Enter The Ninjaverse

CHAPTER 87

Author's Note:

I went back and forth for a long time as to whether or not to split this chapter up, to change the ending, so many things that just had to happen here were in flux. I finally decided on this. I highly recommend you read the section marked with (**) to Decretum, watch?v=A_k9d391eP0\. I always envisioned the fight to that song. This is probably the first 'payoff' chapter I've had, so I'm looking forward to your reactions!

Enjoy, and NINJA-GO!

It was early in the morning when Lulloyd found himself in front of the planning table. For some reason, their first instinct when it came to invasions like this was to make a war room and start working on maps. Lulloyd didn't like the fact he couldn't stick small replicas of vehicles and troops onto the map directly without them falling over, or how the markers that they put on the maps were permanent. It meant they'd have to waste even more maps when the battles started to change again. But he wouldn't have brought that up, even if he was worried about it. It was during this lamenting at a world without studs that someone burst into the room.

"Guys!" Lloyd's breathless voice followed the exhausted looking ninja into the room, "We... we need to. We need to find..." Lloyd shook his head, "We have to find Over!"

"Uh... " Lulloyd blinked, "Are... you alright, Lloyd?"

"I'm... I'm fine," Lloyd rubbed his eyes, showing deep bags under them as he paced into the room and gripped the table to steady himself, "Where haven't we looked, we have to find Over."

"We're looking for him, but, uh," Lulloyd grimaced, "W-We don't know anything more than we knew yesterday or... t-the day before that..."

"What is the reason for your urgency?" Krux' asked as he, too, entered the room. Lloyd turned to look at the Twin, having finally removed his battle armor to put on a simple set of robes that looked far more comfortable. It wasn't lost on him, though, the marks of red on his exposed arms from where the armor had no doubt chaffed him from wearing it so long.

"We... just have to find him," Lloyd dodged the question, "We don't have much time until Prime stops waiting for him. If he comes back here, we can't fight him like that again."

Krux' looked at Lloyd skeptically, attempting to determine what he was really saying. Lloyd didn't say anything back, yet he could feel the source of his guilt and hesitation underneath his gi. The wood of the mask pressed into his chest, leaving a dent felt deeper than any knife right now. He wouldn't tell them about that. If he did, he'd have to explain he was using the mask.

"Wherever he is, I'm sure we'll find him," Krux' stepped forward, "Mage is out helping the Metal Tribe right now, so we won't see him for a bit. We'll just have to keep up the search on our own. I've already sent out scouts again in our territory, but I doubt we'll find anything."

"What about Monty?" Lloyd asked.

"Huh? O-Oh, he isn't picking up," Lulloyd rotated his head, "He's busy helping the tribes too. I... I'm sure that he'll be okay." Had the suspicion not already been thrown right onto Lloyd, Lulloyd was sure his poor delivery would have been enough to throw him under suspicion too. He knew where Monty was, but telling them would likely start a fight.

"For right now," Krux' looked to both of them, "We can just hope that everything will work out. Life has a way of doing that. In the meantime," Krux' stood up, "We should handle our other duties. You two can help with the scouting parties, if you're so so worried about him."

Lloyd and Lulloyd had nothing to say to that. The two of them nodded, leaving the room together quickly. Krux' looked back at the room once the two had left and were out of earshot. He walked over and placed his hands on the map, looking at the massive red dots all over not only his tribe, but the entire World. And with that, he slowly sighed.