#little dragon lloyd lives in my mind

[twigs-sprigs]

bunch of random doodles from the big canavas

[queenpiranhadon]

A/N: It makes me unnaturally happy to finally see my Rocky boy get some attention. Big thanks to @rainbow-flavoured-skittles for beta reading this!! Here's my masterlist!

Warning(s): This takes place after the fight with the Overlord, I haven't watched Dragons Rising nor do I plan to so it's only really cannon to Crystalize and prior, it IS Cole x reader but I did world build a little lol, reader is the Ninja of Nature (maybe related to Bolobo idk), reader is GN but is written with F!reader in mind, reader is called Blossom, reader calls Cole Rocky (Mister Dangerbuff supremacy)

Pairing(s): Cole Brookstone x Master of Nature!Reader

•──────•°•❀•°•────ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ────•°•☁︎•°•─────•

After you fought the Overlord, it was quiet. 

Not in the sense of volume, but it was calm. Usually, you'd be restless, aching for a fight to keep the adrenaline pumping, but right now? 

You were happy to have a break. 

Especially with Cole. After months of figuring out feelings and sending mixed signals to each other (Cole had once thought you were in love with Jay — even though he was one, dating Nya, and two, you were asking the electricity ninja for tips on how to get Cole to like you back in the first place), he had confessed to you shyly and asked you out on a date. He took you to a coffee shop, and you guys just clicked. He made you happy, made you laugh, made you feel loved. And you loved him all the same.  

Seven months after dating, he asked you to move in with him, as if you didn't practically live with him from the amount of time you spent at his home. Moving in with him was seamless, it was like nothing changed, except now you woke up with an adorable, snoring Adonis of a man, and went to bed with a giant teddy bear who basically melted in your embrace. 

After you fought the Overlord, it was normal.  

It was like nothing happened, adjusting to your new lives immediately. Obviously, you and your fellow ninja were celebrities all over Ninjago - you all were probably asked to give autographs five times a day, minimum. Meeting up with your friends was a frequent occurrence, all going to Chen’s Noodle House and enjoying Skylar’s amazing cooking while catching up with the others.  

It was routine now, everything refreshingly the same, down to where you sat. You and Cole would take one of the booth seats, with Jay and Nya across from the two of you. Pixal sat down next to Nya, and Zane sat next to Cole, Lloyd and Kai at the head of the table (painfully single- much to Skylar and the rest of the ninja's annoyance).  

All of you had surprisingly adjusted to normal life without fighting opponents twenty-four -seven very easily, though some had more difficulty than others. 

 Jay worked as a event host at his local comic shop, organizing mini conventions and trivia nights for fellow geeks such as himself.  

Kai returned to the dojo he used to have, teaching children how to defend themselves so that they wouldn’t be as defenseless as he was when he lost his powers.  

Lloyd helped his mom and Master Wu reopen their tea shop from so long ago, working the cash register and making people’s lives a little happier with a bright smile every day.  

Nya worked as a mechanic in her free time, opening a garage and surrounding herself with what she did best: building. Jay stopped by on occasion, helping her with certain projects, but also joining her in tinkering with some spare 

parts sometimes. Zane and Pixal had the most difficulty adjusting, their different appearances making them stand out like sore thumbs. But eventually, they found their home giving lectures at schools with a different perspective on certain topics, enjoying the ability to share 

their infinite knowledge with others. And then there was Cole and yourself. Being a ninja of Nature, you worked at the local florist, finding it refreshing to be surrounded by so many plants whenever you could. You worked your magic with them, keeping the plants fresh and ending up owning the store yourself once the previous owner retired.  

Cole worked as a barista at the local coffee shop, and you stopped by to get food and give him some company on your breaks. It was nice, you think, to spend some time together with him after years of constantly fighting who knows what.  

You greet him, opening the door with a jingle, and walk up to him, as he was closing up.  

"Hey, Rocky," you hum, leaning against one of the tables as he sets his broom down. 

 He walks over to you, hugging you close by the waist and resting his chin on top of your head, placing a soft kiss on your forehead.  

"Hi, Blossom," he murmurs into your hair, and you take the time to just admire him. The curve of his nose, the small tilt of the corners of his mouth, showing that he was happy, the apples of his cheeks, the stubble that littered across his impeccable jawline. He smelled like the earth just after it rained, and ground coffee, one of the many things you love about him. His hair was artfully mussed, black tresses tucked underneath his visor, and you take it off his head, running your fingers through his hair. 

 It was just the two of you, standing inside the cafe in the light pf golden hour, drinking up each other’s warmth and love, together.  

After you fought the Overlord, it was nice.  

Taglist: @tinadablackthorn

[yellow-rose-lady]

Here is a full piece to celebrate me finally watching ºNinjago: Dragons Rising.” It was really good and so far my favorite is Arin❤️

Also don’t mind the little girl in between Lloyd’s legs, that is an un-named fan daughter I got him.(he’s doing her hair for her In pigtails)

Arin: SORA HOLD HIM BACK

Sora: : I CAN’T HE’S SLIPPING-

Arin: AHHHHHHHHH-

Bb dragon: Get ‘em Ryuu! Get ‘em!

Lloyd: *Ahhh, sweet sweet chaos… how I’d missed it…*

Under the cut there is the un-blurred version’s

I’m gonna be honest with you this AU was heavily inspired by @namelysane ‘s Hellspawn au, only that my un-named hellspawn was born during the merge where all the dimensional chaos caused Lloyd’s sealed golden magic to go haywire and create the dragon baby.

The idea for this au came to me while watching dragons rising and realizing that Lloyd spend a very long time alone in the monastery after the merge (I head canon in this au that it was give or take about 7 or 6 years?)

I thought that was hella depressing to be alone for so long with zero to very little knowledge of how your friends and family are(honestly a terrifying situation)

So I gave him a daughter who he will be able to put his attention and care into, who will help fill in the void left by his /now missing/ family somewhat, to remind him to eat, bathe, and sleep, someone who can help him live in and not just survive while alone.

IDK, I might be wrong about this and it might change but this is my au canon so you have to deal with it❤️

[thecatundertheladder]

Fsm lives au, how do they feel about misako?

Ahhh tysm for asking!!!

I have my own opinions about Misako so it was quite interesting to try and work out what FSM's opinions without letting my opinions affect their’s. I think I did okay. Either way it was quite a fun and interesting exercise.

They don't like her, they don't hate her, they tolerate her.

When FSM first met Misako, it was a few weeks after Lloyd was born. Before FSM arrived, Misako hadn't been told much about his family. This was evident when she fainted after he told her who he was. So when Misako started asking a bunch questions about his history, culture, and all that, she assumed it was out of curiosity (a trait that humans had inherited from her) and was trying to find out more about Lloyd's heritage, and so she tolerated the questions.

All in all, they didn't mind that she was part of Garmadon's family now. And besides, Misako had given FSM a perfect baby grandson to cuddle and cherish, so they couldn't complain much.

It wasn't until Misako dropped Lloyd of at Darkley's Boarding School for Bad Children that FSM began to dislike her - a lot.

Now the thing is, Oni are incredibly possessive of their pups and grandpups, and abandoning a pup like this would not have been tolerated in the First Realm. Even dragons, who tend to allow their hatchlings to wander a lot more, wouldn't have allowed this. So FSM's first instinct was to kill her for this crime and take Lloyd to Wu. Fortunately for Misako, this entire AU revolves around FSM not being able to interfere with the prophecy, so they couldn't do that (and Garmadon and Wu would be sad if Misako turned up dead before her time).

FSM also has the advantage of omniscience (and as a result, can be slightly more impartial than other dragons and oni when it comes to decisions like this), so when she couldn't exact revenge on Misako, she decided to take a walk in her mind to figure out her motives.

Misako, as it turns out, had some pretty valid reasons. She was trying to prevent the final battle by influencing Lloyd to become at least a bit evil, all while she researched as much as she could. This meant that FSM didn’t hate her as she was trying to do what she thought was best for her family.

Unfortunately, when it comes to the prophecy, FSM, who wrote it, knows are bit more than Misako, and knew that a) not everything in it was set in stone, but rather the prophecy was a set of instructions on how to cure Garmadon of the venom in a fight that was inevitable. And that b) Lloyd would not be fighting his father, but the Overlord using Garmadon as a vessel. So while FSM understands Misako's motives for doing what she did, doesn't mean they thought it was a reasonable excuse for abandoning Lloyd at Darkley's.

But Lloyd seems to like his mother, even if she's not around as much as FSM thinks she should be, even if FSM doesn't think Lloyd should have forgiven her quite as easily, and even if she was a little too invested in figuring out how Lloyd’s half human - half dragoni status affected him.

And Wu and Garmadon liked her as well, even if Garmadon had since broken up with her, and even if Wu had originally thought she wasn’t good enough for his brother.

So FSM will tolerate Misako.

Also side note, I abide by the headcanon that Wu actually didn't like (romantically that is) Misako, and the letter was him trying to get her away from Garmadon. I really don't like love triangles.

[only-lonely-stars]

Orange is the New Black (Chapter 2 - Doppelgängers)

[Chapter 1] // [Chapter 2 - you are here!] // [Chapter 3] – (FFN) (AO3)

Part of @ninjago-fic-fest!

Summary:

A rift opens in the sky above Ninjago City just as Cole continues his track record of falling from tall places. The place he wakes up in isn't the same as the one in which he fell... and who's the kid with a man bun who looks just like him?

Chapter summary:

Cole receives a few mediocre explanations and meets some "new" people.

Cole stared at the teenage boy in front of him. “Uh… care to run that by me again?”

‘Cole’ glared at him. “You’re not the Black Ninja. So who are you? Are you impersonating me?”

“No! Dude, you’ve got it all wrong.”

The boy scoffed. “Garmadon put you up to this, didn’t he?”

“Garmadon? Woah, woah, woah. I’m not working with him!” Cole crossed his arms. “Now I’m sure something weird is going on.”

“Yeah, it’s weird that you’re impersonating me!”

“No, not that kind of weird!” Cole laughed in disbelief. “Geez, kid. You gotta believe me here, I’ve already said it twice. I am not trying to impersonate you. How do I explain… it’s like I’m from an alternate dimension, okay?”

The boy scoffed, but before he could argue the shorter boy piped up, “That’s impossible. There are no alternate dimensions.”

“Actually, there are! There’s sixteen. Yours must be one of them.” Cole reached out a hand to shake his. “What’s your name, kid?”

The boy was hesitant, but he shook it. “...Lloyd.”

“Lloyd Garmadon?”

“Yeah. But I’m not like him, honest!” The boy looked on edge, close to panic. “Trust me, I don’t want to be a warlord and attack the city all the time. I don’t even live with him. I just want to be a normal teenager!”

“Woah, chill!” Cole put his hands on the kid’s shoulders, ignoring how the other Cole gave him the stink-eye. “I believe you. I’ve got a Lloyd back home, and he’s not like his dad either. Our Garmadon even turned good, if you can believe it.”

Cole scoffed. “That’s not possible.”

“It is, but that’s irrelevant.”

Lloyd laughed, but it sounded a little hysterical. “My dad is an evil warlord. He cries lava! I couldn’t do that, even if I tried.” 

