tournament | ninjago {featuring your ocs!}

03 | early thoughts

A/N: Here's a heads up that outcomes for each match have been chosen! I used a website to generate brackets and randomly decide the winner of each match, that way everyone had a fair shot. All that's left now is to watch it play out ;)

Also, the art of Kira was done by @MelLatte on Amino.

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The Elemental Masters mill around the Chow House late that morning, grabbing food from the buffet before settling down. Some chat with each other, curious to get to know their fellow Masters, while others keep to themselves. The Ninja Team sits at the far end of the room, all five ninja and Garmadon crammed into a single booth.

"Chen can't seriously do this, can he?" Cole looks urgently to their Sensei. "I mean, pitting two of us against each other? That's a low blow."

Garmadon's expression is grim. "On his island, he can do whatever he pleases."

"I figured Chen had it out for us, but this is ridiculous," huffs Lloyd. "He's not even trying to be subtle." Beside him, Kira remains silent, dragging her spoon through her noodles with misty eyes.

"I fear this particular stunt isn't to strike at you, but me." Garmadon's voice is tight with guilt. "As the pupil that betrayed him so long ago, it only makes sense Chen would want to get back at me. And what better way to do that than to strike at my students? At my own son?"

"So...he's hurting them to hurt you?" Jay concludes. Garmadon nods. Kira whimpers and drops her spoon, biting her lip, and Lloyd presses against her.

"That's so screwed up," Kai huffs. "Who does that guy think he is?"

"Don't worry." Lloyd sets his jaw. "We're gonna find Zane and get off this island before any of us have to face each other."

A proud smile flickers on Garmadon's face. "That's my boy."

"Well, you know what'll lift our spirits in the meantime?" Jay asks with a mile-wide grin. "More socializing! We're surrounded by people like us, so let's make the most of it!"

He grabs his food tray and takes off, and Kai and Cole follow, albeit with some exasperation. "I'll, um...just stay here," Kira mumbles. Lloyd stays with his girlfriend, knowing she's never been the social type.

"Lloyd?" she whispers. "Fighting you is the last thing I ever want to do."

"Don't worry." Lloyd gives her hand a reassuring squeeze. "You won't have to. I promise."

While the couple eats with Garmadon in tense silence, the other Ninja have spread out around the Chow House, engaging in various conversations. Jay's found a place with Taylor and has struck up a conversation easily, talking and laughing with her in no time at all.

"Okay, how 'bout this one?" Taylor says. "Why do seagulls fly over the sea?"

"Why?" Jay asks through a mouthful of noodles.

"Because if they flew over the bay, they'd be bagels!"

Jay all but explodes with laughter, nearly doubling over as he clutches his sides. "Hey, that was pretty good!" he giggles. "What other material you got?"

"Oh, plenty." Taylor smiles, her blue eyes glinting. "Ooh, here's a good one! So a Serpentine slithers into a bar..."

A short distance away, Samuel and Ray sit side-by-side in another booth, with Ivan and Razhai across from them.  "I wonder just how much of those riches the winner will get," Ivan says through a bite of their rice cake. "I mean, this guy's practically a king. He's gotta be loaded, right?"