Five more hours. If I just close my eyes and fall asleep, the Warden will be banging on my cell when I wake up. He will escort me to his office to fill out some paperwork, then I will finally be released from prison. At last, I can exact my revenge on Tasha Garmadon for putting me in this hell hole, and then . . .
I blink up at the ceiling. There's that afterimage again. A face that's blurry, but familiar. Black hair, tanned skin, chocolate brown eyes. The visage of the ninja clad in black.
For the past three months I've been seeing his face whenever I close my eyes. I can't explain why, but the mere thought of him prompts a smile to spread across my face and sends butterflies swarming to my stomach. And the simple fact that I am presently without him makes my chest ache. It's like there's a hole in my heart and it can only be filled by him.
But I don't know why that hole is even there. I've only ever seen him twice; Only actually spoken to him once. So why can't I get him out of my head? Why is he taking up every spare thought? Why is it that I miss him so much?
I shake my head and slap my cheeks to snap myself out of it. Why am I worrying about this now, when in five hours I'll be a free woman? I'm gonna get out of here, eliminate Tasha Garmadon, and then, then I can worry about him. I just need to go to sleep.
I roll onto my side, tucking my hands under my pillow to prop it up a little higher, giving my head a little more support. The wall in front of me is a blank slate. Just like my life after tomorrow. A fresh start. I just gotta close my eyes and drift to sleep.
But when sleep finally does come, he plagues my dreams.
~
CLANG CLANG CLANG
My eyes fly open, and still, his face is burned to my brain. God, why is he so gorgeous? I wish I could be mad about it, but it just makes me feel all giddy inside.
"You ready to go, Lil?"
I sit up in my bed, and meet the Warden's eyes. He looks more excited than I am. Some people might say it's because he now has one less prisoner to take care of, but I know that it's because he's my friend. Since day one, he's always been sympathetic towards me and my situation; I had literally been created a few hours ago, and I'd already landed in prison. He was actually the one to suggest I give myself a name after I got super pissed about being referred to as "Tasha Garmadon Clone" all the time.
"Ready as I'll ever be," I say, sliding out of bed and lacing up the standard gray sneakers every inmate wears.
The Warden unlocks my cell door and ushers me out. He leads me down the many familiar halls until we reach a very familiar room: his office. He opens the door and everything's the same. Same desk, same pictures on the walls, same books on the bookshelves, same ancient computer (he claims it works better than any new computer possibly could), and same ugly green rug in the center. The only thing different is the man in the purple suit sitting in one of the two chairs I usually sit in.
"Ah," says the man, flashing me a faux smile. "You're here. Finally. Shall we get started then?"
I have to hold back a scoff. This man sure is impatient.
I take the seat beside him while the Warden sits in his chair across from us. He reaches into his desk drawer and shuffles through a few files before he finally pulls out mine. He sets it on the desk in front of him, and then slides it across to Purple Guy, who starts reading through it. Then he pulls a pen out of nowhere and starts adding his signature to a few of the sheets.
I glance back and forth between the two. Why the hell does this guy get my paperwork and not me? And why the hell is he signing it for me?
"Um, excuse me, but who the hell are you, and why the hell are you signing my forms?"
Purple Guy pauses mid signature on the last sheet in the pile. He looks up at me, staring for a moment, as if he has no idea who I even am, then sets down the pen with a sigh. "Forgive me. My name is Frank Gangster and I am the Master of Ninjago City Orphanage."
"Orphanage?" I narrow my eyes at him before glaring at the Warden. "Why the hell am I going to an orphanage?"
"Well, biologically, you're only seventeen years old. Since you're a minor, we cannot legally allow you to go out on your own yet," the Warden explains, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish expression on his face.
"What!? But that's just stupid! I'm almost eighteen. It'd be pointless to have me there of a few months--"
"Technically," interrupts Mr. Gangster, "You are the clone of a six-month-younger version of the real Tasha, so--"
"Do not compare me to her," I snarl, slamming my hands on the desk.
Gangster doesn't flinch like most people would. Heck, he didn't even blink. He had no reaction at all. He just kept staring at me like I was some delinquent little kid that he was better than.
