Song Quote: Time Adventure
"Time is an illusion that helps things make sense So we are always living in the present tense It seems unforgiving when a good thing ends But you and I will always be back then You and I will always be back then"
~~~
Your Pov:
"Your new body is a fighting instrument, listen to it." Sensei Wu told Lloyd as the ninja gathered around the boy as they continued his training.
You listened to the lesson watching but found yourself daydreaming. Time going by much slower as you keep yourself busy. Lloyd has been much more inclined to train leaving no free time for any time together.
It's the same with the other ninja focusing their efforts on the green ninja. This has caused you to hang around Nya more.
She would be working in the bridge keeping the bounty in order and you would just hang around.
She didn't mind the company and you would read and draw, sometimes striking up conversation. As of late you couldn't shake the feeling that there was something missing in your life.
Well the elephant in the room is your memories but there is nothing that can change what has been lost. Instead what is missing from your life now? You have no drive, no goal or anything to achieve.
You're just here with this group you consider friends, existing. A cog in the wrong machine.
Is that really living?
Snapping out of your daze you fixated on the lesson watching Lloyd grab Jay's nunchuck tossing the blue ninja to the ground with a harsh thud.
Lloyd jump flipped dodging Zane's shurikens only for them to impale in a watermelon Nya brought for them. She gasped shooting the ice ninja a small glare as he gasped at his own mistake.
Nya shrugged letting it go commenting "Since he's grown, he's learning faster Sensei."
"But will it be enough to challenge Lord Garmadon? Only time will tell..." Sensei Wu voiced aloud hopeful for the future. As you walked up next to the duo.
Reaching over you pulled the shurikens out of the watermelon shaking some of the liquid off the weapon. You fiddled the weapon in your hand watching Kai and Lloyd's duel with indifference.
Kai had drawn his sword swiping at Lloyd only for him to catch the blade holding it in place. The blade quivered under their clashing strengths as Lloyd formed a ball of energy at the tip. The fire ninja took the opportunity flipping the sword away making Lloyd fall forward from the sudden movement.
"You're getting pretty good, but that move you fell for was basic 101." Kai commented as he held a hand out helping him back to his feet.
"Yeah if I had focused more when I was little, I would've seen that coming." Lloyd replied with a sigh.
"We cannot change the past, but we can improve the future." Sensei Wu reminded him "Again, and this time do not hold back."
You took that as a cue to leave following right behind Nya as she left to head back to the bridge after putting the watermelon away.
"Do you want a slice (Y/n)?" She asked shrugging "I don't know if it will still be good..."
Before you could respond you both looked up spotting Zane's falcon flying above the deck before landing right on your head.
"The Falcon must have found something" the girl in red gasped before turning around to go tell the others.
"I wanted some fruit..." you frowned before glancing at the bird perched on your head.
Sighing to yourself you let the falcon jump onto your arm as you walked towards the bridge meeting up with everyone with what this mechanical bird has discovered.
"Must be nice going wherever you want" you mused quietly to yourself gazing into the falcon's eyes as it tilted it's head at you. "Knowing your purpose and fulfilling every request..."
Standing outside the door you took a deep breath before pushing open the door and inserting the data chip into the computer as everyone gathered.
~~~
"What did you see my mechanical feathered friend?" Zane said aloud as you handed over his falcon.
"The lost city of Ouroboros" Nya noted as the footage was played for everyone to see. On the screen it showed the falcon's eye with the lost city in the sand in sight. Serpentine gathered sparring and honing their fighting skills.
"Garmadon has returned to the Serpentine home base, but why?" The fire ninja questioned when the dark lord appeared on the screen overseeing his subordinates.
Cole pointed to the weapons they possessed saying "Looks like they're preparing for the final battle."
Sensei Wu looked to Nya saying "Change course, We'll head straight for them."
Everyone dispersed each preparing for the upcoming battle in their own ways leaving you and Lloyd to watch over the bridge.
