Author's Note: Hello everyone! Gah! I know I said this would be up last weekend but… I'm taking 3 math courses for college at the same time, as well as teaching multiplication tables in an elementary school twice a week, so homework has been killer lately… I'm struggling a bit, but I'm sure it will get better sooner or later… So, anyway, I have no idea when my next update will be, but for now, please enjoy "Mall Visit" which takes place directly after the previous chapter. I had several people request that I do something with this concept, so hopefully I did it justice!
Replies to Reviews:
Spider-Man Super-Fan: Yay! It makes me so happy to hear that! I wasn't and originally gonna include this, but I did my best to give you the shopping trip – it turned out… interesting to write, because my thoughts went all over the place. So, I really hope you like it, cause your review inspired it! Thanks again for your wonderful feedback!
TheKittenQueen: Seriously, that poor baby has suffered so much. He still hasn't caught a break! But that's why it's a good thing he's got such great siblings to look after him… And thank you for pointing out the typos, as usual. I really appreciate it. Posting from my phone did something weird to the format, but if you go check back now, it should be fixed. I love giving that kid nicknames so much! I think it adds a layer of spice to the stories, and since we see a little bit of it in the show, I jump at every chance to include it. Never apologize for long reviews – they are the best and super helpful for knowing how to improve my work! Thanks again!
RandomDragon 2.0: Right? Child's Play makes me so sad… And yes, Lloyd has the best pals! Thank you so much for taking the time to review!
Guest: We'll see what happens! I definitely think Lloyd's got at least a few inches on Nya after he gets older, so that, at least, will probably be mentioned! So glad to hear that you are enjoying this! Thanks for the review!
Jbomb217: Please try not to slam your head into any more doors – I head it's bad for your health (not that I would know, cause I totally don't have an oddly specific story about the time I got hit in the head with a door, or anything…)! I'm doing my very best to not end my current writing projects! But life happens, so updates may get slower… I have pictured Lloyd being like that since I first watched Child's Play, so I just had to include it! He is an forever will be, a puppy! One of my proudest moments, tbh. Yeah, things are gonna take some getting used to for all of them. But that's okay, cause they are a beautiful family and can totally get through this! Thank you so much for your feedback, I always love hearing from you!
Dinofaure: Here you go! I hope you enjoy!
Angel Star Ninja: Yes. Yes, she is! I love their relationship so much and I wish they focused more on it during the show itself! Thanks for reviewing!
"Lloyd?" The youth heard someone call softly, interrupting the rather pleasant dream he'd been having. He snuggled deeper into his blankets, not quite ready to be awake yet. Gah! What time was it? Sleep wasn't a magical cure all, but it definitely did help relieve the trauma of a long, emotional, day, and he wanted to keep taking advantage of that. And his bed was so comfy, too…
"Time to get up sleepy head! It's already 10:30, and we have a busy day ahead of us, remember?" Oh. Right. Shopping. And whatever else Nya had planned…
"Mkay… Fine. I'm awake. What's for breakfast?" Lloyd asked, sitting up. His older sister lurked by the side of his bed; everyone else must already be up and about. He was eternally grateful that his brothers had moved said bed somewhere free of overhanging objects to hit his head on. This was already shaping up to be a less sucky day than yesterday – though, pretty much anything would be better than that. It was so much more enjoyable to wake up without being in severe pain.
"Good morning! Looks like someone got their appetite back! That's an encouraging sign – you must be feeling better this morning, huh?" Nya said brightly. He yawned, a slight smile on his face.
"Morning. I guess so. Or, at least, I don't feel like the Ultra Dragon used me as a chew toy today. So that's good."
"Super good. I prefer my best friend when he's not being all angsty and stuff. I'll leave you to raid the guys' drawers in peace. Zane made pancakes. And bacon, so you better hurry, or there won't be any left." She told him, patting his head as she left. Hopefully, removing the pressure of ninja training for the day would help Lloyd recover from the Tomorrow's Tea incident that had occurred a few days ago. He had not handled it well – and rightfully so. Adjusting to suddenly being several years older? Not something that most people would be able to cope with without several mental breakdowns. It had been a cause of great concern for all of them, especially with how much effort it took to get him to talk about it. But, today was a new day, which meant there would be plenty of opportunities to work on getting him back to his usual upbeat self (probably a clumsier version). Nya couldn't magically make his center of balance return. That would take time, and a fair amount of hard work and focus, more than likely. She entered the kitchen, thankful to find that there was still food to be found on the table.
