Sometimes life is just really weird.

Review replies:

Ebony: Yep, I think he's pretty cool too. :D

SnowyOwlAssassin: Turn it in somewhere. I don't wanna be arrested for using someone else's credit card.

Flufflepuff: Lloyd's probably the one who's least in danger right now... xD But yeah.

Windy: Salty means like... bitter and sarcastic. xD I didn't personally smash the vase. My dad did it. Carefully. So he didn't break the flash drive. Maybe if I give Jessica her battle axe back...

ninjachief: Thank you! :D

Nicktastic: Indeed she is. And thank you! Tori is really a fascinating character, she was the first one who came to mind when I was planning this story. :)

RosalinaWisteria: Kai's. xD It's an inside joke between me and one of my friends from a RP we had once.

Samantha: No, can't say I have.

Chapter 4

The next day, Ash and Karloff arrived at the Monastery.

"About time!" Tellen huffed when he answered the door. "We've been waiting for days! Anything could've happened to the Ninja by now!"

"Karloff does not like being spoken to rudely…" the metal master said, an edge of aggression in his voice. Tellen decided to watch his tone after that. After catching the two up on their situation, the sic began to devise a plan.

"Alright, here's the deal." Ness pointed down at the map on the table in front of her, solely for dramatic effect as she didn't actually know where the ninja were. "We outnumber them three to one. With Ash's smoke powers and Neuro's mind powers, we should be able to… I don't know. Distract them or something while Karloff beats them into the ground. Or go rescue the good guys and let them beat them into the ground. I haven't decided yet. We'll also have the element of surprise, since they're probably in a dark, creepy dungeon where we can sneak around easily. Maybe-" She felt a tap on her arm, and looked up to see Ash moving his hands. "What're you doing?" She asked with a frown.

"Ash is mute." Neuro explained. "He speaks with his hands."

"Oh. What's he saying?"

"He says 'what do you mean by that?'" Karloff translated.

"By what?"

"'Why do you say they're probably in a dark dungeon?'"

"Because bad guys always have dark spooky lairs! Duh!" Ness threw her hands up in the air. "If ten years of watching TV has taught me anything, it's that."

"You have to admit; she has a point." Anna shrugged. The three older men exchanged glances.

"…right." Neuro said at last. "Maybe I should make the plan."

"No, no, I got this." The blond girl assured him. "Anyway. It shouldn't be hard to get instead the lair. Once inside, we sneak around until we find Lea and Tori, kick their butts, then save the ninja and ride out of there like heroes!" Ness tossed her pencil up in the air triumphantly. "When do we start?"

"Ah… we may have to make a few arrangements first." Neuro shook his head.

"Like what?" Tellen asked.

"Like Sara. We can't just leave her to play in a glass-filled monastery while we're gone."

"Good point." Ness frowned. "Who could take care of her?" After a moment, Ash began to move his hands again.

"He says 'Chamille might be willing to take care of her'." Karloff translated again.

"Who's that?" the blond girl frowned.

"The Master of Form. If I recall correctly, she has a way with small children." Neuro said with a smile. "I'll ask her."

"Can you talk to her with your mind?" Tellen asked excitedly. The Master of Mind chuckled.

"No. I use a phone." He said, pulling said phone out of his pocket. "If all goes well, we can leave at sundown. You three should all go try to find some dark clothes to wear." The students exchanged glances, grinning.

"Oh, we might be able to find something." Tellen winked at the girls, who winked back. With that, the three stood up, running upstairs to get ready for their mission.

Don'tUnderestimateUs

Indigo crumpled to the ground as Tori cut her ropes, unable to catch herself since her hands were still tied together.

"Just get up." Tori ordered, her voice annoyed, as she slid her knife back into its sheath. Lloyd knelt next to the girl on the ground, taking her arm and helping her to her feet. "Now come on." The blond girl snapped her fingers as she set off towards the dungeon, and Lloyd followed, keeping a hand on Indigo's arm so she didn't fall. They were all silent as they descended the stairs, the only sound being their footsteps on the stone steps and the almost inaudible sound of Lloyd inconspicuously removing Indigo's gag and stuffing it in his pocket. At the bottom, Tori unlocked the door before pushing it open, letting it bang into the wall and startling everyone in the hall into silence. Their captor's face broke into a grin as she walked down the hall, motioning for the two to follow her. After a moment, she stopped in front of Morro's cell, unlocking the door before grabbing Indigo by the arm and shoving her in.

"In you go!" She said cheerfully as she slammed the door closed. Lloyd could hear the two ghosts whispering to each other. "Hmm." Their captor hummed after a moment. "You can go through walls, can't you?" Lloyd edged closer to see Indigo sitting on the floor next to Morro, a frightened look on her face. "And I'm not gonna bother going to find more deepstone. How about this: you don't ghost through the walls, and I don't roast your precious boyfriend alive. Or dead. Whatever. Capeesh?" Too stunned to answer, Indigo gave a tiny nod. "Good." Turning back to the hall, the blond girl grabbed Lloyd by the arm, dragging him down to the end of the corridor. In the very last cell was Jessica, who perked up at the sight of him. "Have fun making out! Or whatever." Tori opened the cell door, shoved him in so hard he fell down, then locked him up and stalked off.

"What a sweet and caring captor we have." Jessica remarked as she offered him a hand up. "How'd you get her to let you stay in here, though? That's something I really don't see her agreeing to."

"I made a deal with her." Lloyd replied, accepting her hand and dusting himself off.

"What kind of deal?"

"I said if she put me and you and Morro and Indigo together, I would act like I was her friend rather than act as if the very air she breathed sickens me." Jessica let out a snort of laughter.

"And she took it?"

"She does really like me."

"Apparently so." They were both silent for a moment before Lloyd sat down against a wall with a sigh. "How are we gonna get out of this mess?" Jessica was silent for a moment, and Lloyd could hear the sound of someone crying. Indigo?

"I don't know." His girlfriend said at last, sitting down next to him. "For now, all I want to know is if she's ever going to feed us." The brunette pressed a hand to her stomach. "After a few days, my stomach doesn't hurt as much, but I'd like to avoid dying here if I can help it."

"I'll ask her next time I see her. If all else fails, I can make another deal with her."

"Alright. But be careful." Jessica rested her head on his shoulder, and Lloyd felt his face heating up.

"I will." There was moderate silence in the hallway after that, and it didn't take long for the exhausted ninja to drift off to sleep.

Well they appear to be safe

...for now.

*that one chara face*

~FFF