***Welcome to 4500 words of chaos :D

No song here. I couldn't find a good place to put one, so I didn't push it LOL***

***(Lloyd's POV)***

My mom asked me to pick up some tea for her on my way to get her from work. She said she usually stops at some small place in town.

I'm kind of fed up with her: I've been working my butt off trying to find an evil Djinn and a scheming serpentine, and she wants me to buy her tea?!

But at least Nya and Jay are done planning the wedding shower now. I'll have more help with missions. Cole's been busy with Seliel and foster care, Kai's been stressed with the wedding, and Zane...well, he and PIXAL have been my only aid.

I walk into the tea shop, wallet in hand. A bell rings above me.

"What do you want?" asks a familiar voice behind the counter.

I frown, looking up. "Principal Mystaké?"

She nods. "Oh, it's you. Are you here for your mother?"

"Yeah," I say slowly. "I didn't know you owned a tea shop."

"I have for years now. I'm only staying your principal until you finish high school. I hate that job."

O-kay, creepy vibes. "Why are you waiting until...I'm out of high school?"

"We Oni have to stick together." She shakes her head. "It's because you and your friends constantly get – got, now that they're graduated – into a buttload of trouble."

"Wait – I'm so confused here." I set my wallet down on the counter.

She sighs. "Don't be so slow, Lloyd. You're fully aware that you and your friends got into a lot of trouble back when they were in high school, yet they received very little correction. Ever wonder why?"

"Sometimes," I frown.

"It's because I'm on your side, dingbat." She snaps the magazine she's reading closed. "How's Pythor?"

I pale. "You know...how..." I grab my wallet, backing toward the door. "I think I...need to go." And call my team and tell them that their former principal is totally one of the bad guys.

She barks out a laugh. "You're really thick for a top student. Lloyd Garmadon – and yes, I know you aren't just any Garmadon, but the son of Lord Garmadon – I'm a friend of your uncle's. He's had me keeping an eye on you all for the past few years. I know all about current threats to Ninjago, and I know all about your ninja team. I'll prove it." She pulls something from under the counter.

I shiver, taking what appears to be a journal from her hands. "What is this?"

"It's a finances book. You'll notice that multiple times, I've made copies of checks from your uncle he's given to help me fund this place."

"Not surprising. The guy was – is, I guess – a tea maniac." I set the book down on the counter.

I guess he wouldn't fund her if she were one of the bad guys, right?

"It's a pity he's been trapped in another realm for so long," she sighs. "He's a good friend of mine. But he saw beyond the now, and he knew he needed to go to the Realm of Madness to replace Jay's mother there."

My eyes bug. "You..."

"Know everything about you? Yes. I know more than you do about you. Why don't you call your friends here, and we'll all sit down and have a chat? I've recently ordered a tea I think you'll be interested in for your current mission. You're welcome to wait outside until they get here, if you're feeling uncomfortable. I just don't want you loitering in my shop." She yawns as though she hasn't just told me my principal's life is a lie.

I swallow. "U-um...I think...making a call...is a good idea." I all but rush out of the shop, punching in Nya's number.

She answers on about the fourth ring, making me wonder how reluctant she is to speak with me.

"Lloyd," she greets.

"Nya. Uh, so there's something kind of big that happened at the tea shop. I need you and the others down here A.S.A.P."

I hear rustling on the other side. "Gotcha. What happened? Is it that Djinn?" She hisses the word like a swear.

"No," I'm quick to reply. "Um, Principal Mystaké owns a tea shop, and she apparently knows Sensei, but now she tells me that she knows everything about us and our missions, and she mentioned Pythor." I swallow hard.

"That sounded as incoherent as Jay when he gets stressed. We'll be there as soon as we can, okay?"

"Please, please, please come. I just have a bad feeling about this."

"Okay. Do you need me to stay on the phone? I can hand it over to Jay while I get the others."

"Oh, gosh, yes. If he's willing to speak with me."

"He may not like you very much, but he still cares, Lloyd." There's more shuffling on the other end of the line, and then it goes quiet.

I clear my throat. "Jay? You there?"

"Yeah. Um...how's life?"

For Jay, this conversation is not very animated. "Life's crazy. Apparently, there's a tea shop in town that our principal owns, and she knows everything about the team. She knows about your mom – Mystaké knows she was trapped in another realm!"

"What?!" Jay cries.

"Yes! Do you see where I'm coming from here?"

