Onyx and Skybound

Infamous

Onyx's eyes narrowed as she waited for her cue. She thought this entire 'teach your kids to read' skit was somewhat stupid, but then again, she understood from experience the importance of being literate. She glanced at Lloyd, the two of them sharing a nod. Onyx was getting a bit tired of always being cast as a sidekick or not doing anything on scene without Lloyd, but money was money.

Lloyd gave her a quick wink before leaping down from his prop shelf, the bright green lights flaring on above his head as he hit the ground and blasted the CGI Samukai away. "Do you have the golden scroll, Lloyd?" Kai asked in an over-enunciated voice. "I sure do, Kai! And I have you, too!" Lloyd said, glancing up. That was Onyx's cue to jump down and let Lloyd catch her. She begrudgingly flopped back in his arms, following her acting directions. She was suddenly glad that her hood covered her very irritated expression as she looked at the scroll and spoke her line.

"I don't know what it says. Can anyone help me read it?" She asked. Onyx's lips pursed as the boys all spun into a single line. "We can! Because reading is the first step to every adventure. Go, reading, go!" They all said at once. Onyx had to force herself to pump her fist into the air with the others. Normally, she wouldn't have an issue with being on-screen, but the lackluster and somewhat irritating writing was definitely rubbing her the wrong way.

The moment the cameras were off, Onyx pulled her hood down with a scowl. "I can read. And land on my feet," She muttered. Lloyd sighed. "I know. I'll talk to Dareth next time he casts us for something. Maybe you can be the lead next time," he said. Onyx smiled at him. All she wanted was to be cast for her abilities rather than as an afterthought. Or disguised fanservice.

Dareth clapped his hands as the scene ended. "And... Cut! Brilliance plus perfection! Clean up, little fellas, and make some headway here. That's a wrap!" He called, waving a hand to his employees. Nya suddenly poked her head into the studio. "A wrap? I just got here. Dareth said-" Dareth cut Nya off as he approached the boys. "Hey, hey! There's my boys! I knew you could Spinjitzu, but that acting knocked me out," he said. Onyx rolled her eyes. The acting had been terrible.

Then he noticed Nya. "Oh, hey, sweetheart. Mind sticking around for a segment to teach girls how to apply makeup?" He said offhandedly. Nya growled and raised her fists. "You're gonna need makeup when I rearrange your face!" She snapped, starting towards Dareth. Now that Onyx thought about it, she wasn't sure if Nya even knew how to use makeup. She knew she didn't. 

Jay intercepted Nya before she could clobber Dareth. "Easy! Nya is one of us now; there's no reason she should be treated differently," he said, glancing at Dareth, who rolled his eyes. "No reason? You added a girl to the group. You know how much that hurts your image? You're a boy band, a hunk machine!" He exclaimed. Onyx frowned. "I'm a woman," she pointed out. Dareth waved a hand. "Yeah, but you're there for the romantic tension and pretty face. Everyone's all over you. And you and Lloyd!" He said dismissively.

"Ah!" Onyx made an affronted sound, arms crossing. Lloyd put an arm around her shoulders. "No. We're equals. Our power comes from no one being more important than the other," he said firmly. Under the judging stares of every member of the team, Dareth backed down. For the moment, at least.

Kai smoothed his hair back. "Important? No. Irresistible... uh, debatable," he said, throwing a quick wink at the inevitable gaggle of girls trying to get into the studio. Onyx's mood worsened as the girls began to squeal and shriek, pushing towards them to the point where a security guard had to push them back.

Dareth suddenly whipped out a teen magazine. "I don't tell you how to do your business; don't tell me how to do mine. Remember how every time you saved Ninjago, no one cared? Well, now Dareth's in charge and Dareth says don't change the recipe. You boys are the face of the franchise, and now the face of Teen Idol!" He said, tapping the cover. Onyx frowned when she saw her and Lloyd's faces on the top half, and Jay, Nya, and Cole on the bottom half. Every spare inch of space was covered in garishly pink hearts.