•••
“Shut up.” I grumble covering my face.
“What? I'm just calling it how I see it.” Nya snickers pointing her hand at me, “you have a thing for him.”
“He's a child! A child!”
“Technically not anymore.”
“He is!”
She sighs setting down her cup of ramen, “even if he was you still liked him.”
“You're trying to get me arrested! I'm not a groomer! A PREDATOR! DATELINE NBC IS GONNA COME AFTER MEEEE!” I whine hiding my face.
“A groome- huh?” She paused, patting my head, “you do know that this world is different from your previous one, right?”
I scoff not leaving the confinement of my hands.
“You two are literally attracted to each other. Just let destiny pull it's course.” Nya stands up.
“I'm in control of my own destiny!” I shout standing up on my own.
Even if I liked him, it wouldn't matter. I simply just can't-
“Like who?” Lloyd snuck up on the conversation.
With a shriek I spin around to face him, he held a watermelon that was beautifully carved into a dragon.
“D-dareth.”
His eye twitched, then smiled brightly as the watermelon slice exploded.
Most of the leftover splattered onto the ground between us.
“oh boy.” Nya mutters looking between us, “I have a ship to pilot.” She quickly shuffled away.
Nya! This is your fault.
“What's her fault. I don't think I quite understand.” The huge smile on his handsome face, was more terrifying than it probably should have been.
His eyes looked away, weighing a few options in his mind.
“Fine” he smiles again, setting his hand on my shoulder to dust something off, “I have someone I want you to meet.”
I laugh, gently ready to make a joke only for him to move aside showing a older woman.
“Misaki Garmadon.” He introduced, looking between the both of us.
My eyes widened at the last name. “Your mom?” I mutter, feeling a weird pressure to start filling the bottom of my eyes, “You wanted me to meet your mom?”
His excitement faltered at my expression, “You didn't want me to?”
“No no! I'm just happy..” I glance up blinking my eyes to get rid of the building of tears. “I'm sorry” I mutter glancing back her, “it's so lovely to meet you.”
“This is Y/n.”
My smile covered the shiver that passed through my bones.
She smiles moving forward to enclose me in a hug, “To think Lloyd would have such a beautiful girlfriend.”
The both of us jump in shock, “Not that's not-” Lloyd beat me to sentence, “we're friends.”
Oh- that's a bad sting.
“Yep. Built in best friends.” I grin, swinging my fist into his shoulder jokingly.
His face twitches a bit, frowning.
“Built in best friend?” She asks, glancing at her son.
I was thankful to be taken out of the center of the conversation, trying to calm my racing heart at the accusation.
“Yeah, she's been there since… well, I was a really annoying kid.”
“What do you mean? That was just two days ago.”
He glared down at me.
Ew! Why am I just now noticing that dastardly evil height difference he has on me.
“Is that a problem for you… shortstack?” He asks, setting his hand on my head, reassuringly.
My heart skipped a beat.
“Lloyd!” Kai calls. “Practice time.”
___
This version of practice feels like it's gonna be weirder, maybe because he's grown.
Or because he's blindfolded.
“Don't rely on your eyes. Use your ears.”
Dareth pops in from the beaded curtains, “Uh, guys, I'm teaching a class later, so I'd appreciate a clean dojo.”
The ninja ignore him and kept fighting, knocking Jay into his collection of fake trophies.
“Aah!”
“Ah! No, no, no! No, no, no! No! No, no, no.” He runs over and opens a window to prevent it from being broken by Jay, who was sent flying.
Lloyd uses his Fire powers and set a small patch of carpet on fire.
Okay that's kind of ho-cool.
“No, no, no, no!” Dareth puts it out and sighs in relief.
“Sorry about them.” I apologize, leaning against the wall. “I'll make sure they don't ruin anything in here”
Dareth chuckles, setting a hand against the wall, leaning towards me, “don't worry, I wouldn't want you getting hurt by that.”
Oh? What a gentleman.
A ‘twack’ tore away our conversation as Kai's sword wedged itself into the wall right between us.
The both of us paled at the razor sharp object.
“Lloyd!” I shout towards the still blindfolded ninja
“Sorry, my hand slipped.”
Liar.
A rumbling from the ground caused the brown ninja to tumble into my arms.
“What was that?” I ask pushing Dareth back.
The group stops their training moving to switch on the television as I made my way across the room to open the window back, letting Jay in.
“NGTV reporter Gayle Gossip on the scene of what appears to be an earthquake rocking the city of Ninjago. But it's an earthquake like no other, as scientists have yet to pinpoint the cause. And more frightening still, the aftershocks are getting stronger.”
That doesn't seem good.
“What do you think this could be?” Cole asks as Wu and Misako enter through the beads.
“Wouldn't be surprised if it was Garmadon. We haven't seen him for a while.”
