Heroes POV
Noah trudged behind N, the silence between them stretching on since they'd left the house. The quiet might have been bearable if Noah wasn't wrestling with guilt over yelling at his future self earlier.
The harsh sunlight kept the Shadow Wraiths at bay, but both knew the creatures could strike if they really wanted to. Noah absently flicked open and closed the pocket knife he still carried, wondering how long he'd been trapped in the Dream Coma. Having N with him made it somewhat tolerable, but there was something deeply unsettling about walking alongside your future self.
Their footsteps crunching through debris were the only sounds breaking the eerie silence. Noah kicked at a piece of rubble, watching it skitter across the broken pavement. He still couldn't wrap his head around what had happened here. The Shadowy Being's attack was clear enough, but what came before? That part remained frustratingly blank.
He glanced at N, who walked ahead with eyes constantly scanning their surroundings. Noah wanted to ask about it, but the sight of N's metallic leg gave him pause. With tension still thick between them, it seemed wiser to let sleeping dogs lie.
A hiss cut through the air, making Noah's head snap towards a nearby storefront. A Shadow Wraith lurked in the shadows, its red eyes gleaming as it snarled at them. Noah's skin crawled, and he couldn't shake the feeling that this particular creature would be troubled down the line.
"Hey N," Noah finally broke the silence, shoving his free hand into his pocket. "Where exactly are we headed?"
N glanced back, his face etched with a frown. "To see someone who might be able to help with your... situation."
Noah perked up despite himself. "Really? Who?"
N's expression darkened further. "Dr. Alexander. He helped Victor and me create the cure, but... let's just say he's not around in my time anymore."
Noah fell silent, the implications sinking in. In this Dream Coma world, the doctor should still be alive, but the thought of witnessing someone's potential death made Noah's stomach churn.
"N," he started hesitantly, "since you're from the future, couldn't you tell me what's coming? Help me avoid the big mistakes?"
N's reaction was immediate and sharp. "That question right there is exactly the kind of mistake I'm trying to prevent. Messing with time could make everything worse."
Stung by the harshness, Noah felt his ears burn. "What's your problem? It was just a question."
N sighed, visibly trying to rein in his frustration. "I'm sorry," he said, awkwardly patting Noah's shoulder. "It's just... changing the future isn't as simple as it sounds. I want to train you to handle what's coming, not avoid it entirely."
"Isn't that still changing things?" Noah muttered. "I just don't want to screw everything up worse than I already have."
N's expression softened slightly. "Well, some of that's already water under the bridge, kid."
Noah glared, knowing exactly what N meant. Master Chen's tournament, learning he wasn't the Chosen One – moments when his life had seemed to crumble. But those were past now, weren't they?
He kicked another chunk of debris, harder this time. "I'm talking about the future-future. My reputation's already in the gutter; I'm amazed Ninjago trusts us at all anymore."
N shrugged, a distant look in his eyes. "When something like the Shadowy Being shows up, people's priorities tend to shift pretty quick."
He opened his mouth, about to say more, when his eyes suddenly widened. N dove to the side, narrowly avoiding a twisted piece of metal that came hurtling through the air.
"Oh, come on!" Noah shouted, already breaking into a run. "Can't we catch one break?"
N sprinted after his past self, knowing full well it was better to flee than face what was coming. He risked a glance back, his heart sinking as he saw the Four Generals in pursuit. They moved with terrifying speed, eyes gleaming with bloodlust.
This was going to be close. Too close.
They tore through the street, veering sharply into a narrow alley to try and slow down the Four Generals. Spotting a shop, they burst in and bolted out the back door, their pursuers right behind them.
The Generals spilled into the alley, finding it eerily empty save for some scattered boxes and trash cans. They exchanged confused glances. The long-armed one stalked forward, shredding through the debris with its claws, but found nothing but garbage.
"You think one of 'em used some kinda power?" the rugged General growled. "If it was the older one, we're in for a real headache."
The four-legged General hissed back, "Master wants 'em in fighting shape. Can't rough 'em up too much."
