Dropping a few oranges into the paper bag, Jay overlooked the shopping list once more. Nodding at the fact it was finally done, he spun around and looked for the other three ninjas. Zane was the only one close by, but the blue ninja could make out the hair of Kai leave with an unsure Cole. "Are they seriously leaving? We were supposed to pay four ways!"

Zane placed a soothing hand onto the slender shoulder, "I believe they were talking about the recent Serpentine activities around the city. Perhaps they were how you say, 'checking it out'?"

`Meanwhile~

"Oh so Pythor thinks he's all that, he's probably worse than Garmadon with that!" Spat Skales as he stopped his feet down the darker streets, hating how it wasn't an easy glide with a lower body and tail any longer. Pushing his naturally blue hair aside and from falling into his face, the stubborn male continued to curse and rag on his boyfriend under his breath. Lately the purple-haired man had tried to get better with feelings and actually giving something to the relationship, but it clearly was still fairly rocky for whatever reason. "No matter, I can get the ninjas by myself."

It was the perfect trap; Skales had made sure to cause enough mayhem in random areas in town to cause a distraction in the news. Then the ninjas, probably Kai leading their charge, would come after any signs of his whereabouts and fight him. Then… That was blurry, but the snake-turned-human was ready for a good battle.

"There you are, Skales!" Perfect, so the ninjas did know about this…

~c:~

Kai stood in an offensive stance, despite his boyfriend complaining loudly about it. That this had to be a stupid idea. Skales looked pleased at this arrangement, and egged the fire ninja on, "Well, little ninja, are you sure you want to fight me?"

"Jeez, no wonder you and Pythor are having troubles; you're not a very nice guy," Oh, that hit a nerve for sure. Instead of a continuous spitting and hissing of insults, the blue haired other lunged forward and knocked the red adorned on his back. They tussled a moment, but then Kai found a place that was sensitive right under the figured area of the end and middle of the ribcage, and brought his fist up to hit it in an upwards motion. Crying out in the usual snake-like voice, and got up to stumble back a bit, Skales felt a bit helpless now. Shaking it off, he noticed the brunet got up and was now fully prepared.

The tornado of creation would come soon, but it took more concentration and need to do so. Biting his lower lip, Kai took a deep breath and then shot open his eyes to jolt forward and cause the other to wobble a bit from unsure actions. Smiling slightly, the boy continued to do so until the other fell. The dark-haired teenager was quiet now, but still hated how no one seemed to listen to him. Though if Skales were to play any rotten trick, he'd be there despite some anger.

"Give it up Skales, the ninja don't need this easy warm-up," snapped Kai bravely, crossing the arms across his chest and raising an eyebrow. He then turned back and smiled at Cole, going over at the fact this short fight was through.

"I assure you," said devilish creature smiled, "This is no warm-up." After such a venomous retort was given, the adult got up slowly, then started rushing forward silently. He raised a metal pipe he had found loitering the wet nearby alley he was knocked nearly into.

It collided with something equally tough though, and not human. It ended up being a hand of the ice ninja, who closed his palm around it easily bending the hollow piece inward. "I do not appreciate you trying to hurt my friends." The darker adorned ninjas were shocked to find they could have been dead if not for the other couple's arrival.

Skales spotted Jay out of the corner of his eye, "I see you all have paired off? I'm curious to see how much better you are with each other than Pythor and I…" To prove no bluffing, he dropped the pipe, but immediately brought a fist to collide with Jay's face.

It caused the unprepared boy to fall back onto the harsh sidewalk with a sharp cry. Putting the hands over his injured face, the brunet refused to move them as he was trying to stop the unfair stinging. Catching onto the pain, Zane nearly ripped Skales apart from the look on his usually neutral face. Stepping forward dangerously, instead of attacking with the pipe still in his strong grip, he moved it to accompany the other hand as well, and bent it and caused it to easily snap in half. This wasn't usually how fights went with the pale boy, but it was clear that no one hurt his partner in any way and got away with it.

The blue-haired darted with not seeing that coming, and caused the bleach blond to become hot on his trail. The changed species villain started to find zigzagging throughout alleys was no use to him. The ninja was still not far behind. Maybe punching an android's boyfriend was not such a good deal…

The groceries were safely on the floor, but still Jay refused to really remove the hands from blocking his face. Kai sighed and leaned forward a bit to pat the other boy's shoulder reassuringly and wondering what would happen to their fellow ninja and Skales. They betted Zane would come out victorious, but it was a question whether or not this sudden anger was a concern for them or not. They shouldn't take it too far…

"He's not dangerous," grumbled Jay, finally removing his hands, and the only visible pain was the paling face, and the fist probably connected with the forehead on closer inspection, but the bangs covered that for now. "It's probably just because he has unexplainable switches that I don't want to mess with; just in case."

The other two nodded in understanding, and soon after Zane returned, dragging behind a thrashing and surprisingly unharmed Skales. But that didn't mean he was no longer angry. The face said that it might have grown with adrenaline. The blue-haired was tossed over to the middle of the ninjas, and curled up slightly. As Zane looked up to get an affirmation of a good job, Jay looked startled and a bit fearing.

Biting his lower lip, the ice ninja just sighed at the probably rejection of his protective actions, "Ice!" He called out in a humorous but deep voice, and his tornado of creation began up and he moved around Skales so that only his face was uncovered, and the paused to calm down. "There, now police can hear where you are."

The sudden arms of his brunet lover around the pale teen's neck made up for it, "Good job, Zane!" Probably out of it a bit, mused the others. Jay seemed to sort of hang lazily, so Zane snaked a helpful arm around the slender hips and started to move them.

Cole and Kai nodded at each other, glad this was finally over. The dark-haired teen started up, and the spiky brunet followed a bit slower. "Sorry, Cole, but I-"

Spinning around to snap angrily, he froze after seeing a scratch going across the top of Kai's arm. Quickly moving to get it checked out, he found it wasn't too deep. Relived, he kissed the fire ninja's cheek instead. "It's okay… Just… Don't do it again, or at least- without us ready to back you up." At the nodding reply, they found the groceries still safely on the ground. Getting the paper sack, Cole got Kai's hand into his, and they swung it lightly and walked off as if nothing even happened.

The police car whirred by eventually, but they figured this wasn't over with Skales, or any other villains for that matter. Watching Zane and Jay do a walking cuddle, and Kai and Cole copying slightly, it was clear the closer the couples got the harder the final battle would be… If any of them were to be lost…