Jay and I proceed to have the longest conversation we've had in months. He essentially quizzes me on everything Mystaké said, and I give very confused answers. We stay on the phone the fifteen minutes it takes for Nya to drive herself, Zane, PIXAL, and Jay to the tea shop. Cole is piled high in work to make the monastery a foster home.

Once they arrive, the team all runs out in full gear.

Okay, I'm scared out of my mind, but that might be overkill. I don't think Mystaké has plans to attack us – she seems like she actually knows Master Wu.

Jay heads straight for me. "Where is she? If she knows anything about my mom – "

Nya grabs his arm. "I understand that that's what you're worried about right now, Jay, but we can't just barge in there. What if Mystaké is actually some criminal who wants to steal our secrets?"

"I already know all about your secrets," she says from behind us. "Nothing to learn."

We all pivot at once, ready to fight.

She stands with her hands on her hips and offers each of us a skeptical look. "Your uncle told me a lot when he was here. Besides that, you all do a horrible job of keeping your identities secret from anyone. The police force already knows, the Sons of Garmadon knew. I'm surprised the whole high school hasn't figured it out by now." She hitches a shoulder. "Not much we can do about it now."

A frown. "You mean...everyone knows we're the ninja?"

"Everybody who's somebody." Mystaké motions for us to follow her. "Come inside. I have a new tea in that I think will help you in your fight against Pythor and Nadakhan."

Nya stares at me, wide-eyed. "Did you tell..."

"No, I didn't tell her about Pythor," I sigh. "I said she already knew everything about us, Nya."

We all follow our – principal, I guess? – inside, where she seats us on the floor.

She retrieves a ladder from a side closet and stands it up, using it as a stool to reach the top shelf of her store. "Tea's up here," she informs us. "As I said, I've ordered a special one for you."

"What does this tea supposedly do?" I ask cautiously.

"Oh, it allows you to see certain events related to your life throughout time. A few past, maybe some present, lots of future. You'll want to see future events, of course, and you'll want to see ones involving the mission you're currently working on." She hums to herself as though this is no big revelation.

"Do you...choose what events you see?" Nya inquires.

"Not entirely," Mystaké replies. "You have no control over that, but in a way, you can control how many events you see. Statistically, the more events you see, the more likely you are to see something that'll help you on your mission. However, that control is based on how focused of a person you are. The better your ability to focus, the more you'll see, the more likely you'll be to see something of use."

We all collectively look at PIXAL and Zane.

Mystaké shakes her head. "It won't work for them. They're too focused, and they'll never wake up if they drink it. So essentially, it's down to Lloyd or Nya here. I would drink it, myself, but as far as I can see, I'm only indirectly involved with your mission. That means I'd see unrelated visions." She sighs.

Jay raises a hand. "Why can't I drink it?"

Mystaké raises an eyebrow. "Do you really need to ask that question?"

"Yes!" he complains, then blushes. "Okay, no. I get that I'm not as focused as the rest of the team."

Nya pats his arm. "Thanks for offering, but I'm sure Lloyd and I have this covered. We can each drink some."

Mystaké nods, opening the box. Her expression suddenly morphs, and she huffs, "Dang it."

"What do you mean, 'dang it'?" I ask.

"I got shorted. Each box is supposed to come with enough tea for two cups – it's pretty hard to get hold of – but one of these bags is busted open. Tea grounds and packing peanuts everywhere." She mumbles under her breath about a refund.

"So...we only have one bag of this tea?" I clarify.

"Yes. So I guess you can play 'Rock, Paper, Clam' to see who drinks. Or whatever you kids do these days." She pulls out the one good teabag and dangles it in the air.

Nya clears her throat. "Are there...side-effects from drinking it?"

Mystake shrugs. "You drink the tea, fall asleep a few minutes later, take a nap of varying length – it depends on how well you focus – and then, once you've seen what you're going to see, you wake up."

Nya looks at me. "I'm...not really into the whole tea-vision thing."

I bite my lip. "I...I could drink it, but Nya...I don't trust myself right now." I'm too busy fretting about Harumi lately – half the time, I'm angry with her, and the other half...I miss what we had.

Nya shakes her head. "Fine. Whatever. I'll do it."

Jay holds up a finger. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. We're not even sure we can trust this lady. And this isn't overprotective or anything, Nya, but I'm not necessarily okay with you drinking her tea if she intends to drug you or something."

"Valid point," Nya replies.

