CHAPTER SIXTEEN — OPERATION RESCUE LLOYD
the green ninja — part two

"It was to protect him." — kai smith

IRIS KNEW THAT HER FATHER WAS GOING TO BE TESTING NYA TO SEE IF SHE WAS THE GREEN NINJA — IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME — BUT IRIS JUST KNEW THAT IT WOULDN'T WORK FOR HER. In her heart she knew that Nya was meant for different things than to become the destined Green Ninja. But Wu still had to try. And just like the Master of space had predicted, nothing.

As soon as she heard word that Zane's falcon had spotted Lloyd, she dashed for the bridge. The others met her there where footage from the falcon was being presented on the screen. She may not have been there in a long time but Iris recognised it instantly. It was the Temple of Fire.

"Looks like Pythor is at the Temple of Fire." Pointed out Nya as her, Kai and Jay arrived on the scene.

Kai gasped slightly. "That means the Fangblade is there."

"And Lloyd."

Iris turned to look at his Uncle, clad in purple pyjamas and a robe, as he entered the bridge. She was thinking of the same thing too. They may have already been two Fangblades down, but they had to get Lloyd.

Of course, Jay had to remind them of a past conflict. "That's the same fire temple where Kai and Lord Garmadon first faced off." It was where the golden sword of fire had been kept safe.

Iris sighed in annoyance. "That's not what's important right now, Jay." She said as she gave the lightning ninja a warning look. But of course, Kai being Kai, had to bring it back up.

"If my memory serves me correct, I'd day one of us cheated back when we last fought."

Then Garmadon retorted. "And I remember someone needing their Sensei to save them." He too was growing tired of this. They had to stop arguing and focus on retrieving Lloyd and the Fangblade. If the Serpentine got this blade then they only had one more chance to reach it before they did and stop them from releasing the Great Devourer.

"Guys!" Yelled Cole, bringing everyone to a halt. "For the sake of the Fangblade and Lloyd, can we please just get along?"

Iris nodded in agreement with the earth ninja. "Exactly what Cole said. And I think I remember stating that I didn't want any fighting on this ship during my Uncle's stay. So stop it." She glared intently at the ninja around her. "Now, lets go and bring Lloyd and the Fangblade home."

So they all turned back to the screen in front of them where the volcano was spewing black smoke from the crater. It definitely looked more active than the last time Iris saw it. Nya noticed that too. "Since the last time we've been there, it looks like the volcano has grown unstable." Very not good. "The place is a powder keg just waiting to blow up." Very very not good. "This will be a highly combustible environment."

"Oh, great. Just what I like." Jay sarcastically remarked. "Fighting armed and deadly snakes in a highly combustible environment ABOUT TO BLOW UP!"

The elder Sensei sighed as he thought. "We will do what we must."

"This isn't just about taking down a couple of Serpentine. They have Lloyd. And we have to stop them from releasing the Great Devourer." Iris reminded the ninja solemnly as she cast her eyes to the Temple of Fire upon the screen. Lloyd was there and they had to get him out.

Zane nodded. "Yes, Senseis. But where are our weapons?" He inquired as he noticed the absence of his ice shurikens. 

"And why is Lord Garmadon not here?"

Then Kai ran out of the bridge and below deck where he expected to find Lord Garmadon stealing the golden weapons of Spinjitzu. Wu called out and try to stop the hot-headed fire ninja, but as usual, he didn't listen. The two Wu's exchanged a worried glance as everyone in the bridge then took off after Kai to wherever he was headed.

They had to stop him before he made a mistake he couldn't take back.

Because he believed he was meant to be the Green ninja, he thought he was the one who was meant to take down Lord Garmadon aka the Darkness. So whilst Kai had this notion in his head about his destiny, they couldn't stop him from planning his attack on her Uncle. He was taught not to quit, to never give up, which in this case was a very bad thing.

When they arrived at her Father's room, they found it locked. Kai and Garmadon were inside, the golden weapons discarded on the ground, and they were fighting. And she had specifically asked for no fighting. 

Kai did not trust Lord Garmadon one bit and had been treating him with suspicion and disrespect ever since had arrived. So, of course Garmadon would want to kick his red ass if given the opportunity. 

Nya reached for the handle of the door and began tugging it but to no avail. It would not open. "What are you doing?"

"Discovering my true potential!"

"This is not the way to do it, Kai!" Yelled Iris as she planned the kind of scolding she was going to give Kai later.

