notes: i still can't decide if i hate this or not.
tw: violence, gore, blood, very brief mention of sexual assault, cussing.
"Lloyd, focus!"
Said male grunted in response as he just barley dodged a kick from Cole. His foot grazed his head before slamming back on the ground. Cole didn't hesitate to move again, twisting his body towards the green ninja and dutifully blocking a hurried hit from the blonde. They had tried to keep their fighting as silent as possible, but Lloyd's head wasn't in the game today and everyone was painfully aware of it.
He wasn't able to escape from Cole's next attack. Large arms snaked around him, lifting him easily off of the ground. Lloyd braced himself for impact as he was thrown over Cole's shoulder and onto the padded floor.
Air escaped his lungs as he was winded - left staring at the taller male with wide eyes. Cole kept him pinned, and Garmadon shouted a "hajime" to conclude the sparring match.
"You could have avoided that if you were paying attention." Garmadon scolded, standing off to the side, face pulled into a concerned frown.
"I know," Lloyd hissed, wincing lightly as he sat up, rubbing the back of his head. "What's going on, kid?" Cole asked, gripping his arm and pulling him to his feet.
"It's nothing, I'm just tired I guess." He shrugged them off, not wanting to worry his team. They cast glances at each other suspiciously but said no more on the matter.
Even if they wanted to, they were interrupted before anyone could open their mouths. Nya rushed into the room, having excused herself earlier when one of the monks asked for her. "You guys will never believe who contacted us."
"Skylor?" Kai questioned, arms folding across his chest. The other's sent him a look. "What?"
Nya brushed him off, shaking her head. "You guy's remember Mars right?" She tapped her bracelet, a projection of the darker skinned female showing up.
"What about her?" Lloyd asked, rotating his stiff shoulder as he walked closer.
"She's asked for our assistance with their current case." The male's eyes nearly popped out of their heads. "WHAT?" Nya winced at Jay's screech, shooting him a quick glare.
"You know they wouldn't ask unless they had to, I think it's worth hearing them out." She said, tapping her bracelet again, the picture fizzling away.
"The C15 don't even like us. Why would we help them?" Kai hissed, tossing his hands in the air in exasperation. "The last time we teamed up with them we practically got our asses handed to us. And they didn't even thank us!"
"The military were practically fuming! AND IT WASN'T EVEN DIRECTED TOWARDS THEM! WE TOOK ALL THE BLAME!" Jay cried, running a hand through his curly hair in agitation.
"Don't get me started on the way they run things. They don't know a thing about honour. Talk about incompetence." Cole snorted, rolling his eyes bitterly.
"They need our help, we can't just pass them down!" Nya hissed, shaking her head. "Even if we don't necessarily like each other, it would be the right thing to do." Zane agreed.
"Lloyd? What do you say?"
They all turned their gazes towards their leader, who's face was scrunched in thought. He sighed, "They asked for our help, so we'll go down there and see what's going on."
Garmadon dismissed them for now, they all needed to get ready for this meeting. But before Lloyd could take a step out of the dojo, his dad grasped his arm. "Son, a word."
Lloyd piqued an eyebrow in question towards his father, silent as he waited for him to speak.
"What's on your mind? You've been awfully distracted lately." Garm asked, searching his son's expression worriedly.
He let out a heavy sigh, reaching up to run a hand through his golden locks in agitation. "Honestly.. a lot.. everything.. I don't know.. it's hard to explain. I guess I've just been stressed. I'm sorry, i'll try to do better."
Garmadon's gaze softened and he placed a gentle and comforting hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "You do not need to apologize. You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. It is a heavy burden. You have every right to be stressed and distracted."
Lloyd's eyes stung with tears but he managed to hold himself together. "Thanks, dad."
Garm smiled, "Anytime. When you return from your meeting, perhaps take a moment to yourself to meditate? It might help calm your mind and steel your nerves." He gave his shoulder a squeeze before starting to walk away.
Lloyd watched him leave, shoulders sagging. Sometimes, he hated being the green ninja.
