The Ones That Got Away [Complete]

Balance

So, this is it - the end of this story. Thank you everyone for reading, voting and commenting, your support means everything to me 😊!

On the one hand, I'm really happy to have completed another book, but on the other, I'm also a bit sad that it's over now – although, if people are interested, I already have a few ideas for follow-ups (just little one shots) set after this story.

Short final chapter with a long author's note. Feel free to skip over it, but I'd really like to give a few explanations:

I wrote the first chapter as a one shot right after SoG had ended (so almost nothing was known about season 9, except for the fact that it would continue the storyline and some leaked images of the new Lego sets).

Because of all the nice feedback I got on that chapter, I then decided to make it into a full story.

At that time, I had already planned out most of what was going to happen. And I've avoided watching too much of Hunted (I've seen episode 85 and a few other bits and pieces – and I know the key events) or other post-S8 fics, just because I din't want my story to get influenced by other people's ideas. Will start to catch up on them now ;).

Probably the biggest point that I was undecided about for a very long time was how to deal with Harumi. And the main reason why it turned out this way simply was the stuff that happened to her in Season 9, and that I didn't like it. And I am kinda proud of the idea to have her bond with Edna (yeah, that's one of the spin-off ideas...).

And finally, to give credit to one big 'source of inspiration' which was Harry Potter, especially for these two key scenes:

-I got the idea for the meeting between Lloyd and the FSM from the meeting between Harry and Dumbledore in Deathly Hallows. Also, the Sorting Hat initially wanted to put Harry into Slytherin - and it didn't because Harry asked him not to. And Dumbledore told Harry in Chamber of Secrets (it's one of my favourite lines of the series): "It is our choices, Harry that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

- In this story, the Oni Titan is sort of Garmadon's Hoarcrux (just that it contains his powers instead of a part of his soul) – ironically, it failed to kill the Ninja.

——-

Balance

"Bye." Jay waved to the sky. "Take care." He sniffed.

"Jay, the portal's been closed for ages, I really don't think they can hear you anymore." Cole said to his best friend.

After arresting the escaped gang members and handing them over to the police (who by now had arrived back at the city, together with the Ninja's parents and the Elemental Masters), the team had said goodbye to their new friends and allies from the First Realm.

"I know." The blue Ninja sighed. "I just... miss them already."

"And so do I." The Master of Earth admitted. "But now that the dragons in the First Realm have been freed, we should be able to summon our Elemental Dragons again."

"And I hope that you are still happy to be back home." Nya remarked as she wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's waist from behind.

He turned around in her embrace. "I sure am." He smiled at her. "No matter how much I miss our new friends, it's nothing compared to how much I've missed you."

"I know." She smiled back. "I just like to hear you say it."

"We all know that." Kai complained. "Because you've kept telling us over and over again. So I really don't like hearing you say it again."