It had been a few days since the ninja thwarted Pythor's first attempt to unite the five Serpentine tribes, and because of that, Ninjago seemed to be quiet. However, there were still several questions swimming in the heads of the ninja.
One: What the Great Devourer was and why the Serpentine wanted to release such a creature.
Two: How they were going to stop the Serpentine from completing their goal.
And finally, who the two strangers in black and white were. The stranger in black helped Zane hide from the Serpentine, and the stranger in white played a tune that left the snakes paralyzed just like with the Sacred Flute.
But why would they come to help the ninja? They didn't say anything about why they came or why they helped the ninja with the snakes. They didn't even stop to tell the ninja their names, and the ninja didn't even know their gender because of the cloaks.
~~~~
In the farthest room below the deck of the Bounty, Anirei sat on her bed holding a picture in her hands and smiling at the faces that were held in the photo. Her fever had broken a couple of days ago, but everyone was still worried about her sickness coming back so they kept her on bed rest until they were positive she was well again.
But being alone for most of the time gave her time to think about the decision to come. Though she still had years until the time she had to decide, they were telling her to make it sooner than she would've wanted to make it.
But if she made it then and there, would be easier to explain to her friends? Would it be safer if she had made the decision years ago after her parents' left her?
One thing was for sure, she wouldn't be able to live with her herself if she made the decision without thoroughly thinking things over in order to make the right one.
Anirei sighed, gripping the pendant around her neck and setting the picture she was holding back into her bag before grabbing her clothes for the day. As she got dressed and secured the cloak around her neck, Aniredi heard the voices onec more.
"Are you sure you are well, Child?"
"Yes, you did let us out for quite some time."
Anirei nodded and chuckled at their concern for her, "I appreciate your concern, you two, but I am well. My fever has disappeared and the weakness in my legs is gone as well. I'm just sorry that I've worried everyone on the ship. Especially the ninja. Their worries should not be focused on me."
"There is no need to be sorry for others worrying about your wellbeing, little one. After all, your mother and father were--"
"I understand who my mother and father were, but they would understand my decision to care more about the world than myself. They did the same thing when they left me, so they could protect the world I would be able to grow up in. I was always too grown up for my own good, so I'm able to understand things better than most."
"Perhaps you should take some time off from being a grown up and be a child for at least once in your life. You're not gonna be a kid forever, enjoy it while you got it."
"I agree. There are more important things in life. Take some time to be a child and have some fun. It will be better for your physical and mental health if you act like a child for at least one day."
Anirei didn't really want to admit it, but she did want to have some fun and be a child before she lost her childhood. Perhaps she should take a day off from acting like a grown up and start acting like a child, just for a day.
~~~~
Anirei walked to the upper deck where she knew where the others would be waiting and talking about the Serpentine. She could hear Lloyd from the other side of the door and giggled at his enthusiasm.
"First, I'll stomp on his tail. Then, when he turns a thunder clap to his ears. Then when he's stunned, I'll disarm him." Lloyd exclaimed.
Suddenly, Anirei felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and saw Sensei Wu holding a large box in his hands and smiling at her.
"Are you not going to join them?" He asked. The girl smiled and nodded, walking into the room with the old sensei.
"Too late, he's already hypnotized you and now you're under his control." Cole said.
"Or he's already put you in a squeeze." Zane added.
"Or spit you with his hallucinatory venom. Trust me, bad stuff." Kai chuckled as Lloyd sighed in frustration.
"Uncle, what's the best way to stun a Serpentine, if you don't know what kind they are?" He asked.
"Sadly, it was the Sacred Flute that your four carelessly lost." Sensei Wu stated.
"No, no, no, no, we didn't lost it. Pythor stole it." Jay said.
"Besides, maybe those strangers and black and white will come back to help us again. They played the same melody that the Sacred Flute did. Perhaps they have another we could borrow." Zane suggested.
"Or maybe we could bring them onto the team." Kai added.
"Whatever the case, without it I fear we have nothing to combat their powers. We may have prevented them form uniting in the past, but they will try again, and one day they will be stronger. Would you like some tea, Anirei?"
Anirei smiled and held out a teacup, "Thank you, Sensei Wu." She said as he poured her a cup of tea while the others stared in shock at her presence.
