ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: Monster - Starset

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◄◄⠀▐▐ ⠀►►⠀⠀ ⠀ 0:00 / 4:16 ⠀ ───○ 🔊⠀ ᴴᴰ ⚙ ❐ ⊏⊐

My heart's an artifice, a decoy soul

Who knew the emptiness could be so cold?

I've lost the parts of me that make me whole

I am the darkness

I'm a monster

---

The people of Ninjago screamed as they ran from the dark cloud. And in other parts of Ninjago City, the darkness spread, with tendrils grabbing and dragging unfortunate people into the darkness.

The Bounty flew towards Ninjago City, with all the Ninja out on the deck. ''Uh, guys?'' Zane said, looking at the screen. ''I'm picking up a lot of distress calls on UHF.''

''We're too late,'' Cole replied. 

''Maximum speed,'' Lloyd ordered.

''Hold on, everyone,'' Nya said. Pressing a button,  nothing happened. ''Come on, you unhinged ship.'' She kicked it. 

The Bounty picked up speed. 

---

Sliding down the rope, the Ninja faced the cloud of darkness. Seeing them, the Commissioner felt relieved. ''The Ninja. Oh, boy, are we glad to see you guys.'' 

Lloyd grabbed the ladder and brought it forward to the Commissioner. ''Commissioner, get your officers out of here.'' 

''You heard him. Move it.'' The Commissioner ordered his police. They climbed up the ladder, with Nya and P.I.X.A.L at the top, waiting for them.

''Okay, let's see what this is made of,'' Lloyd said, turning to the darkness. ''Care to do the honours, Jay?'' 

''My pleasure,'' Jay replied. ''Lightning.'' He used his power on the cloud of darkness. It proved ineffective. ''Uh.. ha,'' Jay said, stepping away from it.

''Let's see how it likes fire,'' Kai said, stepping forward. ''Fire!'' He threw a flame into the cloud, only to be surprised. ''Take that. What?'' 

''Okay, everybody at the same time,'' Lloyd said. 

(Y/n) stepped back, seeing as her illusions could do nothing to it. She watched as their powers failed to stop it. 

''Our elemental powers appear to be ineffective,'' Zane said.

''Yeah, no kidding. What do we do?'' Kai retorted, looking at the nindroid, before turning to Lloyd.

''Nya, get us out of here,'' Lloyd said to her.

''You got it,'' Nya replied, and the ninja took hold of the rope. 

(Y/n) was the last to grab hers, and a tendril of darkness wrapped around her leg. Cole saw it happen and watched her in fear for her life. 

''Help. It's got me.'' She yelped. It then pulled her off her rope, to where she fell to the ground, starting to get dragged into the cloud of darkness.

Lloyd leapt off his rope, holding his sword. Before she could get any closer, Lloyd used his sword to stop it. 

Helping her get up, she glanced back at the cloud. The familiar silhouette could be seen. Of it.

Lloyd grabbed the rope, ordering Nya to bring the rope back up.

(Y/n) clutched the edge, and Cole helped her up and brought her back into his arms. ''I nearly thought I'd... lose you..''

''I'm not going anywhere, I promise.'' (Y/n) replied, hugging him back.

Cole took off his mask and looked her in the eyes. ''How'd that not trigger a memory?'' He asked.

''I have no idea, thank the First Spinjitzu Master that didn't happen.'' She replied.

---

Jay walked up to a civilian and gave them a cup of tea. ''Here. Drink this. It's good for you.'' He said, handing them the tea.

''Your chances of survival are increased,'' Zane said to the commissioner.

The Ninja walked up to Lloyd, who was looking over the railing.  ''We hit it with everything we had, and it did nothing,'' Kai said. ''It just went right through it.''

''How are we supposed to fight something like that?'' Nya asked.

Cole stood behind (Y/n) as she faced the others, fiddling with her fingers. ''I..I touched it.'' She mumbled.

The Master of Earth put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. 

Looking them in the eyes, (Y/n) bit her lip as she continued. ''It was cold, colder than what I imagined it to be.''

''There was something inside the cloud,'' Cole added.

''It was an Oni.'' She finished. 

Lloyd looked at the railing, thinking. ''Maybe we can't fight it.'' He said. ''But I know someone who can.''

---

Arriving at Lord Garmadon's maximum-security cell, the ninja confronted him.

The Captain of Chaos himself looked up. ''Well, well. Look who's back.'' 

''How do we stop it?'' Lloyd asked him.

Garmadon wiped some dust off the desk. ''You can't.'' He answered. ''If you were to enter the darkness, you would succumb to it.'' He walked towards the glass. ''The only way to defeat an Oni is with another Oni.'' He told Lloyd. Though no one noticed him give a look at (Y/n). ''You need me.'' 

Jay laughed. ''Like that's gonna happen.'' He turned to Lloyd. ''That's not going to happen, is it?'' He asked, serious.

''What choice do we have?'' Lloyd replied. ''Open cell one.'' He ordered.

