The Crisis /NinjagoxFem!Reader/

The Mourning

Your POV

A few minutes later, Kai, Cole, and Lloyd climb back into the vents. "The scientist is unconscious, and Jay is sabotaging the machine he used," Lloyd informs you and Zane. You hug Zane tightly as he shakily cries. Lloyd softly puts a hand on Zane's shoulder. "Does it still hurt?"

Zane shakes his head against your shoulder. "I'm not hurt, but PIXAL, she, she's gone."

Lloyd, Kai, and Cole all look regretful. "I'm so sorry," Kai says. "We were too late, we should've been faster." 

Everyone falls into silence. The only sound is Zane's ragged breathing. When Jay comes, Cole tells him what happened. You all sit there with Zane, you hugging him, no one speaking, just being there for Zane. 

After some time, Zane breaks away from you. "We can't stop, we need to stop Damien." His face is tearstained and he still looks miserable.

"Are you sure?" you ask. "If you need time to mourn, that's fine. There's nothing wrong with that."

"I can mourn once we're back in Ninjago and Damien is defeated," Zane responds. "It's what she would want me to do."

"Okay," Cole says, putting his hand on Zane's shoulder. "Just remember we're all here for you, buddy."

You squeeze his hand one last time. "What's the plan?" 

"First, we need to get away from here," Zane says. "Soon the scientist will wake up, and when he does, he'll send guards looking for us. Plus, the guards we knocked out will be missed eventually."

"Did you find anything out about Damien's plan?" Lloyd asks Zane.

"He never had any search parties for [Y/N]." Huh? you think. I thought he was looking for me since the Ninja rescued me. What's he up to? "But he has visited the cavern with the crystals, and been to Ninjago several times, bringing supplies here. It doesn't seem like he's done anything outside of that though."

"He's stalling." Kai concludes. 

"What did he do while I was in his prison?" you ask.

"He was mining the crystals in the cavern."

"Okay, there is something shifty about these crystals. Do you think we missed something important there?" Jay responds.

"I guess we'll find out," you say.

"How does everyone else get out of this realm?" Lloyd asks. "There are a lot of guards. Does Damien make portals for everyone?"

Zane smiles a touch. "No, there are these devices called realm couriers. There's a limited amount of them since it takes a lot of time and resources to make one. They are all stored in Damien's quarters when not in use. It's supposed to prevent separatists and mutinies."

"Great, how are we gonna take one?" Jay asks.

"Damien can't be in there all day. What's the security system like?" you respond.

"It will be almost impossible to get in there undetected," Zane says. 

"Couldn't we break in, grab some realm quarters, go back to Ninjago, and get help from Nya, Wu, Misako, and the other Elemental Masters?" Kai asks. 

"Couriers, not quarters, but, yeah, we could," Lloyd says. 

"And with everyone's help, maybe we can stop Damien!" Jay adds.

"That work for everyone?"

"I'm cool with that," you say. Everyone else agrees.

"Okay, Zane, if you're up for it, lead the way," Lloyd says.

Without a word, Zane leads you and the others to Damien's quarters. You feel awful. It's my fault that PIXAL died! If I was never captured, her and Zane would never be in this realm, and that scientist's machine never would have been built to kill Zane. 

You don't know perfectly what Zane is going through, but you know what loss is like. You know very well what it means to mourn the death of a loved one. You mourned Roy for months. You're still mourning Roy. You will always miss him, no matter what happens. Zane will go through something similar.

•••

Zane's POV

This is all my fault. I rebuilt myself, I could've built a body for PIXAL. Then she wouldn't have been in this realm with us. It should've been me, not her. I silently lead the others through the ventilation ducts to Damien's quarters. We need those realm couriers to get back to Ninjago. It won't be easy getting in, but it's necessary. 

I don't have time to mourn. Not until [Y/N] is safe. PIXAL told me to protect her, so that's what I'm gonna do. When this is all over, I'm going to have to learn how to live without PIXAL. But until then, I need my head in the game. 

I need to focus on [Y/N], not PIXAL. 

I think of how much I don't want Damien to take [Y/N], how much I want her safe. I think of the anger I have, for the death of PIXAL and the kidnapping of [Y/N]. That anger fuels me.

I am not going to let Damien get away with any of this!

A/N

Sorry this was short. I just kinda needed an in between chapter, if that makes any sense. Wanna know a fun fact? There are only three more chapters until you get to the five different endings! Yay!

❤️💙💚🖤 Michelle