Ninjago City, Alex's Building, 10:15 pm
Electricity traveled through the metal of the scythe, reaching the ghastly ninja, who raised an eyebrow.
"You do realize I'm a ghost?" he asked as the Bizarro ninja stared at him. A smirk appeared on the clone's face. This can't be good. He must have something up his sleeve.
"Oh, I wasn't aiming for you," Bizarro Jay chuckled sinisterly as lightning shot from the butt end of the scythe's handle. It phased through the earth ninja and hit Lloyd instead, causing me to be instantly alarmed.
"Lloyd! Are you okay!?" I asked as the master of energy twitched repeatedly from the shock. He gave thumbs up, forcing a smile as he tried to recover from the electrocution. I continued to be concerned.
"Are you sure?" I asked. He nodded.
"C-Cass and-d Cole ar-re already fi-ighting. J-just go. I'll be o-okay," Lloyd insisted. I hesitated a moment, then nodded, turning and joining my friends in battle. I slid next to Cass, who had caught Bizarro Jay's hands with the chain of her kusarigama. She pulled him towards her in a flash, pointing the crescent-shaped blade towards where she believed his chest would land. The clone instead slipped his hands out of the chains once he was close enough, kicking the female master of wind in the face and using her head as a jump boost. I dashed after him, throwing my staff as though it were a spear. I smiled as I watched the end of my staff fly towards his head, but my smile quickly faded when he turned around and caught it.
"Nice try, doll, but this isn't a spear," he smirked before throwing it back in my direction, exactly like how I threw it. I bent backwards as it flew past my face and clattered onto the floor. As I proceeded to stand up straight again, Bizarro Jay was knocked onto the floor by Lloyd, who had used an energy orb.
"Karma! Hit the lights!" the green ninja commanded, pointing at me. I nodded, snapping and letting darkness cloud the room, blocking out all light.
"Cole! Sushi!" I heard Lloyd command again. Though these were entirely new commands, I could understand what he meant. He didn't really have time to go over the commands with us anyway. Though, to be honest, I thought it would have been Cole doing the commanding.
After hearing three swishes of a blade, I cleared the room of darkness, revealing the clone of Jay with black steam pouring from his midsection and arms. He looked unimpressed through.
"Always ruinin' the fun, aren't ya, Lloyd? Funny how you search for fun and joy in life but you never seem to give it," the clone stared up at him, smiling. I narrowed my eyes and walked over to the Bizarro ninja, jabbing his midsection with my staff.
"That's enough out of you," I said as I watched the top section of his body slide off the lower one and disappear into black steam. The lower section proceeded to do the same, the steam beginning to give off the smell of ammonia. I pinched my nose in response to the scent, quickly moving out of the room with the others. Once safely in a separate room, I looked over at Lloyd.
"Hey, don't think about a word that stupid clone said, okay? He's just trying to hurt you with lies," I told him as he looked back at me, his red and green eyes showing hints of doubt. He nodded.
"Yeah, that clone was full of crap," Cass added, looking at him as well, "but god, that stunk."
"Yeah...Kai's clone didn't emit a smell like that though," I recalled, cringing when I remembered the smell Jay's clone made. Cole rubbed his chin.
"Odd. You think they were made with different materials or something?" the master of earth asked. I nodded.
"Maybe. That could explain why Jay's clone had elemental abilities and Kai's didn't," I said, "But I'm not a pro at clone-making...or biology, so...who knows."
"You could be ri-" Before Cass could finish, we heard someone approaching quickly. We all turned to see Nya running up, a panicked look on her face.
"Nya? What's wrong?" Cass asked as the female master of water approached. Nya paused to catch her breath before speaking again.
"You guys need to see this..." she panted, beginning to run back the way she came. Before she could move any farther though, a rumble shook the building, causing us all to stumble.
"I don't recall there ever being fault lines by the City!" I exclaimed, placing a hand on the wall to keep my balance. The fault lines were usually up by the mountainous areas of the country, but the earthquakes were usually small and not as serious as this.
"Karma...this isn't an earthquake," Nya informed me as she continued to try to go the other way as the building shook, "It's something else."
Just from what Nya said, I drew a conclusion. If it's not an earthquake, there's only one other explanation. Alex must have built some thing and it's being used right now. It wasn't some sort of small thing either.
Great.
Earlier
The blades flew towards the two ninja as Alex smiled. Hunter had to think of something fast, but what? He didn't have his katana, and it was guaranteed that if he moved he would become human sushi. He knew Lilly was in the same boat, and knew that her powers wouldn't stop the blades at all. What about his powers though? Would they stop the blades?
He decided to try it, moving forward and unleashing very strong gusts of wind. He began to feel a sense of hope and victory as he watched the blades begin to fly away. Ha! Take that, Debbie! There's no way I'm dying today! Hunter thought with pride, smiling. His smile faded though when the blades fought back, resisting the gusts.
