C y n i c a l — Set before Season Three of Dragons Rising
Ninjago Oc Masterlist
In Which — Kaia does not trust the newest member of the team, all because of her past experiences. Inspired by: Here by Alessia Cara
Lore explanation — Kaia has a phobia of snakes, specifically of Serpentine due to many bad experiences with them. Such as Pythor kidnapping her in Season 1 and threatening to eat her, The Great Devourer trying to eat her, The second largest snake trying to eat her, Krux and Acronix’s snake army kidnapping her in Season 7 and many snake related incidents have all left negative marks on her and she does not like them. No matter if they are good or not. Season Three of DR is also the season where Lloyd and Kaia have a bit of trouble together, since their viewpoints on the situation are vastly different.
Wc — 2.7k
!Credit to @/diviniyae for the dividers below!
No room felt safe.
Every last room in the monastery was filled with an underlying dread that Kaia was far too familiar with. Fear.
Fear on what happened to Arin, whose whereabouts were unknown and for all they knew he was in danger.
Fear on a new threat once again hovering over Ninjago, waiting to strike.
Fear over the newest member of the team, though Kaia was certain she was the only one unhappy by it.
Frak is a serpentine. Frak was also on Lord Ras’s side during the Tournament of Sources, for all she knew he could be playing secret agent and reporting all their weaknesses to the enemy.
Everyone had taken the word of him being Arin’s childhood friend to heart, and immediately welcomed him, practically opening themselves bare for him. Showing him their vulnerability.
All except Kaia.
The brunette stood in the kitchen, no GI in sight and instead she was in her normal clothes, an off-the shoulder white shirt with jeans.
For once a room seemed relaxed, her body leant against the counter whilst she ate from a bowl of cereal, her laptop open on the table whilst she multi-tasked.
Someone had to alphabeticalize the scrolls in Wu’s old library, and that job had ultimately landed in her hands.
The relaxation changed to tension when Frak wandered into the room, his serpentine face on full display that it made Kaia want to retreat immediately.
Frak turned his head and locked eyes with her, smiling at her in greeting, she did not reciprocate the action “Hi Kaia! Do you know where Kai is, he promised to show me some cool ninja moves”
She kept her eyes on him, her grasp on the spoon tightening. He probably wanted to see Kai so he could understand the fire ninjas weakness.
“Have you tried looking for him” Kaia retorted, lifting her eyesbrows up as she spoke.
“Uh yeah..I mean sure I have.. I checked the courtyard, his room, the library, the hangerbay, the living room and now here..but um your here” Frak stumbled over his words, for a serpentine he was one of the few who didn’t hiss during his S’s.
If she closed her eyes she could easily imagine that he’s a human, a normal teenager with elemental powers. The illusion disappeared the moment she opened her eyes.
“Then he’s not here” She placed the bowl onto the counter and rested her arms beside it “Or why don’t you just message him, you have his number, don’t you?”
The serpentine couldn’t meet her gaze and tapped the side of his GI to where his phone was, taking it out.
The serpentine has only collected a few of the numbers for the team, unfortunately Kai was one of the few he didn’t have. All because everytime Kai has tried to give it, they both had gotten distracted.
“I don’t..uh have his number” He sheepishly responded.
Kaia wanted to loudly groan over the fact that this conversation was taking louder than it should’ve been. Huffing she took her phone out of her pocket and began to message Kai.
Tapping her fingers against the counter, Frak didn’t know what to do or where to look.
“So..your a historan?” He asked.
Kaia hummed distractedly “I was, how’d you know?”
“Oh Lloyd told me” Frak beamed, taking a step closer to the counter, Kaia took a step back “He said you know everything that needs to be known about history”
She nodded, had Lloyd just randomly told him or had Frak inquired wanting to learn more about her to use later.
“Yeah, it’s fun” Kaia shrugged, desperately hoping that Kai would be quick in his response.
So far he hasn’t even read the message.
“Do you have a favourite time period to study?” He asked his new question and Kaia was hesitant to respond.
She knew her favourite time period, it was the mediaeval, when Ninjago city was filled with knights, royalty. Where The First Spinjitsu Master lurked amongst the ordinaries whilst watching others pray to their god and The Elemental Masters established themselves as heroes.
But Frak didn’t deserve to know that.
“The Serpentine War” Kaia responded, lowering her phone onto the counter with a hidden grin “Preferably the First one”
She could hear Frak deflate from here, getting reminded of what his kind went through decades ago.
Then she heard footsteps entering the kitchen and her gaze diverted to Nya.
“Hey Frak, Kai’s just got back, he’s looking for you” The elemental master of water greeted, sending a smile to Kaia. This time the brunette reciprocated the gesture.
Frak nodded at the words, muttering a small thank you in response then he left with his head staring directly at the ground.
Nya watched in confusion as he defeatedly left “Do you know what’s that about?”
Kaia proceeded to shrug “Not a clue”
Slowly Nya nodded, then she properly looked at her close friend. The brunette didn’t do a very good job at concealing her smirk.
“Kaia” Nya quietly warned, turning her body to properly face her “Do not let your past judgement blind you”
Kaia lifted her bowl back into her hands, resuming to eat the cereal.
“I’m not letting my past blind anything”
She wasn’t letting her past blind her, she was allowing it to protect her and her family.
It was late afternoon when Kaia entered her bedroom, or more accurately hers and Lloyd’s bedroom.
She settled herself in-front of the wardrobe, opening it to figure out if for training she’d rather wear work out clothes or her GI.
So far work out clothes were winning.
When Kaia grabbed a top, staring down at it in contemplation, Lloyd entered the bedroom slowly closing the door behind him.
“Babe, GI or work out?” She asked, raising the top in her grasp higher for him to look at.
Her fiancé leant against the closed door, an unamused look on his face “Why did you say that to Frak?”
“Say what?” Kaia mused, lowering the top back down and grabbed some shorts from a nearby draw.
“That your favourite period to study is The Serpentine War” He crossed his arms, furrowing his eyebrows at her.
“Cause it is” She briefly glanced his way, then returned back to her task, raising up from the ground and settled the clothes onto the bed.
“No, it’s the mediaeval era” Lloyd followed behind her, making sure the door remained closed “It has always been mediaeval, so why did you say the Serpentine war to him”
Kaia remained quiet, unbuttoning her jeans silently and slipping them off.
“Love” He walked to be in front of her, making sure her eyes were on him whilst she changed.
“It’s an interesting time period” She muttered, put her shorts on, keeping her gaze onto her top.
“Because the serpentine got sealed away” Lloyd argued, voice firm on the matter at hand “You know how they feel about the war, they were manipulated and faced the price of being isolated from the world”
Kaia loudly huffed at his words “Do you seriously want to talk about this when I’m almost half naked?”
“I do and we are” Lloyd sat on the edge of the bed, looking up at her.
“But we could be doing something so much better” She fake pouted, stretching her shirt out briefly “Something with little clothing and so much cardio”
“Kaia”
“Mhm” She smiled, lowering her hand back to her sides, awaiting for him to give in and bring her down to the bed.
He wasn’t giving in.
“What you did today wasn’t okay” He firmly stated.
The brunette sighed, noticeably fed up “He asked me about history, so I told him about history”
“No, you picked a specific time period that you knew would hurt him” Lloyd pointed his finger at her. ‘And you wanted it to hurt him’ silently accompanied his words.
“Didn’t realise serpentine could hurt” She mumbled, roughly taking her shirt off and throwing it onto the bed.
Lloyd exhaled through his nose and rested a hand against her waist “Kaia, your behaviour towards him is unacceptable”
Kaia harshly moved his hand from her and grabbed the top on the bed, stepping away from it.
“Let me guess, cause it’ll disrupt the ‘team dynamics’” She made quotation marks at the end, slipping the top over her head and glared at him.
“No, because it’s going to hurt him” Lloyd remained sat on the bed, looking at her.
She merely scoffed at him “Sure, I’ll hurt the untrustworthy snake who was most likely sent here to spy on us”
“He is not spying on us” He quickly dismissed, shaking his head “He is our friend”
“And that is going to be all of your downfall!” Kaia exclaimed. Moments later she pressed her hands into her face and bitterly chuckled “Don’t you remember what Master Wu said? ‘Never trust a snake’. And what are you all doing, trusting a goddamn snake”
Kaia thought she had Lloyd beat when he nodded, maybe he would realise her suspicion was right and he would politely send Frak on his way.
“Master Wu also said that the best way to defeat an enemy is by making them our friend” Lloyd smiled at her, shifting himself so he was sat at the bottom of the bed.
She rolled her eyes, walking to sit at her vanity, grabbing a hairbrush, hair tie and a few bobby pins.
“Which enemy have we even made our friend?” Kaia questioned, brushing her hair and preparing to style her hair into a bun.
“Uh us” Lloyd gestured between the two of them and she shot him a look in the mirror “The ninjas befriended us when we were their enemies”
“We were hardly classified as enemies Lloyd” She gathered her hair into her hands and began to tie it up into a ponytail.
Lloyd blinked at her “Babe, we literally released the Serpentine and wrecked havoc across Ninjago”
“And it will forever be my biggest mistake that I did not drag you back to the village” Kaia complained, pulling her hair apart to tighten the ponytail.
“But the ninjas befriended us and we got an amazing life because of it” He smiled, standing up from the bed to walk over to her, leaning against the back of her chair.
“We were redeemable, the serpentine is not” Kaia began turn her hair into a bun, briefly struggling to keep it in place, before Lloyd stepped in to help, keeping her hair still under his hand.
“What has Frak done that makes him so irredeemable?” Lloyd asked, taking one of her bobby pins from her and gently placing it into her hair.
“You want the list?”
Her fiancé raised an eyebrow in the mirror at her.
“He worked for the enemy, he trained under Ras and he’s a serpentine. All of those make him irredeemable” Kaia exhaled at the end of her sentence, passing Lloyd another pin “I get that he’s Arin’s childhood friend, but can we really trust him? What if he manipulated Arin to make him trust him all so he can use him for his personal agenda?”
Immediately Lloyd laughed, a rather loud one that made him tilt his head back as the sound echoed across the room.
The brunette froze in confusion, she hadn’t expected him to laugh at her.
“What’s so funny?” She questioned, about to turn her head around when he softly guided her chin to remain looking forward.
Lloyd, still chuckling and grabbing another pin, responded “Do you really not recognise those words?”
“No? Why should I?” She replied in disbelief, why was she meant to know them? They didn’t ring any bells in her brain.
Her beloved placed another pin into the bun and stepped around her, kneeling onto the ground beside her.
“Kaia, what you just said about Frak is what people used to say about me” Lloyd explained, resting a hand onto her thigh.
She stared blankly at him “This is not the same”
“People used to say I was manipulating you for my personal agenda of taking over the world” He squeezed her leg, tilting his head at her with a faint smile “They used to say a lot of things about me, but you always defended me”
“Yeah because they weren’t true”
“So why are they true about Frak?” Lloyd softly spoke, he knew they weren’t true. Frak hadn’t shown any sign of untrustworthy.
Honestly he seemed completely harmless and an extraordinary ninja. Kaia did not share the same views.
“Because he is a vile serpentine” She abruptly stood up from the vanity, walking away from it “There is nothing true about him, except that his kind only knows how to inflict pain and suffering”
Lloyd didn’t move from his spot on the ground, sighing through his mouth at her sentence.
“You might be able to forgive and forget what his kind has done, but I can’t. I can never forget” Kaia angrily said, narrowing her eyes at him, challenging him to speak.
He met her challenge head on “We can’t keep hold of the past Kaia”
“And you’re so good at letting go of the past, right?” She snipped at him, she felt her body start to burn with frustration and how all she wanted to do was leave.
“Kaia..” Lloyd kept his head held high, while he looked determined, his voice was not.
“No. You know I have a right to feel this way, you know what those monsters did to me” Kaia quickly gestured to herself “So I can’t simply let it go, I can’t just pretend they don’t make me fear for my life every time I so much as make eye contact with them”
Lloyd did not argue, slowly moving to stand up and walk closer to her “I know..” he didn’t move to reach out to her “But Frak isn’t like that and he shouldn’t be forced to face cruel behaviour over his kinds past”
“So I’m just meant to endure? To keep smiling whilst I’m trying not to tear my skin apart when I’m in his presence?” Kaia shakes her head at him, her fist clenching at her side.
“No, of course not..I just..” Lloyd scrambled for an answer, how could he keep everyone happy? How could he make Frak feel welcomed in Kaia’s presence and not make her fear him “I…just…be nicer…okay?”
Kaia glared at him “I’ll be nicer by avoiding him”
“That wasn’t what I meant” He shook his hand, then lowered it back to his side.
“Let me guess cause teamwork? Cause I gotta keep the teams ‘status quo’ and make sure everything is sunshine and rainbows” Kaia argued, her voice raising in volume as she kept speaking.
Lloyd loudly sighed and took a step away from her “I understand your anger, but Frak is our student, he has proven himself to be a brave ally and he is our friend, our family. And ninjas do not abandon family, we help them grow stronger”
“Great, master talk, great” She mumbled, rolling her eyes to accompany her annoyance.
“Master talk?” The ninja was deeply confused.
“Yeah, Master talk. Where you try and be all philosophical rather than focus on the reality of this situation” Kaia explained, groaning after she finished speaking and headed towards the door.
“My point still stands” Lloyd didn’t follow after her, instead crossing his arms in the middle of the room and awaiting to see if she stayed or fled.
“As does mine” She reached out for the handle, opening it widely and preparing to leave the room.
“My love” He called out, and while Kaia didn’t turn to look at him, she did halt her movements. Giving him the silent all clear to keep talking “You know I am here for you whenever things get too much..”
But was he? Was he really there for her whilst trying to balance the role of leader, sensei, friend, family, fiancé and conduit.
Kaia did not think so.
The brunette merely gave him a small nod before walking away, trying desperately not to look down at the engagement ring that was meant to symbolise their connection.
They were still connected, they were still lovers, they still fought against the world together. But they seemed to be on different sides of this battle.
This is a little, sliver of a rant.
I wish there was more Ninjago oc love on apps.
Like it is so difficult to write this without sounding inconsiderate or like I’m throwing a tantrum over a not really important fact. But honestly it can be a bit disheartening to see all the likes I’m getting for Lloyd x reader fics but then barely any for my Lloyd x oc fics.
I wish there was some type of balance for it, like oc writers can get the same amount of exposure as x readers. I think it might be because x reader is more associated with writing and Oc’s are more associated with art.
In Which — Kaia is suffering, The ninjas are suffering and this is a rewrite of Crystallised
A/N — This felt like a sweet reward after finishing my latest assessment, this is very lore heavy and is part one of a trilogy <3 Aka, I’m rewriting my corrupted saga that I made on Wattpad but it’ll be better and won’t be called the corrupted saga
Warning — This fic discusses death, cursing, a little bit of body horror, making out, injuries in detail and how they happen, main character thinks (and is) a sacrifice to destiny, fainting and fighting. If there is anything else then do let me know 💗
word count — 10k (10250 words)
Song — Bandaid by Lydia Kenny
!DIVIDERS ARE NOT MINE credit to @/diviniyae for the dividers!
The sky wasn’t meant to be beautiful.
The grey and purple filled scenery that painted the sky in an almost paint-like feeling, made Kaia want to lift her hand up and touch it. To feel the lightning tingling her skin and awaken her from what she prayed was a dream.
She knew it wasn’t a dream nor was it a nightmare. Not when everytime she glances down from the flying ship to see the destruction. The destroyed buildings, the civilians hiding, the armies invading the city. That wasn’t picturesque.
