Sensei Wu pushed aside some greenery as they reached where Dr. Julien was looking around in a slight panic. "What was that sound?" he asked, when Sensei and the others reached where he was standing. "Eh, the horns?"

"The Celestial Clock has reached zero," Sensei Wu responded simply, "Garmadon's ultimate weapon is in operation. And the Final Battle between good and evil has almost begun."

"Now Lloyd and Hikari must face Lord Garmadon," Misako said, making the two teenagers look at her slightly.

Dr. Julien looked at them, a confused look on his face. "But where's Nya?"

Hikari's fists tightened, and her jaw tightened. She released Lloyd's hand, making his eyes snap to her, as she began to turn around and around, looking around.

"Hikari?"

Hikari didn't respond, still looking around. "... Nya was kidnapped by the Overlord," she finally answered Dr. Julien's question, still searching with her dark gray eyes. She finally stopped and glanced down. "I have this funny feeling, though..."

x

Hikari shivered, her long dark hair dirty from being in the basement and her clothes feeling cold against her skin. The boxes around her were scattered from when she leaned against it and knocked some of them over.

No one had come to get her. Why hadn't anyone come to get her?

Where was her mom?

Where was her dad?

Why weren't they here with her?

She spotted something on the floor a few feet from her feet, a little box that she'd never noticed before, lying on its side where she'd accidentally knocked it over with the lid loosened. She crawled over to it, gently lifting the lid and peeking inside the container.

What looked like a small pile of the palest purple, translucent jelly with sparkles inside was in the box, and she dipped her index finger in and scooped some up. It was cool and gelatinous on her finger.

She looked at it curiously. Maybe it was some sort of food?

So she put her finger in her mouth and licked it off.

It tasted kind of funny- like, sweet, but... at the same time, very sour and slightly bitter. She made a face as she swallowed, although it didn't taste as bad as she'd imagined it would.

So, over the course of the next few days, she slowly ate out of the little box, until it was completely empty.

It made something inside of her tug slightly whenever she ate it, perhaps a gag reflex, but she forced it down and told herself she wasn't going to throw up. She never knew when she could get more food, so she had to take what she could get.

x

Hikari recognized the feeling now, a slight tugging in her gut.

"... oh!"

Everyone looked at her expectantly. "... I know where Nariko comes from... and I know what they're doing to Nya..."

Kai and Jay practically jumped on her at the last part. "YOU DO?!"

Hikari winced and covered her ears before chuckling slightly. "Ah! Uh, yeah. Back when I... you know, I was in the basement, I found a box of what I think was some very diluted Dark Matter. My mum always liked experimenting... anyway, I didn't know what it was, so..." She rubbed her head sheepishly. "I ate it..."

"Anyway, it didn't corrupt me, which is what Dark Matter usually does, but I think it created an alternative 'persona' inside of me, which is where Nariko might stem from. I'll have to ask, if she knows any more than I do. But I got this funny tugging feeling whenever it did happen... and I'm getting that feeling..."

Jay bit his lip, his electric-blue eyes sparking slightly with nerves. "What are you saying?"

Hikari hesitated before stating, slowly and almost reluctantly, "I... I think... I think they're feeding Nya Dark Matter... and it's undiluted, meaning that it will most likely fully corrupt her."

"Are you saying they're turning my sister evil?!" Kai snapped, amber eyes flaring up. Hikari stepped back a bit in surprise, before she turned her palms up helplessly. "I mean, it's rather likely..."

"We'll get her back," Sensei Wu said, "at the moment, there are bigger things at stake- such as all of Ninjago itself."

"Who cares about Ninjago?!" Jay burst out angrily. "Nya was my- uh, my... uh, you know!"

"And she was my sister," Kai said, putting a hand on Jay's shoulder comfortingly. "I know her being captured is tough, but she's tough- tougher than most of us! Even if she might be evil... we'll see her again."

Sensei Wu hesitated before looking at Lloyd and Hikari, who were standing back near one another again. "Lloyd, Hikari," he stated simply, "your focus gives strength in invoking the power of the Golden and Silver Dragons. You cannot lose faith now. Everything rests on your shoulders."

Hikari glanced up at Lloyd as he burst out again. "But Sensei, you SAW what happened when I tried to face my father! I-I froze! ... I can't fight him."

Hikari put a hand on her shoulder. "Lloyd, I know it's hard... but remember, your dad is just as reluctant to fight you. And I'm right here."

Lloyd looked at her, before suddenly turning and wrapping his arms around her. Hikari couldn't help it; her face turned bright pink in shock. "Thank you..." he whispered.

"... mm," Hikari hummed finally, and hugged him back.

"And you two won't be alone," Kai said suddenly, making the two of them break apart with a red blush on their cheeks. He smiled slightly for a moment beneath his mask. "You have my fire," and he drew his Elemental Blade.