Misako sat her hand on Lloyd’s shoulder, “He would never. Lloyd's father is evil, but he would never do anything to put his son in harm's way.”
Wu nodded, “Misako's right. He only tried to thwart his training. This is something else.”
“But what is it?”
Zane whistles and summons his Falcon, “My friend, be my eyes and look for danger in the streets from above.” he says letting the falcon out the window.
A scream from outdoors alerted us. “Help! Help me!”
“You know the drill” Jay calls hopping out of the window.
They all follow through, me slowly following behind them because of the stupid pull.
“Y/n I don't think you should go out there.” Nya suggests setting her hand on my shoulder.
“I don't really have a choice “ I whisper back pulling the top of my dress down to show the orb outside of my chest, “there's a lot of emotions today.” I mutter being pulled away.
“Hiding your feelings won't help you.”
“What feelings?” I shouted scurrying off to the group of boys before she could answer.
“Ninja to the rescue! Go!”
A shriek ripped from my throat watching Lloyd literally jump into a hole in the street.
“Go!” Zane yells jumping after him. The others follow suit with Cole holing Jay's legs.
“Few more inches, guys.”
Taking the initiative I wrap my arms around Cole’s waist helping him not slide down into the pit.
A dog whimpers to us, “Appreciate the support, doggy.”
Another chunk of the ground falls down.
“You guys are so heavy.” And I'm not even holding most of your weight. I seriously need to start working out.
“Could have thought this plan through a little more.” I pull Cole back feeling a heavier strain on him. “Come on Y/n”
With a grunt the heels of my getas into the road taking one step back at a time, “AUGH!”
“No more help, please!” Cole groans as we finally manage to pulled them all up.
I plopped down on my behind in relief, and just fully out of fatigue.
“Oh, thank you!” The woman they saved bowed thankful.
“No sweat.” Lloyd comments.
Look who's speaking. I'm sweating bullets.
“Speak for yourself. We did all the work.” the dog from before pounces on Cole, “Ugh!”
“These things keep coming with no warning.” Kai helps me to my feet.
Misako walks up to us, “That's it. A warning. The scrolls said the earthquakes would be a warning. A warning for something far worse to come.”
“Far worse? What could be far worse?”
Cole stood up, handing the dog back to his owner, “Misako, the indestructible Stone Warrior we fought yesterday. Where did you find him?”
“He was buried under the city.”
Jay gasps, “You don't think there's more, do you?”
I vote yes.
“Be on guard, ninja. We must be ready for whatever comes our way.” Wu instructs.
Zane looks over to us, “Sensei, it's as we feared. Another Stone Samurai Warrior is loose on the streets.”
The ground besides me breaks apart, welcoming a stone hand. With a shriek I jumped back, seeing only more and more appear.
“Y/n! Get in the middle” Lloyd commands as they all surround me.
“Yeah… you don't have to ask me twice” I mutter looking all around.
“No. No.”
“We're under attack!”
The large television at the center of town showed a video of the news station.
“As this army of stone statues sweeps over the city, no one is safe. Mayhem and destruction are their only want. Attempts at communication have failed, prohibiting even the desperate option of surrender! The mayor has already called for a massive evacuation!”
This is insane. Absolutely insane.
The five ninja’s look to each other, then nod breaking off.
Lloyd’s hand grasped mine, warm… and comforting and- “and right. I know, I need you to focus.” He says lifting my chin up to look at him.
“Right… yeah I'm here.” I mutter trying to ignore the nice feeling.
“You're with me, okay?” He asks, receiving a nod.
Following with him, Wu and Misako we brought the Ultra Sonic Raider to the boys.
Wu gets out helping Misako down, “We have to protect the people. Gather as many as you can and get them to our evacuation point.”
Nya’s face appeared on the raider screen, “We've got problems with that evacuation point, guys. I can't find a safe place to land!”
“The NGTV office building has a helipad on the roof.” The news reporter suggests.
“Yes. Higher ground. Lloyd, tell Nya to head there.”
The reporter focusing the camera on her, ‘Citizens of Ninjago who have yet to evacuate the city, head to the NGTV building rooftop. Our heroic ninja will evacuate you from there! But hurry. We're running out of time.”
I'm gonna go.
Lloyd looks down to me, “what?”
“I'm gonna head over there so I can help others evacuate safely.” I explain sliding onto the ground.
He hops down, “That's too risky, you could get hurt.”
“I'm not that weak, big guy.” I joke, punching his shoulder.
I very well could die getting there.
“Don't say that.” He mutters setting his forehead against mine, “please don't say that. I can't loose you.”
“You won't.” I smile.
You might.
“I'll be safe.”
There's no telling.
“I'll see you when you make it over there.”
If I make it.
His hand covered my mouth, “don't tell me lies. Please. Don't hold your true thoughts in.”