“Oookay, so ours doesn’t do that, but he really did get better!” It seemed convenient to leave out the part where the evil version of Garmadon had been resurrected as an Oni monster, so Cole ignored it. “Anyway, that’s not so important. Are you a ninja too? If you guys are both ninja, do you have a team? Maybe a teacher?”

Lloyd and ‘Cole’ looked at each other before Lloyd spoke. “My uncle, Master Wu, teaches us. We can bring you to see him.”

“Yeah, that’s great! I’d love to. Maybe he knows how I can get home.”

It was wishful thinking, and Cole knew it, but it would have to do. If Wu didn’t know what to do, he didn’t want to think about what kind of trouble he’d be in.

Besides, this world was weird. Seeing Wu would really help. It wasn’t as good as talking to his own Wu, but it was something. Cole already missed him… and the rest of the team too, even though he’d barely been separated from them.

These days, any time apart was like a wound.

—

On the walk to the Secret Ninja Force’s base, Cole learned several important details.

One: The other Cole wasn’t quite the same as him. For one, his last name was Hence, not Brookstone. Cole wasn’t used to hearing his mother’s maiden name so much, but it helped to just call the other him ‘Hence’ instead of his own name. Hence didn’t seem to mind it too much, besides the odd eye-roll.

Two: Dragons didn’t exist in this world. At all. The only dragon either Lloyd or Hence knew about was Lloyd’s dragon mech, which obviously didn’t count.

Three: The Ninja kept their identities secret here. Why? Because Lord Garmadon didn’t seem to know who his son really was, and apparently, no one wanted him to know. There wasn’t a prophecy, so they could keep this going indefinitely. 

Cole remembered Garmadon being a pretty good dad when it counted, always showing up when he was needed most. Apparently in this world, he was a warlord and a deadbeat. Already, Cole’s opinion of him was in the dumps.

It was a crazy hour or so, all told, but Cole felt like he was pretty caught up on the differences… until they arrived at the Secret Ninja Force’s warehouse base.

Hence and Lloyd brought him in through the back door, expertly disguised by a neon yellow sign.

WARNING: RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS!

In Cole’s opinion, it was not the best hiding place.

Lloyd pushed open the door, the two gestured for Cole to enter, and Hence flanked him from behind. They came out next to a bank of bright red lockers, of the type Cole remembered from Marty Oppenheimer’s School for Performing Arts. The back was messy, filled with video game consoles and mis-matched furniture, with a clunky old refrigerator in one corner.

The rest of the warehouse was an enormous garage with a retractable ceiling, filled with six incredible mechs.

Cole was grinning at the thought of driving one when four teenagers suddenly showed up in front of him, the first skidding to a stop in front of the other three.

“Lloyd!” A brown-haired boy dressed all in red with a bandaged temple reached out and hugged him. “Hey, Green!”

Lloyd laughed softly, hugging back for a moment. “Kai, hey, what’s up.”

“Dude, we’ve been waiting for you!” Kai was about to say more when a girl stepped up, pulling out a knife from somewhere Cole couldn’t see. 

“Who are you?!” 

The rest of the teenagers gasped, but Cole snickered. “Hi. Nya, right?”

“How do you know my name?!”

“Because I know you!” Cole snickered more, glancing at Hence. “C’mon Hence, help a doppelgänger out here.”

Hence rolled his eyes, but he stepped forward and leaned one arm on Cole’s shoulder. “Guys, this is me from another dimension.” 

Four pairs of wide eyes watched them in disbelief. “What?!”

Cole snickered, even as the team crowded around and gaped at him. Their versions of Kai and Jay were curious, though Jay seemed oddly shy, and Kai had no problem with touching him and messing with his hair and gi. Cole let him, feeling oddly nostalgic. It felt like when Wu had been going through his ‘fussy toddler’ stage.

Their version of Zane– oddly robotic and with a stiff smile on his face, but with the same piercing blue eyes– trundled over and looked him up and down. “You are not a cool teenager like us!”

“Nope. Sorry, buddy, I’m almost twenty-seven years old.”

“How does it feel to be a geriatric ninja?”

Cole laughed. “Geriatric? Who are you calling geriatric, tin can?”

Other Zane turned his head in confusion. “I am not a tin can. I am a regular, teenage ninja.”

Before Cole could push it any further, he was interrupted by the quiet voice of Jay. “Why are you carrying so many weapons? What if someone sees you and figures out you’re a ninja?”

“Because it’s not an issue?”

“But ninja are supposed to keep their identities secret,” Jay insisted, slowly seeming to become more confident as he realized Cole wasn’t about to snap and eat him… or whatever weirdness this Jay expected. He couldn’t be too different, even if he was quiet, and Cole knew Jay well enough to know he never had a quiet moment inside his mind.

So Cole launched into his explanation, telling the story of how he’d arrived. The rift, landing on the football field, meeting Hence and Lloyd. It felt like telling a story to a bunch of school kids who sat on the floor with rapt attention, listened closely, and asked all their burning questions.

He didn’t mind it. Not really.

Even if Lloyd was fidgeting and pulling on his hoodie strings like he did when he was nervous. Jay buried his face in his bright orange scarf so he could barely be seen. Kai had scratches all over, most of them without bandages. Nya toyed with a knife. Zane sat too still and smiled too widely. Hence, most normal of them all, didn’t seem to be able to sit still at all. 

The whole world was knobbly and scratchy and bumpy and wrong. 

When he got to the end of the story, Cole took a deep breath and delivered his summary. “So, I’m stranded in your version of Ninjago. I think you guys are probably my only ticket back, so I need your help.”

The teenagers looked amongst themselves as Lloyd spoke for the group. “We don’t really know anything that could help.”

Before Cole could speak, he was cut off.

“Then it is a good thing I do.”

A chorus responded to the interrupting voice. “Master Wu!”

Cole looked around for the source of the voice. He found it above him, the ninja master sitting on a railing near the ceiling. Upon eye contact, he leaped from his perch, sprung off a wall, and landed as nimbly as a cat on the cement floor.

Master Wu looked at Cole with calculating eyes, shrewdness hidden under a faint layer of secrets. It was at that moment Cole knew he was truly Sensei Wu, no matter what he did or said. Only Wu could look like that. 

Wu folded his hands behind his back, his shoulders seeming a little strange as he did so. “Students, who have you brought to your secret base?”

The whole team began to protest at once, giving excuses.

“We didn’t bring him here!”

“It was Lloyd’s idea!”

“He just showed up!”

“Master, he said he’s me–”

“We are just clueless teens, Master.”

At last, Lloyd spoke over the cacophony. “Master, he says he’s another version of Cole! Cole and I didn’t know what to do.”

“Cole?” Wu raised an eyebrow, glancing at Lloyd and Hence. “So that is why you brought him here.”

“I didn’t know what else to do. He’s a ninja too, and he knows all of our names. He’s not a real stranger.”

Wu scrutinized Cole with the watchfulness Cole remembered from his first few weeks of ninja training. Seeing weak points, exploiting them for students’ benefits and drinking far too much tea… it was all present in this wizened man’s face, staring him down from where he stood. “You’re right, he is not a real stranger. Who did you train under, young man?”

“Uh… under you, Master. My version of you. It was a long time ago, I’ve been a master ninja for years.”

Wu hummed, then nodded several times. “How did you arrive here?”

Deep down, Cole suppressed a sigh. Would he have to explain the story again in full? “I just fell through a rift in spacetime. It was magenta, it looked like this place. Then I arrived, and I want to go home already.”

Wu brushed off his homesickness. Instead of sympathizing, he pulled a wooden staff out from behind him. He put it to his lips, and as Cole watched in amazement, began beatboxing and playing it like a flute. A short rendition of The Score’s “Going Home” came through, somehow sounding right despite lacking every background instrument.

Cole glanced at the rest of the team, who seemed frustrated as they rolled their eyes and shook their heads. Secretly, he wished for a camera. If only his brothers could see this Master Wu!

“Master,” Lloyd complained as Wu was coming to the end of the tune, “What do we do? We don’t know how to get Co– him home!”

Wu, finishing his ditty, brought the flute down on Lloyd’s head with a quiet thwack. “You interrupted my music. Not very ninja of you.”

“This isn’t a very ninja situation!”

“Not important. Not my problem.” Wu turned to Cole with a grave expression. “Yes, we must send you home. I know of a magical device which will return you to your own realm.”

“Really?” Cole laughed in delight. “Talk about fast.”

“Not so fast, young ninja.”

“Young?” Kai sputtered. “He’s older than all of us!”

“Hush. We must travel a long, long way… to the Wanderlust Woods.” Wu pointed toward the back wall of the warehouse with his staff. “That way, on the other side of the island.”

“We’re on an island?” Cole frowned, glancing around as if the unseen scenery could help him verify the claim. “I guess we can take the Bounty, or maybe mechs…?”

“No!” Wu now brought the flute down on Cole’s head, a thwack making his scalp sting for just a minute. “‘Cool mechs are weapons first, not vehicles. We will walk. It is not far.”

The teenage ninja all groaned. “Come on, Master, we can’t be gone that long!”

“Today is Thursday. We will go after your classes end tomorrow.”

“Master,” Zane commented, with little emotion, “we have homework.”

“And what will our parents think?” Jay added. “My mom said we’re going to the flea market this weekend…”

“You will figure out something to tell them.” Wu shook his head, clearly not amused by his students’ excuses. “Not my problem. You are ninja, you will need to find a way for yourselves to remain secret. You do not need my help.”

The six teenagers groaned, but they didn’t argue any more. Instead, they turned to talk amongst themselves. Cole heard snippets of whispered conversation, mentioning clones and call it a sleepover at my place and are we sure this is a good idea?

He tuned them out, deciding to talk to Master Wu instead. He opened his mouth to speak, only for Wu to cut him off.

“You have no place to stay here.”

Cole blinked twice. “Uh… yeah. That’s what I was going to ask you about– one of a few things.”

“Come to my ship, the Destiny’s Bounty. You will stay with me.” Wu turned and gestured with his staff, walking to the other side of the warehouse and its great bay doors. “Come. Let them decide for themselves.”

After a moment of hesitation, Cole followed him. “Yes, Master.” 

[fiberturkey89]

Alright, so here we have Zanth! Keep in mind that her and Jiro's roles in my headcanons are swapped. With Jiro being the Dragon, Sora met when she still lived in Imperium, and Zanth was the one she met in the Junkyard being chased by Rapton.

Much like most of the other Dragons, Zanth is an omnivore. Her favorite vegetables are sweet potatoes, peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes! She, like Jiro and Heatwave, also has a penchance for melons, particularly rockmelons. Her favorite fruits are figs, papaya, jujubes, and guavas.

Meats wise, she *loves* poultry, waterfowl, beef, antelope, camels, and antelope. Though she does tend to lean more towards birds than she does the other meats as their a bit heavy for her. She prefers more lightweight foods.

Which is a little funny as she's the third largest Dragon in the caves. Glacier and Torchspark are tied for first, with Jiro being the third largest. Rockslide and Riyu are the smallest two.

