I stood to the side as everyone else prepared to ride out to the city and establish Lord Garmadon's reign. I was ready myself and waiting for the slowpokes that took forever to get ready.
As I looked around I felt that weird twist in my gut, why was it that after spending some time with the ninja, I was second-guessing my choice in joining the S.O.G?
I've been part of the group for at least three years now, I knew that their end goal was to revive Lord Garmadon and helped them to locate all of the Oni masks that I had used in my days of the war.
Why was I fine with everything they did back then, but now it just felt wrong or like too much overkill?
I never knew that we were somehow going to rule the city, hell I wasn't entirely sure why they wanted to revive Garmadon from the dead to be honest, I thought it would've been weird to ask so many questions and just went along with it since at that time I was merely a member.
Part of me knew that this was wrong and that I should leave this......group as soon as possible, but another part of me was against it, I've been with them for so long that it would feel stupid to leave.
Besides if I left, where would I go? The ninja knew who I was and wouldn't trust me straight away and the S.O.G wouldn't let me back in if I left.
I would be alone.
"Shifter! Come on! We're leaving." UV called to me, bringing me out of my thoughts.
"Right." I replied as I got onto my bike, it had been brought over by a few members that managed to escape police custody and fled to the base.
I revved the engine and put on my helmet before following the group out of Kryptarium Prison.
———
We had stopped at a small village on the outskirts of Ninjago, surrounding it, Harumi wanted Garmadon to showcase his new powers to display his authority.
For now a lone man wearing a helmet holding a sword walked out to meet us.
"We're good people, we have nothing to give you." He said.
"Your village is surrounded, kneel before your new emperor." Harumi ordered, moving slightly out of the way for Garmadon to show himself.
"We will never kneel. Our people have already taken up arms, we will fight if need be!"
Garmadon growled. "Taken up arms?" He said, showing his four arms.
The man cowered and held the sword up, taking a few steps back.
"These people know not of your power, my Emperor, show them, show all of Ninjago how to kneel." Harumi said to Garmadon with a grin.
Garmadon's dark aura flared up on him, purple flames, as multiple rocks flew up, joining together to create something huge.
I watched what he was creating, a familiar rock monster that I hadn't seen in centuries.
A Colossus.
Made up of rocks and dark energy, able to destroy villages and towns in a few steps. I remember the time when I encountered one, it wan't very pleasant.
The man watched in terror as the monster towered above all of us, only able to obey Garmadon's command and control.
"P-please.......forgive us..." the man apologised, kneeling and putting the sword down, "Emperor Garmadon."
My mouth felt dry as I watched a few members chuckle or snicker to themselves of this victory, the ninja needed to know what was coming for them.
'Wait- no, it's not your problem to warn the ninja, you have nothing to do with them and either way they won't trust me.' I told myself firmly as I saw Harumi walking over.
"Shifter, I need you to see what shape the ninja are in, if they are in a rough shape then we have a better chance to take over the city." Harumi instructed me. "I'll take your bike with me."
I nodded. "Yes, boss."
"Good. Now, come on! Off to Ninjago City!" Harumi ordered as I stepped into the shadow of the Colossus and found myself in the streets of Ninjago.
I changed my appearance from my Shifter persona but not my (Y/n) one, if I were to be spotted by the ninja then it wouldn't end well.
And they have no reason to trust me if I warned them, I am with the bad guys after all.
I walked down the streets, it was surprisingly barren, newspapers blowing down the streets from the breeze. I looked up and noticed the sky was getting darker and darker, signalling for the bad things to come.
I stopped in my tracks suddenly as I sensed an Oni, not a part one like Wu, Lloyd or Garmadon, but an Oni like me. Full blooded.
My curiosity got the better of me as I followed the sense, me wondering if it who I thought it was.
It lead me to a small tea shop on a quiet street, I could hear voices coming from inside.
"Hurry! He's burning up!" Jay's panicked tone came from inside.
"You cannot hurry tea, only have patience to get it right!" A voice that I haven't heard in years snapped.
'Mistaké? It's really her?' I thought, a feeling of warmth and excitement cutting through my stomach.
I had the urge to slam open the door to see if my guesses were correct, but I can't, the ninja were most likely there.
'Unless...' I thought, activating my shadow camouflage and warping into the shop.
