A/N) Sorry it took so long guys my computer is really stupid sometimes. I gotta get a new one. Anyway, the plot starts rising here so have fun!
Garmadon looked hard and long at the moon. The night was silent, as usual. But that moon. It was in a normal shape, almost full. He knew in two weeks it would rise black and full.
It meant bad things. Once the curse of the Eye of Neero was released, this Dyron fool could posses any mortal with it. He would have the unfathomable powers of past evil and the ability to turn Ninjago upside down.
He shuddered, his light kimono sleeves folded up to mid elbow. He remembered what it was like, to feel the power. To yearn for the day when he could turn Ninjago himself.
His heart ached with guilt. Many deeds swarmed and hardened into guilt. Deeds he could never replace, or wipe away. He took a deep breath of the night air. Leaning over the balcony rail slightly, closing his eyes.
He couldn't no matter how much he wanted too, to change what he had done. The only thing now was to help for the better, maybe ease his past misdeeds.
But the guilt... it wouldn't go away.
Unlike most villains, Garmadon had a heart. Just powers beyond their control changed it for awhile. Dyron... he reminded Garmadon of himself from what the ninja's have told him. It was an uncomfortable feeling.
A very uncomfortable feeling.
Was he really no better then this mad young monster? Had he been better or worse? Questions often burned in his mind. Questions he didn't allow himself to ask out loud.
And that girl. There was something there. Something far more then the eye could tell. She was borne in shadows , raised in shadows, lived in shadows, and now... emerged from shadows.
How was it that someone who wasn't supposed to have any kind of soul except black was now becoming a part of this family.
He laughed to himself, much like him at one point.
He and Wu had sensed a bigger soul in this girl. A soul that didn't belong in the shadows it was encased in. Maybe she would see that too. Soon.
But then that symbol.
He had seen it. So had Wu, though neither had mentioned it to anybody yet.
If Misako was translating correctly then... she belonged in the shadows.
But it couldn't be.
There had to be some mistake. Unless their judge of character wasn't as good as they thought. But still, that girl... he couldn't place his finger on it, there was just something, familiar about her.
What could it be...?
It was a bad idea.
Of course it was a bad idea, it was a Jay idea.
Cole bit his lip as he followed closely behind their group. They were all out, dressed in normal clothes. On the idea of Jay, who insisted they had to show Ashlyn what a normal life looked like. What a normal city looked like.
It was a nice idea if you were a normal person, But they weren't, and Cole couldn't shake this feeling that this was probably going to end somewhere bad.
He sighed, pushing the sleeves of his grey hoodie up to his elbows. That feeling still not leaving his gut alone. Just forget it Cole... just paranoia. That's all.
Yah, the same paranoia that felt Croc freak following.
It was right.
He swallowed. Hoping he was wrong.
"And this is where plenty of young people, mostly females, come to hang out." Jay was pointing at the biggest mall in Ninjago city. "Let's go check it out!"
That was an even worse idea. All those people... Innocent people. What if Croc decides to come back, or worse, this nut case boss... people could get hurt.
"Um Jay maybe we shouldn't-"
But Jay was already leading Ashlyn in. Kai, Nya and Lloyd followed closely.
Zane stayed behind, watching Cole.
"Cole? Are you all right?" He asked calmly, tilting his head in that curious way of his.
The black haired ninja shook his head, "Yah... just can't shake this paranoia off is all, sorry Zane. I'm sure it's nothing..."
Zane nodded, wordlessly understanding.
"But, just in case, keep a look out huh."
Zane nodded again and they both went into the shopping plaza. Now both aware.
"Clothes! That's the thing you chics dig. Lot's and lots of Clothes!" Jay pointed to all the different girl clothing stores.
Nya giggled, "Then why are you so excited about it?" She teased.
Jay shrugged, "Just trying to get her in the mood. Ashlyn? In the mood yet?"
Ashlyn looked at him, "I'm not sure. What does that even mean?"
Kai laughed at Jay's dumbfounded expression, "It means, Ashlyn," He threw an arm around her small shoulders, "That you should get excited for all the girly junk you see. Like my sister. Tough act all around but when it comes to clothes and jewelry..." He winked at his sister who pretended to pout, "Can't get enough of the stuff. Why don't you try. Go on. Spend some time with Nya."
"Yah, while us guys do what we're better known for on these trips." Lloyd gave her a lopsided grin, "Hanging around and playing video games!"
And they were off. Zane and Cole were left with Nya and Ashlyn. They looked at each other.
"Well... go ahead Nya, show Ashlyn around." Cole said uneasily. Still unsure about this trip.
Nya, still on her jealousy trail, took a deep breath and nodded. She could ignore this senseless feeling, besides it wasn't like Ashlyn was naturally flawless. She was just hiding her Flaws, Nya smiled to herself, yes, unlike herself, this girl hid who she really was.
