Chapter 31
Show Ninjago
"I go away one day and everything falls apart," Lloyd said as they flew through the portal and arrived back on their Ninjago.
"Looks that way," said Jay with a wry grin. "Up for saving the world again."
Lloyd picked at his seat in the carriage and mumbled, "I guess."
Zane cast him a concerned glance. "It's Pythor, isn't it."
Lloyd said nothing.
"Don't worry about him, Lloyd," Cole promised. "All you need to do is fire up your powers around the Nindroids to take them out of commission. Leave Pythor to us."
"Yeah," agreed Kai, cracking his knuckles in anticipation. "That slimy snake has a lot of payback coming to him. Count on that."
Lloyd perked up a little bit hearing that.
Nya, who had been trying to radio Steep Wisdom, frowned when she got no response. It wasn't until she tuned into her Samurai X Cave ("You have a cave?" Lloyd asked in surprise. "I know! She didn't tell any of us," Jay griped) that she was able to contact someone.
"Nya! Thank goodness," said Misako over the video screen. "You took so long, we were beginning to worry something had happened. Garmadon was just about to use Traveler's Tea to come after you."
The Ninja shared a glance. That wasn't good. They'd experimented with Traveler's Tea to see if they could use that to go between Ninjagos, but found that Traveler's Tea tended to get confused when trying to go to alternate versions of the same world. At best you ended up somewhere else on the same Ninjago you left from. At worst you found yourself on a different world entirely. Rarely did the tea actually take them to the Ninjago they actually wanted to go to.
"Wu had to sit on him to stop him," called Ed from somewhere off-camera, sounding very amused by it.
"I would have been fine!" they heard the muffled voice of Sensei Garmadon call.
"Traveler's Tea is too risky, Brother," Sensei Wu chastised him. "A little more waiting wouldn't hurt."
"Something did happen," Nya replied, glancing back at Lloyd. "But we're back now, and our counterparts are handling it. When we finish here we'll go help them out."
"Or they'll help us out," added Jay. "It's kind of a race."
"Well, meet us at the Samurai X Cave and we'll work out how we'll win that race," said Misako with a small smile.
The Ninja all voiced their agreement, and the Ultra Dragon pulled carriage onwards.
They arrived at the cave, and the parents all hiding there hurried out to greet them. Lloyd was immediately swept up by his own family, who had probably deduced that whatever delayed them from coming back to their world had to do with him, and they were quickly proven right as he and the other Ninja explained everything.
Sensei Garmadon's expression had darkened when he heard who was partially responsible for his son's kidnapping this time. "Chen," He practically spat the name like it was a foul word. "If I could go the rest of my life without hearing that name again, then I'd die a happy man."
"You know him?" asked Lloyd, looking up at his father in surprise.
"Unfortunately, I knew the version of him here, yes," said Sensei Garmadon with a grim nod. "He gave us quite a bit of trouble back in the day."
"But that is a story for another time," said Sensei Wu. "For now, we must focus our attention on today's problem."
"The Nindroids," said Cole with a frown. He then turned to face the others as they gathered around to start planning. "We need to take back the city, and save Borg and Zane's dad."
"How?" asked Kai. "You saw what happened last time we went there guns blazing. I doubt trying the same again will do much better."
"But this time we have a secret weapon," said Nya with a grin as she ruffled Lloyd's hair, getting a giggle out of the little blond.
"Yeah, but if we just go in knocking out Nindroids with his powers, then Pythor might have them attack the hostages before we can save them," Kai pointed out.
"So we've gotta save Dr. Julien and Dr. Borg first," said Lloyd like this should be obvious.
"That's not going to be easy," said Jay doubtfully. "After our last attack, that place is gonna be locked up tighter than Cole's grip on the last piece of cake. ("Hey!" squawked Cole.) And wherever they're keeping the robot dads is sure to be even more secure."
"Perhaps an alternative route would be successful," offered Zane, tapping his chin thoughtfully.
"I have run all possible scenarios of ground or air-based entry taken from the data gathered from the footage your falcon collected and our own attempt at rescue," said Pixal. "None are successful. At best we can allow another small number of trapped citizens to escape before being captured ourselves, which is not ideal."
"There's really no other way?" asked Nya at that dismal news.
"None that I can see, no," replied Pixal.
"Then, perhaps, if the solution can not be seen from above, one must look below to find the answers," said Sensei Wu sagely.
The Ninja exchanged bewildered glances at that before it clicked for all of them at once. "The Sewers!" they cried.
Pixal's face turned contemplative hearing that. "Combining my knowledge of the city's sewer system with the data already gathered… we could possibly sneak in that way. Provided we are not discovered."
"Then let's plan a way in there that has the least likelihood of that," said Zane.
Pixal smiled, and they pulled up a map of the sewers to get started.
However, before Zane could even look at the map, Cole's father, Lou, came over and tapped him on the shoulder and nodded for him to follow him for a talk. "Begging your pardon, Zane," said Lou apologetically. "I know your planning is important, but I think it might be best you check in on your little brother."
