Beauty and the Snake
Summary: The Ninjago ninja get a new teammate, a lovely young woman with excellent dancing skills, a beautiful singing voice, excellent art skills, and the ability to communicate with animals. They also learn that Pythor actually survived in the destruction of the Great Devourer, who told him that he's destined to repopulate the Anacondrai tribe by choosing a bride. When these two collide, they learn that the new girl is the future Mrs. Chumsworth! I think things are going to get pretty crazy for everyone…I only own the sixth ninja in this fic; everyone else belongs to their proper owners.
Prologue: Pythor's Second Chance
Within the stomach of the Great Devourer, Pythor and Sensei Wu were trapped. Wu was completely calm throughout the drastic situation; he was sitting in a meditated state and with a sphere of golden aura surrounding him. Pythor, on the other hand, wasn't taking this very well.
Oh, this is just perfect, he thought to himself in despair. Wu is going to survive getting digested, and I am going to end up in a giant toilet! This must be my destiny…my REAL destiny. To die in the stomach of the Great Devourer…
The giant violet Serpentine then coiled up his body beneath his torso and buried his face into his hands, large aquamarine tears flowing down his cheeks. If he is to die here, at least he will die with honor…and be reunited with his fellow Anacondrai.
More tears began flowing down Pythor's face. How he had missed his people who were very loyal to him. When he was born with a tail instead of legs, they took it as a sign that he will be their new leader. He had trained since birth to be a powerful warrior before reaching the leadership level of general. He was the strongest, the bravest, and the most cunning of the Anacondrai, and his people looked up and respected him. As a result of their loyalty and faith in him, he has vanquished any foe who dare harm his people. Before the humans trapped the tribe within the tomb without any food, the tribe learned of the prophesy of the five Serpentine tribes reuniting as one and ending their warring thanks to "the Anacondrai with the tail for legs."
That was how his people died. After the humans locked them away with no food, the members of the tribe sacrificed themselves one by one to satisfy Pythor's hunger and keep him alive. He never wanted to, but their pleas overtook them.
"You are one who will unite the tribes as one," they told him. Their faith in him was too strong, so he granted their last request and ate them. Pythor recalled eating the last of his tribe the day before Lloyd freed him. Wanting to honor his tribe for their sacrifice for him, he told the boy that they died of starvation instead of him eating them so as not to make them sound like they're pathetic. It was the least he could do for them.
All I wanted was to avenge my tribe by uniting the Serpentine and having the Great Devourer eat the humans who were responsible for locking us away, Pythor thought as he silently cried. But it was all for nothing. My warriors…my people…my tribe…please forgive me. I have failed to avenge you.
"You miss your people…do you not, Pythor of the Anacondrai?" asked a low male voice in his head. The violet Serpentine shot his head up with a jerk, the tear streaks on his face very noticeable.
"Who…who said that?" he asked in fear.
"The very one whom you have awakened," the voice answered. Realizing it is the Great Devourer himself, Pythor folded his hands in prayer. His tribe had feared the Great Devourer as their god because he is ever powerful, even in his frozen state. Pythor was considered the most loyal to him because he feared him the most.
"Oh, Great Devourer," he said humbly, "even when close to death, I am humbly honored to share this last moment to speak with you."
"Who said that you will die?" the Great Devourer asked. "Not I. I only wish to grant you a second chance to live." Pythor couldn't believe what he just heard.
"The chance…to live?"
"Yes. You were very loyal to your tribe that you united the four Serpentine tribes as one and awoke me in order to avenge it, despite it willingly sacrificing each of its members to save your life. I fear, though, that I will be destroyed, and the tribes will be underground once again."
"Then all of my efforts…have all been for nothing," Pythor replied, feeling himself close to tears again.
"All is not lost, Pythor," the Great Devourer said assuringly. "I give you a new destiny, a destiny to bring back your tribe."
"But…how?"
"You must take a bride. But not just any bride…your chosen bride is a human…the Golden Angel of the Winds."
"A human?" Pythor is very confused indeed.
"We are much like humans, Pythor," the Great Devourer explained. "We may not have legs like they do, but we do have arms with which to wield weapons and hold something…or someone. We also have minds to think…and hearts to feel. And even if you do have children with the Golden Angel of the Winds, your children will be true Serpentine as you are…with an extra human quality or two."
Pythor then thought about it. With the help of his chosen bride, he can be reunited with his tribe…through his children. They can even name his children after members of his tribe or after a few members of her family with incredible gifts within their hearts. And he had never felt love towards a female before. True, he had many admirers, but he was too focused on protecting his tribe to pick a wife. He then looked up with determination.
"I am your humble servant, Oh Great Devourer," he said out loud and in prayer. "I shall obey the task you have destined for me."
"Very well. You must first hide away in the jungle where I shall transport you. When the time is right for you to find your Golden Angel of the Winds, I shall let you know. In the meantime, train yourself for a bit so you shall stay as strong as you are now. You will never know if the ninja will get in your way."
"Yes…Master." Pythor then shut his eyes and braced himself for whatever happens to him. He then felt a strange but warm feeling wash over his entire body. He then opened his eyes and saw that his body's glowing. He was surprised at first but went with it. He knows this is the doing of the Great Devourer. Plus, this feeling feels good.
This warm feeling inside of me, the Anacondrai thought to himself. So this is what it feels like to be warm-blooded…just like a human. It feels so good. Now I know why humans enjoy these warm feelings. They feel so right. I wonder…will I feel this feeling again when I meet my bride?
He thought no more of this as he closed his eyes again to avoid blindness by the light growing brighter. He then felt and heard winds whistling around him, a sign that the Great Devourer is transporting him to freedom.
These winds, Pythor thought to himself again. I don't know why, but hearing and feeling them… Now I know why the Great Devourer has chosen you to be my bride, Golden Angel of the Winds. The sounds and feelings of your element…make me feel…free.
A few minutes later, the winds have stopped. He now hears the singing of birds and the babbling of a brook, and he now feels soft grass beneath his coils. Opening his eyes, Pythor finds himself no longer in the stomach of the Great Devourer. Instead, he is in a lush jungle, much like the one in which his tribe would flourish freely.
"Here is where you shall live and train," the Great Devourer then said through his mind, "until the time has come to go to your Golden Angel. When it does…you are on your own."
"But how will know when the moment is right?" Pythor asked.
"I will let know," his master answered. "Always remember, Pythor…I am always with you in spirit." Pythor bowed his head solemnly.
"I shall not forget, Master," he whispered in prayer. "Thank you." With that, Pythor slithered into the thickness of the jungle to begin his life anew.