"And you have my earth!" Cole said, drawing his own sword.

Zane nodded as he stepped forward, holding his own sword out. "And my ice."

"And my lightning!" Jay agreed, holding out his own sword, which crackled to life.

"We're all in this together, kids!" Cole said proudly to the two of them. Hikari smiled and flipped her hood on, which hid her hair and the rest of her face, save her eyes. "Well, then what are we waiting for?"

"Let's suit up!" Lloyd agreed.

Nariko stepped out of Hikari, smiling slightly. "Indeed."

Kai's eyes widened when he saw her. Her skin was more a shade of pale gray, and she was as solid as any of the others had ever seen her. Her black hair was the same, although it hung more over her eyes, and her eyes were red. She wore a black ninja suit that looked exactly like Hikari's. She smiled at Hikari sardonically. "Are you ready, then?"

Hikari smirked back. "Hey Nari. Sure I'm ready."

"Sure?"

"Sure I'm sure, you dummy!" Nariko smirked even more as Hikari crossed her arms.

x

The whole group ran towards the fortress. "Get down, now!" Lloyd hissed, and they all ducked down.

"They won't know what hit them," Cole said, almost vindictively.

Nariko noticed Kai glancing at her, and made a sarcastic kissy face. "Like what you see, Firefly?"

Kai turned back to the front abruptly, his face turning red even through his red mask. Nariko cackled before turning back to the front when she saw Hikari's arched eyebrow. Her own face seemed a bit of a darker gray color.

"Time to chop wood!" Jay said, and they all charged for the gates...

Only to see the whole camp was deserted, empty.

Jay flipped his hood back, looking confused. "Uh, where the heck IS everybody?"

Cole grunted, annoyed. "And here I was, all ready to release the thunder!"

"Technically Bluebird has more right to say that, Naughty. YOU have more right to say 'the avalanche'," Nariko pointed out, making Cole give her a disgruntled look.

"Garmadon's weapon is gone!" Kai pointed out, "we're too late!"

They crossed into the camp with Kai shouting out for his sister.

The falcon's cry made them all look up, and Zane said quietly, "My falcon friend wants to show us something."

It swooped over a set of tire treads, and they followed the tracks. Lloyd gulped a bit when he saw it had smashed through the wooden fence with the huge set of tires. "Whoa... that's one big weapon..."

"It appears to be heading toward the coast," Zane said, looking at the tracks and into the trees. "But why?" Lloyd wondered, looking into the trees in confusion, "wouldn't he try to use it on us?"

"No," Hikari said softly, making everyone turn to look at her, "I don't think so... he wants to turn Ninjago into his own image. He's going to be using that weapon on Ninjago."

Sensei Wu nodded. "Hikari's reasoning is right- he always wanted to turn our world into his own image."

Nariko scowled, glaring into the trees. "I mean, I always wanted to turn it into our own image as well, but... at least I'm not a delusional a-"

"Nariko," and Nariko subsided at Hikari's warning tone and look.

"But if he starts turning things evil," Misako said, "the balance will shift and allow the Overlord to cross over into our world!"

"Then we have to make sure that my father never fires that weapon!" Lloyd said, and started running. Everyone followed, until Zane's cry of 'Father!'

They turned to see Dr. Julien panting slightly. "You go on without me... I'm an inventor, not a fighter! I'll only get in the way."

"But what will you do?" Zane asked, sounding concerned as he went back over to his old father.

Dr. Julien smiled at his son. "I'll be back at the Bounty, waiting for you to return in one piece. But don't worry. A part of me will always be with you."

"Be well, Father," Zane said, and ran back to his friends as Dr. Julien responded, "Be safe."

He waved them goodbye as they ran off into the forest, following the tire treads and the trail of destruction.

x

"Um..." Jay started, sounding uncomfortable, "is anyone else thinking about how this might be our final fight together?"

"Yeah," Kai said uncomfortably.

Zane glanced away slightly, still sprinting along the path. "Of course."

"It's ALL I've been thinking about," Cole agreed.

"We've come a long way," Kai said, "and it wasn't so long ago that Sensei found us."

"Hey," Jay said, a slight chuckle tinging his voice, "you remember that time Kai thought he was the Green Ninja?"

Everyone started chuckling, even Lloyd, who was concerned, Hikari, who was being unusually serious, and even Nariko, to Kai's slight dismay. "Yes, that was quite the memory," Zane said cheerfully.

Cole cackled, "He was SO NOT!"

Zane suddenly added, "Or what about the Hypnobrai when he hypnotized Cole? And we had to fight him?"

More laughter. "Yeah, I was so confused when I saw him advancing on you guys," Hikari chuckled, "since I thought he was with you."

"We should've just kicked his butt!" Kai snickered, and Lloyd giggled, "Haha, you HAD to destroy our treehouse."

