It had been three weeks, and still no sign of the prince. Those fools had exiled him, and in that time, rumors of something called the 'Serpentine' had emerged in whispers across Ninjago. Jay knew what the Serpentine were; his father had made sure of that, and the descriptions pointed to the Hypnobrai tribe—an annoyance, but ultimately a minor threat.
General Whiplash still hadn't gotten his men ready for Darkley's, having spent days breathing down the chief logistician's neck for vehicle requisitions. Logistics was a necessary evil, but managing his father's army of skeletons was becoming tiresome. Future plans lay in ruins; Jay hadn't anticipated Garmadon enacting his escape bid from the Underworld so swiftly. Yet, as he had once been told, if an opportunity arose, one should seize it.
"The troops are ready, sir." Whiplash's cold tone pulled Jay from his thoughts. He had always preferred Whiplash over the other three generals; the former man's methods mirrored his own in a way that the others could not grasp. Both were unbound by the constraints of petty concepts like honor.
"Good," Jay replied, feeling a sense of urgency. "Remind them that this is just a distraction. I need time to prepare a portal for the elite scouting core. Securing the prince is our main priority. If Lord Garmadon finds out anything happened to his son…" He trailed off, shuddering involuntarily at the thought of his father's wrath. Garmadon was insistent upon the safety of his children, blood-related or not.
Jay turned to his two lackeys as they approached. Toxikita's expression was skeptical. "So we're really banking on the Serpentine being a threat? Sounds like a bunch of superstitious nonsense."
Chamille chimed in, brushing a stray hair from her face. "But if we can convince the ninja to chase shadows, we might just get our chance."
"Exactly," Jay said, appreciating their input. "We need to create enough chaos to draw their attention. The last thing we want is for them to catch wind of our true objective."
Jay shrugged, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Honestly, I don't see the ninja as much more than a nuisance. They may think they're heroes, but they're just kids playing dress-up. They've gotten lucky a few times, but it won't happen again on our watch."
Toxikita smirked, leaning against the wall. "What's the plan, then? Create some fake chaos?"
"Pretty much," Jay replied, his mind racing with possibilities. "We can't underestimate the ninja. We need to ensure our forces are ready for any actual conflict that might arise. But let's be real—they won't know what hit them."
As the sounds of clattering bones and marching skeletons filled the air, Jay felt the adrenaline surge within him. "Whiplash, make sure everyone knows the importance of this mission. If we fail to distract the ninja, we may never find Lloyd."
"Understood," Whiplash replied, his voice unwavering as he turned to relay the orders.
The troops fell into formation, the skeleton warriors moving with eerie precision. Jay stepped outside, taking in the scene. This was their chance—chaos would be their ally, and failure was not an option.
"Let's move!" he shouted, the command echoing through the ranks. Toxikita and Chamille fell in beside him, their expressions set with determination.
"Just say the word, and we'll make it look convincing," Toxikita said, cracking her knuckles.
"I'll handle the distractions," Chamille added, a fire in her eyes. "Just make sure our forces are ready to back us up."
As they approached the village nearest to Darkley's, distant sounds of chaos began to ripple through the trees. "Prepare to create a scene," Jay ordered, his heart racing. "We need this to look convincing."
With a swift nod, and cruel smirk from Whiplash, the troops readied themselves. Jay felt the tension in the air, charged with the promise of action.
As they moved through the forest, Jay kept his voice low, the urgency of their mission weighing heavily on him. "We're heading to the old ruin on the edge of the village. It'll provide the cover we need to open the portal without being seen."
Toxikita nodded, glancing back at the distant sounds of chaos they were leaving behind. "Are you sure Chopov is ready for this? Last I heard, he was still rounding up the elite scouts."
"Chopov can handle it," Jay replied, his confidence unwavering. "He knows what's at stake. Once we're in position, we'll signal him to start the operation."
Chamille was scanning the area, her senses on high alert. "Just be careful. If the ninja catch wind of what we're doing, they'll try to ruin everything."
"Let them," Jay said with a dismissive wave. "As long as we can keep them distracted, we can open the portal without interruption. They've been too busy chasing shadows to realize how serious this is."
The trio pressed deeper into the woods, the trees thickening around them. The air was heavy with anticipation, and the tension of the impending confrontation crackled like electricity.
As they reached the old ruin, a dilapidated barn overtaken by vines and moss, Jay stopped and surveyed their surroundings. "This is it. We'll use this place. Toxikita, you'll keep an eye on the perimeter. Chamille, help me set up the portal. We need to be quick."
