Just to let you know, the books and passage at the end of the third oneshot I don't own; they belong to their respected owners. Happy Memorial Day!
*Seven Small Treasures (sequel to Lloyd's Question)*
Alura sighed as she gazed down at what she had delivered into the world. After all that waiting, they have arrived: her seven eggs nestled in her tail and coils snuggling around them so motherly as she laid on the bed like a proud mother puma. Next to her sat Fangtom, feeling like the luckiest Serpentine in the world.
The eggs in her coils were like smooth, round jewels the size of a human fist. One egg was sapphire blue, and the second one was ruby red. The third is white with red swirls like the spirals in a Hypnobrai's eyes, and the fourth is yellow with white fang pairs. The fifth is blue with white spirals, and the sixth is red with blue fang pairs. And the last one is red and blue and sparkles like a Faberge egg.
Fangtom couldn't help but nuzzle his wife's cheek, causing her to smile alongside him.
"It seemed like only yesterday that we found out that you were going to be a mother," he sighed softly. "And now look…our eggs are hear." Alura nodded with an agreeing hum of content.
"Of course, we have to wait for some time before the little ones hatch," she said to him. "Our eggs take six months, more or less, to hatch after they're laid. These things take time but are very unpredictable."
"Such as now?" Fangtom asked, pointing at the nest. His surprised wife turned and saw that the blue-and-red "Faberge" egg is already hatching. The two of them watched as the eggshell broke, freeing the little baby into the world.
The baby Serpentine is to them the most beautiful thing they have ever seen. She is a Hypnobrai like her mother, but she has her father's glowing white eyes. Her golden spirals on her hood were replaced with red fang markings.
"Oh, Fangtom," Alura said as she took the baby into her arms with tears of joy. "She's so beautiful…"
"Yes," he purred, hugging her with a smile. "Just like you…what shall we name her?" Alura then looked down at her daughter as she sucked her thumb-claw. Her scales are as blue and sparkling like the waters of the vast ocean.
"I'm thinking…Ocea."
"That's a great name for her," her husband replied, lovingly stroking his new daughter's head. "Our little Ocea…" He then turned to his wife before kissing her on the cheek. "I love you both so much…"
"We love you too," she whispered softly as she nuzzled into his cheek.
*A Father's Love (scene in The Green Ninja; Pythor's POV)*
I turned and gasped at what I saw over my shoulders. The black samurai with four arms, whom I understood from Lloyd is his father Lord Garmadon, was braving the erupting volcano and chasing after us! I understand why he is; he wants Lloyd. Trust me. Whether he's good or evil, nothing can overcome a father's love for his child. I know what I had to do.
"Loose the boy!" I yelled to the Serpentine holding the cage on the rod. He obeyed…
Wait…what is he—oh, no! Lloyd! As the boy cried out to his father, the fool threw his cage so that it's hanging from the rod over the lava! I didn't mean like that!
But what can I do? If I rush in and save Lloyd, they'll know of my treachery. But if I don't, Lloyd will—
"Master Pythor, aren't you coming?" a Fangpyre Scout asked me, snapping me out of my thoughts. A plan then came to me at his words.
"I'll stay behind and make sure everyone else gets out," I answered him quickly. "You and the others just keep going!" He nodded without a word and left through the exit. When he did, I turned to Lloyd and concentrated on a spell through the gem on my head. With it, I can protect Lloyd from the lava rising up to him as he was climbing up to its round top.
I'm very fortunate that my tribe knows some magic of its own. It is a secret kept hidden from humans and Serpentine. And if anyone should notice my gem glowing, they will probably think it is a trick of the light from the rising lava.
I looked up to see that Garmadon has throne the last of the Serpentine over his shoulder with his lance. Oh, please, let him…Yes! The Dark Lord has made it just in time to lift Lloyd's cage out of the lava just as it had just dissolved the bottom. I then watched as he swung the cage to the safety of the steps.
"Dad!" the boy cried as he flew into his father's arms.
"Son!" he cried, hugging his child lovingly. As I watched Lloyd hug his father back with a huge teary smile, I myself feel like crying. Lloyd is safe, thanks to his father. True, I have helped, but I prefer to keep it to myself.
It's like I've mentioned before: Whether he's good or evil, nothing can overcome a father's love for his child.