Hikari laughed even harder when she remembered that event, having to bite her lip to make herself subside a bit.

"Or what about that time when Sensei came out of the guts of the Devourer's belly?" Zane added, making all of them explode into slightly grossed out laughter, "drinking tea!"

Cole cackled, "Oh, that was so gross!"

"Yeah, I thought he was a goner!" Jay giggled, and then yelped as Sensei Wu clocked him on the back of the head with his staff. "Says you, Mr. Empty Head," he retorted, making everyone explode into bursts of laughter.

Something suddenly darted across the path, and everyone skidded to a stop.

"Something is roaming here," Cole said, looking around.

"Where?!" Jay asked, turning himself around.

Kai frowned slightly. "Did I just see...?"

"I sense an evil presence," Zane said simply, his eyes scanning over the landscape.

"Above us!"

Everyone looked into the trees, when something suddenly darted past, a spinning, red, Spinjitzu tornado.

"Aw! My jaw, that hurt!" Cole exclaimed as it smacked into his face. The Spinjitzu tornado knocked Lloyd and Hikari over, sending Hikari flying a few feet away and making Lloyd fall backwards onto his butt.

"No one does that to the Green Ninja!" Kai yelled angrily at the tornado.

It stopped spinning, and Jay let out a cry. "Nya!"

"That is no longer Nya," Sensei Wu said, having to put his arms out to stop both Jay and Kai, who looked as though he could break something- namely, every bone in Garmadon's body. "What," he seethed, eyes sparking with flames, "did he do to my sister!"

Nya looked grayed out, a bit like Nariko, now that they thought about it, except her eyes glowed purple. She let out a wicked growl. Nariko's eyes clouded over. "He used the Dark Matter... and made Nya into his own vision of her."

Hikari's eyes clouded as well. "And it was most certainly undiluted... so rather than made an alternative persona that took over Nya, like Nariko would've done when she was..." she drifted off, vaguely.

"Fully evil," Nariko picked up calmly, "he has merely corrupted her entire being."

"Garmadon must've sent her to slow us down," Sensei Wu cut in, "we must keep him from firing that weapon!"

Nya began to spin a spiked sphere on a chain, and Cole said, desperately, "Well, what do we do?! Use our elemental powers on her?!"

"NO!" Jay yelled, "I don't want to hurt her!"

"Jay's right," Kai agreed, "we just have to find a way to keep her from-!"

Nariko yanked him backwards, and he stumbled and fell on top of Nariko, who grunted in pain as the ball whisked through the air where Kai had just been (Zane dived out of the way) and whisked back to Nya's hand.

Kai rolled off of Nariko and got to his feet. "Whoa, thanks, Nariko."

"No problem, Firefly," Nariko gasped, before slowly and rather painfully unfurling to her feet.

"Lloyd!" Cole said, "you and Hikari head up ahead of us with Sensei and Misako! Let us take care of Nya!"

"But, you said you'll always be behind me!" Lloyd yelped, sounding a little startled.

"We will be," Kai said, determinedly, "we'll catch up as soon as we can!"

Nariko spun into her own, pure black Spinjitzu tornado and caught the end of the ball and chain, as Nya attempted to yank it free.

Kai stared. "Wait, you're staying too?"

"Why do you think I just grabbed the dangerous spiked ball and chain and am now fighting to keep ahold of it so your evil sister doesn't hit you in the face with it? For funsies perhaps?" Nariko responded sarcastically, keeping ahold of the chain tightly.

"All right, we must go!" Misako said, and they all started running past. "Good luck, Nariko!" Hikari shouted before disappearing along the path with Lloyd, Sensei Wu, and Misako.

"You too!" Nariko responded, before flicking the chain with her wrist. It sent an odd undulation, which came right back up and smacked Nya in the face. Nya let out an outraged shriek, and Nariko took advantage of the distraction to yank the entire chain over into her hands. Winding it around her hands, she twirled it.

"Triple Tiger Sashay!" Cole shouted, and charged, but Nya caught him and flicked him behind her. Spinning around, she grabbed his hands and flipped him over so that he spun into the other ninja, knocking them over like bowling pins.

Nariko flicked out the chain, taunting evil Nya with it as the ninja all got up, and then charged towards her.

x

"FATHER, DON'T!" Lloyd yelled as he and Hikari tore towards the huge weapon. Hikari felt her mouth go entirely dry at the sight of it. It looked like an armored tank, except about twelve times more dangerous and a hundred times more evil. It was also more flamboyant.

"Lloyd!" Lord Garmadon sounded surprised.

"What are you doing?!" hissed a voice, and Hikari glanced up to see a throbbing, purplish-pinkish-red sphere of lighPust pulsating in the air. "Push the button!"