She took a deep breath and calmed herself as she readied to teleport into the room. But a hand on her arm stopped her. Looking at her Father, Iris stopped what she was doing. "If you appear in the middle of their fighting, you may make things worse." Reasoned the old man. Iris sighed and deflated at her helplessness. 

Then Jay tried yanking on the door handle, but he couldn't open it either. "Kai thinks he'll unlock his power if he stands up to Lord Garmadon." Cried out Nya.

"Why would he think that?" Iris knew the answer to that question.

"He thinks he's the Green Ninja."

Cole stepped forwards. "Well if we don't open this door soon, I think he's gonna be mincemeat. Stand back." He continued towards the door and closed his eyes. After a moment, his entire body glowed with power. "Earth!" He directed it towards the door and suddenly, the power of earth had blasted the wooden door from its hinges and allowed them into the room.

Panting for breath, Kai stood like a victorious winner on top of the fallen form of Lord Garmadon. "I did it! I defeated him! Are my eyes glowing? Did I unlock my powers? Is this my true potential?" 

Iris was sending the fire ninja an incredibly heated glare at his words. "No, you most certainly did not!" Hollered the yellow ninja as she stood before Kai, arms crossed over her arms, mask missing from her face so he could see the angry and disappointed look on it. Kai cowered slightly when he saw her.

"Why isn't it working?"

Wu stepped past the ninja to stand before Kai. "Because you can't defeat someone who allowed himself to be defeated." Iris was about to question that because considering her Uncle was over a thousand years old, was the son of the First Spinjitzu Master and had the evil of the Great Devourer in his veins, how could a newbie ninja defeat him? Answer: it was impossible. Iris walked forwards to help her Father as they aided the four-legged man to his feet.

A small smile appeared on Garmadon's face. "I wasn't going to hurt you, boy. I was only fetching your weapons." He informed the fire ninja.

"But you were trying to steal them!"

"I asked him to get them." Wu told Kai as his face shared the same disappointment Iris's did. "Perhaps it is best you do not reach your true potential, or else someone could get hurt."

The other ninja just shook their heads at his brother as Kai hung his head in shame and regret. "Way to go, hero." Garmadon was finally back onto his feet when they felt the Bounty come to a complete halt. Cole announced. "Sounds like we've finally reached our destination."

THE BOUNTY HOVERED ABOVE THE LAKE OF LAVA SURROUNDING THE VOLCANO AS NYA AND IT WAITED FOR THEM TO RETURN. Iris, her Father, her Uncle and the other ninja all strolled carefully and quietly through the gates of the Fire Temple. She noticed the worried look on her Uncle's face as he drew nearer to his son — he hadn't seen him in quite some time after all. So she gave the Lord of Darkness a reassuring look as they slowly made their way up the old cobbled path to the entrance of the temple.

But they had to be careful because the volcano was very unstable and it wouldn't take much for it to erupt. "The volcano seems to be on the verge of eruption, guys." Nya warned them over the radio. "All recent indicators tell me that this place is becoming increasingly fragile. Even the smallest rupture can make the whole thing go off."

"That's not very comforting." Mumbled Iris. Noticing the worry in her eyes, Zane discreetly reached for her hand and that just made her heartbeat calm itself to a more sturdy rhythm. "Thank you." Zane said nothing.

With Nya's warning, the older Sensei decided. "Then we must not use our weapons." They all — apart from Kai at first — put their weapons away as they headed straight for the entrance to the volcano. 

"Yeah, yeah. No Fire Sword." He reluctantly conceded after Nya warned him to put it away. Then Kai turned up to look at Zane's falcon that was feeding footage back the Bounty. "But only because I wouldn't want anything to prevent us from getting that Fangblade."

"Or my son."

As they reached the opening to the volcano, Iris turned to her Uncle. "We will bring him home, Uncle Garmadon." He nodded gratefully at her words.

Then her Father's voice rang out. "There." They all turned to look as he pointed down the entrance to volcano, filled with lava and steam that tried to block their path. "The Serpentine must be inside the inner core. From here on out, we travel by shadows." 

"It's the only way I know how." 

Then one by one, the ninja, Wu and Garmadon sprinted down the tunnel and towards the centre of the volcano. All that mattered in that moment was finding Lloyd and the Fangblade and bringing home. And Iris was sure, if they worked together, they could do both.

Inside the pit of the volcano, the Serpentine had gathered. Wooden bridges were hastily constructed across the stone islands that stuck out from the lava which connected the snakes to each other. Pythor was down in the centre and watched as a Hypnobrai dug into the earth in search of what was no doubt the next Fangblade. Lloyd's rescue party halted at the edge of the tunnel to stare down at the sight before them.

