They turned towards the end of the alley. The view was gross. Whatever that was, it was dripping blood from its mouth big mouth, surprisingly that was its least disturbing feature. It was a big and amorphous gray mass, it seemed to be dripping what it was, like it's skin was mud. It had a single eye with a red iris, and marked veins on it, the mouth was long like a frog's, it had sharp and yellow teeth, and a purple forked tongue. And the smell, it was like rotten milk, poison, sewer, and manure all together.
— What in the name of Ninjago is that? —Potato asked.
— I- I don't know... —Morro replied— I've never seen anything like it.
— Me neither —Mirayo admitted.
— Guys, g-guys! —Steph called nervously.
— Y-Yeah? —Lloyd asked.
— It's not only one! —Steph shrieked.
Another creature, exactly like them appeared from behind them, trapping them in the alley. Both let out deafening roars, and swung their misshapen hefty arms towards the group who could just scream and brace for the hit.
— WATCH OUT!
And with the sound of a frost machine, Zane made an ice cupule that covered them. The monsters hit it over and over, generating cracks on the thick ice layer.
— Cole, remove the earth beneath us so we can escape! —Lloyd commanded.
— Uh, Lloyd... In case you forgot, Cole is on the Enchanted Realm —Steph pointed out.
Lloyd turned a bit red, he was about to apologize when another hit made a crack along the entire layer. Zane kept recovering it the best he could.
— Guys... I can't hold it much longer —Zane said as his ice beam gradually grew weaker.
— Skylor, same command, get us out of here! —Lloyd said.
— There's not enough time!
Another, hit. Zane's beam shot off and he held his head.
— My system is overheating. I can't- I- I-
The poor boy passed out, as Potato's hands lit up, she placed one on Zane's chest and one on his head.
— He'll be fine.
— Yeah but what about us? —Morro asked.
— Morro! Can you blow us away? —Steph asked.
— Well that's flattering —Morro said— but I don't think now it's the best time to-
— No, you-! —Steph snapped— I mean, literally. Can you get us up the building?
She pointed to her left, the building was falling apart. How in the name of Ninjago 2 monsters cause so much damage in so little time? Morro made a quick calculation on his brain. His face lit up with a huge smile.
— Of course, that's brilliant! —he exclaimed— But I will need a distraction. Kai, could you do me the honors?
The hotheaded ninja gave him a smug grin, the two smiled and stood shoulder by shoulder. It was amazing how well these 2 got along now.
— Of course.
CRACK!
The ice cupule fell apart and Kai summoned two walls of fire around them, Morro grabbed Potato by the waist and threw her on the air, before she could fall, a gust of wind elevated her even more until she reached the roof of the building. Zai's face light up as well. Morro's method was effective but it took time and the young mistress.
— Potato! Are there any shadows up there?! —Zai asked slightly excited.
— A few! Why?!
— Good.
She carried her brother on her arms and told 2 vanish through a shadow to reappear on the ceiling. She kissed Zane's forehead and walked through the shadow to pick the others. In a few seconds between Zai and Morro they had placed everyone on the ceiling.
— May I? —Morro said gallantly as he offered his hand to his friend.
Zai snorted and grabbed it. Both jumped as a gust of wind caught them and threw them to the ceiling. Both fell on their behinds, stared at each other and laughed.
— Not bad for a ghost-butt —Lloyd said as he smacked Morro's shoulder.
— Guys... —Steph called.
There was a loud THUD! Not only both monsters had noticed their preys were gone, but they had already located them and they were trying to tear destroy it, and it was already on its way down.
— Airjitzu? —Kai suggested.
— After you —Skylor replied flirtatiously.
Both spun in the air in a combined beautiful dance sparkling in fire tornado. Both fell gracefully and Kai stormed to battle. Skylor groaned in frustration, turned to the rest of the group, she motioned them it was safe to land, and went after her hot-headed boyfriend. The others landed and rushed towards the two monsters.
Only to realize... There weren't just 2.
It was at least a dozen. A dozen of big, dangerous, weird monstrous creatures with their bloodlust as the only thing bigger than their size. The ninja did their best to protect the citizen -keep them away from danger-, but Kai's explosive temper and need to fight only seemed to make this worse. He lost it.
