AN: Longest chapter yet! A lot happens here and I just couldn't find a good place to stop it. Beta credits go to Sunny Lighter. She was a huge help in giving me ideas for this. Also EMPFangirl02 helped write the action sequence. Kudos to her! Onwards!
Garmadon stood in front of his mech and grinned. "Now that's what I'm talking about!" He said, admiring the metal shark face with actual teeth that could chomp up and down, while still having a large cockpit and room for his missiles and shark launchers. Thankfully, Cyrus Borg had managed to find some, but he had to steal them from the Ninjago Aquarium. Hopefully, the ninja would forgive him.
"Just one problem," Garmadon said. "This won't be able to travel underwater."
"Do you need it to?" Borg asked nervously.
"Duh! How else am I supposed to get from my volcano to Ninjago and back?" Garmadon answered.
"But there is no volcano near here," Borg told him.
Garmadon snorted. "Of course there is. Trust me, I've done the trip more times than I can count. But with this," he said, patting the mech, "I'll finally be able to conquer Ninjago City, and I'll be able to get that annoying Green Ninja." Then he turned and began to walk away. "Let me know when you've got the sub-feature."
Borg was torn between fear and confusion. Finally, confusion won out. "You do realize that you are in Ninjago City now, right?"
Garmadon waved Borg off with one of his upper arms, but didn't stop or turn around. "No, I'm not. Ninjago City is much more colorful, none of the buildings are the same, there's no beach, and there's no mayor's tower that I have to get on top of to rule Ninjago."
Borg just stared at the evil warlord. "You can't just climb a tower and conquer Ninjago. That's not how it works."
"Sure it is. There's a law somewhere in Ninjago's history. Look it up."
"I'm quite sure any law would have long since been repealed, especially with how often Ninjago is attacked," Borg answered.
"You'd think so. Now, enough talking. I've got a long way to go to get to Ninjago City, and I don't want to waste any more time."
Borg shrugged and let the warlord go. If Garmadon was going to waste his time looking for a Ninjago City that didn't exist, then who was he to stop him? Borg rolled his wheelchair over to the shark mech and began working on the new modifications. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could safely contact the ninja.
"Wow! For once using a disguise worked!" Jay said, as they were almost out of the compound.
"Hey, you there!" A shark head SoG shouted at them. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Way to jinx us, Jay!" Cole hissed.
"Never mind, let's run for it!" Kai told the others as they nodded and ran like the wind before they could be stopped.
When they got far enough away, they stopped to catch their breath. "Wow, that was close," Nya said.
"Jay just had to open his big mouth," Cole complained as they started walking towards the Bounty.
"Why is everything my fault?" Jay countered.
"What I want to know is why Garmadon wasn't there with Harumi," Kai asked.
"I don't know. But…" Lloyd hesitated for a moment. "I want to tell you something that may sound crazy…"
"What?" Kai asked.
"You see...I don't think this Garmadon is my father."
"What makes you think that?" Cole asked.
"Well, we had this very strange conversation before I got imprisoned. He doesn't believe that I have powers, he thinks you guys brainwashed me, and he doesn't remember being Sensei Garmadon, or that he died. I think he might be from another realm; summoned here by mistake."
"We do know that travel to other realms is possible," Zane put in. "You could be correct."
"Oh, just great," Jay complained. "If that's true, then is there a whole parallel Ninjago out there? That sounds like some weird sci-fi movie."
"Maybe, but that doesn't really matter right now," Kai told Jay. "The question is, how do we get this weird Garmadon back to where he came from?"
"We'd need something like Travel's Tea, or the Realm Crystal," Nya said.
"The Realm crystal is too heavily guarded," Lloyd pointed out. "But we could go and see Mystakе and get some Traveler's Tea."
"And just how would we get Garmadon to use it? Have a tea party with him? Jay asked sarcastically.
"We'll come up with something. First things first. Let's go see Mystakе," Lloyd said.
Back at Borg Tower…
"L-lord Garmadon?" Borg approach the warlord warily.
"What?" he snapped.
"Your mech is ready."
"Well, it's about time. I would say I appreciate your service, but since you had no choice, I won't bother," Garmadon said as he hopped into his mech.
"Indeed," muttered Borg under his breath.
"Heh, heh. No one will be able to stop me now, especially those stupid Ninja!" With that, the warlord left the building in his shark- themed mech. As soon as the people of Ninjago saw it, they started running away, screaming.