"Come on now, Windy, I'm not that weak!" Alex claimed with pride. Hunter narrowed his eyes, strengthening the gusts of wind and making them as large as he could handle. It should have been enough to blow away an adult man, but Alex still stood his ground, the blades still cutting through the wind. The orange ninja gritted his teeth beneath his mask, trying to make the gusts stronger, but he couldn't. I'd either exhaust myself or lose control of the gust if I tried any harder. Lilly's gonna have to find a way to stop this bozo before the blades get to us, Hunter thought to himself. He turned to Lilly, shouting over the wind, "Find a way to stop this guy! I don't know how long I can hold him!"
Lilly nodded, trying to think fast. She surely couldn't use water, since the blades were cutting through the wind. Running up to Alex wouldn't be the smartest idea, considering the endless possibilities of how that would end. She didn't want to risk that. There really was only one option left for her, but she didn't want to do it. It would only make me look more and more like I'm trying to take away a special uniqueness from my friends. It's enough that Nya, Nathan, and I's powers are identical. I don't want to take away from someone else... she thought. It was the main reason why she never used this second power, despite some desperate times calling for it. She didn't really have a choice this time though. She either uses it, or she and Hunter die right here. Fine, I'll do it.
"Hunter, I'm going to do something, but you have to promise not to tell anyone about it!" Lilly shouted over the wind.
"What!?" Hunter shouted back. Lilly sighed.
"Just don't tell anyone about what I'm about to do!" she shouted louder, before turning back to Alex. The chemicals used to make the crystal shard have water abilities may have erased most of it's old ability, but I am still able to use it. I just have to think calm thoughts, she thought to herself as she took a deep breath. After exhaling, she held her breath. I haven't used it since my days with Xavier and Yami. I wonder if it still works. She exhaled again, then thrust her scarred hand forward, clamping her eyes shut as she felt the frigid wind exit her hand. She had done it. It still works.
Once the feeling of the cold wind disappeared, she straightened herself and opened her eyes, revealing both the blades and Alex trapped in ice. Lilly looked over at Hunter, who's eyes were wide in shock.
"Ho...ho...HOLY CRAP! You can do that!?" he questioned, pointing at the ice, "Sweet!"
Lilly sighed. "Yeah, but keep this a secret, okay? I don't want anyone to know."
"But why!? This could be so useful! Especially when the team is split! We won't need two Zane's!" Hunter exclaimed. The blonde looked at the floor, then back up to him.
"Just don't. Please. I've already taken away the uniqueness that Nya and Nathan had. I don't want to take away from Zane too," she replied.
"But Lilly, you're not taking away anything from anyone!" Hunter said, but she held her hand up.
"Just...please. If I choose to tell them, I'll tell them myself. Just keep it a secret, okay?" she said. Hunter hesitated a moment, then nodded.
"Alright...I will."
Just then, a door broke down, with Kai and Nathan falling on top of each other. They remained like that for a brief moment before Nathan jumped up, screaming "MY EYE! MY EYE!". He then ran in a circle for about ten seconds before running into the case of ice Alex was trapped in and falling onto the floor.
"Are they drunk?" Hunter questioned. Lilly shook her head.
"No, they're just idiots," she said as she walked over to Kai, who was still laying face-down on the floor. She kneeled down next to him, shaking his shoulder. "I thought you guys were supposed to be on the other side of the building."
"We were...until we got chased by flying swords," Kai informed her as he got up. He then shivered and wrapped his arms around Lilly, as though she were a walking furnace. "God, it's cold in here. What'd you guys do?"
"Eh...we were fighting Debbie and then Zane came by and froze him. Dunno where he went though," Hunter partly lied, not revealing what actually happened. Kai believed it though.
"Ha, no wonder it's so cold in here. That guy's more chilly than the freakin' Alps," the master of fire shivered from the cold again.
"Yeah...aren't you supposed to be hotter than everyone else though?" Lilly asked. A suave smile came to Kai's face.
"Why of course! I am, after all, the sexiest man alive," he claimed as he ran a hand through his spiked hair. Lilly looked the other way, her cheeks becoming a shade of red.
"I meant your body temperature, bozo. The others say you're like a walking heater in the wintertime," she crossed her arms. The master of fire shrugged.
"I guess, but it doesn't stop me from being cold," he said. Lilly sighed. Just then, Nathan got up, hurrying over to his brother. He gripped onto his brother's gi.
"Have you seen Sammie!?" he questioned, to which Hunter shook his head.
"No, but I'm sure she's fine," he assured him. Nathan still looked panicked.
"I don't trust that eyepatched piece of toilet paper that she's with. He's too shady," the male master of water said. Hunter sighed.
"If he pulls anything I'm sure she can hold her own, Nathan," he attempted to reassure his brother again.
"Yeah, but I feel like he's pulling us all into a trap," Nathan looked at the floor. Hunter patted his back.
"I'm sure we'll be fine," he said, "Besides, what could happen? We have Alex trapped in the ice over there. He's no threat."
"Um, he's not in the ice," Kai notified everyone, causing them to be alarmed.
"What!?" Lilly exclaimed, rushing over to the ice. Surely enough, there was a hole in the back, and no sign of the master of psionics. Her hands curled into fists.
"Why that little-!" she began to shout, but the building began to shake, causing her to almost lose her balance.