He rushed fiercely to battle, he grabbed a broken water pipe that was laying on the floor to used it as a sword. He swung his 'sword' towards the closest monster, hitting his leg. It allowed a young boy to escape the creature, but it angered it as well, now, his objective was the red ninja. Kai heated the end of the pipe to cause extra damage and attacked. Yet, as admirable as his strength could be, he wasn't at the level to put up a fight with such creature. The creature easily pinned him down with one claw and raised the other to attack the fire ninja. Kai's only choice was to raise his arms in a weak attempt of defense.
— KAI! —Skylor cried.
She disappeared in a cloud of smoke to reappear on top of Kai, receiving the blow instead, her arm quickly got covered in blood.
— SKYLOR! —Kai roared, filled with a new wave of rage.
He took advantage of the monster's confusion to break free, he grabbed his girlfriend and lit the monster with a flash. The monster got hypnotized by the new hot layer covering, too much to notice that, as Kai kept his attack, its own body was consuming on flames. It was, melting, the entire muddy skin fell off as the monstrous creature lost its life energy.
Skylor was completely pale and weak due to the blood loss. Zane rushed to where Kai executed the monster. He grabbed Skylor and ran to the nearest hospital, followed by Zai, Mirayo and Ichirou, who were carrying a pair of unconscious kids and a woman. Kai fell on his knees, exhausted. Potato kneeled next to him and started to restore his power. The others were still on the middle of the chaos, trying to evacuate and stop the creatures.
— Is- is it gone? —Kai panted.
— Yeah, it's- oh no —Potato froze.
Accidentally her powers grew stronger for a second, burning Kai's back.
— ACK!
— Sorry! Sorry! —Potato apologized— But, look!
Where the monster was, now it there lied a guy in a puddle of gray mud. The guy had a tan skin, black hair and a pair of transparent wings.
— It's- it's a guy.
The boy wore fancy black pants, a formal white shirt, and a red vest with 2 letters embroidered: "R.A." The boy had his skin burned like a crisp, he was motionless. Kai could feel how a knot grew on his stomach and the guilt became a huge weight on his chest. The 2 ninjas were too distracted to noticed another creature charged towards them.
— HEY! WATCH IT! —a male voice called.
A beam of light hit a wall and the creature chased after it, colliding against the building and taking it down. The building collapsed trapping, whatever these creatures are, buried underneath.
— Are you guys okay? —a blonde guy asked as he ran to check on the duo.
He was wearing a bright yellow Japanese suit, matching his golden hair. His eyes were a honey-hazel brown, and his tanned cheeks dusted with a bright blush due to exhaustion. He was being followed by a girl who could've easily been confused with a shadow if it wasn't for her pale skin and dazzling beauty. She was the boy's complete opposite. Her eyes were a dark deep blue, her hair was black as night and her dress was a dark purple. It made a curious contrast with her pale skin and a bright golden necklace. This pair would've woken anyone's curiosity, and neither Potato nor Kai were the exception. Also, what the hell? The guy just redirected light towards a wall and killed a- thing, without even breaking a sweat.
In that moment they felt like Paty or Justin should've stayed, if monsters were actually involved, they were fighting with their hands tight behind their backs or blindfolded. They knew nothing about real monster, and something told them that onions and the holy spirit wouldn't help them to solve this mess.
— Are you okay? —the girl asked.
— Yeah, thanks... —Kai replied, staring at the remains of where once was a huge building.
— You have elemental powers too? —Potato asked.
— Elemental what? No, not- this is just- uh never mind —the blonde guy babbled.
— We should find shelter —the raven lady pointed out.
— We can't, those... things are destroying the city, and putting people's lives in jeopardy —Kai said.
— Aren't you people too? —the girl said.
— No, well, yeah- it's different —Potato said— we're ninjas, we protect others.
— That explains the weird clothing —the guy pointed out.
— I am Nishi —the girl said, helping Potato on her feet.
— Potato.
— Kyung —the blonde introduced himself.
— Kai.
Potato and Kyung helped Kai to his feet and stood by his sides as crutches. They walked towards the hospital where Kai was attended along with Skylor who kept scolding his boyfriend for rushing into battle like the fierce hot head he is, meanwhile Nishi and Kyung introduced themselves to the rest of the group, or to the ones that weren't attending the wounded civilians. Kai was blushing awkwardly as he held his girlfriend's hand, staring at the blood-stained bandages covering her arm. Potato returned from talking to one of the paramedics and mentioned they'd go to pick the boy Kai toasted.
