Ninjago: Amplified - [A Ninjago Fanfiction]

[17] - Meant to Be

Aurora wandered throughout the Monastery halls, a grin playing on her lips.

After the ninja's apology, the young vigilante slowly began to get along with them. Much to her surprise, befriending the ninja wasn't like walking barefoot on a bed of nails. Actually, it was much more amusing than she'd initially thought. Every day, there was some new shenanigans they were getting into, making her stay much less boring, to say the least.

It had only been another week, and Aurora's mood had begun to lift significantly. Yet the ninja's change of heart had only been half of the reason for that.

After a month of nonstop missions, Aurora's team had finally found a day to come visit the Monastery! Just the thought of seeing her loved ones again made her heart soar.

True potential, you're certainly taking your time. She thought, rounding a corner and almost running into someone in the process.

"Woah! Jay, what's the rush?" She asked.

"A-aura!" Jay shifted his feet, antsy. He looked to be both in the middle of a hectic escape and on the brink of a laughing fit.

Aurora crossed her arms, already knowing what he was up to.

"Who'd you prank this time?"

"Ah! Oh, um--" Jay paused just as an audible crash came from a few doors down.

Kai pounded out of his room, soaked in water. Ah. So Jay had done the old "bucket of water" prank.

"JAY!!" The fire ninja growled, barreling towards them. Jay said a hurried goodbye before scurrying down the adjacent hall, desperate to escape his brother's wrath.

Aurora chuckled, facepalming. The ninja, as renowned as they may be, still acted like children.

She walked over to the living area of the Monastery, spotting Sensei Garmadon working on some tea in the kitchen across from her.

"Tea?" He offered with a lively hum, ignoring the screaming chaos of Jay and Kai in the background.

"No thanks," Aurora declined, taking a seat at the couch. "Zane gave me some this morning."

"So you've been getting along well now, I presume?" The Sensei inquired, reminding Aurora of a protective guardian.

"Yeah, things are getting better." She mused. "Even with Cole."

"Cole is perhaps the most protective on the team." Garmadon took an experimental sip of his tea. "He'd do anything for them."

"I figured that." Aurora leaned her arms over the back of the couch lazily. "He sorta reminds me of a dog."

At that, the sensei chuckled.

"That is the best way to put it." He agreed. After finishing his work, he took a seat at a chair beside her. "Speaking of, I heard from Wu that your own team is coming for a visit."

"Mhmm." Aurora hummed, tapping her foot against the carpeted floor. "They said they should arrive around dinner."

"Then we should cook them something special." Garmadon suggested, his eyes traveling over to the afternoon sun out the window. "What is it that they like?"

"They really aren't picky." Aurora admitted.

"No favorite dishes?"

"Well..." The vigilante swallowed. "Not really. We don't get to cook too much of a variety. Mainly just lots of soup and the occasional chicken or fish."

"Oh?" The sensei's brow lifted. "How come?"

When she was silent, he frowned.

"Aurora, how exactly are you and your team saving money?"