Kaia sighed and pressed her hands into her unmasked face, the team still had a little bit of time before they were flying straight into enemy territory and all of their lives would be in danger.
Who was she kidding, their lives were always in danger.
She was meant to be standing stoic, her head firmly held high as she prepared for how much her life would change today. The hero should’ve been staring danger in the face and screaming at it to come and get her.
Instead she could feel her legs tremble, her chest heaving whilst her heart went rapid, her lips would undoubtedly become sore from how many times she bit them, her knuckles were turning white beneath her gloves. She was petrified.
Kaia Yoshida was so scared, but that what’s made her human. She was fearful at the unpredictability of this situation, there was no definitive winner or loser. Yet the stakes were so damn high.
They win and all of Ninjago will be at peace. They lose, no one has a home to return to anymore and the ninjas don’t get to see another sun rise.
Slowly she removed her hands from her face, as if the mere action would replace her reality. That when she reopened her eyes, the world wouldn’t be in danger. That there wouldn’t be monsters roaming the city, no giant island floating in the sky, no Harumi, no Overlord, no Crystal Council. It’d be peaceful.
The world didn’t change. The pressure of humanity still rested on her shoulder.
Kaia pressed her lips together into a thin line, her hand grasping the railing like it was her lifeline.
She was alerted to someone approaching by the sharp sound of a door slamming, then rapid footsteps heading onto the Destiny Bounty’s deck. When the sound abruptly stopped she took an educated guess at who it was.
“Hi Lloyd” Kaia turned her head slowly to the side to see her beloved standing there. His usual green GI swapped to a golden one, she never thought she’d see him back in that colour after all these years.
Lloyd let out a sigh of relief at the sight of her “I was wondering where you went off too” he honestly spoke, not needing any guidance in making his way to her.
“Apparently living my life on the edge” She mumbled before she could stop herself, her gaze directed down to the scenery below.
Now wasn’t exactly the time for life or death jokes, yet the small curl of Lloyd’s lips made her rescind that thought immediately. She would make a thousand jokes if it got him to smile even just a little bit.
“You missed the last minute meeting” He whispered, his hand gently moving to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. His finger brushing against the tip of her ear.
“Just needed some air” Even if the air felt like it was polluting her lungs and that she’d throw up at any moment “Did I miss anything exciting..?”
“Minus dad..Garmadon making me want to break a wall with my head” He replied, his hand rested against hers on the railing. Gaze strictly on hers and not daring to stare at the mess occurring in the city.
Lloyd wanted to save himself from the future nightmares, Kaia wanted the same thing.
“Nothing unusual then” She nudged his shoulder with her own, biting the inside of her cheek after she spoke. god she wished things would stay unusual.
The blond lowly groaned in response.
“Its like he’s making everything harder on purpose” He stressed, lifting his head back in annoyance “And get this, he’s pissed at me for not being able to master my oni form, which sorry I have the worst teacher in the world trying to help, no help is too generous of a word. Trying to..to boss me into transforming”
“Honestly he deserves a punch in the face” Kaia nodded, emphasising with him. Is empathy meant to result in violence? Probably not, but he’s a Lord Garmadon, sure he’s Lloyd’s dad but he was also an evil scumbag.
“He does” He smiled widely, nodding his head in agreement. His free hand scratched the back of his neck “Or maybe we could use him as bait”
She snickered at the suggestion but ultimately shakes her head “I don’t think Wu would appreciate us sacrificing his brother”
He begrudgingly hummed in agreement, blinking at her softly. Kaia wanted to commit his face to memory, to know where every curvature went, every dimple, how every expression looked, how his skin felt underneath her fingertips.
Her free hand rose to ghost the nape of his neck, sad smile gracing her features “Never expected this was how the end would feel like..”
“It’s not” Lloyd disagreed without allowing himself a moment to breath, his head tilting to be closer to her hand “And it never will be, we’ll beat his ass and win”
“And if we don’t?” She muttered, her fingers playing with the tuff of his hair, his soft wavy blond hair, his signature brand.
Finally he looked across to the destruction and stoically stared at it. Long time no see future nightmares “like I said, that’ll never happen”
“Your never this optimistic..” Sure, he tended to have a more positive outlook on life. But in these situations? Where everything hanged in the balance? He never sounded so sure of his words, be so repetitive about them.
“What can I say, we have the element of surprise” He lightly shrugged his shoulders, one of his hands remained ontop of hers while the other rested onto her waist “And we have the amazingly gorgeous Foxling, ready to save the world one snarky comment at a time”
Kaia snorted at the unexpected words, briefly hiding her face into her shoulder. It seemed that today their roles had been reversed, Lloyd had all the quips while she could feel herself crumbling at the pressure on her shoulders.
He smiled at her reaction, giving her waist a squeeze “There’s that smile..” he whispered, his eyes softening at the sight of her.
She affectionately sighed at him, cheeks no longer a sickly pale but was flourishing in a pinkish glow. The blond leant down to give her a kiss on the nose.
“I mean it, we have the advantage, we’ve practically faced everyone before anyways” He reassured, his hand moving down to cup her hip, his thumb rubbing at the material of her GI.
Sure they might’ve been villains that have been faced before, yet all of them had briefly succeeded one way or another.
Pythor was their biggest offender, he released the Great Devourer [then proceeded to get eaten by it], released the Overlord years ago. All of those criminal acts had almost brought the end of Ninjago city.
Aspheera seeked revenge on Sensei Wu and was ready to destroy the city with her army to accomplish that. Of course two serpentines were the reason why Zane had sacrificed himself twice.
Vangelis had corrupted the sacred land of Shintaro for decades, being the king by day and the Skull Sorcerer by nightfall. He was the personification of Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde. He was also so very close in succeeding in his villainous plan.
The Mechanic was meant to be a lowlife thug, not a man prepared to help turn the city into a video game dystopia. In terms of game statistics the blood on his hands were limitless, one of those being her own.
Harumi had briefly succeeded in her villainess ways. Gain the trust of everyone and burn the bridges with a smirk on her face. The city had been overtaken and now with her yet again being the meticulous overplanner it could happen again.
Mr E was yet again an accomplice, Harumi’s right hand man. Ironic how every single Nindroid except Zane had been on the side of evil at least once or twice.
Then it was The Crystal King, The Overlord, the epitome of darkness. Like the First Spinjitsu Master he had many names, none of them having a positive connotation to them. The list of his almost victories were endless and everytime it was thought to be destroyed the dark lord came back kicking and screaming.
So yes, these were people they had faced before. However all of them at least once had victory within their grasps and it either took a sacrifice or a fuck ton of luck to win.
Kaia knew which of those would be for her.
Lloyd had definitely noticed how her brows furrowed at his statement, her eyes downcast to the deck.
“Hey, I promise we’ve got this” He urged, hand moving to rest flatly against her back, wordlessly bringing her closer to him so they were practically inseparable “And the moment this is all over, we are going on a road trip”
That got Kaia to look back up at him “Seriously”
“Seriously. Me, you, the car and the open road” Lloyd’s words almost made her forgot about everything. The discussion of a road trip had been brought up for years, nothing was ever organised but it always lingered in conversations.
But now he was wanting to make it a reality, at the worst possible timing.
Lloyd took her silent disbelief as an opportunity to continue speaking “We can go to the countryside, camp in the forest, swim in lakes, picnic in the flowers.”
If anyone had been overhearing this conversation it would be assumed that this was just a normal day, that he was merely being a loving boyfriend planning a surprise for his girlfriend. This was the end of the goddamn world.
Kaia laughed at that, uncertain if it was out of bewilderment, skepticism, misery. Or maybe a mix of all three.
“You can’t just propose a road trip in the middle of Armageddon” She shakes her head at him, maybe all of the oni transformation training had made him hit his head a few times. He was definitely concussed.
“Of course I can” He smirked at her, eyes lighting up at whatever thought had crossed his mind “We can go to the waterfalls and we can visit your mum and little Iris. You name it, we are going, no questions asked”
Her lips parted in shock at his confident words, like he was adamant on planning this idea so last minute. As if the moment this truly was over Kaia would find herself with a packed suitcase, in the passenger seat of his car and the two of them away on their own adventure. Just like old times.
Except it wasn’t going to happen.
“I think your getting a bit ahead of yourself there Lloyd..” She blinks up at him, her hand moving down to her side, her gloves brushing against the side of her leg. Like that single touch would keep her tied to reality.
She couldn’t afford to drift off into the world of fantasy where she could dream of that proposed road trip. Picture Lloyd in the lake, hair clinging to his forehead, shirtless as he beckoned her over with that stupid smile. The image she wanted was vivid but wasn’t going to become non-fiction.
“Oh I’m not even done yet” He beamed, his eyes crinkling at the corners in delights, his eyelashes inches away from kissing “We can drink under the stars, ignore every single one of our responsibilities, bring a projector with us and watch movies outside, play fetch with Loki. Think about the possibilities with Loki!”
Now Kaia knew he was dead serious, he never brings up their dog unless he is absolutely certain on something.
“You really want all that..?” She questioned, if his hand wasn’t so tight on the top of hers, she would’ve flipped it over and properly held it.
Lloyd nodded his head like that was the most obvious thing in the word “I want everything with you”
Oh wow.
Kaia hasn’t been anticipating the sincerity of those words. Those ten letter syllables had been spoken by her on countless occasions, when Lloyd was getting too into his own head, when they were in one of those cheesy moments together or when they just need to be heard.
Those words were like their version of ‘I love you to the moon and back’, while to other’s it lack reason, to them it meant everything and more.
“Isn’t that usually my line?” She let out a faint exhale with a smile at him.
“It’s mine now” He winked. Slowly Kaia could see his eyes morphing into a new colour, a mixture of red, green and purple. From afar it almost looked a normal shade of brown, she knew it was far from it.
Yet it was still so beautiful.
“Uh huh sure it is” She raised an eyebrow at him, resting her arm against her hip confidently.
That confidence faltered when Lloyd rested his head against her with a smile, she could feel his breathing ghosting her lips.
The simple gesture made Kaia want to slap herself, they’ve done this countless times. This shouldn’t of been the one that made her breathless and lose her composure. Except this one had the likelihood of being their last.
Her last.
Harshly, she bit the inside of her cheek, trying to numb the burn of the tears attempting to flee her eyes with pain. The attempt was futile as they seeped through nonetheless, rolling down her cheek and she watched Lloyds eyebrows furrow in concern.
Since the start of their conversation his hand finally moved from ontop of hers, immediately resting onto her waist on the opposite side of his other one. Slowly he moved his head back with a reassuring smile.
“Hey..it’s you and me against the world” He pressed a kiss to her nose first, then to both of her cheeks. That smile persisting throughout “I protect you from danger and you protect me from the bad dreams”
She knew neither of them could abide by those promises today. It wasn’t them against the world, it was Kaia Yoshida finally becoming a Mugen.
But she could let everyone understand what that meant afterwards.
“I still don’t think that’s an equal promise” Kaia replied, her voice slightly muffled by the faint sniffle her nose forced from her at that moment.
“You’re my angel, it’s only right you guard my dreams” He pressed another kiss to her face,
this time twice on her forehead, one following directly after the first one.
If only he knew how ironic that sentence would eventually be, she almost wanted to admit how right that truly was. Instead she chuckled, hoping that it sounded humorous rather than how she was feeling.
The final kiss Lloyd pressed to her was directly on her lips, a display that she knew was meant to be chaste. Just a quick we’ll get through this peck, it was meant to be a short kiss.
The idea of chaste didn’t exactly run through Kaia’s mind and instead she looped her arms around his neck, chasing his lips when he went to move away. He hummed at the contact, closing his eyes into the feeling whilst her fingers slowly began to scratch the back of his hair.
The brunette let her tongue slip onto his bottom lip, silently pleading for entrance and to deepen the kiss further. Lloyd let it happen wholeheartedly, his lips parting into it.
Usually she wouldn’t be this bold, to make out with her beloved at the tipping point of chaos, with the possibility anyone on the Bounty could walk out and see them getting lost in each others presence. The fact she was even doing this right now was irresponsible.
Who passionately shares saliva moments before the end of the world? They do, apparently.
Kaia tilted her head, making sure that she could be as close as humanly possible, maybe even beyond what was meant to be reasonable. She felt Lloyd chuckle against her lips at the action.
“This is definitely gonna become a routine” He mumbled, leaning back from her. His bottom lip glistened and his ears had a hint of colour to them.
A routine meant this would be something constantly repeated. It’s consistent. Something that he wants to happen again and again before missions.
Kaia could only offer a small smile back before reconnecting their lips together again. Kissing him hard, as if she was trying to mould their mouths into one and never forget the taste of him.
In truth, that was exactly what she was doing, trying to memorise how he felt on her lips and tongue.
The hum he let out this time around was out of surprise, his grip on her waist tightening.
The first one had some heat within it, but it was controlled and he had anticipated it. The second one felt like Kaia was trying to devour him, teeth occasionally clinking together and everything felt rushed. It was rushed.
Lloyd once again leant himself back, this time his lips tingled at the aftermath. When he looked at her again his heart deflated.
The tears hadn’t died down, they had intensified, her hands were no longer looped around his neck and instead she was picking at her lips almost instinctively. Her breathing was coming out in short bursts, her chest noticeably becoming quicker and she was pale. So very pale and like she was seconds away from fainting.
Lloyd didn’t hesitate to change his position from holding to hugging, his grip tight as slowly he lowered them into the floor. Once they were stable, he removed a hand to hold the one picking, squeezing it twice.
“I’m here Yoshi..I’m here..” he whispered, head resting ontop of hers whilst he kissed the top of her hair.
His words didn’t provide any reprieve to her, instead she could barely look at him.
“I’m..” Kaia couldn’t even finish her sentence, a choked exhale left her throat. Harshly she closed her eyes, the feeling of her tears pressing against her eyelashes felt overwhelming.
“You don’t have to be okay right now..” He assured, guessing what her last sentence had been, his hand rubbing up and down her back
She shakes her head, her mouth opening to form words, she needed to form them but it felt like it was trapped. As if it was being forced to remain in there.
“Shh..just remember my promise okay?” He faintly smiled, another kiss to her hair and another squeeze of her hand “It’s not even a promise, it’s a guarantee. We will be going on that road trip, our own adventure”
Kaia disagreed again, shaking her head and went to speak, the words she wanted to say sitting on her tongue. She hiccuped.
She blinked in confusion. Why had she hiccuped? There has been nothing to warrant it.
Forcing herself to take a deep breath she attempted to utter the sentence needed to be heard. Another hiccup rippled from her throat.
Kaia stumbled herself away from Lloyd, eyes wide as she knelt there. She had finally conquered the moment to tell him something that had been needed to be said months, maybe even a year ago. Yet now she was getting hiccups?
Tilting her head back she returned her gaze to the obviously worried boyfriend “I’m..” hiccup “I’m..!” hiccup “For fucks sake! I’m..” hiccup.
They kept coming and her frustration was rising.
“What the hell is happening..” She muttered, and for a second she thought she was safe. There was no unexpected sound coming from her throat, maybe she just had badly timed hiccuping “I’m..”
Hiccup.
Angrily she slammed her hand onto the deck, almost screaming before she caught it and turned it into a straggled cry.
Frowning Lloyd scooted himself closer, cupping her face into his palm “Deep breaths for me love.. deep breaths..” his concern was prominent in his touch and his voice.
He thought she was having a panic attack and sure that had been what occurred moments prior. But now? Her hiccups weren’t from panicking, it wasn’t even from her, it was as if they were being forced up by some otherworldly being.
This was something she had never experienced before, and of course it had to occur when everything was about to change.
