A Snakes Grief; the story of Reyn Soto



A Lego Ninjago Story authored by The2nddecade



Prologue of tragedy…



... I cannot see it clearly, I've fought, I've trained, and I did the best I could... The one man who found me, after I was abandoned from my biological parents... The one man who cared for me... he left a long while ago, and it has been three days… I walked and walked the streets of Ninjago City, wondering where he was. All the people who looked at me, were silent, they refused to answer any of my questions… they were all too scared to answer me, I’ve asked... "Have you've seen this man?" "I'm looking for my care taker... can you please point out where he was last seen?" "I want to find my care taker... he's gone missing from me..." “..Help me please; I need to find my father… I really miss him…!”



… But All I was ever responded to was this insult about 85% of the time: "Go slither back to the hole where you were once buried from!!!" I hated most people who discriminated me. The people who shunned The Serpentine - my kind - for a long time; many centuries ago in fact. And now they've accepted us into their circle of life like nothing ever happened between the Human and the Serpentine Races; like no wars ever happened between us. Humans, sometimes... I don't understand their customs, their ideas and their logic. The day was soon ending relatively fast... I kept on searching for him, I remember his voice quite well, I remember his face of greasy black hair, bushy eyebrows, illustrious yellow skin that was dry due to being in dirt and stones for many an hour, and black eyes that sparkled when the sun hits them just right… and he was still as handsome as ever...



I've wanted to give up searching in the back of my head, but nay... I wanted to find him, the shadows of the tall buildings loomed over me, being black monoliths in the orange skies of the sunset. I felt hopeless, I felt weak, but I still felt determined to find him. I kept running, i felt his presence, being that I can feel the earth in my scaly feet, and I could feel his bio-rhythm (Another reason why my biological parents abandoned me in the first place, plus the earthen powers because I had such “ungodly powers of the Serpentine.” Well… at least to the generals...) I ran faster and faster, until it led me to a dark alleyway... I walked cautiously; I walked with my mind set to tighten my defenses. I wondered if he was here... I felt his biorhythms deeply, and strongly. I walked into the darkness, and my four glowing reddish-yellow hypnotic Eyes went into their night-vision mode, but against the blue and green vision I see, I saw the shine of something golden, its glow was nothing compared to beauty, until I realized it was one of the four golden weapons! I picked up the Golden Scythe of Quakes, my caretaker’s legendary weapon that can control the earth, even turn into a cool vehicle if you can concentrate just right. I was looking at myself in its blade's reflection, it had a olive green stain of Venomari acid on it, but the blade was undamaged, itself. I stared at myself for a long time within the stain. It’s glow suddenly died out, and I looked over my shoulder, my eyes looking surprised...



...I saw a shadow move back into the darkness… I thought it was my father… my caretaker...



...But seeing, just believes... I not only saw that shadow... I actually witnessed something... Something truly strange to me; it just can’t just have a tail like that! Its tail was familiar to me, so familiar in fact; I dropped the golden weapon, and quickly ran after the shadow. The shadow was present, so I quickly pursued after it, thinking my father just stepped out on me a long time ago and was returning home after taking care of a serpentine general. I ran, the shadow turned a corner, but when the corner was turned, I got a nasty surprise by Acidicus, the Venomari Serpentine General, holding me at a corrosive acid saber point, his respective staff in his other hand. I gasped, and couldn't believe I was tricked; I wanted to get to the Golden weapon... But Skales, the Hypnobrai Serpentine General, just seemed so to block my other escape route just on time. (And rather eerily) He's usually some sort of perfectionist, never messes up in his speech or his plans, but they usually go awry at a time he least expects it, like I’m going to do.



Skales held the Hypnobrai staff tightly in his scaliy grip. I grunted, and looked at Him, and I addressed myself to him, some sarcasm included. "Hello... generals... I am Ryen Soto, Venomari-Hypnobrai hybrid... So... what do you and general Acidicus want from me? Secrets on how my DNA works so you two can collab’ on some top-secret project to take over all of Ninjago or somethin’? Cuz thats not gonna happen, not in like… millions of years...” I was trying to be smug and sarcastic... like it is my usual self. But, No dice they were getting, Acidicus only hissed at me, and Skales looked unimpressed at my Attitude, sharpening his gaze upon me. "Wwwweelll... You cannot possibly hurt me because; I have Acid immunities and hypnotism immunities from both tribes... so, perks for me then." The Venomari General growled, and wanted so badly to attack, but Skales gestured him to keep a low profile.



"Well... Ryen... It jusssst ssso happensss to be that you're quite... the oddball... “Skales said, slithering slowly around me, I tightened my reflexes for anything sudden. I hate Skales; he was the one whom turned my caretaker into a sleeper agent that went against the rest of his Ninja Team in an effort to destroy some dopey-looking treehouse that Lloyd Garmadon wanted to build when he was just a kid before his age-up. I hid that hatred pretty well, actually. "...Well, Missster Sssoto... what, do you have to sssay for yourssself?" Acidicus said, looking stern, his voice was strained and raspy, he was an old hag that I hated to see in the light of day in, heck he even booted some Venomari girl, all just because of Acidicus’ gender issues, and i am an advocate of gender equality. Caretaker once told me that the Venomari gal that Acidicus booted possibly was my biological mother… but I still don’t know much about Serpentine Biology and other things. I looked smug again and said, "What do I have to say for myself? Oh I know! Asnakesaywhat?" Both generals both said "what" in unison, I thought it would absolutely not work, but they're feasible as gullible as the rest of the Serpentine, like those dumb Constrictai who have rocks for brains, pun intended if you're a ninjago fan… but no offense to me by the way. I ended up roundhouse kicking them anyways, so... I’m free from confrontation!



I quickly headed for the golden scythe, I was quickly tailed by both generals, as they had just recovered from my roundhouse kick, but with my ninja instinct, I quickly ran upside one of the graffitied walls, grabbed the scythe where I dropped it, and jumped off the side of the wall when it came to a corner, landing on my feet, I quickly dashed down the boulevard sidewalk, flying by random citizens, shoving them out of my way, hearing slurs of random racial nonsense at me, but when i turned back to see them both, Acidicus caught me off guard, he had such a boost of speed, sending those pedestrians flying as he tackled them outta the way, and then, at point-blank, he spat a doussal of Hallucinogenic Acid upon my left eyes as i tried to block his attack! And then to me; the most ironic thing happened; my eyes were in fact plagued with illusions! I gasped and quickly tried to run for safety, but my left eyes were messing up my depth perception, trying to make me see things that aren't there, I ran straight into a wall, thinking it was a few feet away, when it was a few inches right in front of me.



Acidicus gasped in amazement, "I could actually make him hallucccinate this time around?! He lied to usss!!" Skales soon took the Venomari General's word for granted, and chuckled. "Then if he'sss not immune to our affects, I’ll control him! Ironic he ssssaid he had immunitiessss to our natural powerssss!" Skales soon slithered full tilt towards a recovering me, I was the poor hybrid still plagued by the Hallucinations, seeing things that i wish i shouldn’t see, in my left eyes, messing with the regular vision of my right, I rubbed them and closed my eyes, then I turned around, and bumped into Skales, I grunted. "Hey! Watch where you're going you dumb flesh-bag, i'm runnin’-HUUUAAAA!?" Skales grabbed me and threw me against a tree, i apparently ran to a park for some odd reason, the public just staring at us and scream and fleeing. I soon got up fought back with one hallucinated set of eyes on my left. Skales hissed at me, and soon slammed me against the ground...



Acidicus looked back at me with an eye for revenge and hissed. Skales then soon attempted to hypnotize me; I kept on breaking my concentration, General Acidicus launching another doussal of the same acid on my other two eyes of the right side of my face. My hallucinated eyes were just making the hypnotic effect even worse. "We've been trying to get your attention for the lassst few weeksss. You’ve abandoned both of our tribesss to go live off with one of the ninja!? Your hated amongst our two tribes, we won’t accept you ever again you… you mistake! You've been training with one and you've sssseen to have one ninja'sss elemental powersss!! For that offenssse, you'll be in my control, to ultimately sssee your caretaker's demisssse! Now… look deeply into my eyesss… you’ll get your sssight to behold sssoon..." Skales said, his eyes swirling into its hypnotic effect, I grunted and struggled, trying to stop staring, then… it sorta lulled my senses finally and I went finally going under his influence.... It was kinda weird how I remember this, when I was hypnotized... strange… and traumatic… i will have nightmares about that for the rest of my life… I hope I’m not turned into some sort of sleeper agent like he did to my father!



I was soonly hypnotized; everything seemed slow, and blurry. Everything i saw was this weird pulsating red. I slowly breathed in my controlled state, I legit felt like a Zombie! Skales laughed evilly, his tail rattling in amusement. Acidicus smiling with no hint of remorse for me. Skales tried to take the Golden weapon out of my hands, but its mysterious druid powers, made it stick to my hands like crazy glue. No matter how much both Skales and Acidicus tried to pry it out of my claws, it wouldn't budge no matter what. Soon Skales ordered me to follow him anyways. "If it'sss no ussse to pry the golden sssccythe out of your clawsss, then jussst follow me, Ryen... You'll sssee... we have a sssurprissse for you..." Skales looked devious and as manipulative like that Anacondrai sucker, Pythor. Acidicus chuckled and high fived Skales for fun.



