Author's Note: I hope everybody is staying safe! Here's another chapter!

Unexpected

By: Mad Betrayal

"When a friend is in trouble, don't annoy him by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it…"—E.W. Howe

Chapter 43 ~ Consequences and Repercussions

I…I hit him… Lloyd sat in the back of the armored van staring at his hands. Even hours after that horrendous incident, he still couldn't fathom how everything had gone to shit so fast. They were all headed back to the Honeycomb now. Earlier than planned, of course. The soldier who had killed Petubast…and then attacked by Brad needed urgent medical care, which he could only get at the Honeycomb.

Lloyd looked up and met Kai's golden gaze across from him. "For the last time, stop beating yourself up. You did what you had to do."

Lloyd said nothing and averted his gaze. Brad. He was huddled in on himself farthest away from him, nearest to the doors. Lloyd couldn't see his face. Zane was beside him, holding him close. And Liam was seated in front of Brad, his freckled face awash with concern.

Shit… And I attacked a civilian… Heart plummeting further, Lloyd placed his face in his hands. Gods… What the hell is wrong with me…?

"How's Tudabone doing?" Ada called from the driver's seat. Nya glanced back at them from beside her.

Liam frowned. "Conscious but still unresponsive. Something's…something's really wrong with him."

"Damn. This is just the weirdest shit," Kai growled. "After Lloyd struck him—" the green ninja flinched in shame "—he was only out for shy of ten minutes before he jerked back awake. No way in hell that's normal… Zane?"

The Master of Ice sat in contemplative silence for a time before speaking up. "Brad is an Elemental Master just like us. And yet, I cannot sense him. At all."

"But isn't that a given?" Kai countered. "Sensei Wu and Sensei Garmadon did tell us that there's never been a Master of Mana. Also, the study of Mana, in general, was banned by their father. So how would any master know what to sense for?"

Lloyd concurred. The only reason he had been able to locate Brad in Liam's tent was that he had asked some nearby soldiers if they had seen him.

Zane shook his head. "No. To clarify, even my sixth sense feels clouded around him. This is a cause of deep concern, Kai. We need to get him back to our mentors as soon as possible."

"Alright, Lieutenant, give it to us straight," Kai said. "What's gonna happen once we get back to the Honeycomb?"

The van hit a rough patch in the road, jarring them all. "I have to report what happened, Kai. Powers will be punished for his insubordination, as well as interfering with government extraterrestrial research and raising a weapon against a civilian. However, his injuries cannot be overlooked. They're irregular, extensive, and extremely critical. He may have stopped bleeding, but he'll need a blood transfusion, no doubt. And, Tudabone was his attacker."

"But that never would've happened if that guy hadn't—"

"Let me finish, Garmadon," Ada interjected sternly, and Lloyd shut his mouth. "However…since Powers' injuries are so unconventional…borderline supernatural… I will say the alien must have retaliated in Tudabone's stead. They had formed a bond, after all. Even Dr. Heinz won't be able to refute that, as he doesn't really understand what he saw. And quite frankly," she sighed, "neither do I."

"Sooooo that's it?" Kai asked. "No consequences or repercussions against Brad?"

"It's hard to say how the regime will respond. This was a crucial mission. One that I partially failed. I most likely will receive a reprimand for not being able to subdue Powers quicker. Furthermore, probably to satisfy their own curiosity, the regime may call for Tudabone's arrest."

Lloyd's hands clenched. "That's why, when we get to the Honeycomb and part ways, you all should start planning your immediate escape."

All eyes widened.

"I'll contact Aaron on the way to the CCC, so that he can inform Walker and Belmonte of the situation. When you all get to your room, don't leave until you're ready to escape permanently. Foxworth and another one of my trusted subordinates will stand guard outside your door. To make it look like we're dutifully keeping tabs on you. Once you leave, I ask that you be gentle with them."

Kai smirked. "Damn, Ada, it sounds like you've done this before."