Her fire doesn't burn as hot as Heatwave, Torchspark's or Rockslide's(the Earth Wyvern Kai and Cole ride), nor has the power of Jiro's lightning or Glacier's frostbreath, but is, in fact, more in line with Vigor's(The Mountain Dragon that Lloyd and Arin rode in the beginning of part two).

It's perfect for momentary bursts of offensive or defense stategy, as seen against the Howlers. She primarily uses it as a distance card, giving her a chance to escape or gain her breath. She also uses it it to lightly roast her meals. She likes the dryer taste as it reminds her of sundried foods.

She's actually quite social! You'll sometimes find her lounging around in the streams near the Monastery of Spinjitzu with Glacier, wrestling with Jiro in play, exploring the mountains with Vigor, Riyu and Rockslide, or sunbathing alongside Heatwave and Torchspark.

This is due to her time spent travelling with Arrakore and meeting many, many kinds of people. Often allowing many kinds of children to play with her when she had down time alongside some adults who found the time besides the Djinn.

She's never met the All-Mother, Firstbourne, funnily enough. Granted, few Dragons do actually meet her within their lives, as unlike others- she can remain hidden when she wants to be. So it's a bit hard to track her down.

She had been traveling the Merged World for about five years before she was cornered in the Junkyard of The Crossroads, at first she'd been very confused on why humans were attacking her, but came to realize that they were those infamous Dragon Hunter's she heard of from other flocks.

They forced her into a tight space, where she wasn't able to use her size growth, and even with the Ninja's aid, she'd been captured. Thrown into the cells where a majority of the Dragons were except for Jiro.

[robodove]

SHOW US THE PIRATE STUFF DO THE MERMAID STUFF ALKNASDAS

OKAY I FINALLY HAVE A LITTLE TIME ARRGAGRG I hope this aimless infodump is readable

so! Their designs and junk are a mess rn but I do have some stuff of them!!

Ignore the little dragon in the last I'm still working on Lloyd's whole... business. And! Don't mind the text in the pink one, I was just tryna think up silly nicknames!

Anyways! They aren't really... Traditional pirates? Y'know.. cause their crew size is like 5 + a child and ancient beast.

Under division is a small ramble

Cole's the "captain" and is a selkie (although I know they're usually seals I accidentally chose a sea lion)! He's the sea lion in the pictures and I'm desperately trying to work his skin into the design. I thought it'd be silly since he was raised in dance and entertainment.. and hey! Sea lions are known for that too!

(he wasn't meant to look so forsaken here, sorry Cole)

Jay is a mermaid (thing?) When in the water, he has the lower half reminiscent of an electric eel (I saw reminiscent as there are some major differences)! No one really has powers in this but he can still shock like that,, Ed and Edna are still human in this and I'm trying to remember if they still lived at a scrapyard or a shipyard.

Both Kai and Nya are only half mermaid! Nya ended up inheriting way more mermaid traits than her brother, who doesn't even have a tail in water, but still has a lot of human drawbacks. She can only breathe underwater for so long and ironically Kai can last down there longer. He just chooses not to since I thought it'd be funny to still let him be scared of water in this 😭 sorry Kai. He still has the recognizable sharper teeth and has bits and flashes of shimmery scales but is overall the most human of the bunch once you count out Cole's unskinned form.

I couldn't resist myself on Zane and ended up making him a siren. Mainly because.. bird! And also if he was going to be organic, I wanted to isolate him from the other sea related creatures. He has the wings and feathers of a gyrfalcon and can't swim as well in the ocean! He ends up bonding with Kai over this Kai originally hadn't liked him too much! Reasonably so since.. y'know.. sirens eat people. And mermaids in this.. although Zane eats human things as he was raised on it by a still very human Dr. Julien (who I guess is more of a bird-oriented wildlife scientist in this? ornithologist?). insert joke about him being a hand raised bird.

I don't have my sketchbook with me right now so I'm scrambling for pictures but ! Like all their designs, he's still a work in progress. Will most likely make his legs longer or something but this is just my ideas LOL

And anyways! Onto Lloyd! (And the others?)

I was struggling to decide what Lloyd should be,, like? A dragon could still very much work and his normal version is already so cool?? However, I ended up on leviathan.. a baby one. The serpentine aren't decided but Lloyd's still pretty much not taken seriously by the town. Still winds up being taken in by the "ninja!"

Garmadon is still locked up, although now at the bottom of the ocean! The Skulkin are drowned/dead pirates?

Wu is who I've been struggling to decide on as well! For whatever reason I've been contemplating making him like just some statue in the Destiny's Bounty that speaks to them.

There's plenty of other things going on,, Kai and Nya come to them on accident and Jay is over the moon to see other moons and wants to show them their "ways" despite having never even met others before. Cole is desperately trying to keep everyone in one place as they've accidentally made the perfect collection of the world's most valuable pelts.

Kai still raises Nya at the forge (which in this, is beachside), but years later there's a rise in pricing for the scales of mers and the boy decides that they need to leave in effort to protect her. Nya is devastated because this is their home! Where else would they even go?? They barely have any cash! Kai's decision is further inland AND with the money they get from selling the forge. Yadda, yadda, the buyer turns on them and they wind up in the ocean near their home! Kai's knocked cold, which is for the better as Nya swims them further and further into open ocean.

For the first time, Nya meets another mer as she tries to save her brother, and he helps them aboard a ship! The Destiny's Bounty! (Or perhaps a ship before it? It's all still up in air)

I'd expand more but I'm out of time </3 please give any suggestions if you'd like to! I'd always appreciate criticism

[baronaliswritingcorner]

TOS Replay Stray Thoughts No. 4 (Luin/Asgard/Balacruf Mausoleum)

-“I’ve read nothing but books in angelic language since I was a child” Oof, the religious propaganda runs deep. I wonder how left out Colette felt?

-wait Kratos how do you know the angelic languagohhhhhhhhhhhhh 

-Mmmmm yeah listen to the Luin music sing. “Water symphony”, indeed!

-Ever notice how Asgard doesn’t have a fence? Like, it's on a cliff -- that's a public health hazard if I've ever seen one. Y'all so preoccupied with your tourism and open half-elf discrimination while there's a lawsuit waiting to happen. Get on that!

-One thing Tales of Symphonia does really well is how lived-in and handcrafted the house interiors are, with Asgard and Luin being particular standouts. Just look at the story Harley's house tells! You don’t see this sort of detail in modern Tales anymore...

-The Asgard Human Ranch…but it doesn’t have any relationship with Asgard. Hmm. Shoulda been Luin Human Ranch.

-I don't dabble into customization/spending GRADE *too* much, so I always forget how cost-effective it is. Managing Tales of Symphonia’s economy is fun.

-“There are hardly any trace of the ancient civilization left. It’s almost as if they were intentionally erased by someone.”

HMMMM. Cruxis??? But why would they care about the Balacruf Dynasty? Kinda wish we knew more about that. 

-There's this whole flying dragon business that's always talked about, but almost never seen aside from Hima. I wanna see how that works.

On that note, what's with how one Asgard dragon looks totally different? He's a cutie.

-“Aisha was chosen for the sacrifice because she associates with that half-elf."

Y E E S H.

-The background of the Asgard dais is purty.

-Y’all, Linar. Why do you keep rubbing your head in embarrassment like that. You're gonna shave all your hair off if you go any faster.

-That dais bomb disbarment scene is peak TOS comedy with how Raine keeps beating up that one dude. Also, sudden Lloyd bomb disarment skills.

-That scene when Harley almost gives away their half-elf identities 😬😬😬 The way the Asgard elder and his assistants giving Genis those looks says it all -- poor guy must've been terrified.

(By the way, I don’t remember if they fixed this in the ports, but did you notice Secret of the blue sky plays veeeeeeeeery faintly here? I know that’s a song associated with half-elf discrimination, but I think the wind howling speaks for itself.)

-“that monster with a giant f*cking blade for an appendage and demanding virgin sacrifices was a problem but Harley merely existing and minding his own business is a way bigger issue”.

Lady. Chill. Leave your racism by the door.

-“Well, he’s not causing any problems by being a half-elf but-” YES. YOU’RE THIS CLOSE TO GETTING IT.

-“My sister got a new fan!” *gets smacked*

okay

-“The location of the next Summon Spirit is the next seal.”

yes, I would think that's obvious

-“I’m a little scared, but you’re with me, so it’ll be okay, right?”

“Yeah, leave it to me!”

HHNNNNNGGGGGGHHHHHHH COLLOYD!!!!!

-man Fatalize is such a cool song. I wish it played more.

-look at Lloyd’s arm clipping through Colette’s when she falls down

-how did Colette’s hand bleed that much from falling down

-“Colette, can I talk to you for a sec?” 

oh

oh, here it comes 

“I thought it’d be nice for us to talk just by ourselves” 

The line, it’s coming…! 

“Here, it’s hot coffee.” 

HE’S GONNA SAY IT! 

“Hot, isn’t it?” 

ANY MOMENT NOW 

“It’s actually iced coffee.”

BRACE YOURSELVES

“I lied. It’s actually hot.”

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH 

-Memes aside, how about that scene? Peak Colloyd. Colette’s trying her absolute hardest to downplay her trauma for Lloyd's sake (“But my eyes have gotten better!”) even though anyone paying attention can see she can't even convince herself ("I've gotten so good at hearing that...it's painful") and Lloyd just stops and hugs her in the middle of it and apologizes for everything…and she can’t even feel it! SHE CAN'T EVEN CRY!!! AAAAGGGHHHH

The bond they share goes beyond the senses!!! IT'S TRUE LOVE

[coraliix]

North Wind | Lloyd x OC

Chapter 5: Glimpse

6.09k words

Summary: Mari and Skylor go shopping and have some girl time. Lloyd learns that Mari moved to Ninjago. Suspicions and new information come to light.

——————————

Soft sunlight streamed through the window’s sheer curtains, the beams of light illuminating languid pieces of dust falling to the ground. Its rays shone down on the couch, hitting my face.

Blinking groggily, I opened my eyes, yawning as I sat up a bit. I was disoriented and forgot where I was for a moment, glancing around at the living room I laid in. As I caught sight of my duffel bag on the floor, I relaxed.

My head hit the pillow again, eyes shutting again as I wrapped the blanket she’d lent me closer around my body.

It was quiet in the apartment. The only sound filling the space was my breathing and the virtually silent city noises. It was pretty early in the morning, and I knew Skylor was out right now.

She’d come over to me an hour or two ago saying she was going to the gym, and would be back later. I’d given her a sleepy thumbs-up and turned back over on my side. Now, I was starting to wake, though a bit lazily.

It was nice. Waking up and not feeling the immense weight of stress like a burden on my shoulders. The blanket rustled beneath me as I twisted onto my back. With a soft laugh, I murmured to myself, “If Hideo could see me now, he’d call me a sloth.”

As soon as the words left my lips, I stilled. A pang went through my heart, and the small smile dropped from my face, eyes fluttering open.

Sitting up slowly, I sat in silence, blinking back the tears suddenly stinging my eyes. All of a sudden, the apartment’s quiet atmosphere wasn’t relaxing anymore — it was suffocating.

With a start, I whipped the blanket off of me, swinging my legs over to plant my feet on the ground. Allowing for only a moment to breathe, I got up and strode over to the duffel bag sitting by the wall. I zipped it open and pulled out a change of clothes, figuring I’d go out on a run.

