Requested by: Gamer Katie

Request: Cryptor/Zane

Warnings: Yaoi, hero x villain ship

General Cryptor always thought of Zane as being nothing but an outdated piece of junk. Perhaps it was the fact that Cryptor himself was just copied from his blueprints, and simply had superior feelings towards Zane. Perhaps he was upset that he was only a copy, rather than something original. Perhaps these thoughts were just him trying to hide other feelings about the nindroid.

Truth be told, Cryptor wanted Zane on their side, even if he wasn't as advanced as the rest of the nindroids. Having a nindroid with ice powers would come in handy, especially when it came to getting rid of the Ninja. He talked it over with the Overlord one day, who agreed, and gave Cryptor the task of recruiting Zane.

Doing so required much more effort than he thought possible, though. Zane was always with the other Ninja, and it seemed as though whenever they set up camp somewhere, he was never on lookout duty, which would have given him a window of opportunity. Cryptor didn't think it would be wise to confront him directly, and decided to wait for just the right moment to pull him aside instead.

That night, the moon was barely a crescent in the dark sky, preventing much from being seen in the shadows of the forest the Ninja were camping out in. They were still on their search for the Nindroids while Sensei Wu and Sensei Garmadon watched over New Ninjago City. The Overlord's nindroids, however, were in another campsite a little ways away from the ninja.

Cryptor was concealed within the tall bushes not far from where they set up camp, smirking beneath his mask when he heard the Ninja telling Zane to keep watch for the night. He crouched lower as the blond passed by his hiding spot, his hands folded behind his back. Zane sat down on a nearby stump, glancing back at the others. Smiling, he turned his head up to the night sky, watching the stars.

Cryptor waited until he heard the soft sound of snoring in the camp, and crept quietly through the bushes, analyzing the ground so he wouldn't step on anything that would make a lot of noise. Upon emerging from the bushes, he slid behind Zane, red eyes narrowing in concentration.

In one swift movement, he slapped his hand over Zane's mouth to silence him, wrapping his other arm around the white ninja's midsection. As Zane struggled, surprised at being caught off-guard, Cryptor dragged him away to the nindroids' base camp deeper in the woods.

He was met with curious voices once he arrived, the nindroids surrounding Cryptor and Zane in a tight circle, weapons clutched in their clawed hands, prepared to attack if Zane acted up. Cryptor released Zane once he reached the middle of the circle, shoving him onto the ground as if he weighed nothing.

Zane coughed, struggling to get back on his feet. He glared at Cryptor, white ice crystals materializing in his hands. Cryptor raised his own weapon, a laser pistol, aiming it right at the spot where he knew Zane's power source was.

Both stood in silence for a long moment, both wanting to attack first, but knowing the other would do the same. Eventually, Zane lowered his hands, the ice disappearing, but he remained focused. Cryptor, on the other hand, showed no sign of letting his guard down.

"Why have you brought me here, Cryptor?" Zane asked flatly. "I will have you know that if you hurt me, my brothers will be notified immediately, and I will not hesitate to attack you, as well."

Cryptor chuckled, grinning beneath his mask. "It's just like an outdated collection of nuts and bolts such as yourself to say something like that," he taunted. "You're backed up into a corner, and all you can do is throw empty threats."

Zane narrowed his silvery-blue eyes. "Answer my question. Why have you brought me here?"

"I have an offer for you, white ninja," he began. "Your...'friends' certainly seem to care about you a lot, don't they? But do they really care? Is all of what they do and say just an act, so you won't see how useless they think you really are?"

Zane looked taken aback at that, gulping nervously. "My friends do care about me. They would never want to hurt me."

Cryptor moved his pistol from Zane's chest, taking him by his arm and pinning him up against the side of one of their shelters, leaning in close so all Zane could see was his bright red gaze. "But after everything that has happened so far? Do you really think they'll trust you? They'll think you're ready to turn on them at any second." He gripped Zane's chin in one hand and tugged him closer. "Do you really think you will last long with them thinking that?"

Zane tried to turn his head away, and he squirmed in Cryptor's hold. "Don't try to fool me! My friends would never do anything to hurt me! And I would never turn on my friends!"

"We, however, are not like them," Cryptor went on, his grip on Zane strengthening. "We understand how you feel, because we are like you. People thinking you're emotionless, so they can say whatever they want without repercussions... We know exactly what that's like."

"I have never felt that way!" Zane insisted, his voice shaking just slightly.

"And you will never have to, white ninja, if you join us." Zane stopped struggling abruptly, staring at Cryptor incredulously. Cryptor felt a triumphant feeling sweep over him. I've finally gotten through to him. "If you join us, you'll finally be among those who understand you, and there won't be any more troubles for you. No more jokes you don't understand, no more lack of sympathy from your teammates... You'll be an asset to our side."

Zane's cold gaze never left Cryptor's eyes, and his lips trembled, as though the words he was trying to form were impossible to even think about. "I..."

"More than that, I've come to quite enjoy your presence," he murmured. "I wouldn't want to have to fight you, not when I understand you so well."

That snapped Zane out of his thoughts. He shoved Cryptor away, the glare back in his eyes. "No," he said, his voice eerily calm. "You do not understand me. You never have, and you never will." He sprinted out of the camp, dodging the nindroids that tried to reach for him again.

Cryptor glared ahead, then shouted to the nindroids, "Start packing up. He'll be back with his team soon enough." As they scrambled about, gathering up supplies left and right, Cryptor thought back on his discussion with Zane. He didn't consider it a failure. He knew he got to Zane at one point, so he at least planted a seed of doubt in his mind.

He'll be back, he thought. And when he does, he'll know whose side he should truly be on.

Was I the only one who thought Zane would join with the Overlord at one point during Rebooted? I mean, I know the comics had a little plot like that, but I really did think it would be canon at one point.

Thank you Gamer Katie for requesting this pairing! Stay tuned!