In Another Reality: A Ninjago Parody

Chapter One: A Different Beginning

It was the thirtieth year of the reign of Lord Garmadon.

Nothing was special this year, though. Weary travelers still stalked through the town of Ignacia to escape the lands of the ever expanding Empire. The town was a neutral ground, right between the dominion of Garmadon and the small bit of land the Royal Army still held on to. Refugees weren't the only ones seen on the road. Soldiers from both sides would often be seen traveling through the town. But, other than the occasional bar or street fight, things remained peaceful. At least, that's what everyone wanted to believe.

For years now people had been disappearing left and right. Blacksmiths, war veterans, martial arts masters: anyone who would be able to serve in the ongoing war, and it was pretty obvious which side was taking them.

On a lonely street at the edge of town, one such incident had occurred only years before. Two blacksmiths, a husband and wife, but also a father and mother, had disappeared in the dead of night. Their two children had been left alone to fend for themselves. Everyone had known the Smiths. They were great blacksmiths and even better people. The young boy had tried to make use of the connections his parents had made to provide for his younger sister. But, after the disappearance, the people avoided them as if they were a plague. Even now, walking down the street corner, the people shot sideways glances at the brunette as he made his grocery runs.

A couple more years and they'd be out of here. In the last couple of years, Kai Smith had repeated this to himself like a mantra. He'd make money at the forge, and then leave this poor village of backstabbing snakes with his sister in tow.

He hated this town, and he hated these people. He hated them for being able to turn their backs on two orphans just trying to find somewhere to stay. He hated the cursed scar they'd left on his face when he'd gone to steal food because his sister was starving.

Nowadays, he led a slightly more noble life. Kai had taken over the blacksmith shop that his parents had owned for decades before the skeletons took them. He'd never forget that night. He'd only seen a small glimpse, a silhouette of the monsters, but, when he went to his parents' room, they were gone. They disappeared without any sign of struggle.

The first couple of years he'd held on to some hope that they'd return, but after so many nights of starving and freezing, he could only assume they were dead or had forgotten about him and his sister. Either was bad, but they were better than clinging on to false hope for the rest of his life.

"I'm back," he called to Nya as he entered the blacksmith shop, carrying two large bags of groceries. Income this week had been more than usual.

The dark-haired girl, only a year younger than himself, emerged from the curtain separating the forge and their living area. They used to have a house on the other side of town, but, after their parents' disappearance, the townsfolk had spent little time evicting them.

A small bit of joy flashed through his sister's eyes as she saw the large size of the load, probably enough to last them two weeks. That alone made the freezing, wet trip to the market well worth it.

She quickly took the two bags from his hands, retreating to the back to cook up breakfast. A small smile touched his lips. This would be the best they'd eaten in months. If their profit held this steady for the next several weeks, they could be moved out, and into the land controlled by the Royal Army by Summer. Then, he wouldn't have to worry so much about Skeleton soldiers coming in the night to drag him off to war, leaving his sister alone. He'd been dodging the recently mandated draft for years now. Slowly but surely, Ignacia was being induced into the Empire, and he did not want to be around when that process was complete. With a small sigh, he pulled his large brown apron off the wall, and sat at the front desk.