The Change of Fate.

Midnight Meetings

     The realm of Ninjago. An interesting place, to be sure. People often sought to settle down here, or seek their fortune in the newly developing city. Still, despite the speed of progress...people needed help.

      Viridis walked toward the requested meeting point, an empty road outside the still unfinished Ninjago City. Not many people knew she was an oni, as humans were still weary of her kind. She supposed this human heard of her through rumors, and decided to see if they were true.

     "Why have you requested to speak with me?" Viridis frowned, watching the human before her.

     Lee was nervous. He'd heard about this woman from one of the elders in his village. He took his hat off, bowing once out of respect.

     Was she really an Oni?

     "M-My name is Lee, Lee Tung. Someone told me about you hanging around this road late at night. Some elders in my village think you're a ghost because of how soon you leave the roads." He laughed, though the laughter quickly died when he saw she wasn't smiling. "Some of the legends about Oni say they possess the ability to c-cast spells and-"

     She crossed her arms, eyeing him carefully. "-and you want my help, yes?"

     "Y-Yes, please Miss. I'm uh..I'm not sure what you can do for me, but..." Lee took a breath to try and steady his nerves. "Y'see a crew of us are helpin' to build the city down yonder-"

     Viridis raised an eyebrow. "Call me Viridis. Do you mean Ninjago City? It's not done yet, but what do you wish of me? How am I to help?" She could cast spells, sure. She was one of the more advanced in magics of her clan. Viridis was unsure how of how she could help. "I'm sure you wish for the city to be finished before or on the deadline you humans have set for yourself, yes? I wander into the construction in the late hours of the night, surely you can't be that far off from finishing from what I've seen."

     "You'd think so, but we're about three months behind. Couple of our guys died from heart attacks. Guessin' they overworked themselves." Lee placed his hat over his chest, remembering his fallen coworkers.

     "What would you have me do, then? I'm sure you're aware I'll require something in return." Viridis raised an eyebrow. After all, she wouldn't give something for nothing.

     Lee is clearly worried about what she could want in return, but as long as he lives through it, everything would be fine, right? "Well I was thinkin' that maybe there was some way to...decrease my need for sleep, or food or somethin' like that." He shook his head. "We need to get this city finished, 'expand the land' as the boss says."

     Viridis was puzzled, such a request would be tricky. He was human, after all. Hopefully she wouldn't accidentally kill him. "Suppressing one's need for sleep and food, so you can work more often. I suppose it can be done, though I will ask for something of greater value."

     Greater value? Lee felt worry fill him like a lead weight. He was suddenly stuck in place, unable to move. What did she mean? "You won't trick me, right? What do you want in return?"