Author's Note: So sorry I've been away for so long, everyone! Life's been throwing me a few curve balls here and there and I've had to deal. But now I'm back and updating Unexpected! I haven't forgotten about Ninjalogy, of course, but I suddenly had a breakthrough on this chapter and have been working on it pretty much non-stop. That is, when I wasn't bombarded with Life. Anyway, hope you enjoy!
Unexpected
By: Mad Betrayal
"A man's friendships are one of the best measures of his worth…"—Charles Darwin
Chapter 36 ~ Power and Protection
The cacophony of voices congregating in Brad's head weren't nearly as intrusive or annoying as they should've been. Instead, they were a welcome respite from the tumultuous emotions he'd been warring with until now.
(Hello, Milordy!)
(You grace us with your presence, Milordy!)
(Thank you for coming to see us, Milordy!)
The Mana Cetra danced and twirled around him, singing one melody after another in their continued boisterous efforts to merely greet him. Though Brad didn't know what the whole "Milordy"—thing was about, he was more than happy to let them call him whatever they wanted. He glanced over at Lloyd, the other male surrounded as well by the alien flora.
With the two of them having forgone their decontamination suits, Brad could take in his friend as he was meant to without the obstruction of the cumbersome, orange eyesore. Lloyd's crimson blood eyes transitioned to dark burgundy as the soft shimmers of light from the Mana Cetra caught them. Brad openly stared at the magnificence that was his best friend.
It made the ravenette's heart flutter to think that they had almost shared a kiss just a little while ago. So then…was it safe to assume that Lloyd had feelings for him outside of friendship? There was no reason for him to be jealous of Jay then…right? Brad averted his gaze from the other, feeling his cheeks warm with a blush. Why was he thinking about such things now?
"These little guys… They're really warm, huh."
Trying to reel in his blush, Brad let his focus return to the green ninja. He smiled as he watched his best friend gently pet the mushroom crown of a particular Mana Cetra who had perched on his forearm. And Lloyd was right. The Mana Cetra were indeed warm to the touch. Brad could feel the warmth from their stems seep into his body from his fingertips, warding off the winter chill of the desolate city.
In fact, he could feel something else too. Something else…was emanating from the Mana Cetra and permeating the air. Something other than their golden pollen. Brad closed his eyes. This is where he wanted—needed to be. But now that he was here…what would come next…?
(Beg your greatest pardon, Milordy. But I, Petubast, would like to speak to you on behalf of all us Mana Cetra.)
Brad opened his eyes to see a Mana Cetra hovering before him, appearing quite larger than the rest of the ones that had gathered around him and Lloyd. He also took notice of the silver peach fuzz decorating the edges of its crown and the longer tendrils extending from its top made it look more like a jellyfish than a dandelion spore. Though Brad didn't know for certain, he still got the distinct impression that this Mana Cetra was much older than the others despite sounding just as young and innocuous.
Brad nodded respectively. "Okay. Please do. Thank you."
(This extends to your friends too. Please, gather around, everybody!)
Once Kai and Zane joined them, having forgone their decontamination suits as well Brad noticed, Petubast reached out once more.
(Irrevocable change is going to happen. Many human males will be affected by our pollen and become Marked Ones. What this entails will bring about New Life to the human race by means unforeseen by your species until now.)
Kai folded his arms. "Men will be able to get pregnant by other men," he said candidly. "That's what 'New Life' translates to. You can speak plainly, you know. Brad already forewarned us about the meteors."
Brad frowned at that. Too bad he didn't remember saying such things. Not to mention he had forced his other precognition vision away back on the Bounty. He inwardly shuddered at the echoing screams of anguish the vision had wrought.
He quickly dispelled the images from his mind.
Petubast gave a happy twirl and the other Mana Cetra mimicked it.
(Yes, yes! Milordy is great and powerful! Mother Harmony foretold his coming, though Her voice is faint.)
"Milordy?" All three ninjas were giving Brad curious glances. Too bad the ravenette was too busy staring despondently at the alien flora to notice.
"But I can't do anything." He looked down at his hands—thin hands weak from atrophy. "I don't know how to do anything."
(Have Milordy TRIED to do anything?)
At Petubast's words, Brad looked up. Dubious, he replied, "Everything pertaining to my powers has been used without my knowing. I've never initiated anything."