Mystaké rolls her eyes. "So even though your master trusts me, Lloyd's mom trusts me, and I've let you off from countless punishments at school in the past, you still choose to distrust me?"

"Well..." I sigh. "Look, I'll drink it. I'll take the risk. My only request is that one of my team stay with me the whole time."

"As if I can't do it?" Nya scoffs. "I can take risks, too!"

"I wasn't implying that," I pacify her. "I just think that if anyone should have to make a sacrifice here – "

Nya snatches the teabag from Mystaké.

"What are you doing?" I ask carefully.

"Putting my 'martyr complex' to good use and making a sacrifice for you all. But you'd better bet I'll murder you guys if I wake up and none of you are around, just in case this is drugged."

We all remain silent at her outburst.

"Okay," I finally say. "Um...I'll stay with you, unless – oh, snap. I forgot I was supposed to be picking my mom up from work. But everyone else can be here, and I'll come back as soon as I'm done, okay?"

She hitches a shoulder. "We'll be fine – the four of us here probably have things covered. But kick our principal's butt for me if anything goes wrong, okay? Avenge my drugged-upness." She punches my shoulder.

Mystaké sighs. "If you were still in school, I'd give you detention for that."

***(Nya's POV)***

Jay places the tea bag in the hot water, swishing it around. "Are you ready?"

"Yes...I think." I swallow, laying back on Mystaké's bed in the back of her shop. Zane and PIXAL are out front, quizzing Mystaké on anything else she knows about Pythor.

"It's okay to be nervous, Nya. I know she's our principal, but I'm worried, too."

"I'm...more worried about what I'll see in the future," I confess. "Stopping Pythor? I'm good with that. But what if...what if something happens to the team? To Skylor? What if I'm the one who does it?"

"Hey," he murmurs, stroking my hand. "I can assure you, Nya, that you're not a bad omen for the team. Trust me on that, okay? And that's not coming from me as your over-doting ex. That's from me as your friend."

I smile up at him. "We're hardly ex's, Jay. We dated for a day."

"Well, you seemed to have a lot of faith in me then, so trust me now." He slowly kisses my knuckles, gauging my expression.

I don't pull away. "I believe you."

"Okay," he smiles. "Um, I really don't recall all the directions Mystaké gave us..."

"You give me the tea, I drink it, I fall asleep a few minutes later, I sleep for as long as I can focus, I wake up. Then, I tell you guys what I saw, and we do whatever it takes to stop Pythor."

"All right," he sighs, seeming appeased by my answer. "Are you ready?"

"Yep."

He hands over the tea, and I take a deep breath. This is it. Going now. I'm about to do it.

I stall for just a few more seconds before finally giving up and holding the glass to my lips. I take a sip of the hot liquid, wincing at the uber-sweet taste.

"This is nasty," I hiss.

Jay laughs. "Sorry. At least it's only eight ounces, though. Only...seven more to go, by the looks of it."

My eyes shoot daggers at him. "Thank you for that enlightening information." I take another sip of the liquid, and it's a little more bearable. I think it's working.

As I drink just a bit at a time, I feel myself become increasingly drowsy. My eyelids droop, and I look down at my cup to see how much is left. My head tips forward.

Jay catches me before I can fall face first into tea. "Here, lie back," he says softly. "I'll help you finish."

He arranges a pillow underneath my head, then presses the cup to my mouth. After what seems like an eternity of drinking, he pulls it out of my hands.

"Thanks," I mumble. It's the last thing I can remember before everything goes black.

And then suddenly, I'm opening my eyes again. The tea – it must not have worked.

I turn to Jay beside me, but I see he looks exhausted, like he's been up for hours.

And the room around me has changed. It's...mine.

How did I get here?

"Jay?" I try to ask, but no words come out.

That's...weird. Tea side-effect?

I brush his arm with my hand instead.

He looks down, beaming, and exclaims, "Oh my gosh! You're awake!"

I want to ask him how long I was out, but exhaustion weighs down on me. I imagine that's also a tea side-effect.

"You were out a few hours," he says, seeming to read my mind. He gets up from his spot next to me and crawls in my bed next to me, gently hugging me. "Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh." He repeats the words under his breath over and over again.

Aww. That's...kind of sweet, actually.

But I'm just confused about what's going on, and obviously, I'm having some problems making words here. I elbow Jay so I can turn to face him.

And that's when I realize that he looks...a little older.

The tea must've worked.