As I slowly zombie walked my way to the dark alleyway, following the two Generals, I knew my caretaker's Golden weapon was trying to free me from Skales' psychotic grasp on me. it was no use, it glowed and shined, but it didn't free me from Hypnobrai Generals' command. As both generals ushered me into a sewer system below ninjago city, I was thinking in the back of my head... ‘Curse you Acidicus, your venom had made me fall into Skales' command, I will find a way to pay back the price by controlling you! ...or by doing the same thing that you did to me… whatever that I feel like doing to you...’ I was still noticeably controlled, as I peered at myself in a sewer puddle. And randomly, I began to have a free sense. I began chuckling, and then laughing, throwing both generals off their rockers. "Whatsss THISSS?! Ssskales, why isss the boy laughing!? What'sss the meaning of thisss!?" Acidicus got in Skales' face to make his word clear. Skales simply shrugged and "I don't know" shoulder gesture at him, but looks easily off guard, the Hypnobrai general was panicking, trying to enforce his psychic grasp back on me, but to no avail.



Chapter 0.5: “He’s dead, Jim…”



"... AHHH HAH HAH HA HA!!! *Chuckled speech* I... I-i cannot, stop... getting h-hilarious thoughts from S-skales!! Bah hah hah haa... H-how dumb are you, Skales?! AH HAH HA HAH!!!" I shouted out, my laughter getting to them, making them be creeped out. Then I suddenly stopped laughing, turned towards them with a devious smirk on my serpent mug, and whipped back into my possession, my golden scythe to strike the ground, and collapse the ground beneath them. I soon jumped into hole i created to fight them - it's kinda easy to catch the generals off guard - and I kicked their butts to all high heavens!



So gullible those generals are, what are they, stupid?! Hah hah haa… Both Acidicus and Skales were so surprised, that the hypnosis placed on me was long gone. I landed with an earth-quaking thud, which startled both Generals, as they tried crawling out of the hole i beaten them in, but they soon surfaced and drew their weapons and gestured me to dive right in, blades to blades, claws to claws. So I did just that, I shouted "Alright, what have you done to my father!? Answer me now!" I attacked, swiping with my Golden weapon, my grunts and yelling echoed across the sewers, but Skales chuckled and said "Ooohhh Ryen... it'sss sssuch a bad time for you to know our sssecret... but... Wordsss are not enough than you need to find out about your father...." He said, with a wink towards Acidicus. The two generals soon hightailed it and soon slithered off to lead me into said "secret".



"Aw, jeez… I gotta find out what they're doing, before it's too late! Well, if my father can conjure up his golden weapon vehicle… then i can too!" I did the same moves and steps, of what my father did to conjure up his vehicle almost to a T. Then, with a loud shoom, and a vroom, and a boom… or something of that nature, I was sitting in a leather interior with controls in front of me, sharp clawed hands on ten and two, and the hatch closed down over me. I gasped and looked amazed - I never knew I could have the element of Earth more than ever; i really AM ‘his father’s son’ as Sensei Wu used to say... "Ooh, boy. looks like Skales and Acidicus ordered some kick-butt this time around... VROOM, VROOM SCALE-FACES!!! AAAHHHH HAH HAH HAH HA!!!" I soon punched it, full throttle. the speeds of this vehicle were great! I felt the G-forces it put on me, and I rushed with energy, it felt wonderful, adrenalin was pumping and my heart racing! I screamed in happiness and charged straight for Skales and Acidicus. With a wicked smile on my serpent face, for sure, i was ready to see some red-colored liquid pain on the tread assaults’ tires.



Both Acidicus and Skales screamed in terror, and soon somersaulted out of the way of my golden weapon vehicle. I growled and looked in my rear-view mirrors the vehicle had, and i saw Skales soon go into an alcove he slithered in, Acidicus soon following behind. I growled and wondered how to stop my vehicle, a memory popped into my head about my father telling me to break my concentration, so I slapped myself silly, and POOF! The vehicle was gone, and the Golden Scythe fell in front of me. Rather… awkward idea to do but it worked anyways.



Feeling both generals’ bio-rhythms, I quickly soon pursued… I quickly entered a subway turntable subway-car, roundhouse thing and I saw both generals standing atop of a passenger car, with something enwrapped in black tarp behind them. Skales cackled and Acidicus looked away for a couple of seconds, and whispered something to a Hypnobrai scout, and the scout quickly ran off down a tunnel behind them. I looked Puzzled as I saw the scout run away, I thought to myself, ‘cowards... the Hypnobrai and Venomari always are…’ I soon stared at Skales and Acidicus in the eyes, something telling them that they were going to be skinned alive or anything much more threatening... "What's behind that tarp!? Is it even my father in there!? Then if so, let him out this instant! I will not tolerate any of this crap you two are pulling on me!" Both Skales and Acidicus laughed again at my face. "What'ssss the matter Ryen? Isss it becuassse your daddy isss captured by uss? You love the old man, don't you..." Skales taunted, Acidicus soon grabbing a flap of the tarp, ready to reveal something truly horrifying to me.... it's disturbing how i still remember this...



i soon sprinted towards, as fast as my scaily legs could take me, I soon lept up to get an sorta ending blow to both generals, just before Acidus and skales both pulled down the tarp, revealing a true weakness. I suddenly broke my concentration, and landed in front of the cage, face first. I looked up. Shock and awe... terror in my system filled me with fear, I quickly backed into Skales and Acidicus, and I gasped and cringed. Skales calmly and quietly said: "We decccided to berid of your father after a long time ago becuassse he defeated usss... grudgesss cannot be lifted away from the onessss you hate, you know. He’sss dead, Jim..." Skales said, grinning with evil, his tongue flickering in and out of his mouth.



The cage door was opened by Acidicus, letting the skeletal remains fall out, the Black ninja Gi was still on its body; it still even had its hood on. It smelled of Venomari acid and Hypnobrai claws. My soul dropped deep in despair and fear as it could go, I... I felt hopeless, weak, and terrible! Acidicus chortles some more. "Well, what are you going to do about it? You're now powerless to ssstop usss... ssso why don't you join him? The Ninja won’t even know thisss happened until WE tell THEM about it, hah hah ha..." I gasped and quickly grabbed my caretaker's remains, escaping a spearheaded sword slashing from Skales just narrowly, him grunting and falling due to his hard swinging. Both Generals gasped and then quickly pursued after me. I quickly ran out of the alcove, released my Golden weapon vehicle, and drove off with the remains of my father in the cockpit with me… depression, sadness, hopelessness; anger… mixed emotions flying in a rainbow over me. I couldn’t believe they done this to the Ninja, let alone, me.



Chapter 1: The first signs of Ryen's grief… Denial.



"I'm... sorry... father... I really am!" I cried over my Father's remains, it still had the hint of the scent of Venomari Acid still on its bones. I winced in sorrow, over the loss of my father; I cannot believe Skales and Acidicus would do this to me! They slain my own father, they slain one of the legendary elemental ninja! What will the other ninja and Sensei Wu would say if they knew The Ninja of Earth is deceased by the hands of Skales and Acidicus!? And if they blame me?! I wept and wept in a remote part of the sewers, away from the snake generals who slowly melted and clawed away my father's existence. From the looks of the messed up ninja Gi they tortured him with everything they had but the kitchen sink. I felt the ground tremble in sorrow over the former Ninja of Earth.



"... I... I'll never forget you... dad, I'll remember you forever!! I LOVE YOU FAAATHEEERRRR!!!" I yelled out, echoing my emotions of mixed rage, and sorrow... my golden weapon dimming it's glow in reaction to my emotions. I hugged the skeleton of the late Black Ninja tightly, it felt uncomfortable but it felt like I was still hugging my father, after all this time he left from me. I looked my father's old worn ninja Gi and mask. The Mask and Gi were part of his ZX suit, stained with venom and slashed with the hypnotic pain he had to endure before his ultimate fate...



I decided to take my father's mask, and wear it on me, I always wanted to do that ever since i was just a child. It fit kinda well over my muzzle and cobra-like hood and Venomari spikes, but when seen in person it looked weird. I felt somewhat tranquil. I became quiet for a few minutes, letting my father's mask hug my serpentine head, a low droning of traffic above and sloshing of sewer water being the only things heard. I felt my father's life within the mask i was wearing; it still somewhat resonated, then… I felt I heard it echoed some words my father said when I was young "Don't worry Ryen, I'll try and keep you safe from my friends... but if I were ever to pass away, you'll fill in for me... got that? C’mon scalie, let's get trainin’ shall we ...son?" I sighed and looked at the Golden weapon in my hands, some acidic tears in my eyes due to me being part Venomari. I never knew I shall and should fulfill my destiny as the Black ninja, but, my earthen powers are too unstable to manage, myself, even if i can conjure up my vehicle and control the Golden Scythe of quakes! I relied on my father's teachings and he guided me through… now i wish he had never been slain...