She could pretend to be a friend.
"Yah, ok. Come on Ashlyn." Nya took Ashlyn's pale arm and dragged her towards a dress shop.
Cole gnawed at the inside of his cheek and sat on a mall bench, his eyes glued to that store. Zane joined him, an air of slight tenseness around him too.
"Well, I suppose all we can do is wait. "Zane tried to comfort his friend.
Cole shrugged, "Huh, yah, morbid isn't it."
Zane silently agreed.
"Oh, this one's a nice color! You should totally try it." Nya threw a yellow dress towards Ashlyn.
Who was already practically buried underneath all the dresses she 'should' try on, or 'that were her color'. Now she wasn't an expert on normal human behavior but it seemed as if Nya was trying to avoid talking to her normally as much as possible, that's why she was flitting across the store basically talking to herself, not letting Ashlyn get in a word edgewise.
Nya buried her face in a pile of pink themed dresses.
Ashlyn dropped her load. That was it. She wanted to talk to Nya, she didn't want to be hated, or thrown back into the dark were she had crawled out of. Slowly, unsure, she advanced towards Nya.
A bigger shadow fell on her from behind. Before she had a chance to think a huge hand slapped over her mouth, clipped something around her neck, that made it instantly impossible for her to move or use her powers.
She couldn't scream, or move, or anything. Nya didn't even realize she was being dragged off!
"Ok, here, this is a nice one. Now lets go and-" Nya stopped the dress fell from her fingers, "Ashlyn?" She was gone!
Suddenly Nya was gripped with fear, all mean spirited thoughts vanished, "Oh no, oh god... what if-!" She gasped, starting to become frantic. She ran to the front of the shop.
"Excuse me, did you see a petit girl, black hair, purple eyes, extremely pale, walk out of here?"
The woman looked at her, "No." Then she went back to her magazine.
Nya nearly choked her horrid indifferent neck. But deciding that would take too much time, she ran out... Cole? Zane? They were both gone. Oh man... quickly she ran off to find her brother.
Cole and Zane were busy chasing the freak that had the stupidity to try and sneak out of the shop with an unconscious girl.
"Come on! He went that way." Cole directed as they dodged shoppers and jumped over benches.
Zane nodded heading for the escalader. Maybe he could see better if he was OVER this mess of people.
His sharp eyes scanned the black buzz until he spotted the hulking man, shoving past on old woman knocking her down.
Cole was already headed there. Good, Zane had an idea.
He couldn't believe this, he was right. Ugh, why did he have to be right on this of all things?! Croc really was stalking them and he was after Ashlyn.
Oh god, who knows what that freak of a master has planned for her. Cole shuddered in his thoughts.
I can't let him take her. He ran faster.
He can't win... His heart was in his ears, he ignored some stray fruit that rolled underneath his feet.
I'm not going to let him.
He jumped, Croc in sight. Throwing himself at the bigger man. Tackling him on the ground. By now people had stopped to watch or help. Croc knocked over a police man as he stumbled to his feet. He shoved two children away making one fall into the indoor fountain.
Cole helped the police up, picked the child out, and apologized to all. Still running after the idiot.
If he made it out of the store... They would never catch him.
His heart jumped in his throat. They would never see Ashlyn again.
I will never see Ashlyn again...
Croc figured he was home free as he reached the door, mall security couldn't stand against his strength and size. He knocked them down like bowling pins. Suddenly his whole world went black.
Zane had jumped from above and landed on him with a heavy tarp.
Croc shook, and failed around angrily. He was NOT going to fail again. He gripped Ashlyn tighter, nearly squeezing the rest of her soul out of her. With one huge roar he punched Zane, who landed on Cole, threw the tarp on them both and bolted out of the door, Ashlyn clutched tightly in his hands, disappearing down the street before either ninja could regain their stance.
The tarp flew off, just as Jay, Nya, Lloyd, and Kai came running up, a second too late.
Zane and Cole both looked disheveled and angry.
"What happened!?" Kai asked helping Cole up.
"I-that Croc rock came and he-he..." Cole clenched his teeth.
Nya turned pale, biting her lip in guilt.
"He what?" Kai pressed.
Zane put a hand on Cole shoulder, composed again, "He took Ashlyn back to her cursed master."
Jay's eyes widened, "He, what!"
They all silently agreed to get out of this place and go home. Perhaps their mission was closer to happening then they realized.
Jay looked over at Cole, slightly guilty, "I'm sorry guys. I should have listened to Cole. I didn't mean to-"
"It's ok Jay. We'll get her back. Or else we aren't worthy of the name Ninja." Cole reassured him slightly trying to make himself feel better too.
Jay nodded, not convinced. But he knew he was going to do whatever It took to see that Ashlyn was brought back in one piece.
He set his mind.
Whatever it took to finish this mess.