"What the heck is going on!?" Nathan exclaimed as he held onto both his brother and a wall.
"Whatever it is, it can't be good," Kai claimed as he began moving down the hallway. The other three followed closely behind him, alert for any sign of Alex.
Earlier
Shing. Ping. Shing. Zane listened to the sound of he and woman's blades clashing as he tried to spot her weaknesses. It was hard to, though. She had to have known that he would try to spot her weaknesses, so that's why he can't find them, she's hiding them. The nindroid couldn't be sure though. He has had opponents before whose weaknesses he couldn't spot. She must be another one of them.
After a few more swings, Jay stepped in, his nunchuks moving at lightning speed. Within the first minute, he managed to knock her sickles from her hands and electrocute her. It didn't stop her though. She simply got up like it was nothing.
"Trés bien, but it will take more to stop me," she smiled as she lifted up a part of her dress, revealing a rapier in it's sheath. She immediately pulled it from it's sheath, pointing it towards them. "I am, after all, the greatest swordswoman in Ninjago."
Zane could recognize this woman now without scanning her. Marléne Chaput, age 30, holds multiple records for various fencing and swordplay competitions, one of the most wanted criminals in Ninjago. Another story of fame turning someone rogue. It seemed to happen to nearly all famous people in Ninjago City. Zane hoped that he and his friends wouldn't fall into the same fate in the future.
"En garde," Marléne spoke, before dashing forward towards Jay. Her thrusts and jabs with the sword were quick and smooth, making it hard for Jay to block each jab. Zane stepped in to save his friend though, freezing her legs and arm. The swordswoman smiled.
"Clever, but not enough," she claimed as she broke her legs free. She smashed the ice on her arm before pointing the rapier's tip at the nindroid's eye. Before she could proceed any farther though, a blinding light filled the room, blinding everyone except Zane. The android looked around for it's source, then watched some sort of rope wrap itself around Marléne. The light then disappeared, revealing Sammie and Ronin on the other side of the room. The rogue samurai and the master of light walked up, both taking a look at the tied up swordswoman on the floor. Ronin snorted.
" 'Greatest swordswoman in Ninjago' my ass," he said in response to her earlier statement. She glared at him.
"At least I'm not some lowlife who steals money from innocent women after supposedly 'dating' them," she shot back. Ronin looked offended.
"Hey! I do that to guys too! And a man's gotta find a way to get money y'know!" he defended himself. Sammie rolled her eyes and walked over to Zane and Jay.
"Are you two okay?" she asked. Zane nodded.
"I just have a few cuts and scratches, that's all," Jay replied. Sammie smiled.
"Good. I was kind of afraid that she did a lot of damage, but I guess not," she said. Jay smiled.
"Eh, we're tough. Don't worry. That small twig sword can't do much anyway," he claimed, before getting stabbed through the leg with Marléne's rapier. The swordswoman glared up at him as she twisted the blade and Jay screamed in pain. Zane instantly separated the two, freezing Marléne's hands.
"Now, give me Pixal," Zane demanded. The swordswoman smiled with no context, making the nindroid feel slightly nervous. She had to be hiding something.
"Elle est pas ici," Marléne spoke, which Zane immediately translated. "She's not here.". What does she mean!? She just held Pixal's flash drive up minutes ago! the nindroid thought to himself, raising an eyebrow. Before he could get any explanation though, Alex appeared in front of them all, smirking.
"Boo," he said simply before grabbing Marléne and disappearing. Ronin pulled out his gun immediately.
"Get back here you slimy bastard! You owe me a mech!" he shouted. Alex appeared again with his colleague on top of one of his smaller mechs with it's top exposing them both. Marléne was now free from the ropes and Alex held Pixal's flash drive. Zane glared at the master of psionics.
"I believe I owe you nothing, Ronin...or should I say, Ragnvald Dorkoff," Alex smiled. Ronin looked both embarrassed and angry.
"Hey! Don't call me that you disgusting brat!" he snapped, making Alex chuckle. Zane watched him press a button, making the mech rise and the building rumble. The other mechs rose as well, powering on immediately.
"Gosh, this is so boring. I'm going to a place that's more fun," Alex yawned, "Do svidaniya!"
The mechs broke the wall, walking out of the building and into the City, where a few screams and car horns could be heard. Zane's teammates ran in just then, staring at the hole in the wall with wide eyes.
"What happened here!?" Cass questioned.
"Alex had some mechs and just escaped. He's gotta be heading to the heart of the City or something," Sammie informed her. Ronin stepped forward.
"Well, in that case, why the hell are we just standing around!?" he exclaimed before calling his ship, REX. "Let's go get this kid!"
Zane saw some of the others nod and follow, either summoning their dragons or looking for some other mode of transportation. The nindroid stood back, still lost within his own mind. What is Alex planning to do with Pixal? What has he used her for!?
The nindroid ran over to REX, boarding it. Whatever it was, Zane was going to get her back. Though, the thing he feared the most was if she was hacked and changed. The nindroid hoped his companion was alright and still her old self, despite knowing that she was most likely hacked.