Once I had quickly gotten dressed, I walked into the small kitchen space in search of some paper and a pen to write a note.

Went out for a run. Won’t be long. I was about to cap the pen but decided to add more to the note. Don’t have my phone anymore. I’ll buy one later.

Satisfied with the message, I grabbed a pair of running shoes out of the bottom of my duffel and slipped them on. Skylor had left a key to her apartment, so I grabbed it and tucked it securely into my pocket after opening the door and locking it behind me.

I wasn't planning on going far, maybe just a few blocks from the apartment building.

But once I started, I couldn't seem to stop.

I ran past Skylor’s restaurant, past the bike store and the tea shop from yesterday. (Wow, was that really only yesterday?) I ran until it felt like the heavy ache in my heart faded away, replaced with the burning in my legs and lungs.

Reaching an empty park, I decided to stop and take a rest, finding a bench and sitting down. “I really seem to like being depressed in a park,” I mumbled to myself with a dry laugh once I caught my breath. The sigh that left me was more bitter than I expected.

The cool wood of the bench pressed against my head as I leaned back, closing my eyes and savoring the slight breeze that drifted in the air and cooled the sweat on my skin.

The cloth of my damp sleeve irritated my eyes, but I didn't mind. I used it to wipe away my tears. My knees were drawn up to my chest. I sat up taller at the sound of footsteps approaching behind the bench I sat on.

“What’s wrong, my little dragon?” My mother’s voice called to me. Her hands came to rest on my shoulders behind me.

I sniffled, rubbing my nose with my sleeve. “The bigger kids pushed me off the playground,” I told her. I was seven years old, I remembered, and a couple of older kids had run me off.

She hummed sympathetically, her hands gently taking my hair and weaving it into a delicate braid. “My dear, why do you run?” Her hand moved from my hair to smooth back the strands from my face, stroking atop my head.

Despite her soothing touch, I frowned, cheeks stiff with dried tears. “They scare me.”

I could practically feel the disappointment dripping from her features at my words, even with my back to her. “No, Mari,” she tutted. “You must never be afraid. Your enemies can always tell when you’re afraid, and they will take advantage of that fear.”

My brows knitted together in confusion, and I turned to look back at her. But when I turned, she was gone. The ghost of her touch lingered in my hair.

I blinked my eyes open. For a second, I sat there, momentarily frozen and eyes widened in a stupor. When I came to, I realized I had absentmindedly grasped the pendant around my neck.

Why had I remembered that? And more importantly, why did the memory end that way? I had no recollection of her saying that to me that day.

The sound of a car honking in the distance snapped me out of my daze. Early morning traffic had started, and I didn’t know how long I’d been out, but I figured it was time to head back. After all, I didn’t want Skylor to get worried if she got to the apartment and I hadn't come back for a while.

That was nice, too, I thought as I got up. Having someone to worry about you. (Was that selfish?)

It didn't take long to get back. Somehow I’d remembered the way back, and found out I had run a lot farther than I thought I did.

When I reached her floor, I paused in the hall for just a second, closing my eyes and calling on the whispers to hear the inside of the apartment. As soon as I heard the slightest indication of her presence, and no one else’s, I withdrew the wisps of sound.

“It’s just a precaution,” I muttered to myself under my breath. Not that I didn’t trust Skylor — the opposite, in fact — I just wanted to make sure I hadn’t compromised her in any way.

After all, I couldn’t ever be completely sure that none of my uncle’s henchmen had come after me. (Deep down, I knew my uncle would never stop hunting me.) And if I had led someone to her, and she got hurt because of me, I would never forgive myself.

This was the only type of situation I’d use my power in, I reasoned. Using it for other mundane reasons felt like prying into the lives of innocent people and invading their privacy.

Reaching the door, I knocked twice before unlocking the door and stepping inside.

“There you are. Morning,” Skylor greeted, turning her gaze from the stovetop to look at me from the kitchen space. “Have a good run?”

I nodded, leaning over to pull my shoes off. “Yeah, it was alright.” The smell of food wafted to my nose, and I breathed it in greedily. Striding over to her fridge, I poured myself a glass of water and downed the liquid, quenching the sudden thirst I’d felt after my run. Standing next to her, I peered down at the pan. “Are you about to eat breakfast?”

“We are about to eat breakfast,” she told me, giving me a smirk. I huffed out a laugh, but returned her smile. “Because we have a busy day today.”

“Oh?” I asked, opening a cabinet when she gestured to it expectantly. It held a few dishes, and I grabbed two plates, setting them down on the counter.

She served the food onto both. “Yep. We’re going out shopping. For the mattress, and the phone you — for some reason — don’t have anymore,” she said, giving me a pointed look at the last part of her sentence. “For which I’m not asking an explanation,” she clarified.

A sheepish smile crossed my face at her words, and I shrugged. “Sounds good,” I told her.

We ate in a comfortable silence. After I took a quick shower and got dressed, we got our stuff ready. Under the apartment complex was a garage where Skylor led me to a motorcycle — black and shiny, with glossy, dark red accents. It was beautiful.

“This is yours?” I asked, not bothering to keep the awe from my voice.

Her cheshire grin was all the reply she gave. Opening the back compartment of the bike, she pulled out a helmet. “You ever ride before?” She stretched the helmet out to me, but I shook my head at it.

“Yes, I’ve ridden before. Driven, even,” I replied, waving the helmet off. “You wear it.”

She scoffed, and kept the helmet outstretched. “As if. I’m not letting you become a grease spot on the road.”

Rolling my eyes, I laughed. “Are you saying you’re that bad of a driver? Maybe I shouldn’t go with you,” I teased, crossing my arms.

Skylor laughed, but then her face got serious, and her tone left no room for nonsense when she said, “Put it on, Mari. I’m not letting you ride without it.” At my pout, she snorted. “Come on, it's better to be safe than sorry.”

With a sigh, I reached out and grabbed the helmet. She smiled in satisfaction and mounted the motorcycle. I climbed on behind her and slipped the helmet on, tucking my arms around her stomach. “Hold on tight,” she told me, revving the engine and exiting the basement garage.

She turned onto the street, making her way down unfamiliar (to me) roads until we reached a department store. Buying it was easy, and we chose to have it delivered to us, so we wouldn't have to haul it on top of us and the motorcycle. I laughed to myself. That would be a sight to see.

Back on the bike, we made our way to a store where I could buy a phone and network. No card on hand, I used cash instead, ignoring the suspicious look the worker gave me when I pulled out multiple wads of hundred-dollar bills.

We decided to stop by and get lunch somewhere before returning to the apartment, settling on a nearby sandwich shop.

Once we got our food, we slid into a booth, unwrapping the sandwiches and biting into them. When I was in the middle of taking another bite, Skylor coughed to get my attention. “So, you never did tell me why you came to Ninjago City. Not that I’m upset you’re here, of course,” she said. “It was just a bit sudden. Is everything alright?”

I had looked up at her when she spoke, but now my gaze drifted away from her eyes, unsure of how to answer that. “It’s… fine. I’m fine,” I told her. “Just wanted to find my own independence.”

Skylor frowned. “What about Hideo?”

The question made me take a deep breath, my features schooling into a neutral expression. “He chose to stay.” To betray.

Something akin to pity settled in her eyes, and I felt a strange spike of anger rush through me. I didn’t want her pity. She saw that I was afraid, and I hated it.

“Well, regardless, I’m glad to see you again,” she said, dropping the subject. A part of me was happy she did, while the other part seethed at the fact that she had needed to. “You’re gonna stay here for school, then?” she asked, taking a bite of her food.

At that, I looked back up at her. “Yeah, I plan to.”

“Senior year,” she mused with a smile. “Feeling nervous?”

Huffing out a laugh, I swallowed the last of my sandwich and crumpled the wrapper. “I just want to get it over with, honestly.” I grimaced, shaking my head. “Not being an adult sucks.”

She chuckled and gave me a tired look. “Being an adult is worse, trust me,” she winced. “Though I guess having a successful noodle emporium helps.” She winked at me, then, and I laughed. Now done with our food, we left the sandwich shop and went back to the apartment building.

“I have to get to work,” Skylor told me a few minutes after we got back home. “Feel free to just chill. I’ll be back around nine — text me if you need anything.”

I nodded. “I think I’ll come by later to help,” I told her, waving goodbye as she cast me a grateful glance and went out the door.

Now alone, I stood in the center of the apartment, unsure of what to do with myself. I settled on watching some TV, and grabbed the remote from the coffee table. My duffel bag sat at its foot, and I reached down to open it, digging around for a comfy sweater.

A slip of paper inside an inner pocket caught my attention, and I pulled it out curiously. My eyes sparked with recognition when I realized what it was.

Lloyd’s number. That he’d given to me just a couple of days ago.

Should I text him? My mind blanked at the thought. Should I? He’d seemed genuine when he told me he wanted to be friends, and Lord knew I didn’t have many right now — or ever, for that matter.

My eyes snapped to my new phone, which was resting on the couch. Fingers twitching, I reached for it and punched his number into my contacts. “What harm could it do?” I muttered to myself, opening my messages and starting a new chat.

Hesitantly, I thumbed out a text.

Hey Lloyd, this is Mari! Sorry for not texting earlier, I lost my phone. Got a new one now!

I cringed, deleting it. That sounded way too peppy. I didn't want to sound desperate to make a friend.

The thought gave me whiplash. Since when did I care about what other people thought? You always have. I scowled at the familiar voice. True, perhaps, but that didn't mean I had to nitpick my texts. God, I was going soft.

Hey Lloyd, this is Mari :) sorry for not texting sooner, how’ve you been?

Satisfied with the draft, I hit send and turned my phone off, turning back to the TV. A weird feeling settled in my stomach as I watched the screen, not paying attention to it when my focus was on my phone.

Snap out of it, I chided myself. He won't reply immediately. He’s probably busy—

A ding sounded from my phone, and I peeked at it. Lloyd had replied. I sighed, turning off the TV. I wouldn't be watching it, anyway. Unlocking my phone, I opened his message.

Lloyd:

Hi Mari :) I’ve been good!

no worries, it happens lol. How have you been?

Me:

Been alright. I’m staying with a friend right now, so that’s nice

Lloyd:

Oh, cool!

Just curious, are you still in highschool?

His question caught me off guard a little, my lips curving into a puzzled smile. I thumbed back a reply, answering him and falling into easy conversation.

As we chatted, a thought came to me. Maybe my escape wasn’t such a bad idea, if it led to a new friend.

——————————

“What are you smiling at?” A voice said behind him. Nya.

Lloyd tried not to look startled at her sudden appearance, giving her a nonchalant smile. “Nothing, just saw a funny meme,” he replied smoothly, the lie rolling off his tongue.

He didn't feel too guilty about it, because if Nya knew he had been texting the girl Cole and Jay had irritatingly teased him about, he’d never hear the end of it. And technically, it wasn’t a complete lie. He had been looking at a meme. One that Mari had sent him.

“Oh, really? Can I see it?” she asked, leaning over his shoulder to peer at his phone. At Lloyd’s frantic attempt to hide it away from her eyes, she raised an eyebrow.

