We have a song in this chapter.
We are getting some fluff here. >:3
____________________________________________________________
*In Ninjago City, Spitta runs away as the ninjas are chasing him.*
"Going somewhere?" Cole asked.
"Uh-oh!" They surround him and hold him at weapon-point.
"Thought you could joyride through town and not be noticed, eh? Where's the last Fangblade?" Jay questioned.
"Please tell us, and we might let you go easily," said Nalia, not seeing much of a reason to hurt this person.
"I don't know what you're talking about." said Spitta.
"You know what it is—the fourth Fangblade. When Pythor finds them all, he plans to unleash the Great Devourer," said Kai.
"Oh, that Fangblade. Haha, you're too late. Pythor's already there now. He's probably already digging it up. If I were you, I'd start preparing for the worst because when the Great Devourer is awakened, there will be nothing it won't consume!" said Spitta.
"Won't that mean it'll consume you too?" Zane asked. The snake takes a moment to absorb this knowledge before freaking out.
Spitta hysterically said. "Ah! Please, you have to stop him. That snake is crazy. I don't wanna unleash the Great Devourer. I'm a snake, not food!"
"Is it really too late to stop Pythor from getting the last Fangblade?" Kai asked.
"You're days behind him. There's gotta be something else you can do!" said Spitta.
Nalia put her staff away and walked closer to Spitta, taking his hand as she smiled softly at him. "We'll do everything possible to stop him, so please don't panic. Gather those you can of family and friends, then take them somewhere safe until all this is over."
"Lia! What are you doing!?" said the ninjas surprised.
"Hey, aren't you the girl who bite Pythor's arm?" Spitta asked.
"Yeah, but don't worry. I wouldn't bite anyone else but Pythor unless you get on my bad side," said Nalia, still smiling.
"Oh, okay, that's good to know," said Spitta before leaving to gather those he could and get away from here.
*On the Bounty, the ninjas have reported everything they learned to the rest of the team and are locating the location of the last Fangblade.*
"The Venomari's right. By the time we cast sail clear across the other side of Ninjago, Pythor will have already beat us to the last Fangblade," said Nya.
"Oh, come on, guys. This is the last one. We gotta get it. We gotta think of something." said Jay.
"Hmm."
"Hey." said Lloyd.
"Huh?" Kai looked over at him.
Nalia looked at Lloyd, curious about what he had in mind.
"All we have to do is get one Fangblade to stop him. What if we take back the other three? Pythor wouldn't risk having them all on him. He's probably hidden them somewhere while he goes for the fourth." said Lloyd.
"It's so simple." said Cole.
"Huh, why didn't I think of that?" said Kai.
"You're a genius, Lloyd!" Nalia cheered.
Lloyd started blushing when she called him that; he scratched the back of his head.
"It can't be that easy," said Jay.
"Easy? My algorithms suggest taking the other three would be far more dangerous. Pythor would undoubtedly have them protected by his top generals." said Zane.
"Ha, finally. I don't have to hold back," said Kai.
"Even if you could steal the other three, you don't even know where they are," said Garmadon.
"He's right. For the past few weeks, there have been almost no Serpentine sightings. How are they moving around? It's like they're ghosts." said Wu.
"Or snakes. Bridge, give me a sonar sweep of Ninjago," said Nya; the computer showed no activity.
"See, nothing. It's just like Sensei said." Kai let out a sigh.
"But what if they aren't traveling above ground? They're snakes, right? Snakes burrow. Bridge, now give me a sonar sweep of Ninjago, but twenty feet below the surface." said Nya. The computer showed them the tunnels the Serpentine took.
"All the tombs have been interconnected." said Kai.
"To make one massive underground fortress." said Cole.
"And all this time, right under our noses." said Jay.
"Or rather, feet." said Zane.
Kai points to the main base. "There, that's the most protected area. The Fangblades must be held there."
"Then what are we waiting for? Nya, set the course." said Wu.
"Already on it. We'll be there by sunup." said Nya.