"I was not making a comparison. I was simply stating a fact about you physiology."
The only thing that kept my from slapping him was the assault charges that would inevitably follow.
Mr. Gangster slides the file back over to the Warden who skims through it. "Looks like everything is in order. Lily, I just need you to sign this."
I snatch the paper from him when he offers it. He may be my friend, but I'm pissed about him not telling me about this whole orphan thing. I scribble my name across the line that says "Inmate signature" and then hand it back to him. He flashes me a smile, then puts the paper back in my folder and the folder into his desk.
"Alrighty then. Congratulations, Lil. You are officially a free woman."
This time I did scoff. Freedom would be me going out, destroying Tasha, and then living my life as I wished. Not getting sent to an orphanage.
"Thank you, Warden," says Gangster. He stands up, and pushes his chair in. How polite. "You ready to go, Clone?"
"My name is Lily," I snap.
"Whatever."
This is gonna be a long week
~
As soon as the tour of the orphanage is done, I leave. I'm told I must be back by 9:30 pm, and if I'm not they'll call the police. I don't exactly want to be arrested again, so I intend on doing as I'm told. But until then, I got about 12 hours of freedom. Time to start Operation: Destroy Tasha Garmadon.
I wander about Ninjago city, stopping by a few shops, searching for a place that I could possibly get a job that I'd enjoy. Since I've been in prison basically my entire life, I've got nothing that's actually mine. No money, no vehicles, no clothes, no weapons. The only things I've got are that prison uniform and the stupid assassin's suit I was created with. In order to carry out my revenge, I need to earn some money, and fast.
I wind up standing outside Grand Sensei Dareth's Mojo Dojo. A martial arts studio. Seeing as I've got all Tasha's fighting skills, this could actually be the perfect place of work for me.
I open the door and a bell chimes. Right when you walk inside, there's a large room with a floor made of foam and a few punching bags in the corner. On the far wall there are shelves upon shelves of obviously-fake trophies, and next to those shelves is an entry way with hanging beads. A few moments later, a man with obnoxious hair, a brown robe that's open enough to see his hairy chest, and an obvious beer belly enters the room.
"Hello, I am Grand Sensei Dareth, and welcome--wait, Tasha?"
Immediately, my eyes narrow at him. "I'm not Tasha."
He squints at me, then his eyes widen. "You're her clone, aren't you? What're you doing outside your prison cell."
I squeeze my hands into fists to stop myself from lashing out at him. "I was released today. And I prefer to be called Lily."
Dareth cocks his head to the side. "Lily. That's a nice name."
My lips twitch, but I refuse to smile.
"What can I do for ya, Lily?"
"I need a job."
"Ahh, trying at a modest life, I see. And you chose my dojo because you knew it was the best in town. Well, I can't just hire anybody to work at my world-renowned facility. I'll need to assess your martial arts skills."
"Sure thing," I say, quirking an eyebrow at him. "Waddaya want me to do?"
"You must defeat--" he pauses, pulling a ninja hood over his head-- "the Brown Ninja."
Dareth jumps into a defensive stance, wiggling his fingers to entice me.
I stand there for a few seconds, waiting for him to say he was just kidding before informing me of the real task (Like, seriously, he barely looks like he can do ten jumping jacks without getting winded), but he still stares at me expectantly. So, I shrug my shoulders, then spinjitzu towards him.
I definitely caught him by surprise with that one. Before I even reach him, his eyes widen and he starts screaming. I whack him straight in the face and he goes flying into one of the punching bags.
"You're hired."
~
A week has passed and I'm finally receiving my first paycheck. After working for six hours a day, five days a week, I've made four hundred and fifty bucks. I pocket the cash and am out the door.
"Don't forget: there's no work tomorrow since it's a holiday," Dareth calls after me.
I smirk to myself. The Day of the Departed is tomorrow. Everybody in Ninjago will be busy mourning their dead. That means the ninja will let their guard down. Perfect time to strike. Tomorrow I will defeat Tasha Garmadon.
But first. I need to do a little shopping.
About a block down the street from the Dojo is Ronin's Pawn Shop--the perfect place to buy the equipment I need to take out Tasha. Without hesitation, I walk up the steps and open the door.