"Mars!" Hearing her name called, Marlee turned to look at whoever called out to her. Her gaze softened at the sight of her wounded friend and she threw her arms around her in a quick hug. Y/n didn't hesitate to return it. "It's been way too long." Marlee hummed, pulling away and shooting the girl a small smile.
Y/n nodded in agreement, ignoring the stinging of her tears. There was no time for sentiment. "It really has.. You look tired."
"So do you," Mars teased, keeping Y/n at an arms length as she inspected her wounds. "What happened?"
"Luuk.. Don't even get me started. I've got it handled, anyway." She shrugged, and Mars scoffed lightly in mockery.
"I'm sure you do.." Y/n snorted and stuck her tongue out at the remark. Earning a soft chuckle from her friend.
"So why did you summon me?"
Marlee's smile fell and she glanced around, ushering her into a separate room for privacy. Her black hair had been cut much shorter since the last time Y/n's seen her. Below her eyes had bags, and Y/n noted the fresh bruises lining her jaw. She doubted she looked any better, especially after Luuk just beat the shit out of her. He was such a prick. Marlee tapped on a screen, pulling up a hologram for her to see.
"Your sister was sent on a scout mission with two other's. Adryan and Maverick. It was supposed to be simple, a few days tops. They were to scout the area and get information only. And they were told not to engage under any circumstances." She swiped the screen and pulled up a picture of the original file. Y/n scanned it quickly, it had seemed simple enough.
"Let me guess, they engaged?" She asked, tearing her gaze away from the hologram to look towards her friend. Marlee sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "They had one job..."
"We lost contact and haven't heard anything since. It's been two weeks."
Y/n pulled her lip between her teeth, face scrunched as she ran the information through her head. "And you waited this long to tell me?"
Marlee's gaze hardened. "You are a very difficult person to come across, Absinthe. Especially when enthralled in your own personal vendettas."
Y/n winced, avoiding her gaze by looking at the hologram. "..You know why I have to go after Luuk. After all of them."
Marlee continued, ignoring the comment. "It took us a while to hunt you down. I would have contacted you sooner if I could."
Y/n sighed, "Alright. Where do we start? Who were these people?"
Marlee swiped at the screen again, pulling up multiple personnel files. "They call themselves The Council of Anarchy."
"What a bunch of a-holes."
Mars snorted in amusement at the reference.
"Seriously though, who comes up with these names?" Y/n asked in bafflement. It was like they had a bunch of 5th graders come up with it. What a joke.
The hazel eyed female shrugged. "We don't know who leads the group, but we've already interrogated some of it's members. The faces you see in the hologram are some of the few we know of."
Y/n nodded slowly, reading the information of each person. "They don't seem any different from the other thugs we've met. Arrested for sexual assault, robbery, ran over a pedestrian.. Looks like a bunch of dolts to me."
Marlee hummed, "That's what we thought too. But look at this." She pulled up a different file, this one holding security footage of a fight with multiple guys from the previous one. Y/n's eyes nearly popped out of her head. At first the battle started out normal, but then out of no where it took a turn for the worse. "Was that-"
"Elemental powers? Yes, I do believe it was." Marlee's face was dark, hidden behind a wall to hide the flurry of emotions desperate to escape.
"But I thought- they're- elemental masters?" Y/n stumbled over her words, unable to comprehend the new set of information. Her jaw set and she turned her gaze back onto the hologram. Face holding a grim expression.
"I wouldn't call them masters. But they sure have elements. Some of them, anyway." Mars mumbled, swiping the video away. "So what's the plan?" Y/n asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "Just tell me who I need to beat the shit out of."
Marlee shook her head. "I'm going to tell you what I told them." She turned off the hologram. "You're not going to engage with the enemy. Not yet. We have very little information on them, we cannot act irrationally."
Y/n scoffed, tossing her hands into the air. "Well I can't just sit here, can I? You have to know something- anything, that will give us even the smallest lead!"
Marlee went silent, shuffling on her feet awkwardly. Y/n rose a brow, "What aren't you telling me?" The hazel eyed female glanced to the side, running a hand through her hair.