“I already closed off of it,” he said, sitting on the couch awkwardly under Nya’s skeptical gaze. He could tell she wasn’t falling for it.

She hummed doubtfully, giving him that scrutinizing look that told him exactly what she thought about his fib, as well as the fact that now she was even more inclined to interrogate. However, Lloyd had no desire to be questioned, so when Kai came into the living room asking if someone wanted to come with him on his visit to Skylor, he jumped to volunteer.

“I’ll go as well,” Zane said to him, putting down his controller and surrendering his score in the game he, Jay, and Cole were playing. “We can get dinner there.”

Cole shared a glance with Jay, grins on their faces at the mention of food. “Have fun,” he called to them over his shoulder, focus returning to their game.

The look on Nya’s face was not pleased when Lloyd passed her, giving her a shrug and his best so-very-sorry-to-interrupt-your-interrogation face.

Deciding to just use their elemental dragons, the three ninja flew down from the monastery and found a less crowded part of the city where they could land without attracting attention. It was close enough to Skylor’s restaurant; it only took them about 15 minutes to walk the rest of the way.

The streets were moderately filled, people milling about on their days off — it was the weekend, after all.

Thankfully, the noodle restaurant wasn’t as crowded as it was on its busy days. Kai beelined for the back of the kitchen, while Zane and Lloyd stayed in the dining area. Deciding to take a seat and wait for Zane to finish ordering, he sat down and pulled his phone out.

He looked over the chat that was steadily filling with messages between him and Mari, smiling at the random memes they had spontaneously started exchanging.

It was refreshing, he thought. To be able to talk with someone who didn’t know about his identity, or shared the same sense of responsibility to save the world. Someone who didn’t hate him like everyone else in Ninjago did.

Zane slid into the seat opposite of Lloyd, eyes curiously focused on something to the side. Lloyd glanced up at him, resuming his attention on his phone when Zane asked, “Do you think your new friend has moved to Ninjago City?”

At that, Lloyd looked back up at him, tucking his phone into his pocket. “What?”

“Your friend, from the library in Jamanakai,” Zane elaborated. “Do you think she’s moved here?”

Lloyd’s brows scrunched in confusion. “What makes you say that?” he inquired, interest piqued and puzzled as to why Zane would ask that.

“Because she’s sitting over there,” the nindroid replied simply, tilting his head in the direction of said girl. “It appears she’s helping out right now.”

His eyes snapped to where, sure enough, Mari was standing at the counter, manning one of the cash registers. His lips parted as he gaped at her. “What is she doing here?” Lloyd whispered, feeling a strange sense of nervousness stir in his stomach. “We left her in Jamanakai. I thought she lived there.”

Zane cast a curious glance at him. “I thought you’d be happy to see her again,” he pondered.

Face flushing a little, Lloyd looked away from Mari, hoping she wouldn't see him. “Sure, I guess. I just— I didn't think I’d see her so soon.” He tugged at one of his sleeves. “It's weird, but I feel nervous for some reason,” he admitted self-consciously.

A small, knowing smile creeped up on Zane’s face, and he chuckled softly. “I think it's perfectly normal to be nervous about a new friendship, Lloyd.”

Letting out a sigh, Lloyd dragged a hand across his face, even as a small grin cracked through his grimace. “Don’t patronize me,” he groaned, laughing softly into his hand, which now covered half of his face.

“I’m not.” Zane defended, lifting his hands in a placating gesture and returning Lloyd’s laugh with one of his own. “Would you rather I agree with you and say that your nervousness is weird?” he asked, crossing his arms with an amused grin.

Lloyd let out a huff. “Maybe.”

A moment passed where he sat there, face half-hidden by his hand while Zane watched him, sporting an entertained smile.

“You should go say hi,” Zane said after a minute.

He snorted. “What? No way. We’re not that close yet,” he replied, the embarrassed flush slowly but surely fading from his face.

“What better way to remedy that?” Zane suggested slyly. At Lloyd’s hesitant stare, his eyes softened with understanding. “Making friends is hard, Lloyd. Keeping them is harder. Especially for people like us.”

Lloyd caught the meaning in Zane’s words. Hard for them not just as elemental masters, but as ninja. He frowned.

“But I think it’d be good for you to explore out of our normal circle,” Zane continued.

Slowly, Lloyd nodded, admitting, “Yeah, you're right.” He looked back over to the counter where Mari stood. She looked down at a piece of paper, calling out a number that had Zane sitting upright.

“That’s our order,” he said. “Go get it. I’ll tell Kai we’re ready to go.”

Lloyd was about to refuse — albeit half-heartedly — but Zane left before he could say anything. His eyes wandered back to the counter, and mustering some courage, he stood up.

“Come on, Lloyd. You’ve fought serpentine and Oni before, what’s a little small talk?” he muttered to himself, rushing over before he lost his nerve. When he neared, Mari’s head turned to face him, an automatic greeting already starting to leave her lips until she realized who he was. Her mouth stopped and her eyes widened as she stared at him.

Noticing the shock decorating her features, Lloyd decided to speak first. “Hi,” he croaked out, wincing at the crack in his voice. Dammit, Lloyd. He cleared his throat, trying again, “Hey, Mari.”

Speaking seemed to shake her out of her shock, though her face was still tinged with surprise when she smiled at him. “Lloyd, hi! I wasn't expecting to see you here,” she said.

His nervousness dissipated when she smiled, and he felt himself relax ever so slightly. “I could say the same for you,” he chuckled. What are you doing in Ninjago?”

She blinked at his question. He felt himself cringe. I sound like I’m interrogating her. “I mean— I didn't expect to see you here! I thought you lived back in Jamanakai…” he trailed off, suddenly feeling unsure again. His hand went to the nape of his neck.

“Oh, uh— I did,” she answered, a mirror of his unease when she scratched behind her ear. “I moved here for my last year of high school.”

“Oh, cool,” he said. “That’s… fun.” He tried to hide his wince, noting how awkward this conversation was already becoming.

“That's one way to describe it,” Mari laughed. “It's alright, though. I wanted a fresh start.” Her eyes seemed to dim when she said that. “How about you, Lloyd? I didn't know you lived around here.” She redirected the conversation, which Lloyd was thankful for. She seemed to be better at this than he was.

Lloyd coughed slightly, clearing the unease from his throat. “I don't actually live too close to the city,” he said. “But I have some friends who do, like Skylor.” He gestured to the restaurant when he mentioned the ninjas’ longtime friend.

Another look of surprise flashed over Mari’s face at his words. “You're friends with Skylor?” she asked, head tilting.

“Yeah. Me and my friends have known her for a while,” he replied. His eyebrow quirked up, head tilting a bit to the side. “Why? Do you know her?” He blinked. “Er, I guess you do, if you're helping out at her restaurant.”

She smiled at his words, giving him a small nod. “Yeah, we’re friends too. I’m actually staying with her right now,” she commented. At his raised eyebrows, she continued, “Just until I can get a place of my own. But for now, she’s graciously letting me be her roommate.”

Cracking a grin, Lloyd said, “Sounds like Skylor. She’s nice like that.”

“She is,” Mari agreed, nodding solemnly. For a moment, they stood there in the silence that wasn’t as awkward as before, letting it settle over them comfortably.

That was until Kai and Zane came walking out of the kitchen doors. “—starving!” Kai groaned. Zane patted his shoulder, probably telling him their food was set to go. As they approached, Lloyd noticed recognition sparking in Mari’s eyes at the sight of Zane, and some other emotion when she noticed Kai standing next to him.

That’s right, Lloyd thought. Mari hadn’t met Kai yet. “Oh, hey Mari, you remember Zane, right?”

She glanced back at Lloyd for a second, before turning back to Zane and giving him a polite smile. “Hi again,” she greeted. Zane returned the smile, waving at her.

It seemed Kai hadn’t noticed her, because when he finally looked at her, his eyes narrowed — for a reason Lloyd didn’t understand. “Who’s this, Lloyd?” he asked, stepping to his side slightly. Lloyd wondered about his change in demeanor but brushed it off as him being protective.

“This is Mari. The, uh… girl I mentioned?” Lloyd answered, trying to phrase his words so that it didn't seem he’d been talking about her a lot.

Kai turned to him with a puzzled expression. “The one Jay said—”

“Yeah, her,” Lloyd cut him off. He hoped it wasn't glaringly obvious to Mari that he’d mentioned her to his friends. Judging by her raised eyebrow, it was. “Mari, this is Kai.”

“Cool. Nice to meet you,” Kai said a bit sharply, crossing his arms. The slight glare in his eyes hadn't faded.

“Likewise,” Mari replied, her tone equally cool.

Lloyd looked between them, confusion permeating his features. “I was just saying hi,” he told Kai. “Oh, I also came to pick up a food order,” he remembered, turning back to Mari. Sheepishly, he rubbed the back of his neck when he saw Zane’s knowing glance.

“Oh, was yours number seventy-eight?” she asked, looking down at the forgotten receipt.

“Yes, it was,” Zane answered. He started to pull a wallet out of his pocket when Mari stopped him with a hand.

“It's on the house,” she explained. “Skylor’s covered it.” She saw how they started to protest against it, but she waved them off, grabbing the boxes of food and placing them into bags. “She told me not to accept any of your money — a warning I’m going to heed,” she sent a pointed glance at Zane, who still had his wallet out.

“Very well,” he relented, tucking the wallet back into his pocket.

A pleased smile graced Mari’s face at that. She handed them the bags, keeping her gaze from one of their company. Lloyd still didn't understand why. “Take care. I’ll see you around, Lloyd,” she said, bidding them goodbye with a wave.

“See you, Mari,” Lloyd replied, giving her a smile and waving in return as his friends exited the restaurant.

“I think that was a success,” he declared, once they were out of the shop and making their way back to where they’d landed their dragons earlier. Zane gave an amused chuckle, nodding in agreement.

Beside him, Kai was silent. A rare occasion for the fiery red ninja. “You're quiet, Kai,” Lloyd noted, adjusting his grip on the bags. "What's on your mind?"

Kai didn't immediately reply, brow creased in thought as he mulled over something. “Lloyd, that was the girl you met back in Jamanakai?” he asked again. Lloyd answered him with a confused nod. “She looked… familiar,” he muttered. Distantly, Lloyd remembered how he’d thought the same when he first saw her.

Zane seemed to ponder Kai’s words, and a spark of realization flashed in his eyes. “She was on the same bus as us when we arrived in town,” he recalled.

“Yeah, she was,” Kai said. “I just… Something feels off. I can't shake this feeling that she’s not who she says she is,” he grumbled, brows knitting closer together.

Lloyd frowned at his friend’s words. “She hasn't claimed to be anything,” he said hesitantly, voice small but firm.

Kai’s gaze snapped to Lloyd’s. Regret filled his eyes when he saw the look on the boy’s face. “Yeah, I guess you're right. Maybe I’m just being paranoid,” he admitted. “After what we’ve been through, it's a little hard to immediately trust people.”

For a moment, Lloyd didn't say anything. “Yeah, I know,” he said. “Just thought it’d be good to try opening up.”

