Chapter 2: A Harmless Visit

The Destiny's Bounty sat about four hundred bricks from the edge of Ninjago City, far enough away that the bright lights of the city faded before reaching her anchor spot. The desert sands were dark, but the Bounty's exterior lights created a barrier of warm golden light around her to protect the inhabitants of the vessel from the unforgiving desert, which shone blue in color in the light of the nearly full moon.

Lord Garmadon stood outside the reach of the light of the Bounty, sand cold beneath his feet. He stared at the ship, entirely out of place in a climate notoriously lacking in water, and gripped the staff of the golden weapon tighter in his four hands. Standing here in the darkness of the night, he felt completely detached from his brother, his son, the ship he had captained briefly and been a guest on even more briefly. Here, he felt as if it would be somehow wrong to step into the warm glow of the ninja's unconventional home. But he saw no other choice.

He glanced behind him at the three Rattlercopters the small group of Serpentine had arrived in, landed far from the ship to avoid waking the ninja, then looked again at the Bounty. Garmadon dropped his two lower hands to his sides, intending to begin approaching the ship, when one of the Serpentine behind him cleared his throat for Garmadon's attention, and stepped forward out of the group of snakes to speak. Garmadon exhaled and turned to face the terrified-looking snake.

"What?" he growled out threateningly.

The Venomari stuttered helplessly before finally getting out, "Forgive me, My Lord, but some of the Serpentine want to know exactly what we're trying to do here before we-" he gulped, "walk right into the ninja's home."

"We're not going to fight the ninja in their own home," Garmadon answered, annoyed. "I just need to see my son." He addressed the crowd of snakes and shouted, "Which of you was it who told me that something happened to Lloyd after our encounter in the museum?"

Mumbling arose amongst the Serpentine, and, a moment later, a short Constrictai was shoved forward and stumbled to a halt next to the green snake. He glanced back to glare at the crowd, then inclined his head respectfully as he spoke.

"That- that was me, My Lord."

"And what exactly was it that happened to my son?"

"W-well, I didn't hear much while I was on the surface in Ninjago City a few days ago, but from what I heard it would seem Lloyd has undergone a- a- a transformation of some sort." The reptile grimaced and flinched his head away from Garmadon as if he would be struck for merely delivering the news, but the Dark Lord addressed the crowd again instead.

"That is why we are here, my Serpentine. Something has happened to Lloyd, and I must find out what has been done to him!" Garmadon surveyed the snakes. "We are not to alert the others to our presence. You are merely here in case the ninja discover us and decide to make a fight out of my visit to my son. Now keep yourselves quiet as we approach. The ninja are most likely asleep, but they are always on the alert. Understood?"

The Serpentine all nodded quickly.

"Good. But remember: do not attack unless absolutely necessary. And no one is to attack my son. Let's move."

At his command, a few of the snakes dove into the sand, and the rest above ground walked behind Garmadon as he approached the land-ridden vessel. They neared the golden circle of light around the ship, but instead of feeling out of place, Garmadon only felt a few steps closer to his son.