A/N: Just wanted to tell you guys that this story will be on a short break from the week of the 28th (12/28) to sometime in January. I will try to get as many chapters out as I can before then, but there won't be a lot because 1, I'd like to tie the end of this story in to the beginning of Ninjago season 6, which will be coming out in Europe next month, and 2, it's finals week for me right now and I'm getting crushed to death by a rock called stress. I'll try to do as much as I can though~
After helping Cass, Sammie, and Nya roll up their sleeping bags and take them back to their rooms, I walked outside with Lloyd, waiting for Ronin to wake up so we could see what his visit was all about. Even though my thoughts from last night were still picking at me, I insisted that I join him on the walk. This wouldn't hurt anything, right?
Though, I couldn't help but stare at his features (well, it was kind of impossible not to. I mean, when you have a crush on someone you kinda stare at them, right? Don't lie.). I admired his platinum blond hair, his emerald green eye and his bright red eye, his slightly tan skin, the small smile he had on his face 80% of the time, and just the way his hair was styled. I couldn't help but admire his body, too (I hope this doesn't sound awkward). Lloyd wasn't really as muscular as the other guys on the team, but I didn't really care. You love someone's personality more than their looks, right?
I couldn't help but think though, does Lloyd admire my physical appearance too? I don't really find myself that attractive. I mean, just look at me. My skin's really pale, I'm really short, my legs aren't long at all, I look like I haven't eaten in days, and I'm pretty sure my voice is as annoying as heck. That's how people feel about high-pitched voices anyway. Lloyd couldn't possibly admire these things. Though, maybe he does?
"Eh...I probably should have drained Alex of his energy back at the forest. We wouldn't still be dealing with him then," the sudden sound of Lloyd speaking startled me, making me snap out of my brief period of admiring him. The master of energy looked over at me, a little concerned.
"Everything okay?" he asked, noticing my jump from being startled. I nodded, scratching my head nervously.
"Uh...yeah...just...um...s-saw a spider. Yeah, a spider!" I answered quickly, trying to shove my hands into the pockets I don't have. I had forgotten that I was wearing a skirt and not shorts. God, I must look like such a weirdo right now.
Lloyd chuckled. "Yeah, I guess they're a little creepy. I liked releasing them in the rooms of people who bullied me though. When I was a kid of course."
I raised my eyebrows in surprised. He was bullied? And he released spiders in his tormenters' rooms? It was hard to believe the Lloyd of the past was the Lloyd of now. I quickly changed the subject, not wanting to reawaken Lloyd's memories of being bullied.
"You wanted to drain all of Alex's energy?" I questioned. Lloyd nodded. How though!?
"Doesn't usually take a long time for you to do that though? How would you even get Alex to be still?" I asked.
"I can speed up and slow down the process at will. So, if I wanted to completely drain him of energy and kill him, I could do it in a snap with one touch," Lloyd explained, causing me to raise an eyebrow. Wait, didn't he tell me it took a while? And that time when I needed energy to pull an all nighter and he held my hand for the longest time...
I could feel my face burning with a blush immediately as I realized why it took so long that day. He wanted it to take a long time! Why? He wanted to hold my hand! I could just faint right now! You know what this could mean, right!?
"Uh, are you sure you're alright? Your face is really red. Is it too hot out here?" Lloyd asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. If my face wasn't red enough earlier, it is now. I instantly wrapped my scarf around my nose and mouth, trying to hide my blushing and embarrassment.
"Nope. Just a benefit of having pale skin, haha. Er...we should go inside. Ronin's probably up by now you know," I spoke quickly, turning towards the tea shop and walking in it's direction. I once again tried to shove my hands in my nonexistent pockets, trying to escape this embarrassing situation as fast as I could. Though, I had to hope my blush would fade once I joined my friends, otherwise I would be questioned as to why my face is a shade of bright red. I don't feel like being teased today.
"Damn, all that alcohol is givin' me a pounding headache. Why do you all have to start talking to me now?" Ronin complained as he sat down in the living room, rubbing his head. Sensei sighed.
"Maybe that will teach you not to binge drink so much," the old man claimed, walking forward with his staff. Ronin crossed his arms and muttered under his breath, his only eye glaring at Sensei Wu.
"So, what do you want?" Ronin asked, reclining slightly in the chair, beginning to look quite uninterested.
