Ninjago Bruise One Shots

memory's embrace

It wasn't like he was breaking any rules, right? It never said on the job application that the manager needed to do the job. Although, there wasn't even a job application to begin with. He just landed here one day and was stuck forever, or so he thinks.

It wasn't even that bad of a job. Since nobody really came to check on the department - it was sort of hidden - he could leave all the work to his co-workers while he sat back and played video games.

The Merge happened almost 3 years ago. The battle was brutal, and so confusing, but when everything had become silent was when the true horror had begun. His head was throbbing, and he was particularly dazed, so the Administration had taken him in to nurse him back to full health. Luckily, he hadn't hit his head too hard, or sustained too bad injuries, but even when he finally was feeling better, they refused to let him leave. Eventually, after arguing it on countless occasions, the boy gave in, his 'anger issues' awarding him the manager position of a mostly forgotten department. Realm Reassignment.

It was simple. People floating around in 'space bubbles' are transported through a tube - leading from another department somewhere within the Administration - and dropping them onto a conveyor belt. At the end of that conveyor belt stood a tall portal, which was controlled by the department themselves, where they'd need to choose which realm the people have come from and send them back. It was mostly a guessing game as the people were 10/10 times unconscious. As long as the workers were getting paid, it didn't really matter to them what happened on the other side.

The department had a total of 3 workers. The manager, the intern and the 'experienced' colleague. None of them were really good at the job, though.

Jay was sitting at his desk, in his sectioned-off office. Neither of the ones doing the actual job knew he was playing video games. He often used the excuse that he 'had a lot of paperwork to do' and luckily everyone in the Administration was pretty stupid, so he kept playing on it. For once, it felt nice to not feel like the stupid member of a team. Although, video games do eventually get boring when you've been playing the same ones for years on end.

Finishing another round of 'Fist2Face', he put the controller down in his lap and stared at 'Round 34' written in large red, blurry letters on his old computer. Considering the place was rich, you'd think they would have better equipment. Piles of paperwork were stacked up on his desk - paperwork he actually should've been doing. Sighing, he ran a hand through his slightly curly, auburn hair before glancing over at the mirror attached to the wall on his right.

He looked so much different now. His hair was much shorter and slightly lighter than before (he hadn't dyed it for a long time), his freckles were barely visible anymore, which he wasn't necessarily complaining about as it gave him a more serious look, and, no thanks to his 3am thoughts, his signature eyebrow notch had made a reappearance. The suit with the blue tie was just a special addition. Sometimes he hated it though. He hated how different he looked. Thinking back to three years ago where if the Merge hadn't happened at all, would he look like this still? Would he have brought back the eyebrow notch? Would his hair be lighter like it was when he was younger? Gosh, everything would've been so different.

And how he wished Nya could see him in this tux.

The loud knock on his office door brought him back to his painful reality, moving quickly to switch off the computer and hide his gaming controller as the door swung open.

"What is it?" he questioned, his tone sharp.

The intern - he couldn't remember his name - whipped around the corner of the door, holding a letter addressed to the department.

"Agent Walker," the man spoke nervously, "this letter was given to me by the Messenger."

Jay stared at it for a moment, hesitating before taking it. The envelope didn't feel like it had anything inside, which was slightly unsettling because he was hoping for a pay rise.