"Hey, Lia, wanna go and read some more comics?" Lloyd asked.
"Sure! I haven't read any for a while," said Nalia.
"Then we better get back to it; I can't wait to show you what happens next," said Lloyd, taking her hand and pulling her along with him to his room.
Nalia laughed joyfully, being pulled along, which she didn't mind.
"Those two never seem to leave each other side whenever you see one of them. The other isn't far behind." Wu chuckles, stroking his beard.
"I'm happy Lloyd got himself a good friend between them. I think Nalia needs it more than anyone. She lived alone in a cave with no one to talk to," said Garmadon, watching the kids run out of the bridge.
"I wonder when she will notice Lloyd's little crush on her." Wu humored.
Garmadon let out a chuckle. "Hard to say, brother, but we'll just have to wait and see what the future has in store for those two."
*The next day, the ninjas prepare for battle.*
"There is no room for error. The Serpentine have shown that they have great powers; to combat them, you must turn their greatest strengths into their greatest weaknesses. Kai, how will you defeat the Hypnobrai?" said Wu, looking over at Kai.
Kai pulls down a blindfold. "Their hypnotizing powers are useless if their opponent can fight without relying on his eyes."
"Good, Jay, the Fangpyre is fast and his bite sharp." said Wu, pointing his staff at Jay.
"But if he can't bite through your skin," Jay taps the armor on his arm. "He can't turn you into one of them."
"Yes. Cole, the Constrictai are strong." Wu traps him in a net. "And they will not let go."
"But instead of fighting back, one must try to loosen up." Cole frees himself. "And a little soft shoe doesn't hurt."
"Zane, the venom of the Venomari can make you see things. Cloud your perception." said Wu.
"Then I will use my new Falcon Vision." Zane activates said visionary ability to illustrate his point.
"Very good. I have trained you well. You are all ready." said Wu.
"What about you, Sensei? Will you fight? We need all the help we can get." said Kai.
"My concern is that my old bones cannot keep up, but I will be there in spirit." said Wu.
Nya on an intercom. "We're arriving at the Mountain of a Million Steps. You all might want to see this."
"Look at all those piles of dirt." said Jay
"Wonder what those snakes are up to." said Kai.
"Wait for us!" Lloyd and Nalia ran over to them.
"This is not your fight. The Green Ninja is too important for a future destiny. You shall stay with me and Nalia." said Wu.
"Why do I have to stay here? I wanna help too, like all the other times." Nalia crossed her arms, pouting.
"I need you by Lloyd's side to help him with his training. And I don't want you breaking another person's bone with your bites," said Wu.
"Awwww, come on! It was one time, and Pythor deserved it." Nalia complained.
Nya arrives with her Samurai Mech. "Well, they're gonna have to look after themselves because we made room for you." She points to a seat on her Mech.
"Well, you said you were concerned that you couldn't keep up, so Jay and Nya rejiggered the design so you could come along. Well, what do you think?" said Kai.
"I think... shotgun! Haha!" said Wu.
"I will stay back with Lloyd and Nalia. I don't enjoy saying this, but... good luck," said Garmadon, placing his hands on their shoulders.
".....Please come back safe and unharmed," said Nalia, not wanting anything to happen to them.
"Hey, Lia?" Lloyd looked over at her.
"What is it?" Nalia raised an eyebrow, curious at him.
Lloyd smiled mischievously as he touched her shoulder. "Tag! You're it!" He quickly began running away.
"Hey! Get back here!" Nalia quickly ran after him, laughing, "Just wait until I get you!"
"I'd like to see you try!" shouted Lloyd through his laughter while running around on the ship.
Garmadon chuckles softly, watching the kids having some fun playing tag. "Should the source dragons ever come to take her back? What will she choose, them or her found family."
*A while later.*
"How do you have so much energy? We ran around the ship five times." Lloyd questioned.
Nalia laughs at his question while holding his hand. "I don't know; I've always had more energy than the others. But even I can get exhausted if we had gone on longer."
