Ninjago: Rising Phoenix

11) They call it Doom

3rd POV

*Lloyd and Arin*

After helping an offshore living place, where people lived by fishing after ales and seaweed, but was then forced out of there home because of a mop of Merlopians and a giant grab. Turns out, that the grab was given some mind controlling artificial tooth to control the Merlopians and collect all of the food for itself. By helping the villagers get some confident and help them train on some fighting skills and take back their home. And the villagers even let the Merlopians stay with them and helped fixing the Bounty's engine. So now they are back on track to find the Dragon Energy Core at the Mother Garden.

''Butter-cream, butter-flake, crisp flake, and finally, crumble wall.'' Explain Arin after spending an hour naming all of the different types of pie crust. Something to pass the time with and something Lloyd didn't need to hear.

''Wow... My mistake. Guess there can be 52 different kinds of pie crust.'' Says Lloyd, trying hard to be cheerful of Arin's small pie baking hobby.

''Uh, Lloyd.'' Asked out Arin, after his smile turn to a frown when he sees the land below them, getting a little unusual. ''That Mother Garden place the Temple Spirit said to look for? I think we have found it.''

''Let's take a look.'' Says Lloyd and prepare the Bounty to land and take a look at the massive forest, with trees either blooming like in the spring or the fall season. And the odd bushes where purple leafs with blue flowers on them. Arin was amazed at it all, while Lloyd kept his guard up and find it all odd. ''This is for sure the Mother Garden. One time, Mirabel mentioned different kind of plants she wanna create when she truly tapped into her Phoenix power. And a lot of these looks similar to those she talked about.''

''Maybe she came here to create these amazing plants.'' Says Arin amazed and run for a tree with hanging leafs and golden hanging flowers. He waves them around and hear bells chirming from the flowers. ''This land is wild. But I guess you have seen weird stuff like this a lot on your adventures.''

''I have seen weird stuff...'' Answer Lloyd and take a look at the purple bush, that suddenly starts to... bobble? ''But maybe not like this.''

''Did Mirabel make all of this, or was that just the Phoenix?'' Ask Arin yet again and look ahead of the path into the forest.

''Well, I know she dreamt of creating unusual plants like these bobble bush and those bell tree. To test her limit and what is possible to make.'' Answer Lloyd and admire the few things he recall seeing some drawings off. Watching the bobbles coming closer to the a stone gate, with some sort of shrine behind it, with something golden glowing in the middle.

''The Core.'' Chirp Arin amazed and run after the Dragon Core, standing on a stone pedestal, surrounded by snail shells. ''Easier to find than I thought it would be. Then again, Mirabel thought of it before, saying it might be at the center of the garden.''

''Wait.'' Pause Lloyd, keeping Arin from just taking the defenseless Dragon Core. ''The Spirit told us the Cores were entrusted to people.''

''That was centuries ago.'' Says Arin confused, but respect his teachers wish and doesn't just snatch the Core.

''There could still be someone protecting it. We should ask permission before we just take it.'' Point out Lloyd, having respect for the chosen to protect such relic.

''Yeah, good point. But ask who?'' Wonder Arin out loud and look around to see no one. That is until the snail shells starts arise and reveal actual snails inside, waiting patiently to attack anything. But they didn't attack the two at all, rather, they are happy to see them.

''Congratulations, wanderers, for you have passed our little test.'' Explain a more well dressed snail and walk towards the Ninja.

''What test?'' Ask Arin confused.