"Got it," Toxikita replied, her eyes darting as she moved to a vantage point where she could see the approach.
"Let's make this quick," Chamille said, her fingers already working through the motions of the portal incantation. "We need to get Chopov here before anything goes wrong."
Jay knelt beside her, focusing on the dark energy that surrounded them. "Once we open this, we'll send a signal to Chopov. He'll bring the elite scouts in on their motorcycles, and then we can plan our next move. We need to find the prince before Garmadon finds out he was ever missing."
"Think he'll even listen to us?" Chamille asked, glancing up from her work. "With the way the scouts have been acting lately…"
Jay shot her a sharp look. "Chopov knows what's at stake. If we succeed, we'll have the prince back, and ensure Garmadon won't go on a rampage. Trust me, after last time Garmadon got pissed, he'll come through."
As Chamille completed the final components of the spell, Jay felt a shift in the air. "Ready?" she asked, her voice steady.
"On my mark," Jay replied, glancing at Toxikita, who gave him a half-smirk from her post.
"Three… two… one… aaand there!"
The portal shimmered to life, swirling with dark energy as it opened before them. The air thickened, and a pulse of power shot through the ruins. Jay's heart raced; this was it. They had to act fast.
"Chopov!" he shouted into the portal, sending a wave of energy through it. "Get your men ready! We're bringing you in!"
A moment later, Chopov and his elite scouts surged through the portal on their motorbikes, the engines roaring as they emerged into the dim light of the ruins. The scouts' expressions were a mix of determination and curiosity as they pulled up beside Jay and the others.
"What's the situation?" Chopov barked, scanning the area for threats.
"Distractions in the village. We're about to create chaos to draw the ninja away. Your scouts need to be ready to move at a moment's notice," Jay replied, his tone urgent.
"Consider them ready," Chopov replied, already rallying his men. "We've got bikes prepped and fueled. Just say the word, and we'll hit the road."
"As soon as we get the signal," Jay said, glancing at the portal. "We need to act fast. The ninja will be too busy chasing rumors of the serpentine to see what we're really doing."
Chopov nodded, a glint of excitement in his eyes. "Let's get to work, then. We won't let you down."
As the scouts checked their motorbikes, Jay felt the weight of the moment settle over him. They were in this together, and failure was not an option.
"Let's move!" he commanded.
The roar of engines filled the air, reverberating against the ancient stones of the ruins. Jay felt a surge of excitement; the chaos they had crafted was unfolding just as planned, drawing attention away from their true objective.
"Alright, everyone, listen up!" Jay called, rallying the elite scouts. "Chopov, you and your scouts are spreading out across Ninjago to find Lloyd. The rest of us will stay here and manage Whiplash's raid on the village. We need to create a scene that keeps the ninja occupied while remaining unseen."
Chopov nodded, a fierce grin spreading across his face. "You got it, sir. We'll search every nook and cranny for the prince. If he's out there, we'll find him."
"Exactly," Jay replied, adrenaline coursing through him. "Remember, we're playing the long game here. Don't overcommit. If things get dicey, we'll fall back and regroup. Our priority is still finding Lloyd."
As they prepared to ride, Toxikita stepped closer, her brow furrowed. "What if Whiplash's raid causes too much damage? We don't want to give those rainbow idiots reason to investigate anything."
Jay met her gaze, resolute. "We'll direct them into a semi-organized retreat, creating chaos without crossing the line into destruction. The ninja need to think they're facing a real threat, not us."
The scouts revved their engines, ready to spring into action. "On my mark!" Jay shouted, raising his hand. "GO!"
The scouts shot forward, tearing through the woods and out into the clearing, their motorbikes kicking up dirt as they sped off in every direction. Jay felt a thrill ignite within him, he would do this just like his father had taught him.
As explosions of color and noise erupted in the village, Toxikita and Chamille took position beside him, eyes wide as they witnessed the scene unfold.
"This is working," Chamille said, excitement lacing her voice. "Haha, look at them scramble!"
"Yeah, but we can't let our guard down," Jay replied, scanning the streets for any signs of the ninja. "They'll be looking for the source of this chaos. Let's stay sharp."
In the distance, dragons began to descend through the chaos—four silhouettes darting in and out of view. "There they are," Toxikita hissed. "Looks like we're right on time."
"Stay low," Jay urged, motioning for them to take cover behind a nearby cart. The sounds of battle rang out, the ninja shouting as they attempted to piece together the confusion.
WHY YES, THE SKELETON ARMY WILL BE RELEVANT.