Sons Of Garmadon

The Mask Of Deception Pt. 2

Another cold day in Ninjago City. Nya runs down the empty road. She uses her hands to try and keep her short hair out of her face. The sounds of celebration can be heard, even from blocks away.

She comes around the corner and finds an older man packing up his food cart. He looks up and gives her a sweet smile. "You're just in time."

Nya digs through her pockets and pulls out a bunch of coins. She places them on the cart and counts them. Barely short. She searches her pockets again and pulls out some more coins. "Just a small bowl please."

The man smiles again and opens the pot of warm soup. The smell makes her stomach growl. She hasn't eaten in a couple of days.

He hands her a bowl of soup. "Wait. I wanted the small one. I can't afford that." Nya pushes it back at him.

"Take it. You and your friend must be hungry." She gives him a warm smile and takes the bowl. "Thank you."

She turns to head back home as the man calls out, "Happy New Year, dear." She turns around and thanks him again.

She heads down the cold alleys back to the garage she called home.

She set the soup carefully on the floor as she reaches the door and takes off the padlock. She lifts the large door open and hears a groan from inside.

"Close the door! It's cold!" Her best friend, Neo, is laying on one of the mattresses on the floor. He's curled up in several blankets.

Nya sets the soup inside and quickly shuts the door. "Come eat." Neo immediately jumps up at the smell of food. He can't hide the fact that they both rarely get enough to eat.

He quickly plops himself on the floor next to their small coffee table. While Nya rinses off their two spoons with a little water, Neo turns on their small radio. They can hear a man speaking about all the festivities happening throughout Ninjago. " ...and no other town likes to celebrate more than the residents of Stiix..."

Nya hands Neo a spoon and sets two small cups of water on the table. She crosses her legs and sits down across from him.

"Happy New Year, Nya." He holds up his spoon full of soup. "Happy New Year." She lifts her spoon and they tap them together as a toast. All the soup falls onto the table, making them both burst out laughing.

After wiping the table off, they continue to eat their soup in silence. They treasure every spoonful, except the first ones they spilled. This might be their only meal for a few days.

This thought to set a sad mood over the table. Neo brushes his hair out of his face. "Once we fix the bike, things will get better." Nya sets her spoon down and turns around. Along the wall sits an old motorcycle that they've been trying to fix for months now. They've been having a lot of trouble finding the parts they need for it.

"I guess." She trusts Neo with her life but she has questions about his plan.

"Come on, you know if we join a nice gang we will be set for life. They won't let us starve. They would be like family."

Ever since moving to Ninjago City, Nya has heard stories of the several small motorcycle gangs throughout the city. They'd taken a particular interest in them after seeing some of their members were people they'd seen not too long ago living like them.

"Even if we fix it, we will only have one bike. How can we both join, Neo?"

"We share it! At least until we get another one." She smiled at his enthusiasm. "Besides, I would never leave you behind."

Nya lightly punches his arm. "Are you assuming they'd take you over me?"

"I'm obviously the better choice." He flips his hair over his shoulder dramatically, making Nya laugh.