Ninjago
RecreationalHazarD
Lloyd listened as the kids continued snoring, they must have used a great deal of energy to climb the mountain. He hoped they would not mind if he stepped out for a bit, besides, he would only be out for a few hours.
He jumped over the monastery's wall and onto the New Bounty. Nya, Jay, and Zane had been spending days working on it trying to get it to fly. He was not tech savvy but luckily, they had drawn up blueprints.
Noth that he could make heads or tails out of it, he was making slow luck on the engines, he had even managed to connect the steering. He tirelessly worked throughout the night, connecting as many little pieces as possible he could, yet whenever he picked one up it felt like two more would take its place.
Suddenly there was a knock on the wood above him. His tired eyes darted up, seeing two faces watching him intently. The sun stood behind them obscuring their little faces.
"What time is it?" He wiped his eyes not realizing how long he had been down there.
"It is morning," Arin piped up, smiling.
They must have searched every room while he was working. He motioned for them to come to him, first Arin hopped down, surprisingly light was Lloyd's first thought. He motioned for Sora to come down next and despite being taller her little body was even lighter than Arin's.
"What are you working on?" Sora was scanning everything in the room.
She picked up the blueprints and stared at them heavily scanning every piece of information on them.
"It's supposed to be the engine but I'm not having much luck," he shrugged.
He began to gather the tools and all the little pieces he had spread out across the floor.
"You placed the power couplings to the thrusters wrong, with wiring like this it causes the thrusters to reverse the polarity and not ignite."
Lloyd stood there for a few seconds; did she really know what she was talking about? But she said it with such certainty that it would not hurt to try it.
"Okay show me where to do it," He was not going to let her hurt herself if she was wrong.
Slowly she showed him all the correct places and the wiring began to look more in place. The three walked to the steering wheel. He flipped the lever and the Bounty rumbled and a hiss came from the thrusters. Looking over the side of the bounty a beautiful orange flame was pouring from the thrusters.
"How do you know so much about engineering?" He leaned down on his knee so he could be eye level with her. "It's amazing."
She smiled meekly, "I've always been good with it."
"Thanks to you I'll be able to search for my friends, thank you Sora."
Her little face was red but instead of embarrassment he could tell there was a smile on her face.
"I bet you both are hungry," he had heard both of their stomachs rumbling.
They entered the Monastery's kitchen, and he opened the freezer. Various things stood out to him but to celebrate Sora's ingenuity he pulled a case of fish.
"How's fish sound?" he looked back.
He could tell their mouths were already watering at the sight of it. What else do kids like? He did not want to ride the whole meal with just Fish, he remembered liking cut carrots they will too.
He could tell that it has been a while since they have had a home cooked meal, how bad was it getting down there? How long had it been since he left the mountain? Surely it could not have been that long.
Pushing the thoughts down he focused on the fish and carrots. It was serene, the chatter of excited children, the smell of cooked fish, it was bringing back memories of those he lost in the merge.
"Here's breakfast," he placed the plates down. "I hope you two like it."
They happily ate it, much to his surprise he did not think kids liked carrots. His thoughts fled elsewhere back to when he was their age, he hated vegetables, yet Zane and Kai convinced him to. Arin and Sora reminded him so much of his past and all that he had done.
When they were done, Lloyd handed them their clothes back freshly washed, sadness flashed across their face, they knew what was happening.
"I know that this is sad, but this isn't the last time you'll see me," he pulled out a little device. "This is what me and the other Ninja have used to find ourselves. I want you two to have it."
Both eyes glistened as they realized Lloyd would stay in touch. Arin ran forward and wrapped his little arms around him and after seeing Arin do it Sora followed quickly behind. He did not know what to do or have the will to leave them behind. Grabbing both he picked them up, letting them settle into his arms.
"You ready?" He smiled, hiding his sadness.
Their teary eyes questioned him. He dashed forward flying down each of the stairs with ease. The wind billowed past them as they ran causing their hair to fly back wildly. Lloyd arrived at the bottom of the stairs, their little hands still holding on tight to his Gi.
He lowered them slowly to the ground making sure they could stand. He could still see the sadness on their faces, but he could not stop now their family needed them. Grabbing their hands, he held them softly, giving them the sincerest smile he could muster. They begrudgingly began to move. Lloyd could feel his heart dying inside him, why was this so painful?
"Where do you two live?" The silence was becoming unbearable.
"We live at the Crossroads," Arin muttered pointing at a nearby town.
When Lloyd arrived at the Crossroads, he was fascinated to see all the various species that had made their home in what was Ninjago.
"My if it isn't Arin and Sora we wondered where you went!"
Lloyd's stomach dropped, he turned to the voice getting ready to give them up only to be met with a frog man. His stomach stopped falling to process the confusion at what he was looking at.
"Is this your guardian?" Lloyd asked.
"No this is Alfonzo Frohicky, the business manager of Crossroads!" Arin said smiling.
"An unofficial title, please come inside," he smiled at the kids, yet giving Lloyd the stink eye.
Lloyd sat in the chair as the frog man talked to the kids, they ran off to the back with excitement.
"What did you tell them?" Lloyd asked.
"To go prepare a pie, that should give us enough time to talk."
He sat down closely looking at him. There was an uncomfortable amount of silence as Lloyd waited.
"So, you're the Green Ninja," Frohicky leaned in. "Tell me what your plans are."
"Plans?"
"Arin and Sora mentioned how you fed them, what are you planning, are you trying to befriend them before hurting them!"
"No of course not, I'm here to return them to their parents," he pleaded.
Frohicky's face softened. "Good you're being truthful; do you wish to know the hidden talent of my people."
Lloyd gave a skeptical look.
"We can smell the emotions and the traces of intentions that come out of people," he placed a hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "You're as genuine as they get, I'm glad all those stories of you were true."
"Wait, you have heard stories of the Ninja?"
"Of course, who hasn't," his smile faded. "But there's something I need to tell you."
Frohicky's face held a deep seldom sadness and a heavy sigh could be heard leaving his body. Lloyd wondered what was so depressing that it caused this level of sadness.
"Arin's parents were lost in the merge and Sora is a runaway, they have no parents to return to."
Lloyd sat stunned so much was happening in this short conversation it was hard to wrap his mind around. Frog man had keen senses, Arin and Sora had no parents, what else could be said. But he knew exactly what to do. He bowed in front of the frogman.
"Mr. Frohicky as a caretaker of Arin and Sora I ask for your permission to bring them under my care at my Monastery."
"That's not something to ask me," he said coldly before turning. "It's something to ask them."
Arin stood there with his mouth open practically vibrating, meanwhile Sora's eyes were wide, and her little arms hung motionless by her side. There was a splat as the pie fell to the floor.
"Arin… Sora, I know that we know each other long, but you have grown on me so much and if you come under my care, I promise to protect you and-"
Before he even finished, they had tackled him, both staining his Gi with their tears. Even their voices were an incomprehensible wave of various words being melded together.