I decided to take my Father's Gi off of his skeleton, and I wore it myself. When it was fully on me, I felt somewhat safe inside of it, sure was a little drafty, but I felt like nothing would hurt me. I tighten my grip on my golden weapon more, as I suddenly felt something move and rumble underneath me. I felt it's biorhythm as well, and I knew it was one of my kind of the serpentine. I put two and two together, and realized it was the Constrictai burrowing underneath me! I quickly then focused on my Golden weapon, and quickly slammed the scythe blade in the concrete ground and cracked it open, tossing a Constrictai out of his tunnel. I'd then decided to don my caretaker’s mask again and stood ready when that snake was about to get up....

...It seemed to work… never knew you could do that in the first place...



Apparently, it was Skalidor. The Constrictai general was thrown out of his burrowing tunnel, and onto the ground in front of me. He groaned and scratched his scaily head, until he gasped at me, and thought I was actually my father. "Well, the black ninja... such a rude asssking you give to me if you just wanted me to anssswer a question of yoursss..." Skalidor said, crossing his arms and smiling. He flicked his tongue in and out, and waited for my voice to speak. "... I... I... I’m s-sorry to disturb... you… S-skalidor… General, sir..." I shyly said, I thought this snake general was gonna turn me over to Acidicus and Skales, when he gasped and looked confused.



"W-wait, who... are you? And how d’ya know mah name? I don't remembern’ yer voiccce bein’... lighter? And what’s with the spikessss dere on ya head? Yere one sssstrrraaannnge human I ‘sssspose..." Skalidor said, looking utterly baffled at me, he then looked at me closer as he slithered close, and he backed away quickly with a gasp, and slowly drew one of his hidden weapons at me, apparently it was his tribe's staff merged with his tribe’s Fang Blade, how could you hide that thing on you!? It’s right out in the open for all to see that you’re threatening! He hissed at me and sharpened his yellow-glowing eyes on me.



"Hey wait a minute now... Don't telln’ me yer’ that Hybrid sssnake that's been causin’ Skales and Acidicus trouble, yesss?" I gasped and quickly wanted to make a run for it, but I cannot run from a fight that was just eagerly waiting to be matched for a fight! My adopted father and Skalidor both have the element of Earth, so do i too, but the ace in my sleeve is that, i have the element of genetics, having a advantage of detecting his biorhythm, thus foreseeing his attacks or something like that, does the element of genetics work like that? So before he suddenly could strangle me in his vice-like grip, I flipped out of harm's way, Released my Golden Weapon vehicle and it landed a few yards away from him, me inside my vehicle, ready for a fight!



"Alright general Skalidor! I'll let you go freely, I’ll not try to hurt you... in fact, I’ll surrender to you if you can just hide me from Skales and Acidicus! I hate those two generals, and I want to get my vengeance upon them for them taking my caretaker's life! But in order to do that, i shouldn't be slain like my fath- … erm… I mean... that man!" I said, hopefully having a plan in mind to get away from those two generals, who somehow blindly guided themselves near me, guess they heard me and Skalidor’s, I felt their Biorhythms, and i quickly transformed my vehicle, back into its original golden scythe form!



Skalidor got confused for a second, then he realized he could unlock My true potential genetic powers all to himself, he smirked and slowly slithered towards me, with a few Constrictai soldiers popping up from the ground right behind me, one holding cuffs as he had appeared behind me. As i felt the cold Metal shackles enclose my wrists, and my Golden weapon taken out of my hand, its power on me fading away slowly. I felt very smart for doing that, getting away from Acidicus and Skales was my main priority first, but my grief was still come to my Denial first. Skalidor saw my Adopted father's Skeleton and asked me something.



"Y’all actually defeat that human? why would you ever do that? Bitterness that lastin’ fer many yearssss against dere human races, eh?" Skalidor said, him secretly knowing I was a snake, I think it was due to my head-spikes cutting through the mask, fitting over my facial features rather close. "....Uh... N-no..." I tried lying, but I’m terrible at it, so i told him the truth instead, like father always told me to...



"Look, i am a serpentine, I am a hybrid, but here's the deal, you got to hurry and get me outta here, Skales and Acidicus are coming closer!" I yelled, the soldiers then knew instantly that I needed to get away from the two other Generals and keep me for themselves, so they quickly burrowed a large enough hole for us to fit through, and Skalidor smiled and winked one of his glowing yellow eye at me, sneering with evil. Then I and the guards holding me prisoner jumped into the hole they’ve dug for us. Suddenly I heard the familiar rattle of Skales’ tail, and quickly popped my head from the hole and scanned the sewer, little did I know he was right behind me and tapped me on the noggin with his staff. Skalidor then Gasped and growled at Skales. "You little eye-twirlin', acid sssppitin’ scum-bagsss ain't gonna git mah genetic ssssnake pah-rize! GIT AWAY FROM HEYM!!!" Skalidor’s voice was sorta hill-billy at times when he felt agitated and threatened, but it was like that in the general tone of his dialogue. Skalidor Then, lunging towards Skales, locking arms, tails and blades into combat. The two Constrictai Soldiers quickly escorted me through the tunnel, and out of harm's reach again... leaving their general to fight for himself.



"...But where are we going?!" I said, the soldiers chuckling, and not responding. With Skalidor, Skales fighting each other, and how odd I can see this moment if I’m away from it, Skales grunted and tried to hypnotize Skalidor, but a few Constrictai Reinforcements soon arrived in the nick of time and pushed back Skales, breaking his hypnotic concentration and quickly escorted their general down the same tunnel! Acidicus was late to the fight because he had some “special needs” to tend to, i wonder what are those “special needs” are, don’t ya think?



"Ssskales, thisss issnt the time to play-fight with the Constrictai, they got our sssnake!" Acidicus yelled, and Skales withdrew from Skalidor’s attacks. Both Generals laughed and Skalidor growled. “YA FOOLS!!! SOTO IS MINE!!! YA HEARIN’ MEH!?” Skalidor roared, Skales and Acidicus then retreating for safety after they knew that the Constrictai General couldn’t be beaten, and ran off back into the deep sewers. Skalidor then retreated back into the hole where his men dug, and soon covered the entrance.



Chapter 1.5: Escaping from the enemy.



We were crossing the tunnel, Skalidor clued me in on why he was taking me back to his tomb, he seemed a little insensitive on the sentence he gave, but i nodded my head reluctantly anyways. I still had troubles about my fallen father, whom was the black ninja... I cannot seek any further guidance from anyone wise, but I’ll hopefully try and persuade the Constrictai, because... they aren't that smart. "Sooo.... uhhh, why are you guys taking me?" I asked, Skalidor responded with a growl, "Yah dumb forgetful hybrid... IAH JUSSST TOLD YOU!!" Skalidor's voice echoed, stopping the soldiers in fear, comically. Skalidor's vice-like grip loosened on my golden weapon as he took deep breaths to calm himself down, i’d tried getting near it but the guards yanked me back. I needed to seek guidance, but my memory is clouded in images of my father in my youth. Now wearing his ninja Gi, I felt like the whole world's future rested upon my scalie hands, wait until Sensei lectures me on THIS situation… oh boy...!



"... Grrr... I'll never get ussssed to your face!" Skalidor said at me. "You look horrible, i'm just wondering HOW the little black ninja could EVER get used to... *Growl* ...you. Even care for you as a son..." I groaned in disbelief. "Oh c'mon! At least he loved me like any other serpentine lover! I think… and He had remorse when he saw me, crying, lying in a cardboard box in a dark, dirty alley way when i was just an infant! He'll always try protect me from anyone who tries to hurt me, he fed me when i was hungry, he trained and played with me when i was bored! He even introduced me to his friends, even if they feared me! Father will always be within my heart, yearning for me to carry on my task of holding over for the elemental ninja of earth! He'll always be my hero, i'll never let him be away from me! But then... then.... Those two generals... THOSE TWO GENERALS!!! GRRRAAAAHHHHH!!!" I stomped my feet, the tunnel becoming unstable and the Constrictai gasping, rushing me along out of fear.



I broke down in a crying fit of hatred against Skales and Acidicus, stomping the ground hard which caused some cracks in the ground due to how powerful my earthen druid powers were, cursing their names, remembering the past by cries of admitting that I am a hero, and will become the successor of Cole... the Elemental master, of earth... but for now, I’m in Denial... of this weird “Kubler Ross Model of Grief…” Skalidor was annoyed at me; his grumbly face said it all. I held onto my father's remains in a burlap sack, its amazing that human skeletons keep themselves together like that, not that I needed it or anything, but just to reflect upon his fate, and mourn him...



Chapt. 2: The tomb battle… the beginning of Anger...



We've reached the Constrictai Tomb, we've somehow got past under the thousand step mountain or whatever, I’ve never studied Ninjago geography anyways. its really annoying to learn it to be honest. When the large door opened to the tomb, a very wretched smell hit my nostrils, I gagged and coughed, but the others seemed used to the smell. "Well, Ryen... Welcome to the place where you'll be held captive... I'll hope you have a comfy stay." Said Skalidor; him taking the burlap sack with my father’s remains, with his tone of voice with ever so much that is sarcasm. I hate sarcasm. But the underground facilities that were the Constrictai tomb were mostly standard anyways, burrows for homes, burrows, for commerce and other things. A Black smithy and... an surprising guest that i know by the blue of his Ninja Gi, I face palmed as he chuckled sheepishly and said hi to me in a cell. I growled and grinned.



