Our Ride Of A Love Life - Book 2

S2 Chapter 5: Child's Play

Lloyd POV

My hands clutch the fencing of the Bounty, knuckles paling to a pasty white as the pressure merely builds stronger. Looking down from above, seeing several kids just about my age, I observe the activity they were doing, kicking an orange ball around like children. Like real children. 

Now that I was a ninja, not a helpless, lonely boy yearning to follow in his father's villainous footsteps, I had forgotten what it was like to be a child. Free, wild and entertaining.  I don't remember ever having those days, even when I was a child. Now I'm a ninja, being a child doesn't matter anymore. Growing up is the necessity.

Just as one of the kids kick the ball across their pretend football field, a voice echoes behind me. I ignore it, purposefully. The ball hits the wall of their imaginary goal, the goalkeeper leaping to defend and failing to their greatest misery. A sigh crept from my lips.

"Lloyd?" There I was again and I let it slip by. "Lloyd!" Then I turn to look, Cole, Jay, Nya and Zane. "Concentrate!" I stare on, not having any words to say. Being a ninja meant I had to grow up. Faster then I wanted. I am the Green Ninja, destined to fight the Dark Lord. That Dark Lord who just happened to be my father. How I wish it wasn't me sometimes.

"Now that the Bounty is in our possession again," Zane looks over to me and I barely gained the concentration that Nya had told me, "we can train you more effectively. But you'll have to focus." He stepped forward in his white suit. The frown on my lips simply didn't want to shift. "One more time."

"Oh, but we've been training all day." I complain, voice high pitched, eager to have a break. Surely they understood my hunger for some free time. They had been training me ever since morning. 

"It's all to get you ready to face your father. Now," Cole jerks to his right, "in position." He points to the middle of the deck and, effortlessly, my legs move me towards the middle while the four of them stood back. I yawn as each of them lift their masks up. My arms fall into position and I wave for them to come forward.

"Whatever." Nya jumps at me into a high kick and I punch her straight in her stomach. She falls back instantly. The four watch as I gave another heaped yawn, waving another over and it followed with Zane and Jay jumping towards me. "Ninja, go!" With my spinjitzu, I'm able to knock both of them down gracefully in one go. Each of them roll onto the ground.

However, I don't expect Cole to come in so soon behind me. He slide kicks me, sending me into the air. I span around  before crashing to the wooden boards, face planted. Then, a spirit boosts me up, smiling at my team.

"That was fun." They all surround me, concern on their faces. "Are we done?"

"Oh, come on." Jay groans, causing me to frown. Was I really irritating them that much? I did what they asked.  "You're better than this. What's on your mind?" Then the question came. I lifted myself up.

"Well..." My rant started as I push past them all. "The latest issue of Star farer just came in at Doomsday Comix and it's a limited run, so if I don't go out and get it, it's going to sell out. Last they left off, intergalactic rogue Fritz Donegan was surrounded by the Imperial Sludge, and if I don't find out if he gets out alright," the thought of not being able to see the outcome made my mind blow up, "I think I might have my own doomsday." Each of my teammates look up at me, some probably questioning my sudden burst of complaint. Slowly, they all pulled back their masks, Nya's sharp eyes pulling into worry.

"The fate of Ninjago rests on your shoulders." Are her words, voice smoother than normal. "As the Green Ninja, you have a giant responsibility to hold. I'm sorry, but you don't have time for such childish things." There was a moment I thought she would understand me, most of the time I saw that in her brother. Guess she didn't in the end. My eagerness only grew, and looking over the fencing to those companions living the lifestyle I wished for was what I did.