Ninjago: Where Heroes Come From

Chapter Ten: Family

Pythor was lucky for his ability to camouflage, for had he been visible, he would never have been able to get through the guards and escape. After Lloyd blasted him with pure energy, sending him crashing into the wall and knocking him unconscious, it had been difficult even to stand. Still, he had come to in time to hear the sound of fast-approaching guards, and quickly slipped into invisibility and slithered away as they arrived.

It had been a chore getting out of the castle, as the manhunt continued and the place was shut down while they tried to find him, but he managed to make it to the doors before they were locked up and escaped into the night. He'd slithered dazedly through the town, his head pounding, his entire body aching, the place on his side where Lloyd had hit him sizzling and sore. The scales had been fried, tinged with black and tender to the touch. He added the boy to the rapidly growing list of people he was looking forwards to eating alive.

He didn't know how long he spent wandering through the darkened streets, contemplating his next move, but by the time he came upon his answer, he was exhausted, sore, and ready to sleep for days. He had made his way to the docks and found, to his delight, the ship belonging to Wu, and be extension the ninja. He recognized the ship from the early days when Wu and Garmadon's father had piloted it, back before it had rocket boosters and canons on the side, and he knew that it was his best chance at getting revenge on the ninja.

Without hesitating, he slithered up the gangplank and onto the deck, smiling in satisfaction at the feeling of solid wood beneath his scales, rather then coarse, rough earth and stone. After his years of imprisonment in Norcestor, locked away inside the mountainside, he was sick of stone and ready to be free and in the open air forever. He vowed, once again, that he would make Wu suffer for his actions.

But for now, Pythor had to rest. He slithered below deck and picked the biggest room, belonging, he hoped, to Wu himself. He laid down on the bed and closed his eyes, falling asleep in seconds, visions of suffering and justice playing over and over in his mind until dawn broke and it was time for the ninja to set sail.

----------------------------------------------------

Lexi had made her choice. It had been easy, really, when she thought about it for a second. At first, it had seemed strange to make the decision to go back to Ninjago so quickly, but as she followed the ninja through the streets, dragging her trunk behind her and facing the docks, where their magnificent ship awaited, the decision had practically made itself.

She was an elemental master, their was no denying it, and she was the daughter of Garmadon, the sister of Lloyd, and the niece of Sensei Wu. As much as she hated to tie herself to them, and as hard as it was to leave Fiona behind, she could almost feel tension and fear leaving her as she walked away from the castle and towards the ship.

"Here we are," Kai said as they approached the ship, "here she is-- the Destinies Bounty."

"She's... lovely," Lexi said, and turned back to where Fiona and Juniper stood, watching her silently. There were tears in Juniper's eyes and she was clutching one of Lexi's old schoolbooks in one hand in a vice-like grip, but Fiona's face betrayed no emotion. She stood straight and unmoving, looking down at her sister in a sort of peaceful, heartbroken way. Lexi looked back up at her and felt her heart give a sudden throb of pain. She was beginning to regret having been angry with Fiona for lying to her, and she couldn't find the right words to apologize for her outbursts the previous night. Thankfully, she didn't need to speak.

"I'll miss you," Fiona said, kneeling down before Lexi and placing a hand on her shoulder, "I'll never forget you-- I'll write to you all the time, and I'll expect your answers right away." She sounded stern, but her eyes were sparkling with joy and unshed tears. Beside her, Juniper gulped loudly and pressed a fist against her trembling lips.