They couldn't just rush into it. They had to plan. 

"There's Lloyd." Pointed out Jay in a whisper. 

They all quickly turned to where he was pointing and their eyes met the sad expression of Lloyd Garmadon, still trapped inside that cage he was in the last time she saw him. Iris's heart clenched as soon as she saw him. They had to get him out of there. Garmadon just gasped at the sight of his well guarded boy. "Ah! Son."

Slowly to avoid detection, the group started to climb down the into the centre of the volcano. But it was too late. Pythor had the next Fangblade.  But still, they couldn't give up. They crept onto the first bridge and sneakily made their way towards Pythor and the Serpentine. But that wasn't enough. Because Pythor spotted them.

"Attack!"

Sensei Wu took the lead of their group. "Light as a leaf. Attack like there is no tomorrow." Then after sharing a nod with his daughter, the two Wu's leapt into action. 

Every member of their new team took a different section of the volcano and began to take down the Serpentine. Neither of the ninja used their elemental golden weapons out of fear of the consequences, so their fists, skills and spinjitzu would have to do. 

The Hypnobrai nearest Iris tried to sway her to be under his control, but she quickly closed her eyes before that could happen. Then launching a counter attack, Iris struck her hands forward, sending the serpent hurtling backwards. With a kick, the Fangpyre heading her way was soon dealt with then she dashed across a wobbly bridge to the next section. 

Using their elemental powers to their advantage, the boys took down multiple Serpentine. So Iris decided to join in. She felt a familiar surge of energy travel down her arm and accumulate in her hand. And when the orb of cosmic energy was big enough, she launched it at a group of snakes charging right at her. The orb scattered the snakes like pins in a bowling alley then with a deep breath, Iris vanished in a flash of yellow.

She reappeared beside her Father and took down the Serpentine behind him as he dealt with what was in front. "Thank you, daughter."

Iris smiled beneath her mask. "Of course, Father." 

All she wanted was to get Lloyd and return to the Bounty but it had already been decided that her Uncle Garmadon would be the one to retrieve his son. So Iris had to focus on her ninja. And one of them was going to make a huge mistake.

Fire sword brandished out in front of him, Kai ignited the metal and instantly the magma around them glowed with energy. "Kai, no!" Iris cried out as she felt the unstable ground beneath her start to quake. 

"Kai, the weapon is compromising our safety." 

They were now all in the centre of the volcano, surrounded by the scalding magma. Constrictai used their burrowing abilities to tear holes in the ground, causing magma to spew like a faucet all around them. Not good. And Pythor was getting away with the Fangblade AND Lloyd.

"They're making the volcano unstable." Realised Zane as he watched the snakes continue to tear their way through the ground.

"Any minute this place is gonna blow. We have to get out of here."

Both Iris and Garmadon had different priorities. The latter pushed past the lightning ninja as he focused his view on the boy trapped in the cage. "Not without my son." And in that moment, Lloyd finally caught sight of the entire rescue time and saw who was with them. 

"Dad!"

His scream was enough for Garmadon to leap into action. He threw himself into the air and sent himself flying towards the stone steps that led outside. First he seized the nearest sword and then started to fight his way up the serpent covered staircase to get to his son. Biting her lip nervously, Iris's hands reached out for the two people nearest to her: her Father and Zane. Both accepted her hands without a word. 

Iris wanted to scream when Pythor had the snakes drop her cousin's cage into the lava pit below. Fortunately, the cage caught on a ledge but the lava was rising so he wouldn't have long. They had to get him out of there. And fast. But before Iris could teleport to his side, Garmadon had torn his way through the advancing Serpentine to get to the metal pole attached to the cage. 

Just in the nick of time, he swung the cage up and out of the fire, narrowly missing Lloyd as the bottom of the cage had completed melted off. A sigh of relief passed all the ninja's lips as Lloyd was rescued. And the moment was just made sweeter when the rebellious kid embraced his Father in a long overdue hug. But no matter how sweet it was, it wasn't the time.

The volcano was about to explode.

They all started to scale the wall and up to a way out when Kai sprinted up the stairs. "The Fangblade's mine!" The yellow ninja's eyes widened in fear as she turned over her shoulder to watch Kai head straight for Pythor. His idea that he was meant to be the Green Ninja was going to put him and possibly someone else on danger. He had to stop.

"Come back," Cole called out to him, "it's too dangerous. The whole place is gonna explode!"