Kaia pressed her hands into her face roughly, her gaze hardening, trying to regulate her thoughts and her words.
“I’m..” Another fucking hiccup “Lloyd..”
Every other syllable in her words could be spoken clear as day, except one singular verb. So instead of what she actually wanted to confess coming out, it sounded like she was pleading to be with her lover.
She wasn’t. She was trying to admit the truth.
Her lover gently kissed her forehead “your gonna make yourself sick if you keep doing that..” he observed, holding her like she was made of porcelain “let’s get you a glass of water, yeah..?”
“But the island..” she hoarsely replied and Kaia instantly wanted to slap whatever is making her look so stupid.
She knew what she wanted to say, but it wouldn’t come out.
“And we can easily get you a drink before we get there” Lloyd encouraged, his hand resting in her own as he brought her up from the ground.
Kaia lowered her gaze from his whilst he guided her back inside, shooting her surroundings one last glare. Glaring at which celestial being was making this action harder than it needed to be.
The brunette hiccuped again when they neared the door, her grip tightening against his own. Her words yet again unspoken.
“I’m gonna die.”
Kaia could hear the clock of her life ticking.
In her mind it was an old grandfather clock, one that sounds so ominous but has been with her throughout her life. At her mother’s place, at the orphanage, even at the museum. That sound has always been present.
It was only fitting that would be the sound counting down to her last breath, whilst she’s sipping from the glass Lloyd had urged her to drink.
In some twisted way it was humorous to watch him be so intuned with his conversation with Nya, his hand flexing against Kaia’s every so often to make sure everything was okay. She wasn’t okay. Her mind was reeling, she knew she was going to die. She knew she was taking on a burden no one had asked of her. Kaia was meant to be the keeper of destiny or whatever bullshit title she had been given when her lineage was uncovered.
Blinking down at her drink she watched as the water remained still, her eyes drawn to the reflection of the floor looked through the glass. It was ironic how what will help cause her death was the very thing she was standing on.
Taking a deep breath she shifted her gaze across the room, her eyes locking with Sensei Wu. For a second she thought her lungs had dried up.
The elderly sensei, the man who had seen destruction, peace, betrayal, balance for centuries, the change of emotions happening like the change of seasons. He has seen it all, and yet he was staring back at her in an expression similar to Lloyds earlier. Wu’s eyebrows were furrowed and even in his battle armour he looked tense. He could see right through her.
Hesitantly she glanced away moving to look at the side of her beloveds face, Kaia could still feel his sights on her.
The negative of having a sensei who has been alive for eons is that he is too perceptive. He has seen the rise and fall of monarchs, warriors, friends and prophets.
The squeeze of her hand brought her back to her unfortunate reality, Lloyd staring down at her with a small smile “Ready to save the world?”
No. She definitely wasn’t ready, but a hero doesn’t have the choice to prepare.
“As I can be” Kaia whispered, her gaze glancing to his lips momentarily and back up to his gorgeous eyes. The eyes that after today she will never get to gaze into again.
The blond kissed her temple one last time before unclasping her hand and heading to Sensei Wu, the Green ninjas face hardening as he walked with his uncle.
“Are you sure your ready..?” Nya softly asked, the samuri shaking her head faintly at her. The [potentially former] master of water glanced down to see Kaia’s fists clenched.
The brunette loosened her grip in seconds “As I said. I’m ready as I can be.”
“This” Nya gestured to her face with a frown “doesn’t look ready, you look like your gonna faint”
Of course the woman who can practically taste death looks like she’s gonna faint.
“Just adrenaline” Kaia dismissed with a raise of her hand. No point in admitting the truth when fate forces her to hiccup.
If she hadn’t seen first hand how unfair it can be, she would’ve been doubling over in laughter.
The raven-haired girl begrudgingly nodded and headed to pick up her helmet, about to join the others out on the deck.
Kaia swallowed the bile building up in her throat, and called out “Hey Ny..”
Nya stopped in her tracks and turned around, helmet in hand as she awaited for her words.
“Thank you..for always having my back” The brunette earnestly confessed, letting the pad of her fingers dig into her palm to prevent her from crying there and then.
It didn’t seem to work as Nya’s expression grew worrisome.
“Why does that sound like a goodbye..” She muttered and while it sounded like a question it was far from one. It was almost a statement. A truthful one.
Kaia merely offered her a small smile and stepped past her, briefly resting a hand onto her shoulder in reassurance. She made sure Nya would never know the answer to her query, not until she was gone.
When she stepped back onto the deck Kaia almost wanted to throw up properly. They were nearing the island and the polluted air was still infecting everything around her.
Sensei Wu was front and centre at the front of the flying ship, Lord Garmadon was staring out into the distance, his mind on autopilot and grieving the loss of Christofern (a literal plant), Nya walked back her to head to the wheel and Lloyd was by the side. His dao tight in his grasp.
She could easily see his reflection through the golden blade and soon enough her heavy eyes were staring back at her.
Kaia allowed her one blink before lightly tapping her wrist, for a moment her green eyes were there and the next her face was gone. Her skin replaced with a grey fabric and her eyes were unmoving and white.
Lloyd smiled at the sight of the suit in full display, his eyes meeting hers through his sword and he mouthed three words.
I love you.
Kaia was so glad no one could see her expression anymore. In response she lifted her hands to make a heart shape.
I love you too
Their moment of reprieve was interrupted by the sound of lightning echoing around them and the clearing of Lord Garmadon’s throat.
“Ah yes the power of love, that’ll definitely defeat the Overlord” He sarcastically spoke, crossing his top arms at the pair, whilst the bottom rested onto his hips.
Lloyd harshly sighed at his father, lowering his sword to his side and glared at him “You just have to comment on every little thing, don’t you?”
“I do.” The absent father nodded, narrowing his eyes back at his son. He then let out a loud offended tsk “You’re both so mopey, lowers my morale”
“You lower mine.” Lloyd spoke through gritted teeth.
With her own invisible glare to the elemental master of destruction, Kaia made her way to the centre of the Destiny Bounty. Her hand went to her back scabbard and lifted her sword out from within.
She glanced down to the silver of her weapon, her reflection so much different than how it did in Lloyds sword. To her, even with her mask on, she looked hallow, like she had already passed on.
Stepping forward she briefly felt so much smaller, not in the psychological sense where this battle felt so much larger than her. But as if she had travelled back in time and was no longer twenty two. Instead she was back to being sixteen, sword in hand and wanting to kill a ghost.
In some aspects Kaia thinks she has grown since then, she was better acquainted with her sword, her head hung high and her gaze locked on her target. Before it was a revenge ridden ghost, now it’s evil itself.
Kaia’s internal monologue was interrupted by the ship abruptly turning and she quickly steadied herself.
Nya had harshly turned the wheel, hands moving rapidly against the wood to turn the Bounty backwards “Hold on everyone!” She shouted, pressing a button to anchor them to the island.
From what Kaia gathered from the plan it was; bring the battle to them, go head first and hope the repercussions aren’t too bad afterwards.
The air stilled around them, Lloyd lifted his mask over his head as everyone waited. They had made the first move but now it was time to see if the island was still inhabited or had they painfully misjudged.
The angered scream of the Overlord gave them all the answers they needed. The epitome of evil knew they were here.
For a moment the purple sky was clear, the next moment like a moth to a flame his minions came hurling towards them. Crystalised dragons with rigid pink crystals emerging from their back and piercing roads escaping their mouths.
It was a scene identical to a nightmare.
“Look out!” Nya warned, her eyes widening at the sheer amount heading their way and her grip on the wheel tightened.
When the first dragon landed onto their ship, Kaia knew the battle had begun.
Her sword made contact with one, two, thirteen, Kaia had lost count of how many enemies she stabbed. Some in the stomach, beheading others. It was continual.
If one was defeated then there was five ready to replace it, her strategy was changing every other second.
Sometimes she was swinging herself underneath the beasts, or she was side-stepping around them or jumping onto them like a game of hop scotch. Sometimes it was all of them.
When more landed Foxling stepped back, sword up and breathing heavy. As she walked she hit something behind her and at first she thought she had accidentally cornered herself against the wall. That thought vanished when she saw Lloyd’s eyes staring back at her.
“Up for some pair work Frog boy?” She asked, kicking one of the dragons away, using the hilt of her sword to hit its head, then she used the actual blade to behead it.
Hopefully the execution of the Crystalised dragons was intimadating the other beasts.
Lloyd huffed out a laugh and quickly did Spinjitsu to send one flying “What’d you have in mind?”
Kaia merely chuckled and fell back to be caught by Lloyd, her voice robotic sounding as she said “Surprise me”
The surprise was him throwing her up into the air, her eyes landing onto the unaware dragon going in for an unsuspecting attack. The hero beamed under her mask and grabbed onto one of the protruding crystals, hanging onto the beast which began to shake and roar in outrage.
“Aw, am I not a good tag along for you” She pretended to pout, tilting her head and waving her sword at it. The dragon roared again “Yikes tough crowd”
Smirking, she stabbed her sword into its body earning a curtling scream of pain from the beast, at the same time she heard a feminine one accompany it. Then she caught sight of white.
At the sight she let go off the crystal, trust falling back onto the bounty. Lloyd caught her in seconds, spinning them as he placed her back down and Spinjitzu’d to attack another crystal dragon.
Foxling let out a laugh of delight and went back to attacking and reflecting attacks from the dragons. Her body felt like it was on fire, her adrenaline as she fought. Her adrenaline depleted when the Destiny Bounty began to turn and Nya exclaimed for everyone to hold onto something.
Her eyes landed on everyone, Garmadon now in his Oni form gripping the railing and soon enough she felt Lloyds arms around her waist.
Her body slamming into his as they landed on the railing, her eyes wide at the sudden change of situation. The ship had tilted to its side and her hip stung at the sharp grasp her beloved had around it.
“Harumi! You have to stop this” Lloyd yelled and when Kaia regained her composure she saw the bedevilled former princess of Ninjago staring back at them.
Harumi merely stared back at them, her expression hardening as she glanced from Lloyd to Foxling. Kaia noticed how her eyes widened in realisation when she caught sight of his hands on the hero.
Shit. The brunette thought, her covered eyes staring back at the villain.
The shocked face soon turned into a smirk, her pink eyes glancing to the side of the Bounty and soon a dragon had opened its mouth preparing to blast.
Lloyd moved in seconds, briefly jumping to Spinjitsu the dragon and landed back on the ship. Kaia had stepped back sword held high as she attempted to avoid getting her mask scratched by a claw.
The Green Ninja quickly intercepted and Spinjitzu’d it, at the exact moment Sensei Wu jumped. It practically happened in slow motion, Wu had ran off the ship and spread fake dragons wings, floating himself towards the island.
Kaia’s response was not in slow motion “Did he seriously just do that!” Her words distorted through the filter of her suit, glitching at how loud she yelled.
Usually Wu was the level-headed one, not rushing off into a half developed plan filled with stupidity. What he had done was the new definition of dumb. Discreetly Lloyd nodded at her, then spun again to deflect another attack.
“Brave brother, brave but foolish” Garmadon murmured, his eyes narrowing at the sight of his brother scaling the side of the island using a sword.
If Kaia wasn’t so preoccupied she would’ve shouted how it was more foolish than brave.
Foxling sighed and ran to the side to dodge an incoming attack, slinging herself across the deck when the dragon went to headbutt her.
When it went after her again, she lifted herself back into a handstand to kick the beast and she misjudged her landing on the way back down. A loud crack echoed around her.
That’ll be felt eventually.
From the corner of her eyes she saw chaos around her, them fighting whilst Sensei Wu was getting closer and closer to the edge of the island. Lloyds breath caught and the enemy went to attack him at the moment Nya threw her trident at it.
Her trident heading straight through the rock of the beast. It seems they were getting a lot of crystal deaths on their hands.
Unexpectedly the creatures flew back, allowing them a moment of peace from their attacks, like bugs they were swarming them.
When Kaia glanced to the side she saw Sensei Wu fall, all she could hear in her ears was the heartbreaking scream of Lloyd.
With batted breath she was about to rush [look like a fool and hop on one foot] to everyone’s side when at the last second she watched Wu regain consciousness and spread his dragon wings, flying away from the scene. Relieved she sighed, then it became a gasp when her vision colour with the colour pink.
The giant crystal in the centre of the island was expanding, becoming brighter by the second that Kaia was forced to look away and at the others. Nya and Lloyd shared a look with her of distress.
“What is he doing..?” Nya asked the million dollar question everyone wanted to know, and when Kaia fixed her gaze on the island she saw the Overlord standing there with his arms raised.
“He’s gathering his power” Garmadon eerily spoke and no one needed any further explanation on what those words meant.
Her eyes widened underneath her mask, she recognised this sight. She recognised those words and what was about to happen.
Her death was upon her.
“Take shelt-!” Foxling was about to say when the Overlord fired. A beam directly from the crystal was heading straight towards the Bounty.
There was no longer time for shelter and everyone grabbed onto the nearest object, Nya and Kaia on the mainmast, Lloyd and Garmadon on the railing. The Destiny Bounty was destroyed for the millionth time seconds later, the beam hitting the front of the ship.
Nya with wide eyes turned to see who was closest and when her eyes locked onto Lloyd she shouted “Air brakes, hit the air brakes it’s our chance!”
The Green Ninja nodded back and edged himself from the railing, keeping a hand on it as he made his way to the control unit. Eyes flicking from the panal back to Kaia.
The ship shot upwards, but they underestimated the damage and the centre began to crack. They were now crashing down.
Garmadon flew back, harshly grabbing hold of the side of the Bounty and hauled himself beside Lloyd, the ninja flicking every switch and button to try and find something that’ll work.
But it was hopeless. They were going down.
Kaia stabbed her sword into the one, Nya following suit with her trident, both of them using their weapon as a handle for them to hold onto.
“We’re going to be okay, we’re going to be okay” Nya repeated and she was unsure if it was for her or herself. Either way the words didn’t sound comforting.
At least not to someone who had already accepted their destiny, even if she didn’t want to.
When the Bounty broke apart, everyone was on different sides, the father and son together while the girls were on the mast. Except their side began to tilt back and Kaia’s sword lost its footing in the wooden.
The brunette’s breath catched and she looked to see the wood splitting. Nya turned to see the damage and quickly grabbed ahold of her hand “I’ve got you!”
Kaia knew she didn’t truly have her.
She’s seen this part repeatedly in her dreams, her hand slips from Nya’s grasp and she falls then things go dark.
With the grandfathers clock ticking louder in her brain she saw Lloyd staring back at them, his mask off as his mouth moved to form words. It looked like he was saying ‘Hang on!’ Or something in some capacity like that.
The keeper of fate knew her grip wasn’t going to last long enough.
She sighed through her nose and stared at her hand, the ship tilted again and she lost her grip, both hands latching back onto the hilt of her sword.
Kaia glanced to Nya, words now coming through her mouth but they weren’t infiltrating her ears. Instead a mixture of her heart beat and the clock echoed.
She opened her mouth to speak, to say anything, possibly hiccup when the words she wanted to say was forced back inside her. When the wood broke.
Her blade getting knocked out from its place and she was fall backwards.
Everything became slow motion, Nya extended her hand out to her but Foxling was already too far away. Lloyd was screaming on his side of the Bounty. And the world remained quiet.
The last thing she saw before she black out was her lover being forced away by Lord Garmadon.
Darkness consumed her vision.
Kaia awoke in a dumpster.
Her breaths came out in pants as she forced herself to sit up, her eyes wide at the garbage surrounding her. Her body felt electric, the adrenaline apparently still there as she reached up to yank her mask off her face.
