Seabound

Assault on Ninjago City

I can hardly remember what happened the next few hours, it was all such a blur. We had sped back to the monastery to retrieve the submersibles that Pixal had been working on.

"They've got a few bugs still, but they should be sufficient for emergency use," she had explained as we quickly regrouped before heading back out.

Just as we returned to the city, a massive tidal wave swept through the streets, submerging the city. Splitting up, we cruised through the flooded city, searching for anyone trapped beneath the surface.

One moment that sticks up through the fog of those turbulent hours was when I first laid eyes on Wojira. As I dropped off some kids at the Bounty, I saw her silhouetted against the stormy sky. I was immediately reminded of Clouse's pet back on the Island, but a more evil, vile version. And much, much larger. Her eyes glowed an eerie red, and the two amulets glowed from her forehead. Her scream shook the earth, the reverberations sending waves crashing through the water.

Strangely, I did not feel afraid of her. In fact, I felt nothing. I was completely numb to everything, and I didn't quite know why.

Another moment that I can recall with vivid detail was when Cole returned.

Kai, Zane, and I had been covering Benthomaar as he tried to reason with some of the Merlopians, explaining that Kalmaar was twisting their minds and lying to them, but they wouldn't listen. A number of them broke off and began chasing us through the streets.

As we sighted up our torpedoes, a giant manta ray knocked us away and sent us tumbling through the water. Vulnerable as we were, we whipped the sub mechs around and made a break for it as the Merlopians continued to pursue us.

"Numerically, they have the advantage," Zane reasoned.

"There's too many of them!" Kai echoed, clearly not able to interpret Zane.

"That's what he said," I reiterated.

The Merlopians were gaining on us. Even without mechs, they had the advantage of being attuned to the water.

A new sub mech, identical to ours, suddenly appeared, plowing through and scattering the Merlopian warriors.

"Hey guys! Need a hand?" Cole's voice crackled over the radio as he steered towards us.

"Cole! You're back!" Zane exclaimed.

"Are we glad to see you!" Kai blurted.

I tried to speak, but the words caught like glue in my throat. Finally, I managed to muster a reply, "Have a nice trip?"

Cole's face fell at my words, but he made no effort to respond. I swallowed hard before yanking my sub mech around.

We doubled back towards Benthomaar, who was fairing no better than when we had left him. Surrounded by Merlopians, we swooped in a knocked a few of them away with our torpedoes before the radio sputtered again.

"Zane, we have encountered Wojira and require immediate assistance," Pixal spoke. "I repeat, we have encountered Wojira!"

"Kai, Zane, you guys go. Celine, Bentho, and I can take care of these goldfish," Cole ordered, taking control of the situation.

I glared at Cole through the glass of my mech. Who did he think he was disappearing off to Shintaro for three whole days and then showing up back here acting like nothing happened? Who was he to give orders right now?

"Celine? Come on, let's get these guys," Cole urged.

"Whatever," I grumbled as I returned my attention back to the fight at hand.

I tried to remain focused on what was happening around me, but I slipped into some sort of dream state, and whatever happened in the next few minutes is a fuzzy memory.