"This is great. Just wait until the Green Ninja gets a load of me in this baby!" He watched with glee as people were running away. "I should really test this out first before going to Ninjago. And I have some nice, moving targets." He grinned and started firing off his sharks at random.
Borg looked out of his window at the chaos. Now was his chance to warn the Ninja. He hoped they could stop Garmadon, but he was afraid he may have built the mech a little too well, even for them.
The Ninja stepped into Mystake's Tea shop. Everything was quiet and still, and if it wasn't for the pungent aroma from something brewing, the store would feel completely abandoned.
"Mystake? Are you here?" Lloyd called out.
The beaded curtain leading to the back room lifted, and the old woman came out frowning-until she spotted the ninja. "Oh, it's you. What can I do for you?"
"We need some Travelers' Tea," Kai answered.
"Would that be for sending the wrong Garmadon back to where he came from?" she asked, a knowing smile on her face.
"Well...yes, but how did you know?" Nya asked.
The old woman chuckled. "I have my ways," she answered cryptically.
"She's as bad as Sensei Wu," Jay whispered to Cole, who nodded in agreement.
"As it happens, I do have some that I recently brewed." Mystake tossed something in and then handed Lloyd the teapot. "This is a little something that will give it an extra kick."
Lloyd frowned. "What do you mean?"
"You'll find out," the old woman chuckled. "But remember, you'll have to get Garmadon to think about where he's from, or he could end up anywhere."
"We will, thank you!" Lloyd told her, as they turned around the left the shop. "Let's get back on the Bounty. We need to find Garmadon."
Nya went to the control panel and turned on the screen. "Ah, guys? You better take a look at this." The Ninja came over to her.
On the screen was Gayle Gossip. "It's hard to believe what I'm seeing here folks, but there's a giant, shark-like mech that is terrorizing the city. We advise you to flee for your lives. As your faithful news reporter, I will try to get closer to get a better look at the situation."
"Could that be Garmadon?" Cole asked.
"Hold on, I'm getting a call," Zane interrupted. "From Cyrus Borg."
"Cyrus Borg?" They all chorused.
Borg frantically explained to Zane what had happened and after the call, Zane relayed it to the others.
"Oh well, this is just great!" Jay complained. "First, the Overlord kidnapped him, then the Time Twins, and now Garmadon. Why doesn't he just get himself a body guard?"
"What's done is done," Lloyd answered. "We need to get to Garmadon quickly. Nya, fire up the Bounty. Zane, plot the fastest course there."
"You got it," Nya answered, firing up the engines.
It didn't take them long to get to where Garmadon's mech was terrorizing the poor citizens. The ninja watched in horrified fascination as what looked like real sharks being fired out of the mech.
"Man, those poor sharks," Jay commented.
The others gave him a strange look. "What about the people?" Cole asked.
"Well, of course, but I mean, who does that with sharks?" Jay replied.
"All right, everyone, let's focus here. We need to get Garmadon talking about where he came from and then we can throw the tea on him," Lloyd said, getting them back on track.
"I hope this works," Nya said.
"Me too," Lloyd answered. "Everyone ready?"
The others nodded.
"Ninja-GO!"
The ninja flipped on their hoods, except for Lloyd, and split up on both sides of the street.
"Hey, Garmadon!" Kai yelled. "Get ready feel the heat!"
Garmadon snorted as he looked the red ninja up and down. The little brat didn't even have his mech. "Oh yeah? With what?"
"FIRE!" Kai yelled, throwing his arms out in front of him. Flames blasted out of his hands and Garmadon yelped as the blaze poured over the mech, completely covering it in flames, but it stayed standing. Kai pushed harder, making his blaze grow even larger. The mech rocked backwards, and then toppled to the street with a crash. Kai let his arms drop, and for a moment, nothing happened.
"Did we win?" Jay asked, staring at the mech in disbelief.
"That did seem surprisingly easy," Zane commented.
"Don't jinx it," Cole warned.
Then the mech began to whir. The legs twitched, and then it began to stand up again.
"See!" Cole said.
The mech looked completely fine, except for a few scorch marks on the side.
"Hah!" Garmadon said. "Is that all you've got?"
Kai growled and raised his arms to try again but Garmadon was ready. He fired several missiles at the fire ninja. Kai threw some of his fire at them and they blew up in mid-air, but some escaped and came hurtling toward them. Kai jumped to the side right as the missiles hurled into the ground and exploded.