But she was alive. How the hell did she survive that? Her vision had predicted her death, she was meant to be six feet under after falling from the bounty.
Unless she had misunderstood everything.
Groaning she lowered herself back to lie on the rubbish, eyes staring up at the sky. Great there was more unpredictability to come.
The brunette blamed her entire heritage, it would be assumed that at least one of them would appear to her in a ghostly form, teaching her everything there needs to be about being a prophet. But no, of course not, that would be too nice of them.
The adrenaline began to disappear from body and the electric feeling became pain, excruciating pain. Her chest felt tight, as if her sword had been stabbed into it. Her right ankle felt like it was on fire, now she knew what cracked on the ship. Kaia was also dizzy, her body felt like it was upside down.
Was this the vision? She just get lots of injuries and be stuck in bandages and ninja nurses when all of this was over.
“Stupid body, stupid injuries” she muttered to herself, lifting her hand over her eyes when her arm began to sting. That was pain number four.
At her own words she halted, there was no hiccup. Maybe they were poorly timed accidents on the Bounty and she was idiotic to think that something was preventing her from talking.
“Thank god I didn’t-“ Hiccup. If Kaia could she would’ve plucked her eyes out and thrown them into the garbage with her.
Her hypothesis went straight back to otherworldly, but that meant she was still going to die. Honestly the brunette just wanted the universe to get it done and over with, her heart couldn’t take any more waiting.
The ninjas are gonna have a field day hearing her hiccuping self explain everything.
Her eyes widened at her own thoughts. What happened to the others? They were also on the Bountt as it fell, did Nya and Lloyd save the ship? Was Garmadon any help? Did Sensei Wu get away? Where were Kai, Jay, Cole and Zane? Was Pixal safe? The questions were endless, and for now unanswered.
Loudly exhaling she felt the mask in her hand buzz and she blinked at it in confusion, moving to lift it back onto her head with a multitude of curses.
When it was settled back into her face, she tapped her knuckle against her ear. Briefly static echoed through causing her to wince, but then words became clearer.
“This is Master Wu to all ninjas, can anyone read me?” Her elderly sensei spoke, some of his words dipping in and out of signal but it was undoubtedly him. Thank goddess he was safe.
Kaia smiled at the knowledge that he was okay, it became wider when a new voice intercepted the call “Master Wu? It’s Lloyd, I read you” A mumble came from his side of the call, it seems Lord Garmadon was safe too.
“This is Jay, I’m with Nya. Great to hear your voices!” The elemental master of lightning spoke up. She tilted her head to the side beaming, that meant Nya had survived alongside everyone else on the bounty.
“Pixal here, I am receiving you” Samurai X’s voice now echoed in her ears and when Kaia could, she needed to ask the nindroid what on earth did they put into her suit “Zane is with me, but is currently indisposed”
The brunette could only guess that meant the ice ninjas current state wasn’t the best.
“Kai and I are with Master Wu and Skylor” Cole took over the microphone, and Kaia felt herself blink in surprise. When things got too dicey Skylor always appeared at the best possible moment.
“Does anyone have Foxling with them?” Sensei Wu asked and the coms went eerily quiet. Pixal quickly saying that she did not and neither Lloyd or Nya spoke.
“She..” Her lover began to speak, his voice low and Kaia could imagine his gaze was on the ground and his fist was clenched.
Before Lloyd could finish his sentence, she pressed her communication device to speak “Is right here, can hear you all loud and clear”
Static echoed in her ear when she heard the distant shout of Nya calling her name and Lloyd’s upclose version of it. The brunette pressed her lips together in a grin.
“Guess I have nine lives” She joked into the call, forcing her tone to match the humour. If she had nine lives then she was definitely on her last one.
No one laughed at her words.
Cole intercepted the silence “We’re holed up with a bunch of people at-“ he began to speak, the enthusiasm in his voice noticeable.
“Careful Cole, our radio signal could be intercepted” Master Wu interrupted and shit Kaia didn’t even realise they might be getting eavesdropped on.
It would be thought that they would have their own radio frequency that cannot be easily tapped into, but alas they do not. Yet. Anything was possible with Pixal and Zane on their side.
“In a place where news never sleeps” The master of earth respoke and the brunette removed her hand from the mask, allowing static to infiltrate.
She needed times with her thoughts.
First agenda though was figuring out where the news never sleeps, did he mean metaphoric news as in the internet? Are they at Borgs tower? No, the Overlord had taken over that place before and it would be idiotic to return there. They could be at the Ninjago news station? But that doesn’t seem like good cover to hide.
The last place Kaia could think of was the newspaper warehouse, the newspaper deliverer’s [aka children wanting pocket money] were always on the go through the city. And it was hidden, blended in with the building surrounding it. That seemed like the most likely answer.
The second agenda was does she meet them? She knows her fate is still fast approaching but now she doesn’t know when, and she doesn’t want the ninjas to see her death when it happens.
Sighing, she tapped her com unit again and Lloyds voice flooded her ears. Kaia definitely missed an important part of the conversation.
“-Agreed, I’m with my father” She knew it “We were looking for the Serpentine in their library, but we didn’t have any luck, they’ve all disappeared” The faint sound of mumbles of Garmadon made themselves known on the com, Lloyd harshly shushed him.
More like slivered their backstabbing selves out of Ninjago city at the first sign of danger, or had already joined forces with the Overlord to help him in-slave everyone.
“I might be able to provide some assistance” The Nindroid announced, her voice filled with determination. That changed into annoyance when a loud clatter erupted from her end “Though I am unsure how reliable they will be.”
Kaia made a hum of acknowledgment.
“Honestly at this rate, any help is goo-“ She herself to sit up, shuffling to lift herself up from the dumpster. When her body remained her the extent of her injuries. “Son of a fucking shit!”
She winced at the feeling, her eyes shutting tightly at the pain shooting up her leg and her spine, waterline burning.
“Are you okay?” Jay spoke into the com, concern in his voice, everyone’s faces were probably a replication of his. And she completely forgot about her mic being on.
Maybe her vision meant she was going to die from embarrassment, for all she knows that could be the truth.
Kaia let out a long exhale and replied “Yeah, just got a few bruises” She could invision the eyebrow raise Lloyd definitely gave to the com “and by that I mean, maybe a broken rib, a twisted ankle, a bruised arm and possibly a concussion. All maybes though”
If the situation wasn’t so tense she would’ve laughed at the exasperated “Kaia!” her beloved gave her as well as the muttered words of his father and then his loud sighing again.
“I fell off a ship, have a bit of sympathy” She chided with a smirk, gaze falling onto her covered ankle, that was definitely a massive bruise there.
“I shall look over you when we reunite” Pixal instructed. Curse words instantly echoed through her mind. That meant the decision was made for her.
Kaia had to head to the newspaper warehouse.
The brunette decided it was time for her to go off properly, clicking off the call and lowered her mask from her face with an exhale.
How on earth was she meant to get half way across the city when every-step she takes stings?
Clicking her tongue she glanced around her, her eyes falling onto her sword that had landed on the ground. Thank goodness she had a soft landing. Could Kaia use her sword as a crutch? Place all her body weight onto it and hobble defencelessly across the city.
Biting the inside of her cheek to stop her from screaming she climbed out of the garbage, hopefully she hadn’t punctured her gum. When she landed, mask in hand, she used the edge of the bin to help her move across to her sword, kneeling down with a sort of wheeze to pick up her weapon.
One problem was solve, time for the trillion other problems in the form of the crystal army. She was practically a sitting duck right now, vulnerable in her weak state and there for the taking, or for the killing.
Briefly closing her eyes, she rested her blade into the pavement, using the hilt as a handle and leaned her side into it, her ribs screamed at her. But for now she had to silence the pain.
Her mask vibrated in her hand once more and she exhaled through her nose, deciding to place it properly on again and answer.
“Bit preoccupied right now.” She snipped, eyes on the sword, her grip tightening against it.
“Then pause what your doing.” Lloyd spoke and if Kaia could she would’ve kicked a stone. Of course he was going to radio her, just the two of them. “Wait where you are, I’ll come get you”
“You aren’t coming to get me, I can walk just fine” Kaia dismissed with a shake of her head, why she did that when no-one can see, she doesn’t know.
“Aka crawl or hobble your way there” He argued with a huff of annoyance in his tone.
And possibly die on her way there but her stupid lineage won’t let her utter those words to anyone.
“And we’d be..” Hiccup. Kaia blinked at herself, she wasn’t even going to say die. Clearing her throat she adjusted her words “I’ll slow us down”
“I’ll carry you” Lloyd replied and Garmadon’s distant voice infiltrated her hearing. He loudly sighed “it’s called being chivalrous father!”
Sensei Garmadon had taught him what chivalry was all those years ago.
“Lloyd, I’ll be fine” Kaia wanted to pinch the bridge of her nose in exasperation but alas her hands were occupied.
One holding the button, the other keeping her from falling flat onto her side and obtaining more injuries.
Another mumbled argument occurred from Lloyd’s and Garmadon’s side “I just want you to be safe”
“I am” lies, absolute bullshit on her part.
“I mean safe in my arms and resting” He countered and she heard the sound of Garmadon being shoved forward, to which the dark lord loudly complained about the mistreatment.
Kaia rolled her eyes at the reply “and I will be, once my worry wart boyfriend stops trying to get me and let’s me walk”
The sigh this time was more affectionate than annoyed.
“Radio as soon as you can” He whispered, When a pebble loudly hit a wall on his side of the call she realised Garmadon was getting fed up.
“I’ll shout it from the rooftops” She smirked, glancing out into the street and faintly moved her sword, just to see how far she could travel.
It was harder than she expected to walk with a sword crutch.
“Kaia” Lloyd warned in a grumble and her grin widened.
“See you frog boy” Kaia mumbled, about to lift her hand away when she closed her eyes and exhaled “I love you..so much..”
“I love you more” Lloyds response was instantaneous, the moment was ruined by his spatter “You didn’t have to throw a pebble! No- it’s not gross to tell someone-!”
Kaia ended the line when Lloyd let out another enraged groan at his father.
It was time for her Pandora’s box to be opened.
When in a crystal infested apocalypse, every streets looks the same.
In terms of Kaia’s unfortunate luck she could be going around in circles, hopping in front of the same buildings and diving for cover when she caught sight of the Crystal army.
It was honestly surprising how she’s kept her cover for this long, their cars raced past her with screams of triumph [apparently evil villians need their own victory lap], dragons flew above buildings, roaring loudly and the soldiers marched.
The next scream she heard wasn’t in excitement, it was terror and her instincts struck in seconds. Her hobbling increased quickly and she began making her way to the sound, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration.
What met her sights was a circle of the Crystalised army, the form closing in on a woman with dyed pink hair and in her arms was an infant wrapped in a blanket. Her grip tighenting around her child.
Kaia’s eyes widened at the sight and she began her way to a building, her free hand attempting to open the door to little avail.
“Hey!” She tried to shout, but the robotic voice in her suit had broken and instead static came out.
No, no, no not right now.
Her gaze returned to the door and she pressed her shoulder harshly into it, thrashing and biting her lip to limit the pain.
“Hey!” Kaia shouted again, still static and she saw that the army had gotten closer to the family. In a last second decision, she threw her mask down “Hey! This way!”
The mother turned back to look at her, tears in her eyes but instantly ran, holding her child whilst Kaia continued to pry the door open.
When the mother neared it opened and Kaia pushed it open, waiting for them to enter and then quickly shut it, stabbing her sword into the handle.
“Are you okay?” She quickly asked, her eyes glancing from the door, to the army approaching and then to the family.
The mother slowly nodded, backing away slightly with her crying child, trying to soothe them “..Foxling..?”
“That’s me..” Kaia responded, holding back a wince when she applied pressure to her ankle.
Guess that was twelve people who knew her identity, only two of them were from outside the ninjas.
“You don’t have much time..” The brunette added almost like an afterthought, her movements on autopilot “There’s a refuge at the Newspaper warehouse”
“We can’t possibly get through all of them” The mother replied in shock, rocking her baby in her arms. The Crystalised army began to try and knock down the door, it wouldn’t be long before it tumbled.
“That’s why I said you.” She diverted her line of sight across the room, it seemed to be a cinema.
That meant there was a back exit.
The mother began to ramble, shaking her head and Kaia rested her hand onto her shoulder “There should be an exit, go through there and fucking run it, get to the warehouse and be safe”
“But what about you?” The pink haired woman blinked, letting Kaia led her and her child away from the door, the brunette searching for the exit.
“Someone’s gotta buy you time” Kaia Yoshida also had to face her destiny, become a Mugen officially and whatever else that entailed “The ninjas will protect you and..and when you find them, tell them I’m sorry..”
The mother nodded shaking whilst she held her child, the moment Kaia found the back door she rushed to open it, pain shoot up her body at the sprint.
“Remember what I said, go to the newspaper warehouse.” She repeated, harshly holding onto the handle and took a small glance outside to make sure there was no army. There was none.
Before the mother could respond the front door was knocked down, Kaia’s sword flying out and landing onto the ground. Time had ran out.
“Go! Go!” She shouted, hand back on her shoulder and helped her out, quickly shutting the door behind her to make sure none of the army could follow.
Then Kaia sighed, lifting her gaze up to the army now surrounding her. She was undoubtedly outmatched and this was going to be her last stand, this was her destiny.
If she’s gonna go, she’s gonna go swinging.
“Alright you crystal assholes, let’s see if your better fighters than your counterparts.” Kaia muttered, her fists clenched together.
The first line of the army ran towards her, she side stepped away from them, sliding herself underneath them, searching for her sword. When she caught sight of it she ran for it, her leg briefly buckling underneath her as she ran dipping down to pick up her sword.
Kaia let out another sigh, twirling her weapon with a flick of her waist, as if she was preparing to bat rather than fight.
She managed five seconds on her feet before she had to dodge again and felt her ankle give up, falling harshly onto the ground and rapidly tried to deflect any on coming attacks.
Kaia froze when one of the beasts clawed at her face, the effect was instant. Crystals began to cover her body and her vision was becoming blurry, her prophecy must’ve been complete. Swallowing she closed her eyes, she was finally a Mugen.
She was finally free of the burden of knowing she was dying.
The clock of her doom didn’t stop ticking when she blacked out.
Lloyd finally got silence.
He doesn’t know how long it took to finally not hear his fathers voice, but it had happened and now he was at the warehouse. He could reunite with the others, hug everyone so tightly and insist that for the rest of the battle Kaia should rest.
When the blond was seconds away from entering with the others, the question of if his girlfriend had made it there on the tip of his tongue, then he heard rapid footsteps.
He turned his sights at the sound and saw a woman rushing towards them, infant in her arms and her chest was rapidly moving up and down out of exhaustion.
Lloyd was the first to react, heading towards the woman with brow furrowed in concern “Are you alright..?” Who could even be alright in this situation?
The woman nodded then immediately shakes her head, her eyes wide as she took sight of the golden GI.
“I was..I was told to say..” the woman panted out of breath, her cheeks were red from how far she ran “to say..that she’s sorry..”
Lloyd blinked in confusion but was quick to school his expression, placing a hand onto the back of her shoulder to gently lead her closer to the warehouse.
“Whose sorry?” Kai made his appearance, clutching a first aid kit, ready to check over for any injuries.
That was for now the system, share the first aid kit and check everyone who was there so they can be bandaged up,
The woman glanced down to her baby, rocking him when he reached out for her “Foxling..”
Lloyd let go off her shoulder like it had burnt him. Kai stared back in shock.