"If we had gone longer, I'd already have passed out," said Lloyd.
"Maybe you just need to get into shape." Nalia teased.
"That's coming from you, who likes being lazy," said Lloyd, chuckling.
They go to the bridge and see Garmadon typing on the computer.
"Transferring files." The Computer replied.
Lloyd gasps, letting go of Nalia's hand. "You're... stealing?!" Garmadon turns around. "Dad, our friends are risking their lives to save Ninjago, and you go behind their backs to gain an advantage?!"
"I'm sorry, but I can't help it. Ever since the Devourer bit me, evil runs through my blood." said Garmadon.
"You left me for so long. Where did you go?" Lloyd asked, walking towards his father.
"Son, there are places in this world void of any good. Dark places," said Garmadon.
Nalia grew worried at watching them fight; she wanted to say something to make them stop. But she couldn't find the right words and didn't want to make it worse.
"Is that where Sensei found you?" Lloyd asked as he held out his hand for Nalia. As to try and comfort her.
A small smile grew on Nalia's face as she took his hand, which helped her a bit.
"You know how I've always wanted those Golden Weapons, well, this place allowed me the power to possess them." said Garmadon.
"But why didn't you take me with you?" Lloyd asked.
"Every boy has a choice to grow up to be whoever they want to be. But I never had that choice. Because I was bitten, evil runs through my veins. But you still have a choice. You don't need to be like me, Lloyd. Your uncle has a plan for you, and even though it may be to stop me one day, we have to follow our own destiny. And after I help the ninjas stop Pythor, I'll need to leave again." Garmadon explained.
Nalia looked at Lloyd, worried. She noticed the anger growing on his face and tightening his grip on her hand.
"Then why don't you just leave now!?" shouted Lloyd, in anger at his father.
"Lloyd—"
"No, really! Go back to whatever evil place you came from." said Lloyd.
"Lloydie, please." Nalia looked at him with teary eyes.
Lloyd glared over at Nalia until he noticed the tears in her eyes and how tight his grip was on her hand. He let out a long breath, trying to calm down and loosen his grip on her hand. "Sorry, Lia."
Nya on the computer. "All right, Operation Stealth was a total bust. We're gonna need reinforcements. Anyone there?" Garmadon reaches for the computer but is stopped by Lloyd.
"We don't want your help and don't need you here. Maybe it would've been better if you hadn't come at all," said Lloyd.
"If... if that's the way you feel." Garmadon leaves.
Nalia watched him sadly leave before going over to help Lloyd.
Lloyd presses a few random buttons. "I'm trying to help, Nya. Just hold on."
"Lloyd, are you okay?" Nalia asked while pressing random buttons.
"How can I be okay? When my dad goes on to steal from us!" said Lloyd angrily.
"But he can't help it, Lloyd, it's the poison doing it," said Nalia, trying to reason with him.
"I don't wanna hear you standing up for him! Not after what we just caught him doing!" Lloyd shouted at her.
Tears began forming in her eyes as she was shouted at. She took a deep breath, trying to hold back her tears. "Don't do or say anything you might regret when it's too late to change it." She put her focus back on pressing buttons.
"Lia, I'm—" Lloyd now felt bad from shouting at her when she hadn't done anything wrong.
"I know, Lloyd, I might not know much like everyone else. But I do know when someone feels bad about something," said Nalia.
After pressing a few more buttons, Lloyd changes into his ninja gi.
"The Green Ninja and Yellow Ninja are here to save the day," said Lloyd, smiling at Nalia, who gave a soft giggle, already in a better mood.
Nya on the computer. "Lloyd? Nalia? Lord Garmadon? Is anyone there?"
"It's me, Nya. Nalia and I are here, but my dad left. How are you guys holding on?" Lloyd notices static. "Nya? Hello?"
Nya fixes it by throwing a rock at her Mech. "We're fine, but we're a little held up at the moment. Our weapons have been taken, and we're locked in cages."
"And Pythor's returned with the fourth Fangblade," said Cole.
