Street Rats (Ninjago fanfic)

Chapter One-Watermelon and Kidnapping

A/N: Above pics are both Jennifer Hartridge. I couldn't decide between them, so you can choose what you see her as. Below is Alex.

Jennifer was minding her own business when it happened. It was market day in Ninjago and she was standing outside the food stall, turning a sparkly bracelet over and over in her hands as she deliberated on what to buy. There was just too much to choose from! They would definitely need a lot, especially for the dogs. But what to buy? Pork? Chicken? Chewing gum? Mints? Cake? Oooo, maybe chocolate cake! Or should she get red velvet instead?

That was when it happened.

"Jenny! Move!" a familiar voice called out to her. Jenny glanced over her shoulder to find her older sister sprinting towards her, the famous Ninja not far behind. Without another thought, she was running too.

"They had watermelon today, Alex!" she replied, dodging some people walking calmly the other way.

"Good for them!" Alex retorted and caught up with her. There was silence between them for a while, as they tore through the streets of Ninjago in a desperate attempt to get away from the Ninja. Alex looked back, and slowed to a stop. "I think we lost them." Jenny skidded across the ground and placed her hands on her knees, breathing heavily.

"What did you even do?" Her sister shrugged, still keeping a look out for their pursuers.

"They caught me pickpocketing someone."

"Still got it?" Alex pulled out a couple of expensive-looking rings in answer. The girls usually used stolen jewellery to buy the essentials, like food and clothing, and to pay the bills for their flat. It was cheap to keep, but they still had to earn a living to have a solid roof over their heads. The Ninja chose that moment to glide around the corner on their high tech vehicles.

"Oh shit." The two of them turned and started running again.

"They don't give up, do they? How are we even able to outrun these things?!" Jenny exclaimed, sliding underneath another stall in the market.

"Training," Alex responded evenly and swerved away from Jay's glider. "Bet you're glad you joined me on the morning runs now."

"All I want is peace, shortbread and a duck!" was the reply.

"The only thing you're getting is a jail cell!" Kai shouted from his flash car. 

"Shut up!" Alex returned, and threw a watermelon at his face. 

The two of them could easily have led the Ninja on a wild goose chase around the city: they knew every little shortcut, every twist and turn, every nook and cranny. But, unfortunately, Jenny was not much of a long-distance runner. She slowed down somewhere near the doughnut shop, glancing over her shoulder to check if the Ninja were behind them.

"Alex, I think we lost them, for real this time." But Alex wasn't there.

"Get off me!" her sister's voice sounded in the distance then, and Jenny was off again, running back the way she'd come.

"LEAVE MY SISTER ALONE!" she roared at the top of her lungs, then sadly felt someone grab her and pull her into their chest. It would have been truly wonderful if she'd actually barrelled into Cole and knocked him over to get to her sister. But, alas, fate had never been in their favour. Jenny struggled against the Ninja's hold, baring her teeth like a wildcat. Meanwhile, Alex was calmly watching as Cole tied her wrists with rope.

"The chase is up, Jen," she told her sister. "You're wasting your energy." For what was probably the first time in her life, Jenny listened and stopped fighting. The Ninja's hold loosened hesitantly, and she took the chance to bite his hand as hard as she could. Alex looked incredibly proud.

"Ow, hey!" Jen wrenched herself away and turned to face him. What she saw made her stop in her tracks. The Ninja who had caught her had brown, spiky hair that had to be held in place with hair gel. His skin was golden and muscular, clearly tanned by the sun, and his eyes were a dark amber. What caught her attention the most, however, was the scar running over his right eye. She knew who he was, without a doubt. Kai Smith. The Master of Fire. 

She gulped and glanced away from him, and Zane took advantage of the distraction to tie her wrists as well.

"Kinky."

"Don't ever say that again." Alex sighed long-sufferingly: Jenny used humour as a coping method for when she felt awkward. The trouble was, her sense of humour was, well, odd.

"Come on," Jen replied lightly, as the Ninja led them away. "My humour's all I have from Dad." 

"You've got his hair. And his love of food." And that was when Sensei Wu arrived on the scene. Jenny didn't appear to notice.

"Speaking of food, I need some shortbread," she continued talking. "Oooo, and I still want that duck! I can train it to bite people."

"A duck?" Lloyd asked then, frowning in confusion. Jenny looked genuinely concerned.

"Do you not know what a duck is?"

"They're short and green, like you," Alex mused thoughtfully. "Well, not exactly like you, because they have green heads." Jay sniggered in spite of himself, earning a glare from Kai and Cole.

"I know what a duck is!" Lloyd spluttered in response. Jen tilted her head slightly to the side.

"You sure?" Sensei Wu looked as if he were regretting his life decisions.

"Jennifer, Alexa," he began. Jenny saluted him with a grin.

"Hey there, old man," she greeted him cheerfully. "It's been years."

"Hello, Sensei," Alex told him, more politely. "Could you tell your minions to let go of us?" Wu nodded and the Ninja untied the ropes. Jen rubbed her wrists once they were free.

"Is it possible to have an allergic reaction to rope?" she questioned. "My wrists are killing me already." They ignored her. Charming.

"Come with me." Wu ordered and turned around, clearly expecting them to follow.