"So, did you successfully manage to wake our resident puppy dog, or are you here to tell us we can have more bacon?" Cole inquired, looking longingly at the platter before him.
"I should never have told you guys about that. And yes, he's awake, so you can wait until he gets in here to have seconds." She replied, snagging herself some food before making her way to her usual spot between Kai and Jay.
"How is he? Any better than yesterday?" Her brother asked.
"Well, he actually seemed interested in food, and he said he wasn't as sore today, so that's promising."
"That is promising. And I'm sure redirecting his focus to non-Green Ninja related activities for the day will also be beneficial." Zane smiled encouragingly from across the table.
"You're right, as usual. That's the power of positive thinking for you!" The master of lightning enthusiastically agreed. His parents went on and on about these kinds of things, but hey, a little optimism could go a long way.
"Not sure what we're talking about, but it's nice to see that you guys can exercise self restraint. On occasion. This stuff looks great, Zane." Lloyd wandered into the kitchen, still looking a little sleepy. The trip from the bedroom had been full of mishaps, but he miraculously managed to avoid ending up on the floor as he approached his seat. He heaped an assortment of pancakes (with so much whipping cream that Nya would have scolded him under different circumstances) and bacon onto a spare plate, incredibly relieved to find that the sight of food no longer made him want to puke. The blond was starving as a result of skipping virtually every meal the previous day.
"Thank you. We were discussing today's excursion." The nindroid informed him. He shoved a strip of bacon into his mouth before responding. Mmm… How had he ever existed without his family's cooking? Well... Not Cole's, but the others weren't half bad...
"Oh. Makes sense." These pancakes were amazing too. And he wasn't the only one enjoying the meal.
"So, anybody mind if I have seconds now?" Cole begged, deciding he had waited long enough. Kai rolled his eyes and wordlessly chucked a half eaten pancake at him, earning a look of pure glee from his sister's boyfriend. Unconcerned with germs, the teen shrugged before peeling it off of his head and eating it.
"Well, I think that's really something you should ask Lloyd. The rest of us are pretty much done eating." Nya reminded the master of earth, trying not to cringe at her siblings' behavior, "But whatever you decide, we should probably get going soon if we wanna catch the showing of that Fritz Donnegan movie at 2."
"Knock yourself out." The green ninja decided, glancing up from his own plate of food. He could always steal some back if he changed his mind.
"Kid, have I ever told you that you're my favorite person?" Exclaimed the master of earth with gratitude before shoveling more bacon into his mouth at an alarming rate.
"Really? That's such an honor!" Lloyd smirked. Jay sputtered indignantly – this was his best friend, after all.
"Hey! I thought I was your favorite?" He questioned suspiciously.
"Maybe sometimes, sparkplug, but I never bite the hand that feeds me! Sorry." His friend declared, somehow having managed to wolf down his second helping already.
"Fair point, but don't forget about that awesome Christmas present I gave you." The ninja of lightning offered up in response.
"Yeah, cause out of all the things you could possibly have given me, a nutcracker was definitely the perfect choice."
"I mean, what else was I supposed to do when I found out you used to do ballet? And it makes a lovely statement piece in our room, anyways."
Zane watched the interchange as if debating whether or not it would be worthwhile to interfere. Nya caught his eye and nodded slightly.
"As I'm sure we are all eager to make out departure, I could really use some help with the dishes. Cole? Jay?" The pair ceased their bickering, making a show of sighing dramatically as they helped load dishes into the dishwasher. How Lloyd had ever managed to end up being blessed with such dorks as his family, he would never understand.
The mall was a lot less crowded (and sparkly) than it had been during their last visit. In the time since Christmas, the parking lot had lost its snowbanks, and the various garlands, trees, and poinsettias that had coated literally every square foot of the complex had disappeared, making it much easier to navigate between stores without Lloyd tripping over something other than his own two feet (which did happen - several times). The building was distinctly less populated, which was probably a good thing for the time being, as it meant that there were fewer people to recognize them from the run-ins with snakes that occurred on what felt like a weekly basis. Hopefully. That was the last thing they needed to deal with when her baby brother's emotional stability was still so fragile. The girl missed Christmas, honestly. Because if it were still Christmas, they'd have a truce with Garmadon, and Lloyd… Would still be a kid... Like he should be... Gah! All of this shopping only served to make the whole situation feel more real. More permanent.
