Turns out we have absolutely no talent in songwriting.
I was sitting on the couch with a piece of paper, brainstorming lyrics. Camden was beside me, seeming as frustrated. Viktor paced back and forth silently, Ajax glanced out of the window, deep in thought.
We were at Viktor's house, which was a two-story building right on the street where the Dairy Dragon was. Usually, we bought ice cream along the way as we visited him.
Viktor was a tall guy, he had tidy black hair, square glasses and he usually wore a brown jacket with him. He smelled like coffee, I wasn't sure why at first, but I noticed he drank a lot of coffee. Viktor sipped his coffee mug.
My brain was empty, I glanced around the living room. It wasn't a huge living room, it had a long brown couch Camden and I were sitting on and several armchairs arranged around a coffee table. In front of me was a tall lamp beside the wall the Television was hung on. The walls were coloured a shade of yellow and the floorboards were made of wood.
"Anyone? Any ideas?" Ajax mumbled, swishing his pencil around. Ajax is a short guy, with shoulder-length black hair, he wears glasses too. He was wearing his baggy grey hoodie, with tattered jeans. He sometimes looked like a girl more than he looked like a guy, but he's a guy.
"No," I mumbled, sweeping my feet on the floor. Your greatest mistake was assuming I could write songs, Ajax. Which I can't.
"...something like...Beyond the Stars?" Camden chimed in, his Mohawk was combed down so his hair looked weird and messy. I had no idea how he got his Mohawk style again. But, it's probably just that I don't have any talent in hairstyles.
"Sounds more like a band name or an album," Viktor yawned. "My head's empty, so thanks for coming up with an idea at least."
Camden smiled. "Maybe we can work on the instrumentals? It's easier to figure out the lyrics then," he added.
"Wouldn't it make a lot of noise? Electric guitar and drums are loud." Ajax said, putting his pencil down.
"That's the fun part — that's the fu—" I stopped myself from finishing when Mr Vance, Viktor's father came over.
"Son, are you done with your project?" Mr. Vance eyed Viktor, his voice was dry and raspy. He looked as if he hadn't slept for days.
Mr. Vance worked at Borg Industries, I suspect the job was hard. A lot of bad things happened at Borg Tower. It must've been terrifying, at one point that's where the Overlord was. I mean, imagine working in your office and suddenly your boss is possessed by the literal embodiment of evil, every machinery starts going nuts, and the alarm systems are blaring everywhere. I don't know about you, but I wonder how people could work there and still be sane.
"No," Viktor replied, swallowing his saliva.
Mr. Vance nodded, he edged away to the stairs to head upstairs wearily.
"Beyond the stars we go..." I mumbled, tapping my finger on the couch.
Camden's eyes widened, he glanced at Viktor, who immediately started writing.
"When the skies fall and there's nowhere to run. Follow our instincts, go on and there's nothing to see," Camden stomped his foot to make beats as he rapped. "Fly high. I want to see—"
"How the World goes on beyond our stars," I interrupted, a smile formed on my lips.
We continued scribbling and writing for an hour until we came up with the final version. One song is done, there's more to go and we haven't even started the instrumentals. Ajax said he'd come up with it soon. Just that we wait.
It's one of the funnest experiences I've ever had with the band. I'd say it was the best day ever, probably not. Highschool still sucked as ever and that wouldn't change. Plus, I've got homework.
Homework, don't you just hate it?
I mean it's all right if homework is given once a week, it's not when it's given every day. Sometimes I end up staying up to finish the crappy work because it was due tomorrow and the last thing I wanted was my dad being called to the office with me.
Ajax lived near Viktor, so he didn't have a problem going back. Camden and I lived further away from them, so we'd walk back him together.
During a good evening in Ninjago City, there are some parts of the city where food stalls open and you can eat a few corn dogs, sausages, ice cream, and sushi. Maybe you can drink boba if you do catch the stall.
We liked grabbing a snack or two before heading home, and there were more stalls than usual because there was some festival coming up.
I don't particularly remember the occasion well, because my parents didn't really take me to celebrations as much. But people wore kabuki or Oni masks to celebrate something. I guess there's a history to it, but I'm not very interested in it.
We walked up to our favourite stall, which was opened by Mr Zhao, he sold noodles, dumplings, sushi and a lot of other traditional food. Mr. Zhao is a stout small guy, he has a grey moustache and a balding forehead. He wore some funny-looking samurai clothing. You'd easily recognise his raspy voice, although he may be a little strange, he is a generous man.
