Ninjago: The Elemental Master

Chapter 45: Dead Man's Squall

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*the Bonuty over the comms* 

"Are you the Quiet One? Are you the Quiet One?" Zane asked, the last time being more of an order than a question. Y/N watched as Mr. E started to charge at Zane, Zane took out his bow as he shot two arrows at him before getting knocked down. Mr. E flung Zane towards the edge, causing Zane to lose his bow. "Who are you?" Zane asked as the masked man cracked his knuckles before they fought near the edge. "Who...is...in...charge?" Zane asked, as with every punch the masked man turned into ice. As the ice started to crack, Zane grunted. "Who!" Zane shouted as they fought again.

"You don't have to do this!" Zane said as his arm started to fall off. The masked man kicked him off the edge as Zane landed on the ground harshly, a piece of his face was now gone. The masked man was now on the ground with him. "Who..." Zane asked before he shut down. The masked man flipped open his chest piece and placed something in it before closing it again. "Zane? Zane!" Y/N shouted into the comms, but there was no answer. "We have to go find him. Now!" Y/N shouted.

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*later that night*

It was dark, they were searching everywhere for him as they had a light shining down onto the ground. "I see him!" Y/N shouted. "Zane!" Lloyd shouted as he ran over to him with Nya behind him. "Zane, can you hear me?" Lloyd asked as he looked down at Zane, "what did they do to him?" Nya asked as she looked down at him with a worried expression. Jay and Cole made their way down as they ran up next to the other two. "Say something, Zane. Can you hear us? Zane!" Jay asked as Cole went beside Nya.

"Pixal. Lower the gurney. Zane's in bad shape" Lloyd ordered as the gurney was brought down. Jay and Cole quickly grabbed it and brought it over. "Hang on, buddy. Hang on" Lloyd said as he and Nya lifted Zane up and onto the gurney. As they hooked him up Y/N felt a sick feeling in her stomach. "Okay. Winch him up, Pix" Nya called out as he was pulled up and onto the Bounty.

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*in the Bounty*

They all surrounded Zane as he was connected to wires upon wires. "How bad is it?" Y/N asked as she looked up, "he has extensive damage to all systems. His neural net and cognitive cores suffered severe failure" Pixal informed them, "can you save him?" Nya asked as she looked down at Zane. "I've diverted power to critical life functions. But Zane will have to do most of the work. He must reconfigure his system and reboot himself" Pixal said as she showed them his blueprints.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Harumi asked in a pleading look, "we have to keep moving. Or the Sons of Garmadon will find us. They'll do anything to get their hands on the child" Lloyd explained, "I just don't get how a baby can be a key" Kai questioned as he scratched the back of his neck. "I don't either, but that's what they said. They called him the key to the third mask" Cole explained. Y/N nodded, "if Cole's right, we need to disappear. Get as far away from Ninjago City as we can" Y/N said as she looked at Lloyd.

"Hm. Doesn't seem right. Abandoning Ninjago City" Jay said as he looked at Y/N. "We're not abandoning. There are others who will protect them" Lloyd said as he leaned on the bed, "like who?" Kai asked as he placed a hand on his hip. "There's always Samurai X. Whoever that is" Nya said as she rolled her eyes. "Whoever it is they're going to have to cover for us until we get a handle on things. Pixal, set a new course. Anywhere but here" Lloyd ordered as they all looked down at Zane.

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*later that night*

Later that night the baby started crying non stop. "Maybe he's thirsty. Give him some milk" Lloyd said as he gave Cole the crying baby, "I tried. He doesn't like milk" Cole said as he passed the baby over to Kai. "What else do babies drink?" Jay asked as Kai handed the baby over to Jay. "Don't ask me, ask him" Kai said as Jay held the baby. "He's a baby! He hasn't learned how to talk yet" Y/N argued as Jay quickly made his way over to Y/N and passed her the baby.

"Oh! Maybe he needs a diaper change" Jay said as Y/N looked at the baby. "Oh, my gosh, do we even have diapers?" Cole asked as Y/N brought the baby away from the boys with Cole following her. "Why would we have diapers? We're Ninja!" Lloyd asked, "ooh! Maybe we can use one of our hoods instead" Jay said as he looked at the boys. "Not my hood," Kai said in an angered tone. "We'll draw straws. Loser gives up their hood" Lloyd said.

Y/N sat down and held the baby as Harumi came over and started to sing a song. "The spider's in the house. Sleep, sleep. The spider bit the mouse. Sleep, deep. Don't wake up, or else you'll find a spider in your mouth" Harumi sang as Y/N rocked the baby gently. The baby sighed as he closed his eyes, now sleeping in Y/N's arms.

"Wow. You're really good at that" Cole said as he looked at the now sleeping baby. "Nah, he's just tired. Too much excitement. He'll go to sleep now" Harumi said as she smiled down at Y/N before walking away. Y/N nodded as she looked back down at the baby and smiled. Lloyd left to follow Harumi while Y/N stood up and rocked the baby gently. Y/N hummed the same tune Harumi sang as she walked around slightly before she knew the baby was fully asleep, Y/N gently placed the baby into the cushioned box and placed the blanket on him before she hurried the three boys out of the room before they woke him up.