"Don't worry Ryen; this guy knows you and you'll be with him in the same cell." Skalidor said, releasing me from my cuffs, holding my golden weapon away and out of my reach like a little 3rd grader that would do the same thing to a kindergartner would, or... something along those lines. I was pushed into my cell from his tail and the gate shut with a echoed slam. i took a look at my claustrophobic hospitality, with my brown-haired friend. Guess Sensei Wu decided that it’s every ninja for himself and decided to send off one by one on these kinds of missions. But i looked at Jay in the eye and growled. “Jay, Jay, Jay... I'm even WONDERING, how you got into the same place as me... Not that I’m calling you dumb or anything or-" Jay interrupted me with ferocity. "HEY!! IM NOT DUMB, YOU TAKE THAT BACK… AND AT LEAST COLE KNOWS HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOU!!! HE'LL PROBABLY NOT LET YOU EVEN AROUND ANY OTHER SNAKE, H-HOW DID YOU GET HERE ANYWAYS!?!?" Jay yelled, I hissed at him to back him off my case, i could've used my serpentine powers to shut him up but i didn’t want to hurt the poor kid, but he kept on bickering with me, and once i Jay punched in the face, it was a full on wrestling match between me and ninja of lightning... Cocky he truly is! Hasn’t one game told us about that electricity “isn't very effective” against ground/rocks?



After a whole lotta fighting and bickering later… Apparently, it took Jay all those hours before realizing I was wearing Cole's ZX ninja suit. He was COMPLETELY dumbfounded, looked shocked and embarrassed. "Heh, heh... sooo, Cole's oath to you was right... heh heh... Sigh... I feel like you've gotten stronger, I've known you since you were a young snake. Ever since you were brought onto the Bounty with Cole, I was suspicious of his actions at first... and now... You seem like to be him!" Jay felt a little down in the dumps, but I sniffed and patted the blue ninja on the back to cheer him up, "Don't worry my friend... There's nothing to worry about... but to me... uhhh H-He's still okay. I-I guess…heh heh..." I tried denying the fact Cole had passed by the hands of Acidicus and Skales, usually I never refer to Cole's name directly, I mostly call him father, caretaker, master, and dad. But never had I ever used his real name, Am i really that shy? Or is it something else? I really don’t know...



Jay got suspicious and questioned me what happened to my father, I denied all questions he gave me, even ones that were trick questions, but I am pretty smart and coolheaded… or hotheaded, whichever you prefer. Until he asked me this question, throwing me off my jive. "Ryen, I hate asking this but uhh... DID COLE LIKE… y-know… was like kicked out!?!? I have that sneaking suspicion that YOU did it! YOU KICKED HIM OUT!" He asked in surprise, I stuttered and tried to not to let the beans spill! "N-no! That's blasphemy! I would not do such an act against him; he GAVE me his ZX suit! He wanted to retire from being a ninja! He’s still alive and he was done training me to become his successor, he gave the Scythe of Quakes to me! HE’S STILL ALIVE AND WELL!!!" I lied to keep my head cool about the whole Skales and Acidicus, Cole being deceased, thing. Jay spat back: “Wait, ninjas can retire?! But we NEED him! Why would he re-. Nevermind… nevermind… I know it has to do something from you… heh heh ha ha...” Jay sheepishly laughed. “But mark my words Ryen! It will be hard trying to replace Cole! I don’t know if you can use Spinjitzu!” Jay remarked again, me grunting and rolling my four orange Hypnobrai-like eyes.



Jay wiped his brows in relief, "Heh, for a second there, you scared me! Ha Hah! Ha ha ha haa!" he chortled. This whole conflict Irked me to try and release the truth, but the skeleton of my caretaker flashed in my head, more cryptic words being muffled and muttered out as i saw it in my head. Then, I sorta... blacked out... I heard Jay, questioning me why I went sort of rag-dolled and went numb. His voice was just all too fuzzy and muffled for me to decipher properly, not even my Bio-rhythms we're feeling right… Denial… I really didn’t want to let the blue ninja know about the fate that was my father. Depression doesn't come this early, I need to go past Bargaining and even the most destructive phase, Anger...



I felt horrible that I lied to Jay! T’was it didn't affect him... but DEVASTATED me! I hate lying, and i sure wanna tell the truth, but I keep putting it off! I was just plain numb, I couldn't feel anything, even the taps to awaken me out of my seizure, no I wasn't frothing at the mouth, but I was kinda twitching, that apparently freaked out Jay. "UHHH, HEY!!! RYEN'S GOING OUT OVER HERE!!!" Jay screamed, it caught some Constrictai warrior's attention spans and they quickly rushed over, looking not-so fooled at all. "Yur just tryin' to set you tew selvesss' free ar'nt ya?! Better be reportin' thissss to the general!" One of the warriors said, then both walked away laughing at how dumb we were to be here. Jay was kinda confused, and then he sorta didn't get the memo at all. He sure is gullible. And i hate gullible people...



Soon after that of a few minutes later, I got out of my weird twitching spasm, and was dizzy. I stumbled up, stumbled bout’ and I stumbled over on Jay, and he didn't like it, as noted by the audible groan of annoyance. "Ugh! Get yourself off of me! I have boundaries! So stay a few feet from me, okay!?" Jay spatted, then i quickly countered with, "Oh yeah!? Then how are we gonna fight, huh!? How, we don't have our golden weapons and we can only use our own-ACHK!" I was swiftly kicked in the face by Jay with an annoying stereotypical ninja sound, then I jokingly and slowly did that weird smile-to-frown-hand-gesture-face-thingy, that Father did to amuse me when i was a young Serpentine, and quickly tightened my sense for hand-to-hand and caught Jay off guard, combo completed! Obviously, I kinda left these fighting parts outta detail, but whatever; they were just generic fighting scenes. But to put it this way, in short and the aftermath, Blue ninja human, beat Black ninja snake in a arm wrestle, sadly to taint my father's name of being the most physically strong there was in the team.



How embarrassing of a defeat that was, Jay was just laughing and laughing, until Skalidor's rough voice beckoned to us both, to join Jay and me into a Slither-pit match... Against himself... Jay was actually shocked but didn’t quiver in his ZX suit, while i looked Alarmed, with my widened hypnotic eyes. "At least we are of equal physical strength, Skalidor... I can take you on, but leave my father's friend out of this!" I said, Jay wanting to accept the match with a fierce looks for competition in his face, behind me… i still felt a little eager to be his match, but it’ll all be overdone, because of what’s to come. Then we were escorted to their slither-pit arena, surrounded by Constrictai everywhere, cheering like the crowds they were. Skalidor had his staff-fang blade hybrid weapon ready, grinning at us, gesturing for us to fight him. “Well… it’s on my blue friend… let’s give em’ a show they’ll love to watch!” I said, grinning casually. “First one to KO him wins!” Jay added, we both nodded and began the fight.



I nodded along with my words, looking very interested in a fight. Skalidor shook his head and chuckled and held his arms out in a careless fashion. "You two couldn't beat me anyways. Not even der snake kid’s father could… He died for his son’s sins I s’pose..." I frowned and growled, my fangs showing, i tried lunged forward, but was held back by Jay. "I could beat you ANY day! Take back what you said, you freak! My father and his friend beaten you before and i can show him that i am his father’s son!" I hissed back at him. Jay grunted and struggled behind me, shaking his head. "No... Don’t make him do it… Am i always on watch for your anger issues?!" He squealed. I rolled my hypnotic eyes, calmed down and then turned back to face Skalidor. "Come on over and prove it, ya chicken!" General Skalidor taunted. "What did you call me?!?!" I yelled. "You heard me, chicken! Like your father!" Skalidor replied, I hissed, and charged at Skalidor. Jay stayed back, trying to actually think for once of a battle plan... but alerted of my sudden charge.



Chapt. 2.5: the battle of degradation...



We circled each other, my eyes blazing with anger. Suddenly, a weapons rack was lowered down to us via a Constrictai Soldier’s command, and I spotted a familiar scythe. I grinned, heading straight for it. Skalidor hissed, springing at it, but I was faster, besides, he can’t hold onto the power of such a legendary weapon! I grabbed it, swinging it around to ward off my attacker. "You're jusssst like your sssstupid father. I remembered when he and another ninja entered my domain, i loved tryin’ to ssssqueeze every last breath outta’ him… until hissss dumb pink friend used that sssstupid flute and broke mah attack! I’m actually happeh yur father’ssss gone! I’d bet he’d nevah loved yeh!" Hissed Skalidor in disgust, and then going onto this sadistic smile, him grinning in satisfaction of the sick burn he’s just laid on me! How in the name of ninjago did he find out Cole’s deceased, or is it just making fun of me!?



