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

Chapter 12

Ariana sighed as she gazed out the window at the night sky in her bedroom.

Vanessa walked up beside her. "Thinking about Lloyd?" she murmured.

"Will I ever see him again?" Ariana wondered.

"Of course you will!" Vanessa exclaimed. "Why would you think that?"

Ariana turned sideways to her. "You heard what Joseph said," she explained. "Lloyd is bonding with the ninja again. What if he doesn't want to leave them?"

Vanessa rested her hand on her shoulder. "He promised you, didn't he?" she reminded her.

Ariana sighed. "He's a Baddie, Vanessa," she said. "What if it was all a lie?" When Vanessa didn't reply, Ariana took a breath and turned around. "I'm going for a walk," she murmured. "Maybe I can get my mind off things."

She headed out of the room without another thought and slipped down the hall, a scowl on her face. She leaped onto a hanging rope and slid down until her feet touched the bottom floor of the building. Skirting a pile of rubbish, she continued out onto the streets.

She made sure not to encounter anyone as she made her way to the town gates. She wanted to be alone. The wave shot through her as she pushed through the gates and she gasped, jerking. Glancing down at her wrist, she hesitated before pushing the thought away and heading down the mountain. The Overlord wouldn't mind her leaving as long as she stayed away from Mistfort, which was miles and miles away.

She drew in a deep breath as she stepped into the dark forest. A chill swept down her spine as the cool wind hit her. It's getting colder, she thought as she headed through the trees.

She kept her head low as she weaved her way through the forest, listening to the crickets chirp and the leaves rustle overhead. It felt peaceful—so peaceful that she wished she had someone to share it with.

I thought Lloyd would be home by now, she thought. But instead, I'm doubting if he'll ever come back home.

So wrapped up in her thoughts, Ariana gave an alarmed yelp as the floor suddenly fell beneath her. Her gaze snapped to the ground as she realized she had toppled over a ridge and she braced herself for the crash when something suddenly grabbed her hand, halting her fall.

"I thought I told you not to die while I was gone," a voice spoke.

Ariana turned her head and gasped. "Lloyd!" she exclaimed. A relieved smile broke onto her face as he heaved her back onto her feet and she threw her arms around the ninja.

Lloyd laughed and returned the hug, heart swelling.

"You came back," Ariana breathed.

"Of course I did," Lloyd answered as they broke apart again.

"But Joseph said that—"

"The only thing Joseph did was almost blow my cover," Lloyd interrupted angrily. "Not to mention he made my mission more difficult than it needed to be."

"So you didn't get the sword?" Ariana asked.

Lloyd sighed. "No, not yet," he muttered. "I'm working on it. Most of the ninja trust me whole-heartedly already. They're so naive."

"Most?" Ariana echoed.

"All but Cole," Lloyd growled. "But don't worry—I'm keeping him in line. I doubt he'll try anything after the scare I gave him."

Ariana chuckled. "You always were good at that stuff."

Lloyd gave a contented sigh, feeling his body at last relax. "It feels so good to talk to someone I can trust," he murmured. "I don't have to hide anything."