"Marlee."
"We do have a plan. But I'm afraid you aren't going to like it.." Stepping forwards, Mars thought over her words carefully. Y/n watched as she hesitated with her reply. "We have already cancelled out so many other possibilities. We discussed it with everyone, and I mean, everyone. We don't have much experience with elements. But.. We do know someone willing to help who does."
Y/n's gaze immediately hardened and she took a step back. "No."
"Y/n-"
"We are not bringing the ninja into this."
Marlee clenched her jaw. "We may not have a choice."
Absinthe huffed, turning her back to her friend. "There is always a choice."
"Really?" Mars grabbed her shoulder and turned her back around so they were facing each other. Desperately searching Y/n's e/c eyes relentlessly. "Tell me. Go on. Produce a better plan. Come up with something I haven't already thought of."
Absinthe frowned, silent. The other female dropped her head with a heavy breath. "I've thought of everything, Y/n. This is the best course of action. Trust me. Please."
"Give me five days." Marlee's gaze shot up to Y/n's incredulously. "What?"
"Five days. I'll find them. And if I don't, then you can contact the ninja for assistance." She sounded so sure of herself. But really it was all in her head, a falsehood she spat effortlessly. She had gotten good at deceiving. Especially when it came to herself.
Mars was silent for a few seconds. "Three." She wet her lips with her tongue. "Three days."
Y/n felt her shoulders sink in relief. "That's all I'll need." she breathed.
Three days was definitely not all she needed. Y/n scowled angrily as she stood next to Mars, awaiting The Ninja. Three days had come and go and Absinthe hadn't gotten anywhere. She was frustrated with herself for not being able to find Eloise and the other's on her own. Not to mention she was worried for her sister. She knew Eloise could take care of herself, she didn't doubt that. However, these council members were unpredictable and she feared the unknown.
Y/n wanted nothing more than to keep Eloise safe, and not knowing what had happened to her was putting her on edge. More so than usual.
Whoever these fuckers were, they were good at hiding their trails.
The elevator dinged as it reached their floor, and Absinthe watched in zero interest as The Ninja stepped off of it. They had worked with The Constellation (better known as the C15) a few times before. But this was the first time they had ever actually entered the C15's Ninjago City institute.
To say their expressions - what they could see of them anyway, was amusing was a tad of an understatement.
The Ninja's all but gawked at the interior of the room. Almost every wall was lined with monitors. Weapons were strewn on racks and agents were bustling around. A couple of them passed the ninja's strange looks, but they either ignored them or didn't notice.
It was clear the ninja were unwanted. But so far, everyone had held back on saying anything about it due to Mar's orders.
"Holy shit," Lightning breathed under his breath, sending his friend's a glance mixed with both excitement and caution.
"My sentiments exactly." Ice hummed, nodding to himself as he looked around.
"Ninja, welcome." They turned their gazes to Mars who stood in the middle of the room with her hands behind her back. She and Absinthe were also wearing masks to conceal their true identities. Most C15 agents wore masks and voice modulators. That way, no one who recognize them. Absinthe and Mars both used voice modulators frequently.
Lloyd noticed Absinthe's posture was much less relaxed than Mars'. And where as Mars' expression was more or less welcoming, Absinthe met the team with a venomous glare.
Not at all because she was still prickly about being unable to find her sister on her own.
Except it was totally for that reason.
"Thank you for coming here. Please, take a seat." Mars gestured to the large black table in a separate, less busy room. Walking over and taking a seat at the head of it. Y/n stood her ground, watching the ninja carefully. The green ninja matched her glare with one of his own, silent and still. Nobody else moved an inch. Mars rolled her eyes and sighed, "Absinthe."
Said female's gaze only hardened, but she finally turned and took a seat next to her leader. The ninja exchanged quick glances before doing the same. "Alright, Mars. Tell us, why are we here? What exactly do you need our help with?" The fire ninja asked, leaning back in his chair.