The lovely lieutenant shrugged. "I may have snuck off base a few times for a romantic rendezvous or two."

"But will you be okay, Ada?" Nya asked worriedly, and the other woman smiled.

"Yes, I will be. And I'll keep in touch. Your bridesmaid dress won't be hideous. I promise."

"How much time will you allow us, Lieutenant Steiner?" Zane inquired next, his hands rubbing soothing circles on Brad's back.

Ada's expression turned grim. "No more than two hours, I'm afraid. I wouldn't risk waiting around longer than that. I'll contact Foxworth via codec. He'll relay the countdown if need be."

Nya still looked pensive. "But Jay and Cole are still injured. They won't be able to move that fast."

Kai barked out a laugh. "Please! In times like this, Cole would run through walls if he had to. He's done it before! Remember, he's not as injured as Jay is. Jay's the one with a crap ton of stitches in his head. I'll carry my lil' bro outta there! No prob!"

The yawning, dark mouth of an entrance tunnel came into view over the broken, grey horizon. Ada white-knuckled the steering wheel. "Alright, everyone, step lively. Time will be of the essence."

*~XxX~*

Ada got Lloyd's group down to the residential area without any trouble, the lieutenant's swift silver tongue and rank getting through any suspicious questions from the other military personnel. Now, it was just Lloyd's clan and the two soldiers hand-picked by Ada to guard them at their residence, Liam and a somewhat stout man named Phillip Tex.

As they made their way back to their room, Lloyd couldn't help but glance back every now and then at Brad. Zane stayed by his side, holding his hand and guiding him along. It was so strange. Brad's steps were mechanical, his eyes glassy, and his face eerily blank. He hadn't said a word to anyone since he woke up from being struck and wouldn't meet anyone's gaze. Especially not Lloyd's.

Getting to the door of their room, Kai removed the card key from the belt of his gi and swiped it. The door slid open. "I'll keep you all informed if Lieutenant Steiner contacts me," Liam said as everyone filed inside. "Remember. Two hours. So, don't dawdle."

Lloyd stopped before entering, his hand gripping the doorframe. Taking a breath, he pulled off his cowl and turned to the freckled soldier. "Liam, I…I'm sorry. Really, I am. For everything. The way I treated you and…" he swallowed and fought to keep his shoulders from slumping in dejection, "…and what I did. Earlier. You didn't deserve that. You were just trying to help Brad. When I couldn't."

The older male stared at Lloyd for a long moment before letting an acquiesced grin curve his lips. "I get you, Lloyd. Brad. Jay. They mean the world to you. And you don't want your position in their hearts to feel threatened." The green ninja felt his heart lurch up into his throat. "You want to protect them. But you also want to protect yourself. But such a mentality is dangerous, Lloyd," he intoned somberly. "Try not to jump to conclusions just because something you see or hear doesn't mesh well. Keep yourself together until you get all the facts."

It was like a verbal punch to the gut. To have one of his deepest, darkest fears and insecurities thrust into the light. And by a virtual stranger no less. Lloyd tried not to fidget. "I guess I got a lot more growing up to do."

Liam took his post on the other side of the door, his weapon held at the ready. "Comes with age and experience."

Lloyd nodded and headed inside.

"You all are back earlier than expected. Did something happen?"

Lloyd came to stand beside Kai in the small living room and immediately stiffened. There was his father, of course… But he didn't recognize the other old and…very scarred individual with the one obviously blind eye standing beside him. And judging by everyone else's baffled silences, neither did they. One thing was for sure: the man had the makings of a grizzled warrior. Was he another Elemental Master? No. Lloyd couldn't sense anything from him. And what exactly was he smoking from that kiseru that would produce red smoke? Lloyd couldn't smell anything either.

Sensei Garmadon frowned and lifted an eyebrow at the continued silence. "I'll ask again: Did something happen?"

