All of Nothing
In Ninjago City at night, after losing the third Fang Blade, the ninja searched all of Ninjago for any clue to the fourth one. But strangely enough, the number of Serpentine frequencies was more than low, it had dropped completely.
But it didn't stop them from trying. Along the dark streets of Ninjago City, a Venomari was running away from something as she looked back and hissed. She ran until something, or someone, emerged from the mist. Zane stepped out with his shurikens before he threw them on the ground and froze the area around them.
The Venomari then ran in another direction while slipping on the ice but was halted when a ball of electric energy flowed down a telephone pole. Jay then appeared in a flash and swung his nunchucks at the Serpentine, sending bolts of lightning at her.
She then tried her luck for a third, but then tripped over some crates and realized the alley was a dead end and that Kai, who was surrounded in a swirl of fire swinging his sword to extinguish it, was waiting for her.
The Venomari tried to get away the fourth time, but Cole was in front of her as she bumped into his chest and fell to the ground as the ninja regrouped and looked down at her.
"Going somewhere?" Cole mocked as the ninja then gathered their weapons around the Venomari, making her nervous.
"Uh-oh," she said nervously while looking at each weapon.
"Thought you could joyride through town without being noticed, huh? Now, where's the last Fang Blade?" Jay demanded while pointing his nunchucks at the Venomari.
"I don't know what you're talking about," the Venomari said nervously, acting dumb.
"You know what it is. The fourth Fang Blade," Kai said with a glare. "When Pythor finds them all, he plans to release the Great Devourer."
"Oh, that Fang Blade!" The Venomari realized before she gave a sinister chuckle. "You're too late. Pythor'sss already there now. He'sss probably already digging it up," the ninja looked at each other with concern when she told them. "If I were you, I'd ssstart preparing for the worssst, because when the Great Devourer isss awakened, there will be nothing it won't consssume!" She declared.
"But wouldn't that, by definition, mean it would consume you too?" Zane asked her.
"W-wait what?" The Venomari asked in shock. "W-what do you mean by that?"
"Uh, the Great Devourer is a giant snake born to eat everything in sight, and don't the Serpentine fall under 'everything in sight'?" Jay told her.
It took the Venomari a moment to realize the Great Devourer could eat anything and the Serpentine count as anything.
"Aah! Pleassse! You gotta ssstoop him! That Anacondrai'sss insssane! I don't wanna unleasssh the Great Devourer! I'm a sssnake! Not a sssnack!" She exclaimed in terror, realizing that Pythor's plan was madness. "Oh, Sssweet Arcturusss, Sssskales and Sssselma were right!"
"Skales and Selma?" Kai repeated with a raised eyebrow "You mean the two Hypnobrai leaders?"
"Th-They've been whissspering about how Pythor'sss plan was too dangerousss, that he'll destroy usss all! I didn't believe it until now!" The Venomari explained in panic. "They have alsssso voiced ssssome concernsssss about little Rattalia, but I don't know what."
"Is it really too late to stop Pythor from getting the last Fang Blade?" Cole asked, wanting to be sure if it was true.
"You're days behind him!" The Venomari confirmed. "I can give you the coordinates to him, but by then it will be too late! There'sss gotta be sssomething else you can do!" She pleaded, while the others looked grimly.
The Bounty was flying through the sky as fast as it could. On the bridge, everyone was gathered and looking at the map, showing their destination.
"The Venomari is right," Nya noted as she pointed to the map. "By the time we cast sail clear across to the other side of Ninjago, Pythor will have already beat us to the last Fang Blade."
"Oh, come on, guys. This is the last one," Jay spoke up, "We gotta get it."
"But even if we do get there, Pythor will have left there with the Fang Blade in hand and return to the City of Ouroboros to awaken the Devourer," Zane reminded him.
"So that's it, then? We're doomed?" Cole asked.
"Hey, wait guys, maybe we're thinking about this the wrong way," Melissa spoke up as they turned to her and Lloyd. "Maybe we shouldn't have to chase Pythor around."
"What? And let him win?" Jay questioned.
"No, I think Melissa is onto something," Lloyd said, standing next to his best friend. "All we have to do is just get one Fang Blade to stop him. What if we take the other three he already has?" He suggested.
"Think about it, Pythor's too smart to risk keeping the Fang Blades with him while traveling across Ninjago, giving us a chance to steal them," Melissa explained. "So he's probably hidden the three blades he has while he goes after the fourth."
"Of course… It's so simple," Cole said when they all realized.
"Why didn't any of us think of that?" Kai complained.
"It can't be that easy… can it?" Jay wondered.
"'Easy'? My algorithm suggests taking the other three would be far more dangerous," Zane informed them. "Pythor would undoubtedly have them protected by the other four generals."
"Let's not forget that the Venomari said that the two Hypnobrai's don't feel comfortable releasing the Great Devourer," Cole reminded them. "So it's just the other three generals."
"Which means, we don't have to hold back," Kai said eagerly.
"Even if we could steal the other three, we don't even know where they are," Garmadon reminded them.
"He's right. For the past few weeks, there have been no Serpentine sightings," Wu noted. "How are they moving around? It's like they're ghosts."
Nya then got an idea. "…Or snakes! Bridge, give us a sonar sweep of Ninjago for Serpentine?" She asked the computer.
The computer did a scan of the map but found no trace of Hypnobrai, Fangpyre, Constrictai, Venomari or Anacondrai.