(Well then try to initiate things, silly! The power is there. All Milordy needs to do is reach out and command it. If Milordy wills it, Milordy's Mana will surely listen and other's will too, if Milordy needs help. I can feel Milordy's conflicted emotions, but I have faith that Milordy will find his way. Your heart and soul are pure, Milordy! And that is what makes Milordy so great and powerful!)
Brad thought his head was going to explode with all the "Milordy" thrown in there and he promptly said, "You can call me Brad, y'know."
But more importantly, he thought about it. Though Petubast had a point, surely it couldn't be that easy. Could it? In all honesty, he never tried to use his powers, because he doubted he could control them and didn't want to risk hurting Lloyd and the others if something were to go wrong.
But how can I expect to improve and get stronger…if I don't try…? While I don't wanna have another vision, I do wanna control my Element… Jay…Jay said I could…and I will…
Brad's lips quirked up into a smile, a small and hopeful thing. "Thank you, Petubast. I'll try to remember your kind words from now on. But you mentioned someone named 'Mother Harmony'? Who's that?"
(Mother Harmony birthed all of us Mana Cetra. We are Her children. And we must return to her. She calls us back home.)
"You're leaving?"
(This planet's entire surface has now been covered with our essence. Our job is done. But, Milordy, before we depart, I, Petubast, have a big favor to ask…)
Brad nodded straightaway. "Yes, of course. I'll do anything I can to help you."
Petubast floated back a ways, making room for a cluster of Mana Cetra to drift down before Brad. It was easy to guess that they were carrying something. And when they reached eye-level, Brad instantly saw what. Cushioned amongst the glowing crowns of the gathered Mana Cetra was another. But oppose to the healthy, greenish-white of its brethren, this tiny one was a flat, harsh brown in color. It lay prone and near motionless, its stem only giving slight shivers every few seconds to give it a mere semblance of life.
Brad gasped, mortified at the wilting Mana Cetra that was possibly no bigger than his pinky. The botanist in him that he had tried to hide during his Darkley days sprung to life more than ever before and he instantly cried out.
"Water! We need lukewarm water! And sugar!" Brad looked frantically around him for anything—anything that could serve as a bowl. Water. Sugar. Bowl. He remembered what he'd learned in floriculture. Plants were more resilient and stronger than people thought. Even on the brink of death, it was possible to rejuvenate one if a person was to act quick enough and knew what they were doing. And even though the Mana Cetra weren't exactly the average flora, he could at least try.
Try! Not do nothing! Try!
A hand on his shoulder had him snapping around. Lloyd eyed him sympathetically. And with a fair amount of caution if he was looking close enough. "Brad, we don't have any of those things here."
"Then we need to get them, Lloyd! Now! It's dying! Can't you see that it's dying?! Look!"
"I know, Brad, but…"
Lloyd's touch was tender on his arms, unlike Brad's desperate grip. Wide aquamarine eyes peered beseechingly into morose crimson depths for a moment, before Brad gritted his teeth and turned away, wrenching himself away from his best friend. Meanwhile, Petubast floated down and hovered beside the distraught ravenette.
(Milordy, we have tried all means at our disposal to aid this little one. I, Petubast, am afraid that conventional means are not the answer. But as it stands, this little one will not survive the journey back home. Not without Milordy's divine help.)
Brad's heart hammered in his chest. He just didn't know what to do! 'Divine help'? What 'divine help' could he possibly give?! He didn't know how to control his powers. He hadn't received any training. So how could he be expected to just do something when he didn't know how to do it?!
Tears of frustration stung his eyes and his closed them tight to hold them back. "I'm trying. I'm trying, Petubast! I just don't—"
"Brad, you have not tried at all."
Brad at once opened his eyes and turned his head to see the Master of Ice staring placidly down at him. "But Zane, I'm—"
"You know what needs to be done, correct? The Mana Cetra need Mana to survive and you are destined to become the first Master of Mana. Now is the time to truly test your affinity for your Element, Brad. To make a conscious effort in utilizing your powers."
"A test?" Brad gawked at Zane incredulously. "You're making a goddamn test out of saving someone's life?!"
Unperturbed, Zane continued matter-of-factly. "Though it may sound callous, the notion may serve to help you focus. Firstly, you must try to find tranquility. I do not think your particular Element will react well if you are under duress and agitation."