Bzt..Bzt… Nya glanced down at her phone to read her latest text message. She was sitting on a bench outside of the dressing room waiting for her brothers to finish being Lloyd's fashion advisory team, because really, it shouldn't take all six of them to do so.
Kai: Plz save me
She frowned and typed a response.
Nya: Rly? You can't handle helping the green bean pick out some new clothes for 5 mins without my assistance? Lame!
Kai: Actually, ths is lloyd. Seriously. I need hwlp!
Well, that wasn't what she'd been expecting.
Nya: why r u texting me on Kai's phone? Ur supposed to be trying stuff on so we can find things that actually fit.
Kai: I *may* have taken it when he wasn't looking. And im TRYING! But they keep handing me stuff that's uber embaracing!
Of course they were. What had she been expecting, letting them go off on their own? Though, she had assumed that Zane, at least, would keep the others from getting too distracted. Apparently not. And she really needed to broach the subject of getting Lloyd his own cellular device with his uncle one of these days… A lot of inconveniences could be avoided.
Nya: What do u mean? Like plaid and polka dots don't mix embarrassing?
Nya: Or makes u look like a toddler embarrassing?
Kai: Sending u a pic.
Rolling her eyes at the image on her screen, Nya decided it was time to intervene.
Nya: Don't worry. On my way to deal with those idiots.
"Oh boys?" She sang, sticking her head through the doorway of an area lined with doors and the occasional mirror, "Would someone please explain to me why you thought a dragon onesie would be a necessary article of clothing for Lloyd to own?"
"Uh, because they're awesome? And super comfy? Seriously, we all need one…" Her boyfriend told her. He looked so enthusiastic about the idea that she was barely able to stifle a smile. The others just seemed exasperated, as if they had already had this conversation. So there hadn't been purposeful attempts to embarrass their charge here, after all. Just overzealous teens who chose the strangest things to obsess over.
"Okay, yes. And maybe someday, but right now, I think you're just stressing him out." The samurai told them softly, "He texted me asking for a rescue…" Jay's smile faded as he realized that yes, maybe it wasn't such a great idea after all.
"Oh. My phone. I was wondering where it had disappeared to…" Kai replied, equally quiet.
"Yep. Let's just focus on finding him some real clothes for now, okay?" The others nodded their assent. It wasn't like he could wear a onsie 24-7, anyway. Searching the nearby racks for anything that looked like it might possibly fit the green ninja after his recent growth spurt, they did their best to locate items that were a bit more practical. Soon, there was an impressive pile waiting for him.
"So… There a sale on green things today, or something?" Lloyd asked awkwardly when he (finally) got up the courage to come out of hiding and see what the others had found.
"Er… No." Kai explained slowly, "We just thought, maybe since all the rest of us wear a lot of the same color, that maybe it would be easier if you did too…"
"But if you don't like it…?" Added Jay. The blond stared at the options before him for a moment, then shook his head.
"Nah… I-it's fine. I'll go start trying things on, I guess…" He grabbed several items and disappeared back into the changing stall, mouthing a quick thank you to Nya. As he tried on the final ensemble a short while later, Lloyd did have to admit that he looked halfway decent in the things they had selected for him. At the very least, he definitely looked less like a hobo than he had when dressed in the miscellaneous borrowed (mostly from Kai and Jay) garments that had made up his wardrobe the past few days. Which hadn't really fit – or matched. At all. That didn't stop the blond from feeling very...Weird when he stared at his reflection, though. Almost like a completely different person was looking back at him...Oh, what he'd give to wear his trusty black hoodie just one last time…
"You gonna let us have a look?" He could hear Nya calling, snapping him back to the present. The thought that he should probably hope that none of the other shoppers were being bothered by his siblings' shenanigans briefly crossed his mind. Because, they were loud and crazy, and kinda embarrassing sometimes. But they had brought him here and been understanding enough to back down when he refused to even try on the onsie, so he figured he might as well give in to the request. This time.
"Fine. Be out in a sec." There was a collective gasp when they saw him wander awkwardly back into view. Being dressed in so much green obviously suited him. Even if it also drew an unnecessary amount of attention to how grown up he looked.
"Not too shabby, greenie." Cole commented, breaking the silence.
"Something's missing." Remarked Nya, thoughtfully. She dashed from the changing room without another word. What on earth was she doing? They waited curiously for the girl to return, wondering exactly what she thought could be missing from Lloyd's new look. Reappearing a few minutes later with a dark green fedora, she placed it gently on her baby brother's head and said,
"There. Now you look perfect."