Sitting down at the table in the middle of the room Zane left his falcon behind to keep you company. You would tap your hand multiple times dragging it across the table watching the bird hop after your palm.
You let out a faint chuckle watching the mechanical bird jump over your wrist back and forth playfully. You tried focusing your mind on smaller tasks just to distract yourself.
Lloyd was busy watching over the computer making sure the Bounty's autopilot was going in the right direction.
It was odd how the green ninja would glance in your direction warily as if he was struggling to speak.
"Zane's falcon likes you a lot huh?" he spoke awkwardly focusing on the bird instead of looking in your direction.
You looked at the bird on your arm in question "Do you?" You asked tilting your head only for it to copy you.
"I don't know about that" you told Lloyd as you and the falcon looked at him perplexed.
He let out a chuckle before finally taking a seat at the table across from you. "Nice work with your training. You're not tripping over your feet anymore" you gave a small smile at the green ninja in training.
"Yeah, I think I can handle myself in a fight now" he smirked with a budding confidence before adding with a flustered tone "With you and the other at my side of course..."
The falcon fluttered it's mechanical wings nudging you playfully. You chuckled with your soft gaze fixated on the bird as Lloyd watched the interaction with his face leaning into his hand.
You were smiling as the falcon playfully nudged at your arm but where Lloyd sat he was looking right into your eyes. The was a distant detached light to them in contrast to what your face expressed.
~~~
Third Person's Pov:
The Destiny's Bounty parked outside of the city in the sand dropping anchor. The ninja plus Nya and Wu descended the chain sneaking into the city leaving Lloyd and (Y/n) to watch over the airship. However once the main group was out of sight the green ninja shared a determined rebellious look in his eyes as they nodded in agreement.
Jumping across the buildings they crept along the shadows remaining undetected as the infiltrated the middle circle.
Looking in the five saw Lord Garmadon watching over the busy serpentine as they worked away improving their snake like vehicles for their upcoming attack.
But it looks like the fight was brought to them.
"Ninja go!" Sensei Wu shouted using his spinjitzu to reveal himself to his corrupted brother.
"Oh brother!" Garmadon hissed caught off guard by the sudden appearance.
"It's time we finished this" Sensei Wu declared as the ninja plus Nya gathered around surrounding him.
"Bring it on fools!" Garmadon shouted clutching his golden mega weapon tightly in his hands. The power of creation in his hands to do whatever he wishes.
Lloyd rolled into the fight blasting a beam of ice at the weapon rendering his father at a disadvantage.
Garmadon looked up meeting the green ninja's eyes. He gasped as his composure faltered when he saw his son's new appearance.
"Lloyd? Is that you?" He uttered crimson eyes growing wide as his entire demeanor changed with conflicted emotions washing over the dark lord.
"Yeah, I've grown a little since the last time you saw me dad" Lloyd replied staring back with a firm resolve.
Lord Garmadon backed away gritting his teeth. He turned to the nearby Serpentine ordering "Stop him!" As the snakes swarmed the ninja as he fled the scene.
(Y/n) grouped up with the others assisting in dispatching the serpents. She spotted Garmadon retreating into a building and pointed in that direction.
Standing outside the door Nya kicked it down before everyone flooded the room. In the middle of the room there was a large vortex swirling around emitting a brilliant blue light. Where it led however, only time and fate knew.
"He used the mega weapon again!" Cole shouted pointing to the portal.
Jay let out a groan hunching over exasperatedly "Oh swell, every time he uses that thing, something really bad happens. Now what?"
Answering his question the ground began to rumble as the city started sinking from all around them. "What's going on?" Cole asked as the tremors grew violent as sand flooded the room.
"Is the city sinking?" Jay questioned as the sand rose around his ankles.
"Worse" Zane replied. "The city's returning back into the desert, as if it had never been found in the first place."
"What does that mean?" Kai asked as he tried pulling his feet from the sand.