I could hear voices from a small room connected to the main area but I stayed in my spot, if I move I would reveal myself.
I saw an elderly lady wearing a rice hat walk out of the roo and over to a large teapot, her back to me.
She poured the tea into a cup that was in her hand before putting it down on the bench and straightened up before turning around and staring right where I was standing.
I sent her a grin and she smiled back before bustling back into the room.
I watched as the ninja occasionally walked in and out of the room with worried faces, I couldn't tell what was happening but from I could tell Lloyd was in a bad state.
Mistaké went around doing the usual but occasionally looked over to me with a quizzical expression, even after handing Jay a small bag of something.
I looked at Jay and felt a weird fluttery but yearning feeling in my heart, why did he make me feel like that?
Soon there was a tremor in the ground and the ninja ran outside to investigate.
As soon as they were gone, Mistaké turned to my hiding spot.
"Been a while, hasn't it (Y/n)?" She asked with a twinkle in her eye, holding her arms out
"You could say that, yeah." I replied, stepping out of the shadows and reciprocated the hug.
"Want to catch up? I can get some tea ready in a jiffy."
I frowned and pulled away gently. "I would but....."
"You can't." She finished for me. "What's on your mind?"
I sighed and looked away.
"I can't stay.....I'm not on the same side as you..." I started.
"But...?"
"Why do I feel like everything that I'm doing with the Sons of Garmadon is bad now? I wasn't even fazed by it before...but when I get back after infiltrating the ninja...I just feel like everything is wrong......" I explained with a sigh.
"Well, what do you think is right?" Mistaké asked, making me look back at her.
"Huh?"
She put a hand on my shoulder. "Do what you think is right, don't follow what you feel is wrong, do what you feel is right."
I blinked. "But-"
"A ninja is coming, I would get out of here if I were you." She said, looking at the door.
"Oh...bye then." I said jumping to a shadow. "Next time we can have tea."
"I'll be looking forward to that." She replied before changing to my Shifter persona and warped out of there.
I found myself on a rooftop behind where Garmadon and Harumi stood, Garmadon's aura glowing as he controlled the Colossus as the ninja tried to fight back.
"Lloyd's in a bad state, however he's making a recovery." I informed Harumi. "It's just the other ninja and possibly Samurai X."
"Excellent." Harumi replied with a gleam in her eye. "Now watch what true power can do."
I stood next to her as Garmadon fought the ninja using the Colossus, none of the ninjas attacks were doing anything, it was futile.
I felt sick in the stomach as the Colossus knocked buildings down, people could have been in there, innocent people.
No, this is wrong, why am I still part of this bloody group?
"They are no match for you, their resistance will fail." Harumi told Garmadon, who only grunted in reply.
I saw as the small dots of bright colours became smaller and smaller as the Colossus chased after them, destroying more building in the process.
Garmadon then growled, turning the attention onto himself.
"What is it?" Harumi asked.
"My brother is near." Garmadon hissed, turning around and going to the right, I thought Harumi would follow but I watched as she went to the left.
I was a little confused but followed her anyway, keeping to the shadows.
———
She went to a rooftop where Lloyd stood, holding Wu in his arms.
"Running will do you no good. Give us the child." Harumi demanded.
"Is this what you want? To destroy the city? Create more victims? Just think how many others would be made like you. This isn't what you want." Lloyd asked.
"Oh, no, this is just the beginning." Harumi replied with a smirk.
Lloyd stood there for a second before grabbing Wu and running away. I looked over to Harumi to see her put the Mask of Hatred on.
'Crap, Lloyd's in trouble.' I thought before running after him, staying in the shadows as Harumi laughed demonically.
I followed Lloyd as he made his way onto the monorail track in the air, still holding Wu in his arms as he ran with Harumi hot on his heels.
I turned around and put up a couple of force fields to slow her down and buy Lloyd some time but she managed to get past them eventually.
Lloyd managed to get back onto the buildings but didn't seem to know where he was going/
"(Y/n)" I heard Wu say but Lloyd didn't hear him, turning a corner but found himself trapped on a tall building.
"The Sons of Garmadon could always use one more." Came Harumi's demonic voice. "Join us."
As she walked closer, Lloyd took a few steps back before finding himself on the edge.
