Not relevant to anything, but none of my friends particularly like Ninjago. However, my roommate always has to hear it Wednesday nights and she's actually starting to tolerate it. It's just funny watching her show interest in it and then go "what am I even saying?". So, yeah, new chapter. Update time!
Chapter Seven: Bargains
"The City of Ouroboros should be right over this hill" Kai puffed, helping Laurie over an unusually high sand dune. "It's actually pretty amazing, the architecture I mean." He gazed at the girl who stood next to him, her red hair hidden beneath her mask.
"All I can make out is torch light" Laurie said, taking a seat on the soft sand. "I hope Lloyd is okay. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if he was hurt".
The red ninja sat down next to her, removing his mask. "You really care about him, don't you?" he sighed. "I thought it was part of your charade, your love for him."
Laurie removed her mask as well, holding it in her hands. The slight breeze of the desert blew around the few strands of hair that had fallen out of her bun. "I do love Lloyd. When he wanted to become just like my father, I hated him for it and then he was sent off to Darkley's. I never got the chance to tell him that I didn't hate him for his admiration." She looked at Kai, his spiky brown hair silhouetted against the night sky. "I know you don't believe me, that my father did something to me. I really believed you and your friends had kidnapped him. That wasn't all me. I think that blow I took to the head knocked some sense into me. I'm sorry for accidently deceiving you" Laurie smiled crookedly.
Kai rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand. "Don't worry about it" he apologized. "I can be a real jerk sometimes. I jump to conclusions a lot and I assumed the worst of you, just like I did of Lloyd when Sensei saved him from Pythor the first time. It was wrong of me to judge you because of whom your father is and I realize that now." He looked at Laurie who was staring at the city, the torch light reflecting red in her eyes. "Will you forgive me?" She continued to look straight ahead, dropping her orange mask. "Laurie, are you feeling okay?"
"She's not herself at the moment" hissed a voice from behind. Skales stood at the bottom of the sand dune, staff in hand. "I'm afraid you'll have to get back to her with that sentimental apology."
Avoiding Skales' eyes, Kai turned to Laurie, shaking her shoulder slightly. "C'mon we have to go." She sat motionless, her breathing even. "Skales is coming and we have to save your brother" he cried, grabbing her mask from off of the ground. "Here, put this on right…" Kai stopped as he looked at Laurie's eyes: bright red and glowing.
"Useless without a command, isn't she?" the Hypnobrai General laughed, wrapping his tail around Kai's wrist. He struggled against it, leaning forward. "Give up fighting, ninja. You're caught and there's nothing you can do about it." Kai stopped his struggle and thrust his fist backwards, coming into contact with the serpent's face. He cried out, his eyes returning to their normal red.
Laurie fell to her side. "Kai, where are you?" she called. "What's going on?"
"If he loses concentration of his victim, they snap out of the trance" he breathed, freeing his wrist from Skales' grip and pulling on his mask. Kai lunged forward, handing Laurie her mask and helping her to her feet. "You went back into a trance. We have to go before Skales can get to you again. Run!"
The two ninja ran towards the looming city that grew closer with every step. "Is Skales close?" Laurie asked, winded. Sweat was beading on her forehead, her mask in one hand and Kai's hand in the other.
"I'm not sure" he replied, his voice shaking. "I'm hoping we left him far behind." Kai felt Laurie slow slightly and he turned back to see how she was doing. Laurie was dabbing her forehead with her mask, eyes slightly unfocused.
"Kai, I'm feeling funny" she breathed. "Where are we going?" The whites of her eyes were becoming pink as she trudged along, looking at the sand.
"Hold on Laurie, try to focus on saving your brother. We're almost to Ouroboros." Kai fell flat on his back, hands still locked with Laurie's. He glanced upwards, staring at Laurie who stood above him, eyes glowing. "No" he growled, as Skales' silhouette separated itself from the darkness.
"Laurie Garmadon belongs to me, ninja!" he snapped, placing a hand on her shoulder. His glowing eyes matched the intensity of an early sunset. "No matter how far you run or how well you hide, a trance can easily be turned on or off. We Hypnobrai have been mastering it since the dawn of time. Your only chances of truly saving Lord Garmadon's daughter belong to us Serpentine."
Kai looked towards Ouroboros, feeling defeated. "You knew we were coming" he sighed. "I bet you already have Lloyd in the city." Letting go of Laurie's hand, he stood and brushed the sand off of his uniform. "I promise I'll go quietly."
Skales laughed, "Smart choice, ninja." He wrapped his tail around the red ninja's wrist and led him forward. "Follow me, Laurie" Skales commanded as he made his was towards the city.
She fell in line with Kai who looked back in disgust. He was blaming himself for the whole ordeal. If he had not left Laurie alone he would have been able to help her when she initially met Skales. "Dammit" he whispered to himself as the sand turned to stone. Kai looked up and saw two cages sitting on a platform in front of the restored Great Devourer statue. Lloyd peered out of one, his face falling.
Skales shoved Kai into the empty cage, locking the door behind him. Lifelessly, the red ninja sat on the metal floor, his knees up to his chin, watching as the Hypnobrai led Laurie into Lloyd's cage.
"Laurie!" Lloyd squeaked, hugging his sister as Skales shut the door, his eyes returning to normal.