And then I'm somewhere else. I'm dancing, swaying to a soft ballad. The room around me is gorgeous, intricate. There are marble statues I can tell have been carved by professional, renowned artists.

That's when I notice his smell – Jay's. And I realize his arms are wrapped around me.

We're dancing together. Is this...Kai and Skylor's wedding?

I look down and blanch. This is my bridesmaid's dress. It must be their wedding.

I try to get another look at my surroundings, but my face pressed up against Jay's chest. And stupid future me is closing her eyes.

But...why do I feel so unsettled?

I realize Jay is speaking, and I look up into his eyes.

Or should I say...future me looks up into his –

I'm floored.

The pure happiness I see there...will it ever get old? His eyes caress my face, and he gently frames one cheek with his hand.

"I understand if you're not ready yet," he whispers, his breath teasing my lips. "And I will wait as long as it takes."

For...what?

Instead of asking and totally giving away that I'm from the past, I whisper, "Thank you, Jay." My body leans forward on my tiptoes.

What am I doing?

And suddenly, we're kissing. I'm entirely surprised. I...Jay...we're together? I'm kissing him back!

But it feels so good – so right – I just lose my ability to think. It feels like Jay's offering me all of himself, and...

I'm accepting it.

Joy floods my veins, but it wars with fear in my heart. I mean, I've been considering dating Jay, but...by Kai and Skylor's wedding? Really? That's two weeks away! It –

The vision starts to fade, and I panic. How do I bring myself back? How do I see what happens next? I need to know! I need to experience this for as long as I can!

Okay, Nya, focus. You have to focus.

I let go of all my unsurety and try to look into Jay's eyes. It's hard at first, but as I fall back into the haze of kissing him...

He presses his lips to my cheeks, my nose, my neck, seemingly unable to stop. I super hope Kai and Skylor don't see us doing this at their wedding, or I'm sure there'll be punishment. I've never been kissed like this before. Okay, except for that night we fake-kissed, but that was private! Why the heck are Jay and I making out in front of all Kai and Skylor's wedding guests?! That's so embarrassing!

"Jay," I murmur, stopping the roaming of his lips by meeting them with my own.

"Hmm?" I can tell he's not really paying attention.

I pull back and rest my head against his chest, catching my breath.

I guess maybe it's a good thing we stopped, since now we won't get caught by my older brother, but...I miss the feeling of his mouth on mine.

To my surprise, words I had no intention of saying emerge from my mouth. "I think...it's okay. I can do it." Can do...what?!

"Can do what?" Jay asks, placing a hand on either side of my face. I sink into the gesture.

Good question, Jay. Good question.

So this means...we end up together? But how? Before the wedding? At the wedding?!

I feel myself start to fade out, and I can't stop it. Just as my hearing gives, I whisper, "I can be yours."

I'm suddenly climbing off the pavement. But – no! I want to figure out what was going on in my last memory. Kai and Skylor's wedding is in a few weeks! Are Jay and I really together by then? I try to resurrect those images.

Then the world starts to crumble, and I realize I'm coming out of my vision. I breathe deeply, focusing on the scene at hand.

It pieces itself back together.

Pythor holds something in his hand. How do snakes have hands? I will never get over that.

"It's over," he cackles. "Any last words before I blow the city to smithereens?"

So...an explosion? That's his plan?

"Yes," I growl. "When you blow up the city, won't you be destroyed, too?"

He chuckles. "Such an amateur thing to say. I have a ride out of here, of course."

"And will it withstand the force of the explosion?" I challenge him.

"Explosion?" he sputters. "It's not like I'm using a bomb! I'm rerouting all the electricity in the city to – oh, never mind! Why am I explaining this to you?"

I hear a helicopter approach from overhead, and I yell over my intercom, "He has a getaway ride!"

"Advancing now," Lloyd grunts. I see him run straight for Pythor from somewhere behind me.

"Nya, are you ready for our plan?" Jay asks.

What plan? "I hope so."

"Okay. I'm swooping down in my jet to pick you up, and then we'll head for Borg Tower together."

"I don't think we have much time," I say skeptically. "Lloyd, do you need help subduing Pythor?"

"I can keep him distracted," he yells.

Jay's jet swoops down from overhead. "Get in!"

I leap onto the open hatch, hanging on for dear life. "I'm in!" I tell him over the intercom.

"I'll be waiting for you in the pilot's deck. And don't worry, I remember what you said. I'll explain the plan to you – er, past you – when you get inside."

