The subject matter may be triggering since it includes politics and it may create controversy. Interpret it how you wish but if you are all decent people you won't spam my notifications with tangents. Dudes I'm just a fanfic writer. I just hope I'm not forced to delete this. You may be able to personally ask my questions via PM and I may or may not give you a direct answer.

Warning politics, dramatics, and questionable leaders ahead
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"WHAT? Veenersnitzel won?"

Popcorn hit the screen as groans filled the living room. The ninja were all draped over the many sofas and reclining chairs as they watched the election.

"I really want to kick someone right now!" Nya fumed. Everyone shifted away as she stomped around. "How could that overgrown pumpkin be elected?"

"The simple process of democracy and people's genuine belief that Hunter Veenersnitzel is the ideal mayor-"

"Not now Zane!"

Wu shook his head and tsked sipping what smelled like oolong as he stared at the cheering crowds. "I sense a shadow is being cast over the world." He said gravely.

🗳 ⛩ 🗳

"Heck yeah, I voted for Hunter." Dareth said, nodding enthusiastically as he ran his hands along the wall of the monastery.

Kai gaped at him saying a loud "why?" while Jay scrunched his brow with a confused, "Hunter?"

"He's so invested in helping the world." Dareth sighed as he walked into an antique vase and hurried to steady it. "I almost feel like I know him on a first name basis!"

Kai and Jay exchanged looks. "...do you?" Jay inquired carefully.

"Well....no." Dareth admitted. "But I feel like o do!"

After the vase fell and shattered into a million pieces, Kai quickly brought Dareth to the living room where he could hopefully make as little damage as possible.

"Where are you going, Lloyd?" Kai inquired with surprise, raising an eyebrow at the crisp, clean, gi.

It was very rare to see one of the ninjas uniforms so nicely in tact without blood, sweat, and grunge on it. They only brought out the big guns when something important was happening. And considering how Lloyd didn't even wear a nice gi for his mother's birthday this must've been pretty big.

"I'm going to have a talk with the mayor." Lloyd said smoothly as he gathered his things.

Cole shot up from where he had been snoozing on the armoire. "What? You mean Veenersnitzel!!?"

Lloyd stood there in the doorway, awkwardly. "Well that's the only mayor I can talk to at the moment." He said uncomfortably.

Jay wrinkled his nose as he sat down beside Nya. "Why?"

"Well I figured since he's going to be the mayor for awhile we might as well try and get on the same page as him." Lloyd said diplomatically.

Cole snorted. "Like that's ever happening. That guy is in a whole different book!" He laid back down, placing a ball cap on his face as he did.

Lloyd rolled his eyes. "I'd hate to agree with Cole," Cole sent the master of fire a tired glare. "But he's right. I'm not sure if Hunter Veenersnitzel has the same motives as you do." Kai told his teammate as gently as he could.

Lloyd blinked at the careful approach but immediately regretted believing it would stay when Kai launches into a tangent full of not-so-kind words. Nya nodded steadily in agreement as Jay winced at a particularly vulgar name.

"You know, I was hoping for a little more support than this." Lloyd sighed. He turned to Master Wu. "Sensei? Usually you try and support my ideas."

"Not when they're stupid." Wu said bluntly as he popped his tea bag in and strolled out.

Lloyd gave another frustrated exhale as he slammed around the room for his keys. He found them before turning to the room full of blank stares. "Well? Nothing? No backup whatsoever?"

Silence.

"I admire your kind yet naive hope that we are not facing the impending doom of the world." Pixal tried. Zane rubbed his temples as Lloyd's face crumpled.

Lloyd just looked at her for a moment before very, very slowly releasing a breath. "thanks for that Pixal." He said tiredly. He turned and shut the door with a slam, making Jay jump.

"So...who wants to check the news every twenty minutes to watch for Lloyd's humiliation?" Kai offered.

🗳 ⛩ 🗳

WHAM!!!

THUMP. THUMP! THUMP!!!!

Eyes peaked innocently over the back of the couch at the loud entrance. A disheveled and absolutely furious green ninja appeared as he marched over to the remote placed delicately on the end of the footstool and waved it dramatically at the television screen before finally achieving his goal of turning it off. He flew out in a huff, grabbing Cole's coffee cup from his hand.

"Uh, buddy that's black-oh." Cole stuttered in surprise when their leader downed the whole mug. Lloyd plunked it back in his palm before moving into the kitchen.

"Is this the same stuff?" He inquired, pointing to the coffee pot.

"Yes, but you shouldn't-" he was broken off again when Lloyd tipped his head black and poured it into his mouth. "Never mind." Cole said quietly.

Kai's eyebrows were flying into his hairline. "What happened?"

Lloyd wiped his mouth before plopping in a seat. "Mayor's a jerk." He muttered.

Kai lightly patted his brother on the shoulder. "So, I'm guessing it didn't go well."

Lloyd shuffled so he slumped deeper into the couch cushions and made grabby hands at the blanket until Cole grabbed it. The master of earth tossed it over the youngest of the team and they all watched as he threw it over his head before proceeding to be an unresponsive lump of fabric.

Zane sat up abruptly, his eyes looking at something the others could not. "Someone turn on the news."

Nya obeyed, flipping through the channels until they got to NGTV news. Gayle Gossip appeared on screen.

"The new Mayor Veenersnitzel has made a public announcement after having a long conversation with Ninjago's very own green ninja. Let's see what he has to say."

The camera switched to the face of the mayor who stood in front of a podium with a very serious look on his face. "I believe that the ninja are secretly an agency of the serpentine trying to take over all of Ninjago!" He called out.

"Is he serious?" Nya said dangerously, sitting up. "Is he serious??!!!"

"The evidence is right there! They are trying to destroy the world." The mayor continued earnestly.

The view went back to Gayle. "Despite officials confirming that the ninja are not in fact advocates of the now peaceful serpentine the mayor refuses to look at the evidence and is still convinced that the elemental masters are 'spawns of oni' as he put it." Gayle Gossip announced. "We'll bring you more tomorrow here at NGTV News."

"Are people actually buying this?" Nya questioner incredulously.

"We have had doubters before." Zane said knowledgeably. "The mayor is only feeding rumours and conspiracy theories that already exists. In that grows fear and uncertainty. And added distrust can become very dangerous."

Loud, muffled, indecipherable words of agreement came from the blanket.

"I'm sure it'll all blow over." Cole said uneasily as he quickly turned off the television again. "I'm sure Gayle wouldn't mind doing an interview of us to help."

"No interviews!" Kai snapped abruptly.

Cole burst out laughing. "Oh my first spinjitzu master, I forgot about that!" He chortled.

The blanket made a loud noise of complaint as the earth ninja continued to shake with laughter.

Pixal grimaced. "I do not advise doing an interview without set prepared boundaries."

"What do you think Master Wu?" Jay piped. He glanced around. "Master Wu?"

The blanket shifted as they all searched for their teacher.

"It appears Wu has left the room." Zane started the obvious.

"Great, even Sensei abandoned us." Jay muttered.

Nya smiled slightly as she looked fondly at her sulking boyfriend. "What happened to positive thinking?"

"It flew out the window along with Ninjago's sanity." Jay retaliated smoothly. He stood and moved to the kitchen.

"Cole, we're going to need A LOT more coffee."

More auditory mumbles of agreement hailed from the blanket.