I can't deal with you.
I don't deserve you.
I.. I… “I don't want to lose you either.” I practically sob trying to keep my tears down.
His eyes opened, tears brimmed his pupils.
“I won't lose you.” Clearing my throat I pulled away from him forcing the feeling to be buried down.
Pushing his hood up just a little, I leaned up pressing a kiss against his cheek.
“I'll see you when you get there.” I finally conclude, putting his hood back in place. No if’s, and’s, or but's.
Taking a step back, I released his hand.
A few tears fell down what was visible on his face, “don't stop thinking.”
His only way to know I'm still there.
“You know this head. It's unstoppable.” I joke, running off.
A true apocalypse, I didn't think I'd be going through this in such a loving childhood memory. A memory that was being torn and ripped away.
People crowded together hiding, children mainly.
“Come with me” I whisper waving my hand. Small children, two boys and one girl.
They hesitantly came over to me, fear struck.
“Where is your guardian?”
“Our dad, we lost him.” The oldest looking one answers. “He- I don't know where he is! I-”
“Shhh shhh, you're okay now.” I soothe, setting my hand on his head, “There was an announcement about where to evacuate. I'm sure he'll meet us there.”
“Y-you’ll help us?” The little girl whimpers out.
“Of course I will, just-” my words turned into a hush, hearing heavy footprints stomp against the ground.
Nodding my head, I waved my hand signifying the children to follow me.
The streets were filled with stone samurai.
Crouching down behind the wall of a building, I held my hand out towards the little girl, “holds hands and don't let go.” I command them.
Leading the children, I cross the street quickly, watching out for anybody following us..
Finally making it to the building relief filled my body, even looking at the hundreds and hundreds of stairs spiraling upwards.
“We have to be quick, got it?”
They slowly started creeping up the stairs. I say slowly because the steps were a bit to high for them to just run up.
The door bursts open, welcoming another samurai this one somehow managed to find a knife.
“Go! Go! Go!”
Okay now we weren't just crawling up stairs but instead sprinting up them.
Picking up the smallest I held them in my arms rushing up being the others.
The legs on that fucking samurai is crazy. He was easily catching up to us.
No other way. “Hurry up!” I shout, setting down the girl.
She could make it from this point, we were more than halfway up.
She nodded, rushing up.
The kids are safe, I just have to keep this guy busy.
“Nice day?” I ask only to it to swing it's knife at me. Okay it's not friendly! Backing away, I accidentally trapped myself between the railing.
It swung again striking a deep gash, between my collarbone down to a bit below my breast. “Fuck!” I shout in desperate pain, covering the area to stop the blood for pouring out.
Cries from upstairs fueled whatever adrenaline I had running through me.
“Higher ground, bitch.” I whisper, sending a sharp kick into the stomach of the armor.
It backed up, tripping over the railing.
Blood seeped down the dress Lloyd had given me before.
Not to mention the large cut.
“Stupid fucker,” with a groan I slowly got up slamming my hand on the railing to keep me steady. Blood trailed up the railing every step I took.
The kids are safe. The kids are okay. That's all that matters.
Sound from downstairs made it obvious the boys finally got here.
“Y/n!” a voice screamed for me.
I'm here Lloyd.
“I can't hear you!”
You're being too loud.
My body slumped up against the top railing, out of energy.
“Through the doors” I instruct to the people running past me. Worried eyes glanced over at me but they continue on their way.
Dareth peaks up from the stairs literally racing up.
“Woah! Are you okay?!”
“I'm still alive so far” I mutter letting him wrap his arms around my shoulder helping me to the door. “Dareth there's no need. I've lost too much blood anyway.” I weakly sat my hand against his shoulder.
His face scrunched up, debating something “I'm not giving up on you, love. I'm just getting someone who will actually be able to help you.” He explains setting down against the wall. “NINJA! Come quickly!”
The sound around me slowly faded away.
The 5 members made their way to me, shock filled faces.
Llody ripped his hood off racing over to me.
“Y/n.”
Huh… weird… I can only hear him.
“No. No.. no… please… no” his hand pressed against the excruciating pain on my chest.
A sob left his mouth, looking over my appearance.
“It's not healing!”
My strength was obviously dwindling.
“It's okay.” I crack out, reaching my hand to his cheek.
He laid his hand on top of mine, pushing further into my touch.
“You can't leave me. I.. don't leave me.”
My hand slipped down from his face to his chest, smearing bits of blood. “D- I'm not leaving you.” my insult fell short from the breath I was loosing, “I'm right… right here.”
The green orb left the gash in my chest, cracked and small.
He sobbed leaning closer to me, “Y/n…”
“Dummy.” My hand dropped from his chest.
Taking a deep breath of air, I smiled painfully releasing it.
Black splotches filled my vision, until I was left in a complete void.
____
The end
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