So...this is late. To be fair, I did just move myself 3 hours away into a tiny concrete box and now share a bathroom with three strangers, and have 15 hours of class every week. Plus a job.

But Hey, at least I have the start of a sequel so this AU isn't going away any time soon. :) ...I might've started it already. It's nicknamed "Never had a friend like me" (all things start with song lyrics, don'cha know.)


Chapter Nine

The firecrackers had been a nice touch. Loud enough to give us time to get away, bright enough to disorient a crowd, and threatening enough to know things were serious.

I watched the ninja take off after the van they thought we were in, when really, it was just one man driving it, alone. By the time they'd catch up, I'd be long gone.

They hadn't notice that the person holding me, Zagu I think, let go when the cart went in front of the ninja, and as they exploded, I slipped behind a stall, doubling back to where the Kabuki were. Dad's staff, sent in on an emergency boat to make sure things ran smoothly here. I sat in their makeup tent for a while before Clouse came and got me out of there, leading me to a taxi that took us to the docks.

Skylor was waiting for us, she had gone back to get my stuff. Her part in dad's plan wasn't finished yet. She still had ninja to court, to get their trust.

I smiled at her as I pulled my bag onto my back. "I'll be fine, Skylor. And you were right...the city is pretty okay. Just some of the people…"

She shook her head, messing up my hair. "Just take care of yourself, okay? Keep a low profile."

"On the island? That won't be hard, sis. It's just dad, Clouse and the staff."

She pursed her lips, and glanced at Clouse, who was making sure everyone made it aboard who needed to go aboard, before looking back at me. "They didn't tell you the full plan, and I really doubt they will, Lloyd. Whatever you do, don't-" Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Clouse walking over. "I'll see you in a few days." With that suddenly stiff and cold goodbye, she took off down the docks, heading back into the city.

'Don't what?' I wondered, letting Clouse guide me onto the ship. "So what happens when I get back?"

Clouse hummed thoughtfully, signaling for two of the staff to pull the board up, and for the captain to head out to sea. "Well, you'll be playing your part as prisoner in a few days, once the tournament starts…"

"Okay...so does that mean I'm competing…?"

He shook his head, leading me inside the hull. "No, not at first. You'll be the bait, to make them cooperate. Once things are set, Chen will explain your part in this."

I raised an eyebrow. "My part? I'm more than bait?" I wasn't too surprised, but it was interesting. What did Skylor mean though, about them not telling me everything.

"Your powers are what will set all of your father's plan off. Once the tournament is almost over, he'll ask you for your help." He smiled, gesturing for me to take a seat. "For now, just relax."

I sat down, fiddling with the strap of my bag. "Okay…" For once, I wished Skylor was here, I wished she could've explained everything. What did she know that they didn't want me to find out about? The boat lurched as it came to life, and I could hear the paddlewheel sloshing in the water, pressing my hand over my mouth, looking out the window.


The docks are fairly far from the center of the city, and of course, the bus was going fairly slow back into town as well. I rolled my eyes, leaning into the seat. Two stops before I could get off and make it to the park. Looking out the window, I rubbed my shoulder, worried. 'There's no way dad would do it, not to Lloyd. There's just...no way he'd do this. There's no way he'd drag him down too…' Would he though? He was psychotic enough to do it to me a few years ago, and everyone knew how he felt about kids… I looked at my phone, turning it over in my fingers a few times. Lloyd needed to know the truth. Clouse knew what I was trying to do, he knew exactly what he was interrupting when he walked over.

My only chance now would be to get home before they tagged him, roped him into this. I could help him hide, even if it was somewhere on the island. That abandoned village, that would work. There were so many nooks and crannies on the island, surely there'd be a way to hide him where dad and Clouse couldn't find him...

I was lucking out when I rounded the corner, finding the ninja walking away, all of them. This was the first time I got a good look at all of them, and I raised an eyebrow, walking towards them, catching my breath. My heart was pounding, whether it was from running or something else, I wasn't too sure. "Any sign?"

The one from the comic book store, Jay I think, he shook his head, rubbing his neck. "Not a sign. Where did you go?"

"Tried to head them off, figured if they came from the docks, they'd go back there…No dice." That got some eyebrows. "What? I rescued him, remember? We agreed to meet up there. Figured he came in off some kind of ship."

"Then we need to go there, figure out which ships left and when." The blond said. He had a serious demeanor, and his eyes were focused. "We've searched every block for about a mile around this park."

"Then what are we waiting for?" The hot head from earlier said, crossing his arms. "Let's find him and save him, before he gets hurt."

I nodded. "Let's head out then. I want him to be safe just as much as you do." They started down the sidewalk and I followed behind them.

He needed them more than ever, even if he didn't like them. I wasn't going to be able to do this on my own.