Chapter 55: Racer Seven

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Aria pulls up to Scott's garage riding her motorbike. The secret entrance opens and she drives in. She parks her bike and hands her keys to Scott.

"So what's the problem?" Scott asks

"The engine keeps lagging" Aria tells him

"No problem I can fix that" Scott says

"Thanks" Aria looks around

Scott gets to work "So the-"

The garage opens and in walks the ninja. They gasp when they see Aria.

"Jay" Aria looks at him annoyed "what did we talk about"

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"Jay" Aria looks at him annoyed "what did we talk about"

"Boundaries I know I know" Jay put his hands up "but I didn't know you were here, i swear"

"Aria" Cole speaks up "what are you doing in the game? You should be in Ninjago, watching over the city, like your job as Empress entitles you to"

"I got stuck in a game, it's not.." Aria looks away "like I did it on purpose"

"you always look away when you lie!" Lloyd shouts "Aria"

"Look I'm tired of being the Empress" Aria argues "I just wanted a break"

Kai looks at Jay "and you knew she was here?"

"Yeah" Jay rubs the back of his neck "we teamed up together at the beginning of the game"

"Didn't you think it was important to tell us she was here?" Nya questions annoyed

"Yes honey" Jay sulks then turns to the other ninja "but uh, you guys have been wanting to meet the highest level person in the game.. well here she is"

"Aria is the highest level person in the game?" Zane asks

"Yeah" Jay looks at her "what's your level now?"

"Max" Aria replies as she sits down

"You maxed out your level?!" Lloyd shouts "how is that even possible"

"It makes sense that since the game was never completed that their would be a max level" Zane explains "what is the max level?"

"100" Aria replies

"I'm only at 42" Jay says "I guess grinding side quests really do help, hehe"

"told ya" Aria replies smugly "So what's up?"

"We're entering the speedway five billion to get the next key-tana, with the three key-tana's we can defeat Unagami" Lloyd tells her "We have one already and I imagine you've been in the game for as long as Jay so you already know what they are"

"mhm" Aria nods "I've just been doing side quests"

"Hey guys" Nya gets their attention "We're getting to work on the cars"

"Alright I'm gonna check out the Speedway, see what I can learn. The more we know about it, the better our chances" Lloyd says

"And I'm going with you greenie" Aria stands up "to make sure you don't get your ass caught"

"Be careful you two, the racetrack will be crawling with Red Visors" Nya warns them

The two leave and the Ninja work on their vehicles. At the racetrack, Aria and Lloyd almost immediately run into Red Visors. Lloyd switches to his Avatar for a disguise. The two head to the stadium and watch the race.

They witness the dangerous race and another competitor named Racer Seven. Unfortunately for her, she crashes after being hit by Whack Rats. She gets out of her vehicle and throws her helmet in frustration, which hits a man and causes him to respawn. Lloyd then catches the helmet.

"Lloyd" Aria says pointing behind him

He turns around

"Hey, you! Freeze!" a Red Visor shouts

"let's go" Lloyd grabs Aria's hand and runs away

"Hey, stop right there!" another Red Visor shouts

Lloyd fights off the Red Visors with the helmet, then escapes. The two arrive at Scott's Garage.

"Well, we gotta do something. We need five vehicles to enter the Speedway, and we've only got four now" Cole says

"The race starts tomorrow at dawn. Where are we gonna get another car in twelve hours?" Jay questions

Aria crosses her arms "do I-"

"I might have an idea" Lloyd says "At the Speedway racetrack, I saw a driver there. She was good, really good"

"Oh, Racer Seven? Don't bother. She's an NPC, she's part of the game" Scott informs them

"She's programmed to lose. Every race she wipes out at the fourth mile marker. She's just there to provide a challenge to the other racers. She can't win" Aria adds

"You mean Unagami programmed her to lose?" Jay asks

"As long as I've been here, she's been racing. Every single race, every one, she wipes out. It's part of her programming" Scott replies

Nya looks upset "That's terrible"

"Yeah. Nobody should be programmed to lose" Jay agrees

"But she is and we can't change that" Aria says "games function a certain way, without the function the game wouldn't work or story's won't progress"

"But Okino broke his programming" Lloyd argues

"the samurai?" Aria questions

"You know him?" Cole asks

"Of course" Aria replies, she taps her heart pulling up her life points, showing only 2 left

"You only have 2 lives" Lloyd points out

"I lost 2 in the forest" Aria tells them

"but Okino really did break his programing" Lloyd says

"And you think Racer Seven can too?" Nya asks

"It's worth a shot" Lloyd replies and turns to Scott "Do you know where I can find her?"

"She eats at a noodle stand in the marketplace after every race" Scott replies "I'm telling you, you're wasting your time"

"We've got nothing to lose" Lloyd exits the garage

"I'm staying here this time" Aria says walking over to her motorbike "How's it looking?"

"Good" Scott walks over "it's all done"

"great" Aria replies grabbing her helmet

"You're leaving?" Nya asks

"Yep, but you'll see me soon" Aria sits on her bike "don't worry"

Aria rides out of the garage.

-

Aria approaches the NPC in charge of the race "I want to enter the Speedway Five-Billion"

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