"Uh—yes, Sensei Garmadon," Zane said, stepping forward and bowing. With an eloquence only he possessed, the white ninja recounted the events that led to their early return, as well as before that on top of the apartment building with the Mana Cetra yesterday. Silver eyes shifted to the young, oblivious man in question.

"Hn. That is, indeed, troubling." The Master of Darkness' expression intensified. "But it is something that will have to wait until we get back home to address. In the meantime, this is Obadiah, a dear, old friend of mine. And Wu's. He'll be staying with us for a while."

"A short while," Obadiah elucidated in a low, soft drawl. His voice was much more pleasant than Lloyd was expecting, to be honest. "I don't plan on imposing my weedy presence upon your lovely garden for long, Garmadon."

What? 'Dear, old friend' or not, Lloyd didn't know how he felt about having a stranger live with them for any amount of given time. But this was his father. He knew what he was doing. Hopefully. Besides, they didn't have time to argue against the decision. "Okay," Lloyd ventured. "But where's Uncle Wu, Dad? We need to collect Jay and Cole as soon as possible."

"Wu is no longer here," Sensei Garmadon said without disinclination. "As we speak, he should be halfway to Europia with Misako by now."

"What?!" The word snapped from Lloyd's mouth like a crack of lightning. "He ran off with that stupid, no-good bitch?!"

"Oof," Obadiah muttered.

Sensei Garmadon glared at his son. "Lloyd. We all are aware of your vehement dislike for your mother—"

"She's NOT my mother!"

"Do not interrupt me."

"How could you just let him go when you know how I felt about her?!"

"Because believe it or not, Lloyd, the world does not revolve around you and your feelings!"

Lloyd recoiled as if struck. And unforgivingly, Sensei Garmadon bore down on his son. "If you truly loved your uncle, then you would put your feelings aside for his happiness. And never forget. That it wasn't just me but also her who brought you into this world. If nothing else, you can at least be grateful to her for that."

Lloyd stared at his father. The same way he had stared at Liam. His hands shook, so he clenched them. How could he just instantly lose himself to anger and betrayal like that? Again. Was he really so unhinged that the sound advice he had just received went in one ear and out the other? He could feel everyone's eyes on him. Probably judging. Probably disappointed in his behavior. And what could Brad be thinking right now? That he was worse than he already was?

Lloyd suddenly had an insurmountable urge to run to Jay. To run to his mother-figure, wrap his arms around him, and cry. But he couldn't do that. He wasn't a kid anymore. He wasn't. The green ninja was unaware of how close his father had gotten.

"Lloyd…I fear I may have affected you more than I had originally thought."

The blond roughly shook his head. "No—no, Dad. This is just me." He looked at his father, melancholic and crestfallen. "It's me."

"Huh." Obadiah exhaled a plume of crimson. "I really hate to interrupt the father and son moment, but I just want to make sure of something." He pointed his kiseru at Brad and cocked an eyebrow. "You all are aware that this young man is slowly dying, right? Because he is."

Everyone jolted into attention and focused on Brad in a panic. The young man in question only blinked in response. He was just barely able to stay on his feet and was beginning to sway. "Shit." Kai cursed, grabbing the brunet's arm to steady him and Zane took the other.

"Wha? What do we do?" Lloyd stressed.

"Sit him down here," Obadiah instructed, gesturing to the couch, and Kai and Zane obeyed. "It's mana drainage. He has opened the pathways to his element and now cannot stop. This most likely transpired when he first used his power of his own volition. And this probably goes without saying but Mana isn't like any other element as it is directly tied to the master's life essence. And if the master is inexperienced…" he took a drag and exhaled, his words laced in wisps of crimson, "…well, this is the result."

Everyone stared. "You…" Zane hedged in quiet awe, "…can sense it."

"Yes, I can," Obadiah answered, slightly nonplussed by the clan's dumbfounded ogling. "Mana is quite similar to Nature, after all."

