At Dinner time the Kabuki served the fighters food.
"Try the horned wasp eggs" Chen suggested "Delicious!"
"Uh, I think I'll pass" Lloyd denies suspiciously
"Oh, lighten up, Green Ninja. This isn't a trick. This is a feast to celebrate the eight of you making it to the second round" Chen says and the Kabuki laugh "And I must congratulate the Master of Shadow's defeat over Master of Poison. She was a bit hard to swallow, am I right?" The Kabuki laugh "Laugh harder! Hahahaha!" They forced a harder laugh.
"Ahem, it has come to my attention that there are rumors floating about that I am stealing everyone's power. I am" Chen says and the Masters gasps "But it's all for this staff" He claps, and the Kabuki waves their hand fans "No, no. Not you, staff. I mean my real staff" Everyone gasps as the staff is brought to him "The Staff of Elements. It holds the power of your fallen foes, and soon it'll hold all but one. For the last standing in my tournament will win this prize and be the greatest fighter ever in the history in Ninjago!"
Everyone whispers.
Lloyd stood up "you lied. What about the spell?"
"Spell? What spell?" Clouse asks
"Don't believe him, it's just another trick. Neuro read Clouse's mind and saw it. Tell them what you saw, Neuro" Lloyd says turning to Neuro
Chen and Clouse stare down Neuro.
Neuro looks at them nervously "I—I don't remember. Truthfully, I'm a bit more interested in knowing more about that staff."
"And why should we be so quick to believe everything you say? How do we know you're not lying to get the staff for yourself?" Griffin questions
Everyone starts settling down and going back to the feast. Milly got a sick feeling all of a sudden, Reika patted her back in comfort.
"What's wrong captain?" Reika asks worriedly.
"I don't know," Milly replies.
"Oh, look everyone, my pet decided to grace us with her presence." Chen laughs.
The ninja turns their attention to Clouse bringing in a wolf on a chain. Milly's eyes suddenly flashed, and everyone heard a loud violent thunder strike through the sky, startling them.
"Woah!" Jay grabs onto Milly who had stood up.
Clouse held back the white wolf who was trying to run towards Milly, Reika, and the Ninja.
"Dear me," Chen chuckles "she must've gotten spooked by the thunder."
"You fucker," Reika mutters and the ninja glance at her with a confused look.
Milly took a breath before sitting down "My apologies, it seems there is a storm approaching."
"Clouse please take her back to her room," Chen smirks "the poor thing must be scared."
"Milly," Jay turns to his sister.
Kai looks at Reika who was gripping onto the table tightly. The two girls were clearly angry but didn't say why. The wolf was resisting being led out of the room by Clouse until he eventually pulled her away.
"She should've bit that bastard." Reika curses.
"Do you two know that wolf?" Lloyd asks them.
"She's not a wolf," Milly tells him "That's one of our crew member's. She's been recently training in her newfound powers, when Clouse snatched her from us. She's a shapeshifter, and a wolf is the last form she took."
"As long as she refuses to turn human, they can't do anything to her." Reika explains "She's the entire reason we're here."
"Then you came to save someone too," Kai says. "Just like us."
"You say she's a shapeshifter?" Garmadon questions with a raised eyebrow.
A Kabuki starts fanning too close to Jay.
"Shapeshifters are, argh, not something we've seen before. Ugh. Would you cut it out!?"
"Jay, it's me" the Kabuki whispers
"Nya?" Kai and Lloyd ask surprised.
"Who?" Milly mutters as she eats her cookie.
Nya shushed them "Lower your voices. I'm undercover. And to be completely honest, a bit out of my element. And I heard what happened to Cole and Jay."
"Is it just you, sis?" Kai asks.
"Dareth's also on the island" Nya replies.
Dareth was heard on a communication device "What up, Ninja?"
"And in contact with Wu via mobile base" Nya adds.
"If you're undercover, that means you can get close to Clouse's spellbook." Kai says "All we know is that it's on page 149. I think he might have it in his quarters."
Nya nods "I'll look into it. And it sounds like you have your work cut out for you too."
"How so?" Jay questions
"How do you think they found out about your little alliance? Someone in your circle of trust is a spy" Nya replies then leaves before Clouse can see her.
"Do you know that servant girl?" Skylor asks as she walked over.
"Uh—Know that girl? Uh, of course not. Why? Jealous?" Kai asks and Reika rolls her eyes.
"My fortune tells me Cole and your friend Zane will be breaking out" Skylor hands him the message "You're lucky this didn't end up in the wrong hands" She leaves.
"He found Zane; I can't believe it." Kai says happily before his eyes widen "Wait- oh my god."
"What?" Lloyd asks.
"I.." Kai looks at him "Cole said the princess is here."
Milly spit out her drink as Reika choked on hers.
"What do you mean she's here?!" Lloyd takes the message from Kai.
"There's no details, it just says she's here." Kai explains.
"I knew it," Garmadon mutters as he turns to the girls "tell me the truth, you knew about this didn't you?"
The ninja all turned to the two girls who were looking away from them.
"That wolf," Milly mutters "Is her highness princess Aria."
"What?!" The ninja freaks out.
The elemental masters had turned to look at them.
"I had a feeling," Garmadon says.
"And you didn't tell us?!" Lloyd shouts.
"We didn't know you knew her," Reika replies defensively "besides she's with us because she didn't want anyone to know where she was!"
"Everyone quiet down," Garmadon says harshly.
The group glances around to see the elemental master's watching them with a curious look. Chen was hiding a chuckle, knowing well what their distress was.
"She's been missing for 2 years," Lloyd says in a calmer tone. "We've all been worried about her- mainly Cole. He's her cousin, and she's the princess of Ninjago, we all assumed the worst."
"She's been with us for one," Reika mutters.
"We need to speed this up," Lloyd stands up from his chair "it's time to bring her home."
YOU ARE READING
Romancing the Emperor's Daughter
FanfictionSince he was a kid, Lloyd Garmadon has always been spontaneous and wild. Like his father's mini-me, he followed him everywhere at the age of 6, including the Imperial Palace. There he met the Emperor of Ninjago, Garmadon's trusted friend, and his da...
