The following morning, at Borg Tower, Lloyd and Blake were entering Cyrus' quarters where the other Ninja were. Nya and Gewuji were both in new gis while Nya had longer hair, done up in a ponytail, and Kai had longer hair, done up in the style of a flame. "Hey, there they are." Geoff said as Kai and Gewuji soon ran over to them, and Kai fist bumped Blake while Lloyd and Gewuji quickly lock lips.
"You're late." Kai said.
"Kai was late, too, if it is any consolation." Zane said.
"Actually, Maggie and I were also late." Geoff said.
"Thanks for meeting us here." Lloyd replied to the others. "It's been a while since we've all been under one roof."
"Geoff, Gewuji, how's your mother?" Blake asked.
"She's doing great." Geoff replied.
"And I heard, you and Cole were currently on hiatus." Lloyd said.
"Bit of a choice, and I did a solo album as well. Also, Kai also wrote a new book."
"Yep, 'A Titanium Time Warp.'" Kai said. "Blake, I see you're wearing glasses, and you've changed your hairstyle again. It looks similar."
"I know." Blake replied.
"Speaking of mothers, any word from yours?" Nya asked.
"Not since she and Cirrus went searching for Master Wu." Lloyd replied. "I don't know where they are."
"Not even me." Blake said, concerned about his girlfriend.
"They'll come back, guys, and so will Dragon." Cole replied.
"Not everyone comes back, Cole." Lloyd said as Blake got out a BorgPad. "But that isn't why we called you here. We called you because of this." Blake shows them the biker's symbol on his BorgPad.
"Your father?"
"Lord Oni Garmadon?" Gewuji asked.
"After poking around, we've learned it's the symbol to-" Blake was soon cut off.
"The Sons of Garmadon." Zane replied. "A mysterious criminal syndicate growing in prominence in Ninjago City."
"72 hours ago, they stole a powerful relic from my father. Some mask-"
"Not some mask." Someone cuts Lloyd off before they turn to see a man with greying hair in a ponytail, a beard, and an eyepatch over where the right eye should, wearing a green kimono. "There are only 3 in existence."
Jay pushes Zane and Gewuji aside as he came closer. "Whoa, I'm confused." Jay said as the man looked at a display of a mask. "How can there be 3 masks when you just said it's the only mask?"
"Not 'only', Jay." Nya replied to her confused husband. "'Oni'. Like Garmadon's first name."
"The Oni are said to be all powerful beings." Zane said. "Demon that predate Ninjago."
"Each mask embodies one of the three Oni warlords." Hutchins replied. "If all three masks are united, whomever owns them will wield tremendous power."
"Ninja, this is Peter Hutchins, Master-at-Arms and Counsel to the Royal Family." Lloyd said, introducing the man. "Blake asked him here."
"The Royal Family?" Maggie asked.
"Apologies if you aren't familiar." Hutchins replied as he turned to them. "They honour their privacy, as they do the safety of Ninjago."
"Let me guess, they have an Oni Mask, too." Cole said.
"Two?" Jay asked, confused again. "Now there's two." Blake immediately stomped on Jay's foot, causing him to hiss in pain. "What did you do that for?"
"Read your pronunciations right." He replied.
"The Emperor will be delivering a public speech tomorrow, and I'm worried the Sons of Garmadon may try to steal the mask. We could use your assistance, that is, if you can keep a low profile." Hutchins said.
Zane steps forward. "We are Ninja." He replied before suddenly changing into his cloaked form. "No one will know we are there."
"Just let us know where and when." Lloyd said, moving forward and bowing down to him as Blake did the same.
The following morning, a big crowd with news reporters were standing outside a palace as a middle aged man, wearing a green kimono, was at a podium while Hutchins, a young woman and a middle aged woman were behind him. Both women had bleach white hair, and were wearing face paint and green kimonos. "As many of you know, my family has kept a private life." He said. "We aren't interested in meddling with current affairs."
Above him, on the archway, Lloyd and Maggie were looking down at the crowd. "But as crime has risen, so has our concern."
In a nearby street outside a cafe, some people, including Tania, were watching the speech on Tania's BorgPad. "So it is time to step out of the shadows and into the light."
At the palace, the crowd applaud and take photos as Lloyd and Maggie hide behind a pillar each. Close by, Geoff was on a telephone post, dressed like a repairman with an orange hi-vis vest on and a yellow hardhat as he looks among the crowd. "Lloyd gets to be close to the princess, I look like one of the Village People." He said as he worked on the wiring to install some microphones nearby.