"Lloyd, where did your father go?" Zane asked.
Nalia looked at Lloyd and gently took his hand, slightly lifting his mood.
"I-I told him to leave. He was trying to steal secrets," said Lloyd.
"Oh, big surprise there. I told you about that guy, but you guys wouldn't listen," said Kai.
"My dad's going back to where he came from. But don't worry, we'll save you," said Lloyd.
"You're not ready, Lloyd. Your destiny is too great to risk, and Nalia can't take on so many snakes alone," said Wu.
"I hate to break it to you, Sensei, but if we don't get out of here before Pythor unleashes the Great Devourer, I think this will be the end of all our destinies," said Cole.
"Ugh, we'll get you out of there in a jiff." Lloyd tries to take a weapon from a cabinet, but they fall on him. "Ouch."
A soft giggle escaped from Nalia as she came over and helped him up. "You okay, greenie?"
"Greenie? What happened to Lloydie?" Lloyd questioned.
"I can still call you that; I just thought it was fitting with your green gi," said Nalia.
"If I'm greenie, then I'm calling you a star," said Lloyd.
Nalia blushed at that nickname; while her brother had called her that a few times, it was rare. Hearing it from Lloyd made her happy and feel all bubbly and warm, but she wasn't sure why.
"Come on, let's go and save our friend, star," said Lloyd, taking her hand and heading off the Bounty.
*Jumping to Lloyd and Nalia climbing the Mountain of a Million Steps.*
"Whoosh. Ninja roll. Flying Drag—" Lloyd trips. "Whoa! Ninja recover! Whoosh. Ninja roll."
Nalia tried to hold back her laughter, but it was hard while watching Lloyd as they were climbing.
"Hey, look up there. It's Lloyd and Nalia," said Kai.
"Come on, Lloyd. You're the Green Ninja. You can do this." Lloyd tried hyping himself up.
"Lloyd, wait—" said Nalia, but it was too late. Lloyd trips on a rock going downstairs, dragging Nalia along as he grabs her hand.
"That one hurt. Ow!" Lloyd grunts. He falls all the way down with Nalia, confusing the Serpentine.
"That's the next worst thing I've felt in my life." Nalia complained, slowly getting back up with Lloyd.
"Well, if we don't meet again, Pythor. Unhand the ninjas, or suffer humiliation against the Green Ninja and Yellow Ninja!" Everyone laughs at him.
"Oh, yeah? You and what army?" Pythor asked.
Nalia narrowed her eyes at Pythor. "Shut it, pest! Before I make you my chew toy!" She growled at him, her eyes glowing ever so slightly.
"Uh, how about my army of fists?" Lloyd punches but almost falls again. Everyone laughs.
"Or this army?" Garmadon stands in front of the Skulkin.
"Dad!" said Lloyd surprised.
"Lloyd, you helped me realize I do have a choice. And if there is anyone who is going to threaten Ninjago, it better well be me." said Garmadon.
Nalia went on to hide behind Lloyd, as she still wasn't comfortable about what those Skulkin did to her.
"The Skeleton army? But why would they fight beside you? You betrayed them and Samukai long ago." said Pythor.
"Because everybody hate snakes!" The army laughs.
"Attack!" shouted Pythor.
"Attack!" shouted Kruncha.
Pythor pulls a lever that makes the cage descend into the vat of venom.
"Hey, we're moving." said Jay.
"Yeah, the wrong way." said Cole.
Nuckal blabbers at Skales. "Are you serious?"
Kruncha punches him. "He never saw that coming."
"Uh, saw what coming?" Kruncha sighs and hits Nuckal.
"Lloyd! Nalia!" said Nya.
Lloyd frees the ninjas and their weapons, while Nalia uses sand to stop the cogs from moving so the cage won't go further down.
"Told you we'll save you." said Lloyd.
"Go, ninja, go." Kai looked at the others.
"Ninja, go!" They use Spinjitzu to clear a path. Garmadon soon faces Pythor in a brief battle before the snake slithers away.