Zane blinked, and only then realized he hadn't seen Echo anywhere since they had gotten there. Worry overtook him in an instant. "Is he alright?" he asked Lou frantically. "Did he fall apart again? Are his mechanics damaged?"
Lou shook his head. "No, no, no," he said calmly. "As far as any of us can tell he's fine physically, and believe me, the Walkers have checked, but emotionally… that's a bit more of a conundrum. The poor boy has been stuck in the doldrums ever since you left."
Zane's face fell hearing that. Of course Echo was broken up emotionally. He'd been ripped apart and watched their father be dragged off while he was helpless to stop it. And then Zane had done so little to help, storming off so soon afterward in a futile rescue attempt. The Master of Ice was kicking himself for not realizing his brother was hurting inside.
Lou led him over to a corner of the cave. It didn't take Zane long to spot his brother sitting curled up in a corner with Edna fretting over him. At the sight of his approach, she brightened at the sight of him. "Oh, here comes your brother, dearie," she said encouragingly. "I'll leave you to it." She sent Zane an apologetic glance and added, "You boys really need to talk."
With that, Edna hurried to join her husband with Lou following after her, and Zane continued to approach his brother, who had not even looked up when Edna told him he was coming.
Zane sat down beside him, and Echo shifted so his back was to him. "You left," the younger Nindroid said sullenly.
Zane winced. "I'm sorry," he said honestly. "I should have talked to you before I went."
His words did little to comfort Echo. If anything, it made the bronze Nindroid tense up more. "You shouldn't have left," he said.
Despite his guilt, Zane couldn't help the flare of irritation at those words. He'd been hearing that his rushed plan to attack the Nindroids was a bad idea from everyone the moment he decided on it, and hearing it from Echo too was not helping.
"I know my plan did not work," he said, trying to keep his voice even. "But they have Father. I had to try and save him if I could."
Echo still refused to look at him. "He's my father too," he mumbled.
Zane turned to look at him in surprise. "What?" he asked.
Echo finally turned to look at him, a frown marring his normally kind face. "You. Left. Me. Behind!" he said accusingly. "He's my father too! I wanted to come with you!"
Zane blinked, feeling totally taken aback. This was not at all what he expected when he started this conversation. "Echo…" he said, struggling to regain his composure. "Your body, they ripped you apart last time. I couldn't let them do it again!"
Echo scowled down at his rusted limbs but didn't back down. "I know that!" he said. "I know I'm not as strong as you. I know I'm not as strong as them!" He looked up at his brother, a determined gleam in his eyes. "But they took our father, and I was built to protect those who can't protect themselves! I have to help get him back somehow!"
Zane stared at his brother like it was the first time seeing him. Then he let out a sigh, and a small smile graced his face. "I know," he said. "We will get him back. Together."
Finally, the frown left Echo's face, though it was replaced with a sheepish expression. "Great! But… I don't really know how? Not without-" as if on cue, his arm fell off again, proving his point.
Zane huffed a soft laugh as he reattached the limb. As he did, he caught sight of a mech building workshop over Echo's shoulder, where Nya would repair her Samurai X Mech whenever it was damaged in a fight. Due to that, various mech parts were scattered around the tables ready to be used.
Seeing the scattered parts gave Zane an idea. Looking down at his little brother, he said, "You know, I never got the chance to show you Master Building, didn't I?"
Echo blinked at him curiously but followed after Zane as he moved to ask Nya for permission to use the parts.
If his brother wanted to go into battle, then he would do so while being as protected as possible.
In the end, their plan was pretty simple.
Lloyd would be snuck into the city through the sewers with half their collected team going with him for protection. The rest would use the Bounty and the remaining mechs and vehicles to cause a distraction for the Nindroids so they could sneak in unnoticed.
Still, the Ninja were rather skeptical of one particular point.
"Zane, are you sure you want to bring Echo with us?" asked Kai, who was part of the sneak-in team.
Jay nodded in agreement. "Yeah, no offense, but he's not exactly the most…" He paused and tried to think of the right word. "Durable."
Lloyd's expression soured at Jay's words. "Then what's that say about you?" he said in defense of his friend. "He sure beat you during that training exercise in the forest, didn't he."
Jay looked more than a little put out at that, and the other Ninja around them looked sheepish. That exercise had been a humbling experience for all of them. None had liked getting beaten back multiple times by children half their height. "He-He had your help with that!" Jay protested, trying to save face.
"And he'll have our help this time," Lloyd shot back. "Echo's plenty tough."
Echo looked flustered at Lloyd's words and smiled at him. "Thanks, Lloyd."
Lloyd just grinned up at him and held up a hand to high five him. "Lil'Terrors stick together," he said as Echo clapped his hand.
"Lloyd is correct," called Zane from where he was building something with Nya's spare parts just out of sight. "And to answer your question, Kai, yes, I'm sure."
"Okay, but how are you going to keep him from falling apart during the mission?" asked Cole, still concerned.
