Lloyd POV
I stared at the young child before me, around the same age as Melony. His clothing, similar to the Kabuki assistants, puzzled me. I hadn't known Mater Chen employed such young staff members. My confusion was interrupted when I noticed the knife, an inch from hitting the child. He looked terrified, and I realized I had likely traumatized him. But why was he here in the kitchen in the first place?
Glancing at the piece of bread he was holding, I deduced he must have snuck in to take some food, taking advantage of the challenges. Guilt washed over me, knowing that this entire scene was being recorded. I squatted so we were at eye level and removed the knife from the wall, leaving a mark.
"I am sorry about that," I said gently, trying to convey my sincerity. "I must have scared you. Can you forgive me?" I gave him a light smile. "This challenge is so frustrating, and I lost my cool for a second. I never meant to harm you."
Even though I tried to reassure him, the child looked terrified, like he was face to face with the devil. I couldn't help but stare at him before deciding to use Neuro's ability. It might not be at its fullest potential, but having a grasp of something was better than nothing. I focused on the child, concentrating on what he could be thinking, and I got two words: "Caught" and "angry."
I was a bit confused at first, but then I remembered that this child likely worked for Master Chen, who was notorious for his cruelty. It wouldn't be surprising if he abused his workers. I sighed, feeling a pang of guilt. I didn't like making empty promises, but I needed to get back to figuring out who the spy was.
"Don't worry about Master Chen finding out," I said, patting the child's head gently. "I am not going to tell him anything, okay."
Before the child could respond, a woman's voice could be heard calling out, "Lu!" I assumed that was the child's name, and it looked like he wouldn't be sneaking around anymore. A woman, another Kabuki assistant, rushed into the kitchen. She stared at me, then at Lu, and back again before grabbing Lu away from me. She bowed deeply, her fear evident in her posture and voice.
"I apologize for my son's reckless behavior," she said, trembling. "I will make sure this will never happen again."
I held my hands in a gesture of peace, trying to ease her obvious distress. "It's okay," I reassured her, keeping my tone gentle. "He didn't do anything wrong. He was just hungry."
She looked up, still wary but slightly less fearful. "I… I appreciate your understanding," she said, her voice shaking. "But if Master Chen finds out, he'll…"
She trailed off, the unspoken threat hanging heavily in the air. I understood all too well what she was implying. Chen was ruthless, and any minor infraction could have severe consequences for his workers.
"I won't say anything," I promised, looking her in the eyes to show my sincerity. "Your secret is safe with me."
The woman visibly relaxed, though the fear in her eyes didn't completely disappear. "Thank you," she whispered, clutching Lu tightly to her side. "Thank you very much."
"No need to thank me," I said, giving her a small smile. "Just take care of yourself and Lu."
She nodded quickly, then turned to leave the kitchen, casting one last grateful glance at me. As they disappeared from view, I felt a mixture of relief and anger. Relief that I had defused the situation without incident, but angry at the environment of fear that Chen had created.
I looked at the mark the knife had left, touching it gently. "I'm a mess these days," I muttered to myself. When I first came back o the past, I thought I had everything planned, but shit keeps happening. If I ever make it out of this tournament, I'm just going to leave Noah and his friends alone until the day I kill them and put Ninjago under my control.
I sighed as I placed the knife back in its wooden knife block. I was going to handle these tasks without any problems and try to read pieces of everyone's mind. As I tried to open the door, it swung open, and right before me was Elijah, who looked revolted at the sight of me. I frowned at him before moving to the side, allowing him to get through.
"What disaster are you going to bring this time, Garmadon?" Elijah asked rudely.
I clenched my jaw, holding back the urge to snap at him. Instead, I forced a smile. "I'm just trying to get through this challenge like everyone else," I replied evenly. "No disaster planned."
Elijah sneered. "Sure, because you haven't caused enough trouble already."
I looked at Elijah in annoyance, this dude seemed to be dying to go to the grave early. "Don't assume the worst about me, Elijah. Just because my father did some things in the past doesn't have anything to do with me."