"We can fight this fight another day." Iris shouted across the volcano.

But either the fire ninja didn't hear her or he was choosing to ignore her. "Then I better be quick."

As Kai used his sword to prevent Pythor from taking the Fangblade, the others — including Lloyd — had scaled the stone wall. She quickly embraced her young cousin in a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're okay, Monty."

"I knew you'd come back for me." 

Moving back to offer the small boy a smile, she asked. "I said I would get you out and I did." Lloyd just leaned forwards again and restarted their hug. This was nice.

Jay stared across the volcano at Kai and yelled over to him. "Leave it, Kai! It's not worth your life!" His words caused Lloyd to move away from Iris curiously as he looked to see what was going on. But Kai refused to go.

Magma was rising exponentially fast at this point yet the fire ninja refused to leave the blade behind. Lloyd frowned as he turned to everyone. "But what about Kai? Kai!"

Then the ground beneath Lloyd broke and he was sent down into the depths of the volcano.

They were all too late to grab him and couldn't do anything but watch as the boy's form fell into the orange sea beneath him. A broken scream tore through Iris as she watched her cousin fall. She couldn't lose him. He was just a boy. She was meant to be the one to go first, not him. Zane swung his arms around her and pulled the Wu girl into his chest as she began to sob. 

But Lloyd was alive.

Somehow the boy had managed to remain on the piece of stone that had broken away from the edge. But there were no more bridges and the volcano was collapsing. What were they going to do. Iris's teleportation skills lacked in the plus one department. She had only ever been able to teleport herself and no one else. Maybe one day she could, but that was not this day.

"Dad! I'm sinking! Iris!" 

The helplessness she was feeling in that moment, watching as the boy she cared for slowly be consumed by the magma below, it broke everything inside her. Hot tears streamed down her face as she turned away and buried her face in Zane's chest. She couldn't watch this. 

"We have to get out of here," Wu told them as he watched the rocks continue to fall down upon them, "or else none of us will get out of here."

Iris didn't want to go, but she didn't have the energy to fight back as Zane pulled her towards the exit behind them. Even if she couldn't save Lloyd, she wasn't going to leave him alone. Not again. Wu grabbed his brother and tugged him backwards, but he obviously protested. "But my son!"

Then more rocks fell down upon them and suddenly, the tunnel was blocked off to the volcano. Garmadon immediately used his four arms to try and dig away the rubble, but it was no use, there was too much of it. Another gut-wrenching sob wracked Iris's body as Lloyd and Kai were sealed off from them. 

Zane grabbed Iris and Wu grabbed Garmadon and between who was left, they managed to get everyone out of the volcano. But Kai and Lloyd were still there. 

Shakes took control of Iris's body as she began to feel the grief of losing her cousin and her pupil/friend. She was meant to protect them and she had failed. Zane somehow managed to get her onto the Bounty in her half-conscious state and as soon as she feet met the wood, she collapsed onto her knees on the deck.

The ice ninja fell with her as she gave up and let her body drop. Her knees hit the deck harshly, but the pain didn't really matter to her. All the ninja and her Father stood around the girl and then knelt down to join Zane as he embraced the yellow ninja. Together they were united in their grief as they lost two very important people in their lives. Garmadon did nothing and just stared off blankly into the distance. He couldn't process his lost at that moment.

As the Bounty soared up into the air, Nya joined them on the deck. The ninja broke from their group hug as they gathered around the edge and stared up at the erupting volcano. Zane helped Iris to her feet and guided her to the edge as they watched the volcano explode. "Kai." Nya gasped as she watched the violence of the volcano.

"Son." Sobbed Garmadon as he let his tears fall. 

Then a ball of orange light was spat out from the volcano's crater. And it was headed straight for them. Tugging on the yellow ninja's gi, Zane directed her to face the incoming glowing orb. And when Iris's eyes met it in the sky, she suddenly smiled.

A relieved chuckle somehow made it out of her hoarse throat as she watched Kai and Lloyd fly towards them. Kai had found his true potential and he had rescued Lloyd. She hadn't lost anyone after all. 

Iris sobbed in relief and threw her arms around Zane's neck as the two grinned beneath their masks. "It's Kai!" Jay pointed out. "He's found his true potential." Then the sphere of fire landed on the deck and fell to reveal one fire ninja and one Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon. 

"He did it." Smiled Iris proudly. But as soon as the fire around the ninja faded, he collapsed onto the deck. 