The dark haired woman grabbed the data pad from before. She swiped up and a hologram appeared above the table. She showed them the files she had showed Y/n earlier. "Have you heard of the Council of Anarchy?"
Lloyd visibly stiffened, and the rest of his team did as well at the mention of the name. The air around them was thick with tension causing Absinthe and Mars to glance at each other.
"I'll take that as a yes." Mars murmured.
"What about them?" Greenie asked, arching a questionable brow beneath his mask. They've had a few run ins with some council members. They were nothing but trouble. A real pain in the ass to deal with.
"A few weeks ago, three of our agents were sent on a mission involving the council. We haven't heard from them since." Mars explained, swiping up the profiles of the three that were missing.
The green ninja noticed Absinthe shift uncomfortably. She caught his gaze and he swore if he could see her face she'd be snarling at him.
"Alright, I'll bite. What do you want us to do about it? This sounds like the sort of thing you guys would have no problem dealing with on your own." Earth said bitterly, snapping the green ninja out of his thoughts as he crossed his muscular arms over his chest.
Absinthe's fists clenched in her lap, she removed her gaze to stare down at the table angrily. Mars glanced in her direction briefly before swiping across the screen once more to bring up the video. "Perhaps this will answer your question."
The video quality wasn't the best. However you could still obviously make out what was happening.
There was distant shouting. Followed by a loud "fuck" as a man stumbled into an alleyway with a dead end. He turned to retreat out of it but was face to face with three others. One of them was very clearly masculine, but the other two were harder to tell.
There were murmured voices, which were hard to understand. The first man appeared to be trying to talk his way out of something, either that or stall for time. The second man gripped onto his shirt, shaking him and shouting something they couldn't quite decipher. The first male didn't hesitate to uppercut him in the jaw. Forcing man number two to let go in surprise, taking a few steps back as he tried to regain his balance. Obviously caught off guard.
Clearly regretting his choice to punch him, the man rose his palms. You could hardly make out his panicked apologies. Suddenly, one of the other's outstretched an arm towards him.
He started to levitate and the man screamed in pure agony as he was forced into awkward angles. Body cocking and bending from the unknown force. His arms snapped, and his legs twisted. Bones protruded from his skin and with a snap of the person's fingers; he completely folded in half. Breaking his spine and effectively killing him.
The person dropped their arm to their side and his body fell with it. Splattering onto the ground in a pool of his own blood. That's when the video stopped.
The ninja force were once again left gobsmacked. Y/n remembered the feeling. The first time she had seen the video, she was at a loss for words too. She stared at the ninja intensely, continuing to be silent. The only reason she wasn't speaking was because Marlee all but threatened to murder her if she did.
Mars did her best to explain to the ninja all she knew on the matter. They were a little skeptical about the person having an element, but nobody seemed to have a better answer. Green did his best to pay attention, but he couldn't help but think of what they did to that poor man. What an awful way to die...
Their voices fizzled into mere background noise. Absinthe's e/c eyes were practically glued to the green ninja. She couldn't make out much of an appearance, the only thing she really got a good view of were his eyes. They were the most vibrant green eyes she had ever seen. Mixed with flecks of blue, yellow and gold. They reminded her of emeralds, and meadows with babbling brooks. Dew drops on grass, gentle breezes, and sunlight peeking through clouds. She felt envious of his beauty. Her envy began to add to her hatred.
He caught her gaze a few times and she didn't bother to hide the fact that she was staring. Y/n didn't care either way. Her eyes glinted with malice, peeking out through her mask. Dark and twisty, a raging storm contained in the e/c orbs.
They were complete opposites.
He didn't understand what her problem was. She made her distaste for them quite clear. The Ninja and the C15 had always been at odds. They weren't quite enemies but they weren't allies either. They were used to not liking each other. However, this felt different...
"We'll help you, but on a few conditions." Greenie finally said, glancing between both girls sternly.
"Well for starters, we're a team. And as a team we expect to be treated as equals. We want to be kept in the loop, if you figure something out we want to be informed. We're in this together after all."
