𝙄𝙧𝙞𝙨 𝘽𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙮 || ninjago

Tick-Tock

Summary:
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Lloyd and [name] aren't talking
and Wu must make everything
right.

The silence surrounding them was uncomfortable; the tension could be felt in the air - even the two Serpentine standing guards could feel it. Lloyd and [name] were sitting in the cage with their backs to each other with a neutral expression. —"Why did you listen to them?"— His partner did not answer him, deciding to keep his back to him. —"I don't understand, you should have stayed with the Ninja...why didn't you leave!"— The boy tells her, standing up angrily and raising his arms. The Serpentine looked at each other; they didn't expect standing guard to be so awkward. Seeing the girl doesn't listen to him, he becomes more enraged. His face turns red, and he starts to ruffle his hair. —"Look at me! Answer me, [name]!"

The sound of pounding against the cage catches the boy's attention. He turns to face Pythor - who is accompanied by Skales. Lloyd just grimaces at him and sits back down on the ground, again turning his back to the girl.

—"Sorry to interrupt you, but I must talk to your little...companion."

𐦍

The Ninjas were gathered around each other, watching the hand-held watch Kai was holding. Their gazes moved between the watch and over the railings of Destiny's Bounty; the ocean was clear, and bubbles rose to the surface. —"Ten minutes! He just broke his own record. The guy's inhuman!"— Kai was the first to break the silence; he was amazed and disturbed. Zane finally emerges from the bottom of the ocean, causing the other guys to cheer and praise him.

—"Amazing!"
—"We're not worthy."

Seeing the celebration, Zane looks at them enthusiastically. —"I broke the record?"— he asks, only to see Kai spin the clock with a smirk. —"You destroyed it!"— he says and then helps him aboard.

—"Okay, okay. Is anybody thinking what I'm thinking? We've been training for so long, I don't think we can improve. Just think about all we've accomplished."— Jay tells them as he wraps his arms around their shoulders. Cole is in the background as the guys reminisce about their latest training sessions, spinning around and practicing his fists and kicks. —"The question should be raised. Perhaps we have reached our full potential?"— Zane says to step inside Destiny's Bounty; as they walk towards their Sensei's room, they continue to talk about their mini victories. So distracted were they that they didn't notice that Master Wu was in the middle of putting away a katana.

—"Our apologies, Sensei. We've interrupted you."

Wu only deigns to breathe and then looks at his students with a slightly tired smile. —"I'm sorry I've been distant lately. My mind has been elsewhere since Lloyd and [name] disappeared. What can I help you with?"— The Ninja bows in reverence. —"Sensei, what if we've trained long enough? What if we've reached our True Potential?"— Cole asks him softly as the others look to their sides. The subject of the other two members still causes him some discomfort. —"You may have reached your physical peak but not yet reached your inner potential. In each and every one of us, some obstacles hold us back. Only when you overcome that fear will your heart be free. Only then will you reach your True Potential. Only then will we have a fighting chance to stop the Serpent from releasing the Great Devourer."— His Sensei answers him wisely, but his voice manages to break on his last words. He turns away, ashamed that he cannot control his composure. Seeing this, Zane approaches him gently. —"There's more to the Great Devourer than you've been telling, isn't there, Sensei?".