Partners In Crime

Chapter 69: How to Build a Dragon

Sorry about the delay in updates guys... and the shorter chapter, it's what I call hell week at work so I'm a little busy. I hope the cliffhangers aren't too bad.

At the base the Resistance celebrate Reika speech while Lloyd sat by himself in the corner. He kept his left hand over his empty sheath while he held Aria's locket in his right hand.

"It's not fair," Lloyd mutters.

"You, ok?"

Lloyd looked up at Reika who was standing over him.

"Fine," Lloyd responded as he put Aria's locket in his pocket. "What do you want?"

"We're thinking of people we can ask for help," Reika tells him "Do you have any ideas?"

"The only help I can offer is already in the room," Lloyd responds as he gestors to the white knights "Del is cut off from Ninjago, there's no use in asking for our citizens for help. The only one who can move their hearts is dead."

"I'm sorry I can't bring back Aria," Reika says softly as she kneels in front of him "You know this is what your father feared, not the one hell bent on destroying us currently, the old him. That the idea of revenge would cloud your judgements as it did his, and it ended up destroying you. If we hold out and get through this, I hope you can have a change of heart... you don't have to end up like her."

"What the hell do you know?!" Lloyd growls angrily. "Don't talk like you know us!"

The resistance stops talking and turns their heads towards the two.

"You're right," Reika agrees "I don't know you, not really. But the kids I saw all those years ago, were different. You were inspired to be as strong and powerful as your dad, and I-"

"Stop talking," Lloyd cuts her off "I don't want to hear it."

"I know," Reika stood up "but I've seen those kids inside you Lloyd. You and Aria are still good friends, and I know you loved her more than we ever saw. Even if in the end you leave, I understand... I know what it's like to have one thing worth fighting for... your family."

Reika turns and heads back to the resistance as Lloyd looks back down at the ground, gripping his empty sheath. In the realm of Oni and Dragon, Aria exited her tent the next day, or at least she assumed it was the next day. The land of the Oni was different then the dragon lands she was in previously.

"Aria!"

Aria walked over to the Omega, who stood beside a few Oni warriors.

"Yes?" Aria questions.

"We're about to open our arena, would you like to watch?" the Omega asks. "It's what we like to do for fun around here."

"You beat each other up, for fun?" Aria smiles "Heck yeah I wanna watch."

"Ha," the Omega laughs "you're my granddaughter alright." The Omega gestors to the Oni beside her "This is Suromi, he is the current champion of the arena. Hasn't lost once in over a decade."

"And I'm sure to win again," Suromi replies proudly.

"Really?" Aria questions before turning to the Omega "Do you not participate?"

"Of course not," The Omega replies "It would be unfair then if I always won." She put her arm around Aria's back "Come, sit beside me."

Aria stares at Suromi before following the Omega to their seats. Once all the Oni were seated and chanting the Omega stood back up.

"Let the arena commence!"

Back in Ninjago, the resistance was hard at work coming up with their next plan as Lloyd sat with the few of his white knights.

"Have you found my sword?" Lloyd asks.

"It's not with any of their equipment," Rima replies "we've tried searching them in their sleep, but they're light sleepers."

"Yeah, and your mother's always staring at us," Hanabusa whines.

"Which one?" Lloyd questions with slight annoyance.

"The creepy one," Shiki says.

"...Mistake." Lloyd sighs as he puts his head in his hands.

"We'll continue looking," Rima tells him "We just have a handicap named Hanabusa."

"Hey!" Hanabusa turns to her "Show some respect to your captain!"

"To be fair you became captain by default," Shiki comments.

"Huh?" Hanabusa turns to him.

"Yeah, cause the last one turned crazy," Kain nods.

"What?" Hanabusa turns back to him.

"We're saying it wasn't based on skill," Rima says.

"Come again?" Hanabusa tilts his head.

"We're saying you're stupid captain," Shiki sighs.

"I am not!" Hanabusa shouts.

"...why did Aria choose you all?" Lloyd mutters.

Lloyd stood up as the knights stopped bickering and turned to him. Lloyd walked towards the resistance who stop what they're doing to look at him as well.

"I'm growing impatient and annoyed," Lloyd states as his eyes glow pink "Where is my sword?"

In the realm of the Oni and the dragon, Aria and the other Oni watched as one by one the other Oni attempted to defeat Suromi in a fight. Some were close, but alas they all failed. Unlike Aria thought, they were good sports about it.

"Haha, take that." Suromi raised his hands "I won!"

"You know," Aria mutters "he kinda reminds me of Hanabusa."

"Anyone else wanna try today?" Suromi asks as he laughs happily.

"I'll get you tomorrow Suromi!" one of the other Oni shouts in a playful manner.

"Yeah right!" He responds back with a chuckle.

Aria stood up and the Omega turns her head to look at her as she approached the arena.

"You know you remind me of someone," Aria comments as she jumps over the arena's fence.

"Oh, do I?" Suromi asks.

"Yeah," Aria replies with a smile "he's an idiot too."

"Huh?" Suromi looks surprised.

"So how about me?" Aria questions "I want to fight you next."

The Oni all looked surprised as the Omega laughs.

"Just like an Oni," the Omega says "why not? Suromi, you're always up for a fight."

"Yeah sure," Suromi agrees "I'll go easy on you since you didn't grow up as an Oni. The others would think I'm bullying you if not."

"Oh really," Aria chuckles "that brings me back... he said about the same thing."

"Hm?" Suromi looks confused "The guy I remind you of?"

"Yeah," Aria laughs "but I'll teach you like I did him." She cracked her neck before looking back at him with glowing purple eyes "Now I'd recommend not holding back, but it's your loss."