"What's happening?!" Nya panicked as the sand had road up to her waist.
(Y/n) stood idly by trying to pull herself out of the sand when she looked at Lloyd. Her eyes widened noticing the green ninja's hands were slightly transparent.
"Garmadon's gone back in time to make it so Lloyd never turns into the green ninja!" Zane finished with urgency.
"I can't..." Lloyd started to say warily "I can't feel my hands..."
"We have to go in!" Kai shouted staring at the portal ready to dive in.
"If he changes anything, he changes everything!" Sensei Wu informed the group "Protect the future Ninja!"
Without hesitation, the four colored ninja jumped into the portal to riding the course back to a time that feels so long ago.
"The past..." (Y/n) muttered gazing into the bright light as her legs refused to move. Uneasiness shown on her face at the thought of the approximate time and place.
Despite her protests it was like a gust of wind pushed the (h/c) haired girl towards the vortex before getting pulled in. She gasped with a panicked look on her face "No wait!" she shouted as she flew in with the portal closing afterwards.
~~~
The portal burst to life with its blue light blending with the early morning orange sky. The four ninja screamed falling from the sky only to land in the rice field. Water and mud splashed up staining their clothes but softened the fall.
"Remind me to pack a helmet next time we time travel" Jay groaned as he tried wiping some mud off his armor.
(Y/n) landed only a moment later landing on dry grass but skidded across the ground harshly.
"Oooo...ow..." the blue ninja hissed as the others looked at the girl cringing knowing well that had to hurt.
(Y/n) pushed her face from the grass looking at the four ninja with dirt on her face. "Not a word" she sighed as she pulled herself to her feet wiping her face with her sleeve.
She turned to Jay pulling the blue ninja out of the mud as they both stumbled trying to stay steady from their unexpected time trip.
"Where are we?" Cole asked as they surveyed the area.
"You mean, when are we?" Zane replied looking around spotting a blacksmith shop in the distance.
"Four weapons. Huh, my parents shop. Nya and I used to work there." Kai mused nostalgically as he looked at the small building that was his old home.
His eyes widened in realization shouting "Hey, wait a minute. This is the day Garmadon ordered the skeletons to take my sister! We need to warn them!"
Jay wasn't listened as he was trying to scrub the mud off his clothes but to no avail. (Y/n) helped the blue ninja rub off the mud and in return he dusted off the last bit of dirt that stuck to her face.
"Whoa, whoa. You heard what Sensei said: We change anything, we change everything" Cole reminded the red ninja.
"Yeah, I was confused by that too..." Jay added in as he tried squishing the liquid out from his shoes.
"What he means is, our world is the result of past events that have already happened." Zane explained for everyone continuing "If for whatever reason, events in our past fail to happen, then the future could radically change."
"The concept is also called the Butterfly Effect" (Y/n) explained earning confused looks from the blue, black and red ninja.
"The Butterfly effect. You make a minor change to anything, no matter how small and it will have a bigger effect later" she explained earning a grateful look from the ice ninja.
"To put it simply, yes that is how it is. Thank you (Y/n)" Zane replied thanking her for her input. The girl nodded smiling softly as her growing book knowledge was useful.
"So we pretty much have to stop Garmadon from changing anything. But of all the times, why did we land here?" Jay asked raising an eyebrow.
"Cause this is where it all started" Kai began to explain "Today I met Sensei Wu for the first time and began my training as a ninja." The fire ninja scratched his head sighing as he thought aloud
"Somehow Garmadon is gonna try to prevent that, but how?"
"Ah, if only Sensei were here to guide us..." Cole groaned as the past version of the old man came into view.
"Oh look there he is! Maybe he can!" Jay exclaimed pointing to Wu as he walked up the path towards the shop
"He's not gonna know what's going on" (Y/n) hissed at the four as she tried deterring their idea.
"We gotta tell him what Garmadon has done" Cole added in ignoring the girl's warnings.
