We Are Survivors

Reunions

   Chamille very nearly wet her pants, recoiling from the strong light. She held her fists in front of her, waiting for an attack that did not come. When she was able to blink the spots from her vision, she found a familiar fedora-wearing figure staring up at her from the bottom of the stairs. She hissed out a curse at him, breathing deeply, trying to control her heart rate. 

    He had the decency to duck his head apologetically and dimmed his light to a more bearable intensity. "Sorry. I thought you were an Oni."

    Behind him stood a group of Serpentine warriors. That, however, was not what grabbed the Master of Form's attention. A small silhouette bounded up the stairs. Tiger Lily complained to her owner every step she took. Chamille welcomed her disheveled cat with open arms. The striped feline jumped up and made herself comfortable across her owner's shoulders, still mewling about all the injustices she had had to endure.

    "I missed you too," laughed Chamille as she scratched her cat under the chin. 

    Mr. Pale and a couple of Serpentine met her at the top of the stairs and she explained her current situation to them. The Light Elemental seemed disheartened to hear of what had happened to the others and was shocked to hear she had communicated with Mystakè's ghost. With awed reverence and extreme caution, the Serpentine helped to transport the Golden Armor down the stairs. Chamille slowly but surely made her way down as well, using the railing and Mr. Pale's shoulder for support since both his forearms were bandaged up tight.

    After she had told of what had happened up above, the Master of Light shared his own story as they walked through the sewers. The Serpentine had found him severely injured after he had been flung out of R.E.X. and had brought him underground to patch him up. He had stayed with them for a bit to recover, but that's when the black smoke had suddenly began seeping throughout Ninjago City. It had infiltrated many of the underground sewers, sapping the life out of whoever it touched.

    The small contingency of Serpentine and Mr. Pale who had managed to escape the darkness had intended to march up into the Tower to try and eliminate the source or die trying; but with Chamille's appearance along with the Golden Armor, there was now a sudden change of plans.

    "We need to get thissss out of the cccity," hissed Skalidor urgently, wheeling the Golden Armor ahead of him.

    "Yesss," agreed Lasha. "We mussst essscape to the Sssea of Sssand. The Oni have no reasson to attack Ouroborosss. It isss abandoned. It will shelter usss until we know how to usssse thisss Armor againssst them."

    Chamille voice wavered slightly as she pointed out, "Isn't that like really far away?" She was sick and tired of all this moving about. Her ankles were now cankles at this point.

    Mr. Pale nudged her reassuringly. "You really think we ran through miles of sewer tunnels?"

    "We Ssserpentine travel in sstyle," remarked Skalidor proudly as they rounded a corner, revealing their various snake-themed modes of transportation.

    The Master of Form grinned with relief. "Oh thank goodness."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

    "Why are we going into the Sea of Sand?"

    "Well, I ain't headin' back that way. That's where all those Oni are. Just get a load of that black cloud!"

    "I'm thirsty."

    "Can we walk slower? My feet hurt."

    "Hurry up! Move!"

    "I think I'm gonna puke."