"Indeed." Agreed Zane with a smile. He had a feeling the hat was going to be one of the youth's favorite belongings. Lloyd's eyes were glued to the nearest mirror.
"So, whaddya think? Nya's got awesome taste, huh?" Kai nudged his brother, attempting to get an actual response out of him.
"I-I… Yeah. Thanks guys. You know, for helping me with all of this? Cause I definitely wouldn't've wanted to come here on my own... Because..."
"We know. And we're also your family. We weren't gonna let you do this alone. Besides, the whole point of coming here was to have fun." He was reminded by Nya. For a split second, his eyes seemed a bit more watery than usual, but that was all. Then, he smiled.
"Truth. C'mon guys, let's go pay for this stuff so we have time to get popcorn before the movie. And maybe some peach rings? Do you s'pose the movie theatre has any?"
As with many moments in life, everything was going great– until it wasn't. There were no warning signs, no earth shattering snake attacks, or betrayals from members of the nobility, but the effect was just as profound. Lloyd had almost entirely forgotten why they were in the mall in the first place by the time the credits for Starfarer Episode V rolled. Hyped up on sugar and buttery goodness, all of them were in an impressively good mood. Nya had been right; he did need this.
"Can you believe that plot twist?" Jay asked animatedly as they exited the theater.
"Right? Not sure what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't that." The green ninja vehemently agreed, munching on some left over popcorn.
"I just hope they clarify the ending in the next one. Don't remember the comics being so difficult to follow…" His fiery older brother commented, looking slightly confused. The plot had been a bit more complicated than the previous movies… Getting to see it in theater had been so fun, though. They didn't get to do things like this very often, which was a real shame.
"Oh, I'm sure they will. Otherwise the entire fandom'll rebel." The ninja of lightning assured them. Unfortunately, it was at that moment that everything went wrong.
"Hey! Aren't those the ninja?" Someone nearby exclaimed, recognizing the group. They froze. Curse their inability to remain inconspicuous…
"Yeah, I think so? But the green one looks taller." The companion of the person who had spotted them noted.
"Hm… You're right. Maybe that means they're gonna take out Lord Garmadon here pretty soon. I mean, FSM knows we can't handle another attack like that one with the snake. People died, man!" And that was the end of any stability Lloyd might've possessed. Everything came crashing down around him in one fell swoop. He didn't hear anything else that was said; ears ringing, he stumbled forward, spraying what was left of his bucket of popcorn onto the floor. As onlookers stared in surprise, he only had the presence of mind to realize that suddenly – he wasn't breathing normally anymore. Oxygen failed to make its way to his lungs. What was happening to him? Why couldn't he catch his breath? Gasping for air like a fish out of water, he was vaguely aware of someone helping him stagger to a nearby bench, while other blurry figures attempted to shoo away the crowd that had started to gather. The room was spinning… Why was it spinning?
"Hey. Look at me. We're here. We're not going anywhere. It's gonna be alright…" Nya whispered, squeezing his arm. He wasn't sure how she'd ended up sitting next to him. Weird.
"Okay. Here's what were gonna do," Apparently Jay was there too, "Just focus on matching my breathing. In… Now out… In… Now out." Lloyd continued to hyperventilate and splutter like a madman for a few minutes before the ninja of lightning's tactic began to pay off.
"Good. Now, I want you to look around you… Just… Find five things that you can see. That's all you have to do…" Jay spoke quietly. The blond stared at him, heart rate still well above normal.
"T-there's a uh… P-potted plant? A-and… a s-sign…. A shopping c-cart… s-some sort of statue… A-and i-is that a… photobooth…?"
"Good job, buddy! Now… how about four things you can touch? Think you can handle that?" His brother encouraged.
"T-the bench… and… the wall b-behind us… a-a… uh… shopping bag… d-do people count?" Gasp.
"Sure. You're doing great… Three things you can hear." He closed his eyes, listening. This was starting to do... Something…
"T-there's a fountain… somewhere… a-and some sort o-of music… oh. And somebody's got a baby w-with them…?"
"You're almost there… Two things you can smell?" With his breathing less sporadic, he took a risk and inhaled deeply, hoping it wouldn't cause him to choke. It didn't.
"I… The chlorine… from the fountain…T-there must be a take out p-place nearby. I smell noodles, too…"
"So close! Just one more to go… Something you can taste." Lloyd felt Nya press something small and round into his hand.