"See? Nothing. It's just like sensei said," Kai told his sister.
"But what if they're not traveling above ground?" Nya asked. "They're snakes, right? Snakes burrow." She stated as she turned back to the monitor. " Bridge, give us a sonar sweep of Ninjago, but twenty feet below the surface."
The computer beeped as it projected a three-dimensional image of Ninjago, showing a vast network of underground tunnels, and strangely, the tunnels having been connected to the five Serpentine tombs.
"I don't believe it," Melissa gasped.
"All the tombs and major locations around Ninjago have been interconnected..." Kai started.
"And in the center, one massive underground fortress," Cole finished.
"And all this time, right under our noses," Jay said in amazement.
"Or rather,feet," Zane joked.
Kai looked around before he spotted a giant chamber in the center of the fortress. "There, that's the most protected area." He said. "The Fang Blades must be held there."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Wu questioned before turning to Nya. "Nya, set course."
"Already on it," Nya said as she went up to the monitor. "We'll be there by sun-up," she informed them.
The next morning, the ninja were training on the upper deck with Wu watching their progress.
"There is no room for error. The Serpentine have shown that they have great powers, and to combat them, you must turn their greatest strengths into their greatest weaknesses," Wu informed them as he turned to Kai. "Kai, how will you defeat the Hypnobrai?"
"Their hypnotizing powers are useless, if their opponent can fight without relying on his eyes," Kai answered as he pulled down a blindfold over his eyes and swung around his sword.
"Good," Wu said before he looked at Jay. "Jay, the Fangpyre is fast and his bite is sharp... "
"But if he can't bite into you... " Jay started, tapping his armored forearm. "He can't turn you into one!" He finished.
"Yes. Cole, the Constrictai are strong," Wu told him before he pressed up on a remote and the Earth Ninja got ensnared by a net, "...and they will not let go."
"But instead of fighting back, one should try to loosen up," Cole started as he loosened himself and wriggled free of the nets, "And a little soft-shoe doesn't hurt either." He added tapping his feet on the net.
"Zane, the venom of the Venomari can make you see things," Wu told him. "Cloud your perception."
"Then I will use my new Falcon Vision," Zane said as his eyes glowed blue, as well as his falcon's eyes, allowing him to see an aerial view of his surroundings before he changed to his normal vision and waved to his falcon.
"Very good," Wu said. "I have trained you well. You are all ready."
"What about you, Sensei? Will you fight?" Kai asked him. "We need all the help we can get."
"My concern is that my old bones cannot keep up, but I will be there in spirit," Wu told his pupils.
"We're arriving at the Mountain of a Million Steps," Nya told them over the PA. "You all might want to see this."
The mountain came into view and they could see the steps had been covered up with piles of dirt when they all looked to the side.
"Look at all those piles of dirt," Jay pointed out as they stopped at the side of the entrance.
"What are those snakes up to?" Kai questioned in thought as they all looked at the mountain.
"Wait for us!" Lloyd called as he and Melissa, in their new ninja suits, ran up from the bridge.
"Yeah the Green and Purple Ninjas are coming too!" Melissa called out.
"This is not your fight," Wu said to them. "The Ninjas of Yin and Yang are too important for a future destiny." He said to the two. "You both will stay with me."
"Oh, come on, I know how to fight and I know Spinjitzu..." Melissa was cut off when Wu did Spinjitzu past her causing her to spin like a top, "WHOA! WHOA! WHHHOAAA!" She yelled in surprise before Wu swung his staff and tripped her, landing flat on her back.
"You have much yet to learn," Wu said as cuckoo birds spun and cheeped over Melissa's head as her eyes turned in dizziness.
"You alright, Melissa?" Lloyd asked as he helped her stand.
"Oh, Auntie Em, is that you?" Melissa asked in dizziness before she shook her head to get out of her daze before they heard booster sounds and turned to see Nya in her Samurai suit.
"Well, they're gonna have to look out for themselves, because we made room for you," Nya said while gesturing to the seat section on the side of her left shoulder.
"You said you were concerned that you couldn't keep up, so Jay and Nya reconfigured the design so you can come along," Kai explained to Wu. "So, what do you think?"
"I think…" Wu started in excitement as he rushed up and did a flip, "Shot-gun!" He cheered with a laugh as he landed on his seat.
"I will stay back with Lloyd and Melissa," Garmadon volunteered. "I don't enjoy saying this but… Good luck." He said.
"Before you guys go, can you please get Rattalia away from Pythor," Lloyd told them with a concerned look on his face. "She told me what he's been doing to her and you guys won't want to hear what he did to the other Anacondrai."
"We'll try, Lloyd, but with all those snakes down there, it might be a tough fight. But we'll try to get her out," Kai promised.
The group then went in the hole to the tomb of the Constrictai to find that the place had multiple cracks in the walls.
"I thought you said this place would be heavily guarded, Zane?" Jay whispered when they reached the bottom.
"Forgive me. Even nindroids make mistakes," Zane told him.
Cole then noticed something. "Hey look at this."
They all looked over to the wall and saw goofy drawings of the ninja with a mustache on one of them.
"Pfft! That doesn't even look like me," Jay scoffed.
"Ah, they're gonna pay for that," Kai grunted in anger.
"I mean, at least give me a decent mustache," Cole said as he touched the mustache, but caused a secret entrance to open. "Uh, I meant to do that." He said sheepishly.
