"What?" Lloyd asked, still confused, "What is going on?" He asked, awkwardly standing there with the paper.
The door rattled again and a snarl was heard.
The old woman scowled, “Be strong, be vigilant, trust you team and stay ALIVE, Lloyd, for something is coming to rule Ninjago, now only the power of two will save us all,” She closed the door, leaving him in the poorly-lit tunnel.
Lloyd blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the dim passageway. He ran down the long, twisting hall, running into the occasional bat and getting cobwebbed in the face, sneezing a bit from the dust. He bounded down the ever narrowing corridor until he reached a door. Hesitantly, Lloyd grasped the doorknob and cautiously opened it, unsure of what lurked beyond. Lloyd found himself in a closet full of brooms, dustpans, mops, squeegees, dusters, vacuums, buckets, rags, sponges, spray bottles, cleaners and other janitorial supplies. Truly terrifying indeed. Lloyd walked across the small room to the proper entryway and walked out, casually as if un-janitors walked out closets all the time, no problem. He made his way toward the doors of the museum, ignoring the puzzled glances of onlookers and a confused janitor.
It was just Lloyd’s luck that he would look over his shoulder and step on a sponge from the closet. His foot landed on it causing him to slide forward on the smooth linoleum floor of the empty museum. In a lousy attempt to regain his balance, Lloyd, arms flailing frantically over his head like the arms of an out of control windmill in a hurricane, slid three feet closer to the doors, only to find that someone had chosen that moment to enter the building. The person, a teenage girl, who just happened to be holding books and a folder full of papers, panicked as she saw Lloyd and froze in place and Lloyd, unable to stop the oncoming crash, fell and the two collided. The girl’s books went one way, her papers temporarily took flight before landing all over the place and she and Lloyd landed in a jumbled heap of arms and legs.
“Sorry!” the girl cried, “I am so sorry! That was totally my fault, I wasn’t looking where I was going and I’m really sorry! Are you alright? Oh, I hope you’re not hurt. My mom’s always telling me to pay attention and then I go and do this! I’m really sorry about this, please tell me you’re not hurt! My mom is going to kill me if she hears about this!”
“No, no, it’s not fault, really, I stepped on a sponge and tripped. Are you alright, Miss…?” Lloyd said, standing up and offering her a hand.
“Hmm? Oh, I’m Jenna,” she said as Lloyd helped her to her feet. “Well, Miss Kendall, I guess but I prefer Jenna,” Jenna told him while gathering up her books. “And yes, I’m fine just a little startled, I—Lloyd?” she breathed.
“Jenna?” Lloyd gasped. He studied the girl. Silky chestnut-brown hair fell in wavy locks half way down her back with one streak dyed blue in the front and another pink. Her bright blue eyes revealed memories of the past, memories of friendship, betrayal and lost families. Jenna wore a dark purple jacket over a black and blue shirt and jeans. “It’s been….” he trailed off in an incredulous tone. “a long time, Jenna.”
“Yeah, it has.” Jenna answered, her voice distant, “Nice to see you again, we thought if you’d forgotten about us.”
“Yes, I mean, no, I mean, yes, it’s nice to see you and no, I haven’t forgotten, I’ve just had a lot on my mind and I didn’t even know where you were living and…I guess—” Lloyd started, realizing he had no idea what to say to a girl he hadn’t spoken to in years.
Years ago, after a mix-up of sorts, Lloyd had traveled through the Tsukiakari forests on his way home and met up with four other travels; a woman from another realm, a warrior and a pair of siblings. The group had helped each other, each needing the other’s strengths and gifts. Jenna and her brother Aaron had particularly befriended Lloyd as well as the woman. The warrior, though, was more self-reliant and vigilant.
“Lloyd, it’s fine, Aaron’s goofy as ever and I, yeah, I’m fine, so, um…” Jenna said, a hint of sadness in her voice.
Lloyd’s heart sunk, he fought back a wave of fear that Jenna would hate him for, well, forgetting about them.
“Oh, hey, why are you at this museum?” Jenna said, changing the topic, “do you like magic and zozology, too? I adore it! Especially the Umbra Tribe’s history and really anything about them!” she told him, “Have you ever heard of the legend of the animus queen? It’s fascinating! Do you think she could really animate things?”
“It’s interesting but I’m only here because my mom suddenly think I’m a mailman. She wanted me to take a letter to her friend.” Lloyd clarified, “What is zozology, anyways?” he asked.
“Zozology is the study of nonhumans. You know, serpentine, djinn, stone warriors, dragons and any creature with magic in them. A nonhuman is just a humanoid or animalistic creature with either magic in their blood or special non-human abilities.” Jenna explained. “Although I don’t believe all of it, like teleporting elves from the Maija Forests, some of it’s true.”
After a long, long, long, long conversation first about zozology then magic, dragons, history, modern Ninjago, technology, the ups and downs of it, science, books and a few others things, as well as reminiscing their old adventures, Jenna glanced at her wrist watch.
“Hey, Lloyd, I have to go now but maybe would you like to go out for lunch tomorrow? Just to talk and catch up on everything, I mean we haven’t seen each other for years and I’d love to hear how everything’s going.” She said, “How about eleven-thirty at the Jade Dragon?”
“Yes, I mean, sure, if that’ll work for you than yeah, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” Lloyd said. “I really am sorry about before, it was my fault.”
“Sure!” said Jenna, “See you tomorrow, and no, it was destiny.” Her eyes darkened and she murmured barely audibly, “A destiny we’re entrapped in unfortunately.”
“Destiny?” Lloyd asked, unsure of her meaning.
“Goodbye, Lloyd,” Jenna said, waving as she walked toward the dragon exhibit and Lloyd turned toward the doors.
Lloyd walked outside where he was greeted by warm summer air and bright sunlight, he conjured up his Energy dragon and vaulted into the sky. As Lloyd soared through the clouds and bright blue sky, he was unaware of the amber eyes watching him.
The eyes belonged to a raven, black as the night, perched high a rooftop nearby. She was watching the world around her but never taking her keen eyes off the Master of Energy.
Lloyd walked outside where he was greeted by warm summer air and bright sunlight, he conjured up his Energy dragon and vaulted into the sky. As Lloyd soared through the clouds and bright blue sky, he was unaware of the amber eyes watching him.
The eyes belonged to a raven, black as the night, perched high a rooftop nearby. She was watching the world around her but never taking her keen eyes off the Master of Energy.