A bell rings overhead as I step into the building. It's cluttered with random artifacts, weapons, and other junk like that. Behind the counter, waiting with a smirk plastered on his face, is a red-haired man with this red-tinted monical-meets-eyepatch lookin thing over his eye.
"I've been expecting you,"
I smirk back at him, matching his air of confidence. "I'm not your friend."
"No, you're her clone, correct?" My smirk drops and his widens to a cocky smile. "Though of course, that's probably not what you like to be called, right?"
I roll my eyes. It's been ten seconds and this guy's already getting on my nerves. "Lily."
"Lily? What a cute name for someone so deadly. I've been waiting for ya to stop by ever since I saw in the papers that you'd been released."
"Why?"
"You're goin' after Tasha, right? My pawn shop is the best place in Ninjago to find cheap weapons and armor."
My eyebrows furrow. "If you know I'm going after her, why aren't you trying to stop me?"
"I'm what people call Chaotic Neutral. Sometimes I swing good, sometimes I swing bad. Just depends on what's most beneficial for me."
"And siding with me is beneficial to you?"
"That's where the chaotic part comes in. I always choose the most interesting option, even when it's not necessarily beneficial sometimes."
"And what's that supposed to mean," I say with a scoff.
"It means--" he leans on the counter, propping his chin beneath his palm-- "you're not gonna beat her."
This man might just make me go back to jail. "And what makes you say that, huh!?" That was way too childish sounding, but he's made me so angry, I don't even care.
"Well, in the two years since you last fought her, she's defeated the overlord twice, fought against dozens of other elemental masters, defeated an army of snakes, fought an army of ghosts and their octopus-looking ghost emperor, and outsmarted me a couple of times. What've you done? Lifted a couple weights, sparred a couple inmates?"
Now my blood is boiling. "I've sparred with Stone Warriors, Snakes, Nindroids, and a couple pirates. I've spent years planning for the moment I'd finally be able to take my revenge, and I've got the element of surprise."
Ronin chuckles. How dare he chuckle!
"Take a look around. I'll give you a discount on whatever you want, since you're so sure you'll win."
I could honestly punch him in the face right now. But I don't. I'm not going back to jail. Not until Tasha Garmadon is dead.
Ronin's eyes are on me the entire time I browse his shop. It's intimidating. His little hums and grunts every time I pick up a sword or piece of armor. I don't like being judged. He's getting on my nerves.
After a while, I decide on a katana with a silver blade and a black leather hilt that's got pink ribbon weaved into it. I also pick out a pair of throwing knives and a few rings with sharp jewels on top; Even blocked punches will hurt when I'm wearing those.
I bring my items over to Ronin and he examines each to decide their value.
"Now, normally this haul would cost you about 800 coin, but with your discount, it'll only be about five hundred."
I can't hide my disappointment. "But I've only got four-fifty." I pull out the money I just earned today to show him.
He taps his chin thoughtfully, humming as he considers a solution. "How about this. You give me that suit your wearing, plus a hundred, and we'll call it even."
I hesitate. "These are the only clothes I have . . ."
Ronin shrugs. "Well, do you want the weapons or not?"
I leave the items on the counter and turn around and leave the store. If this man is gonna try to play games with me, I'll show him I'm not to be messed with. The nearest clothing store is three blocks over from the pawn shop. I walk in with a purpose, money clutched tightly in my hand, and strut over to the woman's section. The most practical thing I can find is a low-waisted, flowing, black skirt that just barely reaches my ankles. I pair it with a pink, cropped tank top, some combat boots and socks, and a black beanie. I pay for it (eighty-five bucks out the door), change into it, and stomp back to Ronin's.
"Here," I say, plopping the folded pile of my old clothes and a hundred coin on the table in front of him.
"Here," he says back, sliding my chosen weapons over to me. "Nice outfit. Very different."
I roll my eyes, take my purchases, and leave.
~
The rings are on my fingers, the knives are hidden in my skirt, and the katana hangs loosely around my waist, thanks to some spare rope I found in the orphanage basement. The sun is about to set, so everybody in Ninjago is busy celebrating the day of the departed. Thanks to Dareth, I know that Tasha is gonna be coming to the Corridor of Elders to mourn her father, so all I have to do is await her arrival.