"Anirei, what are you doing out of bed?" Nya asked, "You should be resting."
"There is no need to worry, Nya. None of you have to worry about me." Anirei said taking a sip of her tea, "My fever broke days ago and I feel no weakness of any kind."
"It's true." Sensei Wu said, "I checked on her this morning and she shows no signs of that sickness coming back. Perhaps it was just a 24 hour flu."
"Rei, I know you're lying just admit it." Lloyd said, "You got sick one time and you didn't wake up for five days."
"FIVE DAYS?!" Everyone shouted in shock.
Anirei sighed and set down her tea, "There was a terrible flu going around the village at the time. I was younger and was not introduced to many illnesses and bacteria as a child, so of course I was sick for a short about of time. The old saying goes, if you get sick when you're a child, you can fight sickness better as an adult. That's what my father...."
She stopped speaking when she had accidently mentioned her father, a sour topic that all of them knew not to bring up.
A silence spread across the room until finally, Cole broke it.
"Well, we won't have to worry about the Serpentine for much longer." He said quickly changing the subject, "I've almost reached my full potential and when I become the Green Ninja, we're not gonna need any magic flute."
"You're gonna be the Green Ninja? Ha-ha! Don't make me laugh." Kai said.
"I thought it was decided that I was destined to become the Green Ninja." Zane said.
"Oh! The only thing decided about you, Zane, is that you're weird." Jay stated, causing them all to fight and bicker about the destined role of the Green Ninja.
Lloyd walked over to Sensei Wu and stood next to Anirei, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. What's in the box?"
"Your new uniforms." Sensei Wu said, bringing the ninjas' attention towards their brand new outfits.
Each ninja took a box with their specific elemental crest on them written in gold.
"Whoa! They've got like armor!"
"I love the gold highlights!"
"Battle Claws!"
"The material is really light and breathable."
"Aww. Nothing for me and Rei?" Lloyd asked catching his uncle off guard.
"Oh, um, you two get, um... the box." Lloyd sighed, but as he about to take the box anyway, the alarm sounded. Everyone in the room ran to the bridge to see what was causing the alarms to wail.
"Sorry to break up the moment, boys, but a small faction of our slithering friends are stirring up trouble at Mega-Monster Amusement Park." Cole announced, seeing the pictures on the screen of the Serpentine scaring civilians at the theme park.
"Amusement Park?!" Lloyd shouted in excitement, "Can Rei and I go? Can we go with you, please? Let me make things up. I can help."
Anirei smiled excitedly. She had never been to a theme park before, her mother and father had never taken her before. Perhaps this was the one thing she needed to feel like a child again.
"I would also like to go. It looks like it could be a lot of fun!" Anirei said.
"I'm sorry, Nephew, Anirei." Sensei Wu said, "You both shall stay here, where it's safe."
Lloyd groaned, "Ninja get all the fun." Anirei laughed.
"Don't worry, Lloyd. I'm sure we can find something to do on the ship." She reassured and tried to bring him back in high spirits. However, it didn't work as well as she had hoped.
"What do you say guys? Time to try out the new merchandise?" Jay questioned with the others agreeing wholeheartedly.
~~~~
The ninja stood at the edge of the upper deck ready to depart for their mission.
"These new stuff feels like it will really protect us." Cole said.
"Yet provides more mobility." Zane added as they all admired their new suits.
"You wanna strut your stuff on the catwalk, or get down to that park so we can go on some rides?" Jay asked excited to ride the amusement park rides.
"I love a good old fashioned roller coaster, but nothing beats this." Kai said before the ninja jumped off the deck. However, unbeknownst to them, they had a pair of eyes watching them as they jumped.
Anirei was watching the ninja as they departed, conversing with the voices.
"Do you believe they will be all right, little one?"
"Yeah, they're not exactly the best at their jobs, ya know."
Anirei chuckled, "I understand your worry, but they have yet to reach their true potential. They are close, but this Green Ninja idea is holding them back from reaching their goal. They have to let it go and accept themselves while moving past other obstacles in their way."
"Do you wish for us to watch them for you?"
"Are you insane? The child has just recovered from the last time she let us out. We cannot ask her to do this again."
The girl sighed, "You're right. As much as I want them to be safe, I have to make sure you two aren't exerting yourselves. From what I can feel, you have not recovered either. Rest for now, I'll call upon you again when it is necessary."