There should’ve been endless possibilities on who was sorry, it could’ve been a sister, a mother, a friend, a girlfriend. It was meant to be anything, not his own girlfriend.
“Where is she?” He rapidly question, turning to look at the mother with a look that he knows was pure terror.
“..She..the cinema..but..” The mother tried to speak but her heavy breathing didn’t make it easy.
Nor did the fact that Lloyd was gone before she had finished her sentence.
“Lloyd!” Kai exclaimed, dropping the first aid in the process whilst his friend ran.
The Green Ninja didn’t listen, tugging his mask over his face, Spinjitzu’d up a building and onto the rooftops. He had one initiative, find Kaia and find out what happened.
In Which — Kaia is finally reunited with Lloyd after the merge.
A/N — This has been in the works for months and months now, I’ve known how Kaia was in the merge for ages but have been unable to finish this oneshot properly <3 This might be a Two or three part mini series but am unsure
word count- 4k/4518
Song — Sailor Song by Gigi Perez
Another day, another view of the ocean.
At first Kaia used to gawk at the spectacular view, her curious nature going feral at the sight of the red coloured liquid before her. There were unlimited questions in her mind at all hours. Why was the water was red? What would happen if someone touched it? Should she touch it?
Her queries all but fell silent when one day she relented and it was merely just water. Plain boring water that didn’t burn her finger off the moment she touched it.
The fox-named hero sighed from her spot on the edge of the giant raft, her eyes scanning the isolated surroundings, while her bare legs swayed back and forth in the sea.
The view was always the same, emptiness. There was never anything new floating by or an island this raft could dock upon and her taste buds were starting to become immune to the taste of potatoes, fish and kelp. It was almost criminal how much she craved Zane’s cooking, she desperately needed a reminder of his culinary masterpieces. She needed to eat his freshly cooked lasagna or his delicious chicken noodle soup.
But there was no Nindroid on this island, only food that was simple to cook with the limited budget of what was around her.
Though there was one positive to this entire situation. She wasn't drowning in loneliness on this raft, or drowning in general.
Kaia had been friends with the Algae farmers long before their departure into this shamble of a raft. They had rescued her from drifting into the unknown and welcomed her with open arms. She decided almost instantaneously that in anything happened to them then she’d risk her life to bring them back to normalcy.
Even if the risk meant entertaining the younger generation.
“Kaiaaaaaa you’re not paying attention to me” The boy at her side pouted, his arms folded tightly over his chest. It seemed she had just committed the biggest injustice in a child’s mind, ignoring them.
Smiling she turned her head, a small apologetic expression blossoming on her face “Sorry sunshine, you were saying?”
Elio, the energetic seven year old with a curious mind that could only be rivalled by her own sat up straight, mentally recounting his questions before the gates opened.
“Do they have animals in Ninjago? My mama was telling me all about birds, Oh! Are there birds there too? Did they have names? What names did they have! And color?” He excitedly asked, bouncing up and down in anticipation for her answer.
He was the only reason why she hadn’t lost her sanity in this ocean-riddled place. This personification of a tabby cat was always wanting to know more. And Kaia was more than happy to oblige in giving him that.
“We did, we had lots of them, birds and animals alike. We even had a robotic one” Kaia lightly chuckled, moving her hand to give his hair a small ruffle. She leaned down and covered his ear with her hand to whisper “Though you didn’t hear this from me, but the bird was a bit of a rascal”
“a rascal?” He blinked at her, tilting his head at the new word being introduced to his vocabulary.
Kaia hummed in response “A very sneaky one, it seemed to always bring trouble back with him or drop a bolt onto one of the ninjas head”
Elio burst into laughter instantly, head tilting back happily as the childlike wonders of his giggles echoed around them “It pooped on you!” His smile stretched up to his cheekbones.
Kaia laughed back, lifting her head over her mouth. She could see the sparkle in his eyes, the youthful light in him that found everything unique before the darkness of the world seeped through. She’s amazed he still has it after everything he’d been through.
After everything her and the Algae farmers went through in the form of a Merlopian army and a giant crustacean. And what paid the price? The farmers lost the only home they’ve ever known, their peace, their dignity and she lost a good chunk of her hair.
Before the merge her wavy hair used to go past her chest, sure it was a nightmare to detangle and style in the mornings but she would never wish it away. It was her identity.
Now her identity is a mullet sized bob, that is only known by an unknown civilisation, and would make every hairdresser in Ninjago city coil on in themselves.
It wasn’t pretty, though she didn’t exactly have scissors on her to make it appealing to the eyes.
“Was the bird your pet?” He tapped her arm, then adverted his gaze back to the sea. Feet mindlessly going into the water and kicking the current back and forth.
They for some reason prided themselves in not wearing shoes at all hours everyday.
“One of them yeah, we had a bird, an electric chicken, dragons and I had a dog” Kaia explained, listing of all her pets, only two of them had still been there before the merge. The electric chicken and her dog, Loki. She hated thinking about what could’ve become of them now.
“With frog?” Elio asked a new question, smiling widely as he said it. Frog was the name he wanted to give to Lloyd, Kaia had told him one day of the cheeky nickname of Frog boy she had given her boyfriend and the name had stuck.
Every time something remotely related to him came up, the code word frog was used.
A sad smile graced her lips “Yeah, with frog..” She didn’t know what happened to anyone, for all she knows she is the only survivor from Ninjago. That she has been so fortunate to be blasted all the way out here before the same fate everyone else met was her own.
Elio was about to speak, whether it was to provide her sympathy or splurge onto a brand new question that he desperately wanted the answer for she wasn’t too sure. But he cut himself off when footsteps echoed behind them.
It didn’t take her long to piece together who it and when she glanced back there stood Dale. While the Algae farmers didn’t believe in leaders, Kaia was positive that the older gentleman was definitely viewed as some sort of role-model. Everyone valued his opinions and she did too.
He was also the most blunt person she had ever met, there was no filter in his mind. No mind games needed to be played and secrets kept, he was his undeniable self. Something she appreciated in these difficult times.
“Kaia, you busy?” Dale spoke up, crossing his arms at the pair, and awaited for her to either nod of shake her head. Slowly she shakes her head, he never asks questions unless it’s important “I’ve got a couple of people interested in helping, said they want to take back our island with us.”
Every warning bell was ringing in her mind. She didn’t like the sound of that suggestion or the fact that strangers had found their way onto their humble abode. Why were they here?
“Why are they offering to help?” She questioned, her gaze remaining firmly on Dale and her hand blindly went to squeeze Elio’s shoulder.
“Ship needs fixing, I need my stuff to do it and that ain’t here” He briefly explained, getting straight to the point as he pointed his finger in the direction Kaia can only assume is where this supposed vessel is “They were quick to offer their assistance when they knew about the army”
Kaia lifted an eyebrow at his words “That’s noble of them” noble wasn’t exactly the word she wanted to use. Why would two seemingly Good Samaritan’s want to help people they don’t know. It seemed oddly heroic of them. If she could make up a word she’d say it was very ninja-esche of them.
But that didn’t mean there wasn’t a likelihood of them doing this for their own personal gain. They could be trying to become supreme overlords to the Algae people, rob them, anything was possible in this new world.
“They want to know as much as they can about the army and the giant crab so said I’d send someone who faced it to them” Dale added onto his previous words. It wasn’t a mystery who this someone was, it was undoubtedly her. She had been the only one who went face to face with everything.
Kaia had the cuts and bruised ego to prove it.
Exhaling heavily she nodded at his words. She had to go see these heroes, the ones who wanted to claim themselves as the Algae saviours.
“Yeah alright, which way?” She muttered, her ego was getting further bruised by the minute. She couldn’t believe the farmers had been so quick to trust someone new and now she was just meant to hand over her knowledge.
Her thunder was getting stolen again and this time it was when she’s Kaia, not Foxling.
If Dale sensed the annoyance in her tone he didn’t comment on it and instead turned his body properly and pointed right “Big red ship, it’s hard to miss. The boys will be on there.”
“Boys?” She stood up instantly. Great to add salt further into the wound her thunder was being stolen by boys.
“Didn’t quite catch their names, but if you see orange and green then that’s them” He shrugged and leaned down to collect Elio, most likely to escort him back to his mom for lunch. She sort of wished she could bring him with her as some sort of emotional support.
Now alone Kaia tilted her head back in exasperation.
Sometimes she wondered how the farmers could be so trusting, two complete strangers had landed on their island and they immediately welcomed them in with open arms. They should’ve been questioning them, understanding their motives, not opening hospitality and letting them fight for them.
Sure if they weren’t so kind then Kaia would undoubtedly still be floating across the never ending sea or dead. So sure perhaps it is hypocritical for her to wish these strangers a good riddance. But how could they be so naive? In that aspect they reminded her off Lloyd, sweet but far too trusting of others for his own good.
Averting her gaze from the ocean, Kaia began her treck in the direction of the ship. Her hand going into her side pocket to bring out a knife, it wasn’t a pretty sight. It was bent out of shape from her last battle, the handle was falling apart and it was more efficient in cutting kelp not enemies. But she had to make do with what she had.
Usually she would’ve she used her Wakizashi, the sword that brandished her as a hero of Ninjago city. But alas it was lost, she had dropped it during the chaos of the world ending and it did not follow her.
Present her was cursing past her frequently for disagreeing with the idea of having a relocating device installed within, she could’ve been like Thor. And she could’ve been using her weapon instead of the poor excuse of one the knife was currently being.
Adjusting her grip her eyes landed on what must’ve been the ship Dale was talking about. It was big, it was red and it looked identical to the Destiny Bounty.
Kaia froze at the sight of it. That looked exactly like her on the road home. Where she’d have meals with the ninjas when she accompanied them on adventures, spend hours just sat on the deck looking up at the sky and reading. The place where all her memories with the ninjas were stored.
But it couldn’t be the Bounty, that had been destroyed, the only remaining part was the piece that had been her small makeshift boat.
The most possible scenario was that these ‘Kind-hearted’ strangers had heard the stories of the Ninjas or possible about Captain Soto and designed their ship in their honour.
Kaia hoped the honour was for the heroes.
Taking a deep breath she continued her journey to the docked ship, stepping onto the wooden plank and stepping foot onto the vessel. It was eerie stepping onto a life size model of her old home. It was as if the merge had never happened, like she was walking back onto the beloved ship after a successful adventure, that the ninjas would be coming out at any moment to celebrate with bright smiles and cheers.
This wasn’t her Destiny Bounty and there were no celebrations greeting her.
Slowly getting out of her lull, she caught sight of the backs of who she could assume are the ‘savours’. Just like Dale had described them they were in green and orange.
What Dale had missed out on was the notable age difference between them. The one in orange looked to be the youngest of the pair with black hair and a semi high pitch voice as he talked. The guy beside him was older, definitely her age, in green and had blond hair.
That was Lloyd’s colour scheme. Not only had the Bounty blueprints been copied so had her lovers theme. She was slowly gathering a personal vendetta against them.
Forcing her throat to clear, she stepped closer to the unidentified figures. Their attentions were definitely on her when their shoulders tended “Dale said you wanted to speak to me.”
The first to turn around was the boy in orange and he was certainly a lot younger than she expected. Kaia had expected he was late teenage years, possible sixteen or eighteen based off the height. Now she wasn’t too sure, he was undoubtedly an early teenager facial wise, definitely between the thirteen and fourteen age range.
He still had that sparkle in his eyes, just like Elio.
Kaia had expected for the other man to turn around with the boy, but he just stood there. Shoulders still noticeable tense, he was probably the silent but deadly type cause he thought it was cool. It wasn’t cool.
“Yes, hello, nice to meet you. So you went up against the crab? That’s awesome!” The orange teenager enthusiastically exclaimed. He certainly seemed to have a lot to say especially in something that was meant to be a greeting.
The teenager had grown significantly into her book of good guys. The man, however didn’t even have a footnote in it.
“Yeah I guess almost dying is awesome” Kaia blinked at him, seeing the kid briefly cower in on himself at her words. She couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled out of her throat “I’m kidding, partly. It certainly gave me a run for my life”
The kid hummed in agreement “Yeah! We were only in its water for a second, cause we thought we could get some help since our ship was destroyed but then boom! They full on attacked at us!”
She looked around to see what sort of damage was he even talking about, she hadn’t even notice the large hole at the side and the arrows gathered up into piles in the corner. There was most definitely a battle that had taken place.
But he had said something else was destroyed before that attack, that was a lot more difficult to see.
“I’m sorry what was destroyed?” She questioned, tapping her foot against the floor to see if it was the boards that had broken. Nothing happened.
Her questioned seemed to make the kid beam and he leaned forward slightly, like he was about to whisper a secret to her “You won’t believe this, but this ship flies! Full on fly in the sky, isn’t that incredible?”
It would’ve been if she had never seen a flying ship before. But she had, she’d seen the same one broken and fixed dozens of times.
“So the engine isn’t working?” The boy instantly nodded at her words. Kaia gave him a strained smile back, how had they gotten this ship to fly? Did they actually have the blueprints to the Destiny Bounty?
She also wondered why he was so willing to spill secrets, wouldn’t someone want to keep it a secret that their ship can fly? Kaia knew she would’ve if the choice was hers.
Sighing through her nose, her gaze returned to the blond who still looked rigid, his body away from her and staring out into the ocean. He was really leaning into this mysterious facade, frankly it was starting to anger her. She’d rather have both of their attention on the matter at hand rather than one of them.
“Is he alright?” Kaia pointed to the blond, though adverted her gaze away. Every glance kept forcing her to see the resemblance he had with her beloved, the same hair colour, the same length, the same height.
Everything physical was the same, what wasn’t the same was their characteristics. Lloyd would never ignore her or pretend to be all unknowing.
Turning his head, the boy blinked at the blond. Confusion on his own face “uh no, usually he’s the one making introductions. Though I haven’t properly known him for that long”
“Excuse me?” She sputtered out, disbelief crawling into her eyes. The kid was on an adventure with a man he didn’t properly know? Was he safe? Was he in danger?
“Oh don’t worry, he rescued me, my friend and a baby dragon. It’s a funny story actually” The kid chuckled, staring at her in a way that was meant to convey there was nothing to worry about. Kaia remained concerned.
“Where’s your friend and dragon then?” She couldn’t believe the sentence that had left her lips, there hadn’t been literal dragons in Ninjago for years. They were in the First Realm, though this wasn’t Ninjago anymore.
Everything was different.
“Also a funny story” He smiled like it was an inside joke between himself and most possible the blond. The blond didn’t react to it.
“Are you safe?” It was unbelievable how a teenager, who she had yet to learn (read: forgot to ask) his name was allowed on a large ship. Did the kids family know? Did he still have his family?
The teenager nodded, then halted as if thinking over his words “Yes but the world won’t be safe if we don’t get this ship fixed”
Kaia made a show of tossing her knife up and down in her grasp, just incase this truly wasn’t a Good Samaritan and the kid was in trouble. The world even before the merge was full of twisted people.
“What do you mean end of the world?” She questioned, raising an eyebrow at him. Kaia had heard that phrase used in a number of contexts, many literal world saving and others metaphorically. For her she’s heard it the most in the literal sense.
The teenager seemingly relaxing his mistake, tiptoed back and tapped the man on his shoulder whispering “Hey uh, sorta need you to talk, like right now please”
He finally felt the awkwardness seeping through in their interaction all because of a miscommunication.
Kaia watched the man deflate, his hands moving to cover his face. Then he finally spoke, a small humourless chuckle leaving his lips as he said aloud “Bit too scared to..”
Her entire body stilled at the sound, she could recognise that voice anywhere.