— Apparently those things are attracted to light —Kyung stated— they all go insane whenever I conduct light at them, or towards anything.
— Like cats after laser pointers —Nishi added— it's like they don't have minds.
— ...of their own —Zai said
— What? —Zane asked.
— I have a bad feeling, I'm not sure, but something big is coming. We need Paty and Justin back —Zai declared.
— What? Why? What's going on? —Steph asked.
— Well...
In that moment the doctors stormed in on their way to the emergency room carrying a young boy in pompous fancy clothes: the monster. In the very second Zai's glance landed on him her eyes grew wide open and turned pale.
— T-that's a fairy, oh my gosh. That is a fucking fairy. Guysthere'sadeadfairyinfrontofuswhythefuckisthereadeadfairyinfrontofus —Zai babbled.
— Sister, please, breathe. Air in, air out —Zane commanded softly.
The Julien siblings took a few breaths so Zai could calm down. The others stared at them, it was sweet to see Zane as the protective one with his older sister. But they were a bit shook by the fact Zai panicked that badly, it's usually Jay the mouth of lightning. As soon as the silver ninja relaxed enough to talk, the rest of the group surrounded her to listen what she had to say.
— This is really bad, monsters have been forbidden from coming here, but this- guys, this was a pure blood fairy in this Realm, and it is still wearing the Enchanted Realm formal attire. Guys, this is a pure blood monster here —Zai said as she gradually hyperventilated once more.
— You already mentioned the pure blood thing —Kyung shrugged— what with it? Also, monsters? Forgive me for being skeptical.
— Yeah, it's a long story, but monsters are in fact a thing. Zai is part monsters, as well as some of our friends —Stevie responded.
— No way! —Nishi said excitedly.
— Cute —Kyung muttered.
— Zai, what do you think? —Lloyd asked.
— Monsters have no reason to abandon their Realm these days, if there are modern monsters are here, it means something big is forcing them to do so —Zai stated.
There was a long silence in the whole room, even the doctors and other patients stopped what they were doing to listen the ninja's conversation. Nishi bit her lip and dared to speak up.
— Are you sure they're not just moving here and-?
— And turning into blood lusting "mud" savages? I highly doubt it —Zai responded way colder than she intended to.
— So, what now? —Lloyd asked crossing his arms across his chest.
— We need to catch them, but without harming them —Ichirou said— I know magic isn't really my business, but these things are alive and that's enough reason to protect them.
— Ichirou... —Mirayo said softly.
Potato's eyes sparkled and gasped.
— Mirayo! Use alchemy to make an underground cage, the rest of us will guide them there.
— Are you insane?! —Kai snapped— The only way we call their attention was by being a promising meal!
— Actually, we established before they like light, they also got by fire, and they are chasing living... —Nishi said leaving the main idea in the air.
In that moment Kyung eyes grew wide open and spoke up:
—...Meaning that they follow heat! Getting a hot bait will gather them all like a bunch of moths!
— Brilliant! —Zane gasped excitedly— And if I make an ice wall surrounding a perimeter they will have no choice but to follow the closest warmth source!
— And the rest of us will guide them as we can —Morro stated fully determined to get the plan to work.
It took them hours to spur every monster on a 100 meters perimeter but finally the trap was ready and just need the bait. Zai, Nishi, Lloyd and Zane were completely exhausted. They spent hours distracting the monster and guiding them towards the park with they decided would be their meeting spot. Zane build a half meter solid wall around them of at least 3 meters tall. He had recharge energies with Potato a few dozen times but now the monsters were way more interested on the possible content of their cold prison. Most of them were already sitting on the top of the "ice fence" waiting for the rest of the plan to be executed.
Kai had started a little fire and he began expanding it slowly and carefully so the flames would get volume without covering much area. Zai had casted a shadow around the inside face of the ice making the fire the most fascinating thing in the area. And Mirayo received help from Steph, Lloyd, and Ichirou to draw a giant transmutation circle that would break the ground beneath them and trap them for a few meters. They followed the alchemist's instructions with mad attention so the circle would, in fact, work properly. Morro was hiding on the top of a tree, waiting for his signal
— Remember not to harm them! —Zai reminded them speaking through a walkie talkie.