The white ninja's gaze shifted to the wilting Mana Cetra, his expression carved into perfect, cool equanimity. "We are all here to support you, Brad. But I would like to guide you through this. If you'll let me. And, if we have the time."
Brad swallowed. The thought of failing made his throat clench, especially if that failure led to the loss of life. However, the clock was indeed winding down on the little one's life and his inhibitions and self-doubt were only adding to the problem.
And, as if sensing the younger's inner turmoil, Zane grinned and said, "Before we can believe with certainty, we must first begin with doubt."
Thus, taking a breath, Brad tried his best to steel himself and looked to Zane with as much courage and determination he could muster. "Alright. Let's do this."
Zane nodded and stepped forward to stand beside him. "From what I have observed of your Element thus far, when healing it needs to be through direct physical contact. Although, it may have some range as well given you were able to keep the entire Bounty afloat during your last episode. But that aspect of your power will need to be explored at a later date. For the time being, it is integral that we focus on your healing abilities only."
It was the elder Petubast who floated forward and gently scooped the dying Mana Cetra into its glowing tendrils and deposited the tiny plant into Brad's outstretched hands. The little alien spore shivered and Brad instantly used his other hand to shield it from the harsh winds. Goodness, it even felt different than the other healthy Mana Cetra, for while they had a solid and sturdy structure like a jungle vine, this little one had a gelatinous texture like a gummy piece of candy.
"According to our mentors, Mana consists within all living things," Zane continued, "and is invisible to the naked eye outside the organism. But you, Brad, have the innate ability to make Mana manifest and take shape according to your will. We have seen you use Mana to heal. As we have seen you heal Lloyd."
Brad kept his gaze trained on the trembling Mana Cetra. "But…it's most likely not a wound. What if it's an illness? What if I can't—"
"Hold steadfast to your optimism, Brad," Zane interjected, smooth but firm. "Do not give into despair when you have yet to even try. Now, I want you to close your eyes and concentrate. Block everything out—even the sound of my voice, and try to find that unique spark hidden deep within yourself. And breathe."
On a hope and a prayer, Brad tried his utmost to follow Zane's instructions. Closing his eyes and breathing deeply, he sought serenity and affinity. Truth be told, he honestly didn't know what he was looking for. But nevertheless, he kept his thoughts free of pessimism and towards the prospect of saving a life.
He could feel the Mana Cetra through the skin of his palm. He could feel the tiny tremors that wracked its body. All he saw was black behind his eyelids, but…there was still the lingering warmth beneath his palm—heat and life.
And then…a pulse.
Was it his…? It had to be…right…?
But…why was it so slow…? Was it truly his…?
Then, he heard another—one quicker in tempo. And another—this one more paced and languid. But the sound was so deep and penetrating. Distracting. Brad furrowed his brow.
Too loud. I can't concentrate! No…I have to!
A cold drop of sweat trailed down his temple, but his features smoothed out, the tension dissolved.
Keep searching… Block everything out…
And he did until he couldn't hear the thunderous heartbeat anymore, or the quicker one. All he could hear was the slow even pulse. And he focused on that as it steadily grew with more resonance. Slowly. Little by little, that unhurried and leisured heartbeat permeated his mind. No. His entire body.
It thrummed.
It sang.
And it was his.
Open.
Then, quite abruptly, the blackness fell away like fallen leaves and Brad's world was alight in swirling, sparkling colors of cyan and lime.
Mana. My…Mana…
*~XxX~*
"He's doing it… He's actually doing it."
Lloyd's voice was barely above a whisper as he watched transfixed as the same cyan and lime tendrils that had healed his broken hand back on the Bounty, snaked from Brad's palm and lovingly encircled the little, brown wisp of the Mana Cetra. The tendrils gently twined around the short stem and mushroom top and began to pulse white in rhythmic beats. And assuredly, with each passing second, the Mana Cetra started to change color—become a little healthier. The flat brown dissipated into a sallow yellow and the little one's shivers grew less and less.
Petubast floated forward and extended a few of its tendrils to run across the smaller Mana Cetra's crown.
(Life is returning to this little one yet. But…for some reason I, Petubast, still can't feel a voice. They are still silent.)
"Maybe they have nothing to say," Kai ventured. "Or maybe they're still a bit too weak to talk and are just focusing on recovering?"