"So long, suck—OW!" said Pythor, only to then feel a sharp pain in his arm. He turned his head to see Nalia bitting into her arm. "YOU! Again!"
Nalia growled with her teeth sinking deep into his arm.
"Get this beast off of me!" screamed Pythor, swinging his arm along with trying to stab her. But nothing worked, as each time he tried stabbing, it would be blocked by sand.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to Pythor and Nalia.
"Isn't that the beast Lord Garmadon wanted us to capture?" Nuckal asked.
"Looks like it found itself's a snack." said Kruncha.
"Get it off!!" screamed Pythor painfully.
"You tried to take away Lloyd and now my family. I'll make a little pest like you pay!" Nalia growled in pure rage as her body was covered in a golden glow, with a few fainted symbols covering her body.
"Nalia! Let him go! NOW!" shouted Wu.
Nalia snapped out of her blinding rage, but not before the sound of something getting crushed was heard. And then a painful scream escaped from Pythor as he pushed her off, from his now broken arm, again, along with dropping the fangblades before disappearing.
Nalia fell to the ground, rubbing her head as she spit out some blood. "Ew, snake blood."
"Nalia! What were you thinking? You can't just do that to people." said Wu sternly.
"B-but he tried killing you guys, a-and I can't forgive him for doing that," said Nalia.
"That doesn't mean you can bite people whenever you are upset; yes, we were in danger, but it doesn't excuse your behavior. You need to control that anger and put it into something else." Wu scolded her.
Nalia looked down on the ground upset. ".....Like what? More training?"
"No... you love singing. So put your energy into that. Let that be your outlet whenever you are upset." said Wu, giving a soft smile.
Nalia slowly looked up at Wu with tears running down her face, and a small smile grew. "Okay."
"Where did he go?" Cole asked, as he couldn't see Pythor anywhere.
"Who cares? We have the Fangblades. Let's get out of here." said Kai.
"Ninja, go!"
"Don't worry about us. We'll keep fighting the good fight." said Nuckal.
"I never thought I'd be saying this, but go, ninja, go!" said Kruncha.
*The ninjas leave on the Bounty. Later, on the bridge, the ninjas celebrate their victory.*
"He left, didn't he?" Nya asked, to which Lloyd nods. "Then have some Snogfruit Punch. Cole made it, and it's actually not bad." She raises her glass in a toast. "To Lloyd's dad!"
"Hear, hear!"
"To Dad!" shouted Lloyd.
"Tomorrow, we arrive at Torchfire Mountain to destroy these Fangblades once and for all. And it couldn't have been done without your father. I'm going to miss him." said Wu.
Everyone cheers.
"Hey, where's Lia?" Lloyd asked, looking around but couldn't see her anywhere.
"I think she might be outside on the deck." said Nya.
"I'll go and check on her," said Lloyd, grabbing a second glass of punch before walking outside and looking around until he checked the upper deck, where he found her leaning against the railing, looking up at the stars.
"Hey, Lia, you okay?" Lloyd asked, walking over and handing her a glass of punch.
Nalia accepted the glass, taking a sip of it with a soft smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about what sensei Wu said to my earlier."
"Yeah, I've never seen you that angry before. It was scary, along with you breaking Pythor's arm. Though he did deserve it." said Lloyd, leaning against the railing next to her.
"I'm guessing your dad left?" Nalia asked.
".....Yeah." Lloyd looked down at his glass with a sad look on his face.
(The song she is singing.)
(link to song)
"Let it all out
Let it all out
Never feel you need to
Act brave when you're hurt
On a white wall, someone has drawn
A small flower that's so delicate
It sways in the wind.~"
Nalia began singing softly, putting down her glass before taking Lloyd's hands and dragging him along.
Lloyd's eyes widened in surprise at hearing her voice, and he let her drag him along.
"No one really knows what's inside
But you know you don't gotta hide
In life, you win and lose
But those are the rules
Upon this endless road, you're walking still
And some days you might feel lonely
You may wanna cry
But swear that you'll hold on!~"
Nalia pulled him along on the deck and began dancing with him as she kept singing.