There was a whirring as the Garmadon-proof glass lifted.

Garmadon smiled, a wicked gleam in his red eyes. He laughed maniacally, making (Y/n) feel uncomfortable.

---

''How far, Nya?'' Jay asked her.

''We're going as fast as we can,'' Nya replied. ''But this ship needs some fine-tuning for sure.''

Looking away at the sunset, and where (Y/n) and Cole stood, talking, Jay then turned his head. 

Garmadon looked at him, tilting his head slightly. ''Hm.'' He then walked away.

Jay walked over to the others, a scared look on his face. ''Am I the only one freaking out about this?'' He asked the others.

''Why freak out?'' Kai replied, turning to him. ''Our deranged, psychotic arch-nemesis is now our house guest.'' 

''I find the term ''freak out'' inadequate and imprecise,'' Zane said. ''I prefer to say I am ''deeply troubled''.'' 

''That guy has been giving me looks ever since he came onto the Bounty when he thinks I'm not looking.'' (Y/n) shuddered.

''Lloyd, are you sure he can be trusted?'' Nya asked the Green Ninja.

''No. Of course not.'' He replied.

''Of course not?'' Jay said, looking at him. ''That's not what you're supposed to say! You're supposed to say yes!'' 

''What choice do we have?'' Lloyd asked them. ''If Master Wu is right, and we're under attack by the Oni, then my father may be our best chance. And anyway, he doesn't have his powers back. So how much trouble can he really cause?'' 

Garmadon then pressed a button.

The Bounty stopped. The Ninja looked at him as the Captain of Chaos walked away.

''Did he just turn off the...?'' Zane asked, looking at the others.

''Oh, great!'' Cole said as the Bounty began to drop.

Everyone held on tight, screaming. 

''He shut off the engines! We're gonna crash!'' Jay shouted, holding onto the raised wooden platform.

''Zane, the ignition switch! Hit the ignition switch!'' Nya yelled to the Master of Ice.

Kai grunted as he let go, crashing into Zane.

Jay looked ahead of him. ''Aah! I can see the ground!'' He said, panicked. ''It's getting really close, really fast!'' 

Zane used all of his effort to get to the button, only just hitting it and the Bounty opened its sails and ignited its thrusters just as it was about to hit the ground.

Garmadon appeared yet again, frowning at the button. ''Hmm. That button should be labelled.'' He walked past Nya, who was upset at what he did.

''Hmpf! It is labelled!'' She retorted, putting her hands on her hips. ''It says, ''Don't push while in motion''!'' 

''Perhaps it would be wise to accompany your father, Lloyd,'' Zane said to him. ''To prevent further... mishaps.'' 

''Argh! I can't believe I have to babysit my own father!'' Lloyd fumed, following after him.

---

Cole and (Y/n) stood together, looking at the sunset. 

''I can imagine myself in your position,'' Cole said, looking at her.

''You wouldn't want to be in my position, trust me.'' She replied.

She pulled the photo of her and her family from her pocket.

''I can't remember their names anymore, it's like... I never knew them.'' She said quietly, and Cole put a hand on her back.

''At least you still know what they looked like.'' He replied.

Garmadon walked past, snatching the photo from her hand.

''Hey!'' Cole exclaimed, glaring at him. 

The Captain of Chaos simply walked away. Before Cole could run off after him and get the photo from Garmadon, (Y/n) held him back. 

''I'll deal with him.'' She said, following him.

---

Garmadon was in the sleeping quarters, holding the photo of (Y/n) and her family.

The Master of Illusion walked in, glaring at him.

He turned around. The door closed behind her.

''Give me back the photo.'' She demanded.

Lord Garmadon glanced at the photo in his hands before looking at her. ''Why should I?'' He asked.

''Because,'' She hissed. ''It's the only evidence left I had a family to begin with.''

He walked closer to her, his red eyes gleaming. ''I'm surprised you haven't found out.'' 

''Found out what?'' She asked.

Garmadon showed the photo to her. She tilted her head in confusion. He then tilted the photo.

(Y/n) gasped, wide-eyed, falling onto her back, still looking at the photo.

''Can you see it?'' He asked.

''It-it can't be...!'' She replied in disbelief.

Garmadon dropped the photo, it falling onto the floor like a leaf.

He then walked out of the room without another word.

She crawled forward, picking it up in her hand.

Cole walked in, holding his hammer.

Seeing (Y/n) on the floor, he ran over to her.

(Y/n) tilted the photo, wide-eyed.

Cole looked at it, confused. ''What am I supposed to be seeing?'' He asked.

She blinked. ''Can't you see?'' She asked.

''No...?'' He replied, still confused.

Things are going to be different around here >:)

What did (Y/n) see?

I think have some ideas for (Y/n)'s special ''season''

Oh, and the lyrics of the song provide clues to what she saw.

Anyways, don't forget to vote, comment and share this story if you love it!

One nice comment goes a long way <3

See ya, Bookworms!

WriterAgreste, over & out!