True Perfection

Chapter 13 Trouble

Narrators P.O.V.
Meanwhile in beneath New Ninjago City a more sinister event was taking place. "Finally my time has come. I can finally control the ninja's elemental powers. And with their powers under my control Ninjago will have no choice but to bow down to their new master. Master Siricon."
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Nieala's P.O.V.
I finally understand why the boys hate training so much. It's a lot of work controlling your powers on purpose. Right now I was trying to levitate my sai. I'd never focused so hard in my life. Soon it began to shift then rise. One foot... Two feet... A bit to the right... Back to the left... I was about to spin it around when a voice in my head began to list everything that could go wrong. At that moment I lost focus and my sai fell to the ground. I tilted my head back and groaned. Lloyd got up from where he was leaning on the wall and came over towards me. "What happened? You had it." He said as he picked up my sai. "I'm not sure." I said with a shrug, "A voice in my head just said everything that could go wrong." "You need to be more confident." He said as he passed me my sai. "Easy for you to say Mr. All Powerful. How am I supposed to be confident when I'm scared out of my mind?" I said as I gave him a playful shove. He returned the shove and said, "Just pretended you're not afraid. Fake it till you make it." He told me. "Fake being fearless. I'll try it." I said as I sheath my sai. "I think that's enough training for today. Wanna go smoke the guys in a video game tournament?" "How about you smoke them and I'll come watch in a few minutes." I said. Lloyd nodded and headed down the hall. When I got to my room I found Nya sorting through pictures and newspaper clippings that were spread all over the floor. "Whatcha doing?" I asked as I maneuvered around the piles. "Hey Nieala. I found a bunch of pictures and stuff in a box under my bed. So I decided to make a tribute wall." She explained. I picked up some of the pictures and newspaper articles. I listened as Nya told me the stories that went with each picture. I especially loved the stories of how they each reached their true potentials. As we were deciding where the tribute wall should go the mission alarm blasted through the monastery. We sprang up and dashed out the door almost colliding with the boys in the hallway. Sensei Wu was waiting and looking a bit concerned. "We just received a distress call from Stiix. Apparently some villagers went out on some late night fishing trips and didn't come back. They suspect a kidnaper is working from the docks. We need to go and keep watch. But remember you need to stay hidden. He mustn't suspect he's being watched." "Yes Sensei." we said. We all headed to our rooms to prepare for the long night ahead. "Wait!" Jay called. We came back into the hall. "If the whole village knows about the kidnapping I doubt anyone would be doing any late night fishing." He explained. "And if there's no one to kidnap the kidnaper won't show up." Cole finished. "So one of us will just have to be bait. Problem solved." Kai said with a shrug. "Hate to break it to you, but everyone in Ninjago knows what you guys look like and that where there's one ninja the rest aren't far behind. Whoever's bait would have to be someone they wouldn't recognize." I pointed out. They all slowly turned to look at me just as my comprehension dawned. "NO! No no no no no no! You're not using me as kidnap bait." I yelled as backed up a bit. "Why not?" Jay asked shruggingly "Let's start with the kidnaper could, I don't know. Kidnap me! Besides what if he recognizes me? The whole mission would be blown. Not to mention where he could take me and what he could do to me and that's not including lack of communication with anyone who could help me." I ranted as I counted the reasons on my fingers. "First of all you've thought way to hard about this." said Cole "And in the second place I'll be on look out duty, we all will." Lloyd said reassuringly. "And I hate to break it to you Nieala. But not everyone knows you're part of the team yet." Jay said cautiously "Besides our communication bracelets have tracking devices. We'll be able find you as long as you stay in this realm." Nya added "And even if he was able to separate us, which is incredibly unlikely, you'll have your weapon on you at all times." Zane concluded. I was running out of excuses. I knew they were right when they said that nothing bad was going to happen to me. Plus it was for the good of Stiix. "Oh.... Fine." I grimaced. "Thank you. Now we can go sleep." Kai said triumphantly. As I headed for bed Lloyd grabbed my shoulder and dragged me out the back door to the edge of the Forest of Tranquility. "Lloyd, what's wrong?" I asked "What makes you think something's wrong?" he countered, scratching the back of his neck. "Don't try that with me Lloyd Garmadon. You