Fortunately, I don't have to wait long. Tasha, Lloyd, and their mother pull up on their motorcycles, and park next to their father's statue.
I wait a few minutes after they arrive before I attack. It'd be cruel not to give them some time to honor Garmadon; He was my creator, after all.
The element of surprise is a very important aspect to my plan. It requires unique precision to pull off, and I do so perfectly. They'd never expect an attack from above. So, when I leap from the top of their father's statue and land directly in front of Tasha, they don't have time to react before I've kicked her feet out from under her.
She lets out an "oof" when she falls on her back, and before she can even think about getting up, I've got my katana pointed at her throat.
"You're getting slow," I say, arrogance dripping from my voice. "I knew this would be easy, but I didn't think it would be this easy."
Suddenly, I'm tackled to the ground.
"You shouldn't be so cocky," says Lloyd as he straddles me.
He hasn't had a chance to pin my hands down yet, so I use them to punch him in the jaw. He stumbles off of me, and there's a small red line where my rings cut him.
"Or should I?"
I turn my attention back towards Tasha. She's back on her feet now and in a defensive stance. I pick up my katana and charge. I swing it at her, and she blocks it with a burst of energy, then uses another burst to send me flying off my feet. My tailbone whimpers when I land on it.
While I'm down, I take a moment to glance around for Lloyd, and am surprised to see him battling this white snake dude.
I reach for my katana so I can attack again, but I can't move. No matter how hard I try, my body wont move an inch. It's like I'm a statue, frozen in place, doomed to be aware and unable to act.
"Stay down!"
My eyes flicker over to Tasha. She's got her arm held out in front of her, palm splayed towards me. I try to shout at her, but my mouth wont move so I can form the words. The only thing I can do is breath and glance around.
"I've taken away your kinetic energy," Tasha explains as if she knew exactly what I'm thinking. "It was the only way I could stop you from making a terrible mistake."
I glare at her, because that's all I can really do. Then my lips pull down into the frown that would've gone with it. She's given me the ability to move my mouth back.
"Why wont you fight me!?" All my rage and frustration bleeds with each syllable.
"Because it's not right," she replies. Her eyes are glassy. Is she about to cry? "This isn't you. You don't want this."
"You don't know what I want!"
"I do." Her voice is soft, like she's trying to console me. "I was in your place once."
"No you were not." I snarl, flaring my nostrils. Is my movement coming back? "We are not the same and we will never be the same."
"Please, Lily. Just let me help you."
I can wiggle my fingers now. Her power is slipping and she doesn't realize it. I need to buy some more time.
"I don't want your help."
"Just listen to me, okay? I know that right now you're probably feeling scared and confused. Maybe you feel like you don't belong anywhere. But you do belong somewhere, okay? You belong with us on the Destiny's Bounty where you can hone your skills and learn to fight for good. I know that deep down your a good person, you've just gotta work through that. I did it and so can you."
Something in my chest aches to believe her. But I know she's spewing lies. She's selfish and cruel. She threw me in prison because it was in her best interest. She needs to be destroyed.
Her power has let up. I can move again--I know I can. I just need her to lower her guard a little more, and then I can attack.
"Do you trust me?"
I stare into her beautiful blue eyes. Their compassion sickens me. Like she could possibly feel sorry for me.
I reach into my skirt and throw a knife into her shoulder. She lets out a yelp of pain, then throws out a ball of energy. I dodge it and then tackle her to the ground. I pin her hands beneath my knees as my fingers curl around her throat. I'll make her suffer.
"Any last words?"
"Why?" she gasps. "Why are you doing this?"
I nearly start to cackle. "Why? Oh, please. Isn't it obvious!? You threw me in fucking jail! Like I was the scum on your shoe, you discarded me. I'm your goddamn clone. You should've understood me. You should've at least tried to help me reform. But you left me to rot."
Tears are streaming down my cheeks, same as hers. Getting that off my chest felt really good, but it also hurt to finally admit it aloud.