"Maybe if Cole dresses up as an Indian, you find a couple of singing cops, an army man and a cowboy, you can get a dance group together." Gewuji replied through his communicator.
"Very funny, sis." He spoke sarcastically. "Besides, aren't you gonna be jealous?"
"I know. But I hope he doesn't get any ideas."
"If he does, he'll have to deal with me."
Further down, Nya was moving among the crowd. Nya was wearing a black leather jacket, white and blue striped shirt, blue jeans and black boots. "I don't like this one bit." Nya said into her earpiece as she moved along. "If the Royal Family like their privacy, why give such a public speech?"
"I think it's nice." Jay replied as he was on one of the roofs. "They're reaching out to the people."
"Why all the hate, sis?" Kai asked as he, Cole and Gewuji came up next to him. "You just don't like getting gussied up."
"All that gold and glitter is for show." Nya replied through his communicator. "The Royal Family are figureheads. They don't have any real power."
By the telephone post, Geoff had just finished setting up the microphone. "Hey, don't want Blake getting angry, Nya." He said. "He is a personal friend of the Royal Family."
"How does a guy like him even be a friend of them at all?" She asked through his communicator.
"By showing some respect and accepting a personal invite to dinner, alongside my father." Blake said as he and Zane look on from another roof. Blake wasn't wearing his glasses since he had his hood on. "Respect which you seem to be lacking."
"Whatever. What purpose do they have?"
"Their purpose is to be protected, as do all of our traditions." Zane said.
Blake soon notices something. "I believe Master Lloyd has spotted something of interest." He said.
By the pillar, Lloyd was looking at the young woman, who also notices him, and smiled. "Looks like he's got an eye for the princess." Kai teasingly said through Lloyd's communicator.
"I guess green is her favourite colour." Jay replied through his communicator.
"You do know I can hear you, right?" Lloyd asked.
"Lloyd, don't get any funny ideas." Gewuji replied through his communicator as he backed away.
"Don't worry, babe, I won't."
"The Emperor is almost finished." Maggie said through his communicator. "Let's just do our job."
"-and always stay united!" The Emperor said, finishing his speech as the crowd then applaud and cheered.
"Be on the lookout." Lloyd told his Ninja before he and Maggie come out of their hiding spots.
By their post, Zane notices a man digging his hand into his pocket, and gets out his bow and loads an arrow in it, but was soon relieved to find out it was just a phone.
By their position, Kai, Jay and Gewuji split up while Cole stayed where he was.
In the crowd, Nya looks through a nearby puddle.
At the telephone post, Geoff looks at the back of the crowd before noticing a balloon floating by, with the Sons of Garmadon insignia on it, which Lloyd also notices. "I see a-" He was immediately cut off when popping was soon heard, causing the crowd to scream, as Lloyd and Maggie quickly ran to the Royal Family, where Hutchins pushes the Emperor down while Lloyd pushes the young woman down and Maggie pushed the middle aged woman down, each using themselves as human shields.
In the crowd, Nya tries to look for the threat as a man bumps into her, knocking her down.
Close by, Geoff notices something and drops down.
By the entrance, Lloyd puts a hand on his communicator. "Is the threat clear?"
In the crowd, Nya helps a young man up before turning to see Geoff looking at some firecrackers and scoffed. "Firecrackers." She said into her communicator as the crowd stopped running and calm down.
"False alarm." Geoff said to the crowd as they start to leave.
By the entrance, Lloyd and Maggie get off the two women while Hutchins helped the Emperor up and they start heading for the big door while the others joined the two Ninja as they remove their hoods, and Hutchins comes back to them while Blake puts his glasses back on. "You protected the Royal Family." He said. "You have their gratitude." Lloyd and Maggie took off their hoods with Jay giving Lloyd a high five and Geoff, who took off the hard hat, kissed Maggie on the cheek. "You are invited to be their guests in the palace."
Surprised, Jay turned to Lloyd. "No one ever gets invited into the place." He said to Lloyd.
"Uh, excuse me?" Blake asked.
"Oh, apart from you. Are you sure they meant us?"
"It's just a palace." Nya said, not interested. "Once you've seen one, you've seen 'em all."
Ignoring her rudeness, Lloyd bowed down. "We'd be honoured." He said as Hutchins also bowed before walking away.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get out of this." Geoff said, referring to his disguise, as he walked away.
"Don't take too long, Mark Mussler." Cole replied, teasingly. (A/N: Mark Mussler was the original builder in the Village People)
"Oh, shut up!" Maggie then nudged Cole.