I lead Melody across the city in search of the Bounty; one new recruit down, two to go. I was surprised at how calm she was, despite her past as an abused child and an orphan.
"So...how old did you say you were?"
"Fifteen," she replied.
"Wow," I told her. "Did you have a little dose of Tomorrow's Tea or something?"
"I'm tall for my age," she answered.
"Oh." I chuckled. "Should have figured."
"Lloyd," Melody warned me.
"What? Did I say something wro-" Then I felt it. My right foot crossed my left and the latter felt like it was being pulled up hard enough that I felt a few bones crack. This stabbing pain crossed it, and I bit my lip and squinted my eyes shut. Man, was I seeing stars.
Before I could make my last wishes before my inevitable death, a soft gasp was audible from behind. That's when I realized I'd fallen into a huge crater in the street. And a girl, her white hair long and neatly cut, was standing behind me. But I didn't see a knife or a mask. I must have been dead. Harumi had betrayed me and passed weeks ago.
She helped me up and looked down, saying in a voice that definitely belonged to the princess, "Your leg. Do you want me to look at it?"
"Harumi," I told her. "That's you, right?"
She stepped back a little, but nodded.
"I thought I'd destroyed you. I...pushed you off a cliff."
"I would have let you," she replied. "Then I realized how stupid I really was to think it was all your fault. I realized how...not me...what I did was. So I sacrificed the Mask of Hatred to make me invincible for one last time and spare my life."
"And they didn't find you?" I replied. "I thought they would have cared about the princess."
"Oh, Lloyd." She laughed, as if what I'd said was funny. "I'm not a princess. I was merely adopted by the royal family so I had someone to take care of me. I'm just a normal girl of blood that's anything but royal."
"Well, you're not alone in that," I replied. "Remember Jay?"
"Why wouldn't I? He was a funny guy."
"He was adopted too," I explained. "His parents abandoned him as a baby. He was adopted by-"
"-a loving inventor couple, I know," she replied. "And his real parents are Cliff Gordon and the previous Master of Lightning."
I looked down into the crater as Lloyd didn't answer. He pushed her down, not buying any of what she said. "YOU'RE INSANE! WHY WOULD YOU THINK I'D TRUST YOU! YOU TRIED TO MURDER ME!"
"W-what if I heard from Jay that he was adopted?" The white-haired girl stepped back, trying to keep her balance, but he tripped her.
"Never try to pull this garbage on me again! We all know you just want us dead! You're only trying to feed on my supposed love for you. But guess what? I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU AND YOUR STUPID GUTS!"
"Fine," she replied. "Turn me in. But first, a kiss goodbye..." She approached him, and I could see a knife in her hand as she wrapped her arms around him.
"Lloyd," I repeated.
"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" He shoved her away, and her dagger cut his arm. "Ack..."
"Fine. But I'll do you a favor and turn myself in." She glanced up at Ninjago's asylum nearby. "Have fun being in pain." And she ran towards it, leaving Lloyd alone and pained.
I went down and helped him up as soon as she was out of sight. "Who was that?"
"Harumi," he replied. "My insane ex-girlfriend. And I thought for a moment she had a chance."
I pulled him up. "Where do you live?"
"In a ship," he replied. "It should be docked not too far from here."
I glanced at a nearby dock. There was a large, intricate boat, reddish in color, in the very front. He pointed to it, and I could see that his arm was bleeding. I looked at it. "Lloyd-"
"Don't worry about it," he breathed. "I've been through far worse."
Ignoring the pain surging through my right arm, I let Melody help me walk as I showed her to the Bounty. I was panting as we got in, but I had to use the last of my strength to show her around.
Though I didn't want them to know, it was too late. Nya saw me and her scream, high and shrill, brought the attention of the others. She pushed Melody aside and embraced me. "Lloyd! You're alive!"
"Barely," I replied. "I encountered Harumi again. She tried to stab me, but she ended up slashing my arm anyways. Considering her methods, and how I'm feeling now, I shouldn't be...much longer..." I felt myself becoming weaker with every word.
"Lloyd, no!" Jay ran to my side, right by his love. "You need to stay with us."
"Master Lloyd," Cole added as he joined them. "At least hold on for a while!"