Elijah's face distorted slightly as he tried to control his emotions. "You don't know what your father has done," he spat, his veins bulging out of his face, making him look more menacing. "You don't know what he did to the innocent people of Ninjago."
"Well, he was the most hated and cruel man in Ninjago, so I could imagine," I said. "Besides, I was abandoned at birth. Since when am I responsible for my father's past crimes?"
Elijah slammed the plates down, casting one last, venomous glare in my direction before heading to the door. "Let's just say don't be so proud of that man you call father."
"What? Did he kill someone dear to you?" I guessed, wondering why he thought I even liked my father. "That must be quite depressing."
Elijah snapped his head in a way that made me think his neck was about to snap. I must have hit the nail considering the four words I managed to glimpse from his mind were "parents," "dead," "sick," and "sister."
"You know that you're the talk of the school," I continued, my voice level and calm, "about an orphan boy who wanted to become a hero for his dear sick sister." I watched his face carefully, noting the tightness of his jaw, and the way his eyes narrowed in barely restrained rage. "I'm jealous, considering I'm only known for being the son of a once-evil man."
Elijah looked at me with such anger that it seemed his head could have exploded if it were possible. He walked away from the door towards me, and I couldn't help but activate my ability. This dude looked like he was going to kill me, and with the entire thing being recorded, I didn't know if people would see me as the bad guy or him. Elijah activated his ability as well, and every metal object in the kitchen began to float in the air alongside him.
"You're quite bold, you know that, Lloyd," he said, his voice sounding deeper than usual, resonating with an eerie echo."I don't think I can let this slide."
I took a step back, my power crackling at my fingertips, ready to defend myself if necessary. "Elijah, calm down," I said, trying to keep my voice steady and calm. "This isn't the place or the time for this."
He laughed, but it was a hollow, menacing sound. "Oh, now you care about timing and place?" After you poked and prodded at things you don't understand?" The metal objects around him vibrated with intensity, reflecting his anger. "You think you can just talk about my family, my pain, and walk away?"
"I wasn't trying to provoke you," I insisted, maintaining eye contact even as I prepared for a potential attack. "I was trying to understand. We're all under a lot of pressure here, and I didn't mean to make things worse."
Elijah floated closer, the metal objects following him like a deadly swarm. "Understand? You'll never understand what it's like to lose everything. To fight every day just to keep a shred of hope alive."
I defeated this guy once before with the ability of Destruction, but will Energy Manipulation be enough this time? Elijah looked even more determined, more unhinged. I couldn't help but chuckle; how long had it been since I'd faced such an intriguing opponent? The uncertainty of the outcome made my blood pump faster,
I wondered what happened to Elijah in the future when he vanished. It must have been something interesting, perhaps even tragic, to push him out of the picture.
Just as I was bracing myself for the imminent clash, Kai burst into the kitchen, his face a mixture of shock and exasperation. "Wha on earth are you guys doing?!" he screeched, his voice echoing off the walls. "Are you trying to destroy the kitchen?!"
Elijah's eyes snapped to Kai, the intensity in his gaze unwavering. "Stay out of this, Kai" he growled. "This is between me and Lloyd."
"You're insane," Kai shot back, stepping between us despite the clear danger. "This is exactly what Master Chen wants! Us tearing each other apart."
We both stared at Kai dumbfounded, feeling the weight of the situation sinking in. My ears burned with embarrassment; I had been on the brink of a potentially deadly confrontation, all broadcasted for the world to see. I was grateful that Kai had intervened before things escalated any further.
Turning to Elijah, who still hadn't deactivated his ability, I offered an apology, hoping to defuse the tension. "I'm sorry if I offended you. I promise something like this won't happen again." With a sigh, I reached out to grab a floating pot, carefully placing it back on the counter.
Before Elijah could reply, a loud crash echoed through the kitchen. We turned in unison to see the pile of neatly stacked dishes collapse, shattering into pieces on the floor. I couldn't believe it; we were both left staring at the broken fragments in disbelief. This couldn't be a coincidence.