All I could see in my vision was red. "Don't you DARE insult my father like that! At least someone had that weird magic flute that disrupted your constricting! That was a long time ago! It’s no use to cling to the past and use it as a weapon against me! AND MY FATHER LOVED ME WITH EVERYTHING HE HAAAAAAD!!!” I yelled, slamming the golden weapon into the earth, causing the ground to rumble and shake. It shot up spires of earth that trapped Skalidor suddenly and i advanced towards Him, who was having trouble staying upright from the aftershock. "My father was-... no, is a great man! If you ever, EVER offend him again like that, it will be the last thing you ever say before I run you through!!" I reached out to Skalidor with the druid scythe swung the swung it, connecting with him, busting him out of the shards of the earth with such reckless violent force. He was flung backwards, hit the wall making an impression in it, and went limp. Jay gasped from behind me and face palmed, not getting the win he’d deserved, and the red cleared from my vision, my heavy labored breathing calmed and my growling lowered. I heard Constrictai cheering, hearing shouts to finish him off. I made my way towards the crumpled snake, my druid scythe in hand. Rage and Anger guiding my last sense of humanity down the drain, ready for the scythe to end Skalidor’s life once and for an ultimate fate. I heard Jay's voice, but couldn't hear what was saying over the yelling of the warriors.



Skalidor sat up, shaking his head to clear it. By the time he looked up at me, I had my scythe pointed right at him, the tip of the blade at his muzzle whilst holding him by the neck, he had fear in his eyes and I loved it. Sadistic, i know. Skalidor then stated in a struggling manner: "I stand corrected, cough cough... you're n-nothing like your f-father! Uugh… cough H-He w-would never k-kill such an innocent b-beings… gasps for breath h-he spares his lives and only subdues them if evil is… cough cough... being committed. Sigh... You’re only a monster to humanity t-that wantssss to avenge his father’ssss grave, and sssssh-should be e-e-eradicated from thissss’n earth s-so that other l-livesss won’t be at r-risk..." Skalidor said auspiciously. The sentences struck me in the heart, shattering it. I looked down at Skalidor, at the scythe in my hand, back at Jay, who shook his head no reputably, trying to gesture me to calm myself down.



I sighed, and held my hand down to Skalidor, who accepted it and put him down, realizing how inhumane my actions were. Skalidor Grinned, he suddenly actually caught me off guard, and constricted me! “GRRAAAA-AAHHH!!! YOU S-SCUMBAG, AAAH!!” I screamed in pain, feeling every breath of air going… Jay hesitated to grab the pair of golden nun-chucks that were hanging on the weapon rack. "GAH! I didn’t see that coming Hold on!!" Jay charged Straight forward, grabbing the golden nun-chucks that were on the rack, and charged straight towards Skalidor. I struggled to get out of Skalidor's grip, but Skalidor said otherwise. "You'll never try and avenge your father! You won’t acomplissshhh much like him! Also, Jusssst TRY and get my sssstaff, and you'll pay the conssssequencessss! Hasn’t your father told you to be more efficient in battle?! YOU’RE WEAK!!!" Skalidor shouted, I blinked, my vision turning red again. "I'll... I'll get... thaaat... STAAAFFFFF!!" I shouted, Breaking free of Skalidor's grip out of pure rage induced strength, Kicking Skalidor's face, allowing him to throw the staff in the air! I jumped off of his head and then I grabbed the Staff in Mid-air!



Jay then quickly came, and Ko'ed Skalidor with one electrical finish! As the sparks flied, I was in mid-air, thinking about holding the staff and Golden scythe, what was MY motive? What was MY responsible action for taking the Constrictai staff!? I wasn’t even a Constrictai! I landed gently, the Crowds of Constrictai were silent, they gasped, as I held the staff in my left hand, the Golden Scythe of Quakes in my right. Jay gasped and shouted to me, "Hey! Drop the staff! You must, before you turn into the new Constrictai general ...a-and you're not EVEN a Constrictai!" Jay said, I gasped, I couldn’t drop the staff, it somehow locked in my hand, I couldn't let it go, no matter how much I tried to pry it off! But the laughter of Skalidor got us good, It was a trick! Skalidor single-handedly disarmed Jay, and managed to push him back by the power of his digging ability! Jay was sent flying, and then landed before me, he had a bad bruise on his left cheek, he casually smiled and chuckled, before resting for a bit...



"Well, now Ryen... what do you have to ssssay for yourself... now that you got my staff? I’d bet your father would be Sssoooo proud of this disssshonorable fighting you call! “Skalidor taunted, I growled.

"What?! But I’m not even a Constrictai! I cannot become General!" I woed, looking down feeling like it was the end.

"Too bad for you, or your father... your Anger is true too! Give up, and you’ll fall by having control of a power you're not used to have… hybrid



I continued my attempt to pry off the Staff, but to no avail. I became more desperate, even trying to bite it off. The Constrictai watched silently, not offering any help. I turned to Skalidor, hatred bubbling up. "Get this stupid thing off of me!" I yelled at him. He hissed out a snaky laugh, smugly smiling. "Haven't you even wondered what happened when another serpentine won over a tribe?" He hissed out. I looked at the passed out Jay, thinking. "No, not really." Skalidor rolled his serpent eyes. "I'm basically saying you're going to be General after you defeat me." He grinned with glee.



"I wonder what your father would say... ‘Perhaps that it was foolish of you to let your guard down. Good luck trying to get my love back because you’ve wasted it on hurting an innocent man!’“ His eyes glistened with satisfaction, and his mouth curled into a smile. He knew me too well, Using my deceased father to get the best of me, and that's really Skales’ thing! He knew I was getting angry. I had to stay calm. I couldn't fight him. "Are you really going to let your father down, Ryen? Give him a good fight for him to ssssee in his afterlife. Or are you not brave enough to win?" He goaded. I hissed, watching him circle around me. “You are just sssstanding there, and letting me win!? HA HAH HAAAA HAAAA!!! SSSSUCH A FOOL YOU ARE!!!" Skalidor Cackled, i grinned smugly, an idea popping into my head. "No, of course not; I'll make you win!" I said, then charged at him, tackling him.



He pushed me off, hissing. "How dare you!" He snarled, whip-lashing his tail at me. I let it him me and sent me flying, the sting hurting more than anything I’ve endured, but not as painful as father’s. I landed a few feet away from him and struggled to get up. "Urrgh… I bet you couldn't… ugh... defeat me anyways! J-Just try me, okay!?" I sarcastically said, still hurting. It was my turn for tricking. I suddenly dropped the staff and felt the staff loosen its power completely, sighing in relief. I had to make Skalidor win. "I bet I could beat you with no weapon! Bring it on, i know what i am doing, I’m good in hand-to-hand!" I jeered. Skalidor turned as bright red in anger as a Constrictai can get, and burrowed underground. The other Constrictai started cheering once more, knowing the fight wasn't over. My guard was let down, and I didn’t realize what was happening!



I felt a rumble, and Skalidor burst up, knocking me over. He then grabbed me with his tai mid-air, squeezing for me for all he was worth. I hissed in agony, my hypnotic eyes bulging. The feel so bad and painful, I couldn’t help it, my breath was deteriorating fast, and i couldn’t resist and longer. Then, I felt something snap, and smiled weakly as the blood from my head stopped flowing. Then my eyes rolled up into my head, and I blacked out. He released my limp body out of his demon-like grasp and, I laid on the ground, feeling like I had seen my last days… like my father… Jay got back up after fainting, he was looking around frantically trying to find an exit but he decided against it, him charging at Skalidor, “LAST DITCH EEEFOOORRRT!!!” He shouted, only to be pit-felled by Skalidor and constricted by the same Constrictai Head Honcho. He blacked out next to me… how ironic… always head first into these kinds of things without a sense of danger… is he autistic? But it was unanimous; Skalidor won the battle triumphantly standing over our bodies, grinning waving and gesturing in victory… I was still somewhat conscious as I heard his muffled out laughs from the dark void I was currently seeing, I knew it was all over...



Chapt. 3: The fangpyre meeting, the regretting Constrictai...



After a while, my Bio Rhythms detected another presence around me and Jay... I felt its Scaily claw trying to tap me awake, slowly running down my thigh. I shuddered in response, I felt cold, not that I was used to being cold blooded. Suddenly, a sudden burning sensation to me and Jay's sides shocked us awake! I opened my eyes to an way-too familiar face, or should i say, faces. "Ssssoooo, you finally-" "-Deccccided to wake, eh?" the dialect of familiar voices said. I gasped! Jay screamed in terror, "AAAAHHH!!! I THOUGHT I WOULD GET BITTEN AGAIN; I'M NOT TURNING INTO A SNAKE AGAIN!!! GET AWAY FROM ME, GET!!! A-WAY!!!" he screamed and tried to kick away the Fangpyre who was near him. I sighed and looked un-amused. "So... we meet again... Can't you stop following me around and, oh also… stop trying to capture me? Kay? So… Um, hey how'd we'd get here anyways, Fangtom…," I said, looking suspicious as ever, still angry and grumpy.