"The dagger must have been poisoned," Zane muttered as he, too, approached me. "He's losing consciousness rather...we have to...please."
My hearing was fading fast, my vision blurring. "I'll be fine guys," I lied, my words slurring through my failing tongue.
"No, you won't," I heard, loud and clear, from Nya. "Try...to speak."
"Nya," I muttered, feeling as if I was losing all feeling in my face.
The last thing I felt was being raised up, as a blurry female face looked dow-
I sighed as I held special herbs to Lloyd's arm. Kai, one of Lloyd's friends, carefully fed him tea, as an elder woman prepared more tea in the back.
Lloyd began to stir, and I could see the poison seeping out of his wound, but it didn't affect the leaves, as if it had disappeared. He blinked, then his eyes fluttered shut again.
"Patience," the woman said. I kept holding the herbs to the wound obediently, and it gradually stopped bleeding.
Hours passed. My arm was numb. Kai was tired of feeding him tea every few minutes. But the wound was gone. We just had to wait for Lloyd to open his eyes again.
Eventually, he did. Hearing him caused the guy in black to wake up, the blue-clad redhead to nearly fall out of his seat, and Kai to shoot up. "Lloyd!" they shouted at the same time.
Lloyd smiled at them...or, he tried. His face was numb enough that he could barely move the muscles in them.
"I'm just glad the tea worked," Kai told him. "We're going home." He smiled at the old lady.
As he went out, she tapped him on the shoulder. He looked back, and she handed him a large bag, saying, "Tea to go. You know...to carry along with you."
Kai chuckled. "Thanks." He turned to Lloyd. "We should go."
"Yeah," Lloyd replied, standing to his feet, but stumbling. Jay, the blue one, picked him up and carried him.
As we walked through Ninjago City, I could see Jay getting tired, so I quietly took Lloyd out of his hands. Jay leaned on Nya in his exhaustion.
I glanced down at his now sleeping face. Hoping the others wouldn't notice, I quietly moved my hand and stroked his hair. It almost felt like I could...feel something.
I sighed as I held special herbs to Lloyd's arm. Kai, one of Lloyd's friends, carefully fed him tea, as an elder woman prepared more tea in the back.
Lloyd began to stir, and I could see the poison seeping out of his wound, but it didn't affect the leaves, as if it had disappeared. He blinked, then his eyes fluttered shut again.
"Patience," the woman said. I kept holding the herbs to the wound obediently, and it gradually stopped bleeding.
Hours passed. My arm was numb. Kai was tired of feeding him tea every few minutes. But the wound was gone. We just had to wait for Lloyd to open his eyes again.
***
I glanced down at his now sleeping face. Hoping the others wouldn't notice, I quietly moved my hand and stroked his hair. It almost felt like I could...feel something.
I sighed as I held special herbs to Lloyd's arm. Kai, one of Lloyd's friends, carefully fed him tea, as an elder woman prepared more tea in the back.
Lloyd began to stir, and I could see the poison seeping out of his wound, but it didn't affect the leaves, as if it had disappeared. He blinked, then his eyes fluttered shut again.
"Patience," the woman said. I kept holding the herbs to the wound obediently, and it gradually stopped bleeding.
Hours passed. My arm was numb. Kai was tired of feeding him tea every few minutes. But the wound was gone. We just had to wait for Lloyd to open his eyes again.
***
I glanced down at his now sleeping face. Hoping the others wouldn't notice, I quietly moved my hand and stroked his hair. It almost felt like I could...feel something.
*SoG finale episode flashback*
Aw, cute. @bold: What, besides hair?
That's probably one of the things that kept me from getting rid of him...other than him being my favorite, that is.
Yeah. Thought I'd throw in some fluff.
Well, time will tell, my friend. Time will tell...
I sighed as I held special herbs to Lloyd's arm. Kai, one of Lloyd's friends, carefully fed him tea, as an elder woman prepared more tea in the back.
Lloyd began to stir, and I could see the poison seeping out of his wound, but it didn't affect the leaves, as if it had disappeared. He blinked, then his eyes fluttered shut again.
"Patience," the woman said. I kept holding the herbs to the wound obediently, and it gradually stopped bleeding.