The ninja then rushed into the entrance as they stopped and saw a huge chamber filled with Serpentine and some chains hanging from the ceiling as the generals were discussing the current events with each other.
"So, what happenssss when the Great Devourer is unleashed?" Fangtom asked his fellow generals. "Will it really consssume everything? Including ussss?" He asked in concern.
"I hope not. To teach the sssurfacesss-dwellersss a lessssson for locking usss underground for ssso many yearsss isss tempting," Skalidor spoke out, narrowing his eyes, "But at the cossst of ourssselvesss?"
"Who knowsss if the legend is true? Or if the Great Devourer is even alive to this day," Acidicus spoke up, "I, for one, am apprehiensssive of what isss to come."
"What do you think, Ssskales?" Skalidor asked the Hypnobrai.
"Well, in my opinion, releassssing the Great Devourer issss a terrible idea," Skales told his fellow generals. "Have any of you even ssstopped to asssk how Pythor intended to control it, if it can be controlled at all?" He asked them.
"Well, that isss…a good quessstion," Fangtom said in agreement. "We have no idea if it can be controlled... Ssso that'sss an unanswered one."
"For now, let'sss keep alert," Skales said to them. "Pythor could be back sssoon." He added before he turned to see Selma with Rattalia and he slithered towards them. "How issss she doing, Sssselma?"
"Ssshe'sss doing fine, but a fear hasss begun to ssslip into her heart," Selma said to Skales while looking at Rattalia in concern as the little Anacondrai was starting to have tears rolling down her eyes.
"There's too many to deal with at once," Kai whispered. "I say we travel by shadow."
"I'm right behind you," Nya said.
"And I'm right behind you," Wu added. They all started sneaking down the stairs as Wu enjoyed a cup of tea.
Back on the Bounty, Lloyd and Melissa walked into the bridge to find Garmadon typing something on the computer. On the screen look to bebBlueprints and schematics for mechs and other things.
"Transferring files," the computer said.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Melissa questioned Garmadon.
"You're stealing?" Lloyd asked his dad in disbelief as Garmadon gasped. "Dad, our friends are risking their lives to save Ninjago. Now you go behind their backs to gain an advantage?" He questioned.
"I'm sorry, Lloyd, but I can't help it," Garmadon explained in guilt. "Ever since the Devourer bit me, evil runs through my blood."
"We get that, but that's not right!" Melissa stated.
Lloyd looked at his father sadly. "You and Mom left me for so long, where were you?" He asked.
"Son, there are places in the world void of any good." Garmadon said, looking down at his hands, "Dark places."
"You mean like where Sensei found you?" Melissa asked the Dark Lord.
"You two and the other ninjas know how I've always wanted those Golden Weapons," Garmadon said to them. "Well, this place allowed me the power to possess them." He said as he gestured to his four arms.
"But why didn't you take me with you?" Lloyd asked his father.
"Well, from what Garmadon told me, it's that he didn't want you to see what he's become," Melissa said as she remembered what Garmadon told her the other day while looking through the Prophecy of The Ninjas of Yin and Yang. "Is that right, Garmadon?"
"Your friend is correct, Lloyd. You see, every boy and every girl has a choice to grow up to be whoever they want to be," Garmadon said to his son. "But I never had that choice. Because I was bitten, evil runs through my veins, but you still have a choice, son."
"You don't need to be like me, Lloyd. Your uncle has a plan for you and your friend," Garmadon said to his son as Lloyd listened to what his father said. "And, even if it's to stop me one day, we all have to follow our own destiny." He added. "And after I help the ninja stop Pythor, I'll need to leave again." He finished with a frown.
"Then why don't you leave right now?!" Lloyd suggested in anger. This startled Melissa and Garmadon.
"Lloyd," his father spoke.
"No, really!" Lloyd snapped. "Go back to whatever evil place you came from!" He added as he looked away in sadness from his father's eyes.
"Alright, Operation Stealth was a total bust," Nya spoke up from the monitor as her comm signal appeared. "We're gonna need reinforcements! Anyone there?!"
Garmadon was about to answer, but Lloyd grabbed his hand away from the console.
"We don't want your help, and we don't need you here!" Lloyd angrily said as he turned away from him. "Maybe it would've been better if you hadn't come back at all." He added, which struck a nerve in his father while Melissa gasped silently from that remark.
Garmadon felt hurt hearing that. "If… that's how you feel." He said sadly as he then walked to the door.
"B-But, Garmadon," Melissa said as he walked past her. "Y-You can't just…" She trailed off as he was closer to the door.
Lloyd looked at the console while feeling overwhelmed on how to use it as he pressed many buttons, but he activated the coffee machine.
"I'm trying to help, Nya! Just hold on!" Lloyd called as he kept pressing buttons while Garmadon watched as he left.
Melissa was surprised by this as she turned to her best friend. "You're just gonna let your father go, Lloyd? He risked his life for you like how I did back at the Fire Temple! Even with evil running through his veins, he has the heart of a true parent!" She stated.
"Yeah, but he's only doing this to get the Golden Weapons!" Lloyd countered as he continued to try and activate the console.
"Lloyd, I get what he did was wrong, but even with all that evil, he still cares about you," Melissa said as she walked up to him. "And you can't just give up on your father like that."
"At least I have a Father!" Lloyd told her hotly before he realized what he said while Melissa looked very hurt. "Uh, oh, uh, wait I…" He stammered in regret.