I looked flustered, I've always known Fangtom, since i one time snuck out of my bed one night and went to a Serpentine tomb when I was young, and at random, I wandered to the Fangpyre tomb. I've made a bad decision of keeping in touch and becoming friends with Fangtom, hey I was naive and stupid back then, what can i say? Geez is that two-headed snake, eccentric... and I thought having TWO heads made you smarter... "HEY!? WHY ARE WE HERE!?" Cried out Jay, I kicked his shin to shut him up for a few seconds. “Shut up, blueberry, i ask the questions around here.” I said, and then I heard Fangtom speak in his weird speech pattern his heads follow. "Sssooo, you think I’ve-" "-never forgotten about, you!?" Fangtom, said, Him letting me out of my shackles, and putting me down on the floor on my feet. "...Yeah, kinda..." I reluctantly but sarcastically said... "Well, I believe that-" "-Your father, trained you well-" "-in Ssssocial skillssss, yesss?" I cringed when the word 'father' was uttered, but I picked up my head felt like my father was still with me in Denial. "Yeah, my father taught me how to be friends, besides; Sensei said it's the best way of defeating an enemy. Eh heh heh heh… right, Jay?”



Jay pouted and he was freed from his shackles, by Fangpyre Soldier, Fang-Suei. Our weapons were brought to us by a Fangdam, Fangtom's mute brother. He bowed to us, then to his older brother, and walked away. I pondered why we were here, still. "...Alright Fangtom... Tell me-... i mean... us, why we're here!?" I said, a bit rude, getting angry. Fangtom chuckled and smiled sheepishly. "Ooooh, don't-" "-Worry, Mr. Ssssoto!" He said, looking a tad bit scared of my Attitude, Jay looking confused, and still skeptical on my motives. Fangtom laughed looking sarcastic. "Oh Ryen... Don't be-" "-So hasty Misssster Sssoto...” Fangtom replied, I was triggered. "HEY!! I'M NOT HASTY!!! GGRRRRRR!! BAAH!! LEMME GO JAY!!" Jay held Me back from beating up Fangtom, i saw the Fangpyre General jolt back, looking a bit surprised and scared for a split second, my vision turning red slightly again. "Hey, Ryen! Hold back your temper, Mr. 'I’m-gonna-replace-Cole'! You have other people to kick butt with!" Jay then swung me away from Fangtom, and pinned me down.



"Hey! What in the name of Wu's Beard was that!? Why were you TRYING attacking your self-proclaimed 'friend'? Eh?" Jay whispered, holding me down, I shaking in anger. I growled as a response. "Well, if you ain't gonna answer, then I dunno what I’m gonna do with you because the rock dude ain’t here with us! Hey, why are we here anyways, Fangtom!?" Jay looked at me, but with less rage, turning his head to the General. Fangtom replied with a hissy laugh. "Oh-ho-ho-ho... Your two are-" "-Really, Really uninformed...-" "-sigh, SSSkalidor told us that, you needed-" "-Help having revenge against-" "-Two Ssssnakes whom put his father-" "-Into the realm of the deceased…-" “-Yessss?” Fangtom’s heads smiled happily, closing his eyes in glee, feeling happy to oblige to my plea of revenge… even if it isn't the right way to settle things as Sensei told me.



Chapt. 3.5: Bargaining? No too early… the truth is out...



Jay stuttered. "Wh-What, HUH!? Skalidor is... HELPING US!?!? BUT HE BEATEN OUR BUTTS GOOD LAST TIME!" Suddenly, Skalidor's head popped his head under and between Jay's legs. "Yesss, Y’all helping ya two, that's why I sssent us three here. Also... ya shouldn't be wearin’ ssssuch a skin tight ninja ssssuit... uuhhh… Just saying..." He grinned, blushing a bit then popped back into ground and back out a few feet away from Jay and continued speaking. "I had ah sense for remorsssse fer th’ hybrid here. His storyssss he somehow was mutterin’ out while y’all two were both unconsssscious were makin’ me feelin’ a bit light hearted inssside… Also, I’m really sorry what I’d said ‘bout tha kid’s daddy-o… Maybe i sshhhouldn’t messss with him..." Skalidor said, flicking his forked tongue, feeling a bit down. I calmed down by then, i felt tired, sad that Father was no longer with me; a man who guided me on the path of ninja righteousness. So, the Constrictai and Fangpyres talked about me and my conundrum about my father being deceased and i noticed my Golden scythe dimming it's glow, reacting with my emotions... longing for me to become happy… I wish I was happy, and that father was still alive...



I don't know... but, it was a bit fuzzy to me that my 'friends' that are becoming my 'allies.' Jay looked at me and gave me a rash look on his face. He spoke to me in a rude tone. "Well, i hope YOU can handle your 'allies' because, I AIN'T HELPING!!" Jay spitted, I hissed at him, some strands of my lose venom sticking between fangs and the insides of my mouth. Jay backed me off, and I got up, rather angrily. "NNGH-, YOU MUST HELP ME PROCEED MY REVENGE AGAINST SKAE-ACK!!" Fangtom uncomfortably hugged me out of sheer respect for some reason and I blushed a bit, Skalidor and some other Constrictai chuckling under their breath. "Fangtom... please... let... me... go..." I grumpily said, looking un-amused. At least he did what I asked and I didn’t hurt him, but he flinched anyway.



I looked back at Jay and grunted. I never liked his personality, but he was best friends with my father. I wonder how I’ve never drove him away. "...Skalidor, Fangtom... and... Jay... Well... shall we get the others and Sensei too to fight Skales and Acidicus?" I asked, looking serious as always, my scythe brightening its glow. Skalidor and Fangtom looked at each other, they both had the face of worry if the other ninja were involved, and they would seriously kick their butts’ hard time... Jay was just playing around with his Golden nun-chucks, being a complete showoff and a fool as well making rather annoying and run-of-the-mill ninja “HIYA’S” and “HOO-WAAH’S”, I think that's how he shows agreement, by showing off?



The kid’s dumber than a crate of rocks essentially when it comes to behavior and discipline. He agreed to do so anyways. I looked at the rest of the two generals' tribes, hoping they would be happy onboard the Bounty, able to communicate with the rest of the Ninja, Lloyd, Nya, and even Sensei Wu, too... They all cheered in agreement when their generals agreed. I then high tailed it out of the Fangpyre tomb with a few ninja flips and maneuvers my father taught me how to get into high places with ease, Jay followed me too, letting ourselves not to disturb their plans, as the two generals thought we needed to ask said rest of team to let them board and live on the bounty...



We at last, made it back to the Bounty, it was dusk and I felt tired and ragged. I just needed some sleep! Jay then hopped out of his Golden weapon jet and it zapped back into the Golden nun-chucks instantaneously. I groaned and lost my focus, the Tread assault vehicle was zapped back into my father's Golden weapon instantly, and I fell on my butt a few feet back to the ground. (This really hurt!)



"Hey, you okay Ryen? You look tired, anything wrong?" He asked his face in confusion. "N-No, Jay... I-I'm just... fine..." I responded grumbling under my own breath. "Well, Nya's got a great Dinner to help you feel better! At least it's not Kai who's cooking... ha-ha. heh-hah-hah-ha!" Jay said, laughing and walking back onboard the flying ship, which was docked in the sea of sand. I shrugged and followed Jay back onto the ship, minding my own business. I felt somewhat happy as I stepped foot back on the Bounty, it's been a long time. (This was really a day or two) I felt like at home, at least I’m cared by the other ninja and Wu... But... without Cole in my life anymore... without him in THEIR lives... We'd be all depressed... Ninjago would never be saved if we just couldn't stop mourning the loss of one whom was ours! One of the Elemental Ninja, whose embodiment was mine own soul... If I could only unlock my true potential like my adoptive father before me... I could very well make a difference… or maybe even turn back the hands of time...



I peeked into the kitchen, hoping Jay wouldn't spill the truth, hoping the other won't know that Cole's gone forever... But when Mr. Ice Roboto over with his advanced thought processing and fancy robo brain, he detected that Jay was lying about Cole not being deceased. He quickly told the truth and with very disturbing accuracy, like he was reading my darn mind or something! Everyone was surprised; they all then turned their heads to me, with looks of shock and awe. Utter worry and fear, they knew i done something wrong and they looked at Sensei with the same looks, Zane looking a bit sorry for such a warhead of truth, and grinned sheepishly. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that… heh heh… I’m sorry…” Zane said remorsefully. He’d then sighed and looked away and then walked out of the room silently.



Wu glanced at me, frowning a bit, his mouth ajar with surprise that this news hasn't been spilled... a bit of worry in his eyes told me that I was now going to presume to role of my adopted father before me, or be punished harshly... flabbergasted, he rose from his seat suddenly, startling everyone, and just quietly walked over to a side room to refuse what he just heard, possibly meditate it away, but something tells me he did something wrong as well... but I think it might not work out for me all too well. I'm not one to be of such this task, and I knew it very well! I quickly ran out of sight of the kitchen, and headed back down to my father's old room...