"Kuzon, Camden! Ah, one of my favourite customers. How's your day going?" he said, waving to us as soon as he saw us.
"Pretty all right, how's your day Mr. Zhao?" responded Camden. He was always quicker than me in conversation. Probably because I lacked social skills.
"I've been having a good time! You boys excited for the festival?" Mr. Zhao grinned.
Camden flinched at the mention of the festival, I wasn't sure why. He didn't have a particular issue with it, so why? I didn't ask though.
"Not really. I'm guessing you are," I told him. Hoping I didn't sound disinterested.
"Well, of course I am! You boys better come that day, and don't forget your kabuki masks — so the Oni won't come get you!" Mr. Zhao chuckled.
"Aren't the Oni just myths?" Camden asked, a bit sceptical.
"Oh — no, child! The Oni are very real. They are just hiding in the darkness, waiting until they can unleash their destruction again! Ah, you boys don't worry. Dumplings?" Mr. Zhao raised a bowl of delicious dumplings, and the sweet smell of the food flowed into my nose, churning my stomach.
"How could we resist that?" I laughed.
Camden gave me a smirk, picking up some chopsticks.
"Oh you are so on," I chuckled and snatched a pair of chopsticks.
We ate the dumplings swiftly, attempting to pilfer each other's food. In the end, (it doesn't even matter) because we both ate the same amount of dumplings.
Camden got an unexpected call from someone, so he went off from the stall to take the call.
I waited for him to finish, and I didn't touch the two leftover dumplings. I'm a loyal friend, OK? I wouldn't eat all this without him, besides, it's more fun to see the look on his face if I snatch the food in front of him.
While I was gazing at other food stalls, distracted by the sweet aroma of delicious food, I saw something weird.
And by weird, I mean: WHAT THE ACTUAL HYUCK AM I SEEING?
My eyes widened I saw a dragon, no not a physical scaly dragon like the ultra dragon. It was some astral dragon, it was see-through with a white starry outline. The dragon was basically a walking, transparent, glitter dragon. It was glistening under the line of lamps, seeming as if it were a piece of the night sky.
Most weird of all? It was staring at me.
The astral dragon's tail whipped left to right, and its eyes resembled echos in the night. By any means, it didn't have a vicious I am going to murder you stare, because, for some particular reason, the astral dragon had a gentle face.
Now all of a sudden, I couldn't move an inch away. Nobody else can see the dragon except me, looks like I'm going mad, great why not?
The astral dragon lowered its great head, and its long sharp horns steadily followed behind.
Was it bowing at me?
No, no, no. Or maybe it's just going ho, this floor is lookin' mighty fine today!
Before I could contemplate the meaning of life again, the dragon had disappeared. And I could finally move. I lived in Ninjago City, so I'm not even surprised — at least it didn't try to tackle me and gouge my eyes out.
While I was contemplating whether I was schizophrenic or not, a person wearing a grey hoodie approached the stall. I could see the tousled blond hair sticking out of the hood, then it occurred to me that this person had unique bright green eyes which gave off a certain energy.
That was when I knew who this was.
"Hey," I greeted, shifting my seat back.
"Hi," the hooded figure said, as he sat down.
"You don't have to hide yourself y'know," I told him. It was blatantly obvious.
Nobody in Ninjago had green eyes like his.
If you're still clueless, (I'm sure you're not) that's the Green Ninja in front of me. The very guy who could've arrested me.
"Well— don't drag attention towards me," he said, peeking at the stall food.
"Ah!" Mr. Zhao exclaimed, "a new customer! Welcome! Dumplings?" He added as he raised a plate of delicious dumplings.
"I'll have that packed, thanks." Lloyd smiled.
Mr Zhao, somehow oblivious that this was Lloyd freaking Garmadon, nodded and packaged the dumplings in a paper bag with a big stamp of his stall logo. He handed the bag.
Lloyd handed over the money. He then shot a glance at me, "you feel familiar."
I quickly jumped to the conclusion that we had never met before. No, I am not getting arrested like a buffoon while Camden was on the phone.
"Huh, we've never met before — actually," I lied. "I'm Kuzon," I stretched my hand for him to shake.
No, Kuzon. Be polite.
Lloyd shook my hand. "I'm sure you already know who I am."
"Yeah," I nodded, smiling. I hoped my grip didn't seem too weak.
Lloyd seized the paper bag tight, "I have to go."
"All right. Nice meeting you," I told him.
Right when Lloyd left, Camden came back. He had finished his phone call.
We finished the food and left after paying.
The astral dragon still left me in question...