"I-I'll… leave you alone," Melissa sadly said as she walked out of the bridge while Lloyd reached out to her but she left as he groaned.
"Ugh! Why did I say that!?" Lloyd questioned himself in regret for what he said to, not only his father, but to his best friend as well.
Back with the others, lines of Serpentine were traveling down on the chains as the ninja's cover had been blown.
"Lloyd? Melissa? Can you hear me?!" Nya asked but got no response.
"Forget them. We need to fight back," Wu said as he poured his tea onto a Serpentine climbing on the mech. "Ninja, show them what you've learned!" He ordered as they all went at it.
Cole was then wrapped around by Skalidor. "Alwaysss wanted to make you my main sssqueeze." He taunted.
Cole started to loosen. "Must relax…" He said quickly. "Think loose..." Soon, he managed to slip out of his coils.
"What?!" Skalidor gasped in shock.
"Haha! Triple Tiger Sashay!" Cole called out before he flipped and kicked the general on the head before jumping off a Serpentine with his front hand, and then headbutted a Venomari to knock down all three.
Meanwhile, Kai was dealing with the Hypnobrai General. "You're sssurrounded, young fire ssstarter," Skales taunted as he and a few Serpentine had Kai surrounded. "Perhapsss you can now do our bidding." He remarked as he began to use his hypnotic gaze on him.
"Ugh, must not look!" Kai told himself as he quickly closed his eyes. "NINJA, GO!" He used his Spinjitzu with his eyes closed, attacking each Serpentine surrounding him. "I wish I could see me now, because you all just got 'Kai'd'!" He declared after sending them all flying when he stopped.
Jay was fighting off some Fangpyre as the general snuck behind him. The right head tried to bite him, but instead bit his armored arm.
"AAHHH!" Fangtom screamed in pain as he nursed his mouth.
"What, don't like the taste of defeat?" Jay mocked him as he tapped his armor. "Well, get used to it! Because it's all you can eat!"
"Looking good," Nya flirted to Jay with her mech giving him a thumbs up.
Jay swooned. "Thanks you look great too." He said.
"Don't mean to interrupt the lovebirds, but we do have Fang Blades to capture!" Zane called out from the bottom as he fended off some Serpentine.
"I don't 'Ssspit' ssso!" Acidicus mocked as he spat his venom into Zane's eyes.
Zane began to hallucinate the Serpentine as vegetables and fruit. He turned to see his friends rushing to aid him but saw them as food too. Zane managed to remain calm, calling for his trump card.
"Switching to Falcon Vision!" Zane called out as his falcon watched the battle from above, allowing Zane to see everything to guide his fighting.
Pretty soon, the group was pushing back the Serpentine and in the center of the room, they found them.
"Look, the Fang Blades!" Kai called out as they saw them being held in the center of the chamber surrounded by sickly green mist.
"I'll let you have the honors," Cole said to Kai with a smirk.
"Oh, no, after you," Kai said with a smirk as Cole ran up to the blades, but then his arms got caught by bite chains.
"Aah! It's a trap!" Cole exclaimed as the others tried to rush off, but they were then trapped in a huge cage as they struggled to break out before they turned and saw Pythor with some Serpentine behind him as he held the fourth Fang Blade.
"Come, come, can this get any better? Seriously, they fell right into my trap," Pythor boasted and turned to his troops. "Well done, my friends. Now with the ninja in our clutches, Ninjago is poised for us to awaken the Great Devourer and take our revenge!" He announced.
"Oh, this isn't good," Kai groaned as the cage started to lift. "Where's Lloyd and Melissa when you need them?"
Lloyd was still on the bridge as he tried to figure out how to work the consoles as Nya' spoke through it again.
"Lloyd? Lord Garmadon? Melissa? Is anyone there?" Nya asked.
"It's me, Nya! I'm here!" Lloyd answered. "But my dad left. And Melissa…never mind, how are things holding up?" He asked as static was heard.
Back in the underground fortress, the ninja, Nya and Wu were still trapped in the cage but had all their weapons, armor and even Nya's suit, stripped from them and chained up.
"Nya? Hello?" Lloyd spoke through the mech but there was some static.
Nya threw a rock at the mech as its comm was working again. "We're fine, but we're a little held up at the moment. Our weapons have been taken, and we're locked in cages." She told him.
"And Pythor's returned with the fourth Fang Blade," Cole explained.
"Lloyd, where did your father go? And what happened between you and Melissa?" Zane asked him.
"I told him to leave," Lloyd answered. "He was trying to steal secrets."
"Ha, big surprise there," Kai said sarcastically. "I told you about that guy, but you guys wouldn't listen."
"My dad's going back to where he came from. Melissa and I had a bit of an argument and I said something that I… shouldn't have said and hurt her feelings. But don't worry, I'll save you!" Lloyd said.
"You are not ready, Lloyd, and neither is Melissa," Wu told him with concern. "Your destinies are too great to risk."
"I hate to break it to you, Sensei, but if we don't get out of here before Pythor unleashes the Great Devourer, it may be the end of all our destinies!" Cole reminded him.
"Uhh, I'll get you out of there in a jiff," Lloyd said as he went to the weapon cabinet to take some gear. But the moment he grabbed something, all the weapons fell on top of him. "Ouch!" He moaned. "Maybe I should go talk to Melissa to at least get an edge." He muttered as he struggled to stand.