I make a mental note to tell Jay to re-explain everything to me right before we put our plan into action in the future. Otherwise, theoretically, he won't tell me the plan now, and I won't know how to stop Pythor.

I hang onto various seats and other objects in the jet, trying to make it to the front without falling. Jay is flying incredibly recklessly right now.

Not that I can blame him.

Finally, I make it to my seat and plop down, fastening my seatbelt. "Tell me the plan."

"Okay. Um, first, I'm so glad you're all right, and I love you, and – "

"Thank you, but not right now! I don't know how much longer we have before I fade out of this vision. Er, before the past 'me' fades out of this vision."

"All right, here goes." He spends the next few minutes explaining to me exactly what we intend to do to stop Pythor.

Let's just say that I don't like what I'm hearing.

He gives me a look. "Nya, I know you aren't a big fan of this plan, but it's the only way. You know that it's the only way."

I close my eyes, taking a steadying breath. "Jay...this is really risky. Especially for you."

"So is life and love and...well, everything worthwhile. We're here." He lands the jet quickly.

"Jay, please. There has to be a way to go back in time and find another solution!"

He unbuckles his seatbelt as I do the same. "You said you'd doubt the plan at this moment," he muses. "So here's what I'm going to do to stop that negativity." He snakes an arm around my back and pulls me to him, and all the tension from this plan is suddenly redirected into one desperate kiss.

Gosh, Jay and I kiss a lot in the future.

He pulls back all too quickly. "I love you, Nya." He runs off the jet, and I follow at the same pace.

Then everything fades again, and I panic. What happens next? Does the plan work?

But the vision fades out, and I'm now in a hospital room, clutching someone's hand like there's no tomorrow.

It's my dad's hand.

Anguish grips me. No. No! I don't want to remember this!

But my dad's face...it's so real. It's like I'm seeing him again for the first time since I was twelve years old.

I hold his hand tight. "Daddy, y-you're gonna be okay."

His ashen face gazes up at me. "You look so much like Maya." A cough sputters from his throat. "Water. Where's your mother, Nya? I need...water."

I swallow hard. My mom is...gone. "Daddy...she's not here right now."

"But I need water." He coughs again. "You and Kai...have to stick together. You'll be safe that way. You'll have each other, no matter what. Your mom and I don't want to leave you, but...can't help it." He groans. "Your mother. Where is she?"

And I can't even speak, because telling my dad that she's dead...is unthinkable.

"Nya?" someone calls. "Nya! Nya, wake up!"

I'm mesmerized by what I see. My dad reassures me and tells me he loves me and...doesn't blame me for his death. He only vaguely knows he's dying, but he still doesn't blame me.

Tears roll out of my eyes. "Daddy..." I love you.

"Nyaaaaaaaaa!"

My eyes snap open, and I'm seeing another vision. Except that in this one, I'm laying in bed, and Jay is shaking my shoulders.

"What?" I gasp, finally able to breathe.

"Oh gosh, Nya, you – finally, you're awake!" He rests his forehead against mine.

"Um...yeah?" I ask. "And I wasn't before?"

"You drank the tea, remember? And you're just now waking up."

I blink. "Oh." This must not be a vision after all.

"I was so worried about you," he gushes, holding me close. "You were asleep for such a long time, and then you got so worked up! Like, I know you talk in your sleep and stuff, but this was different. You were in so much pain!"

"Jay Walker, I do not talk in my sleep."

"Yes, you do, but that's not important right now. Oh, I was so scared. You were out for three hours!"

"Wow." I rub the bridge of my nose.

"Are you okay?" Jay inquires, running his hands over my face. "Do you need anything? What did you see?"

"I'm fine, I would love a water, and..." I think back to all I've learned from the vision. We know how to stop Pythor now, we know that Jay and I theoretically become an item...

"Here," he says, twisting off the cap on a bottled water. "Have some of mine."

I gratefully accept his drink offering, but I push it away after one gulp. "Jay, I really think..."

"What is it?" He holds my hand.

"I need to debrief the team," I finish, sliding my legs off the bed. "And then we're going back to the monastery, and then...well, I don't know." Too much information to process right now.

"Is something wrong?" he asks.

"I don't know, Jay – with Pythor, yes. With the team? With you and me? I have no clue."

***Okay, time travel is confusing to write, just saying. It'll all make sense in the future, promise! Also, this book has officially exceeded INK length in word count...

Promise it'll make more sense when things are explained next chapter!***