Lloyd looked down over the edge of the building, me looking as well to see a monorail line going past that building, and a train was coming.
"Yeah, that never works." Lloyd replied back before jumping off, with me coming along, even though I was still in the shadows.
We landed safely on the rail line and looked up to Harumi, who was watching before running off.
'We did get ourselves some time, but where is she going?' I thought as Lloyd held onto Wu.
"(Y/n)." Wu babbled, looking right at me as Lloyd looked at him in confusion.
'Fuck it, I want to be good, not enslave the city over dead parents.' I thought to myself as I deactivated the shadow camouflage.
"Shifter!" Lloyd cried as I stood up, him getting up. "You're not taking Wu from me."
I held my hands up in surrender.
"I'm done with them, I now realise that it was a stupid idea to join them in the first place and I want to help you." I explained.
"How do I know I can trust you?" He asked sceptically before I heard a familiar cackle of laughter.
I looked down as Lloyd spoke into an earpiece, seeing the S.O.G looking up at me.
"You can beat him Shifter!"
"Yeah!"
"Get 'im!"
I looked back at Lloyd who had seen the others too.
"Want me to prove it?" I asked before turning around to the people on the bikes and held my arms out.
Force fields summoned in front of the bikers, them crashing into it and falling off their bikes.
"How's that?" I asked, but Lloyd still looked skeptical before a large flying ship lined up with the train.
I looked around to see the ninja, minus Nya, on the bounty, flying next to us.
Wu laughed and Lloyd smiled as he saw his friends appear.
"Jump!" Cole cried.
"It's too far!" Lloyd replied after seeing the space gap.
"Get us closer!" Jay cried to Zane, who was flying the bounty.
"This is as close as I can get her!" Zane said.
"Shifter!" Came Kai's enraged voice as I looked over to him, glaring daggers.
There was a thud on the train and both Lloyd and I turned to see Harumi standing there with the mask of hatred.
"Shifter! Grab him!" She ordered.
I clenched my hands. "I quit!" I yelled. "I'm not helping you guys take over the city!"
"You traitor!" Harumi growled and ran towards me but I put up a force field.
"Lloyd! Jump! I'll hold her off!" I told him and he looked torn for some reason.
Suddenly a large red sword was flung my direction and I avoided it swiftly, but accidentally let the force field lower.
Lloyd was about to jump but Harumi managed to get to him and grabbed his foot, pulling him back onto the train.
He threw Wu up but Cole was unsuccessful in catching him.
"Wu!" The ninja yelled as I got up from my spot and leaped off the train.
I fell, the ground coming to meet me closely as I managed to grab Wu.
I looked around for a shadow and found one, waiting before warping onto the bounty with Wu in my arms.
I regained my breath as I saw a pair of feet stop in front of me while Wu wriggled out of my grip and waddled over to Cole.
"I think you have some real explaining to do." Kai said as I heard him crack his knuckles before a large stone hand grabbed the ship from out of the sky.
We screamed before I put up a force field, shielding us for the time being but it wouldn't hold up for long.
"Why are you helping us?" Jay asked in a slightly cracked voice.
"Can we talk about this later?! I'm trying to save your asses here!" I cried as the Colossus slowly crushed the ship.
"We have to go!" Wu cried.
"What do you think we're trying to do!?" Cole said back, trying not to panic.
"We have to go!" Wu cried again.
"To go...." Jay muttered in realisation. "For your time of need, tea to go! I think this is why she gave us this!" Jay cried as he pulled out the bag Mistaké gave to him.
"Well? What are you waiting for!?" Kai asked as I walked closer, still trying to keep the shield going.
Jay opened the bag and little gold specks came out and slowly surrounded us, forming a weirdly shaped circle.
A blue and purple mist with some flowers here and there drifted around us, it would look pretty if we weren't being crushed to death.
The ninja looked around in awe and I saw that more things were being broken off the bounty, everything except what was inside the force field.
"Go!" Wu cried.
"Go where?" Cole asked.
"I feel, funny." Jay said.
That was when I noticed a weird feeling coming over me as the blue haze covered us.
"What's happening!?" Kai cried as I felt my feet leave the ground and the force field fade away.
"NOOOOO!" Was the last thing I heard before it went silent.
Word count: 2693 words