"No need," Melissa spoke up as she walked over to Lloyd and got him free. "I'm right here." She said before helping Lloyd.
"Melissa, listen I'm very sorry for what I said," Lloyd apologized in a very guilty tone. "I shouldn't have..." He was cut off when Melissa tackled him with a hug.
"I know, you were just hurt from what your father did. It's understandable and I forgive you," Melissa said with a small smile before she broke the hug and she punched Lloyd in the arm.
"Ow!" Lloyd cringed as he rubbed his arm.
"But don't ever say stuff like that again," Melissa warned with a firm look.
"Noted," Lloyd said a bit nervously. "Uh, how about we go and help the others?" He suggested.
"I'm down," Melissa said with a nod. "Now time for a ninja-styled rescue." She added as she threw up her hood.
Lloyd nodded in determination. "You're right, it's time for The Ninjas of Yin and Yang to save the day."
The Serpentine all gathered around as Pythor placed the final Fang Blade with the others in a golden holder.
"Together, brothersss and sssistersss, we have taken back the four Fang Blades!" Pythor announced as he looked out to his army. "When we return them to the city of Ouroborosss, together we will unleash the Great Devourer and finally take Ninjago, asss our own!" All the Serpentine cheered as the heroes watched on in horror. Pythor held up all four blades in triumph. "To the city of Ouroborosss!" He declared before a Constrictai walked up to him.
"We ssspent so much time digging thisss underground fortressss, it'd be a shame not to use it a little bit more," the Constrictaii stated.
"At leasssst let usss celebrate in capturing the ninjasss," Acidicus suggested as the rest of the Serpentine agreed.
Rattlalia saw this as she turned to her uncle. "Give them thisss victory, Uncle, and tomorrow we will return the bladesss to Ouroborosss." She whispered, hoping to stall Pythor some time for the ninja to come up with a plan to escape and take the blades.
Pythor frowned, concerned that the ninja would use this early celebration to make a plan to escape, but sighed, knowing his niece was right.
"Oh, very well, but I don't want anyone here to let their guard down while the ninja are under lock and key because their escape will be on your head, underssstood, young lady?" He asked as Rattalia nodded quickly and worriedly as Pythor turned to the four tribes. "Then tonight, we celebrate our victory, with a Slither Pit!"
The Serpentine cheered and drew their weapons as two at a time took center stage for the fights. The group either watched them from the chains above, meditated while they waited, played a game of checkers with small stones or items from their pockets, or paced about the cage.
"Ugh, so all we can do is just wait? This is killing me," Kai rants as he is paced.
"Patience, Lloyd and Melissa will figure out something," Wu told Kai.
"We're putting all of our trust in the son of the greatest villain Ninjago has ever seen with his best friend," Kai reminded them. "Uh, is anyone else having doubts about this plan?" He questioned as he walked up to the side of the cage where the Golden Weapons were. "Just because we don't have our weapons, doesn't mean we can't use our powers." He said as he reached his hand out to his sword. "We just need to focus." He said as he closed his eyes and tried to concentrate.
"The cage is built out of Vengestone, " Wu stated as the others turned to him. "A rare mineral in Ninjago that nullifies elemental powers, your abilities are rendered useless here." He explained, "Patience."
Kai sighed as he then turned to Jay's hair gel and walked towards it.
"Hey, that hair oil was just about to be kinged," Jay complained.
"Yeah? Well, I'm just about to get us out of here," Kai said as he poured some of the hair oil on his hand and rubbed it on himself.
"Whoa, greaseball!" Cole shouted when he saw what Kai was doing. "How about warning us before you do that?"
"Unh, you can make jokes all you want, but I don't think we need our special powers to get out of here," Kai said as he walked over to the bars, "Just a little ingenuity." He added as he squeezed through the bars and slipped out of them.
"He made it," Jay said.
"Look at that," Zane commented.
"All right, slickster," Cole complimented, "But now what?"
"Now, we quietly do a little ball and chain," Kai whispered before he quietly reached for the nearest chain and pulled it towards him.
They watched as he put the chain around the bar of the cage before lowering themselves down. The Serpentine continued their Slither Pit as Kai went lower till he was close to the bottom.
On the arena floor a Fangpyre and Venomari were fighting before the Venomari came out victorious. Then the fight master, a Fangpyre, spoke through a microphone.
"Let'sss change the game ssshall we?!" The Fangpyer declared before he went over to a lever as images on the floor spun like a lottery machine before it landed on the symbol of snake head over a puddle of acid, "Vat of Venom!"
The Serpentine cheered as the announcer pulled another lever and Kai saw the floor open up revealing a pool of bubbling acid and narrow walkways.
"Next two fighters!" The announcer declared as a Hypnobrai and Constrictai took their places on the arena, fighting along the narrow crack-shaped floor pieces as the Hypnobrai was pushing back the Constrictai.
Kai then started swinging the chain as the cage moved. "It's working, keep going." Nya encouraged her brother.
"Come on, everyone. Let's see if we can throw our weight around," Cole said as they then started running around the cage, making it swing side to side.
"Come on, more speed," Jay encouraged them.
Little did any of them know that Pythor noticed Kai was out of the cage.
"Jussst asss I thought," Pythor said to himself before he slithered away.
"Next one and I've got it," Kai whispered as he started to swing on the final chain. Once he swung far enough, he leaped off it and grabbed hold of the edge right where Pythor grabbed his arm.