The teenager in orange tensed up for an entirely different reason. His eyes flicking side and side as he reached for the nearest weapon, a mop.
“Enemy?” He mumbled, all childlike nature leaving his body and he gripped the mop tightly. Now he looked like a warrior, a traumatised one.
The blond slowly shakes his head, one of his hands moved to brace the railing. It was definitely not an enemy.
Bile grew in Kaia’s throat, she couldn’t believe what had just landed into her lap. The potential opportunity that she hadn’t even realised was hers to take.
She had seen the connections but had lost so much hope that she had only put them as that, connections. Not a reality she could be stepping foot into.
That the mysterious blond might not be a mystery to her after all. Her grip disappeared on her knife entirely and it hit the ground with a harsh bang.
A bang that caused the kid to jump in surprise and the blond to keep hold of the railing tightly.
Glancing down at her mess she muttered a small tearful curse and covered her mouth to stop the sound from rippling through her lips for the world to hear.
Everything was still a might. The blond might not be who she’s hoping for, he might be scared because she is truthfully an enemy but denied agreeing with the kid because she’s there.
When she returned her gaze to the pair, the boy was staring at her with furrowed eyebrows. Kaia probably looked like a mess, teary eyes and a hand over her mouth.
She hadn’t expected for the man to be looking directly at her when she looked back at them. Instantly the sob that she had been desperately fighting back broke free from her throat.
Kaia Yoshida was standing face to face with Lloyd Garmadon.
She wanted to run into his arms, kiss all over his face, hug him so tightly and just talk and talk for the rest of time. Instead all she was able to do was crumble onto the ground, her knees giving out and making her kneel onto the ground.
Kaia was so unbelievably happy, she should’ve been cheering to the skies that she had found her boyfriend. But she wasn’t cheering, she was crying from the sheer overwhelming feeling that she’s found him.
That he’s alive and she gets to share the same oxygen as him once again.
Lloyd wasn’t fairing any better than her, tears were seeping down his cheeks and his breathing was slow.
The kid blinked between the two of them, confusion and worry on his face on the complete 180 this situation had taken.
The almighty Green Ninja exhaled and finally found the courage to step forward, his footsteps hard on the wooden planks. Like he was forcing himself to triple check that this was a reality, that he wasn’t dreaming. Kaia prayed she wasn’t.
The next moment a shaky sob left her lips, he was knelt in front of her, his arms at his side not knowing what to do. What are you even meant to do to someone you haven’t seen in years? Hug them? Reassure them that everything is okay? Kiss each other until they’re both breathless and require oxygen to live?
Or were they meant to just sit there, soaking in the sweetness that is seeing one another again after so much time apart. Playing a mantra of ‘I love you’s’ over and over in their heads.
Kaia was the first to take initiative, reaching forward to interlock her fingers with Lloyd’s in a manner that made both of them want to weep more than they were. Their fingers slotted against each other perfectly, as if no time had passed between them.
“Hey..” She whispered, not being able to withhold the smile from growing onto her face or the tight squeeze she gave his hand.
Lloyd let out a chuckle under his breath and lifted her hand up to rest his head against it “Hi Yoshi..”
Silence instantly fell between them, none of them knowing which words they wanted to pinpoint out of their minds to be spoken out-loud. Could what they were feeling even be summarised so easily in little words?
Kaia doubted it could be.
When Lloyd lifted his head from her head he gave a breathless sigh and moved his free hand to her face. His thumb brushed along her cheekbone, wiping around the tears that had settled there.
His thumb started to travel across her face, going under her eye and causing his fingertip to become damp from the tears then his touch landed onto her hair. Holding a strand of it in his hand.
“New haircut..” He mumbled, a statement rather than a question on if it was new or not.
“Not by choice” She shakes her head, letting her now shortened hair swish from side to side and be properly on show.
“It looks pretty” Lloyd smiled, twirling the strand in-between his fingers and brushed his thumb along her knuckle “You’re always pretty..gorgeous..”
Kaia leans forward to rest her forehead against his, closing her eyes at the contact. Everything felt right, at peace and beyond perfect.
There was no upcoming danger, no impending doom and no enemy to pull them away from each other. There was however a teenager who was blinking at them as if they had grown two heads.
“I have questions” The orange clothed boy lifted his hand up, glancing between the two of them with wide eyes. They widened when Kaia pressed a kiss to Lloyd’s nose “Lots of them.”
Kaia too had her own questions, like who was the teenage boy? why did Lloyd rescue him, his friend and a baby dragon? Why are they all the way out here? What did the kid mean when the world was in danger?
“I have my own” Kaia tilted her head back, proceeding to nod it in the direction of where the teenager stood.
Lloyd let out an exhale through his nose but cracked a smile, lifting his sleeve up to his face to wipe away the tears “Kaia this is Arin, Arin this is Kaia” he introduced, squeezing his girlfriend’s hand.
At least Kaia finally had a name to put to the face of the teenager, though she didn’t know any Arin’s before the merge. He was still a bit of an enigma, but it seems she wasn’t an enigma to him.
Arin’s eyes widened at the name Lloyd had spoken “Like Kaia, the childhood best friend, lost girlfriend, historian, friendly neighbourhood hero Foxling and ying? You mean that Kaia!”
The woman in question lifted her eyebrows in surprise at the praises, as Kaia she wasn’t well known in Ninjago city and there was certainly no articles that exposed her identity as Foxling to the world. Slowly she turned her head to look at her beloved.
A beloved who was already looking away embarrassed.
“Yes, that Kaia” He nodded, avoiding her gaze at all cost and kept his gaze on the now excited Arin.
“Seems you know my whole life story there” She bite her lips to limit the noise of the snicker. It was amusing hearing all of those words tumble out of the teenagers mouth.
“Lloyd spoke a lot about you” He smiled, his words almost firm as if placing an emphasis on the fact that he knows all of this because the great Green Ninja was the one who told him.
A shit-eating grin instantly made its way onto Kaia’s lips and Lloyd tried to stammer out a response with pink cheeks.
A/N: It is here, it is here, it is HERE! So I’ve been getting deep into Stranger things and I’ve decided to create a 1980s/Stranger Things Au for Ninjago and my OC Kaia Yoshida, and I’ve also decided that it’s going to be a multi-part series since I have so many ideas for this and didn’t just want to cram them into a singular one-shot. So everyone buckle up and enjoy the read.
This post is entirely centred on Lloyds third person perspective and this is only a brief introduction to his and Kaia’s story in the show. Additionally don’t be surprised if for now Kaia acts out of character for how I typically portray her on my oneshots, it is all character development. Additionally there are no general spoilers to ST season one, but if you’ve watched the show then you might be able to see where I’ve been inspired by it and maybe see some plot points I’m gonna be exploring <3
word count: 8308
additionally context: this has not been proofread so please excuse any spelling errors, also thank goodness it formatted correctly. Kaia is also Kaiya, I’ve just changed the spelling of her name
Life was a pain in the ass.
A statement Lloyd Garmadon could not help but agree to the fullest too, life was being a pain. Nothing was going right, he was going into his Junior year of High School and was already being bombarded about preparing college applications (guess assuming it would occur next year was foolish), he swears work has gotten harder in the gap between Sophomore and this year, he shares barely any classes with the friend he's had since he was in diapers and the worst thing of them all his parents are divorcing.
Well it wasn't the biggest of shocks, they had announced to him at the start of Summer break that they were separating and all of the legal processes that was occurring, split custody, reaffirming that it was not his fault that they were separating and that adults just fall out of love.
Lloyd knew his parents weren't in love, he had seen and heard it in the way they used to constantly argue, he understood why they divorced. He merely wished they had waited until after his Junior and Senior year of high school to make that decision, now he's going to be getting fake sympathy from the teachers and students looking at him weirdly all because he now has single parents.
Maybe that's how he fell right into Kaia's hands.
In that wording it sounds quite sinister, that she had taken advantage of his supposed vulnerability and now he was her possession. That wasn't what had occurred, it was more of a slower process that had drifted him to the brunette, one that had started a year ago.
The awkward teenager had been assigned to sit beside Kaia for science, english and history, the teachers saying it was to help her concentrate as they know he'll keep her on the right track. They definitely didn't take into account that he would lose his concentration, how is it even possible to pay attention to the teacher and take notes when the prettiest girl ever is sat beside him, giving him a smile every few minutes and their shoulders brushing at any opportunity she leans over to him for assistance.
Then things had taken a turn at the start of the year when Kaia had asked him out to the movies. Well it wasn't necessarily an ask, but more like a crumbled piece of paper was handed over to him and he had glanced down to see what it said.
Wanna go to the movies with me ♡
- Kaia Y
He couldn't believe what had been written on the note, or that it had been handed to him. It had been handed to him right? He wasn't meant to pass this along to the person of Kaia's actual desires who definitely wasn't him.
Lloyd discreetly turned his gaze to her, trying not to let their science teacher notice as the topic of Protons, Neutrons and Electrons drowned out the classroom. The brunette was already looking his way, smiling directly at him and he instantly felt like mush.
Keeping the small piece of paper under his hands he mouthed to her the words "seriously?" He was still in disbelief, what do you mean it is a possibility that she was asking him out, well he hopes the note was 100% for him because now he looked like a fool.
Kaia lifted her hand up to her mouth, attempting to conceal a snicker at his surprise then nodded. Lloyd lost his bresth immediately, if he didn't know he was in a classroom and at his desk, he would've assumed that he was at the hospital being brought back to life.
Biting the inside of his cheek to stop his smile from becoming obnoxious, he moved his hand slightly to see the paper once and grabbed his pen, scribbling in the limited space at the bottom.
I'd love to
-Lloyd Y
That was where it had all began, an ask to a date and an agreement from him. Then the planning of it all was set in motion, the movies were doing a re-run of ET. The extra-terrestrial and since neither of them had seen it when it first released which made it the ideal first date watch, Lloyd and Kaia were going to be leaving school together and he had told his mum that he was hanging out at Brad's place after practice and would be home late.
Was it essentially very irresponsible of him to keep the fade that he was going on his first date a secret from his own mum? It certainly was, but he didn't want her to know just yet that he might be getting a girlfriend.
He means why bring her hopes up when it might be for nothing? At the end of the date Kaia might but be Kaia still to him, the pretty girl who still sits beside him in class, except this year it's willingly.
The only one who was not happy with this plan was Brad.
"C'mon just tell your parents that after practice I'll be at yours" Lloyd begged, sitting beside his childhood friend at lunch the day of his date with Kaia after school. He knows it is incredibly late to ask this huge favour but it had just slipped his mind the past few days, his stomach in a knot at the thought of being on a date.
"But you won't be at practice" Brad argued, unwrapping his sandwich and bringing it to his mouth to take a bite. All the while continuing to narrow his eyes at his best friend, the friend whose lunch routine was always the same. They'd talk, eat their food, laugh and then the cycle would repeat, though the topic of Kaia started to come up a lot more.
"Then just tell coach I have a bad stomach or something" Lloyd encouraged, he hadn't even touched his own lunch once just kept staring excitedly as if expecting him to agree in a heartbeat and let him have this moment of victory.
Brad loudly groaned, dropping his sandwich back into its tinfoil and lifting his head back in agony "Lloyd" he sighed closing his eyes in annoyance before reopening them to see that same eager expression that had been on the blond's face since the start of this conversation "I can't just lie to coach, my parents and your mum. I'd be murdered if they knew I helped you fib"
"It's not fibbing, it's just extending the truth a bit. I will be at your place, and I do have a stomach ache" he argued, voice firm though his face was entirely soft when he caught sight of Kaia across the room with her group of friends laughing together. Her laughter sounded like music, he wondered if he could ever get her to laugh like that, maybe tonight when it's just the two of them her laugh will sound like church bells and it'll be a sound only he knows.
The snapping of fingers in front of his face brought him out of his daze and back to the sight of the unimpressed Brad.
"Yeah you'll be at my place after your secret date and your stomach is probably telling you that this is the worst idea you've ever had" The raven haired boy rolled his eyes, deciding to repack his food back into its foil container. It seems he would not be able to eat his turkey sandwich in peace, though does he truly ever get peace around Lloyd?
"It's not! It's just...well it's Kaia..so.." Lloyd stumbled out, his cheeks turning a faint pink colour whilst his gaze returned to the woman who would be his date and she's now staring directly back at him. Lifting her hand up to wave at him with a smile, if Lloyd died right this very second he would be fine with that.
"Exactly its Kaia. The same Kaia whose friend group are grade A assholes, can't even get actual grades, is the girl almost every guy wants to hook up with and the list is freaking endless" Brad complained lowering his voice into a whisper as to make sure no one can hear then glanced over to see Lloyd lifting his hand up to wave back at her albeit very awkwardly. His friend sighed at that "Dude, your going to get your heart broken"
"But I won't" Lloyd dismissed shaking his head, returning his sight to Brad when his possible soon to be beloved blew a kiss his way and he had to pretend not to be absolutely flustered by it. He could see the annoyance in his friend rising by the second "Please, you know I don't ask you for much and if this date goes good then I'll tell my mum about it...she's...she's just going through a lot right now and I don't want to stress her out even more.."
That got Brad to crumble in seconds, got him to rest his head onto the palm of his hand with a loud exhale through his nose and then looked at Lloyd through his lashes "fine. Just this once I'll lie for you, but you tell Koko immediately if goes good. Promise me that"
Lloyd nodded at his words extending his hand out for a handshake, one that would seal this agreement between them "I'll tell my mum immediately"
Immediately never came, not because the date didn't go well as that would be a lie. It was incredibly.
Lloyd drove himself and Kaia to the mall, the both of them walking around whilst they awaited for the time that the movie would begin. They had gotten chips from the food court and were sat together sharing the bowl whilst they talked about anything and everything, about school, personal life, hobbies, interests, anything that came to mind was said. Then the time of the movie came around and that was even more spectacular.
All because he had Kaia in his arms the entire time, well not properly in his arms. Instead he had an arm around her shoulder that had been prompted there by her and she was snuggled into his side.
He couldn't even care what was happening to ET right now, all that he cared was that holy shit he had the prettiest girl in his arms and she seemed to be loving it. Well he assumed she was loving it since she hasn't leant out of it yet.
When the movie eventually ended and they both left his arm was still around her shoulder whilst they walked away and out of the mall deciding that now was a good time to end the date.
"I really enjoyed today Lloyd" Kaia smiled at him the moment she was buckled into his car, watching as he turned the key into the ignition and awaited for a moment to drive away. He was practically over the moon at her statement, sure he couldn't remember half of the movie and if he truly wanted to watch it he'd have to rent the tape himself or ask his mum or dad to buy or rent it for him. But that was whatever, he had been holding her!
"Yeah..I did as well.." he nodded in agreement, deciding to keep his gaze forward whilst he drove out of the car park, not wanting to lose his focus if he properly looked at the girl in his passenger seat. Though he did catch of glimpse of her when he turned in his seat to look behind him and she looked so gorgeous that he momentarily forgot to breathe.
Kaia hummed at his words, and for now that was the end of the conversation about the date. The topic drifting to the movie and her giving him directions to her place which he was internally memorising as a just in case.
He never knew if he'd be invited there one day, or if this date was actually going to be leading to something.
When he finally reached her place, parking a bit down the road at her ask and turned the ignition off he tilt his head to look at her "so uh I guess this is your stop" he wanted to slam his head into the steering wheel the second that was said. Of course this is her stop, she has instructed him on where to turn and where to park. God he was actually hopeless.
Kaia chuckled at his words, moving to unbuckle her seatbelt and Lloyd assumed she was going to bid him farewell and lean to open her door. Except she didn't, well she did lean but not towards the passenger door but instead over the centre console and right into his personal space.
