Darkness from Within #5: Uneasy Trust (A Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 1

It was the night. The night Lloyd had long dreaded, and now it was here. The night he would move back to the monastery with the ninja.

Of course, he didn't want to. He didn't want to live with his old family again. Why would he? He had a life of his own now, out there in the town on the mountains. Baddie Bend, more specifically. He had new friends, if he could call them that, but most importantly, he had the girl who had stolen his heart. Ariana. The curly-haired, blue-eyed girl who also happened to be the Overlord's second-in-command. The two of them had grown closer over the couple years he had spent in Baddie Bend and he had hated leaving her to fend for herself in that wretched place with the threat of her death hanging over his shoulders like a nightmare. It was that hard-hearted yet somewhat annoying Baddie known as Joseph. As irritating as he could be, Lloyd still knew he was dangerous. He was strong and powerful; he had been a part of the Top Rankers until he was bunked down to the Highs. He had threatened the green ninja into giving him the power he was trying to obtain—or else he'd personally make sure Ariana breathed her last. But Lloyd had brushed the threat to the back of his mind. He knew Ariana could take care of herself. And there was no way he would give in to Joseph's words and basically announce he was too weak and helpless to make his own decisions.

Lloyd halted at the courtyard walls, gulping as he stared up at the monastery. I'm here, he thought. There's no going back now. Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the gates.

His gaze locked on the front door to the monastery as he headed toward it. Moving back in with the ninja had all been just a part of him and the Overlord's plan. He had to create a cover-up, act like he truly regretted betraying the ninja and wanted to rejoin their team. Somehow, he had to find a way to make the ninja trust him again, so that when they do, he could snatch Kai's elemental sword and return to his home in Baddie Bend. The sword was the last elemental weapon the Overlord needed, and Lloyd was determined to steal it for his master.

He knew he couldn't fail. Not this time. And not because he wanted the ninja to pay for what they did to him. That wasn't it—not anymore. If he were to be honest, he didn't even mind. He didn't care what the ninja said or did anymore. He had already moved on. Even when he wracked his brain, he couldn't really put his finger on what the ninja did to him. He just didn't remember. He knew they had hurt him... but what did they even do?

With a shake of his head, Lloyd pushed the thought away. He didn't want to move back to the monastery not because he was hurt, but because he was just done. Living with the Baddies wasn't just a place to plan his revenge, it was a place he could have fun. Life with the ninja was always so serious and had too many responsibilities. Especially in being the green ninja. What did he do, besides make sure everything in the world was right and perfect? When did he get to enjoy his own life?

Now he could. Now he could make his own choices and live his life the way he wanted. Now he could spend his life with the person he wanted... the person he loved.

That was why he had to complete this mission. Once he retrieved the last elemental weapon, he and Ariana were free—free to do what they wanted, free to have a future together... that's all they wanted.

Lloyd came to a halt as he reached the front porch. Just there, staring at the doorbell, he realized how anxious he felt. He hadn't talked to the ninja in years, excluding the interactions he had with them in battle. How could he face them? What would they think of him?

I have to look as innocent as I can, he thought. He looked down at himself and smoothed out his clothes, wiping off any specks of dirt. Realizing his face looked as hard as he kept it in Baddie Bend, he shook himself and put on the most innocent expression he could. It wasn't easy, of course, and he knew it would wear off soon, but he had to try. He had to get the ninja to trust him.