels that she said she'd probably trip in were well balanced on her feet. Ronin heard her clear her throat. He jumped up. Dareth nearly fell on the floor having been leaning on him.

Jannah had her hands clasped in front of her. Her head held high and she seemed to at least know how to hold herself in front of people who should be under her perfectly manicured toes.

"What do you think?" She asked. Dareth twirled her around and smiled.

"You look absolutely stunning." He told her.

Although Dareth was marveling over her, Ronin's heart was in conflict. This was it...this was there last few moments together. In a few hours now she'll be within her castle, and having forgotten all about the master thief Ronin who carried her across Ninjago. He felt sick.

(0)

The Emperor walked back and forth within his throne room. His hands clasped behind his back and his eyes cast to the ground.

It was early...to early. She had moments ago gone into labor, and the nurses and doctors have been rushing all over the castle looking for things they would need.

The next thing he knew he heard screaming. His eyes grew wide as he stopped in the middle of the room. He knew her voice. He knew what was going on having seen his mother give birth before. He had told his wife that the girl they had ended was his niece...but in reality it was his baby sister. A direct bloodline to his father not his brother. Made it seem less...painful somehow.

Loud crying...not his wife. A baby. A tired looking nurse carried in a red bundle and the still crying infant. The Emperor looked down at the baby. A dark black tuft of hair on the head. The emperor threw back the blanket. Boy. He will succeed him. It was perfect. His eyes however shot up to the woman. The woman stepped back. The emperor gritted his teeth and stepped toward the nurse.

"My wife?" It was never his empress.

"She...She's gone sire." The bellow of pain from him caused everyone in the room to leave. He looked down at his son. The one who was strong enough to destroy someone as strong as her. He smiled and sat down on the throne.

"You will be a strong Emperor one day my son. My...Theo."