"Hey, Rei!" Lloyd's voice shouted across the deck, snapping Anirei out of her conversation with the voices.
She looked up and saw Lloyd smiling at her as he ran to her side.
"They won't be back for a while, and Uncle got me some new comic books. Wanna read them? It's the newest edition of Starfarer!"
Anirei, not knowing what else to do, allowed herself to pulled to the room she and Lloyd shared, sitting down to read his newest comic books.
~~~~
The days went by faster than you could believe, all the ninja trying to take care of the Serpentine, before ultimately beaten to the punch by the mysterious Samurai.
Let's just say that their frustration levels were at an all time high.
However, on one of those days, it was finally Anirei and Lloyd's turn to get out of the Bounty and down to the streets. Kai had decided that they were on the ship for too long and took them both for a ride on his fire cycle. He dropped them off at a small arcade in Ninjago City.
"Okay, I know it's my turn to look after you, but just play a few games and stay put while I look around. I have a feeling the Samurai may show up." Kai said as he handed Anirei and Lloyd some money for the arcade.
"Oh, let me help." Lloyd said.
"No." Kai answered firmly.
"Kai, perhaps three pairs of eyes are better than one. We may be children, but we can at least help a little." Anirei reasoned, but Kai wouldn't budge on his decision.
"If you're not gonna let us help, at least drop us off at a decent arcade." Lloyd said.
"Sorry, shorties." Kai drove off in a rush to find the Samurai, leaving the kids behind to breath in the smoke he left behind.
The two sighed, but just as they were about to go into the arcade, they heard hissing around the corner in the alley.
"I hear he found it." The voice said, "And everyone is gathering again."
Anirei and Lloyd, curious about the voice, turned the corner and peeked their heads to see who was talking. There, at the end of the alley, they saw a small grouping of Serpentine gathered around.
"Impossible." A Fangpyre said, "The Lost City does not exist."
"Well, it isn't lost anymore. Ha-ha." A Hypnobrai, Skales, said with amusement, "And I hear there's going to be a fight."
"A fight? Count me in."
Lloyd was about to move closer to watch him, when he felt a hand grab his. He turned around and saw Anirei watching the snakes with fear in her eyes, her hands shaking in her terror.
"Lloyd, I believe we should find the ninja. The Serpentine are not to be trifled with, especially not by us." She said, her voice shaking as much as her hands. But Lloyd showed no fear in his eyes. He gripped Anirei's hand back and smiled at her.
"Don't worry, Rei. All we'll do is take a look nothing more than that." He said, "If we find out what the snakes are up to and bring it back to the ninja, they'll let us help more. Trust me on this."
Anirei knew that going after the Serpentine was dangerous, but this could prove their worth to the team. She reluctantly agreed to follow Lloyd down the alley and watch the Serpentine as they boarded a large green bus.
"All a board. Next stop, Ouroboros." Skales hissed.
Lloyd and Anirei went back to the street, when Lloyd spotted a couple of snake disguises and a couple pairs of maracas. They used all the money Kai had given them and put on their disguises, making sure to cover their hair and faces well.
Once they were finished getting dressed, they ran back down the alley and quickly boarded the bus.
"Hey, you two, hold it there." Skales said scaring the two, "Last one in closes the doors."
"Uh, sure thing." Lloyd hissed as they closed the door and took their seats before the bus took off.
For hours they rode into the dark desert, until they reached their destination. The once Lost City of Ouroboros. Anirei and Lloyd stared out the window as the bus drove deeper into the city, and Anirei was terrified about being there.
She had heard stories about the Lost City from her mother. A place where the Serpentine studied the stars, but it was also a place that hid a terrifying fate. For she had seen it before in her dreams.
The bus stopped near the center of the city and as all the Serpentine got off the bus, Lloyd and Anirei could hear the cheering crowds from inside. They were pushed into the stands along with the others, and right underneath the statue of a large serpent were Skales and Pythor.
"I bring you together to the Lost City of Ouroboros, before the statue of our very own Great Devourer, to speak of unity." Pythor announced to the roaring crowds.
"Where are the fights?" One snake asked.
"Where is the big show?" Another said.