Once they were out of view, the three of them summoned their elemental dragons, securing the bags of food before starting to take off. The flight was quick — perks of riding a dragon: not having to deal with crowded city traffic. They landed in the monastery’s courtyard, hauling the bags of food down.

Just as they were about to enter their home, Kai placed a hand on Lloyd’s shoulder, prompting him to turn and face his brother. “Lloyd, I’m sorry. I think it’s nice you're opening up to people. Especially with the city’s opinion of us,” he joked. “Forget what I said earlier, okay?”

A small smile crossed Lloyd’s lips. “Sure. Thanks Kai,” he said. He turned back around to follow Zane inside, where he already heard cheers in the distance.

Dinner went by quickly, but Lloyd savored the moments they all had before having to return back to their normal (which currently consisted of tedious missions provided to them by the commissioner).

Once dinner was over and day was starting to fade into night, the ninja — including Lloyd — retired to their rooms, content with the relaxed day they’d had.

Just before Zane left the living room where they’d been playing a few games, Kai stopped him with a hand to his elbow. “Did you need something, Kai?” Zane asked him, not impolitely.

Kai started to speak, mouth moving but no words coming out as he tried to figure out the best way to phrase his request. “I trust Lloyd,” he began, extending a hand in signal to wait as Zane’s brow quirked in confusion. “But I just want to make sure his new friend isn’t a repeat of you-know-who.”

Zane’s eyebrows furrowed slightly and he frowned. “I don’t think we have reason to suspect her of doing so, but I will check,” he told Kai, understanding his hesitance in trusting someone unfamiliar and feeling the same protectiveness over Lloyd.

“Great. Thanks, man,” Kai said, patting him on the shoulder in thanks as he turned on his heel and headed to his room.

Lips still downturned a bit, Zane made his way into his bedroom and scoured public records to find any information about Mari. It proved slightly difficult since he had no surname to go with his search.

He wasn’t yielding much in terms of useful information — just a few brief mentions of academic achievements in the paper, which Zane applauded — until he stumbled across a tabloid.

On the cover was a picture of Mari walking next to a young man who looked like they could be related on the cover. It was shot from a faraway angle, the headline reading, “Crime lord family spotted near robbery. Were they involved?”

The publisher sounded familiar. He recalled seeing a few of its issues spreading hateful misinformation about Lloyd and his family.

He was about to dismiss it as a sensationalist article when his eye caught on a name printed further down the column. Ikarashi. He skimmed through the article, brow creasing when he read what the paper was saying.

Mari was related to Ikarashi, the infamous crime lord responsible for the majority of all the crimes committed in Jamanakai. Not just related — she was his niece.

Well, this was a much clearer connection to crime than they’d gotten with Harumi. Still, Zane wouldn't judge her just because she was related to a criminal. Lloyd was the son of a former warlord, after all. The rest of the article didn’t reveal anything else that caused him to worry; it was just speculation about if she and her brother were actually involved with the robbery.

Moving on, he looked through other newspapers and other public records, as well as those of Mari’s brother, but found nothing substantial. Feeling satisfied with his search, he exited his access to the sources, wiping his digital traces away.

He’d tell Kai about what he found in the morning, but he trusted Mari to be genuine with Lloyd. Shutting off his lights, he went to bed.

——————————

While Lloyd and Zane had accompanied Kai on his little trip to visit Skylor, Nya and the rest of the gang stayed behind in the monastery.

It was mostly calm, save for the occasional shout from Jay and Cole as they played their game. They were sitting on the ground, leaning forward in an enraptured state. Nya sat behind them on the couch and watched them.

After a while, she decided to do something more productive with her time (escaping the scolding Master Wu gave the two of them by a narrow margin).

She found Pixal outside in the courtyard and waved at her from a distance, finding a sunny spot on the stones to sit and practice her meditation. After the events where she had become one with the ocean, she found herself meditating more often, now that she was back in her corporeal body.

It wasn’t something she talked a lot about with the others, the months she had spent living — no, being the sea. It still beckoned to her, sometimes. Whenever she and the team had missions near the city’s coastline, she felt that tug in her gut.

Nya knew that if she did open up to her family about it, they’d listen to her with open ears, but it wasn’t something easy to do for her. She was content processing it on her own for now.

Nevertheless, she did vent to her brother and Jay every so often. And it helped. So did meditation, hence why she was doing it right now.

Her eyes were shut closed, deep breaths flowing in and out. After a restful few minutes, Nya heard the monastery door slide open, and she cracked open an eye. Master Wu was stepping out, his eyes scanning the courtyard for a second before spotting her.

A gentle breeze swept through the air at that moment, and Nya shivered despite the warmth the sun provided as its rays shone down on her.

Unspoken, she knew he was beckoning her. She rose to her feet, following him inside.

“It’s good to see you meditating, Nya,” her sensei said, idly filling the silence between them as they strolled down to enter the library inside the monastery that held scrolls upon scrolls, and where a couple of monks were sitting and chanting quietly. “And thank you again for helping me with this task.”

She nodded in reply, saying, “Of course, sensei. I’m glad I can help with this — at least somewhat.”

They entered the space silently. Nya waited while her sensei pulled out a few scrolls and handed them to her. She cradled them in her arms as they moved to a small table tucked into the corner. It was far enough away that they wouldn't disturb the monks by talking.

“Misako is still on her trip, so she won’t be joining us today,” Wu told her, spreading out the scrolls they’d lain on the table.

Nya nodded. “We don't have any leads anyway, so I doubt she’ll miss much,” she said, rolling up the sleeves of her gi and tightening her ponytail.

As she started to unroll a scroll, her fingers paused over the parchment. She lifted her head up to look at her mentor. “Are you sure it's happening now? We haven't seen anything on our missions or heard from the other elemental masters about…” she trailed off at his knowing smile.

“I can feel it,” he replied simply. “The winds of change are coming.” A chill seemed to sweep through the air at his words.

Nya shivered despite herself. “We better find this person fast.”

——————————

A/N: Got a little character backstory there 👀 I'm excited to add more bits and pieces of Mari's past that foreshadow parts of the story to come ;)

Thank you for reading! Comments are appreciated as always (and they motivate me to write more!) ^^

——————————

Previous | Next

[storytellerssanctuary]

Teaching the Sparrow to Fly {Day 3}

While writing Cole's chapter yesterday, I had a moment of doubt at the length of the chapter. When I finished it, I wasn't too happy with it. When I came back to the document hours later, I skimmed a couple parts and I realized I was happy with what I wrote down.

I also reminded myself that what I'm writing is a first draft, and it can most definitely be messy. I have the time to fix the things I didn't like very much later on in different drafts.

(Which I think every new writer starting a first draft should keep in mind when writing. You can be a messy toddler when it comes to your first draft! You can fix it later!)

Anyways, I've been reading @finn-m-corvex fics with Jay, and I've ultimately fallen in love with the lightning ninja. I probably didn't do the best writing of my interpretation of Jay after my first watch of the series, but I tried my best.

[There might be a hint of darkness between two characters in this chapter. The little greenbean wasn't in a good headspace in this chapter.]

Chapter Three Title: Echoes of Distraction

Opening Sentence: Before the creation of Ninjago, the First Spinjitzu Master was born and lived in the Realm of Oni and Dragons.

Characters in this Chapter: Jay Walker, Lloyd Garmadon, Kai Smith, Nya Smith, Zane Julien

Locations in this Chapter: Destiny's Bounty, medical bay (mentioned), dining room (Bounty)

Total Word Count: 1,327

Time Spent Writing: 1 hour 45 min

[miguelillusion]

So y'all know Dragons Rising, right? Yeah ofc you do so anyway there are a few spoilers ahead for the part 1.

I was thinking that, all the ninja so far have at least some backstory on how they got where they were. For example, Lloyd mostly stayed at the Monastery and probably did little missions. Along with living with Kai for a bit until Kai went on a different mission on the Bounty. We got Kai's story too, including how he came to that other area with the rock guys who eat mud that I don't remember the names of. Nya was pretty similar to Kai's as in the context of where she is. Their stories were revealed in either the same episode or one after that.

Which is why I'm litteraly dying to know how the hell Zane got basically trapped inside of this egg thing in some other random monastery underground. I'm kinda nervous that they won't explain it for some reason?

So uh pals let's make a let's make a deal. If they don't reveal how Zane got there in part 2, how about I write my interpretation of how he got there? It's kinda been swirling in my mind for a while now, and it's a silly idea that I thought "Hey. You should. Uh. Write this out of pure funnies, hm?" So anyway if the show never tells us what happens I might post a fanfic of what I think happened on like Quotev or something.

But how would you like that idea? I want to put my writing out there more and this is a pretty good opportunity.

[acetolightning]

*to the tune of Sucker for Pain by Imagine Dragons*

I’m just a sucker for angst

At this point who isn’t??? Like so much angst can be done and I have so many ideas rumbling through my fandom mind-

Jay being tortured in Skybound (because let’s be real, he was definitely tortured)

Lloyd being homeless when he was a child

Lloyd being influenced by the Great Devourer’s venom/when he was born he had serpentine features.

Lloyd/Jay being used as batteries by villains.

And my favorite…..I’ll give a little drabble of my Dragonic Weapons AU to feed the angst…..

It wasn’t often that those of differing backgrounds came together, even centuries after the last sighting of the elemental ninjas. Some thought them to be made up legends of old, while others claimed that they were just as real as any other living creature.

Which one was true though? Many thought the answers would never come to fruition, as how does one prove a legend true?

Now, as humans, serpentine, and many others bare watch as weapons made of gold as pure as the First Spinjitzu Master gleamed in the dark cloud of rot and destruction. Their bright color shined along with the purple and black colorization of rotten vines that twisted around each twist and turn. A true ugliness that many found to be near hypnotizing in its display.

Evil shouted out in glee, finding joy as the weapons corrupted to bring forth what many deemed as a fairy tail. Bodies of lightning, ice, fire, and earth formed from the weapons themselves, black vines intertwining into their very being.

The elemental ninjas came to be once more, with corrupted creation taking hold of their mind that once held light and hope.

[moumouart]

OOOOH, I always like sick fic and Lloyd it's my favorite characters

Sooo, maybe something with this? Probably like a consequence after some villain OR just something happen between seasons

Like, after Hunted but before March of Oni

Even between Times Twins and SOG

But they are just ideas, I only request Sick Lloyd angst/fluff

If you wanna add brothers OR PIXAL- OR EVEN HIS FATHER

So, yeah

YAY first request!! Thank you!!

I ended up doing some angst and father-son fluff, hope you enjoy!

(This would take place shortly before the events of Rebooted)

Synopsis: Lloyd arrives at his father’s monastery after a long flight through pouring rain. When he wakes up the next morning feeling sick, he tries to act normal for the sake of his father’s students, who are undoubtedly expecting to see the awesome, ever-strong, never-weak Green Ninja.

Word count: 1.3k

Content warnings: some violence (nothing gorey,, they’re legit just sparring)

It was almost impossible to see through the darkness and rain. The droplets struck him like tiny, icy needles as he flew at high-speed through the sky. Just a little further, he told himself. Never mind his shivering body, nor his numbing fingers and toes. With a chuckle he imagined what his mother would say at his situation. Maybe she’d scold him for not carrying a coat for such weather. He could almost hear it now: “You’ll catch cold!”

