Lloyd went down the path he was walking. It was so odd how the gravel didn't seem to ever affect his feet. They were merely covered by cloth, after all.

He was currently trying to get away from his current life. He even lied to his fellow ninjas. Lloyd just didn't want to be followed. Getting groceries that could be found in the city was a clever fib, but he would only get away with it for so long. He didn't even own a car to get to the next city, which was much too far for anyone on foot.

Right now he was just trying to find somewhere to rest. So that's why a warehouse worked for him Anywhere, honestly. He walked into the room, then found a wooden box with his name on it. Literally.

This place sold and distributed merchandise, and a lot of it was the city's heroes at the moment. It didn't bother him, but the fans kind of creeped him out. That's why he slunk away every so often. To pretend he was normal.

The blond didn't hear the hissing in the background. It was so low, and very weak. It wasn't until a sudden clawed hand was brought onto his shoulder, did Lloyd end up reacting to such a thing.

Lloyd flipped around, and got very defensive as he looked over the opposing in his sights. It was a shock, so he practically stumbled back. He was silent as he scooted to the close opposite wall.

The blue Serpentine began to moved forward, but froze when the box ended up in his path. He walked around it eventually, but Lloyd wasn't as scared anymore. Instead, he stood up to defend himself like the ninja he was.

But something held him back. The snake seemed... off. Instead of the usual strong he had remembered, there was hesitation as the great Hypnobrai looked this way or that. The past leader tried to keep eye contact, but the eyes didn't seem to know where to exactly look.

Then it hit Lloyd. Slithraa was going blind. It was sad irony for a Hypnobrai, but he tried to keep cool.

The older creature tilted his head, squinting as he watched over Lloyd, "You have no business here." The human being wouldn't scare him either. He may be old and blind, but never useless.

The green ninja used his calmest tone, "I had no idea you would be here, Slithraa, but-"

"How do you know my name?" The Serpentine grew highly defensive at that.

Being the resourceful boy he had become after so much training, he knew that he had to distract the other. He dived behind a bundle of boxes as Slithraa violently attacked at the area he was once at. The younger raised his voice in hopes he could jog the snake humanoid's memory, "It's me, Lloyd!"

That caused a sudden eerie silence. Though it also meant that he was focusing on that.

The bleach blond sat down onto the stone cold floor. He was hopefully shielded, though he figured the heavy boxes could topple down, and then ultimately crush his body. But chances could get taken while trying to protect yourself. Lloyd moved so he could pull his legs to his chest.

Sounds of wooden objects becoming splinters filled the smallest room of the warehouse. It made Lloyd warier and more paranoid. Why was Slithraa going for everywhere but where he was? The blindness wasn't that bad... was it?

Finally he emerged. It was a bit boring when nothing action-packed happened with him involved. He tapped on the built shoulder as the snake searched the broken box pieces. It was as if Lloyd could really find a way to be in there.

Slithraa slowly spun around, narrowing his eyes. Mostly from hate, but somewhat from trying to make out what this human looked like. He grew closer, not caring that the pale blob was backing up. Finally he noticed the face for the most part. Now it would be his turn to slink away, shaking his head.

Lloyd spoke up again, or tried to, "Slithraa, listen to me-"

"No," the ex-leader responded coldly, moving until he felt it was good enough distance, "I don't know who you could be, but you are not Lloyd..."

The teenager bit his lower lip. He had not given the opposing much credit for what had happened in his childhood. Maybe he had used the other for means of being evil, but he had like finally feeling safe. If Skales wouldn't have been there to ruin it all, Lloyd could have been prevented from meeting Pythor. If only...

But Lloyd was stubborn, like he were a Serpentine himself. He moved so he was in front of Slithraa, "I'm really Lloyd. I still look the same, and kind of sound the same, right?"

Even though Slithraa couldn't attest much for the physical aspects, he could nod to the voice. It had a strange feminine husk to it, but this was still similar.

Slowly, the blue creature leaned in to hug the teenager, and he began to cry softly. He had been left behind, deemed useless. Now that his fellow Serpentine were locked away in the stone army tomb since the war, he was pretty much alone. Not like he would admit this aloud. The snake people were meant to be a strong and feared race.

Lloyd saw through the cracking disguise, and hugged back just as hard. It was easier to accept this when he knew the old guy was basically harmless. It was proven long before now...

"If you are Lloyd," murmured the hissing voice, tired and alone, "remember me, at least. I'm not going to make it much farther without any help... And don't dare come back, because I will be too hungry to control myself by then."

Lloyd understood. He pulled apart from the nearly paternal figure, sharing an understanding stare. "Don't worry about me, I'm a ninja. I'll be able to protect myself." He left feeling proud of himself. He wasn't about to abandon a friend, when that was all the other had been treated like, was he?