Groaning, Laurie looked around. "What happened?" she asked, confused. The small arms around her waist startled her, until she saw a familiar bowl haircut. "Lloyd!" she gasped, returning the hug. "What's going on?"
"We're in Ouroboros" replied Kai, leaning back against the bars of his cage.
Realization spread across her face. "This is my fault. I had another blackout before we got here. Did I hurt you, Kai?"
Kai gave a slight smile, happy to see that she was worried about him. "No you didn't hurt me. I'm just sorry that we didn't truly get you back. Now we're stuck here and I told the others not to come" he sighed. "Skales has exactly what he wanted: you two."
Lloyd pulled away from his sister and leaned against the cage. "Pythor knew you guys were coming. I think he sent Skales out in anticipation."
"Silence" Pythor commanded, banging his staff against the dusty stone. The three ninja fell silent, staring at their captor. "Generals, let me have your attention. We have successfully captured Lord Garmadon's children. In due time we will make our demands through blackmail, but first…" he approached Kai who narrowed his eyes in defiance, "I think we should take care of the rest of the ninja."
"They won't come, Pythor" smiled Kai. "I told the others not to follow me. I told them that I would be back soon."
Pythor chortled. "You will be going back soon, to lead the ninja here. Then we will have more collateral to offer Lord Garmadon."
"What makes you think that I would do that?"
Fangtom approached the cage that housed Lloyd and Laurie, opened the door and pulled the green ninja out. "Let…me…go!" choked Lloyd as the Fangpyre held the boy high in the air by his shirt collar.
"Stop!" yelled Laurie, lunging for the open door, but she grew still and silent.
"I command you to stop, Laurie Garmadon" hissed Skales. "Stay in the cage, quietly".
"Yes, Skales" she answered in a monotone voice, leaning back against the bars of the cage as Fangtom turned towards Pythor.
"Ninja, do you refuse to lead the others back here?" the Anacondrai asked, a smirk pulling at the edge of his lips. Kai crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to answer. His spiky hair in the torch light threw shadows over the General. "Very well then; Fangtom, you may continue."
The Fangpyre General held a grin on each face. "With pleasure, Pythor" he laughed, digging a pair of fangs into the young boy's shoulder. Lloyd screamed out in pain as the snake threw him back into the cage.
"Lloyd, no!" yelled Kai, gripping the metal that imprisoned him. He felt dizzy and helpless, but turned back to Pythor. "If I do this for you…" he started, gritting his teeth, "will you give Lloyd the anti-venom?"
"Once you have brought the other three ninja and the samurai, I will give the young Garmadon his medicine. Though I would hurry if I were you" Pythor grinned wickedly, "there's no telling how fast the venom will spread through his body." He unlatched the door on Kai's cage, allowing the ninja to step out. "Of course, we won't let you go without a few safety measures."
Skales stood in front of the red ninja. Kai looked back at Pythor and frowned. "I'm already agreeing to lead my friends into a trap, why would you want to control me?"
"It's precautionary" the Hypnobrai hissed, rattling his tail.
Kai avoided his gaze and continued to look at Pythor. "If I refuse this precautionary measure what will happen?"
"I'm sure Skalidor would love to take out some stress on the girl. In her state she would not be able to fight back."
"Fine" Kai sighed, turning to Skales. "Go ahead."
The rhythmic rattling was extremely soothing to the red ninja as he looked into the snake's glowing red eyes. He felt his mind slipping away, becoming fuzzy. Slowly, his brown eyes grew a deep maroon and he stood, facing the General. "What shall I do for you?" he asked in a dream-like state.
"Lead the ninja and samurai back here without showing signs of your allegiance" Skales commanded, his tail slithering back and forth across the ground.
"Yes, Skales, I will do as you command" Kai replied before running back towards Ninjago City.
Lloyd coughed, his small frame shaking uncontrollably. "The ninja will figure out that Kai is being controlled" he managed through chattering teeth. "Then you won't have your collateral, or whatever, to give to my father."
The Anacondrai looked annoyed with the young ninja and rattled the cage. "Listen here, brat" he barked, showing his fangs. "If the ninja figure out that it is a trap, then they won't come. If they don't come, well…" Pythor gave a dark chuckle, "you will eventually turn into one of us." He motioned for the other Generals to follow him. "I'm sure your father would love to have a Serpentine son and comatose daughter." The snakes disappeared into a cave carved out of a dilapidated section of rock.
The green ninja turned to his sister. "L-Laurie, please snap out of it…" Lloyd begged in between his shakes. Sweat began to bead on his forehead in the cool night air. Reluctantly, he pulled his uniform away from the shoulder where he was bitten. The skin around it was turning a sickly shade of green. "Soon I'll start to get scales" Lloyd whimpered, hugging his knees close to his body and looking at his sister for comfort.
Laurie stayed quiet, standing against the bars of the cage. Her mental absence tormented her brother who wanted nothing more but comfort in his grim situation. A tear escaped from one of Lloyd's ducts and he wiped it away quickly. He did not want the ninja to fall for Kai's trick, but he was secretly hoping that they would; counteracting the venom coursing though his body was the only thing on the green ninja's mind. Sniffling, he curled up on the metal floor and fell asleep.
Everything just took a turn for the worst. Will the ninja fall for such a trick? I don't know, but you will have to wait until tomorrow to find out, sorry. As always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and thank you so much for reading! :D