"Ah, ah, ah," Pythor mocked with a smirk. "Trying to leave the party early, are we?" He asked as Kai gave Pythor a nervous grin and a chuckle.
"Heh, I bet this looks kind of bad, doesn't it, huh?" Kai asked before he was placed back in the cage, and this time… all their right arms had been chained to the bars so they could not try escaping again.
"Greaaat, we're in such a better place than we were before," Cole said sarcastically to Kai.
"And now we can't even play checkers," Zane lamented.
"And I was about to be king, Kai!" Jay exclaimed.
Nya then turned to Wu. "Don't worry, Sensei. I have faith in Lloyd and Melissa." She said to him.
Back outside, Lloyd and Melissa, got off of the Bounty as they ran up the mountain.
"Ninja roll!" Lloyd said as he and Melissa rolled. "Flying Drag...Whoa!" He tripped as Melissa ran and picked him up, "Ninja-Recover!" He called in embarrassment before he then ran up to the entrance. "Ninja roll!" He called out before he rolled down to the entrance before he hit a few bumps and groaned.
Melissa skillfully slid down next to Lloyd and picked him up again. "Maybe you should practice before doing the call outs, or not use the call outs, Lloyd." She advised him.
"What, they sounded cool," Lloyd said with a shrug before they saw the rope to the entrance as the two climbed down it.
Deep beneath the fortress, while the Serpentine celebrated, the heroes remained trapped in the cage, sitting in defeat. Suddenly, Kai noticed something out of the corner of his eye.
"Hey, look up there!" Kai told the others and then they saw Lloyd and Melissa sneaking up from the ledge. "It's Lloyd and Melissa!" He said as they stood up and smiled at them.
Lloyd and Melissa looked down and saw the others in the cage and the whole Serpentine below them.
"Wow, that is a lot of snakes," Melissa whispered.
"You're telling me," Lloyd whispered in agreement.
"Come on, Lloyd, we're the Ninjas of Yin and Yang," Melissa said with determination. "We can do this."
"You're right, Melissa," Lloyd said with a determined expression. "We can do this."
Melissa took the lead as she and Lloyd ran down the path, but Lloyd tripped as he gave a yell and hit Melissa, causing the two to tumble all the way downhill.
"OW! OOF! OUCH! THAT ONE HURT! OH MY LEG!" Lloyd yelled.
"OW! DAGH! FELT THAT ONE! OW!" Melissa yelled as the others cringed from that as they followed them tumbling down the slope.
The Serpentine were watching two of them in the Slither Pit before Lloyd and Melissa rolled past them and stopped right in front of them. The Serpentine gasped in surprise and looked at each other.
"Lloyd? Melissssa?" Rattalia quietly said in shock as Lloyd and Melissa stood.
"We really need to grow into these things," Lloyd groaned as he looked at his gi.
"You said it," Melissa groaned as she stood up while rubbing her head.
"Well, if we don't meet again, Pythor!" Lloyd called out to the Anacondrai.
"Unhand the ninja and hand over the Fang Blades, or suffer humiliation against The Ninjas of Yin and Yang!" Melissa declared as she and Lloyd stood proudly, but Pythor and all the Serpentine, minus Rattalia, erupted with laughter at their threat.
"Oh, yeah?! You and what army?!" Pythor guffawed.
Lloyd and Melissa got nervous once they saw they were dangerously outnumbered.
"Uh, army, yes, uh, that's a good question," Melissa said nervously, trying to think.
"How about our army of fists?!" Lloyd called as he threw punches and a kick, but the snakes, sans Rattalia, laughed again.
"Yeah, not the best comeback, Lloyd," Melissa said with a brow raised before she got into a stance. "How about my Spinjitzu army!? NINJA-GO!" She called as she then did Spinjitzu towards Pythor before he gave a simple swing of his tail and knocked her away and out of her Spinjitzu.
"Yipe!?" Melissa yelped and crashed into Lloyd. "OK, doing Spinjitzu and mastering it, completely different things." She moaned dizzily.
That only caused the Serpentine to laugh at them more… until a familiar voice spoke.
"Or this army!"
They all turned to see Lord Garmadon along with the Skeleton Army on the ledge.
"Dad!" Lloyd called out in joy for his father as Garmadon turned to his son.
"Lloyd, you and your friend helped me realize I do have a choice," Garmadon said before turning his attention to Pythor. "If there is anyone who is going to threaten Ninjago, it better well be me!"
"The Skeleton Army?!" Pythor shouted in shock. "But why would they fight beside you?! You betrayed them and Samukai long ago!" He pointed out.
"Because everybody hates snakes!" Wyplash retorted, which caused the Skeleton Army to laugh at them.
"Attack!" Pythor roared to his army.
"Attack!" Garmadon and Wyplash roared as well as the armies of Snakes and Bones charged at each other.
Pythor then pulled a lever as the cage holding the heroes began to move.
"Hey! We're moving!" Jay said as Cole looked down and looked scared.
"Yeah, the wrong way!" Cole called out as they looked down to see they were heading towards the lake of poisonous liquid.
Selma punched a skeleton back before she turned to see Nuckal babbling while doing an odd dance.
"Are you ssserious?" Selma chuckled before Kruncha came up behind her and whacked her with a bone.
"She never saw it coming," Kruncha said.
"Uh, saw what coming?" Nuckal asked before Kruncha literally made his head spin.