But the monastery was in view now. He’d be fine… right?

Lloyd blinked awake. There was an intense pressure in his head, pushing against his eyes, ears, sinuses. He tried to take a breath, only to find his nose clogging up like a straw filled with glue.

He propped himself up on his elbows, pressing his lips together at the sore pangs triggered in his joints. What’s wrong with me? 

Though the thought of laying back down and going to sleep was very tempting, Lloyd knew his father was eager to have him participate in the day’s lessons at the monastery. He remembered the look in the man’s eyes when he had flown in on his dragon the previous night. He had come beaming outside with an umbrella to greet his son in the darkness and the pouring rain… 

Well, he wasn’t going to disappoint him now. Nor his students; who were undoubtedly ecstatic to train with THE Green Ninja. 

That’s right, Lloyd reminded himself, I’m the Green Ninja. A little headache and some sore joints are nothing to me. 

So, with notable effort, plus some more pain, Lloyd stood up and donned his gi. He ignored the lightheadedness and dizziness that almost made him stumble as he walked outside. 

“Good warm up, everyone,” Sensei Garmadon praised his students, who took their places kneeling around the perimeter of the dojo. He noticed the way their eyes widened and smiles spread on their young faces as many of them noticed something behind their sensei.

“So, you’ve finally decided to join us,” Garmadon teased, turning to face his son and clasping his hands behind his back sagely.

“Sorry, I got sort of a late start,” Lloyd returned bashfully, smiling at the students and taking up a space beside them. Garmadon’s eyebrow raised slightly at the sound of his son’s voice. To the untrained ear it was normal, but he could tell Lloyd was trying to sound normal.

“Well,” Garmadon cleared his throat, “let’s try some sparring, then.”

Lloyd found his eyes trying to close as he watched pair after pair of kids fight each other. He saw the way their eyes kept flitting to him hopefully, seeking his approval. He tried to keep smiling. He even managed to give a little thumbs-up a couple times. The way they’d beam back at him was a constant reminder: he was the Green Ninja, he was an idol to them. Unshakeable. Unwavering. Strong—not some weakling who falls victim to a bit of soreness. And so he kept his back straight, his eyes open, his face smiling. And he ignored that incessant throbbing in his head and his straining muscles.

“Lloyd, Will?” Garmadon beckoned.

Showtime. Remember, you’re the Green Ninja. Show these kids you can live up to the title.

He stood up. Walked to the center of the dojo. Squared up with the kid, probably no older than 11. Bowed in a respectful greeting. So far so good. Totally not lightheaded or anything.

Garmadon leaned over his son’s shoulder to whisper: “Go easy on him.” He stepped back to his position on the sidelines, shooting his son a quick wink. Lloyd returned it with a little smirk. Right. Because I’m stronger than this little guy. I need to go easy on him.

“Begin!”

Lloyd struck first, a lightning-quick but not-so hard blow on the shoulder. The kid reacted, sweeping his foot to kick Lloyd’s ankle. He was thrown off balance for a split second, but quickly regained his footing. Lloyd landed another hit on the kid’s side, a hard one. He stumbled, almost fell over—please fall over—but rebounded with resilience characteristic to someone so young. Lloyd’s limbs were starting to shake. His heart pounded against his ribcage, pumping blood and adrenaline through his veins. But it wasn’t enough. Come on, Lloyd urged himself in growing frustration.

The kid was landing more hits than he would’ve liked. Lloyd glanced at the other kids, watching with doey eyes filled with anticipation. They were waiting to see their idol kick some butt. He could imagine their thoughts: What’s taking so long? Why is the Green Ninja…struggling?

Anger took hold of him. Ignoring the pain in his limbs, Lloyd kicked the kid square in the stomach. Hard. No holding back. That should keep him down. 

The kid folded, letting out a pained grunt as he clutched his stomach. But he quickly straightened himself, determination burning in his eyes. Apparently the kick hadn’t been as hard as Lloyd thought it was.

Now the kid was swinging his legs through the air in a high jump-kick aimed for Lloyd’s head. Will prepared for the impact of his leg against his opponent’s skull, but the impact never came. Just like the Green Ninja, to dodge so quickly! He thought with admiration.

But Lloyd hadn’t dodged. He had fallen to his knees, limbs giving out. He trembled on his hands and knees for a second before falling flat on his face.

“That’s enough,” Sensei Garmadon said, his sense of urgency creeping into his voice despite his attempts to remain calm. “Students, why don’t you head out to the garden and meditate?”

The kids promptly crowded out of the room as Garmadon rushed to his collapsed son.

Lloyd awoke with a start. He took a sharp breath as his eyes flew open. He tried to sit up, but hardly lifted himself from the mattress before pain seized him, forcing him back down.

“Easy, Lloyd,” Garmadon’s stern but caring voice came from beside him.

He turned his head to see his father kneeling beside him, pouring tea. He helped his son into a partially upright position, wedging pillows underneath him. “Drink,” he said, handing him a cup of the steaming tea.

Lloyd was about to ask what happened when it came back to him, all at once. He had woken up feeling off. He had been sparring a kid, then he… oh no. He had passed out. In front of all those kids. All those children who idolized him. They had sat and watched THE Green Ninja fall at the hands of one of them—another kid. 

Lloyd clutched his cup, tears pricking at his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Lloyd rasped, drooping his head to hide his face.

Garmadon’s face twisted with worry. “Why, my son?”

“I let all those kids down. They… they wanted to see the Green Ninja.” The tears were flowing now, and Lloyd tried to sniffle but his nose was too clogged up. “All they got was a sorry sucker downed by a cold.”

“Lloyd,” Garmadon placed a hand on Lloyd’s shoulder, stooping down so he could see his face. “Don’t say such things. Do you think that just because you’re the Green Ninja, you’re stronger than the rest of us? That you’re immune to failing?”

“I’m supposed to be stronger. I’m not supposed to be weak like this.”

“The Green Ninja is meant to be strong, that much is true. But you are not just the Green Ninja. You are Lloyd. A young boy. A boy who bleeds, catches a cold… cries,” Garmadon reached out to cup his son’s cheek, brushing away a falling tear with his thumb. He smiled slightly as Lloyd’s green eyes met his.

There was comfort in his words. Comfort and, Lloyd realized, truth. The corners of his lips perked up in a smile, and he lifted his head to fully face his father.

“Thanks,” he whispered. And then he let out a laugh (as much of one as he could make with his sore throat). “But I don’t know if I accept the title ‘young’ anymore,” he mused. “Not after that magic tea.” Garmadon chuckled. “Drink your normal tea now.”

Thank you for reading!! Requests are still open :D

[thefanciestborrower]

Haha lol Ice Emperor goes Brrrr part 8

[Two more to go!] A call to Boreal, and he was sweeping through the halls again, Lloyd safely tucked into the folds of his collar. The Emperor’s original thought was to simply swallow him back down, but the boy had squeaked, and whined, and argued until Julien simply dropped the topic in favor of recalling his guards from their Lloyd-search just to send them off on a multicolor-gi-search.

The Emperor’s little… tantrum had made a mess of his halls. In his wake, the ice had grown in ever-spiraling walls, sealing off every entrance less than that of the foyer of the main entry hall. A wave of his hand was more than enough to dismiss them, but some of his soldiers were caught in the crystals. A few had become immobile, and they scurried away from him like ants when freed.

Ants?

How long had it been since he’d seen an ant? They didn’t live well in the cold. Was it ever not cold?

Had he ever seen an ant?

All thoughts that promptly vaporized as he handed Lloyd off to a servant with a few choice warnings, his ice armor forming larger, sharper plating as he stalked the hallways. Lloyd may be alright in the insulated interior of the palace, but as The Emperor stepped out onto the frozen, packed snow with the blizzard howling into his faceplate, he decided quite immediately that if the boy were to go out in this weather, he’d freeze to death immediately.

Whether or not that was true, The Emperor decided he never wanted to know.

Boreal landed at the stables of the palace with a rumbling growl. Like a storm, it rattled The Emperor’s chestplate, even as the dragon dipped his head to huff shards of ice atop his head. An affectionate sort of sound seeped out of his familiar’s throat. Like the sound of harsh rain.

A hand landed atop Boreal’s head, metal but soft as it smoothed the raised frost along his crown. “Find them,” The Emperor murmured. “Find our soldiers and bring them a message.” The engraved black ice was thick in his hand as he offered it to Boreal. “Tell them to find the ninja in colorful gis and bring them home.”

Home.

A word Lloyd used sometimes. With an aching fondness in his voice, and a softness about his eyes. It rolled off Julien’s tongue like the lightest thing he’d ever said. Like a single snowflake dancing over mountaintops. Like running through snowy forests with minute lines of black lacing each tree he passed. Like the knowledge that there was someone waiting for him when his eyes caught on the blue-white shape of a bird through the branch-woven canopy.

Boreal thrummed at him, his wings spreading in a wide arch as he reared back.

“Go.”

And in a flash of powdered white, he did, icy wings ripping through the air with a sound like thunder. Like cracking glaciers. Like…

“Shard.” The word was blood on his tongue, even as he retreated back inside the palace. It was familiar, echoing burning wood. Laughing as sharp wind whipped at his face. “Shard.” He’d heard it before. A long time ago. Sitting with his back against others’ as the moon rose high over the horizon. There, his breath had clouded warm in the night air. His voice came easy.

Frost laced his mouth guard, as he walked, and he was so consumed with the single word that he almost didn’t catch the call from his advisor.

“M’lord?”

The concept of whatever had been on his mind vanished like mist. “Vex.” Surprise colored his voice and the cant of his head. Something felt important, but the smile his advisor offered him—cheeky for all of the toothiness of it—made his mind go hollow for all save for the cry of a bird he recognized.

“Is everything alright, my lord? I saw the state of the halls.” A hand on his arm, tracing the blued lines of his armor. “I thought you were over your little… moods.”

The Emperor thought he hadn’t seen a falcon in a long time. “Vex,” the name was a whisper. Delicate as a frosted bubble. “Did I have a bird… before Boreal? Before the formlings took my memory?” Grief. The bile that rose in his throat, and the frost that coated his hands spoke of grief. What was there to grieve?

“Yes, sir.” A pause in Vex’s examination of his armor. “An ice owl, I believe. He was a grand creature.”

It was off.

Just slightly. By just enough that Julien’s mind stuttered on the information, replaying the call for him to hear as if it were permanently embedded in his brain. “An ice owl?”

Vex couldn’t have been remembering right. It was a falcon, was it not? Blue across its back in the richest of shades. No ice owl had that cry.

“Yes, sir. The largest of the clutch. He used to carry men off their mounts.”

Pressure on his arm. Just a little. Of small, hooked claws that knew just how much they could press before it had to let off. The tiniest little bird of prey he thought he’d ever seen. Metallic in the way its feathers shone.

Ice owls were too big, weren’t they?

His brows furrowed, and for a reason he could not place, the thought that came to mind was that no good falconer would take the largest hatchling.

[fiddler-sticks]

Chapter 1 of my fic that was supposed to be a oneshot but then I got uninspired and inspired and uninspired so I decided to post it in multiple chapters so that I wouldn't abandon it entirely...