"Why's Master even bothering with these pests?" the rugged one scowled. "He could squash 'em without breaking a sweat."
The long-armed one shrugged. "When you're that strong, life gets dull. This is just a game to him. He gets a kick out of toying with these vermin."
Deciding not to dwell on their Master's whims, the Generals moved on, oblivious to what lay beneath their feet.
In the sewer below, Noah pinched his nose against the stench while N peeked through the manhole cover. Noah's fist clenched as he processed what he'd overheard. Was this all just some sick game to the Shadowy Being? It could conquer everything if it wanted, but didn't it out of boredom? Noah shook with anger.
N noticed and grabbed Noah's shoulders. "See how twisted that thing is?" N's face was grim. "That's why we have to stop it before it does all this again."
Noah looked up at his future self, his mind reeling. How could they possibly beat the Shadowy Being? It had crushed the Overlord like it was nothing. Noah had barely held his own against the Overlord; how could he hope to face this new monster? The thought made him look away, feeling hopeless.
N sighed, letting go of Noah. This was the first thing he needed to change about his past self. It had taken him ages to toughen up and ditch his old mindset. But how could he get his younger self to do the same? Did he need to beat it into him or throw him into the deep end? He couldn't read minds, and everything kept shifting because of that bastard who kept messing with the timeline.
Should he take out the Shadowy Being's helper himself? But given who that was, it'd be tough with that thing he carried. N wanted to tell Noah to deal with him now, but Noah didn't even like the guy and was way outmatched. N had pushed aside his doubts when survival became everything, but Noah wouldn't—he saw his rival all the time.
As they huddled in the sewer's gloom, both Noahs wrestled with their situation, each seeing a different way forward but equally unsure of what to do next.
…
Noah and N crawled out of the sewer after an hour of hiding, making damn sure the coast was clear. As they walked, Noah couldn't shake the feeling that the gap between them was widening, even though they were side by side. The air felt thick with awkwardness, probably because N had seen too much shit to play nice anymore. Made sense, really. Who'd be all sunshine and rainbows after losing everything?
"N, we should probably hit up that doctor if we're gonna save the world," Noah said, trying for a smile as he pointed at a nearby store. "Better move it before we end up running for our lives again."
N just grunted and nodded. Noah's hand fell, defeated. No use trying to buddy up with this version of himself. He was turning into another Lloyd, laser-focused on the endgame. Noah knew he'd end up the same way eventually, but he couldn't muster up any anger about it. He just stuffed the feeling down and trudged after his older self.
The walk felt like it took forever, but they finally made it as the sun was calling it quits for the day. Noah couldn't help but think Dr. Alexander looked like he'd stepped right out of some B-grade horror flick – minus the grey hair and wrinkles. The guy was probably in his thirties or early forties. Noah had to remind himself not to judge a book by its cover. If this dude could help, that's all that mattered.
"Who the hell are you?" the doctor barked, his accent thick as molasses. "Get lost. I don't have time for strays."
Noah glanced at N, who gave a quick nod before stepping up. "Dr. Alexander. I know this is gonna sound crazy, but I'm from the future. You helped us cook up a temporary cure for the infection."
Noah's eyebrows shot up at N's bluntness. He'd seen enough sci-fi to know you don't go blabbing about time travel to strangers. Yet here was his future self, doing exactly that. Noah couldn't figure out why N would trust this guy so easily.
Dr. Alexander squinted at them like they were puzzle pieces that didn't fit. "What kind of nonsense is this? You're from the future?" He paused, eyeing Noah, who felt like squirming under the scrutiny. "But you two do look alike. What's this about a temporary cure?"
"Let us in and I'll explain everything," N said, glancing over his shoulder like he expected trouble. "It's not smart to chat about this stuff out in the open."
Dr. Alexander hesitated, then nodded, swinging the door open wider. As Noah stepped inside, he silently prayed this wouldn't blow up in their faces. The fate of their world might just be riding on this.