*Skales' Visitor (deleted fan scene after Darkness Will Rise)*
Skales sat alone in his prison cell, coiled up comfortably on the floor in a meditative state. Despite believing that the others will come and bust him out, the Hypnobrai also knows that it will take some time…especially with Garmadon as the new Serpentine leader. And there's not much to do here in this wretched cell except wait and meditate. Boring, true, but what can he do about it?
Skales was so focused on his meditating that he failed to have noticed one of the prison guards going up to his cell.
"Skales Hypnobrai?" The Serpentine opened one eye to see the guard at the cell door, wearing dark shades to shield his eyes from his hypnotic gaze. Got to admire the humans' cleverness.
"What?" he asked, sounding rather bored and yet annoyed at the same time.
"You have a visitor," the guard answered, unlocking his cell door. Confused at this answer, Skales got up and slithered behind the guard to the visiting room. Who would be visiting him in prison? Fangtom? Nah, if it were, he'd be thrown in here with him by now.
When they got there, Skales saw who it is visiting him…Pythor! The Anacondrai sat behind the viewing window, wearing dark shades the guards provided for him to protect him from Skales' hypnotic powers. Angry as he is (considering he got him locked up her in the first place), Skales reluctantly slithered over to his seat in front of the viewing window.
"Ten minutes," the guard said to him.
"I won't be long," he replied dryly before sitting down. He then took the phone as Pythor did a moment ago.
"What do you want?" the blue snake asked the other one coldly. "Came to rub your victory against me in my face? Well, don't bother! I—"
"I came to say I'm sorry." Skales blinked with surprise at what Pythor just said. Why would he be apologizing to him?
"Sorry? But…I was the one who tried to—"
"No, I'm sorry that…you lost your leadership over the Serpentine to Garmadon."
"Huh? How did you—"?
"I found out from Fangtom, Acidicus, and Skalidor. You probably wouldn't believe me, but they blame me instead of Garmadon for your loss. I think it might have to do with my loyalty to the ninja instead of you."
"Well," Skales replied with a reluctant sigh, "I wouldn't be surprised. You did turn your back on us…and all because of his son."
"What can I say?" Pythor replied with a shrug. "Lloyd has quite the effect on me." That comment made Skales chuckled before Pythor went on.
"Also, I came to say that I talked to the ninja about getting you out of here on parole." Skales felt his heart stop at his words that he almost dropped the phone.
"Wh-What?!"
"I know it's crazy, but just hear me out," Pythor said, holding up his free hand. "Sensei and I think that if I can consider myself a good guy in the eyes of other humans, there might be hope for you. We are even considering asking the warden to let you out and asking the ninja to be your parole officers. If we're lucky, we could even get you to learn and understand more about humans than you let on through community service."
"But…why would you do all of that for me?" Skales asked. "After all I've done to you, why?"
"Because everyone deserves a second chance," Pythor answered. "Even Nya and Zane agree with me; they asked me to give you these." He then pushed through the small hole at the bottom of the window two items. One is a red tin box. The other is four books tied together with a rope.
Skales took the items with a speechless expression on his face. He'd never thought he would receive such gifts from humans, let alone from the ninja. He then looked up at Pythor.
"Uh, thanks…"
"I'll be sure to tell Nya and Zane that you said that," he said with a smile. "I'll give you plenty of time to think about our offer. In the meantime, I'm sure that you'll enjoy the books Zane picked out for you." With a respectful nod goodbye to each other, the two Serpentine hung up and went their separate ways.
Once in his cell, Skales placed the items on his cot. Curious, he gently opened the tin box. Inside were delicious chocolate chip cookies, freshly baked by the looks of it. He then untied the rope and looked at the titles of the books: Jungle Book; Beowulf; Dracula; and The Vampire Lestat. He has heard that these books are rather intriguing, but he'd never thought that he would get the chance to read them now.
Guess Zane is one humans I can get along with, Skales thought to himself, if I ever get out of here as Pythor said. Maybe I should learn more about these humans than I heard or know. But first, maybe I should look into this Dracula and find out what makes him so popular.
So he sat down onto the cot and opened the book to the first page before helping himself to one of the cookies.
"Jonathon Harker's Journal: 3 May – Bistritz
"Left Munich at 8:35 P. M, on 1st May, arriving at Vienna early next morning…"