"But we can't let the old Kai and Nya see that we talked to him or else it will affect the future" Zane warned the group.
"I know exactly what to do" Kai proclaimed as the four followed behind the sensei hiding behind some rocks.
"Don't talk to him!" (Y/n) whisper shouted but the four had already gone. "You guys really don't understand the term don't change the past..." She grumbled before following behind sticking to the shadows.
She looked out to the landscape recognizing the rice fields. "I didn't know Kai was from Ignacia."
"And the shop is called Four Weapons, not for browsing. Either buy something or go peddle your insults somewhere else." Past Kai hissed at Past Sensei Wu.
"Ha! Too bad. Thought I'd find something special here." The old man hummed to himself as he left the shop passing by the hidden group. Once Wu was out of sight Kai grabbed him by behind and brought him behind the shop.
"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute" Jay halted the group. "If we're trying to stop Garmadon from changing anything, wouldn't talking to Sensei kind if be like altering the past, thus changing our future?"
"That would be correct" Zane agreed "I believe a big Uh-oh is in order."
(Y/n) just sighed letting out a muffled scream into her hands "That's what I was trying to tell you."
"Huh? What was that?" Cole asked her pretending to not listen earning a small glare from her.
"Uh..." past Sensei Wu looked around at the group of people in confusion.
"We can't undo what we've already done" Kai hissed before addressing the old man "Sensei we really need your help."
"All four of you..." He looked at the ninja before his eyes rested on (Y/n) "and who are you?"
"We traveled back in time to warn you of impending doom" Cole explained briefly.
Kai nodded adding "Yeah but we don't have much time to explain. Can you help us?"
"I don't understand, but I can try" Sensei Wu agreed to help out.
"Any moment now, the skeletons are going to attack and we think Garmadon may try to hurt me. I mean the past me" Kai explained.
"Garmadon?" Sensei Wu looked around with distraught on his face.
"We have to do everything in our power to protect my past self" Kai finished as the clouds turned dark blocking out the bright morning sky.
The skeleton army rode up on the hill looking down upon those in the area as they set their sights on the weapon shop.
"Why did I ever trust these numbskulls?" Lord Garmadon grumbled as he pulled a skeleton mask over his face.
"Attack!" Samukai ordered and the engines fired up roaring as they sped down the hill terrorizing the locals.
"What are they?" Past Nya looked to her brother as he equipped some armor clutching a sword in hand.
"I don't know. Stay here." Past Kai told his sister as he defended the shop from the skeletons.
"Can we help or not" Regular Kai asked Sensei Wu as the entire group watched the battle from the shadows.
"Don't look at me. I'm wise, but not that wise" Past Sensei Wu replied with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Technically since the past has already been altered, I don't see why we can't fight a few skeletons just as long as your former self never sees you" Zane replied.
"Ha! You made my day Zane. I miss beating these guys up" Cole replied happily as some skeletons snuck up behind the group.
Jay and (Y/n) turned around to fend off the assailants. The blue ninja pulling out his nunchucks twirling them around in his hand with a smile under his hood. The skeletons smirked and each took off one arm mocking the ninja.
Jay jumped forward and kicked one skeleton in the ribs watching as the being crumbled to a pile of bones.
Turning on his heels he kicked the other skeletons before using his spinjitzu to finish them off. Meanwhile (Y/n) disposed of the last two skeletons by kicking their severed skulls into some bushes.
"Watch for when Samukai throws his daggers" Kai informed the old man of the past "And don't forget to save me."
"What?" Past Sensei Wu tilted his head in confusion.
"It'll all make sense when it happens" Kai replied nervously watching the scene with anticipation. Looking out to the battle Past Nya teamed up with her armor cladded brother to fight off the skeletons.
"I thought I told you to stay back!" Past Kai hissed at the girl in red as skeletons swarmed the two.
