[𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙙!] The Sons of Garmadon are old news....or are they? The ninja set off on a fresh mission to explore a bundle of mysterious events that tie together to uncover a malicious scheme happening right in Ninjago City...but the question...
The night soon came; Ninjago City was preparing the most luxurious ceremony to celebrate all the people who helped make Ninjago what it is, from the everyday do-gooders to the consistent saviours. Outside the newly renovated City Hall, spotlights glowed into the night sky. A lavish red carpet flowed from the top of the sleek staircase to the pavement below, where hundreds of guests arrived. People dressed in formal attire entered the hall, such as the Police Commissioner, The Mayor, NGTV News spokespeople and many other citizens who had been invited as thanks to their service.
Just down the block, the ninja hopped off the land bounty and regrouped on the side of the road. Each of them were dressed in formal suits and kimonos, all cleverly equipped with useful communicators too (except for Hector, who had just come in simple button-up shirt and trousers). The evening was warm and the streets were well lit by the powerful spotlights by the Hall.
"Remember, this is a prestigious event; enjoy it as much as you can, but don't forget what potential disruptions there might be." Misako advised from the vehicle.
"Aren't you coming, mother?" Lloyd asked her. She reached over to adjust her son's green bow-tie and replied with a kind voice;
"I'm not. Master Wu and I need to take necessary precautions just in case things don't go to plan." The green ninja nodded with a small smile.
As the vehicle rumbled away, the seven ninja and their new assistance were left by the road.
"Alright guys, keep your eyes peeled for any SOG...or criminal-bird-men." Cole told the team. They adjusted their looks one last time and walked together to the ceremony building.
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"Welcome, welcome!" Cyrus Borg greeted as the ninja walked inside the huge building. Even he was dressed formally, with Pixal standing by his side in a simple black dress. She waved at her fellow friends; Zane exchanged a heart-warming smile at the sight of his digital lover as he walked by.
"Come on now guys; there's our table." Lloyd said as they walked into the main hall. Multiple white-clothed tables were spread on the marble floor, with a grand stage placed just beyond them all. Above their heads, magnificent chandeliers illuminated the hall with a warm light. As they got to their assigned tables, Jay humbly pulled a chair for Nya, in which she smiled gratefully and took a seat. Her light blue kimono set itself gracefully on the cushioned seat, it's silkiness flowing to the floor.
The round table had only seven seats surrounding it, forcing Hector to drag one over from a single table nearby, which was assigned to another guest.
"Looks like Mr Clutch Powers is gonna have to sit on the floor tonight," he smirked mischievously as he pulled up his chair to join the others.
"Anyone see anything suspicious yet?" Kai asked, running a careful hand through his bronze hair.
They all glanced over the multiple heads gathered in the room and soon shook their heads. Abruptly Zane pointed something out in the schedule guide spread on their table.
"There is an award named the Orion Award. That is most likely going to be the trophy with the Orb inside," he said in a low voice, hiding slightly behind the paper.
"Then we're gonna have to find out who's winning it." Jupiter whispered back. "It's probably set over there on the stage with all those other trophies," the lilac ninja gestured to the stage, where a couple of officials stood by a long table of shining awards; one stood out from the rest, being just a dark-grey sphere attached to a golden stand.
As the last few guests arrived and set themselves down, the lights above the hall dimmed and Cyrus Borg went up to the stage. He cleared his throat before speaking heartily to the crowd through the microphone.
"Thank you all for accepting the invitation - this will be an event that'll make history! The first ever Hero's Award Ceremony!"
Everyone, including the ninja, applauded and cheered.
"Now, as you all may know, we have sadly had to deal with the loss of a good friend of mine, Dr Orion Xavier, who would've been here tonight if it weren't for the...incident. This brings me on to mention the award dedicated to him, an award that he would've given to someone who he thought was worthy."
The ninja all held their breath; their eyes were open wide and simultaneously scanning the hall for anything out of the ordinary.
"But of course," Borg continued. "We'll be giving the awards out later on - so as we wait for the meal service to arrive, feel free to mingle with the other guests and enjoy the evening!"
Another round of applause emerged in the audience, which soon blended into the growing hubbub and chatter. People began getting out of their seats and meeting fellow workers, friends and award-winners.
"Argh, so we have to wait? Who knows how long it's gonna take for the award-giving to happen!" Jay whisper-shouted to the rest of the table.
"Well, all I know is that I totally have 'best-hair' in the bag-" Kai smirked, crossing his arms and leaning back in his seat.
"This isn't a high-school yearbook event, hair-gel;" Hector taunted. "We're on a mission - we need to tell that Borg guy that someone's out to get the orb in the Orion award."
Nya stood up from her seat first.
"He looks kinda busy though, talking with all those Ninjago officials-" she glared across the hall. Everyone else followed her eyes and noticed too. "Besides, this is a once-in a-lifetime occasion. We should enjoy it while we still can. In the meantime, I'm gonna get a drink." She stepped away from their table and headed to the far-end of the hall where temporary refreshments were being served.
Cole shrugged, rolled up his shirt sleeves and stood up too.