Chapt. 4: allied snakes arrival



I opened the door to my Father's room, the door creakily swinging open. I sighed, looking around at his belongings. I wish I could see him again. To have him comfort me, tell me I wasn't going to have to be the new Ninja of Earth. Not yet, at least. I made my way to his bed and plopped down on it, looking around still. I emptily stared at a picture of him and the ninja, all hugging and grinning at the camera. I picked up the picture, and hugged it to my chest, squeezing it so tightly you might think I was a Constrictai. I would have been tearing up, but I let it go, looking down at it. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and I hurriedly put the picture down, surprised. "Ryen, may I come in?" Asked a voice, it was Sensei Wu.



When I didn't answer, he opened the door, and I stood up, scowling. "Hello Sensei." I said, still scowling. "Ryen, I know this is a lot for you to handle, but-" I interrupted sensei. "But WHAT?" I yelled, revealing my fangs. "So now you want me to be the new Earth Ninja? Replace my father? He was the best man EVER to walk on this planet! I'm really not ready to take on his role, even if I’m wielding his weapon or wearing his Gi... YOU CAN'T REPLACE MY FATHER!!! He died for our sins, he died in honor! He is a great man, and why will I never understand you?! I know it was YOUR FAULT if he walked out trying to go on his own mission, and you just IGNORE it?! What the heck is wrong with you sensei!? If you disallowed him to go on his own mission, he couldn’t have been killed in the first place! HE WOULD'VE BEEN SAFE AND SOUND AND ALIVE!!!” After that little rant, i panted, and looked down, a tear of green Venomari acid hit the floor, ironically not corroding the floor what-so-ever.



Wu sighed, looking at the same picture I had only seconds before been squeezing and almost breaking. "I'm going to miss him too. We all will. He was such a good man, and will be remembered forever. I’m sorry Ryen… you're right… I shouldn’t have let him go on his own… I should’ve at least let the other ninja go with him. But we're going to need you, if he is gone. You are the only one we know that is ready for such a task. You have his element, thus you are the bearer of his weapon. Even with more training, you'll come to know that, some spirits haunt the ones whom they loved before they passed... i have a feeling we'll all be haunted by the ghost of Cole… he may even haunt me more than the others, since i was the one who sent him on that mission..." I opened my mouth to protest, to tell him I wasn't truly ready to take on such a large task and to explain to him that my father wasn't a coward and a fool, but I never got the chance, he just simply walked away, frowning in sorrow...



I felt the ship rocked back and forth, shaking with the force of an army, or an elemental master. I pushed past Wu, running up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. "KAI!!!" I yelled, seeing him pinning down a familiar figure. "Ryen, stay back, I’ve got this! I'm not letting any other snake harm anyone whom was dearly beloved to US!" He yelled, holding Fangtom down onto the wooden floor, the general choking with troubles from Kai, shrieking in pain. "Kai, what in the name of Ninjago are you doing?! Get off of him, he's promised to befriend all of us!!!" I yelled, throwing him off Fangtom.



"Thanksss....-" "-...a lot." Muttered his heads. Skalidor rounded the corner, looking around. "Sssso, where are our roomsss? Will we all be treated with… resssspect?” The ninja and Wu looked at me, a fearsome look in their eyes. "I wasn't expecting you two to get over here so quick… a-and your tribes... but..." I looked back at the other; all had faces of worry and demise... I groaned; annoyed. "Well... guys... meet Fangtom and Skalidor... my... two ‘best friends’. Don't be alarmed... it's just, FINE!!" I looked at Skalidor and Fangtom; I frowned and intensified my gaze at them... "Fangtom, Skalidor... don't you guys wanna, ya'know... TELL THEM YOU'RE SOMEWHAT FRIENDLY NOW?!?" I roared, both generals covering their heads in response. Wu looking a bit of disarray he shook his head and nodded yes...



Kai, Jay, Lloyd, Nya and Zane looked tense, they thought they were tricked by the adopted son of Cole... tricked by me... I really did tell them that just by the innocence of me losing my father was broken, they completely changed for me, they wanted to start battling Lord Garmadon alongside us, Instead, I wanted them to battle Skales and Acidicus instead. Once when the Ninja, Nya and Sensei Wu aquatinted themselves to Skalidor and Fangtom, they all settled their differences aside and sometimes hugged... (except for Skalidor, because he's a bit too strong… like my father, I feel like I heard Jay’s back snap after Skalidor hugged him, i hope he recovers, and i could tell it on his face from that… heh heh...) ... and I could obviously feel their discomfort with their biorhythms warble and wobble with uncertainty.



I frowned at them for a bit, but I smirked as Nya refused a kiss to the hand from Fangtom... That general wanted a girl anyways; he’s not a great Casanova when you think about it: having two heads with possibly separate brains that control one side of his body, emotions, ideas, truths, and gives him the ability argue with himself? That just seems confusing to me at first, and that's seriously not a way to pick up some chicks. But you’ll understand it once he starts criticizing himself… but all things for sure, Jay better watch out, and his waifu’s being stolen! Heh heh hah haaa...



Chapt. 5: the new Hybrid…of love?



As we ninja then helped the entirety of the two tribes aboard the Bounty, I wondered if they’d be an helpful or not... I’m the only hybrid serpentine here... i wonder if there were more hybrids like me, but we were not cut out to feed entire ARMIES of serpentine. I wanted to share a hybrid uniqueness with another one... preferably another Hypnobrai-Venomari hybrid like me... but... I felt a strange biorhythm, a new one, unique in its way... something was COMPLETELY different...



I felt it pass behind me, it felt like a hybrid of a Fangpyre and a Constrictai passed by me... and... I didn’t know what gender it was. But, I couldn't see her/him. she/he was pretty quick on his/her feet, as I only saw a glimpse of the back of her/his long slender head as she/he went around a corner… I kept staring at the corner she/he disappeared behind, longingly as if could see his/her again; I had never seen a Fangpyre that was a warrior class with only one head, before. I kept staring at that corner for a bit, until Zane snapped me out of it when he tapped my shoulder. "Excuse me Mr. Soto but uh, what are you looking at? I'm very curious with your actions… I have the strange feeling like… Cole’s still with us all… but, I don’t know what to say or think about you. So uh, can you help me out with your thinking and ideas and truths? You're extraordinarily quite the person I want to know a little bit better..." Zane questioned, I then shook myself out of my trance. "...Uhh, n-nothing, just... thinking about... *Sigh* father..." I said, looking down and away from him...



"Well, don't be afraid, Ryen. Never give up hope even if it may seem if all of it was lost due to a person you love is deceased… nothing will go wrong. I understand these feeling, like when i discovered that i was a robot… its a such a coincidence… i lost my creator too, he was like my own parental figure, and i looked back onto my memory banks to see what he’d look like back then.” Zane sighed, and looked away, staring at the distant sunset… “A robot with human feelings… how lucky is I?” Zane reluctantly said. “Then… after he passed, he made sure I wasn’t supposed to remember any of that… see what I mean, Mr. Soto? I understand the feeling of what it is like to lose a person you love so much, even if it cared for you..." Zane said, patting my back, with a little smile on his face... "...Um... w-wow... th-thanks for such warming talk... um... but my father... N-nevermind that, Zane... got something else to see… I’ve seen something… I gotta see this thing… we’ll talk later, Zane." I said, looked down at my feet, then back at the corner with a determined face, thinking the other hybrid serpentine would be around that corner. I then Walked to it, and peeked my head around the corner, nothing was there.



I wondered about who she/he was... from what I could tell; she/he looked beautiful, something and someone I could admire and protect and care for, after my failed attempt to save Father Cole at first. If I could see her/his face, I would be forever happy... only if I knew her a little bit more. I then slowly walked down to that area, being cautious like I’m always as. I then got around the corner and i didn't see the Fangpyre-Constrictai Hybrid anywhere..."Dang... Where is that other hybrid, I don't know where she went..."



I hit my foot on a little metal bar, I shrugged it off, but it felt painful. I grunted and inhaled heavily as a reaction. Peculiar, I was looking back at the bar, it looked like a handle. So I got on my knees and looked more closely to see if the handle opens a secret room inside the Bounty. I noticed little crevasses, and I grunted in realization: it IS a hidden hatch! So I wondered if it was locked, so i pulled on the hatch handle, it didn’t budge, I pulled harder and harder to see if I can brute force it with my raw strength, and consequently, the handle snapped off and I stumbled a few inches backwards. I looked at the handle in my hands and then face-palmed with it, groaning in annoyance. It still hurt… ironic, why did I ever do that? I dunno… but suddenly I noticed the hatch opening from the inside, swinging open, its hinges were rusted green and brown and once the door hit its dead-zone, the door snapped off and fell into the room below.



That was odd… but my curiosity was pulling me to new adventures, I looked down in the hatch hole and it was just dark, besides the light that was swarming into the shadows of the room… it looked old and un-refurbished and I think I saw something sparkling within the darkness… so I jumped into this new area of the Bounty… never been seen before by my father, nor my friends or Sensei.



Chapter 5.5: The Hybrid emerges… and loves?



I landed down into a hidden room in the hull of the Bounty. Its air was palpable since it felt damp and moist. It's environment felt hostile to me, like I felt like I was going to get jumped by someone... and jumped I was, how ironic. "Who in the name of Ninjago are you? Some enemy against me and my father's friends?" I was held down with a scaly claw around my neck, gripping tightly, its claws digging my scales. "AAUUUGHHH!!! GET OFF OF ME!!!" I screamed in pain, trying to get out of its deathly grip.