"With this," Zane called back, and they all looked to see what he'd built. The very sight of it caused Echo to gasp in delight.
It was a mech. Not a very big one, but it would work well as an armor-like exosuit that looked like it was both ready for any terrain and would pack a mean punch, especially with reinforced titanium plating for protection, and missile launchers built into the shoulders.
Zane smiled at his brother, and said, "I built this so that you will fit within it securely. That way even if your limbs come loose, they will not fall off. This will keep you together, keep you safe, and allow you to show those Nindroids what you're made of."
Echo beamed at his brother as he hurried over for a better look. "I love it, Big Brother," he said and scrambled to let Zane strap him in.
"Then we're ready?" asked Cole.
Echo, now fully strapped in, experimentally did a few mock kicks and punches with his mech, each one looking forceful enough that you did not want to be hit by them.
Zane smiled at the sight and turned back to face Cole. "We're ready."
The team that would be sneaking into the city, Lloyd, Kai, Zane, Pixal, and Echo, gathered at a manhole just outside the city's limits.
"You're sure this will take us into the city?" Kai asked Pixal as Zane pried the lid off.
Pixal nodded. "My internal map of the city's drainage system indicates so."
"Then we will follow your lead," Zane said, offering a hand to help her down the ladder.
Pixal daintily took his hand and allowed him to help her down into the sewers.
Lloyd climbed down afterward with Kai and Zane hovering at the top and bottom to help him if he slipped, with the Red Ninja climbing down once he was safely on the ground, and Echo jumping in after him.
"This way," said Pixal, pointing them down one of the tunnels.
Following her directions, they trudged through the smelly tunnels, keeping their ears open and their eyes peeled for the red glow of Nindroid eyes.
Thankfully, all was quiet. They didn't have very long until the rest of their team, the Senseis, and Misako began their distraction. They would need to hurry so that their absence wouldn't be noticed once it did.
The sewers were silent save for the sound of water dripping down, and the occasional scuttle of rats, but none that bothered them.
Then, a flash of glowing red eyes ahead of them caught their eye, and Kai and Zane sprang into action.
Darting ahead, the two Ninja leaped at the owner of the eyes, and he let out a cry of shock as they restrained him.
Turning on a flashlight feature of his mech, Echo shown it at their captive.
Only for all of them to blink in surprise as they realized it wasn't a Nindroid Kai and Zane now restrained, it was-
"Skales?" asked Lloyd in surprise.
The Serpentine let out a snarl and shoved the Ninja away with his tail. "Get off me, you cretinsss!" he hissed. He then picked himself up and brushed away any dust he'd gained from being tackled to the floor. Once he was done, he took a better look at his attackers, and his scowl worsened. "Oh. It'sss you," he said with derision. He then glanced at Lloyd, and almost looked disappointed. "SSSo you got the sssmall one back. Pity, the bigger one wasss more agreeable."
"What are you doing down here, Skales?" Kai demanded, making sure to stand between him and Lloyd, his fists already aflame to fight.
Skales huffed. "None of your busssiness," he snarled.
"I'm afraid it is," said Zane firmly. "If you are allied with Pythor-"
"Pythor?" Skales asked in honest bewilderment. "He'sss dead."
Well, that was one enemy team up they didn't need to worry about.
"Yeah, not so much," said Lloyd bitterly.
"Are you not aware of current events?" asked Pixal. "He is the cause of Ninjago City's current crisis."
Skales quirked an eye-ridge at them. "That messss with the robotsss?" he asked. "All the better to ssstay down here."
"But why?" Echo asked curiously. "Why stay down here?"
"I have my reasssons," snapped Skales, not looking like he wanted to elaborate more.
At least, not until said reason spoke up from out of the darkness behind him.
"Daddy? Are you okay?" said a very young sounding voice.
The Ninja wheeled around, and Echo shined his light at the voice.
To all of their surprise, two more Hypnobrai stood there, one a pink adult female, who was shielding the other as best she could.
But the one who had spoken, a much younger child, was looking at them curiously. One who was very familiar to Lloyd.
"No way," he whispered. "It's SJ!"
Suddenly, the lack of Serpentine attacks since the quakes made a lot more sense.
A/N Welp, more snakes to deal with. At least these ones are possibly more friendly. Anyway, once again, it's on Lloyd to save the day. At least this time he just has to zap them, not have a whole big fight. Then again, it's not likely it's going to be that easy. At least now they have more backup with Echo. Echo's got himself a mech, and he's super happy about it. Zane is kind of realizing he can't just wrap his brother in bubble wrap and assume he can take care of everything himself. Sometimes Echo has to fight his own battles, as that's what he was built to do too.
As ever, a big thanks to Kay Hau for helping with this story. Echo confronting Zane about leaving him behind was her idea, and we both thought it would be a good way to show his character.
Next Time: Skylor and Penny make plans to start their martial arts lessons. Unfortunately, they're interrupted by some shocking revelations and unwanted visitors.
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