— I still don't get why we are communicating through these —Zane asked.
— Because it's cool, Zane, shut it —Lloyd joked.
— Jay, not now —Kai scolded the green ninja.
There was an awkward silence before Potato and Morro laughed.
— Habit?
— Yeah. Sorry, Lloyd.
— It's okay, I always wanted to play with one of these.
— Paty would kick you all if she heard this, you know that, right? —Potato commented.
— Then it's a good thing she's not here.
The monsters started gathering around, following the fire Kai had summoned. Morro waited, the monsters were almost trapped.
— Come on, just one more —Morro huffed.
— READY! —Kai screamed.
His hands burst on flames and sent him through the air like the iron-man hand boosters. Morro could almost say that was awesome... only a little bit. He spaced out wondering if he looked something like that when he used wind... Yeah, even cooler.
— Heh, cooler- because cold wind- hah —Morro chuckled to himself.
— MORRO NOW! —Mirayo yelled.
She put her hands together and smashed them against the floor. The trace of chalk glowed in blue and a lightning sparkled too dramatically in the Master of Wind's opinion. Then again, as a guy who can control wind and once made a small tornado of rose petals for his girlfriend on their first month together ... He didn't have much right to judge.
He flew towards the alchemist and grabbed her, carrying her in bridal style and taking her to safety. Once they were out of the monsters' vision range they walked towards the ice wall and Morro carried Mirayo to the other side where they met with the rest.
Ichirou grabbed Mirayo by the waist in excitement and made her spin in the air. The alchemist smiled lightly at her boyfriend's antics before remembering they weren't alone and regaining composure.
— Ahem. The monsters are secure and trapped. They're not a threat anymore, nor will be threatened by Ninjago's habitants —Mirayo said seriously.
That didn't refrain the others from laughing and teasing the foreign lovers a bit. Ichirou seemed pretty pleased with himself. Mirayo on the other hand... she wouldn't look anyone to the eye without either glaring or blushing, but just a bit though.
— Welp! —Kyung said turning to Nishi—, we really should head back home, my dear.
— Uh- yeah —the raven girl replied shyly.
— Hey guys! —Kai called after them.
— Yeah, fire boy? —Kyung smiled.
— We should hang around more often. Without the threat of imminent destruction, that is.
— Aw shucks, why take all the fun away? —Kyung replied as he grabbed Nishi's hand.
The girl yelped and blushed as her friend wave and both ran out of the ninja's sight.
— They're soooo into each other —Skylor smiled mischievously.
— What do you want to bet that he hasn't asked her out yet? —Mirayo commented.
— I bet you 20 bucks that they're completely oblivious about it —Zai said with a smirk.
— I'll join that bet —Stevie added.
— Oh my gosh, you're all terrible —Potato scoffed amusedly.
— Do you think we'll see them again? —Zane wondered placing a hand on his sister's shoulder.
— I'd say that even sooner than what we imagine — Lloyd responded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WELL GUYS! WOO! 3 fucking months to write this, I'm SO SORRY! My life has been messy lately, my heart is an absolute bitch aND- YEAH, I'm salty sorry. Well, I have some stuff to deal with, some personal proyects that have my complete attention lately, plus school is getting more demanding, and no I'm not dying- aside being dead inside counts... nAH! Anyways, I have this chapter which is a bit long, so I hope that makes up for it.
New characters! Nishi and Kyung aren't mine (big shocker, I know ._.), a friend (Kath aka guardianluver_kuroha) was like- "HEY! Can you add them?" And of course like a good friend would do, I said "no." (kidding, love ya girl). So yeah- thanks for letting this cute couple join the story, the squad is getting bigger- gosh. So yeah, we'll see these 2 cuties around more often.
Also, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to show this, but Kath made drawings about how the look like and I'll leave it here because A) It's adorable and really good. B) I think no one can tell better how a character looks like better than their creator so- yeah.
Look at them! So cute. Maaan, she's such a great artist.
Also I'm already working on the next chapter so hopefully it won't take TOO LONG to post it *laughs awkwardly*
See ya my RusherNinjas,
~Paty OUT!