"And what? Let you have all the fun?" Past Nya smirked confidently swinging her wooden staff around. The sound of bone clashing with metal filled the air as the two seemed to have everything under control for the most part.
Past Samukai approached Kai of the past chuckling darkly before revealing four bone daggers in each hand. "Oops..." Past Kai cowered at the odds but he held his own despite being outmatched.
Samukai kicked him down hovering over the future fire ninja, who couldn't move due to the weight of his samurai like armor. The larger skeleton twirled the daggers in his hand ready to land the final blow.
"Sensei!" Future Kai signaled the old man as he could only stand by behind cover and watch.
"I'm on it!" Past Sensei Wu replied running forward to the scene ahead. "Ninja-go!" He shouted using his spinjitzu to ward off the skeleton leader.
"Sensei Wu, your spinjitzu looks rusty" The past skeleton general pointed out with a sickly smile.
"Nothing like bone to sharpen its edge Samukai" Past Sensei Wu retorted glaring down his old enemy.
Kai could only stand idly by watching the battle so his past self doesn't see him. he was on the edge of his seat, knowing what's supposed to happen but the events before him changing slightly. He knew everything but couldn't do anything.
Samukai laughed as he threw his four daggers towards Sensei Wu who dodged but the daggers hit the water tower behind him.
The leg of the water tower gave out underneath the weight and tilted over about to land on Past Kai who laid on the ground unable to move underneath the weight off his armor. "Ninja-go!" Sensei Wu shouted as he used his spinjitzu to save Kai before the tower crashed on top of him.
"Lord Garmadon says take the girl" Samukai ordered his troops. However the skeleton grappling bone hand fired but missed completely.
"You fools! You missed!" Samukai hissed ordering "Retreat!" The skeleton vehicles turned away speeding off quickly fleeing the scene.
Past Kai and Nya sighed in relief and hugged each other as the future ninja regrouped behind the shop. "Oh this isn't good..." Kai sighed shaking his head warily.
"Why? We saved you and your sister" Past Sensei Wu replied tilting his head.
"No, the skeletons were supposed to get away with Nya" Kai explained with clear distress "The only reason you convinced me to become a ninja in the first place was to get her back."
"Oh I see..." The old man acknowledged lowly.
"Sensei, no matter what, you need to convince Kai to go with you" Zane urged the old man "Because if Kai doesn't become a ninja, the world as we know won't exist."
"The four of us will never unite, we'll never meet (Y/n) and we'll never train Lloyd to become the green ninja." Zane finished with graveness in his voice.
"Next time, fill us in on what's supposed to happen so we can influence the events correctly" (Y/n) crossed her arms at the fire ninja.
The fire ninja looked down solemnly but perked up from the sound of footsteps approaching. They quickly hid behind the shop pushing Wu out into the open listening to the exchange.
"Thank you for your help. If it wasn't for your 'twist-itzu' or your tornad-zu' my sister might have been taken." Past Kai thanked the old man.
"Spinjitzu." Wu corrected "Uh, come we must train. You must become a ninja" he tried his best to convince the past fire ninja to come along.
"Sorry but I got a blacksmith shop to help get back on its feet so-" The Kai of the past politely declined.
"No you must come. It is very important that you become a ninja. Because uh... we must harness the fire within you." The old man finished urgently as sweat fell down his face.
"Hold on Kai, maybe there's a reason this man came into our lives. Father always said the world works in mysterious ways. I think it sounds kind of exciting" Past Nya replied trying go convince her brother.
"Okay, if you wanna become a ninja, fine by me, but I'm only going cause you want to" Past Kai relented and the trio set off towards the monastery.
"Ah great he's going! We saved the future" Jay proclaimed with a sigh of relief.
"Not so fast" Zane interjected "We still have to make sure he becomes a ninja in order for everything to get back on track."
The group nodded in agreement before following the three by the shadows as they headed to the monastery.
~~~
Author's Edit: November 7th 2020
~~~