Ninjago S9 Fanfic: Reconciled hearts(Llorumi)

Chapter 101: Head in the clouds

Chapter by: LillaSmolBean
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What was that smell?

If Cloud was able to speak, she'd be asking that question. The puppy had woken up after a mysterious smell had filled her muzzle and ever since, she had been feeling rather...what was the right word to put it, bizarre? Curious, even, to figure out what that smell was.

But to do so, she had to get out of here. She knew for a fact that the scent was beyond the bounty. Why's that? The puppy had blinked, trotting her way over to her owner's bedroom window, it was opened. 'The smell could have came through from there, that means whatever I smelled comes from the city.' concluded the puppy, righteous as ever.

She sensed a flame ignite within her, a desire to go out and adventure. She had seen everything here in the Bounty and occasionally looked through the city with Harumi accompanying her for a walk. But every time she had ever been out, it had always felt..quite compelling. Her surroundings were limited and she had always been watched.

"Don't go to far now, Cloud." there was that, whenever she was sniffing around the wet pavement for clues during that noodle truck mission, she could never escape and look around on her own.

So that's why,

'My desire? It's to explore the city myself, find out what's really out there.'

Cloud had made up her mind, her curiosity and desire getting the best of her. Without much effort, she jumped up to the ledge where the window was and carefully moved her paws to step on the frame. She saw it, the outside world below her, the buildings being ever so close to tower over the bounty. This was it, this was Ninjago city calling out her name.

Taking a deep breath, she glanced back at the almost deserted room and nodded to herself. 'I won't let myself get distracted, I'll return here as soon as possible. No time for my head to be in the clouds.' She promised to herself, before allowing herself to fall from the bounty, looking worriedly as she tried to look for a ledge to safely land on.

The fall felt like ages, she could have sworn that the moon was shifting over to a new dawn at this point. But no, it was still the dead of the night even if she fluttered her eyes shut. Breathing in the musk air and surprising herself with how cold nights could get, she didn't realize her small form landing in a bush.

Shaking her head and licking the dirt off her paws, Cloud attempted to get out of the bush, only to realize something pulling at her neck. She growled and barked, trying to free herself from whatever might have grabbed her. If only her paws weren't useless, if only they were like a human's hand, she'd pry whatever ate at her neck without further hesitation.

Minutes and minutes of struggling allowed her to regain her freedom. Cloud stumbled forward and almost landed on the rocky ground. She whimpered and recognized the feeling of a solid ground. Ah, she finally made it, she was here in Ninjago, not just viewing it from the skies above like this city was a petting zoo.

Brushing her uncomfortable state from earlier, she figured her collar must have been caught in a twig, the puppy began running off, freedom being all of hers for tonight. She failed to notice the light green collar laying around a few centimetres from the bush and onto the cold pavement.
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There were barley any lights coming from buildings considering it was night, but the neon flashes from streetlights were not a problem. The puppy felt amazed, ecstatic, what was it? A feeling of breathing in all of that cold air, even if it sent shivers down her spine as she wandered off into the unknown. So many buildings, so much free air all around here, Cloud was shocked.

Even if she knew that Harumi was against the idea of her going outside into the city, Cloud didn't feel at all bad for finally getting to discover things on her own. Yeah, she knows that Harumi was only looking out for her safety, but the whole resistance couldn't just expect her to be a good guard dog and forever condemn herself to that flying ship.