The others reached down and pulled him to his feet as Iris and Garmadon rushed over to Lloyd. They embraced the small boy as a family and Iris leaned down to kiss his forehead. "I thought I lost you, Monty." She cried. "Don't do that again."

"I'll try not to." 

Then Iris left the boy to reunite with his Father as she went to congratulate and thank her red ninja. Because not only had Kai saved Lloyd, but he unlocked his true potential. Now all of them had unleashed the true power within. 

Pythor better watch out now.

AFTER EVERYONE WAS SAFE AND SOUND, THEY ALL GATHERED IN THE BRIRDGE. Wu had immediately greeted his returned ninja and his nephew with welcome arms as he too was utterly relieved to see them back. The entire time the two were trapped in the mountain, he had hoped this would happen. He knew Kai could save them both.

Lloyd leaned into his Father's four arms and then looked up at him, "Dad? Is it really you?"

"It is son." 

A frown crossed the Garmadon boy's lips as he stared at his Father, bewildered. "Dad?" He queried. "Why do you have four arms?" An amused chuckle echoed through the ninja at the boy's words.

"He's gonna be okay." Announced Cole and the others cheered happily in response. Lloyd was back and they couldn't be happier. Despite his pranking tendencies, they had grown to care about the boy and had started to see the good and potential in him, like their two Senseis did. 

What Iris didn't see coming, was her Uncle smiling at the fire ninja. Because after saving his son, Garmadon knew the least he could do was offer the ninja a grateful smile. "Thank you, Kai."

"But how did you survive? How did you discover the key to unlocking your powers?" Zane asked curiously.

A peaceful smile appeared on Kai's face as he replied. "I knew when I had to make a choice. I wanted the Fangblade so badly, to prove I was good enough to become the Green Ninja." At least it seemed he had finally given up that goal. It was getting a bit much. "But then I figured it out. All of my training to become the best ninja wasn't in preparation to become the Green Ninja. It was to protect him." 

Oh my Grandfather, Iris's eyes widened in realisation as she turned to look at her cousin. A gasp escaped her lips and her hand shot to her mouth in shock.

Lloyd was the Green Ninja.

She didn't expect that.

Not understanding what was happening, Lloyd frowned. "What? What is everybody looking at me for?" Garmadon took a step back as the truth became clear to him. He knew the prophecy and he knew what it meant. 

"That means..."

Nya, Kai and Cole took the golden weapons from the others and made their way for Lloyd. And as soon as all four came near the young boy, a green mist surrounded him. The weapons floated into the air and formed the green energy around the boy. It looked like neurons firing or thin tendrils of electricity. Whatever it was, it was beautiful and confirmed Kai's theory. Lloyd was the destined Green Ninja.

"Lloyd is the Green Ninja." Proclaimed Wu as he took in the sight. "I had thought it would be one of you—"

Iris interjected with a small smile. "I never did."

The boys didn't know whether to be offended or smile. "But it was him the whole time." Wu finished. "It all makes sense. Not only have you for been chosen to protect the Golden Weapons," as Wu stepped towards Lloyd, the energy around him dissipated and the weapons slowly lowered onto the floor. "but also to protect the chosen one."

"That means..."

Wu hung his head sadly as he looked to his brother. "The battle lines have been drawn, brother. Sadly, our family has only become more divided." One day Lloyd would have to fight his Father and it was now one that Iris was already dreading. She sighed heavily at the news. When were their family going to catch a break? "Brother versus brother, and now, son versus father."

A chuckle from Jay brought them all from the conversation to look at him. "This is heavy and all, but whatever happened to the FANGBLADE?!?!"

Iris sighed again as she addressed her ninja. "We must hope that the blade is lost beneath the volcano. But if not, we have to be ready to retrieve the last one before Pythor wins."

Aaahhh!!! We did it!!! Episode 10!!!!

Lloyd is the Green Ninja!!! Woohoo!!! This is where it all officially starts to take off. Yay!

Honestly though, writing Iris grieving almost broke me. Lloyd may be her cousin but he's also like her son in a way as Iris is the mother hen of this team. Considering her and Nya share the braincells, they're the adults and Nya is more of a cool aunt. 

I missed Iris and Lloyd, I would have to admit, I love them so much. Speaking of love, I adore Zane throughout this because he's doing his best to help Iris despite his own sadness. I love them so much I wanna cry.

Iris so called none of the four ninja being the Green Ninja, she just knew it. Honestly though, Nya would be an interesting Green Ninja. But she slays as Samurai X and later as a different ninja. 

Thank you for reading!!!

Sincerely Rosie aka Winter326