Before a round of queries could fire out from his students, Sensei Garmadon held up his hand. "We can save the questions for later." He then focused on Obadiah. "Can you help him?"

The heavily scarred man stroked his scraggly chin. "Getting to that… All of you step away." When they did, Obadiah lowered himself down in front of Brad. Lloyd forced himself to remain still. He's just helping. He's just helping. He's just helping. He repeated this in his head like a mantra, his hands pressed deep and clawed into the back of the couch.

Obadiah stared passively into Brad's eyes, a perfect picture of absolute ennui. "Brad is it? What an utterly boring name. Hmm…you look more like a…Petunia!" He chirped happily with a flair of his hands, which unexpectantly got Brad to grin a bit. Obadiah, in turn, pulled a mock-askance expression. "What, you don't want to be called 'Tobacco'? Shame. Since it's such a cute contradiction considering where it's derived from. As well as its…symbolic meaning. Petunia that it. Not tobacco."

He cleared his throat. "Garmadon? If you don't mind?" He held out his kiseru and Sensei Garmadon took it, scrutinizing the lit bowl. "And don't you dare."

"I wasn't going to," the Master of Darkness countered with an almost teasing lilt that Lloyd had never heard before.

"Right," Obadiah said in his soft drawl and placed a gentle hand on Brad's stomach. His brow suddenly puckered, and his first expression of genuine concern appeared. "Oh. You poor things. And I do mean the both of you. You…and this little one inside you." Brad twitched. "They're depending on you, aren't they? You know what's at stake. That's why I want you to show me your resolve. Give me a sign—any sign. That you want to survive." It was an agonizing moment, but Brad responded by touching the wrapped hand on his stomach.

"Good," Obadiah murmured. "Now, tell me the name you gave this little one." A loud sniff from Brad roused Lloyd's own emotions. But before he could move, before he could tell Obadiah to stop, a stirring of frost touched his arm. Zane. A silent plea to wait. Watch. And listen.

The sound of Brad sobbing filled the ambiance. And for a time, it was just him and his grief. "It's painful. Very painful." Obadiah. Soothing albeit factual. "But pain is good. It has its uses. Sometimes…pain…can be a great motivator. And also…it reminds you that you're still alive… No matter how unfortunate that may seem to you."

"L-Lonicera…jap-ja…" Brad wept. "Loni."

Aged dual-colored irises closed. "Lonicera japonica. The Japanese honeysuckle. Happiness. And a sweet disposition." He gave a dry chuckle. "Befitting. Now, close your eyes." Brad obeyed, tears sneaking past his lashes and down his sodden cheeks. "And find your garden of Eden—your happy place. Hold it in your mind's eye. And in seven seconds…you'll be there for real. One…two…three…" As he continued to count, with his other hand, Obadiah's fingers shifted to form Ninjagian symbols in rapid succession.

Lloyd recognized most of them. But there were some that were unknown to him. "…Five…six…seven…" On the final number, a mysterious glyph materialized in front of Obadiah. It shone brightly in chartreuse light one moment before dissipating in a burst of lavender petals the next. The sweet, medicinal scent lingered before it too evaporated alongside the petals.

Instantly, Brad's body went limp and Obadiah lowered him onto the couch to lay comfortably.

"What the hell is goin' on?" Kai muttered.

"Are you some type of shaman?" Nya asked.

"Did you mentor Bolobo? The Master of Nature?" Zane chimed in.

Obadiah stood up and looked at the inquiring young people. "Huh." He gave Sensei Garmadon a sidelong glance and held out his hand, beckoning for his kiseru back. "How come you didn't ask me anything like that and immediately jumped to me being the Master of Nature?"

Sensei Garmadon peered dubiously down at the long pipe once more before passing it back to its original owner. Because sans Nya, the young masters before you lack the experience to recognize the exact telling of another master. While they have learned to sense Elemental Auras since you do not have one…" his silver eyes narrowed, "…for whatever reason, they can only surmise the origins of your expertise."