Lloyd leaned back in seconds, face flushed and mind running eighty miles per hour trying to form physical words that he could say at that moment.
"What...what was that..?" He questioned, blinking at her whilst he kept his buckled self firmly against the driver side door and Kaia rested her arm against the centre console staring at him fondly. Why was she staring at him like that? Why did his question trigger that?
"I was trying to kiss you" She smiled, moving her freehand to settle gently on his arm slowly moving her thumb and down his jacket sleeve. Her eyes glanced from his eyes, down to his lips and then back up to him again, her smile softening at him "Would you like me to?"
Lloyd was positive he lost his ability to speak right there and then, because he had not expected to be able to end this perfect date with a kiss, his first kiss (an embarrassing fact that he was planning on keeping until his grave) and a kiss with his beautiful maybe girlfriend.
"Yeah! I mean uh sure, I mean if you'd like to then I'd like to as well, you know kiss you in my car, with no one else around and just us and..and sorry..I'm sounding weird" He blurted out, his cheeks growing in colour at the stupidly he had just done. All he needed to do was just agree, not say a whole paragraph about the fact that he would really like to kiss.
Kaia laughed, this laugh sounding nothing like the one he had heard in the cafeteria early that day, it didn't just sound like music nor did it sound just like church bells. It sounded like a mixture of everything wonderful in the world and it felt so genuine to him, he now knew he adores her laughter.
"I would very much like to" She smiled, moving the hand on his arm up to cup his cheek, delicately stroking her thumb to and fro on the pink skin. Kaia glanced back down to his lips then inclined forward not meeting his lips quite yet and tilted her head slightly "It would be easier if you leaned in too"
That tease sent shivers down his spine that he couldn't stop himself from tensing slightly at his foolishness "oh uh right, yea, of course" he stumbled then leaned forward to waiting for Kaia to be the one to capture his lips in her and when it happens? He feels like he's on cloud nine.
It really shouldn't feel much to him, it's just the press of lips that are moulding together that is meant to symbolise wanting each other. He certainly wanted her when he closed his eyes into the kiss and blindly rested his hand onto her knee to keep himself from falling forward from the sheer relief and excitement of this moment.
The kiss wasn't particularly long nor did it deepen and become anything more, it was just twenty one long seconds of blissful brushing of lips. He had to admit it was incredibly weird of him to count how long the kiss lasted, but he had merely assumed that Kaia would've ended the kiss after three seconds and there was zero chance of him ending it first.
As she leaned back, Lloyd smiled at her, his expression must've been incredibly soft and loving as Kaia inclined back in to give him a quick kiss. She only leant back when she felt him reciprocating and then with a blink she was opening the door and leaned down into the car.
He should've locked the damn door, or would that be considered kidnapping? Maybe it was a good thing he didn't lock it.
"See you at school tomorrow?" Lloyd sheepishly asked, trying to limit the redness of his cheek into what he could only hope was a normal shade and didn't make him look like a pink flamingo. He was pretty sure his attempt to salvage himself wasn't a very good one, especially not when Kaia was still smiling at him.
"See you then boyfriend" Kaia winked at him, continuing to lean against the car as she watched the different emotions go through Lloyd. He went from shocked, to shy, to stunned and then straight to loving with a grin on his face and a nod of his head.
When Kaia shut the door and walked away Lloyd instantly leant back into his seat with a cheer.
He's upgraded himself from possible beloved to actual beloved!
✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩
Lloyd never said he would promise Brad that he'd tell his mum about Kaia.
It was merely a handshake and why should he tell her about his girlfriend when it's impossible to know if they'll last. Lloyd rationalised it as not wanting to make his mother worry about him when she already has so much on her plate, Brad called it being a coward.
A statement which has now caused this hushed conversation between the two whilst they were sat on the benches taking a break from baseball with the others.
"I'm just making life easier for her, that's all" Lloyd quietly muttered, shrugging his shoulders whilst he stared out into the pitch and adjusted the hat on his head making sure the sun wasn't directly in his eyes. It was true, his mum was already stressed about work and the divorce process, well he hadn't seen it personally but it was obvious "Besides Kaia agrees with me, she hasn't told her parents about us yet"
"Yeah the same girl whose parents let her throw parties frequently" Brad sharply responded, glancing around to make sure no one had heard him then pushed his head into his hands in defeat, not being able to believe his friends stupidity "Lloyd how long have you been seeing her for so far?"
"I don't know a month..maybe two" He replied, tapping his fingers together as he awkwardly turned around. He knows it isn't a maybe, it's a definitely, he and Kaia had been together for two months already and had already shared a lot of kisses together. Life was damn great for you.
Brad lifted his head back up to look at his friends, eyes narrowed at him "right and how far have you both gone" he hated that he had to ask this question, it was a question he would usually never ask him. But Lloyd wasn't being the Lloyd he knows right now, he's being the Lloyd that is far too in love with hot badgirl Kaia.
"All we've done is make out in my car which really isn't that far" The blond rolled his eyes, not seeing the big deal in Brads ask nor why it mattered. It was normal for couples to be like that together, to get lovey in the back of a car with no parents around. To him and Kaia it wasn't far, it was just getting handsy and tasting each other.
Brad clearly did not agree with that statement as he exclaimed a loud "Lloyd!" Before settling back into his seat and hoping no one would question his exclaim and lowered his voice back down to a whisper "dude are you kidding me right now! You've done that and you haven't even told your mum yet"
"It's no big deal" He shakes his head, leaning back against the bench and turned his head to look at him, instantly seeing the disbelief on his face "Brad seriously it's fine, I'm just waiting for things to cool it between my parents and then boom I'll tell them the news"
"Yeah and by then your probably gonna be a high school dropout and a single father to her kids" The raven haired boy angrily muttered, moving his grip to his bat and tighenting his hold of it. How could he not see the big deal about this? This was Kaia, a girl who is not on either of their social groups and a girl if she so wanted to could make Lloyd be the most hatred guy at their school.
Lloyd narrowed his eyes at him then loudly sighed, pushing the back of Brad's shoulder with his hand before standing up with the murmured excuse of needing the bathroom.
Coincidentally the school bathroom he had chosen to go to was incredibly close to the gymnasium. The gymnasium where Kaia was currently doing cheer practice with the other cheerleaders, hair tied into a ponytail and her uniform on.
Lloyd couldn't help but stand in the doorway of the bathroom and just stare at her, he had a while before he truly needed to get back to the field and it never hurt anyone to admire a very pretty girlfriend whilst she's focused.
That was when Lloyd saw Kaia turn around to see him, smile on her face as she excused herself for the bathroom and all but sprinted to the hallway, her grin growing as she made her way over to him.
"Get in, get in" She encouraged, keeping her voice quiet in case anyone had bat like hearing and could hear her little excited plea to her boyfriend who happily listened to her and backed into the bathroom. His own smile widening when Kaia walked in and closed the door, glancing back briefly to merely lock it as a simple just in case "Hey you"
"Hey" Lloyd greeted back, keeping his smile wide whilst Kaia stepped over to him, and when she was close enough he rested his hand around her waist guiding her to rest against him and tilted his head to connect their lips together for a brief kiss.
Kaia hummed at the contact and when Lloyd went to lean back, he found himself straight back in with another kiss, this one much more deeper.
Guess they had upgraded from car make out to bathroom.
Lloyds grip tighented around her waist as Kaia backed the both of them towards a wall, waiting until her back pressed against it to lean away for some air with a smile on her lips. Then once the limited air she wanted returned she latched right back onto him, parting her lips into the kiss.
He didn't know how long he had her against the wall for nor how long the only thing he could taste on his tongue was herself when he forced himself to lean away, staring at the thin line of saliva between them.
"I'm so sorry but I've got to get back to practice" he apologised, keeping his eyes on her whilst his girlfriend pouted at him and reached her hand up to rub her thumb along his bottom lip, getting rid of the glistening on it.
"But isn't this more exciting" Kaia smiled, her gaze moving to his neck as she inclined forward and let her breath ghost it. She watched her beloved tense up at the feeling and all Lloyd wanted to do was nod, that was all he was even able to do was swallow loudly, his Adams apple moving slightly with the sound "then why go back to boring practice when you can just..stay here with me..alone"
Lloyd thinned his lips harshly, internally battling with himself. On one side was the voice telling him that this was a bad idea, that coach would not be happy about him skipping unexpectedly but that wouldn't result in a call to his landline, they could just assume his stomach aches had come back two months later. Even mentally he was being easily swayed over by his thoughts.
Tapping his fingers against Kaia's waist he sighed trying to keep himself vaguely occupied and focused on the conversation "Wouldn't your teacher be mad?" He asked, hoping that maybe there was a reason why they couldn't continue. Not because he didn't want to, but because he knew that if there was then he really needed to take that option.
Kaia giggled at that and planted a faint kiss to the side of his neck causing a shudder of a breath to escape him.
"I can easily lie" She coed, lifting her hand up to his chin and tilting his head down so they were once again looking one another in the eyes and she pressed another kiss to his skin. Fake pouting after she did so "c'mon baby, do it for me..?"
Lloyd wished he had a damn backbone, but alas he does not though he does have a pretty lady completely in his arms who can be the backbone for him.
When Kaia leant back up to his lips he met her in the middle, happily closing his eyes into the kiss as their previous escapade continued. His grip tightened around her and she shifted again, moving them until her hip knocked against the counter of the bathroom. Lloyd leant back with a raise of his eyebrow at the sight of them being there.
Kaia merely grinned, glancing back with her eyes towards it and then back to her boyfriend "it'll be much comfier" she encouraged lifiting a hand away from its spot loosely around his neck and tapped it on the solid material. Lloyd chuckled under his breath and her insinuation and then adjusted his grasp so he could lift her onto the countertop. Her legs wrapping around his torso in seconds "look at that putting your baseball practice to good use"
Lloyd affectionately sighed then leaned in to peck her delicately on the lips "lifting you up is the same as baseball?" He questioned, keeping a smile on his face as Kaia cupped his cheek and brought him into another quick kiss.
Then into another one and he never did get his question answered. Not while he was completely distracted by her lips moulding into his, his fingers exploring her sides and being guided by Kaia to let his fingers explore under her cheer uniform as well.
They were just being touchy, that was all it was. Getting a bit handsy with each other in the privacy of a public school bathroom. He wasn't a complete idiot to have sex in a bathroom, or in the back of his car or to someone he's only been dating for two months.
He was however an idiot to let himself enjoy it so much that he didn't even realise Kaia had left hickeys on him until he was sat in his car and about to head home. It was only by pure chance the he glanced into his rear views mirror and caught sight of the prominent love bites on his neck.
"Ah shit!" He cursed, moving his hand to his neck in shock then blinked. Maybe it was just a trick of his mind, surely it should've been, he would've noticed her kissing and sucking at his neck right? Unfortunately when he removed his hand from his neck the marks were still there "oh fuck me.."
In a panic he turned his body to look into the back of his car, eyes scanning frantically whilst he looked "sweater...sweater...aha sweater!" He exclaimed in victory, leaning out of his seat to grab ahold of his sweater and lifted it up and over his head waiting to see the damage it would help conceal.
It worked to some extent, fortunately the hickeys weren't high on his neck and were only a bit above the baseball uniform he had been wearing and there were most likely a few underneath it from Kaia's fingers slipping the collar of the shirt lower. But for now the sweater would do, it covered them, unless he moved his head the wrong way then there were some that would peak out.
Exhaling through his nose he turned on the ignition, put his seatbelt on and began to drive, deciding not to honk at Brad as he passed by the man on his bike.
How dare he, was all Lloyd could think. He was just keeping his mother from worrying, she was tired and things were complicated with her and dad whilst the divorce was going on. Sure it's been a few months now since the divorce process began but it was still tough and neither of them needed to be thinking about who is Lloyd screwing.
Well he isn't screwing Kaia, he's in love and dating her. There's a difference.
Once Lloyd made it down the road he lived on his eyes scanned for his mums car, hoping she isn't home early from the hospital. Unfortunately he could spot her 1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass in the driveway. Fuck
Parking the car onto the side of the road beside his house he sighed, turning the ignition of and preparing himself to head inside, adjusting the collar of his sweater to make sure there was zero chance of the hickeys being on display.
When he opened the door into his house, he was instantly met with the sound of Physical by Olivia Newton-John on the record player, pots moving around in the kitchen and his mothers quiet singing.
If only his mum knew how accurate that song was to his circumstance.
"Mum I'm home" Lloyd called out, adjusting the bag on his shoulder so it fitted more snug already planning out what he was going to do when he finished greeting his mother. Which was go upstairs to his room, collapse onto his bed and then see what he needs to study for tonight.
Lloyd heard his mother, Koko, hummed at the entrance of her son moving to lower the volume of the song and poked her head out of the kitchen to smile at him "Hi dear, how was school?" She asked, already moving out into the hallway to see him. Since divorcing from his father, his mother had decided to be a lot more expressionate, one of those expressions being her hair colour where before she was blonde like him however now she has ginger hair. A colour many tried to persuade her out of.
"Good, it was good" Lloyd nodded at his words, moving to slide his shoes off and into the rack then placed his car keys into the tin. Re-organising the words into his head for what to say "learnt about the many wonders about subjects that I'll never need in my future"
"Your future self would not be happy if he heard that" Koko chided, affectionately kissing him on the cheek with a pat of her hand before moving again deciding to adjust the way he had placed his car keys into the tin "dinner will be ready in ten minutes go and freshen up"
Lloyd smiled at her, his mental worry slowly deminishing, guess his sweater was doing an exceptional job at hiding the marks, he thought it was doing such an exceptional job in fact that he moved to give her a hug and then began his way up the stairs.
He halted the moment he heard a gasp in the direction his mum was standing in. He had given himself a pat on the back far too soon.
"What?" Lloyd asked, turned back around on the steps to look down at the surprised look on her face and he lifted a hand onto his neck, hoping it looked natural and not like he was hiding something.
His mum slowly blinked at him then her surprise turned into a mixture of frustration and worry "Why don’t you answer me that Lloyd. What is on your neck" she examined, feet planted at the bottom of stairs and her hand firmly pressed against the banister.
Curse his instant karma and his sweater, he was almost in the clear, he was just about to taste freedom when he reached the top of the stairs but no. Of course that didn't happen.
"I just fell a lot in practice, lots of bruises and lots of bugs flying around" He lied, keeping his voice steady hoping that his excuse truly didn't sound like an excuse. But the look on his mothers face did not shift the slightest, it was clear she didn't believe him. Sighing he shakes his head "I'm just gonna head up"
"Oh no your not!" Koko shouted, moving to step onto one of the stairs as she kept her gaze on Lloyd, fury burning on her eyes "like hell your just gonna walk away from this, when did that happen!?"
"Nothing happened! I was outside so bugs and I fell a lot no big deal" Lloyd dismissed, finding his own anger about this moment. His mother shouldn't even be caring about this stuff, it was some marks and he was keeping Kaia a secret from her for a reason, he didn't want to stress her out with the prospect of her son dating.
Except now he's found another reason as to why he shouldn't tell her he's in a relationship, she wouldn't accept it. Well he's pretty sure she wouldn't not with the way she's currently yelling at him in a pit of range all because he has marks.
Koko was mid-way through her next yell when Lloyd rolled his eyes deciding to speed-walk upstairs "Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon you get back!-" he cut off her words with a slam of his bedroom door and the sound of the lock clicking into place.
Sighing Lloyd slid against the back of his door, great just fucking great.
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Lloyd didn't mean to become the pain in everyone's ass, it just happened accidentally in a span of another two months.