"Well, we wanted to ask why you're here. We realize you arrived here under the influence of alcohol, but obviously we were on your mind enough for you to come here," Misako answered him before Wu could, speaking in a much gentler voice. Ronin's cheeks became slightly pink.
"I may or may not have missed a few old friends...but I had something to do and didn't know if you all wanted to get involved in it," he informed everyone. Sensei Wu turned and looked at us, most likely about to ask us about the deal with Alex. I stepped up to answer immediately.
"I doubt he'll be bothering us anytime soon, Sensei. We can handle whatever Ronin's got for us," I smiled confidently. Ronin craned his neck over Sensei's shoulder, looking quite surprised.
"Oh, didn't even know you were here, Pipsqueak," he smirked. I huffed, annoyed by his nickname for me.
"I thought I told you not to call me that!" I gritted my teeth. The renegade samurai shrugged.
"But it's fitting," he defended. I stomped my foot in frustration. Ugh, when will this guy quit!?
"Ragnvald, please be respectful," Sensei told Ronin, looking quite annoyed as well, "Now, what is this issue you want us to join you in?"
"Fine," Ronin glared at Sensei again, possibly for the mentioning of his actual name, then began, "So, I got into this deal with a guy after mistaking him for a woman to where he would make a mech for me like Mr. Roboto's. I've been waiting for months and I still haven't gotten it, so I'm thinking about infiltrating his place to see what's up and why I haven't gotten my mech yet."
I rubbed my chin. Mistook him for a woman? Wait...there's only one person I know who that could happen to!
"Could you perhaps describe this person?" Zane requested, to which Ronin nodded.
"Well, his hair is almost as long as Nya's...some weird-ass blue eyes...about as tall as Jay...a voice that doesn't quite fit his look...he's got some really bright orange hair."
Looks like my assumption was right. Ronin had run into Alex.
"Um, Ronin...we're actually in a sort of fight with that guy too," Cole told the renegade samurai. Ronin raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Wait, he conned you guys too!?" he asked, to which Nya nodded.
"I guess you could say that. It's a little more than that, though."
"What do you mean?" Ronin leaned forward to listen. Kai stepped forward immediately.
"He freakin' abducted me and made some sort of clone of me that freakin' terrorized the team!" he exclaimed, before walking over and gesturing towards Lilly and Zane, "He made this clone even attack them! And now he's got Pixal!"
Ronin nodded, then squinted. "Pixal is Zane's robot wife, right?"
"Well, we are not technically married..." the nindroid replied, looking flustered.
"Anyway...I think this guy, Alex, may have made a clone of me, too. When we were exiting the forest, I could sense an electrical energy similar to mine, and there was no way any of you were projecting it. I'm 70% sure there's a clone of me now out there," Jay informed us all, looking a little scared. I gave a surprised look. Wait, why didn't he tell us about this earlier!?
"Jay, why didn't you say anything about it?" Misako questioned, looking at the master of lightning. Jay looked at the floor.
"I was...kinda scared, okay? Never before have I sensed electrical energy similar to mine, and I was just frightened," he admitted, fidgeting with the zipper on his jacket. Nya gave a sympathetic look.
"It's alright, Jay. I would have been scared too," she sympathized with him. The master of lightning looked up, a small smile appearing on his face. Ronin then cleared his throat, catching everyone's attention.
"So, are you guys going through with this or not? I need to know because I plan to give this guy a lil' visit tomorrow night," he said, looking at us all. Jay stepped forward immediately.
"We'll do it. Just tell us the plan and we'll be ready to go," the freckled ninja spoke for us all, a slightly more determined look on his face now. Ronin smirked.
"I knew you guys would."
From there, Ronin explained his plan. We'd go to where Alex is hiding under the cover of night and enter the building through all of it's entrances. Everyone would be in pairs, as there is six doors. Lloyd and me, Cass and Cole, Lilly and Hunter, Nathan and Kai, Jay and Zane, and Ronin & Sammie (much to Nathan's dismay.).
Lilly and Ronin would be able to identify the building and Ronin would identify it's entrances. We all would have a different entrance to go through so we could have Alex surrounded.
I had to admit, I felt very confident about this plan. It was perfect. It was enough to end this once and for all!
Oh, how I hope we have luck on our side tomorrow.