Winds of Destiny (1636 words) by fiddlersticks Chapters: 2/? Fandom: LEGO Ninjago (Cartoon 2011-2022), LEGO Ninjago: Dragons Rising (Cartoon 2023) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Morro & Euphrasia Characters: Morro (Ninjago), Euphrasia (Ninjago), Lloyd Garmadon (mentioned) Summary: Morro jumps through a portal caused by a mergequake in the Departed Realm, and ends up in the Cloud Kingdom. He finds an unexpected friend there

The ground rumbled, disturbing the otherwise-calm expanse of the Departed Realm. This wasn’t the first quake the realm had seen, but it was the biggest so far of the quakes that had been happening. Usually, nothing exciting ever happened in the Departed Realm, save for a few short-lived fights between rivals who carried over their differences from life to death, so the quakes had everyone on edge.

One departed, though, seemed oddly at ease. Maybe it was because he had been through a lot when he was alive, or maybe it was because he was at peace with where he was and knew practically nothing could hurt him. Whatever the reason was, Morro kept walking on and on through even the biggest of quakes, seemingly undisturbed by all the chaos around him. In fact, he seemed to be walking toward the epicenters of the quakes, drawn in by them.

Suddenly, a big quake hit, and Morro started running. He made the wind blow against his face and whip his hair around, instead of sitting still and parting around him the way the air usually did.

Before him, the ground split open, and white and gold light poured out from it. Without hesitation, he ran up to the fracture and jumped through. The thought that he could end up somewhere worse than the Departed Realm never crossed his mind. He just needed to get out and somewhere where the wind moved freely, instead of sitting still and stale.

Morro fell and fell through fluffy white clouds, and for a moment he regretted jumping through the portal of sorts. That was only for a moment though, as he reminded himself that most anywhere was better than the Departed Realm. There was only one realm that was worse than the Departed Realm in Morro’s opinion, and that was the Cursed Realm. Just thinking about his time there made him shudder. Compared to the Cursed Realm and the Preeminent, the Departed Realm was a tropical paradise. But big, fluffy clouds and pure blue skies were never in the Cursed Realm according to Morro’s experience, so he considered himself relatively safe.

Except for the fact that he was hurtling down through the sky, of course.

Morro used the wind to slow his fall from below, and started to take in his surroundings. There were of course puffy, white clouds all around him, set against a deep, blue sky. But as he looked down, he could start to see the tops of towers and little chunks of floating land.

Could he be in Djinnjago? No, that was destroyed when the Cursed Realm went down. What other place had floating islands of land with structures on them?

As he was thinking, the lands became closer, and he could see towers made of white, grey, and gold, and rowboats floating between them.

Oh crap.

Not there.

Anywhere (bar the Cursed Realm) but there.

He maneuvered himself a bit away from the big towers, and let himself down on the edge of a smaller island. Looking around, he was met with a bunch of unwelcome memories.

Bribing the head monk to do his bidding. Taking the Sword of Sanctuary. Fighting the ninja. And doing it all using Lloyd’s body.

Morro looked down at his hands. Green and see-through, although a lot less saturated than when he still belonged to the Preeminent. Guess ghosts from the Departed Realm look different than ones from the Cursed Realm. But most importantly, they weren’t solid. He wasn’t still possessing his kind-of cousin. This wasn’t just a trick that the Departed Realm was playing on him to make him feel sorry for his actions. This was real. Everything was real. He was back in the real world as a departed ghost, and in the Cloud Kingdom no less.

Ooh, he hated that place. The place that screwed him over. The place that never gave him a break when he was alive. The place that seemed to enjoy toying with his life. Of course it was fate that the weird portal thing would lead to the Cloud Kingdom. Screw fate. Fate was almost as bad as Destiny, but at least he could defy the latter. Fate was another story.

As he snuck around, sticking to the shadows near the edges of the islands, he started coming up with a plan. If the Cloud Kingdom monks thought his life was a game, then he’d show them how it felt to be toyed with. Oh, the things he could do to them! He just hoped they weren’t still trying to write his destiny or knew what he was up to. That would just suck for trying to sneak up on people.

Morro was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn’t watch where he was going, and bumped into someone. His head snapped up.

Oh shoot.

[mythvoiced]

EXCLUSIVES & MAINS & CONNECTIONS~

This nifty lil post will list rp partners and FCs of their muses that, since I am so deeply enamoured with their muses and can't stop associating the faces they chose for said muses, I can't find it in me to have given (or all) blorbos of mine interact with anybody else.

BLOG-WIDE

Lee Dong-wook | @jeoseungsaja From main verse to verse 5, Alex's MASSIVE BRAIN has made me wholly incapable of throwing any of my blorbos at any Lee Dong-wook that aren't her magnificent Jeoseungsaja, Wang Yeo, Lee Hyuk. He is simply That Binch. Kaeden's older brother, Kim Shin's spouse and/or housemate, Sarang's victim, Rang's actual half-brother, you name it.

Débora Nascimento | @fatalhymn The mythvoiced blorbos have spoken, every muse who meets Amelia falls in love with her, romantically or platonically as may be, or is otherwise so obsessed with her I am starting to fear for their mental health. Ami's Amelia Stella Sinclair is the fruit of some of the sexiest, most incredible character building I've ever seen and I can't disassociate her face from her. Dude, I even forget Miss Nascimento does not have freckles.

MUSE-SPECIFIC

Lee Joon-gi | @theimpalpable for Ji Hyun, as Yeong Boram. He's a rain prince, an azure dragon, who's story with Hyun starts in captivity in ancient times and re-blossoms now in the present, when they turn from memory to constant, present and future. Boram is Hyun's soulmate and Hyun is single-ship with him.

Harry Lloyd | @/theimpalpable for Corey Atwell, as Domenic Lachlan. A friend, a mentor of sorts, maybe? Left to his own devices with no one to lean on, meeting Domenic, a kind, warm, enthusiastic intellectual willing to experience the joys of discovery and knowledge with him is kind of like... discovering how vast the world is without being afraid of it.

Tom Holland | @/theimpalpable for Kaeden, as Wilder B. Summers. Wilder is perhaps everything to Kaeden, most definitely is. He's his best friend, his sweet cheese, his good-time boy, Kaeden would set the world on fire for him, and hopes to be worthy of his friendship one day.

Park Bo-gum | @/theimpalpable for Han, as So Yong. The feeling of a soft breeze on a hot day, the first drop of rain after months of dry soil, the first sip of water after hours without, the softness of your pillow after a hard day. These are just some of the things Han equals Yong to. And it's very confusing.

Song Joong-ki | @/theimpalpable for Huáng ZhìJiàn, as So Kiheon. Some love prevails for centuries before either party even gets to call it love. A-Jiàn has never forgotten Kiheon and each day he may get closer to meeting them again, is a day he feels a little more alive than the previous.

Shin Ha-kyun | @/theimpalpable for Sköll, Sarang & Ajay (in particular), as (Kim) Nae-Gil. For Sarang and Ajay, Nae-Gil is but a name on a list. A Knight, one of those deserted, hell, Ajay might not even know who he is, Sarang might only be familiar with what he's capable of. A Knight of the Order he still was, and that connection will always remain. To Sköll, though, he's a little more than that. He makes him feel alive in the same way two flames uniting to create a wildfire create life in their own way.

You WILL most definitely find other Alex muses on this list one day, I am obsessed with her stuff, I'll nab it all.

Lee Sun-mi | @uroborosymphony for Sarang, as Calixtus 'Calista' Orion, because Lynnie said I was allowed~ immortal terrorist girlfriends, the breath of snarled and maniacally cackled air that fanned the flame in Sarang's soul back to life and reminded her that living is just, living is fair, and taking what is hers even more so, perhaps even at her side, by the side of the one woman to occupy the centre of her mind.

Shin Sung-rok/SF9's Hwiyoung | @clemencetaught Blog-wide. Here's the thing. Patrick Grace, Shin Myungdae, I am a little obsessed with what Ferre is doing with this person. Every verse, every minute interaction I have with him, because I haven't even gotten to interact with him all that much (or as much as I'd like to, anyway, hehehehe~) follows me to the end of my days. With Eunjae, with Sarang, the plotting we're doing with Maria, smaller threads like the one with Seok-ju, he's incredible. All of Ferre's work around this person makes me gasp. I had to visit their notion because I did not for the life of me remember the FC's name, in typical Len fashion, I completely forgot that wasn't just... you know, Patrick. So yeah. If I see another Shin Sung-rok, in particular, anywhere else, I will think it's Patrick.

Hoang Quyen | @stillresolved for Samuel, as Mana Minh Huynh, on one hand because even while I write Samuel very rarely because he's a little more difficult to get muse for, Mana is already impacting him in ways I could have never hoped for to the point where I'm discovering things about him I had no idea were in him, on the other hand because I just? I can't... it's? I don't shout about Mana a lot because I feel almost undeserving, and inappropriate in treating her the way I would... stanning anime characters. She's... so much more, she makes me want to treat her in all the seriousness of ancient Greek philosophers. She's incredible. She's "The Only Hoang Quyen" to put it in a weird way (I'm collecting Ferre characters the way I collect Alex characters, BEST BELIEVE).

CONNECTIONS/MAINS

These are characters who I wouldn't claim mutual exclusivity with because I'm a too chicken and forgetful to ask, but they've become very vital connections to my muses and as such, while I'd never demand anything in turn, there is no pressure or obligation here to do the same with connections here as I do because I am Insane about y'all's characters, your muses are very dear to me and as such these here listed characters will at the very least most definitely be the first names associated with the listed faces.

Jing Boran | @wantedformanysins for Chul-soo, as Nathan Chen, because don't you just love a messy 'we used to be lovers but not really then we split and now you invited me as your boyfriend to spend Christmas with you because you didn't tell your mother we split?' plot? There's a lot more to that, obviously, because Dex is one of the greatest minds you'll ever meet, her plotting capabilities are through the ROOF. The violence she makes me feel, soft aggression about how amazing it is. It's... I can't even put it into words it's just... oof.

Liam Samuels | @zodiachild for Nathaniel & Diana, as Aziz Khan. Again, Dex just... plots MASSIVE things okay. Love stories spanning for centuries, stockfull of the most violently incredible details and facets, Aziz is such an incredible fucking character, the lore iS INSANE, and Nathaniel & Diana are both so stupid about him, so absolutely gone, so insane about him, can't really expect me to not add him here~

Nana Komatsu | @wellfell BLOGWIDE, as Mori Akina, let me count all the ways I would commit heinous crimes for Akina, I have been so obsessed with this woman even beyond having Karube interact with her in so many painful, sexy, incredible ways, amplified by the way Nassy writes to kill, I'm not even sure if I got the FC's name right because it's just Akina™. I'm literally doing research on Ringu to understand her better, do you understand, I am considering buying it, do you understand.

AND!! LIST WILL BE UPDATED!! When I write things down in one sitting I will end up forgetting, so I'll come back~ Also in case FCs change~ There are some I didn't add either because they're Patrick/ashbtten related or because I'm shy or because they're in 1x1 threads or or or but hey if you ever feel like we've interacted enough that it would be a CRIME to not find on this list, we can always chit chat about it >:3