"Slither Pit! Slither Pit! Slither Pit!" The Serpentine kept chanting for a fight that they were promised for coming.
"You want a show?!" Pythor shouted and growled, "You want to see a fight? I ask for your allegiance but you will not give it. So I will take it."
Pythor slithered over to the other generals who were standing on the other side of the center circle.
"What are you doing?" One of the Generals asked.
"I challenge the four tribe generals for their staffs and their allegiance. At once!"
The Serpentine cheered for such a high stake as the Generals' staffs. And so the battle started, and for a moment, it looked as if the generals were beating Pythor. That is until Pythor began to cheat in his own way. He pulled out Sensei Wu's Sacred Flute and played it, causing the four generals to be stunned by its music.
"He's using the Sacred Flute against his own." Lloyd whispered.
Anirei was even more terrified the generals were quickly defeated and Pythor was named the winner.
"Bow to your master, Serpentine!" He cried out as all the snakes in the arena bowed before Pythor. But, as Lloyd and Anirei were bowing, Lloyd's disguise almost fell off, and in his haste to fix it, he dropped the maracas.
The two panicked and tried to run away, when one of the snakes caught Lloyd and another snuck up behind Anirei. Both of their disguises fell off, revealing their identities to everyone in the city.
"Where do you two think you're going?" They asked.
"Lloyd?" Pythor growled, "And that little girl with silver hair?"
The snakes brought the children down to the arena so that Pythor could see them face to face. He laughed at the fear shown on their faces.
"So, you have decided to come here all alone?" He laughed, "What did you expect to do one you came here? Stop us?"
"No, the ninja will find us, and they'll kick all your scaly butts!" Lloyd declared.
Once again the Serpentine laughed at his weak declaration, knowing that a couple of children wouldn't be able to do anything to stop them.
Anirei gripped Lloyd's hand even tighter than before, her shaking hands becoming slick with nervous sweats. Pythor noticed this and pulled Anirei away from Lloyd.
"Hey, let her go!" Lloyd shouted, struggling against the other Serpentine that held him back. Anirei was too afraid to move or to even say anything.
Pythor looked her up and down, but his eyes stopped at her silver hair and the pendant around her neck. He gasped, wanting to back away at the sight of the pendant, but he knew that he had to keep a tight grip on her.
"That pendant...." He said in his shock. Pythor went to grab it, but Anirei gripped it tightly in her hand.
"You will not touch this pendant." She said, her voice deep and terrifying to most, even Lloyd. He had never heard her speak that way.
Pythor smirked at her behavior, "So... your name is Anirei, correct?" He asked, "That pendant... I never thought I would see that symbol again. You're their child, aren't you?"
Anirei backed away, her eyes wide in fear and Lloyd's eyes were wide with confusion.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Anirei answered.
Pythor looked down at the pendant once more before he wrapped his tail around Anirei to prevent her from running away.
"You are their child, I can tell from your eyes. The ones who betrayed all of us. They called us their friends. They called us family...."
"You're wrong. I don't who you're talking about." Anirei choked out, her vision turning black slowly from the corners.
"No. I know you're their child. The child of the Lotus." Pythor chuckled evilly, "This shall be a wonderful treat."
Anirei's vision went black as she lost consciousness, but in that same darkness, she saw the owners of the voices.
"Are you all right, Child?"
"Of course she is not! They called her the Child of the Lotus. You know the memories that title brings up for her."
"I understand that, but there is no harm in at least asking."
Anirei was looking down at her feet, her bare feet making her feel cold in that darkness of her mind. Suddenly, there by her feet, she felt something hit it. She looked over at what hit her feet, and saw a single flower floating in the black waters.
It was a Lotus flower. It was a reminder of her mother and father. It was a very special flower to her family. It was so special that her mother and father wanted to name her Liena, meaning beautiful as a Lotus flower. But Anirei had more of an impact on her mother and father.
She knelt down and watched as the ripples faded as she took the flower in her hands. It was a pure white blossom floating in a sea of darkness, a symbol of hope and purity.
Anirei felt a pair of hands place themselves on her shoulders. She knew it was the owners of the voices.
They said nothing. All the three did was watch the Lotus softly shone in Anirei's hands as even more of the same flower floated around them, lighting up the darkness that surrounded them.
And in the silence, they could only hope the light would not fade.