(heelies into my own fic 4 months late with starbucks) hey guys (flees back behind wall as I'm pelted with tomatoes)

SO! I am NOT dead! Shortly after chapter 15 was released, I got very sick (I'm fine though) and it kind of killed my creativity for a while. when it came back, I found myself more inspired to work on fics that have been waiting even longer (think 8-9 months between updates). I am currently in the process of finishing one that I started uhhh. at least two years ago, which will free up more of my time to work on this fic.

you're not going to see regular updates on this one for a while unfortunately, BUT! It is NOT abandoned! Just a very big project and a little overwhelming sometimes lol. I'm glad I got chapter 15 out before I died for a while, since it kind of marks the end of 'act 1' of the fic.

to summarize, please be patient with me, and enjoy!

__

"So the tombs that we've located so far have been here, here, and here." Nya pointed to each location on the large map in turn, marking them with a thumbtack of the appropriate color. "Meaning the tombs of the Venomarai and Constrictai are the only ones still sealed."

"As far as we know." Lloyd cut in. "It's possible that Pythor has already sent someone to release them."

"Do you know where they are, Lloyd?" Zane asked. In response, Lloyd came up to the map, taking the remaining thumbtacks from Nya.

"The Constrictai are here, and the Venomarai here." The ninja crowded around to watch as he marked them.

"The Mountain of a Million Steps." Jay grimaced. "Ugh. I flew a glider off of the top of there once. Not a great hike."

"And the toxic bogs." Cole placed a finger on the map. "That stuff will eat through solid metal." Zane nodded thoughtfully to himself.

Despite their long night, everyone on the ship was up early, even Lloyd. He still felt intermittently on the verge of collapse - using so much of his power without training had really taken it out of him - but he was up, and determined to be of help.

"Lloyd, is it worth trying to stop them?" He turned around at Kai's voice, the fire ninja having not left his seat on the other side of the table. His bruised face and arm in a sling made him quite the sorry sight, and Lloyd frowned.

"I... don't know." He said slowly. "In the original timeline, you four split up-" He gestured to the ninja. "-Cole and Zane tried to stop the constrictai, and Kai and Jay went to the venomarai. Neither group succeeded, Pythor stole the sacred flute from Zane, and Kai got poisoned with venomarai spit." Kai made a face.

"Gross. I'll pass."

"You're not going anywhere anyway." Edna said sternly. Jay's mom was still annoyed with him for running off the previous night, though her scolding seemed mostly theatrical at this point.

"Anyway," Lloyd went on. "After that, you went to Ninjago City, where Pythor had gathered the tribes and was trying to make them get along. You managed to spread some seeds of doubt amongst them, starting rumors within the group and slowing down Pythor's plan."

"And what is Pythor's plan?" Wu asked. Lloyd pursed his lips.

"To collect the four Fang Blades, and use them to unleash the Great Devourer."

"Like in my dream." Zane spoke up immediately. The shocked looks at Lloyd immediately turned to the nindroid, who met them unconcernedly.

"Elaborate?" Jay prompted.

"I had a dream some nights ago, in which a purple serpentine - whom I now know to be Pythor - used four colored blades to call a great snake from the earth." Zane explained. "I understand now why you were so troubled, Lloyd, when I told you."

"You told Lloyd?" Kai asked, incredulous. "And not us?"

"Lloyd asked." Zane said with a shrug.

"Anyway," Lloyd caught their attention again. "We need to stop him from getting the fang blades. They're hidden in various places around Ninjago."

"Like where?" Cole prompted. Lloyd frowned.

"Um..." His memories of that time were fairly fuzzy, saturated by fear and uncertainty, as he had spent that time in the not-so-gentle care of the Serpentine. "I... one is in a pyramid." He said at last. "Wait, no. It was. Now it's in a trophy for a dancing competition." The other ninja exchanged glances. "I was kidnapped at the time, okay? I don't remember."

"Kidnapped?" Wu cut in, concerned. Lloyd huffed.

"Yeah, I was at an arcade, and I saw some serpentine skulking around, so I followed them. I got caught."

"Well, good to know that you've always been a reckless little squirt." Kai commented. Lloyd gave him a mock glare. As long as Kai wasn't being actually malicious, he couldn't be mad.

"Alright, well, in the meantime, it looks like our main goal is to keep the serpentine from getting along." Cole stated, businesslike. "You said they're meeting tonight?"

"They should be." Lloyd confirmed. "In the tunnels beneath Ninjago City."

"Then we'll meet them there." Cole nodded decisively. "For now, everyone just try to get some rest. It's going to be a long day."

"We won't have Kai." Zane spoke up, sounding concerned. "Will we be able to pull it off while missing a member?"

"Hey, wait, I can come." Kai protested. "If we're just spreading rumors, I won't be needing my arm."

"No, Kai, we're not risking you getting hurt again." Cole shut him down. "We need you back at full strength as soon as possible, and that means staying behind and resting." Kai scowled, clearly not on board with this plan.

"What about me?" Nya suggested. "I can come if you need a fourth member."