"I-I'm sorry," Tasha sobs. "I thought I was doing you . . . a favor. I knew you had the potential to be good . . . I saw it in your eyes that day. I-it's why I let you live, for fuck's sake! But . . . I also knew the environment . . . I was living in would . . . turn you into me."
I roll my eyes and sniffle. "Because prison is so much better."
"I . . . I thought that maybe in prison . . . going through their reformation program . . . you'd become a good person in your own way. I th-thought that putting you there and keeping you away . . . from me would've allowed you to become . . . your own person. I thought that it'd give you a chance . . . at a normal life. And I was right . . . You've grown into someone so beautiful and unique . . . different . . . from me in every way. You've got a chance to live--like actually, live . . . Don't . . . ruin it . . . please."
I stare at her. Her breaths are ragged and shallow. That's my fault. I'm killing her. But do I want to? God dammit!
I let go.
She gasps for air, coughing and sputtering. When she regains her composure, she just stares at me for a moment, like she's waiting for me to change my mind again and kill her. But I'm not gonna do that. Not anymore. Damn her.
"Thank you," she says.
I lift my hands to my cheeks to wipe away the wetness. When I blink I see him again.
"The black ninja," I say, voice hoarse from the moment prior. I clear my throat.
Tasha furrows her eyebrows. "Cole?"
I nod and stand up, only now realizing that I was still on top of her.
She stands up, brushing dust from her pure white robe. "What about him?"
"Do you know where he is?"
"No. Why?"
"I . . . I just need to find him."
"You're not gonna hurt him, are you?"
I shake my head. "Never."
"Alright," she says, walking over and picking up my katana before handing it to me. "Let's go find him."
~
After we couldn't find him at his Dad's house, in the bounty, or at the Day of the Departed concert, Tasha concluded that there was only one other place she could think of that he might be. Now we're standing next to a crater in the Earth, and far up above us is an island, and on that island is a ghost filled temple, and high above that is the Ying-Yang eclipse. Only moments after we arrive, the rest of the Ninja arrive.
"We've gotta get up there," says Tasha.
"But how?"
Then she smirks and waves her hand. A glowing violet energy dragon appears beneath her, roaring as it rears its head. "Hope on."
I grab Tasha's hand and she pulls me up. Then we take off, and fly all the way up to the temple.
Cole, who is a ghost (wonder when that happened?) is currently face to face with another, older looking ghost with a long black beard. But something is happening to Cole. His body keeps flickering between opaqueness and nothingness. Is he . . . disappearing?
"Cole!"
He looks around when he hears my voice. Our eyes meet. Something inside me clicks. I jump off the dragon.
"Lily, no!" Tasha screams, reaching out to catch me, but she misses.
Wind rushes around my ears as I plummet toward the ground. But then I'm wrapped in Cole's arms, and next thing I know, we've landed safely on the roof a few feet from where the ghost man is.
"And your wrong," Cole declares, interlocking his fingers with mine. "I'm not the one who's alone. You are."
"No," the ghost snarls, gesturing to the ghosts cowering in the window. "I have family."
"No, you have prisoners. That's not family." Cole steps forward and sucker-punches him. "Whoa. I feel . . . different." He turns to me, smiling. His hands are glowing a golden-brown color. "Like, like I can punch through anything." Then he punches that weird chain-blade thingy the ghost guy was holding, and it shatters.
Ghost guy stumbles backwards from the force of the punch, and all his "students" that were wearing ninja suits change into normal civilian clothes.
"No. No! You broke my spell!" Ghost guy cries.
"The rift!" Cole shouts, pointing at the weird portal thingy beneath the eclipsed moon. "If you hurry, you can be free of this place forever!"
All of them do this weird flying spinjitzu thing and go through the portal. They pop back out the other side and land in the courtyard, completely mortal once more.
"The rift is almost closed!" shouts somebody from above.
"My . . . my students," stammers the beard ghost. "Leaving me. I . . . I failed."
"Yeah, you did," says Cole, glowering at him.
"I always fail." He sounds so defeated.
"Yeah, you--Wait, what?"
"I dedicated my life to studying the martial arts. Alone," he explains, staring solemnly at his hands. "I got arrogant, I wanted to live forever."