Absinthe scoffed, earning a glare from her leader. Lloyd decided against giving her attention.
Mars agreed without hesitance. "You will have access to our building, files, agents, and equipment. Within reason of course."
"Like we haven't given them enough.. Mars, this is ridiculous. They aren't right for this job. The green ninja can barley control his own element. He destroyed half an apartment complex just the other week. Innocent people were hospitalized because of him." She hissed and the green ninja visibly winced at the memory. It was an obvious jab.
Lloyd stood, he had enough of this brats attitude. "You should learn to control your temper. And your tongue. You have asked for our help. We are here for you and yet you have the nerve to treat us as your enemy."
Absinthe stood as well, slamming her hands down onto the table. The sound bounced off the walls and echoed in the room they were in. Her gaze was blazing with what could only be described as pure hatred. "Excuse me? Who the fuck do you think you are?!"
"Absinthe enough! Sit your ass down." Mars snapped, grabbing her arm and pulling her back into her seat. Though she continued to glare at the green ninja, she kept her mouth shut. Something they all were grateful for.
"Thank you, Mars.." Lloyd mumbled, sitting down as well. "Next, I request that Absinthe be taken off the case."
That was the final straw. Absinthe looked like she was ready to rip his head off. If Mars hadn't of kept her steel grip on her arm, most likely bruising and possibly even puncturing her skin. Lloyd was sure she'd launch over the table to do just that.
"You can't be serious! I don't give a single shit about your title! Just because you have some kind of elemental powers, whatever the hell they are, doesn't mean you know what the fuck you're talking about! I have every right to be on this case! You will not take that away from me!"
Greenie's gaze hardened, "You have done nothing but glare at us since we've arrived. Your hatred for us is evident. You won't even bother to hide it. I don't mean to offend, but if we want the best advantage, it might be best if we work with someone who actually wants to work with us. Not to mention I believe my team and I would feel a whole lot more comfortable without worrying about being stabbed in the back."
Y/n's jaw clenched, "Then by all means, fuck off. I can handle this on my own! I don't need—"
"Absinthe! This is your final warning. If you could handle this on your own then you should have done so earlier. We made a deal, zip it."
"But—" Mars' glare was enough to silence her. Absinthe muttered something incoherent under her breath before leaning back in her chair and remaining silent. The hazel eyed maiden shook her head.
Mr. Green Ninja felt his shoulders sag slightly in relief.
"I apologize for Absinthe's uncivil behavior. Trust me when I say that it won't happen again. But with all due respect, Absinthe is apart of this deal. I cannot and will not remove her from the case. She is one of my best agents, one of the few who I personally trust. I advise that you put your differences aside, and work together."
They were quiet. His team glanced at each other before looking towards their leader. Green was silent, eyes locked onto the vexed female in thought. Slowly, he nodded. Sucking a tired breath between his teeth.
"Alright. You have a deal."
"Thank you for coming. I appreciate your help, truly." Mars held out her hand towards the green ninja, and he nodded his head before grabbing it and giving it a shake.
"Thank you for being civil. I hope we're able to help." He meant it, too. Even if he didn't like Absinthe, or the C15 very much for that matter. They were still people and he wanted to help. It was his duty to help. It was what the green ninja was for.
His title demanded it of him.
Mars hummed, "Me too. I'm putting my neck on the line here. Don't disappoint." She teased lightly, bowing her head in goodbye towards the others.
They exchanged awkward farewells before the ninja disappeared back into the elevator. Shuffling uncomfortably.
"Well that was..." Jay trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Strange?" Cole piped up, peeking towards the other's.
"That's one way of phrasing it." Kai huffed, leaning back against the wall. Arms crossed over his chest. A typical pose for the fire wielding hothead.
Lloyd was silent as his thoughts corrupted his mind. They had barely started working together and he already knew it was going to be a nightmare. "We need to discuss what we saw with Sensui Wu and my parents. Maybe they'll have a better answer to what we just witnessed." Lloyd sighed, shaking his head to himself.
The weight of the world was heavy indeed.