He and Brad haven't been seeing eye to eye lately which meant recently he's been sitting with Kaia and her friends, which he's perfectly content with. He gets to spend an entire lunch break with his girlfriend? Sounds like a blast to him.
Him and his mother also haven't been seeing eye to eye with miniature disagreements becoming frequent in the Montgomery household that he knew it was driving her up the damn wall, it was driving him up the damn wall.
His grades also weren't entirely up to standard right now, he knew his parents were seconds away from murdering him the moment they found out his good grades were slipping. Or maybe they'd assume the divorce was weighing so heavily on him hence why the bad grades.
Him and Kaia was good though, they were happy and in love and honestly that was all he needed.
Which was exactly why he was in the back of his car with Kaia after school, his arms around her whilst they cuddled in a quiet location away from everyone and everything.
His girlfriend frowned when she noticed his focus wasn't entirely right there and then and she shifted, moving so she could straddle his hips and cupped his face into her hands "You look stressed" she noted, stroking both of her thumbs along his cheekbones wanting to provide some comfort to him "Wanna talk to me about it Handsome?"
All Lloyd was able to do was sigh at her words, tilting his head further into her grasp affectionately.
"Just a lot going on right now" Lloyd vaguely explained, rubbing his hand up and down her hips all the way down to her thighs and then back up again. A delicate expression forming on his face that only softened further when Kaia leaned in to chastely kiss him.
His girlfriend continued to frown at him then kissed him again keeping her touch faint on him, then an idea came to her mind "You know..I've got to babysit my little sister tonight and it'll only be me and her home..and I could definitely use the company"
Lloyd smiled at her words, appreciative about her suggestion and he was seconds away from agreeing, to nodding his head and saying that he will be there before remembering that he couldn't. Fuck.
"Sorry Kai I can't...I'm currently grounded..." Lloyd sheepishly replied, glancing away from her gaze for a second, entirely embarrassed about his words. To him grounded and I should not even exist in the same sentence. He didn't even think his mother had it in her to ground him, but then she saw his report card, then they had a massive disagreement and boom limited availability outside of school.
"Aw shit really" Kaia pouted, blinking at him in shock cause wow grounding, she never expected her good teenager boyfriend to be sentenced into his bedroom for the foreseeable future.
The blond winced at her response then nodded, tapping a finger against her waist and then thought over his words "Yeah, my mum wants me to be better my grades" and his mother also definitely wanted him to not speak out of tone with her anymore but that was quite difficult when it felt like she was constantly breathing down his neck.
"She sounds like a real asshole" The brunette complained, rolling her eyes at the absurdity to her about getting in trouble for a lack of grades. She doesn't have good grades and her parents could give two shits about it.
"She really isn't" Lloyd quickly disagreed shaking his head at her then adjusted his hold on her so he could press a kiss to her cheek affectionately. It was always difficult to resist being loving to Kaia when she's in his arms "My mum just...she worries a ton and with everything thats going on, it's understandable...and my grades have been slipping quite a bit"
"And? It's not like we have anything important coming up?" She lifted his eyesbrows up in disbelief and those words made Lloyd mentally halt. Wait is he having an disagreement with her right now? No, he couldn't be disagreements involve yelling and that's what always with him and his mother. Except he and Brad's arguements don't involve yelling in them.
Lloyd merely sighed and drifted the conversation away from his failing grades and his mother, and eventually when he noticed that the view in the back of his car was darkening, he realised it was late.
It was so very late, and he was going to be grounded even further into the ground.
"Ah shit! I've got to get home, hell you've got to get home" Lloyd exclaimed, gently hoisting Kaia out of his grasp so he could climb into the front of his car and turn the ignition on as swiftly as he could "my mum is gonna kill me and who knows what your parents are gonna do since your meant to be babysitting"
"Baby it's not big deal" Kaia soothed, lifting her over the central console and back into the passenger seat with a tight squeeze of his shoulder. Lloyd assumed her words and gesture was meant to be reassuring, they were not, and it was a big deal, a massive one.
He was quiet throughout that entire drive, parking as close as he physically could to Kaia's place then once she got out with a kiss and a see you soon, he was already spinning the car around and heading home trying to come up with every excuse in the book.
Practice ran over? No, too late for that one.
He stayed after school to do homework? No, she'd ask to see it and he'd have nothing to show
Sorry he was hanging out with his girl and lost track of time? Not even something he'd ever want to say, not until everything cools down between him and his mum.
Then once again he had the unfortunate dismay of his mothers car being already parked outside the house and the lights all being switched on in the house.
Lloyd rested his head onto his steering wheel in display once he parked his car, time to walk straight into hell.
Locking his car behind him, he headed straight towards the front door opening it to uncover immediate chaos. There was no music playing in the house and not sounds of dinner being made, instead all he saw and heard was his mother leaned against the wall on the phone, fingers twirling around the wire whilst unshed tears were in her eyes.
"Has he been with you at all today Garmadon?" Koko hurriedly asked and it didn't take a genius for Lloyd fo figure out that the he in this situation was himself, and that his mum was on the phone to his dad. Something she would not do willingly unless things were urgent.
When Lloyd shut the door behind him, he watched his mum tense and her gaze lift up to stare wide-eyed at her son then she lifted her sleeve up to her eyes to wipe at the burning tears "He's here, I've...I've got to go.." Koko didn't even wait for an answer from her ex husband before placing the landline back into its place and hanging up the call. It was eerily silent for more than ten seconds before his mother screamed "Where the hell have you been!"
He flinched at the sheer level of it, positive that if the front door was open then the entirety of their neighbourhood would've heard.
"It was just a long drive today, thats it" Lloyd dismissed, shaking his head at her whilst he took his shoes off and briefly removed his school bag so he could hang his jacket up. All he wanted to do was lock himself upstairs and not come out for the rest of the evening.
"You do not get to say thats it right now Lloyd!" Koko exclaimed, rushing into the hallway in seconds and grabbing ahold of his bag to prompt him to not move another muscle. They were going to be having this conversation there and then "I've been worried sick about you! I rang Brad's family and they didn't know where you were, I rang the school and they didn't know, I even rang your father and he didn't know where you were. So tell me right this second where have you been!"
"I was just in my car alright!?" Lloyd rolled his eyes, yanking his bag free from her grasp and already starting his way up the stairs only to stop once more with a groan when he heard his mother following "and yes! Yes I was alone okay, I was just thinking, is it a crime now to think?"
"Do you even know what time it is, or how long you've been out for?" Koko denied, moving the conversation along to where she wanted it to stay, not even a Lloyd is a victim of teenager bias but into the territory of what this truly was. A mother who had been worried sick about the whereabouts of her son and his recent bad behaviour.
"I'm seventeen mum, I have my drivers license I don't have to tell you where I am twenty-four-seven" He argued, crossing his arms over his chest and continued up the stairs not wanting to hear anything that was going to be said next. He could only hypothesis what it would be, how she was extending his grounding and maybe she's gonna be volunteering herself to be dropping him off and picking him up at school for the time being.
He does not want that to happen, it'll be harder to meet up with Kaia if it did.
Groaning he closed his door behind him and locked it, pushing a chair up against the door for extra measures. He really didn't want his mother in his bedroom.
Once inside and chucking his school bag onto the floor he flopped onto his bed, letting out a loud exhale and shifted so he was on his back and staring at the ceiling.
When did life get so complicated?
✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩♡︎✩
It was pitch black outside and Lloyd had basically nothing to do.
Well except study, that was all he was able to do with the faint hum of Rock of ages by Def Leppard playing through his cassette in the Walkman, headphones on as he revised the flashcards his mother had helped him make one night. When things were still okay between them.
Now things were incredibly rocky and he could only hope that fixing his grades would do the trick in healing the bond between mother and son.
He had merely glanced away from the paper for a second to stare out the window when he saw the grinning face of Kaia Yoshida looking directly back at him from the opposite side.
In seconds he halted what he was doing and practically ripped his headphones off his head and crosses the threshold of his bedroom to his window opening it in seconds. It was meant to be the boy breaking into the girl bedroom, not the girl breaking in.
"What are you doing here?" He sharply whispered, eyes wide at the sight of his girlfriend. She had said she was babysitting her little sister tonight except here she was at his, arms now on the frame as she smiled at him.
"I wanted to see you" Kaia beamed, glancing around his room, almost inspecting it to see the rock music and Star Wars posters up on his wall, his room was also incredibly clean and Kaia let out an amused chuckle at it "Darn I was expecting to see a few half-naked posters up"
"Kai!" Lloyd quietly exclaimed, cheeks flushed at her words as he extended a hand out to help her into his room then once she was in his hands automatically went to her waist. This was beyond crazy, he has now snuck a girl into his room all the while his mother is downstairs and a ticking time bomb.
"What? A lot of men have them up" She chided, patting his shoulder affectionately then moved to kiss him on the lips. Only seconds later to walk out of his arms to settle herself down onto his bed and grabbed his Walkman, placing the headphones onto her head with a hum "ooo this guy sounds good, should've guessed you had good taste"
Lloyd merely blinked at her before accompanying her onto his bed, hand moving to intwine with hers "I thought you were babysitting tonight." He pointed out because that was exactly what had been said to him in his car, how she wanted him over so she would have company, not her come to him!
"I was, but then my parents forgot to mention that my sister has a sleepover tonight so I dropped her off there and Tada now I'm here to see my handsome boyfriend" Kaia coed, lifting his hand up to press a kiss to the back of his palm, happy as can be to be in his room. Lloyd however wasn't as happy, he adores her but he didn't exactly want to be found out that there is a girl in his room.
"My mum-" Lloyd was about to reply when Kaia tugged him forward so he could lay down on the bed with her. Sighing he obliged, wrapping his arms around her midriff and letting her snuggle up into his chest "my mum is home"
"And? I can be quiet" Kaia smirked, lifting herself up to rest her forehead against his then pecked his lips with the smile never disappearing from her face "As quiet as a mouse.."
Lloyd exhaled through his nose and let her kiss him, his hands trailing to the back of her spine and he rubbed his fingers up and down whilst Kaia kept the frequent chaste kisses coming. After the latest kiss, Lloyd leant back slightly continuing to keep his hands right where they were "If your gonna be sticking around..then you might want to help me study.." Kaia groaned in seconds at his words.
"But thats so boringgggggg" She complained, planting a kiss to his nose then properly leant away. She moved herself to be head first onto his mattress as another groan of disbelief escaped her lips. Kaia's complaints instantly brought a chuckle out of him.
"All you have to do is look pretty and read questions from these" Lloyd smiled, lifting up his flashcards and hovering them above Kaia's head to which a sound of betrayal echoed across the room. One that had Lloyd tapping her hand slightly on the quiet ask to not be so loud "C'mon babe, you get to watch me make a fool out of myself"
"Your smart though" She dismissed, adjusting her head so her eyes were peeking out slightly and they were directly on Lloyd. The green of her eyes always made him lose his breath even if she was currently complaining about helping him.
"Oh please my brain turns into liquid around you, I’m gonna sound like an idiot” Lloyd laughed leaning himself down to press a kiss to the top of her head. He watched as she slowly moved so he was properly looking at him then nodded in defeat.
Guess Kaia was going to be his study buddy for this evening.
However in the midst of all his family and freind issues as well as his flourishing relationship with Kaia, he was unaware of something eerie approaching Hawkins.
And how very soon his life was going to be turned upside down.
A blurb I came up with for an interaction between Arin and Kaia during Dragon Rising Season 2, Part 2 whilst I’m writing part two of Pawn of Fate <3
Inspired by Mr.Know.it.all by Teddy Swims
!credit to @/diviniyae for the divider!
“Do you have powers?”
Was how Kaia was alerted to Arin’s presence, involuntarily flinching at the silent entrance.
With a smile she turned to look at the young ninja though that expression fell when she saw the seriousness in his eyes, and when the question he had spoken finally processed in her head.
“I do not” She shakes her head, resting herself the railing as her gaze fell to Lloyd training with the other ninjas still in the tournament.
Her gaze softened at the determined look her lover had.
“Zane mentioned you had..um..the ability to predict the future” Arin questioned, his voice wavering near the end when he began to doubt if what he was told was correct.
That resulted in a sigh escaping her lips before she could stop it “It’s not..exactly that”
“So you do have powers” The orange ninja countered, he merely wanted a yes or no answer.
“It’s complicated” she admitted, she never viewed what she has as powers because they aren’t. They are temperamental and wouldn’t be able to help her win a fight.
It’s more likely to make her lose it than anything else.
“Have you used it before?” He moved so he was standing directly beside her, he didn’t even look down at the others.
Kaia knew something had happened between him and Sora, but she couldn’t gather what it was and none of the others had been willing to share it.
“Not voluntarily” The brunette explained, her hands hanging off the railing as she twiddled her thumbs together in thought “The only useful thing I can really do is be able to read scrolls”
Arin tilted his head in confusion “But I’ve been able to read a scroll”
“Modern scrolls can be read by anyone, the ancient ones however..it was a language created by the prophets and so to me it looks like English” She shrugged.
“Do you have visions?” Was Arin’s next question and Kaia couldn’t help but curse her Nindroid friend for telling him about her abilities.
Kaia lifted her hand in a so-so gesture “Not as intense as Lloyd’s but I’ve gotten some”
“Have they come true?” He murmured and she realised why he was asking these questions.
There was something he wanted to know and Kaia knew she wasn’t able to give it to him.
“Pieces have, but not all of them” She kept her gaze on Lloyd, the blond glancing up to give her a small smile and a wink. She mustered a small one back “Visions or prophetic dreams are confusing..it’s easy to overanalyse them”
“But what if I want to?”
“Take it from someone who wasted over a year of their life trying to figure out a vision only for it to impact everyone. You don’t want to know the future” She sternly replied, her eyes narrowing in memory.
Arin fell silent at her honesty, biting the inside of his lips in consideration.
“I just want to know where my parents are..” he confessed, lowering his head, his voice earnest.
Kaia sighed at his statement “That..that isn’t something my ‘ability’ can do Arin, even if I was in full control of it.
The kid stared down dishearteningly, a look that she wished he didn’t have to do “But can’t..can’t you try..?”
She instantly shakes her head, watching as Lloyd returned his brief gaze to her and his eyebrows furrowed in concern at her expression.
“It wouldn’t work” Kaia rested her hand flatly against the railing, her answer was final.
“Do your powers need heightening? I can find a crystal ball or..or maybe some tarot cards will help” Arin asked, desperation seeping into what he wanted.
The brunette couldn’t give into his words, because she knew the truth, it wouldn’t work.
“Tried that, broke down because of it” She tapped a finger harshly onto the metal railing. “Not everything needs some prophetic reasoning behind it, we will find your parents but it won’t be through predicting the future”
“So it did work?” He murmured and Kaia leant her head back in hidden exasperation.
“I broke down because it didn’t work.” She corrected, turning her eyes back to him with an unimpressed expression “Believe me, you don’t want to mess with fate, things happen for a reason and finding out about it early does nothing for the long run”
Arin didn’t say anything else, instead turning around and walking away, his footsteps echoing around her.
Kaia sighed at his exit, closing her eyes briefly and reopening them to see Lloyd staring up at her.
Sora and Nya trained beside him and discreetly he mouthed up “Everything okay?”
The brunette faintly smiled back and gave a thumbs up, unaware that everything around her was slowly crumbling apart.
Kaia playlist is in the works (should I make a Lloyd and Kaia one), I’m getting ideas on things I want to write, I am slowly reorganising my blog and I have a Kaia introduction & lore post in development (also slowly)
