Lloyd Montgomery and the Four Silver Fangblades of Ouroboros

Chapter One - An absolutely mundane start to the story

Author stuff: Hey, everyone!

So, this fic idea started waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in November 2023, the exact day I finished the second season of Ninjago. I'm not really sure of the exact reason anymore, but this whole thing started off differently.

It was a little oneshot of Misako sitting at home. Lloyd had been missing for a month (months?), and she'd heard nothing. And then Lloyd returns home looking a little older and wiser than a thirteen year old should and asks her about his dad. It was going to be the opening to a series of flashfics that were all going to tell this portal fantasy/isekai of Lloyd having this big adventure in this other world.

But the story wasn't writing itself, and I had to put it on the back burner for a while.

Eventually, after SEVERAL re-writes, this is the outcome. Mostly, I was diving into the meat of the story much sooner than I could. I wasn't establishing enough beforehand, and I was getting frustrated.

That's kind of why I'm posting this chunk of chapters right here off the bat. That is legitimately what it was taking to get to the actual story. So, please enjoy this lengthy setup.

Lloyd Montgomery and the Silver Fangblades of Ouroboros

Chapter Summary: School days, school daze.

Chapter One — An absolutely mundane start to the story

"You're the reason evil runs through my blood!"

Lloyd couldn't help but stare at the white words printed on the glossy, dark page. The only features of the character speaking was a barely visible outline and piercing red eyes.

The Masters of the Elements series was, perhaps, one that he'd been in love with for the past few years. It was the one thing he could count on whenever he and his mother were traveling. Although, getting an English copy was always... dubious, at best.

The story was finally drawing to a close. Only one more issue left. It was devastating.

He was going to have to find another series.

The last page of this particular volume stared up at him. There was no way he could wait ten more days until the next one was out. He'd reread this copy well over a dozen times by now, and it never got old. He had the strong desire to fall asleep and not wake up until he could get the last volume.

It would be a rather solid plan, if it wasn't for the fact he had regular body functions. And school.

Ms. Harada had other plans, however.

She gently tapped two fingers on the page, giving him that look that he'd better pay attention or else. The "or else" part was a vague threat. She tapped the stapled packet of papers that he should have open in front of him. Her manicured, red nails were a bright arrow pointing at the title.

Right, the short story. The Lottery by Shirly Jackson.

"Please continue, Ashton," she said to a boy on the other side of the room. As he read from the book, she bent down to whisper to Lloyd. "After class, Mr. Montgomery."

Lloyd bit the inside of his cheek to hold back the groan, but he allowed himself to slump down his seat. The horrible plastic and metal contraption was connected to the desk. The basket underneath was barely hanging on, and the whole thing was barely standing on four legs.

There were a couple of snickers from other students in the class as Ashton — some tall kid with glasses — cleared his throat and continued reading from the school book.