"Kai!" Nya shouted.
"I'm okay," he said, even as he grimaced in pain. The missiles may not have hit him, but it blasted debris everywhere and some of it had hit him.
"How do you like that, Fire Ninja?" Garmadon cackled.
"Well, how do you like this?" Cole yelled and slammed his fists on the ground. Cracks ran through the ground right up to the mech. The fractured street couldn't hold up the giant shark mech's weight and it sank into the ground.
"Gah! How are you guys doing that?" Garmadon demanded, even as he pulled the mech out of the hole.
"Freeze, Garmadon," Zane said, as he froze one of the legs of the mech so it couldn't move anymore.
The mech head looked down at its leg, as if it couldn't understand why it wouldn't move. Then Garmadon shot a missile at it. The ice shattered and Garmadon's mech climbed the rest of the way out.
Jay tried shooting lightning at the mech, but it didn't even slow it down. "How do we stop this thing?" he cried, as the ninja were forced backwards.
"You can't!" Garmadon crowed. "Face it, ninja, you're nothing without your mechs."
"What?" Jay asked, exchanging confused looks with the other ninja, who shrugged.
"Oh, yeah?" Nya growled. She threw her arm out and a nearby fire hydrant exploded.
"That's a neat party trick, but I don't see what that could possibly—"
Nya shot the water at the mech, and it poured through the cracks of the mech, soaking Garmadon and all the electronics inside the mech. It began to spark and froze in mid-step.
"Yeah! Way to go, Nya!" Jay shouted.
Nya grinned at him, but Garmadon was recovering, and he didn't look happy.
"Good thing I had those backup systems installed," Garmadon muttered to himself. He flipped a few switches and the mech started up again.
"Again?" Kai complained.
"This thing just doesn't know when to quit!" Jay complained.
"Perhaps if we work together…" Zane suggested.
"Good idea, Zane!" Cole said. "Earth!"
The already destabilized street completely fractured and opened a large sinkhole under the mech.
"Fire!" Kai yelled, blasting the mech while it was already down.
"Lightning!" Bolts of electricity joined Kai's flames, adding extra power. When they stopped, the metal of the mech was melted and dented, but the ninja weren't done yet.
"Ice!" Zane yelled, freezing most of the mech.
"If that doesn't stop it, I don't know what will," Jay said.
The cockpit of the mech began smoking, and the shield surrounding it popped off. Garmadon jumped out, coughing all the way.
"Man, I did not see that coming. You brats got lucky."
"What do you mean, lucky?" Kai asked hotly.
"Speaking of brats, where is the Green Ninja?" Garmadon asked not answering Kai.
"Right here," Lloyd answered, coming out of his hiding place to face his father. He hated staying hidden while his friends fought for him, but the plan only worked if he came out after Garmadon was out of his mech.
Garmadon looked up from his still smoking mech to see his son coming towards him. "I blame the ninja for brainwashing you into thinking you're the Green Ninja, Luh-loyd," he sighed, shaking his head. "Where is the real Green Ninja?"
"We did not brainwash him. Lloyd is the Green Ninja," Zane told Garmadon.
"That's exactly what you want him to think," Garmadon answered. The ninja all looked at each other in confusion. The warlord turned his attention back to his son. "So, did you change your mind and decide to join me?"
"No."
"Then why are you here?"
"I want to know why you want to conquer Ninjago so badly?" Lloyd asked.
"Because there's something very, very special there," Garmadon replied.
"What?" Lloyd asked, trying to get Garmadon talking.
"About 16 years ago, I lost something that I never should have given up." Garmadon was staring off into space, obviously thinking of whatever it was, but Lloyd wasn't sure it was enough to send him back to his Ninjago.
"What was it?" Lloyd pressed.
"I had this guitar in college and I traded it stupidly for like a jacket or something," Garmadon answered, frowning.
"That's it? Are you sure there isn't something else?" Lloyd asked, as he motioned to the ninja who moved in a little closer. Jay had the teapot behind his back.
Garmadon thought again. "No, don't think so."
That was not enough to go by, Lloyd thought. "Listen, if you really wracked your brain, could you think of any other reason?"
"Well, there is someone in Ninjago that I love very much," Garmadon answered, clasping his upper two hands together.
"Yeah?" Lloyd asked. The others were now right next to their leader, ready for action when Lloyd gave them the signal.
