TW: mentions of blood, it's been a while since we've been horny on main so here
"Can I help interrogate the bad guy?" I asked Lloyd as we flew through the air, wind whistling past as I sat tall behind him with my hands on his shoulders, shivering. "Can you be the good cop and I be the bad cop? Here, listen to my bad cop voice; 'why'd you do it, punk?!'"
"Very cute," Lloyd said from over the wind. I frowned and settled back into the saddle, resting my cheek against his warm back (Lloyd upped his body temperature when he realised I was cold - my very own personal heater, bless him) with a harrumph.
"I was going for intimidating," I grumbled. I felt his body shake with a quiet chuckle.
It was evening by the time we arrived in Ninjago City. I quietened, watching the tall buildings drift past as we flew above the capitol. Lloyd led the way, guiding the small convoy of elemental dragons to the quieter side of the city.
We landed outside a quaint tea shop and Bentley gave me an affectionate nudge goodbye before he disappeared. Cole stretched his arms over his head. Jay sent Lloyd a confused look.
"Uh, I thought we were in a hurry to get to the police?" the lightning master asked as Lloyd pulled the sliding doors open.
"A quick stop," he reasoned. "Dad already called ahead. If the perp won't talk, maybe Mistaké has something to loosen his lips."
"Magic tea," Cole grinned at me as we entered. "It's always fun."
"Not necessarily, Cole," Zane replied as he pulled up behind us. "Recall the time when you stole some of Master Wu's tea and you began to glow red?"
"You began to what?" I asked in bewilderment, mouth gaping. Cole sent Zane the stink eye.
"We promised not to talk about that, Zane," Cole hissed. He groaned and turned back to me with a put-off scowl. "We were fifteen and dumb."
"Correction, you're still dumb," I chortled. "What kind of tea makes someone glow red?"
"I suppose when you need a stop light," Lloyd answered before shutting the door behind us. "Is Mistaké here?"
The old lady that stood before a massive collection of jars of tea leaves clambered down the stool she was standing upon at our entrance. I stared around the shop with wide eyes - it'd been a while since I'd been in a place like the tea shop, aside from the monastery; all old wood and faded tapestries. I wanted to run my hands down every single one of them.
"Never heard of her!" the lady snapped and turned with a sneer. It immediately dropped as soon as her eyes settled upon the masked ninja and then her mouth was warming into a wise smile. "Ooh! Apologies, young Lloyd Garmadon. I didn't recognize your voice."
"What is it with my voice that's making people go weird?" Lloyd asked under his breath before taking off his mask. I shrugged and pulled my own one off, too. I stuffed it into my pocket.
"It does sound deeper," I reasoned.
"I don't talk for two months and suddenly everyone's crazy," he said with a sigh.
"Oh, it's so good to see you again," Mistaké continued. "It's been years. And Y/n, too! How the both of you have grown since I saw you last."
Lloyd fell into caring smile. I grinned back, finally remembering the old lady and putting a face to the name - she was the one who supplied the ninja with their healing teas and the like.
"Hello, Mistaké," Lloyd gently replied. Mistaké placed her hands on the counter she stood behind and sent Lloyd a sympathetic look. Jay held onto my arm as he hid behind me. I sent him a confused pinch of my eyes, and his smile was sheepish in response, hiding further behind me.
"I'm sorry to hear about Master Wu," Mistaké murmured, making my attention turn back to her. She was giving Lloyd a look of utter sympathy. "He was a dear friend."
"'Was?' We haven't given up on him," Cole interjected, brows pulled tight. "... we just have more urgent problems."
"Indeed," Zane said as he stepped forward. Mistaké's eyes jumped to him. "We seek-"
"The Tea of Truth!" Mistaké answered for him, hissing. I jumped at her loud exclamation and Jay's hands tightened around my arms. Zane blinked.
"She's good," Zane said.
"Garmadon called before to order some," Mistaké explained. Zane's amazed expression fell.
"Ah."
"But be forewarned..." Mistaké continued, eyes narrowed as they scoured each of us. "The truth can be... dangerous."
"She's also creepy," Jay whimpered as he ducked his face into my shoulder.
"Par for the course in a mystical tea shop, Jay," Cole muttered. The lightning ninja shot him an annoyed look, and I patted his curls in an attempt to soothe his erratic irritability before he began to spark and set an electrical fire.
"Behave, please," Lloyd pleaded as he sent the two butting heads a warning look.
"I'll get the jar that I had set aside for you," Mistaké offered before her eyes sharpened. "But don't... touch... any... thing."
Her threat was punctured with a sweet smile. And then she whisked herself away into the back, bead curtain jangling. I stared at the beads in confuddlement. I supposed that Jay wasn't the only eccentric one in the room.
"Like I said," Jay whispered into my shoulder. "Cree-pee."
