the other side | ninjago

wrapped around

The team continued to make their way through the dark woods. It was pitch black. All they could see were the trees right in front of them. Not a sound but rustling leaves and the footsteps of the team echoed throughout the dense set of trees ahead.

It wouldn't be long before they found who they were looking for. Kai proceeded in front before he was pulled back a bit by a small vine grasping his leg. The vines slowly infiltrated the team, grabbing each of their limbs one by one. Each vine pulled them away from the rest, conveniently leaving them all alone.

This is exactly what they were trying to avoid

Lloyd got pulled right into a tree and was let go on impact. As he stood up, he looked over the bush to find Sadie in about the same position as him.

"Are you okay?" he said helping her off the ground.

"Yeah I am," she said back.

"This is the big one I warned you about. I am sorry for dragging you into all this, this is what I was afraid of," he said.

"Don't worry about it, I accepted being here. I knew the risks" she responded.

The two did not have much more time to talk because it seemed as though the masked figure had chosen to get them first. Lloyd knew with every ounce of himself that he could not let her get hurt. He would never forgive himself if she got hurt again because of him. Lloyd put his sword out in front of him, while Sadie remained behind him with a small knife she had retrieved earlier from the bounty.

The masked figure appeared and shot out vines left and right, protruding quickly towards the two. Lloyd hit them as they came, but they just kept coming quicker. He was able to dodge them, but Sadie, not so much. Two vines grabbed both of her legs. She screamed as she flailed her arms to try and slash the vines off. He knew his best shot at saving her was to take the masked figure on himself.

He thought that his best shot was to try and aim for their head. All he had to do was avoid the vines, because if they got ahold of him, who knew what would come next? As the vines shot, he jumped across them each like a platform. He saw a straight shot towards their head, and he knew it was time to strike. He ran up the largest vine coming his way. What fueled him was keeping her safe.

He did it! He landed a sharp blow with his sword on the head of the masked villain. They were shot straight down to the ground, lying unconscious. The vines that were protruding from them that held Sadie all fell too. Lloyd laid on the ground for a second after that hit because it took a bit out of him. He got up slowly and walked forward to see who the masked figure truly was. As he took off their hood, all he saw were... another bundle of vines???

It was a trap.

"If the person we have been fighting has been a fake, then who-" he said. He was cut off, though, as the vines around his feet began to move again. He feared the creature was going to get up again. As the vines moved, they began to slither the opposite way that the villain was. He quickly turned around to find the vines going to...

"Sa-Sadie?" he said quietly as all the vines disappeared into her body. "You have got to be kidding me."

She remained with her back towards him.

"Sadie. Look at me," he said with a sharper tone now.

She turned around slowly. They now made eye contact. Lloyd fell to the ground.

"It's been you? B-but how?" He said even louder and angrier this time.

"This is more than you know," she said quietly.

"Tell me, why? Is this because of what happened as a child? I had no idea." He said.

"Lloyd, I need you. Either you come with me or I do things my way," she said still avoiding the topic of her childhood.

"Answer my question," he said getting closer and more visibly angry.

She remained quiet.

"Sadie. Why keep it going this long? To get back at me? What could all of this have possibly meant to you? Nothing? Were you trying to break me down just enough to get what you want, just to take everything for yourself? Tell me, what is your end goal? I trusted you, trusted you enough to reveal who I was. Did that mean nothing?" He said.

She gets closer. "Look, Lloyd, I do like you and I would love to have you by my side, if you come with me we can do this together," she responded.

"What exactly do you want? Why do you need me?" he questioned.

"Everyone left me to fend for myself in this terrible world! It's my turn to take control, and I need your power to do this," she said this in a tone he could never imagine coming from her. He still was slightly confused what her plan was. He could just tell she was broken. "I would love to have you by my side Lloyd, it also would make things a lot easier if you just agreed," she said desperately hoping he would agree because, to be honest, she was truly falling for him as well.

It was at this point he wondered if anyone would ever love him for more than his power.

"No, as much as I truly did like you, I will not help you attempt to take control. We did not leave you by choice. My father was evil, it was only to protect you, but it looks like you found that evil anyway yourself," he said. Everything he said at this point seemed to go in one ear and out the next.

"Have it your way." She said with no sense of remorse.

Before Lloyd could even process what she said more vines shot from the ground. Sadie's eyes lit up the brightest green he had ever seen. The vines grabbed both his arms and his legs. They tightened every struggle he made.

"Let go of me!" He screamed hoping one of his teammates would save him.

She whistled loudly and Cole came to her side.

"Oh right, you did that too," he scoffed.

Cole carried a small wooden box. He handed it to Sadie who pulled out a small red flower from the box. Lloyd continued to yell, but as he did the vines crept up his neck to cover his mouth. He could no longer call for help. Now he truly was helpless.

The vines pulled him now to his knees. Sadie walked over to him holding the small flower in her hand. His eyes lit up in fear as she approached. She leaned down to get the flower closer to his face.

"I'm sorry Lloyd, you wouldn't help me but now you will," she said softly.

As she slowly took control of him, she watched him become motionless within the vines that surrounded him. She felt bad, but she knew it had to be done. She looked at him, although she knew she could ruin his image now she did not want to. She did almost love him, but love was not something she was going to let get in her way again because she knew it would only hurt her again. She had come too far. She whistled and he lit up. The vines let go and he stood up ready to fight alongside her.

Sadie lifted her arms and the vines surrounded her own body to make up the uniform the masked figure had once worn. It was her. Every attack had been planned maniacally by her. Her falling was planned. The only thing that was not planned was her falling for Lloyd, never in a million years did she expect that. She whistled and she now had Zane, Cole, and Lloyd behind her. The dog that had been seen by most the team now was there and hers as well.

What chance did the ninja stand now?

As they began to leave, Nya was behind a tree and witnessed the scene that had just unfolded. All she could do was run, run back to the team and warn them of what was to come. She just couldn't be caught too.