"Stop your squabbling and fight!" Wyplash told the two boneheads, bonking both of their heads before they continued to fight the Serpentine.
As the cage continued to sink, the heroes climbed up the bars to avoid getting melted along with the floor. Nya looked to her right and smiled.
"Lloyd! Melissa!" Nya cheered.
Lloyd used his smaller size to slip past the warriors while Melissa used her Spinjitzu to knock away some snakes. They went over to the levers and pulled them to stop the cage from sinking. Lloyd pulled a lever which freed the older ponies from their shackles. Melissa then pulled another lever that lowered the ninja's weapons and Nya's suit.
"Told ya we'd save you!" Lloyd smiled.
"Now let's join the fight!" Melissa added.
"Go, ninjas, go!" Kai complimented as they all went and grabbed their weapons while Nya and Wu took the Samurai suit.
"NINJA-GO!" The four Ninja did Spinjitzu as they joined the fight.
Lloyd and Melissa followed behind, but then they stopped in their tracks when they saw Rattalia standing in front of them holding a sword towards them looking scared as Pythor stood behind her.
"Take them down, my niece!" Pythor ordered as Rattalia looked between her uncle and her two friends as her sword started shaking in her grip. "You heard me! Finish them!" He ordered again.
"Rattalia, you don't have to listen to him," Melissa told her. "You don't have to keep being his flunky."
"But, but I'm an Anacondrai," Rattalia stammered while still holding her sword shaking in her grip.
"You don't have to be someone you're not," Lloyd said to her. "Everybody has a choice to be whoever they want to be, and so do you, but that's up to you, not Pythor."
"It's your choice, Rattalia. You can be like your uncle or your father; a coward or a warrior." Melissa told her.
Rattalia give a thoughtful look at their words as she looked at her reflection in her sword, remembering the stories and tales about her father being an honorable warrior while also having terrifying memories of Pythor, who ate their entire tribe just to survive… including her own mother and threatened to do the same to her.
"Oh, for the love of...I'll do it myself!" Pythor yelled as he raised his staff at the Ninjas of Yin and Yang, but when he was about to slam it down, Rattalia quickly blocked it with her sword. "What?!" He asked in shock as he looked at his niece, who was giving a glare at her uncle. "What are you doing?!"
"Leave. My friends. Alone!" Rattalia said with a sneering tone.
"You dare define me!?" Pythor questioned his niece with rage.
"You've gone too far in thisssss, uncle!" Rattalia snapped as she pushed Pythor back. "For years, I have sssssuffered from all the abuse and threatssss you've thrown my way and if that wasn't enough, not only did you kill and even ate, not just our whole tribe, but my mother! You're own ssssister! How could you?!" She demanded in anguish and fury.
"Ssshe was weak like the ressst of them! And I did what I had to do in order to sssurvive!" Pythor snapped. "Do you not remember our Creed!?"
"Only one can remain. I know, but how you massssacred our people, threatened your own family and planned to unleash an unssstoppable monster on Ninjago, you have no right to call yoursssself an Anacondrai!" Rattalia called him out, pointing her sword firmly at him.
Pythor growled as he held the Fang Blades close to him and his staff outward. "You think you can be better?! I made you who you are! Without me, you are nothing!" He yelled.
"I'd rather be nothing than be a ssssslave to you!" Rattalia countered as she slithered up to her uncle, but he used his tail, wrapping it around her neck.
"Ssso be it," Pythor said with a glare before he moved to make the finishing blow before…
"Raahh!" Garmadon yelled as he pounced on Pythor, forcing him to let go of Rattalia as the Dark Lord struck Pythor relentlessly, causing him to drop his staff. "Go ahead, give me a reason to skin you alive." He dared.
Rattalia then saw her father's staff and picked up it. "As for this, it's mine." She said firmly. Pythor growled before he turned and took a chance to flee with the Fang Blades. "Running away? Melissa's right, you really are a coward, uncle!" She called him out.
"Sssso long, sssuckersss!" Pythor shouted as the four watched him go, but Pythor bumped into Cole, causing him to tumble and drop the Fang Blades as the ninja turned to him.
"Going somewhere?" Cole questioned, practically daring Pythor to make a move.
"Oh dear," Pythor muttered worriedly, knowing that it was over.
Pythor hissed when Cole aimed his scythe to his neck as the Earth Ninja picked up the Fang Blades. Pythor knew he couldn't face them as he then vanished from sight and Cole was surprised by that.
"Where did he go?" He asked, searching for any sign of Pythor.
"Who cares? We got the Fang Blades," Kai pointed out, "Let's get out of here." He declared
The ninjas were about to leave, but when they turned around, they saw Skales and Selma right behind them with their weapons.
Skales and Selma saw that the ninjas have the Fang Blades and they both looked at each other before looking back at them.
"Take The Fang Bladessss to Torch Fire Mountain. Its lava is the only thing that can desssstroy them," Skales told the ninjas quietly.
"And get Rattalia assss far away from here assss possible," Selma added while looking at Rattalia with Lloyd and Melissa.
The ninjas were surprised by this before they nodded. "Don't worry, we plan on it." Kai said.
"We were just about to do that anyway," Jay said with a shrug.
"Then good luck, ninja," Skales whispered as he and Selma slithered off, "And have a good life, Rattalia." He added before he and Selma went back to the fight.
