update jumpscare

So here's a quick health update for those who care: We figured out what was wrong with me (TLDR, entire digestive system majorly screwed up) and I started getting treated for it about 6 months ago. I am considerably better now than I was, and I am typing this from my desk at my new job (don't tell my boss shhh). Shoutout to some commenters for reminding me that this fic exists (wheeze emoji)

But uhhhh yeah kinda short recap chapter but ACTION SOON (probably) WOOHOO

"Now, this display shows any serpentine activity throughout all of Ninjago city and the surrounding areas." Nya inputted a shortcut into the keyboard, causing a red overlay to appear over their map. "We'll be counting on you when out in the field to warn us in case of an ambush."

"Uh, what was that again?" Kai rubbed at the back of his head with his good hand, staring down at the keyboard in bewilderment. "I think this is all a little too smart for me, sis."

"Well, you're just gonna have to figure it out." Nya elbowed him gently in the ribs. "Since I'll be taking your place in backing up the boys, you're going to have to be the man behind the scenes."

"And don't worry, champ," Ed added as he came up behind them, thumping a hand down on Kai's shoulder. "Edna and I'll be here to back you up if the backup needs backup." Kai made a face.

"I'd rather be out busting snake butts."

"I know." Nya gave him a sympathetic pat on the arm. "But Edna would have our heads if we let you go out with a broken arm again, so bridge duty it is."

"Nya!" Jay's head poked around the corner, one blue-sleeved arm waving to get her attention. "Can you give me a hand with the hatch? The deployment gear is frozen up again."

"Oh, sure." Nya hurried away from the bridge, paused, then turned back to Kai. "Bridge training is gonna be on hold for a bit, okay?"

"Yeah, no problem." Kai gave her a small wave as she and Jay vanished down the hallway. Once she was gone he heaved a large sigh, slumping into the computer chair with a frown on his face.

"How're you holding up, sport?" Ed asked. In response, Kai just groaned.

"My arm is broken, the destined savior of Ninjago has been kidnapped by man-eating snakes, and my 15-year-old sister is heading out to fight said man-eating snakes in a giant robot suit. How do you think I'm holding up?"

"Well, as far as I can tell, you're doing a good job of it." Ed sank down in an adjacent seat, crossing one leg over the other. "'Specially with your Sensei off doing who knows what." Kai's face fell a bit further.

"Yeah, that too."

It had been a full day now since Sensei had left on his mysterious mission, in which time there had been no sign of Serpentine activity - or of Lloyd. Sensei had assured them before he left that surely Pythor wouldn't have come so far just to take him away and kill him, so at the very least he must be alive. That was… barely a comfort.

"And now they expect me to be able to handle the tech-y stuff here while they're out there doing what I signed up for," Kai grumbled. "I don't want to- I don't wanna let them down, but I just…" he sighed wearily. "This whole situation sucks."

"I reckon it does." Ed was quiet for a long moment, just watching as Kai spun around listlessly in a circle. "Y'know," he finally spoke up. "Being in a family… it's all about sacrifices, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Kai agreed. "But I can't make sacrifices when I'm stuck here."

"Making sacrifices doesn't always mean jumpin' in the way of a car, son." Ed cracked a smile. "Sometimes it means letting your wife pick where you go out to eat, even when you really wanted pasta. Or watching the speed limit when you just wanted to hit the gas. Or," he reached out to stop the chair from swiveling, forcing Kai to meet his eyes. "Letting your sister go out and bust butts, while you stay back and press buttons."

"But I can't protect her from back here," Kai protested. "I can't protect any of them."

"Sure you can," Ed said cheerfully. "Doesn't Nya protect you when she's back here?" Kai hesitated.

"Well… yeah. But she can't blast an enemy with fire, or catch someone if they're falling, or…"

"Just because something's different doesn't mean it's worse," Ed pointed out. "And Nya's a smart kid. I'm sure she'll be just fine." Kai sighed wearily.

"She is smart," he admitted. "But she doesn't have as much experience as I do."

"The only way for her to get more experience is to go out there, isn't it?" Ed released his chair, allowing Kai to continue his morose spinning. "I know it's hard seeing her put in danger," he added a moment later. "It was the same for me and Edna when we were watching Jay grow up. But she's got a good head on her shoulders, and a good team taking care of her." He gave Kai a pat on the knee when it came within reach. "She's gonna be right as rain, and I look forward to being able to call her my daughter-in-law." Kai sighed.

"Yeah… I'm sure she will. Thanks." He paused. "Wait, daughter-in-law?"

Before Ed could respond, there was a loud chime from the computer behind them, and Kai swiveled around to find red lights popping up all over the computer screen.

"Serpentine," he exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "I- I think? That's what this screen means, right?"

"Sure does." Ed hopped up as well, hurrying over to the keyboard and mashing the button for the PA. "All hands on deck!" He exclaimed. "We've got snakes!"

Lloyd muffled a cough into his sleeve, hissing with pain as his chest protested at the movement. He wasn't sick- at least, he hoped he wasn't. He just couldn't get away from the dust and sand that was constantly in the air, coating the bottom of his cage where Pythor had left him.

As he'd suspected, he was bruised and battered now from Pythor's interrogation. He'd seen little sign of his captor- or anyone, for that matter - since Pythor had left him about a day ago. His stomach pinching was a constant reminder that he hadn't been fed, either. Surely Pythor knew that he needed to eat?

Lloyd coughed again, sticking his tongue out in misery. He wasn't quite to the point of trying to eat sand yet.

He wondered where the ninja were right now. They must know where he had gone, the ninja were just here at Ouroboros. Were they not going to come after him? In the original timeline they hadn't gotten an opportunity… maybe they were focused on finding the fang blades instead.

He leaned his head back against the bars, sighing as he stared up at the sandstone ceiling above his cage. Again, destiny had thwarted his attempts to take control. Pythor had kidnapped him from the Destiny's Bounty, while it was in the air, and dragged him back in order to take advantage of his knowledge of the future. Now he ran the risk of not only not being able to change the future for the better, but since Pythor now knew of his limited precognition, he had the opportunity to make it much worse. Lloyd had already been the cause of Kai's arm being broken. What else was he going to manage to screw up?

Lloyd tried to soothe himself with the fact that if destiny was refusing to let him change things for the better, surely it wouldn't make things all that much worse, right? Probably. It didn't make him feel all that much better.

The sound of a tail slithering over sand caught his attention, and he hurriedly looked down as Pythor slithered into the room.

"Good morning, pipsqueak," his captor greeted him. "I hope you're ready for a road trip."

"The junkyard?" Cole frowned, crossing his arms where he stood in front of the screen. "What could they be doing back there?"

"Maybe there's a fang blade there," Kai suggested. "It wouldn't shock me, in the middle of all that junk."

"Sure enough," Ed said cheerfully. "Well, this is a good opportunity to start busting butt, huh?"

"Now, hold on," Edna protested. "What about those robot-stealing vipers? Won't they have the whole junkyard turned into their slithering beasties?"

"Sensei told us to keep the fang blades away from them," Cole said firmly. "If that means taking back the junkyard, then that's what we'll have to do." On his left, Jay stayed quiet.

"Besides," Nya chirped. "Now you have me in the Samurai X mech to back you up!"

"We sure do," Cole agreed. "And Kai on the keyboard." Kai sighed, but mimed a typing gesture.

"Sure. With Ed and Edna as my backup-backup."

"Alright gang, set a course for the junkyard," Cole ordered. "With any luck, when we get there, they'll have Lloyd with them too."