didn't pull me out here for no reason. What's bothering you?" Seeing that he wasn't hiding anything Lloyd gave in, "I don't really like this whole 'Using you as bait' idea" he confessed "Why didn't you say something before I agreed to it." I groaned "Because," he groaned, "It seemed selfish. Keeping you safe, but endangering a whole village." I sighed, gave him a quick kiss on his cheek and said, "I'll be fine." "I know you will. But I also know I'd never be able to forgive myself if anything happened to you." I took Lloyd's hand and said, "Hey, remember how you said I need to be more confident? Well I'm confident that I'm a part of the greatest team in the world. I'm confident that leader of that awesome team taught me to fight like nobody's business because he loves me more then anyone else in the world." Lloyd laughed a bit then pulled me into a tight hug. "Just be careful." he whispered "I promise."
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'Why did I let them talk me into this?' I thought as I stood on the pier. I almost wished this kidnapper would strike already. If only to get me out of this freezing wind. "Nieala? Are you ok?" asked Lloyd through my communicator bracelet. ( Which is the prettiest thing I've ever owned. It looked exactly like Nya's only with a green sapphire in the middle with a pattern of gold and silver rind stones around it.) "I'm fine. But how much longer do I have to be out here? I think I'm about to catch frost bite." I asked. "I'm with Nieala. It's freezing out here." said Kai. "Yeah." Jay added, "It's almost two in the morning." "Oh, man up." Nya muttered "Come on guys. Just deal with it for a little longer." said Cole "Let's just wait for about another hour. If nothing has changed then we can head home." said Zane. I paced up and down the dock, keeping an eye out for any sign of movement. Nothing happened. I was about to suggest we head inside when I heard boards creaking beneath the docks. "Guys, there's something moving down there. Get ready to move." I whispered hurriedly. I got in position to unsheathe sai never taking my eyes off the edge of the dock. Just as I was about to attack a man in a dark cloak and hood appeared. "Oh. Good evening young lady. Sorry if I scared you." "It's no problem. But if you don't mind me asking what are you doing out so late?" I said gripping the handle of my sai. "Just doing some late night fishing.", the man took a step closer, "But what's a pretty little lady like you doing out so late?" he asked in an alluring voice, "I prefer not to say." I kept my hand on my sai and took a step back. "Well then allow me to walk you home. It's not safe for a sweet young thing like you to be out all alone" he tried to take my hand. I yanked my hand back, "I'm fine thanks." He circled around me till my back was towards the water. No where to run. "Hate to brake it to ya sweetheart, but you don't get a choice. You're coming with me." "Not on your life." I sneered. He grabbed my arm and began pulling me off into the night. "Hey! You leave her alone." Lloyd emerged from his hiding spot wielding a ball of energy with the rest the team right behind him, weapons drawn. The man released me and shoved me towards the group. "Well well if it isn't the high and mighty ninja. Don't you have better things to do then protect little girls." "Don't have better things to do then try to kidnap innocent people." Nya snapped. The kidnapper ignored her. "On the bright side I've got you right where I need you." He pulled off the hood to reveal some strange helmet. "Your powers are now under my control." he cackled as the ball of energy disappeared. Lloyd tried to conger up another but nothing appeared. The kidnapper cackled again, "There's no use in trying. If the Master of Energy is incapable of using his powers so are the rest of you." "Not all of us." said Nya said as she began to form a ball of water in her clenched fist. The kidnapper flipped a switch on his helmet and in the blink of an eye her powers were rendered useless. "Now, 'all powerful ninja', you have two choices. Bow before me, Master Siricon as your new ruler, or be the cause of Ninjago's destruction." "What do you mean 'we'll be the cause of the destruction'?" asked Kai looking as if he was ready to skewer this guy. "Allow me to demonstrate." Siricon stared at him dead in the eye. Kai suddenly raised his arm as if infixed in a trance. "RAPID FIRE!" he yelled. Kai began firing uncontrollably. Luckily all the shots ended up in the water. "Do you really think you'll win here." Jay asked with a laugh, "You're going down with or with out our powers." At that moment Kai seemed to regain control over him self and stopped the random shots. "I'm afraid I'm out of time. Till we meet again. Consider your options ninja." Then with a puff of smoke he disappeared.

Happy birthday to my favorite brother ever. Check out his story The Ninja of Time.✌🏾️