"Wait," piped up Lloyd. "So, you're saying that Obadiah is the Master of Nature? But Bolobo—"

Sensei Garmadon lifted his hand once more. "It is a tale I will tell later. Let us focus. Obadiah, you used the Seal of Yggdrasil."

"With a lavender nuance to help the little petunia rest for as long as his body needs to replenish his Mana." He shifted the kiseru from knuckle to knuckle, innately showcasing the dexterity of his fingers. "But it is only a temporary fix, mind you. If I remove the seal and he still hasn't mastered his element, then he'd be right back where he was—dying."

Sensei Garmadon sighed and folded his arms in the plentiful sleeves of his kimono with a grimace. "It's the same reason why all the aspiring Masters of Mana have died. None of them completed their training."

"Well, hopefully, someone can teach him before I leave your gracious company," Obadiah said with a shrug. "The clock will be ticking."

"Speaking of time? Aren't we running out of it?" Kai demanded. "This means we'll have to carry both Brad and Jay—and have a limping leader. If we run into any trouble—"

Three sharp raps sounded against the door. And with a swear, Kai rushed over, disappearing around the corner. He came back, terse and curt. "We need to leave. Now. We only have a little over an hour left. And the infirmary is on the opposite side of the damn place."

"I will carry Brad," Zane volunteered, coming around the couch. Lloyd didn't refute. Kai tapped him on the shoulder.

"You and I will take out Liam and that other guy. Remember to be gentle, would ya?"

The playful nudge and teasing smirk directed at him eased Lloyd's apprehension somewhat and felt himself smile at his best friend. "Heh. Look at the pot calling the kettle black."

"The red ninja ruffled his hair affectionately. "Tch. Whatever."

Zane's startled gasp roused both ninjas and they turned to see the ice ninja stumble back from the couch. "Brad!" A spiral flame of lime and cyan had erupted on the back of Brad's neck. Lloyd and Kai rushed around the couch.

"Don't touch him!"

Lloyd pulled his hand back, teeth gritted against a retort at the scarred "master's" shout.

"W-Why hasn't he woken up?" Nya shakenly whispered. "He's on fire!"

"Huh." Obadiah took a drag from his kiseru and scrutinized the still unconscious Brad. "It would appear that the little petunia's Mana drainage is worse than I thought. It's gone as far as to affect his nervous system. This means when he does recuperate, the pain will hit him later. And hard."

The flames evaporated and on the back of Brad's neck…was the Mark: a six-point star surrounded by angel wings. Obadiah bent down swept aside Brad's long hair, revealing more of the Mark and a few singed strands. "The flames nicked him a bit, but it's not too bad."

Lloyd stared at Obadiah, his doubt resurfacing. "You don't seem at all surprised by this…"

"That's because I'm not."

The green ninja frowned. "Save it, Lloyd," Kai said. "We need to move. Zane, grab Brad."

Once the slumbering young man was safely secured on Zane's back, Lloyd followed Kai to the door. "You take Liam," he whispered. And although ultimately pointless, the two ninjas pulled on their cowls. As soon as the door slid open, a red and green blur streaked out with nary a sound. Lloyd held onto the startled, lime-green gaze aimed at him before swiftly appearing behind the soldier. A well-timed strike to the back of the neck on a pressure point and Liam crumpled to the floor. Across the way, Kai did something similar to the other soldier. The clan rushed out the door a moment later with Kai hot on their heels.

Lloyd looked down at Liam. Even with the soldier's forgiveness, the green ninja still felt terrible for how he had treated him. "Thanks again, Liam," he got out. "We didn't know each other long, but thanks for being so understanding. Empathy is so hard to find in strangers nowadays. I'll remember what you told me. I'll try harder—I… Take care."

Without another word, Lloyd took off after his clan.

Author's Note: The clan will be reunited soon! :)