(Hmm…)
Brad's eyes were glowing again. And while that made Lloyd understandably nervous, he chose to keep his faith in his best friend and instead averted his attention to the Mana Cetra in Brad's hands.
"And what's that one's name?" He asked, pointing. "All you've called it so far was 'Little One'."
(Oh I, Petubast, don't know. None of us, Mana Cetra, do.)
"Huh? Whaddaya mean?"
(What I, Petubast, mean is that Mother Harmony didn't give this one a name. It's only been known to happen on extremely rare occasions—mayhaps ever 10,000 Galarian moon cycles. But when it does, the one with no name is generally referred to as 'Little One', as we, Mana Cetra, are not comfortable giving each other more meaningful names.)
This was…a little overwhelming for Lloyd. Though he and the others weren't adverse to the supernatural, at least those supernatural elements remained contained within Ninjago. Aliens from outer space, however, were a little hard to swallow. Yet here they are… In truth, during his Darkley days, he and Brad would stay up late into the night talking about which were cooler: demons, ghosts, or aliens.
They would make up powers for each class and stage different fights and scenarios if one were to meet the other. It got competitive is some cases and flat-out ridiculous in all the other cases. But those childhood memories stayed with him and only served to solidify his bond with Brad. In another time, place and (you better believe) circumstance, he'd be more than enthused to learn more about the Mana Cetra.
But alas, destiny had other plans. Furthermore, what he had already learned from Aiari and Petubast combined was more than enough for him to sit on and stew about. Aiari, the aforementioned Mana Cetra perched on his shoulder bounced and twirled.
(Oh Lloyd, look! Something's happening!)
Lloyd immediately returned his attention to the scene playing out in front of him. As the minutes ticked by, the previously wilting Mana Cetra was steadily improving and moving differently. No longer was its body wracked with shivers. Instead, it was mysteriously tilting its crown back and forth as if looking around it. Petubast seemed to recoil and released it from its grasp. And in that moment, the "Little One" shrugged off Brad's power as well, floated up and made a beeline right for the ravenette's stomach, disappearing in a burst of golden powder.
The surrounding Mana Cetra abruptly started chiming in alarm and Brad yelped, his hands flying to his stomach, his power ebbed. Lloyd and Zane caught him and stared at him in shock and confusion, while Brad did the same to his stomach. The chiming soon became deafening, but when Petubast spurted a cloud of blue pollen, the sound instantly ceased.
Though his ears were slightly ringing, Lloyd called worriedly to his friend. "Brad, what happened? Are you okay?"
Brad didn't answer right away. With his hands still clutching his stomach and his eyes still wide and unblinking, he took multiple, rapid breathes. Petubast slowly fluttered down and inquisitively tilted its crown.
(Oh. Wow. …Well this is unexpected…)
Lloyd snapped his head up at Petubast, his crimson eyes alight with anxiousness. "What? What is it? What happened?"
With their spores swaying together, the congregation of Mana Cetra emitted soft chitters and coos. Another plume of blue pollen spurted from Petubast and the jovial jingles dissipated.
(Ahem! Um...would you like for me to explain to them, Milordy? Or would you like to?)
Lloyd looked back to Brad to find him cradling his stomach in an almost protective way, though his expression appeared bewildered. "They…they spoke to me—the Little One. They said that…they wanted to stay and that…they needed me."
(Little One was one of the last born for this generation. But it appears they were born prematurely and still needed to suckle from Mother Harmony's Mana before making the journey. But alas couldn't…until now. Thus, Milordy, the right has been passed on to you to give Little One a proper name. You are the chosen surrogate after all.)
Brad gaped for a moment before slowly closing his mouth. He glanced down at his stomach. "…They'll…be okay inside me?"
(Oh yes! And don't worry. They're not meandering around your organs or anything. Little One has dematerialized and is now a part of your life essence—your Mana. They may suckle every now and then, but they will do you no harm and likewise. And perhaps when they are strong enough, they'll be able to come and go from you as they please.)
The bewilderment ebbed from Brad's face and a fond, happy smile replaced it. "Okay then. Um…Um—a name…" He rubbed his stomach while he pondered and something in Lloyd made him feel weirdly proud at seeing the gesture. He didn't linger on the abnormality of the situation, just felt the overwhelming sense of protectiveness that came with it.