"NINJA-GO!" The four ninja then did Spinjitzu as they knocked away the other Serpentine in their path and the group made their way to the exit.
"Don't worry about us!" Nuckal told them. "We'll keep fighting the good fight!"
Kai stopped spinning and gave them a thumbs up. "Thanks for the help." He told them.
"Don't think this is gonna be a regular thing. Once this is all over, we're going back to hating each other," Wyplash told the ninjas before tipping his hat. "But I will tip my hat as a sign of respect."
"I never thought I'd be saying this but... GO, NINJA, GO!" Kruncha cheered as the ninjas made it out with the four Fang Blades.
Once everyone was back on the Destiny's Bounty, it took off into the sky away from the mountain and the Serpentine
Inside the Bounty, Garmadon was packing his things as Lloyd walked up to him with a knowing look.
"You're leaving?" Lloyd asked as his father turned to him.
"Now that you are safe and the ninja have the Fang Blades, there is nothing else I am needed for," Garmadon said as he then carried his bag.
"I need you," Lloyd pleaded, which Garmadon was slightly surprised, but turned away in sadness as Lloyd sighed. "I know you have to leave, but know this: When we meet again, Melissa and I are gonna do everything in our power to defeat you." He promised, which made Garmadon pat his son's head.
Garmadon gave a chuckle. "I wouldn't have it any other way." He said with a smile as he then made his way to the door, but stopped. "Oh, and son? You're a good boy. Soon, you'll be a great man. Although we are now on opposite sides, I'm still very proud of you. And I am proud that you have made such a great friend in Melissa. She's a nice girl." He said with a proud smile. "I know that you and her will be the greatest ninjas in all of Ninjago."
Lloyd nodded and turned to leave before Garmadon spoke again. "Wait, before I go, there's something you should know." Garmadon told Lloyd as he turned to him. "When I was growing up with the evil flowing through my blood, there was one thing that stopped me from fully giving into the darkness." He started before he reached behind him and pulled out a rusty gold necklace with a locket on it. He looked at it longingly before holding it out to Lloyd and the boy caught it.
"It was the love I had…for her," Garmadon said as Lloyd opened the locket and he gasped when he saw a picture of a beautiful young woman with dark green eyes and blonde hair in a braid.
"M-Mom?" Lloyd asked in surprise as he looked at the picture for a moment before he looked up and saw that his father was gone. "So long, Dad." He said sadly.
On the bridge, everyone was celebrating their victory of getting all four Fang Blades as they were all dancing to the music while a disco ball was shining around the room. On the table in the middle of the room were the four Fang Blades. The boys wore their casual clothes while Nya was wearing a dress that looked like the one she wore on her first date with Jay, but with light blue colors.
Melissa turned and saw Lloyd entering the bridge with a sad look, though she knew what was making him down as she walked up to him.
"He left didn't he?" Melissa asked as Lloyd nodded while being silent. Melissa then went to the table and picked up two cups of juice. "Then have some Snogfruit punch to make you feel better, Lloyd." She said with a smile and gave a cup to Lloyd. "Cole made it and it's actually not that bad."
"To Garmadon!" Rattalia called out while raising her cup.
"Hear, hear!" Everyone cheered with their drinks raised.
"To Dad," Lloyd said with a smile as he raised his cup.
"Tomorrow we arrive at Torch Fire Mountain to destroy these Fang Blades once and for all," Wu declared as he looked down at the Fang Blades before looking at his nephew. "And it couldn't have been done without your father. I'm going to miss him."
Everyone started cheering and drinking the punch, and then Rattalia slithered up to Lloyd and Melissa and hugged them both
"I sssstill can't thank you both enough for ssssaving me from my abusive uncle. You two are the bestesssst friends I've ever had," Rattalia said fondly as Melissa and Lloyd smiled.
"Ah, what are friends for, Rattalia?" Lloyd asked with a smile.
"We're just glad you're finally free and with us," Melissa said as Rattalia broke the hug. "And we're finally away from Pythor and have the blades. I have a feeling it's nothing but smooth sailing from here." She added as they all enjoyed their victory party.
But then, outside the bridge next to the door, Pythor suddenly appeared, revealing that he snuck aboard the bounty before they took off.
"Oh, I wouldn't sssay that. You're going to be ssso much more when I get through with you, ninja," Pythor said as he rubbed his hands together and he gave an evil laugh.
It seemed that even though the ninja succeeded in taking back the Fang Blades, soon it would be revealed that it was all for nothing.
To be continued...
A/N: And that was All of Nothing, and it looks like The Ninjas succeeded in getting The Fang Blades and saved Rattalia from Pythor, but unfortunately for them, it looks like it's far from over. I hope you all enjoy reading this new chapter, everyone.
Up Next: The ninjas destroy The Fang Blades... Or will they?
Here's the Cast List:
Jillian Michaels as Lloyd and Selma; Tara Strong as Melissa and Female Venomari; Vincent Tong as Kai and Constrictai; Michael Adamthwaite as Jay and Fangpyre; Andrew Francis as Cole and Male Venomari; Brent Miller as Zane; Kelly Metzger as Nya; Paul Dobson as Wu and Acidicus; Mark Oliver as Garmadon; Michael Dobson as Pythor and Wyplash; Tabitha St. Germain as Rattalia; Ian James Corlett as Skales; John Novak as Skalidor; Mackenzie Grey as Fangtom; and Brian Drummond as Kruncha and Nuckal.