Darkness from Within #4: Fading (A Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 13

Ariana twirled her hair as she sat looking into the mirror. It was cracked across the surface, but she could still see her distressed expression clearly.

Vanessa, who was lying on her bed, rolled off and walked over to her. "What'cha thinking about?" she asked. She gave her a nudge. "Lloyd?"

Ariana scoffed. "Not in the way you think," she murmured.

Vanessa gave a wistful sigh and knelt beside her. "You're so lucky!" she giggled. "Lloyd is so cute!"

Ariana frowned and turned to her friend. "Vanessa, have you ever been in love?" she wondered.

"Me?" Vanessa blurted out quickly. "Oh, no. No one ever really pays attention to me." She sighed again. "But when I do, I want him to be perfect." She looked at herself in the mirror. "Dark-haired... strong... handsome.."

Ariana glanced sideways at her. "You've thought about this a lot, haven't you?" she said. "Then I guess you're prepared. It all came so sudden to me. I... I never really expected it at all."

Vanessa placed her arm around her and leaned her head on her friend's shoulder. "And you're handling it great," she encouraged her.

But Ariana couldn't calm down. She twirled her hair more fiercely. "Lloyd hasn't talked to me since I ran off on him," she went on. "Do you think he still likes me?"

"Are you kidding?" Vanessa exclaimed. "You're all Lloyd talks about!"

Ariana sighed. "I shouldn't have done that," she murmured. "He probably thinks I'm crazy."

"Maybe you should just tell him," Vanessa breathed, lowering her voice. "Then he'd understand."

Ariana shook her head. "I could never tell him!" she protested. "Lloyd's the only person who sees me for who I am, without knowing anything about my past. He has nothing to judge me by rather than the real me." She gave a groan. "Besides, he'd think I'm weak and—and stupid."

"Everyone has a story," Vanessa went on. "Even Lloyd. You never know what he's been through."

Ariana glanced at her curiously. "I know Lloyd's backstory," she said. "He was the green ninja."

"But did you ever wonder what he was before that?" Vanessa pressed. "He couldn't have been simply born a hero."

Ariana furrowed her eyebrows in deep thought. "You have a point," she murmured thoughtfully.

"Why don't you go talk to him?" Vanessa suggested. "Clear some things up?"

Ariana took a deep breath. "Fine," she stated, rising to her feet.

Vanessa stood up beside her. "But you might wanna fix your hair first," she giggled. "You don't wanna look like a mess in front of Lloyd."

Ariana looked at her hair and found it loose from her braid and tangled in knots. "I guess I twirled it a little too hard," she breathed. She turned back to Vanessa at the doorframe. "Thanks, V."

"Anytime," Vanessa said.

Ariana smiled and closed the door behind her. She paused and took a deep breath, then headed toward her room. I just hope he's not too angry with me, she thought.

She reached her room and closed the door behind her. Then suddenly, something inside her made her stop. She glanced around, feeling a strange shiver creep down her spine. Something isn't right.

Although still suspicious, she shrugged it off and went over to her dresser mirror. She looked at herself closely, but instead of turning to her hair, something silver caught her eye. Eyes widening, she whipped around and gasped as something knocked her to the ground.