"How about…lonicera japonica? Loni?" He looked to the others for affirmation. And while he received a gently nod from Zane, Kai and Lloyd only gave blank stares.
"Does that mean something, Brad?" Kai asked and Brad nodded, grinning broadly.
"Yeah. It's the scientific name of a Japanese Honeysuckle." He scratched his cheek with a finger. "I figure it was…fitting."
Lloyd wasn't going to pretend to know the meaning of flowers when he didn't, so he just agreed. "I think Loni's a pretty cool name—"
Lloyd's words were abruptly cut off by a loud popping noise and in the blink of an eye, Petubast and several other Mana Cetra were ensared in a net and tumbling to the ground.
"No!" Brad screamed as more loud pops sounded and more Mana Cetra became ensnared in nets. A flurry of shuriken thrown by Zane's hand sliced through the air and cut through the nets, releasing Petubast and the others and they immediately shot off into the sky.
"You deplorable miscreants! Hurry! Don't let them get away!"
Lloyd gritted his teeth and whirled towards the voice, tonfas at the ready and Kai as well, twin katanas drawn. Dr. Heinz and four of Ada's soldiers stood near the edge of the roof from where the fire escape was, bazookas positioned on their shoulders and aiming up high.
"If any of you pull those damn triggers, I promise you'll find yourselves with no hands!"
Kai's body flickered with flames and embers as his swords ignited, causing the soldiers to instantly hesitate. One of the soldiers frowned, however, and shouted at the Ninja.
"You lot were supposed to report back to Lieutenant Steiner if you were to make contact with the aliens!"
"And we're going to! But that doesn't give you all the right to start shootin' nets around these guys!"
"Why have you discarded your decontamination suits?!"
"Because it doesn't matter!"
Scowling, Brad marched to stand in front of Kai and Lloyd and glared at Dr. Heinz and the soldiers. "We've learned that the Mana Cetra communicate telepathically, and they confirmed that their pollen isn't detrimental to human health. All of us here can attest to that."
"Oh this is just asinine!" Dr. Heinz stepped forward, pointing accusingly at the group. "Do you all not realize you're interfering with official government business?! This mission if for the well-being of our planet and the human race!"
"Of course it is, Dr. Heinz," Zane coolly interjected, his expression reserved. "But your lack of understanding of the situation puts you at a gross disadvantage. The Mana Cetra are sentient beings and should be treated as such. We will not allow you to capture them as if they were wild animals."
Dr. Heinz looked like he had just been violated by Zane's words and was just about ready to unleash another volley of spittle when Petubast floated back down and hovered next to Brad. The manic rapture on the scientist's face made Lloyd's stomach churn and he positioned himself in front of the Mana Cetra to shield them when a bazooka nozzle swiveled towards its direction.
(I, Petubast will gladly go with you all to see this…lieutenant. I know my kind's appearance has caused some unease, especially since we accompanied meteors to your planet. But, I, Petubast, would like to remedy that. However, I, Petubast shall be the only one to do so, while the rest of my brethren begin the long journey home. Is this arrangement acceptable?)
To say that Dr. Heinz and the soldiers were shocked to hear Petubast's voice resound within their minds would've been a huge understatement. Bemused but obviously willing, the scientist nodded dumbly and the soldiers lowered their capture weapons.
Brad noticeably tensed when Dr. Heinz started to approach. "You will come with us," he said, his air of pretentiousness all but apparent. "And you will tell us all you know. After that…we will see how Lieutenant Ada responds."
"That's close enough."
Lloyd glared at the lanky man as he looked down his pointy nose at him from behind his specs. "You have no authority over me."
"Don't need it, when I can incapacitate you whenever I feel like it," Lloyd sneered.
"Are you threatening me?"
"No. I'm promising you."
Intimidated by the green ninja, Dr. Heinz took a step back but held Lloyd's crimson gaze stubbornly. Kai sheathed his swords with a growl. "Now that that's settled—"
"Doctor Heinz," the whole group regarded the soldier who called, his expression grim behind the visor, "Lieutenant Ada has ordered every unit's return immediately." He gave pause then, as if unable to comprehend his next words. "Two men have just…burst into flames."
Author's Note: Neat! I wonder what happened… ;P Thanks for reading everyone and please leave your thoughts by submitting those reviews! Every little bit helps me to stay motivated for each story!