Hidden Away || Ninjago AU

Chapter 3

"Guys I got him."

Lloyd took a step back when Zane said that. He instantly recognized Stacy among the students and mentally freaked. Someone closed the door behind him making him more scared.

"Zane, what's going on?" He looked around and saw Jay and Cole there too. "Is that Jay? And Cole?" He sounded like a normal person asking normal questions but on the inside he was freaking out.

"Lloyd, this is the gang." Zane gestured towards the people in the room. Lloyd reluctantly waved.

"How did you find him?" A girl tall enough to be Lloyd's age said. She had on a white baseball cap with a red drawing of a wolf on it.

"Yeah, he's been in school for months and no one knew till yesterday," Jay said surprised.

"He was in the Janitor's closet when I found him," Zane answered.

"Really?" The girl said, "All these months and he's been hiding in a Janitor's closet?"

"Not exactly," Lloyd answered, his hand rubbing the back of his head. He turned to the girl, "I haven't seen you in this school before, what's your name?"

"Oh right. Yeah, I'm new, I just transferred. The name's Akita." Akita said.

"So," Cole spoke up from where he sat. "You brought him here, Zane?"

"Don't worry, Cole, Kai, and the rest will never be able to find us. The door's cloaked, remember?" Zane assured. Jay was looking at Lloyd like he was scanning him. Lloyd felt uncomfortable with the way he was staring and decided to just walk over to where Zane stood.

"What is this place?" Lloyd asked Zane.

"Well, it's a hideout for students who have issues with socializing and/or get bullied. It's also a nice hangout for us to chill out in."

"But all these people, socialize fine. I've seen most of them hang out with their friends or talk with people." Lloyd was confused. Jay and Cole, the two most popular best friends in their grade were there. Stacy, a girl who's friends with Nya and Skylor ultimately making her popular, a few members of the football team, and Morro's adoptive sister, Pixal were there.

"Well Lloyd, that's how they're seen in plain view, but really each one of them has issues that they wouldn't ever think bringing up with people."

"I see. And me? Why did you bring me here? No one in Ninjago City can stand the mere sight of me."

"Do you really think you could have made it until the teachers came back from their meeting?"

Actually, I could've, Lloyd answered in his mind, I am a ninja with a secret hideout after all.

"I guess not." Lloyd lied.

X~X~X~X~X~

Zane had explained to Lloyd about the group. It was basically a bunch of students who've either been bullied, are people who fear society, or people afraid of being hated by society because of one thing or the other.

"I was hoping you would join," Zane said to him at the end of the explanation.

"Me?" Lloyd asked surprised." If you haven't noticed," He said whispering, "All of these people here hate me, they wouldn't let me join even if I wanted to."

"True but I have a feeling you're not what everyone thinks you are. And you can show that to them."

Lloyd looked at everyone curiously. Can these people really look past the whole "your father's evil thing?" That's the only thing stopping me from being normal at this school. Maybe I can convince them that my dad's not evil on purpose. They seem rational.

"And maybe you could redeem yourselves to everyone too. Let them see you for who you really are." Lloyd realized everyone was staring at him. Most of them looked at him expectantly, some looked at him like he shouldn't be trusted, others just stared cause they had been staring at him since.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, redeem?" Lloyd asked.

This is all my dad, not me. Do people really think I'm the reason for my father's being evil? I hope that that's not it because I don't want to accidentally blow up at them and then they'll hate me more. My life is already the worst kind of cruddy.

"You know justify, compensate," Jay listed. Lloyd blinked at him. "For your father's actions?"

"What?! Are you insinuating I apologize to you all for what my father did?!" Some of them nodded. Others just stared. Lloyd scoffed. "Oh, now I know you're all full of it. Why in the world would I ever apologized for what my dad does?"

"Because you're his main reason for being bad, plus you're his son and you're always with him. Especially when he's doing something bad." Cole stated.

"My father was bitten by a very deadly snake and his blood tainted with venom that made him this way. This isn't news to anyone."

"Yet he continued." Akita said, "If he was smart he would have locked himself up before the venom got to him."

"Yeah, he just happened to know the future after he got bitten," Lloyd said sarcastically.

"Still," Akita told him.

"Still nothing. I am not related to any of my dad's cause." Lloyd said, matter-of-factly.

"But remember when he announced on national television that he was going to take over Ninjago City and give it to you to rule?" A member of the football team asked.

"I was seven," Lloyd argued.

Ugh, what is wrong with these people!

"What of during your birthday when he took over the arcade because he thought you would love it. He still owns it!" Jay accused.

"That was not my fault! Do you even see me go there? Better question, did I ever go there?" 

"Well, it seems to me like you actually care about the devil, Lloyd. Like you're actually okay being that evil thing's son." A student said.

"That's because he's my father. And unlike everyone else in Ninjago, I know he's not the way he is because he wants to be. Why do I even have to prove myself to you?"

"Yeah right." Cole waved him off. "Why don't you just jump off a cliff or something? Do us a favor and d-"

Cole was cut off by a sudden chill in the air. It felt eerily quiet and dark in the shed, causing a chill up everyone's spine. Cole moved away from Lloyd, afraid that he had something to do with it. Lloyd turned his gaze to meet everyone else. Zane moved over to Lloyd. "Lloyd please calm down."

"I bet you feel this weirdness is my fault now," Lloyd stated to Zane. "And to think you thought they would all just pause the whole 'Son of Lord Garmadon' thing. To think I actually considered your idea-" Lloyd paused as he sighed, calming down and turning back to his usual shy self, "This was dumb."

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So hey there! Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Thanks for reading!