"Why?" I ask, cocking my head to the side. "No one lives forever."
"Because I knew the day I was gone, no one would remember me."
Cole shakes his head, tightening his grip on my hand. "All of this so you wouldn't be forgotten?"
"Cole, the rift! You gotta pass through the rift!" another voice shouts.
"You think I'm a fool for having such a petty desire."
"No, I get it," Cole says. "Believe me, I get it. I know what it's like to feel forgotten. Alone. It . . . it hurts. But Master Yang, you are already gonna be remembered forever."
My heart hurts at his words. I want to hug him, but now's not the time.
"Me? How?"
"You created Airjitzu!"
That must be the flying thing they did.
"Cole! It's now or never!"
"Now come on." Cole lets go of my hand and offers his to the ghost. "There's still time to go through. Both of us."
Master Yang grabs onto Cole's hand and they both fly up into the sky. But when they're only a few feet away from the portal, they stop.
"No," says Yang, shaking his head. "I'm afraid that's impossible. The curse of the temple requires that at least one ghost remained behind as Master of the House."
"One of us has to stay here?"
"It must be this way."
"Hey! What are you doing?" Cole exclaims, struggling to keep their hands clasped.
"Settling my debt."
Yang lets go of his hand Cole soars through the portal just before it closes. There's a bright flash of light, followed by a powerful gust of wind that knocks me from the roof. Tasha's dragon lets out a furious roar, and then everything is back to normal.
Tasha lands her dragon right next to me. It disappears and she helps me up. The Destiny's Bounty lands behind us and all the other ninja climb off.
"Where's Cole," says Lloyd.
"Did he make it?" asks the girl ninja.
"He was too late!" the blue one cries, quick to jump to terrible conclusions. "He's gone forever. I'd give anything to have him back."
"Anything?"
My heart beats a little faster.
"Anything."
"Even the Sonic Raider Jet?"
"Cole!" Everyone screams, tackling him in a hug. Everyone but me.
"You're back," shouts the blue one.
"You're not a ghost anymore," says Lloyd.
"You look good as new," adds the girl, giving Cole one more hug.
"Ah, pretty much," he says, rubbing a little transparent crack on his forehead. "Thank you, Nya."
"Speaking of good as new," says the red one. He's holding Tasha's hand, and he points at the ghost temple, which is now a bright shade of red instead of a dull maroon.
Master Wu sighs. "The Temple of the Airjitzu Master has been returned to its original condition."
"It's beautiful," comments the white ninja.
"You know," says Cole. "That would be a pretty cool place for a Ninja to train."
They all laugh and voice their agreement. And then there's me, standing awkwardly to the side while they share their familial moment. That is, until Cole catches my gaze.
For many moments, we just stare at each other. All the others start to wander away (I think that might be thanks to Tasha), and then it's just the two of us.
"Hi," he says.
A blush rises to my cheeks. "Hi."
"I, um," he stammers, rubbing the back of his neck. "I've been thinking of you quite a lot recently. And I don't know why, but for the past few months I've felt like I've been missing somethings. But then, when I saw you, and then I caught you, that missing piece felt like it was no longer missing."
"I've been feeling the exact same way," I say, smiling shyly.
"I think--" he laughs, shaking his head slightly. "This might sound stupid, but I think we might be soulmates."
Instinctively, I reach out my hand and rake my fingers through his hair. I really want to kiss him right now, but it might be better if we finish our talk first.
"I don't know if soulmates exist. But I do know that whatever I'm feeling is incomparable to anything I've ever felt before. It's like nothing I ever did could make me feel as fulfilled as simply being in your presence does."
He takes a step closer, bringing a hand to cup my cheek. "So we're on the same page then?"
My hand that was in his hair slides down to his neck. "I think so."
His lips pull up into the most adorable smile, and he brings his other hand to rest on my hip. "C-can I kiss you now?"
To answer his question, I lean forward and press my lips against his.
~
Ahhhhh I forgot how cute this was!! Also, I am a failure and don't have any other chapters ready.... So there won't be a regular schedule till October probably hopefully... I hope this is enough until then. Love you all! Until next time!
Word Count: 5242
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