Zane was badly injured from a fight with Mr. E.
That alone made me grumble as I was tending to the child's injury in our medical room. She sat on a chair while I was knelt down to her.
I heard the door open and looked, seeing Nya as I patched up the kid's head. "Hey Nya" I greeted and stood.
"Hey" she walked over "Can I speak to you privately?"
"Of course." I reply and exit the room, letting the child go play in the sleeping chambers. I stood with Nya as I faced her.
She was hesitant "So, uh...You found the kid at their hideout?"
"Yeah. She attacked Ultra Violet after she had punched me" I gestured to my patched up cheek. Nya frowned and reached up, caressing my cheek.
I smiled.
She sighed and pulled away "Don't you think she looks a bit...Odd?"
I tilt my head "Hm?" I ask. Nya sighed "She looks like a Hypnobrai..."
"What's wrong with Nadine being Hypnobrai?"
Nya's eyes widened at my reply. "You already named her?"
I nod "Yeah. It might not be easy but I'm hoping you'll be okay with helping..."
Nya thought about it and nods "Okay. She looks about...Seven maybe? I can't tell without Zane scanning her but he's not doing well."
I nod "She looks around that age, yeah...I wonder what they were doing with her." I frown at that thought.
~~~
We were now in the dining room, trying to figure out the map that Cole found wrapped around the baby. "I don't get it. Why was the baby wrapped in a map?" Kai asked.
"This part here looks like it could be the central part of Ninjago" Harumi said. "And the X. You think the third Oni mask could be hidden there?" Nya asked.
"Primeval's Eye. My mother used to tell me about this place...it's an uncharted, vast wilderness of death. Her friend, an archaeologist, I think his name was Dr. Yost, he had gone in to map the area. But he never returned.." Lloyd said. "I don't wanna say it, but it sounds like the perfect place to hide something you don't want anyone to find" Nya said.
"Ha, ha! Come here you little sucker!" Jay said and tried to stab his meatball, but stabbed Kai's hand instead, he yelped in pain.
Cole quickly covered the baby's eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to!-" Jay started, "Don't! Just— don't." Kai said and took the fork out, Nya went to get some more food.
I stretched a bit. Nadine looked up at me from my lap and did the same. I looked down at her and smiled. When Nya came back, she stared at Cole. "What're you feeding him?" She asked him "Tea." He replies.
"Tea?! You can't feed a baby tea!" Nya said "Huh? Why not? He likes it. He won't drink anything else" he said, the ship suddenly moved. I held Nadine on my lap as some of the others fell. "What happened to the lights?" Kai asked, I got off my seat holding Nadine in my arms.
"...Get to the bridge. Quick!" Lloyd said and we all ran to the bridge and into the control room.
"Pixal! What's happening?" Lloyd asked Pixal, but the screen didn't turn on, I frowned.
"...Must be a power failure." Kai said "Or it's a trap." Jay said. "Freaking out isn't going to help us, guys." I said "Jay might be right, the backup generators would've kicked in. This is something else" Nya said.
The big screen suddenly turned on "Emergency! Emergency!" Pixal said from the screen, I looked. "What happened, Pixal?" Lloyd asked "I'm detecting a foreign presence has been introduced into my system. It appears we are being tracked. I have lost control of the ship" Pixal explained.
"Huh?! How did something get in?!" Jay asked "Zane. Mr. E must've planted the trap in him." I said as I gestured to Zane who was twitching.
"Proximity alarm. Something is approaching the Bounty fast." Pixal said "On-screen." Nya spoke and Pixal put it on Samurai X.
"It is Samurai X." Pixal said "Oh, he must be here to help us out!" Cole said. "I'm afraid that is unlikely. My system is overrun." Pixal said.
"Pixal, I don't get it...what're you talking about?" I asked. "..This would be a good time to make a minor confession. I am...Samurai X." Pixal said, my eyes widened.
"What?!" Everyone said "Hah! Totally called it!" Jay said. "You did not!" I told my brother "Did too!" Jay said, the ship suddenly was shot at.
I stumbled slightly but caught myself, Nadine clung to me tightly. "The mech is targeting the second aft thruster. Lloyd, if we lose the second—" Nya started "I know, I know. We'll drop out of the sky like a brick. Nya, try to find the foreign agent. Jay, keep that lighting off our back. The rest of us, get ready to fight." Lloyd said and we all ran out the room.
I ran to the sleeping chambers and set Nadine on a bed. She looked at me "Wh-What's happening...? Are we being attacked?"
I patted her head "It's okay, Nadine. I'll keep you safe, just stay in here and nothing will get you."
She nods and I exited the room. I ran outside as I pulled out one of my katanas and saw the others fighting Pixal.
I jumped in as I clashed blades with my friend "Pixal! Snap out of it!"
She didn't respond as she kicked me and I slid across the floorboards.
As I stood, I heard Nya's screams from inside. I whipped my head around and gasped "Nya!"
I put my katana in its sheath and dashed inside. I dashed to the control room and opened the door.
There was a robotic spider trying to get Nya, I held my dagger and threw it as it hit the spider, pinning it at the wall. "...What in the name of Ninjago is going around here?" I heard Zane ask and I looked, seeing Zane was operational again.
Pixal spoke from the computer screen "Foreign agent has been purged from my system. Commencing system reboot in 30 seconds" she said and started the reboot. Me, Zane and Nya went out to the dock.
I saw Samurai X throw a sword and it hit the last thruster. "Woah!" I said and we all fell, I landed against the railings and Nya fell on me.
I held her close to make sure she didn't fall. "She got the last thruster! Anyone got ideas?!" Jay yelled "Not a one!" Zane said. "Yeah, me neither!" Kai said "Pray to Wohira!" Jay yelled. "That's not helpful, Jay!" I said, I looked down at Nya.
"Nya, can you use your powers to help slow our fall?" I asked "It's worth a try." She said and got up as she went to the dragon head on the bounty and started to use her powers.
"Brace for impact!" Kai said, I realized something. I looked at Cole and the two of us nodded. We dashed inside and to the sleeping quarters. Cole protected the baby as I protected Nadine, my two dogs curled up on the two of us.
~~~
Author's Edit: Oct 15, 2023
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