Taking Control. (a Ninjago fanfic)

Chapter 5- an encounter

L L O Y D

"So..." Jay turned around to face me, a confused look on his face. "What are we looking for exactly?" I caught up to him, and we kept walking down the hall. "Anything out of place. Just keep your eyes peeled, ok?" He nodded, and ran ahead, holding his eyes open and peering around wildly.

I sighed, but smirked. He couldn't be serious for even one second. Even when we were on a mission.

But I wonder what the crime is. Who is it? What did they steal, and what are they going to do?

My thoughts were interrupted by a smash and a yelp from Jay. I sprinted around the corner. Was he hurt? Did someone attack? Did he find something? My heartbeat quickened as I raced around the corner.

There was Jay with a vase knocked over, pieces shattered all over the floor. "Sorryyy..." he said sheepishly, and knelt on the ground to pick up all the sharp pieces.

I facepalmed. "Jay, we aren't here to destroy the place."
"I know, I know! It was an accident." He protested, and gathered all the pieces, putting them on the table where the vase had once stood.

Just keep going." I sighed, and continued walking down the corridors. We opened the occasional door, but they were all the same. A couple of mats organised neatly on the ground, and the strong smell of cedar and cinnamon. Everything was normal, and I hadn't heard from the others. What was the crime? Why were we here?

Another yelp from Jay, and a smash and a thud. I groaned in frustration. What had he done this time? Knocked over another vase? "Jay, I swear to God if you've broken something else-"

I stopped mid sentence as I turned the corner. A man, dressed in rags, yellow teeth, a robotic arm- The mechanic. He held Jay by the throat, and the lightning ninja scrabbled uselessly at the arm in an attempt to get it off. "Jay!" I yelled, sprinting towards him. I shot an energy ball at the man, and he let go of Jay to dodge it. The lightning ninja coughed and fell to the ground, holding his throat. "What do you want," I snarled, circling the mechanic.

How dare he try to kill Jay. The man smirked, and that just seemed to make me even more angry. "If I told you, this wouldn't be very fun, would it?"

I just wanted to kill the man. But I felt that there was something more sinister going on here, something beyond the mechanics shenanigans.

I crouched low, eyes locked onto the Mechanic as he prowled closer, the dim lighting of the room casting eerie shadows over the villain's metallic contraptions. The room was different from the others- all 4 walls were made out of solid wood and it was more spacious. I didn't have time to take in the details. The Mechanic grinned, twisting one of his metallic arms that whirred with a series of loud clicks. A claw extended, snapping as he took a step forward.

This guy never quits. I narrowed my eyes. The Mechanic was a genius with robotics, constantly creating new tech to terrorize Ninjago City. And now, here we are again. No matter how many times he gets beaten by us, he always manages to find a way back.

The Mechanic launched forward, the clawed arm sweeping toward my face. I sidestepped just in time, feeling the rush of air as the claw missed me by inches. I pivoted, channeling my energy and swinging my sword in one smooth motion. A green arc of energy sliced through the air, aimed right for the Mechanic.

But the villain was ready. He activated a shield with a single press of a button on his wrist, absorbing the energy blast as if it were nothing. The Mechanic laughed, the sound cold and mechanical, echoing around them.

"Nice try, kid!" he sneered. "But you'll have to do better than that!"

I clenched my jaw. Think, Lloyd, think. He's always got gadgets on gadgets. Got to find a weak spot. I looked the Mechanic over, noticing a spark at the base of one of his arms. There. The power cables.

The Mechanic lunged again, this time swinging both his claw arm and a buzzing sawblade attached to the other. I dodged low, barely avoiding the saw as it sliced a crate behind me in half. Splinters flew everywhere, but I ignored them, focusing my energy for a counterattack.

I glanced over at Jay. He nodded, and settled his gaze on the mechanic once more. He darted forward, channeling his power into his fist. He struck out, aiming directly at the Mechanic's right arm, where he'd seen the sparks as well. His fist connected, and there was a satisfying crunch of metal as he severed the cable. Sparks flew as the Mechanic's arm spasmed, the claw twitching uncontrollably.

"Gotcha," Jay muttered, stepping back.

The Mechanic stumbled, glaring at him with a mixture of shock and fury. "You little shit!" He reached for another gadget on his belt, but I was ready.

Before the Mechanic could activate his next weapon, I unleashed a powerful burst of green energy, aiming straight for his chest. The force sent the Mechanic flying backward, crashing into a stack of metal crates. I could hear the whirring of broken gears and the hiss of steam escaping from the Mechanic's damaged suit.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. Never underestimate a ninja, I thought, a small grin spreading across my face as I looked at the battered villain struggling to stand.

"You're out of tricks, Mechanic," Jay said, hand sparking with lightning at the ready.

The Mechanic groaned, clutching his sparking arm. But a smile slowly crawled across his face. "I've got one more."

With that, I felt a force slam into me and throw me out of the room. The mechanics arm dug into my chest and threw me against the wall, the breath being pulled out of my lungs. Wheezing in pain, my vision swam.

Don't pass out. Don't you dare pass out.

I looked up to see the confused and fearful eyes of Jay before the door slammed and locked him inside.