Ninjago Dragons Rising - OC Insert

Fugitives From Madness

Arin stood within the courtyard alone to do some private training, grunting as he performed spinjitzu, smashing through two pillars, only to be sent flipping backwards as he smashed into the third pillar, falling to the ground. Arin got up, sending the pillar a frustrated look as he lowered his hood. "Alright! Yeah!" Sora cheered, impressed as she and I both stuck our heads out from behind one of the broken pillars, "Sorry, didn't mean to sneak up on you, Arin." "I'm just trying to practise spinjitzu on my own," Arin told us, sounding slightly annoyed to see us. "And you're doing great," I assured him, "Your control's improved a lot." "Don't make fun of me, Tarim," Arin replied, frustrated, "You know I got demoted down to First Fang." "I-I'm not making fun of you," I argued, hurt. "Yeah, he's being honest. You plowed right through those two pillars," Sora agreed. "I was trying to go through all three, with a proper spinjitzu tornado. For once," Arin finished bitterly. "Your spinjitzu's been great since I met you," Sora argued, "I mean, you can give spinjitzu to inanimate objects. No one can do that." "I can barely do that," Arin reminded her angrily. "You're being too hard on yourself," Sora told him reassuringly. "The Blood Moon is coming! The whole world is at stake!" Arin reminded her impatiently, "We're the only ones that can stop it and I need to be getting better at being a ninja. But I'm not." Saying this, Arin turned and stalked away as Sora, Ryu and I all shared a look of concern.

"So you think these visions are holding you back from progressing with your Rising Dragon training?" Rontu asked Lloyd as the pair sat in the courtyard, sipping from cups of tea. "I'm just a bundle of nerves, stumbling around in a daze," Lloyd replied, looking up at her, clearly imploring for answers, "I'm even afraid to rest because... more visions might come." "Why would that be a bad thing?" Rontu asked. "Because they're terrifying!" Lloyd explained, "I see evil things. My friends in danger. It's awful." "I'm sure it is," Rontu accepted, "But these visions are also important warnings, right?" "They are, but they're also tearing me apart. Master Wu taught that, when there's no calm outside of you, you must find the calm inside," Lloyd told her before looking down sadly, "But I have no calm inside of me anymore." 

"You held the power of a Source Dragon, something no mortal was ever meant to do. These possible futures are aftereffects," Rontu explained to him gently. "Possible futures?" Lloyd repeated hopefully, "You mean, what I see isn't certain?" "No. Source Dragons experience time differently than the rest of us. They can see what came before and the things that might come to be," Rontu told him, "These visions you're having are like a fragment of that." "But how can I stop them?" Lloyd demanded. "You can't. You can never force the motion of the universe to bend to your will," Rontu replied, looking up at some petals floating away on the breeze, "You can only find your place within its current, but with careful meditation, it's possible you can find harmony with these visions. So you no longer have to live in fear of them." "No. I have to stop them," Lloyd argued defiantly, "Because when they come on, I can't- Gah!" Lloyd shouted as another visions shot through his brain. "Aah! The Blood Moon!" Lloyd screamed, panicking as the rest of us and Egalt ran or flew to him in concern, "It's so close! It's almost here!" Lloyd gasped out as we came to a stop before him, "Unless we stop him, Ras is going to sacrifice someone and Cole and Zane are doomed!" "Then there is not time to waste. Return to training immediately," Rontu commanded, understanding the urgency, "If you cannot learn Rising Dragon technique, all will be lost." 

 Later Kai was continuing his training in Rising Dragon technique, moving through the course with spinjitzu. However, he struck a rock under foot, being sent tumbling to the ground under a fallen tree. "Ugh! Come on!" Kai groaned, frustrated, punching the tree, causing to fall on top of him, "This is impossible! It's too much!" "Did I not tell you it would be impossible?" Egalt reminded him slightly smugly as he ran a claw over his moustache, "Rising Dragon Technique is not for those lacking in spirit." "Who are you saying lacks spirit? Me?" Kai demanded incredulously, having lifted the trunk from his back and now stalking towards Egalt, "Ohohoho! You better not be talking about me!" "So quick to anger," Egalt grumbled as he and Rontu shared a look, "It is no surprise you both cannot find harmony with the universe's motion.". "What if he did this drill together with me?" Nya suggested. "What?" Kai questioned, confused by the suggestion. "You did say Rising Dragon Technique is about finding harmony with the world. Which means finding harmony with each other, right?" Nya added. "It does," Egalt agreed. "Then let the two of us try this drill together," Nya suggested, grabbing Kai and pulling him closer to her. "That is unprecedented," Egalt replied, shocked by the suggestion, "But I don't have a problem with it. Though it will most likely end in failure." 

"What are you doing?" Kai asked, "I don't need any help, Sis," Kai added. "So far, you're are doing better than any of us," Nya admitted, "But I know what's holding you back, bro." "What?" Kai and I asked, not getting it. "You," Nya told us both bluntly, "Stop thinking about you, Kai. Start thinking about Counter Shot." "Counter Shot? The game we made up in dad's blacksmith shop?" Kai asked, chuckling slightly, "Wow, miss those days. Just fun, not having to worry about saving the world." "And who was your best Counter Shot partner?" Nya reminded him with a grin which Kai returned. "Begin!" Egalt ordered as the pair performed spinjitzu, rushing forward and dodging around a rock, hitting the lanterns that had been set up us targets in the trees. They moved through, smashing past the large rock as Rontu and Egalt shared a surprised look at their progress as they managed to slide under the tree, high fiving each other as they continued on before finally, Kai managed to perform Rising Dragon flying past the rest of us as we watched in awe. When Kai landed, a calm wave of red energy flowed out from where he landed.

"I did it! I did it!" Kai cheered, Nya running over as he hugged his sibling, "Oh Nya, you were so right! Thank you so much!" "Good job, buddy!" Wyldfire yelled down to him from Ryu's back as he roared, clearly pleased. "Kai is now officially Third Fang Ninja," Rontu declared as she and Egalt stood before us at the top of the stairs, the rest of us standing before them. "When you first arrived, I was sceptical," Egalt admitted, "But I had become old and tired, without inspiration, and it was clear I misjudged you. You are worthy students, and have given this old dragon the spark of hope that Rising Dragon Technique will be passed on." "What's wrong with the sky?" Arin questioned, seeing a dark red glow beginning to seep across the sky. "Oh no," Lloyd gasped, horrified as he saw the deep red of the moon rising above the clouds. "Come on! We have no time to waste! Help the rest of us learn how to do Rising Dragon technique!" Lloyd pleaded frantically. "We cannot. I'm sorry. We hoped we'd have more time, but the Blood Moon is also a bane for us," Rontu explained as she stared up at the rising moon. "May the Source Dragons be on your side," Egalt told us as, to our horror, the pair turned to stone before us.