Hours passed. My arm was numb. Kai was tired of feeding him tea every few minutes. But the wound was gone. We just had to wait for Lloyd to open his eyes again.
Eventually, he did. Hearing him caused the guy in black to wake up, the blue-clad redhead to nearly fall out of his seat, and Kai to shoot up. "Lloyd!" they shouted at the same time.
Lloyd smiled at them...or, he tried. His face was numb enough that he could barely move the muscles in them.
"I'm just glad the tea worked," Kai told him. "We're going home." He smiled at the old lady.
As he went out, she tapped him on the shoulder. He looked back, and she handed him a large bag, saying, "Tea to go. You know...to carry along with you."
Kai chuckled. "Thanks." He turned to Lloyd. "We should go."
"Yeah," Lloyd replied, standing to his feet, but stumbling. Jay, the blue one, picked him up and carried him.
As we walked through Ninjago City, I could see Jay getting tired, so I quietly took Lloyd out of his hands. Jay leaned on Nya in his exhaustion.
I glanced down at his now sleeping face. Hoping the others wouldn't notice, I quietly moved my hand and stroked his hair. It almost felt like I could...feel something.
I sighed as I held special herbs to Lloyd's arm. Kai, one of Lloyd's friends, carefully fed him tea, as an elder woman prepared more tea in the back.
Lloyd began to stir, and I could see the poison seeping out of his wound, but it didn't affect the leaves, as if it had disappeared. He blinked, then his eyes fluttered shut again.
"Patience," the woman said. I kept holding the herbs to the wound obediently, and it gradually stopped bleeding.
Hours passed. My arm was numb. Kai was tired of feeding him tea every few minutes. But the wound was gone. We just had to wait for Lloyd to open his eyes again.
Eventually, he did. Hearing him caused the guy in black to wake up, the blue-clad redhead to nearly fall out of his seat, and Kai to shoot up. "Lloyd!" they shouted at the same time.
Lloyd smiled at them...or, he tried. His face was numb enough that he could barely move the muscles in them.
"I'm just glad the tea worked," Kai told him. "We're going home." He smiled at the old lady.
As he went out, she tapped him on the shoulder. He looked back, and she handed him a large bag, saying, "Tea to go. You know...to carry along with you."
Kai chuckled. "Thanks." He turned to Lloyd. "We should go."
"Yeah," Lloyd replied, standing to his feet, but stumbling. Jay, the blue one, picked him up and carried him.
As we walked through Ninjago City, I could see Jay getting tired, so I quietly took Lloyd out of his hands. Jay leaned on Nya in his exhaustion.
I glanced down at his now sleeping face. Hoping the others wouldn't notice, I quietly moved my hand and stroked his hair. It almost felt like I could...feel something.
My vision blurred as my eyes fluttered open. An expressionless ,violet-eyed face stared at me. "You're up," an unfazed voice stated as cold hands pulled me up. "Come on. Breakfast."
"It's morning already?" I asked her as she led me to the dining room.
"You were out for two weeks after you went back to sleep on the way back. It was...confusing." She said no more ,but she had stopped abruptly, as if there was something she was too embarrassed to say.
"Go on," I told her.
"I looked after you most of the time. I checked on you every now and then, even during lessons and projects," she admitted. "You looked like you were sleeping peacefully. I was...glad you appeared serene."
"You were glad?" I asked.
She turned away. "It's not a thing of affection," she said quickly, and I grinned.
She and I walked into the dining room and she let go of my hand, keeping a straight face. I was trying to keep myself from spilling our conversation in the hall earlier, but I could barely surpress my little fits of laughter. Jay, having experience with crushes, grinned at me, knowing what this meant, but Cole, who still hadn't found a true crush, thought I was going insane at first. I even heard him whisper to Jay, "Is he okay?"
"Yeah, he's fine." Jay turned and winked at me, and my grin got a little wider. I couldn't help but laugh again.
Nya was giggling a little as well as she watched me. She, too, knew.
After a bit of awkwardness, I managed to compose myself and said, "I'm planning on gathering more girls like her for our team. Who wants to help?"
"ARE YOU CRAZY?" Nya snapped suddenly, slamming her fist on the table. "MORE girls on the team? That's...that's..."