"I remember when I first laid eyes on him."
"Go on."
"I guess it was about 16 years ago too."
"Okay."
"I was just an irresponsible kid and…" Garmadon paused.
"Yeah?" Lloyd prompted, thinking this had to be it.
"There was this guy who made probably the best sushi I ever had in my life. You never knew what was coming next. And you didn't even order. It was one of those places where you didn't even get a menu."
"Omakase?" Lloyd asked, familiar with the type of place, having heard of the concept before.
"Is that the name of the place?" Garmadon asked.
"No, it just means that he brings it to you…" Lloyd tried to correct him.
"That is," the warlord cut Lloyd off. "That's the name of the place!"
Lloyd shrugged and motioned to Jay to throw the tea, since Garmadon was clearly thinking of whatever restaurant he'd been to in his world.
Jay crept closer, not wanting to waste the tea on a poor throw, when suddenly…
"My Lord Garmadon, what exactly are you doing?" Harumi demanded. As soon as she'd seen the news, Harumi had rushed over to Ninjago city to try to rejoin her hero, and she was glad she did. Garmadon had gotten distracted. Again.
Garmadon glanced over at her and blinked. "Ayumi? What are you doing here?"
Jay froze and glanced at Lloyd, as if to ask, what now? Lloyd looked back helplessly, and then looked back at Garmadon and Harumi, hoping to find another opening.
"It's Harumi, my lord," she said through gritted teeth, "and I'm here to help you. Have you forgotten? You're supposed to be conquering Ninjago."
"And I will. When I want to. But right now you need to chill. Go eat some sushi or something. Omakase has some great sushi," he mused, turning completely turning away from Harumi.
Harumi balled her fists and growled. She'd put up with his ridiculous behavior long enough. She marched over to the warlord to give him a piece of her mind. Meanwhile, Lloyd waved Jay on. It was now or risk Garmadon being hopelessly distracted.
"I didn't summon you to talk about sushi!" Harumi yelled. "Or sharks! Or any of your other ridiculous obsessions! You were supposed to do what I said!"
Garmadon narrowed his eyes. "Look, Ayumi, I know you're my fan club president, or whatever, but that doesn't mean you can order me around. I do what I want, when I want."
"But I summoned you!" Harumi all but screamed. "I spent eight years researching, planning, gathering the oni masks. I brought you back from the dead! You owe me!"
Finally, Jay made it within easy throwing range of Garmadon. He wound up...
"I don't owe you anything," Garmadon snorted. "Now if you excuse me, there's a bowl of sushi with my name on it—"
And Jay threw, dosing Garmadon and Harumi in Traveler's Tea.
"What the?" Garmadon asked, even as he fell through the glowing purple portal. He faintly heard Ayumi screaming beside him before suddenly getting cut off. Then he slammed into a barstool at the counter of a strangely familiar restaurant.
"G-garmadon!" the man behind the counter yelped. "What are you doing here?"
Garmadon groaned, clutching his head with his upper arms, even as his lower arms steadied himself against the counter. "Man, what the heck was in that tea? It was even worse than my stupid brother Wu's." He glanced up at the sign above the counter. "Oh, hey! Omakase! I was just thinking about this place!"
"Huh?" The man asked, frozen in place for a moment. "Are you…okay?"
"Yeah," Garmadon snorted, already back to his normal self. "Now give me your best plate of sushi. I'm starving!"
As the warlord watched the man scramble away to make his food, he faintly wondered what happened to that crazy fan club president of his…
Harumi crashed into the orange, dusty ground, coughing as she went. As she took in her surroundings, she realized she somehow had gotten separated from Garmadon. She growled under breath when suddenly, a dragon rushed overhead, almost as if it was flying away from something.
Where was she? It certainly didn't look like Ninjago anymore.
Without warning, thick chains wrapped around her body and she fell to the ground. Strange people with white faces and metal clothes came and dragged her away, saying something about shape-shifting oni.
Oh no!
AN: Welp Harumi is in trouble now! Sunny Lighter gave the idea for the Ninja getting caught on their way out and also for Harumi ending up where she did-which take some guesses as to where that is...There will be an epilogue to follow. And after that, EMPFangirl02 and Sunny Lighter came up with some great ideas for Bonus Scenes that we couldn't fit into the main story, so stick around for those as well, I think you will enjoy them! Thanks for the reviews, follows and favorites!