"A… uh, peach ring…"
"Better?" Jay inquired tentatively. He gave a watery smile, all of the sudden very much aware that his eyes had been leaking this whole time. Still feeling a bit weird and shaky, he replied,
"Y-yeah. A, uh, little. How did you know w-what to do? When I started..."
"Oh, you know me… Always freakin' out about something…" Was all the teen would say. Which made an unfortunate amount of sense.
"Thank you, guys… I-I don't know… what that was, but…"
"Hey, you'd do the same for us. Already have…" His sister assured him, reaching up to wipe his face with the sleeve of her sweatshirt.
"I hated that. Is this what it's always like?" He asked, dreading the answer, but not quite sure what he was even asking. His companions glanced at each other.
"Well, nah. Not most of the time… There are just days where… Things aren't great, but we just gotta roll with the punches…" Jay replied eventually.
"O-oh."
"Lloyd? Listen, I'm sorry things turned out like this. It was my idea. And maybe you weren't quite ready to-" The samurai began, looking like she wanted to punch something. Sometimes, Lloyd wasn't sure how Nya managed to keep it together with all the grief her family must cause her.
"H-hey. If I'm not allowed to self blame all the time, then neither are you." He whispered. No matter how rough the past few minutes had been, the last thing he needed was for anyone to feel guilty…
"And it was fun… Well… Most of it… Right now I just really wanna go home…" She pulled him into a side hug at this admittance, fully understanding how he felt. This poor kid seriously needed to catch a break, didn't he?
"Can't say I blame you… Think you're up to surviving the walk to the exit? We can probably convince Zane to pull the car around so you don't have to go as far. Panic attacks can really take a lot out of you and I don't want to risk…"
"Yeah, okay… I... i-if you don't think he'll mind…?" The blond conceded, not trusting himself to make it much of anywhere without… Crashing. Again. Jay shook his head, exasperated, but unsurprised.
"You gotta stop thinkin' like that. Of course he'll be cool with it. I'll go let the others know what's up. You just sit here and chill a little longer, alright?" He ordered, patting Lloyd's head as he made his way over to the others, who appeared increasingly concerned every time they glanced in their direction. They chatted anxiously for a few moments before the ninja of lightning sent them a thumbs up.
"So, we're gonna go ahead and grab the car. We'll text you when we get to the entrance." Kai informed them before the group of brightly colored ninja headed for the parking lot. He shared a soft look with his sister, the kind which communicated everything that needed to be said between them. Nya would stay here as Lloyd's emotional anchor, and he would usher the others out of the building as fast as humanly possible. And then, later, they would discuss what had gone down and figure out what to do next. Good, yes. That was really the best course of action, here.
"Sounds like a plan." Was the only thing the samurai spoke aloud. He nodded, and then they were gone. An awkward silence followed, Lloyd simply relieved that he would be able to remove himself to the safety of the Bounty, and Nya hoping that her baby brother would perk up once he was safely wearing his seatbelt and speeding away from their current location.
"So... Uh... I appreciate you staying with me..." The blond told her after a few minutes had passed.
"Psh. Like I'd ever leave you alone in a place like this! Just think of all the candy you'd buy if I weren't here to supervise!" She replied, ruffling his hair.
"Fair point… Still, you and Jay? You really saved my butt back there… I felt awful and…"
"Green bean, I really worry about you sometimes… But let's focus on getting you home safely for now... I won't let anything else happen. I promise." Lloyd tried to ignore the first part of what she'd said, because it was basically like telling him that water was wet – he'd had enough lectures from her to ensure that he never forgot how protective she could be. The rest of her words, though, were very comforting.
"Guess we should start walking, huh?" He asked, attempting to stand.
"If you're ready?" She grabbed his elbow, trying not to grimace at the added height she still wasn't used to, guiding him onto his feet when it became obvious that he was still a little wobbly.
"The sooner we get outta here, the better." The two navigated across the atrium to the nearest exit. A few people stared at them, but Nya's subtle glares were enough to keep anyone from approaching them.
"Perfect timing," The samurai commented, checking her phone to see that the others would be pulling up any minute.
"Mhm. Don't care what anyone else says. My family's the best." The green ninja declared. He followed his sister into the waiting vehicle. Everything was going to be okay.
Well, that was a wild ride. Thank you so much for reading this. I hope it made your day brighter! As always, feedback and reviews make the writing process so much easier, so don't hesitate to leave your thoughts! Have a wonderful week!
~GwenBrightly