My eyes widened, and Jay lightly covered his mouth.
"...a great plan ,actually! It'd make me feel a bit more comfortable being a girl here. I can teach them everything I know!"
Both Jay and I sighed in relief. "So, are you helping?" I asked her.
"Heck yeah I am, let's do this!" She stood up. "Just tell me where we'regoing and I'm in!"
Jay stood up too. "If Nya's in, so am I!"
Cole stood up as well. "I'll go with you. You never know what you need. I know the wilderness. For the longest time, the Earth was my home."
My vision blurred as my eyes fluttered open. An expressionless ,violet-eyed face stared at me. "You're up," an unfazed voice stated as cold hands pulled me up. "Come on. Breakfast."
"It's morning already?" I asked her as she led me to the dining room.
"You were out for two weeks after you went back to sleep on the way back. It was...confusing." She said no more ,but she had stopped abruptly, as if there was something she was too embarrassed to say.
"Go on," I told her.
"I looked after you most of the time. I checked on you every now and then, even during lessons and projects," she admitted. "You looked like you were sleeping peacefully. I was...glad you appeared serene."
"You were glad?" I asked.
She turned away. "It's not a thing of affection," she said quickly, and I grinned.
***
After a bit of awkwardness, I managed to compose myself and said, "I'm planning on gathering more girls like her for our team. Who wants to help?"
"ARE YOU CRAZY?" Nya snapped suddenly, slamming her fist on the table. "MORE girls on the team? That's...that's..."
My eyes widened, and Jay lightly covered his mouth.
"...a great plan ,actually! It'd make me feel a bit more comfortable being a girl here. I can teach them everything I know!"
Both Jay and I sighed in relief. "So, are you helping?" I asked her.
"Heck yeah I am, let's do this!" She stood up. "Just tell me where we'regoing and I'm in!"
Jay stood up too. "If Nya's in, so am I!"
Cole stood up as well. "I'll go with you. You never know what you need. I know the wilderness. For the longest time, the Earth was my home."
"Let's do this!"
Better than spraying whipped cream on his face, at any rate.
There goes the boy band.
So during the two weeks Lloyd was out, Melody was just hanging around, checking on him? And now they're going to look for girl ninja to add to the team?
My vision blurred as my eyes fluttered open. An expressionless ,violet-eyed face stared at me. "You're up," an unfazed voice stated as cold hands pulled me up. "Come on. Breakfast."
"It's morning already?" I asked her as she led me to the dining room.
"You were out for two weeks after you went back to sleep on the way back. It was...confusing." She said no more ,but she had stopped abruptly, as if there was something she was too embarrassed to say.
"Go on," I told her.
"I looked after you most of the time. I checked on you every now and then, even during lessons and projects," she admitted. "You looked like you were sleeping peacefully. I was...glad you appeared serene."
"You were glad?" I asked.
She turned away. "It's not a thing of affection," she said quickly, and I grinned.
She and I walked into the dining room and she let go of my hand, keeping a straight face. I was trying to keep myself from spilling our conversation in the hall earlier, but I could barely surpress my little fits of laughter. Jay, having experience with crushes, grinned at me, knowing what this meant, but Cole, who still hadn't found a true crush, thought I was going insane at first. I even heard him whisper to Jay, "Is he okay?"
"Yeah, he's fine." Jay turned and winked at me, and my grin got a little wider. I couldn't help but laugh again.
Nya was giggling a little as well as she watched me. She, too, knew.
After a bit of awkwardness, I managed to compose myself and said, "I'm planning on gathering more girls like her for our team. Who wants to help?"
"ARE YOU CRAZY?" Nya snapped suddenly, slamming her fist on the table. "MORE girls on the team? That's...that's..."
My eyes widened, and Jay lightly covered his mouth.
"...a great plan ,actually! It'd make me feel a bit more comfortable being a girl here. I can teach them everything I know!"
Both Jay and I sighed in relief. "So, are you helping?" I asked her.
"Heck yeah I am, let's do this!" She stood up. "Just tell me where we'regoing and I'm in!"
Jay stood up too. "If Nya's in, so am I!"
Cole stood up as well. "I'll go with you. You never know what you need. I know the wilderness. For the longest time, the Earth was my home."
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