I growled, swinging the perpetrator into a wall, its voice sounded somewhat feminine, but still gruff and strong-willed. I growled at the shadowy figure. "Grrr... What in the name of Wu's Beard were you doing to me!? Daddy Kai's going to have your head for what you did to me, you big scale JERK!!! I hope your mommy taught you how to treat ladies with proper respect!" I hissed at the voice to silence it. That voice sounded rather whiney and adolescent at best. "...And what does KAI have to do with this!? Wait… Daddy?" I shouted, and then pondered. The shadow sniffled and slowly arose and walked into the dim light, some dust particulates were blown around the light that was casted by the sunset light, and she shocked me, yep, it was a full blown girl. "...Well, hybrid? You're not the ONLY Serpentine hybrid on this ship, are you? Hee hee hee... you look cute, mind if I share a room, maybe even a bed with you~? You seem like a very strong and handsome man~..." She said, licking her thin white fangs rousingly, some of her white colored serpentine-turning venom sticking in strings to intensify that affect.



I grunted and intensified my ‘no stupid stuff’ gaze upon her, obviously refusing such a lewd ploy. “What in the name of Ninjago is up with you?! What makes you think that I am a prime select for a mate!? You are one dirty hybrid girl aren't you? And you should be ashamed of yourself for looking like this!” I shouted, I really disliked what she was trying to do to me, but I knew she was sorta… clingy… when I saw how she looked like, black, red, orange and white scales making up her rather… should I say ‘big’ appearance, her big white glowing beautiful eyes that peered into your soul if she was angry or lusty, with her small but rather beautiful looking head and long-serpentine neck of a Fangpyre, with many little orange and white spikes on the back and the sides of her neck that helped her burrow into the ground flawlessly like any other Constrictai… having a diamond scale pattern on her back and the back of her neck her chest and arms, making her look rather exotic...



I rather not go too much into detail on the body of hers, for the sanity of younger readers, if there are any… but from what i saw, she was well sculpted in all the right places… (please, don’t take me so seriously, ignore i wrote that… honestly… i will straight up say this, she is really freaking sexy...) obviously, she’s trying to make me think such dirty thoughts… looking at how thinly clothed she was, she’d make you think she escaped from of a club or something of that nature, tired of pleasing and teasing many male serpentine with her physique for cash. Then, she then turned around, and began walking away, after she felt threatened; only for her to stop, look me seductively in the eye, with her long forked tongue sticking out as she slapped and slapped her rather extravagant rump at me and then resumed walking away. How thoughtful to say a “sayonara” to someone… that hybrid… why did she do that to me? Does she love me or somthin’?



I couldn't begin to imagine, seeing that Fangpyre-Constrictai gal. She's was right in front of me, another hybrid like me! It was too obvious, “Daddy Kai?” With the clothing and the fighting style, she preferred katanas and fire, and at that moment i knew that Kai protected her and cared for her, like father Cole did to me, I could understand her fighting style to be similar to Kai's as well... her clothing was also red like Kai’s too with her armor having the same emblem like Kai’s, i bet some of that lingerie she was wearing is from Nya, does she even wear that stuff in front of his older brother!? Heck where did she even GET it from?! But… this is Something completely rare but unusual or me to see! Why had the red ninja been hiding her from me all this time? Well ...one thing's for sure, I really didn't want to answer her rather... lewd question... It's not that I like her or anything, but from now on, I'll try and keep tabs on her. She didn't tell me her name yet... I wondered about her name, she was rather pretty-looking... I did sorta like her looks to an extent, but something tells me of evil within her glowing white eyes, as she grumbled and got out of the dark room we're in. I felt a bit funny after that encounter with her… I rather keep that feeling to myself than share it with all of you. (Even though I already did… heh heh…)



I looked a bit bewildered, just seeing her made me feel dirty myself, jeez that woman. What goes on inside her that makes her tick, i just gotta know, but not now. I soon arrived back on the main deck, I saw the ninja talking to the Fangpyre and Constrictai snakes, discussing about what I would do if I met Lord Garmadon… honestly I don’t give any forlorn requiems for Lord Garmadumb… I don’t care about him; he’s none of my business. I will only target my focus on Skales and Acidicus… THEY are the ones who been messing with me, heck even when I was born, from what I heard from father was that, my biological parents, a Hypnobrai who used to be general, but his title was taken away from Skales, and a Female Venomari who also used to be general, until Acidicus took her title and banished her from their tribe just because of her gender, and her want for being ruler… rumor has it she’s still roaming all of Ninjago to this day, searching for me to be her audience to express her love to me and how long it has been between us.



Those things seem cryptic to me, a serpentine that was demoted from his general status? I don’t know who that was! Neither the Venomari woman whom also used to be general. But I have the feeling the Hypnobrai that was demoted from general was ALSO kicked out of his tribe… I don’t know their names, and neither does you, my audience… if I work hard, with the rest of the ninja, I… nay, WE will save those two serpentine… I will save them, mark my words Acidicus and Skales! I will learn of my past even more! I walked back to the crowd of serpentine and looked back at the area where I found the hidden room of the Bounty. I hoped that no-one will ever notice. But I wondered; do both Skalidor and Fangtom hate the Fangpyre-Constrictai hybrid like Skales and Acidicus do to me? I pondered about that, sad thing was, I didn’t get her name… I wonder who’s that girl’s parents, it’ll make more sense to me if I find out more about HER past as much as mine. Well, I decided to slowly fade from the crowd from the deck, as i slowly walked back below deck and down into the hall.



From that point when I peeked around the corner in the hall corridor, i saw Kai and that other Hybrid; I could hear them say something about me. I frowned, gritted my fangs, wondering if they both hate me. Then I sorta heard a name being called out from the voice of Kai: “Hey there my daughter! Fangcrusha! There's food ready by Zane up in the kitchen!” The hybrid’s name is Fangcrusha! Well, that's one mystery solved, and I sorta panicked when they were moving, I fumbled around away from their sight and accidentally tripped on the stairs leading up-deck, groaning in pain. Fangcrusha and Kai noticed the noise, and then looked around the corner, Fangcrusha looking very cute when she had a curious look in her eyes. “Oh, hey Ryen… stub your toe again on the stairs?” Kai said, Fangcrusha giggling. “N-no… shut up, and go away… I’m just laying here because why not!? I don’t wanna be bothered…” I growled back, looking them fierce in the eye.



“Ooooohhh, your names’ Ryen! Sorry, didn’t get your name there, sweetie~!” Fangcrusha chimed, winking at me. I then got up and growled. “Does General Fangtom and Skalidor like you, Fangcrusha? Because i know Acidicus and Skales hate me…” I looked at Fangcrusha in the eye closely; she was noticeably blushing and smiling. “Getting cocky, eh Ryen? You seem to love me, don’t you~?” She said rousingly, I grunted. “TELL ME… do Fangtom and Skalidor despise you?!” She only giggled, then suddenly pinned me up against a wall with a katana blade to my neck, I gasped and growled. Fangcrusha’s thick legs were trapping and squeezing against mine, our bodies up against each other, suffocating my legs and body. I could feel her cold sweat run down her body, her eyes seductive and her grin looking somewhat evil. Her hold on me was crushingly strong; she was part Constrictai after all. She held me close, slowly caressing my back, leaning up against me. “Seems like a bit of a predicament~... I’ll gladly take advantage of this opportune moment my strong man~…” she said, leaning her head close, her glowing white eyes sparkling… (I still can't believe that I’m writing all of this down… forgive me and ignore it as much as possible, please, but I rather am somewhat descriptive on some situations…)



(I still can't believe i am writing this but…) I closed my eyes slowly, and felt her lips touch mine, her serpent tongue wrapping around mine as well, it felt characteristically strong as it suffered mine since she was part Constrictai. Her strength was powerful and resolute, rendering me trapped under her loving grasp, being crushed against her body, but this was the most insane thing to happen to me in my entire life; I’m being French kissed from a girl serpentine whom i only met a few minutes ago… a-and we’re enjoying it! What kind of bargaining is this!? I cannot believe it happened! I’ve still feel like I’m still in my stage of anger, not bargaining. Lust isn’t even a part of the five stages of grief, but one of the seven deadly sins! After a few long loving seconds, she slowly pulled away, strands of our saliva and venom sticking between our tongues, as we slowly unraveled them away from each other after she licked my fangs rousingly. We looked rather pleasured, our eyes half closed, our faces full of blush and our tongues sticking out. We both panted, our breath was visible, and then Fangcrusha smiled and winked at me. “Love you, baby~... good thing I met you down in that room otherwise I wouldn’t be in love with such a man, I’m rather happy now of what we’ve done… good day my sweet serpentine lover, Ryen Soto.” She then unpinned me from the wall and walked away, Kai was absolutely speechless of the event that just unfolded right in front of him. I looked surprised as well; I and Kai just fainted there in the hallway, absolutely knocked out after that event. I think I’m starting to like Fangcrusha a little bit more. She could be my type of girl after all…
maybe so maybe not... i don't know...