A GreenFlame Twist

Dragons Rising Episode 4, Beyond Madness

A/N: I try to use as much of the actual dialogue and character actions from the episodes as I can. I'm sorry if I get anything wrong, it is purely unintentional. Also, I do not own Ninjago and credit for all show dialogue and characters goes to their owners.

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A fire crackles loudly in the center of the Cragling Village. Arin and Sora look over to the other table where Lloyd and Nya are. Nya has her head in her hands while Lloyd stares at his bowl of mud.

He raises his head and asks in a trembling voice, "Kai's... gone?"

Nya wipes her eyes, trying to get rid of the tears that had begun to form. Quietly she answers him, "I searched everywhere for him. I don't want to lose hope, but it's hard not to."

Lloyd reaches over and pulls Nya in for a hug as they both silently grieve.

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Elsewhere, Kai rounds a boulder and sets his left hand on fire, using it as a torch. He squints to try and see through the fog that surrounds him before throwing his head back and with a groan, says, "Oh, I'm starving. Ugh, how far away is that Cragling Village?"

As he continues walking he keeps talking to himself, saying, "I could really use a cool mud bath right now. And a mud dinner. Mmm."

Squinting again, Kai manages to make out the gate that leads into the Cragling Village.

"Alright! My lucky day!" He exclaims, but as he walks a bit further his eyes widen as he catches sight of the two earth dragons that lay in his path.

With a gulp he quietly tries to sneak past the dragons, but ends up tripping over a rock - letting out a scream that is definitely very manly and not at all high pitched - and lands face first up against one of them. For some reason the dragon he landed on doesn't wake up, his shoulders slump slightly in relief at that. But instead the other dragon wakes up, spots him, and roars loudly, causing the dragon that Kai is still leaning against to grunt and wake up, its eyes narrow as it sees Kai in front of it.

Laughing nervously, Kai raises a hand and waves slightly at the dragon, saying in a nervous voice, "Hey there."

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Back in the Cragling Village, Nya and Lloyd are still wrapped up in a hug, while Arin looks down at his mud and asks, "Kai's really gone?" He then looks up and exclaims, "He was my favorite ninja!"

Sora turns to him and gives him a look, Arin taps his fingers together nervously and amends his statement, "Second favorite."

Nya pulls away from Lloyd and says with determination, "This isn't only about saving the Craglings. It's about taking down the dragons that destroyed my brother."

Riyu turns his head towards the gate as he hears a faint scream from outside.

Lloyd gets up and walks over to Sora and Arin's table, he gestures to them as he tells Nya, "We can all help. Sora and Arin are training to become ninja. Sora has elemental powers, and Arin taught himself a strange form of Spinjitzu."

Nya shakes her head in disbelief at the last part, saying, "You can't teach yourself Spinjitzu."

"I know." Lloyd agrees, "But he did. My students are new, but they're good and ready to fight."

Stepping closer to Nya, Lloyd adds, "Kai was your brother, but he was also one of my best friends, and my husband."

Another scream comes from beyond the Cragling Village, and Lloyd continues, saying, "It's almost as if I can hear Kai's cries for help in my head."