"Sorry Nya, it's just too dangerous." Cole gave her an apologetic look. Her eyes darkened, but she said nothing. "Alright, meeting adjourned." Cole clapped. "We'll meet again tonight to get ready for our mission."

"Roger." Jay saluted and marched off. Nya also left immediately, and Lloyd followed. He knew she was capable of becoming a ninja, but the others didn't seem ready to hear that yet.

When he caught up to her, she was in Ed and Edna's workshop, fumbling with the buckle on a blue helmet.

"Nya?" She jumped at his voice, spinning to face him.

"Lloyd! Hey." Her gaze darted to the left before returning to his face, and she hurriedly put the helmet on.

"You going somewhere?" Lloyd gave her a questioning look. He hoped she wasn't about to go do something reckless.

"Just..." She gestured aimlessly, clearly nervous. "Wanted to go clear my head."

Lloyd stared at her for a few moments, trying to work out what had her so on edge, before it clicked. "Are you going to go be Samurai X?"

Nya's jaw dropped, and she hurriedly composed herself, giggling nervously. "Wh- I don't know why I'm surprised." She shrugged, turning away. "Forgot for a second, I guess."

"I know it's frustrating being left out." Lloyd offered. "I mean, I'm frustrated. Though, it at least makes sense for me." Nya nodded, her brow furrowing.

"I'm just as capable as they are- I have the same training!" She threw her hands up in the air. "But they refuse to see it because I'm a girl!"

"Well," Lloyd walked over, hands in his pockets. "You're a little younger, too, like me. Kai wants to protect you because he raised you, and the other ninja have kind of... adopted you, I guess?" Not Jay, but that mess was none of his business. And Cole, maybe...?

"Oh, great, now I can be babied by four guys instead of one." Nya folded her arms crossly. Lloyd frowned.

"Well... okay, but Nya, you don't have to hide this from them. When they find out, they're not mad or anything." Lloyd gave her a little grin. "Kai thinks it's really cool." Nya gave him a suspicious look.

"Even though he doesn't want me fighting?"

"I think he'd rather know that you're fighting, and that you're safe, for you to go out behind his back." Lloyd pointed out. "And... it helps him realize that you don't need his protection." Nya nodded thoughtfully, mulling this over.

"Well... I'll think about it."

"Good."

"Don't tell them I'm gone, please." Nya buckled the helmet under her chin, glancing at a small glider folded in the corner of the room. "I do still need some time to cool off."

"Sure." Lloyd nodded, watching as she went to collect the glider. "Oh, and Nya? Remember when I said I was fighting the Time Twins in the future when I was sent back here?"

"Yeah?" Nya buckled the glider's harness on.

"I wasn't fighting with everyone, just you and Kai." Lloyd told her. "You, him, and I were the only ones who could get to them in time." Nya looked up, her eyes wide with wonder.

"Me?" She echoed. "As Samurai X?"

"No." Lloyd shook his head with a smile. "You were a ninja."

—

"This blooooows." Kai moaned, draped bonelessly over the edge of the couch in the Bounty's common room. "I'm so boooored."

"We could play some more Fist2Face 2." Lloyd suggested, gesturing to the console on the other side of the room.

"Nooooo." Kai whined. "You've already crushed me enough today, just let me rest." He plonked his face into the couch cushions, and Lloyd rolled his eyes. Why did he have to be the babysitter?

The other three ninja had left some time ago for Ninjago City, where Nya's scanners had directed them to Pythor's underground gathering. That had been a couple hours ago, and, though Lloyd was trying to ignore it, he could feel unease growing steadily in the pit of his stomach. Shouldn't they be done by now?

Kai, poor, miserable Kai, was not enjoying being on the sidelines. Lloyd had to wrangle him away from the training course twice already, and distracting him with video games had only worked for so long. He wanted to be fighting with his brothers. Lloyd couldn't blame him.

"Can we go ask Nya to check again?" Kai asked, sounding a bit pitiful. So far there had been no signs of anything out of the ordinary on Nya's underground scans.

"Sure." Lloyd pushed himself up, waiting for Kai to drag himself up off the floor before the pair of them headed to the bridge.

Nya was sitting at the table within, studying a chessboard mid-game with a look of deep concentration on her face. This concentration was broken by their arrival, and she looked up.

"Oh, hey boys."

"Hey. Can we check on the guys again?" Kai's gaze flicked to the big screen, which was currently off. Nya nodded, spinning her chair around to access the control panel. When the screen turned on, it displaced the exact same image as before - a representation of the serpentine tribes underneath Ninjago City.

"It is odd that they aren't back yet," Lloyd mused. "They've been gone what - two hours?"

"Just about." Nya agreed, frowning. "Kai was with them in the original timeline, right? Maybe he's... I don't know. Maybe they needed him."

"Ugh, I knew I should've gone!" Kai balled his hands into fists.

Lloyd continued gazing at the screen, searching his memory for what had happened that day. He wasn't there, of course, but the ninja had recounted the night's events to him afterward. What had happened earlier that day...? He'd gotten on their nerves, stole Wu's lesson book and-

"Oh no." He exclaimed suddenly. Kai and Nya both turned. "It's not that they're missing you, Kai- it's that Zane's suit isn't pink."