Lloyd couldn't help but feel charmed by her voice and the comfort it was giving him.
Even Pythor, who was hiding, couldn't resist listening to the song. As his broken arm, once again, had been healed. "Well, this is interesting."
Nalia giggles, taking off her scarf for the first time before Lloyd, as she wraps it around him.
Lloyd looked on in surprise at this action and saw the scars on Nalia's throat. Two clean strikes, but not as brutal as the day it happened.
"We'll take our scars
And make them stars
Let them shine up in the sky
This light is ours
And it will burn on
No matter where we are!
Even if we happen to lose our way
We will always be together
So, hey, come what may
We will shine a little stardust on a new day.~"
A soft golden glow surrounded Nalia, making her shine bright like a star in the night. While dancing together, Lloyd blushed at what he saw in front of him.
"Let it all out
Let it all out
It would seem that there
Are many things you seek
But, don't mind it
No one's perfect
If we were, then I don't think we would have met
Woah!
No one really knows for certain
What day fate will pull the curtain?
So all this time I've held a knife behind my back
In case my luck wears thin
But you know, it's hard to stay strong
When you lie and say you're fine
As it wears you down!~"
The stars in the night sky started glowing, ever so faintly, to Nalia's voice. A few symbols on her back slowly appeared without either of them knowing.
"I know you're scared
That fear we share
But we gotta live our lives
You're not alone, so keep on smiling
And riding on that wind
You and I are reaching out our hands
And as long as we're together
Oh, hey, come what may
We will shine a little stardust on a new day.~"
The more Nalia sang and danced with Lloyd, the more visible the symbols became, and the stars in the sky slowly began moving. Some even became shooting stars, falling in beat with her song.
"What if we discover that the things
That we believed in all this time are wrong?
Do you just pretend that the sin is fine
And let it eat you up inside?
I thought I lost everything.
But that's when you reminded me
That you're always here
Whenever I need you most!
Oooooh ohOooooh ohOoooooooooh
We'll take our scars
And make them stars
Let them shine up in the sky
This light is ours
And it will burn on
No matter where we are.~"
Nalia smiled brightly at him, as she was glowing brighter every second.
One of the symbols on her back slowly turned into dust, and the night sky was now covered in a hundred shooting stars. Each of them moved to the melody of her song.
"Even if we happen to lose our way
We will always be together
So, hey, come what may
We will shine a little stardust on...
I never want a day to come
When it's time to say goodbye
But, life goes on
And that is something
There is no running from
Even if we happen to lose our way
We will always be together
So, hey, come what may
I will always stand by you
That one thing won't change.~"
As Nalia finished the song, the golden glow faded from her. Along with the symbols on her back, even the night sky stars had returned to normal. She took back her scarf and put it back on.
"....L-Lia, that was... your voice was so beautiful," said Lloyd, too shocked by this.
Nalia giggled with a shy smile. "I thought you might want something to cheer you up. And I wanted to take in Sensei Wu's suggestion."
"But your scarf... you never take it off, and most of all. You've never shown your scars." said Lloyd, slowly moving a hand up to her throat. But he didn't dare to touch it, scared it might still hurt if touched.
"I thought it would be a fitting action to the song..... putting a better meaning to it," said Nalia, growing shyer. But she slowly moved her scarf, letting him touch her scars.
"I'm surprised you still have a voice; these are some serious scars," said Lloyd, who gently touched them.
"Well, my voice is pretty special, and Sensei Wu gave me a lot of tea." Nalia giggles.
"Yeah, special indeed," said Lloyd softly.
"Guys! What are you doing!" shouted Jay, coming out to check on them.
Nalia and Lloyd quickly stepped away from each other before looking down from the upper deck.
"Just watching the stars!" shouted Nalia, smiling, before looking at Lloyd.
Lloyd and Nalia started laughing at each other, smiling happily before grabbing their glasses and heading back inside.