Hikari moved closer to Lloyd, winding her fingers into his. He responded, his face pale but drawn with determination. "So the balance has sent my son, my brother, my wife, and my son's girlfriend to try to stop me?" Garmadon sneered.

"I'm not his girl- you know what, now is really not the time to argue about that," Hikari started and then stopped herself, her cheeks turning pink. Lloyd was also blushing a little underneath the mask as Garmadon continued, pretending he hadn't heard Hikari, "Looks like my surprise has kept the ninja busy!"

"Don't do it," Misako shouted up to her husband, "If you alter the balance, it will allow the Overlord to cross over!"

"The balance will be destroyed and we will all pay dearly!" Sensei Wu added.

"Don't listen to them," rasped the Overlord, making Hikari's spine crawl at the sound of it, "They betrayed you!"

Hikari tilted her head rather innocently. "Wait, so he shouldn't believe that Lloyd and I aren't dating?" she asked.

There was a short silence in which a pin could've dropped on the SAND and everyone would've heard it. Lloyd was fighting to hide a smile beneath his mask and Garmadon and the Overlord, for once, had absolutely nothing to say in response to that.

"Um... ahem," Lloyd finally coughed, trying to keep any amusement out of his voice, "I don't want to fight you!" he shouted to his father, who looked back to him. Hikari frowned and looked at him, before back at Lord Garmadon. "But we will if we have to!"

"This is more than about just us," Lloyd added, and Hikari finished the sentence with him, "this is about what is right."

Garmadon was silent for a moment before gesturing. "Don't you see?! I will never do what is right! The evil in my blood can never go away! It has corrupted every ounce of my fiber, every bone in my body! I am Lord Garmadon! Destiny took my family from me, and the only way for us to be together is for me to turn EVERYTHING in this world into MY image!"

Hikari opened her mouth to say something, paused, and closed it again.

"Then you will all see what I see, feel what I feel-" Garmadon was cut off by his wife.

"It's not too late," Misako said to her husband. His red eyes bored into her, and he seethed, venomously, "You made your decision. I will make mine."

And he turned away.

"NO!" All of them shouted.

There was a slight 'beep' as his hand hit the button.

'Garmatron,' the machine said, 'warming up in two months...'

Hikari blinked, before the machine recalculated, 'Twenty seconds...'

"WARMING UP?!" Garmadon almost screeched, before shouting up to the Overlord, "You could've warned me it had to warm up!"

"How could I?" the Overlord croaked, "you were monologuing."

'Sixteen,' the machine stated.

Hikari was seized with the sudden desire to laugh. She quashed it and glanced at the others. "We have to find a way to turn it off!"

"Stop them!" Garmadon screeched, and the Stone Army roared as they charged.

A set of guns fired lights, and Misako stepped in front of them and blocked them using the container she used for her research.

Hikari blinked slightly as Misako said to the two of them, "Go!"

The two of them backed up before running and leaping.

'Ten... nine...'

Lloyd landed with a flip and Hikari landed on Lloyd's back, before flipping off again and tensing as she looked at Garmadon.

'Eight... seven... six..."

"No!" Garmadon seethed, as Lloyd stood up, preparing to fight.

'Five...'

Hikari dodged Lord Garmadon and examined the controls, before she was forced to dodge so that Lord Garmadon didn't hit her.

'Four...'

A Stone Warrior pinned Lloyd to the wall. "Got you," he said, in a gloating voice. Hikari ran back and shoulder-tackled it, making her shoulder ache but the Warrior release Lloyd.

'Three...'

Hikari grabbed Lloyd, and the two of them backed away.

'Two...'

Hikari bit her lip in fear. "Oh no..." she mumbled, her fingers entwining with Lloyd's.

'One...'

Another beep, and a huge missile fired from the cannon and spiraled off. Hikari watched it with her eyes until it was lost in the storm clouds above her.

Garmadon let out a loud, derisive, laugh. "I... WIN!" he screeched, triumphantly.

The Stone Warrior grabbed both of them. "Lloyd! Hikari!" Sensei Wu shouted, "you must focus, and put a stop to this!"

Lloyd and Hikari looked at each other, in concern, before putting their hands together. A beam of green and purple light began to form, when suddenly the floor gave out beneath them.

Hikari let out an alarmed gasp as they fell down a chute and were spat out onto the sand, not too far away. Hikari got up, grimacing slightly as Garmadon shouted, "You think you can stop me?!"

He fired another missile towards Ninjago, and Hikari helped Lloyd to his feet.

"Hikari, are you okay?" he groaned.

"Yeah... well, sort of... you?" she asked, wincing as she brushed some sand from her hair.

Lloyd looked back at the weapon ('Garmatron') with a pretty deadpan face. "As good as I can get in these circumstances..."

x

The other ninja groaned as Cole was being hung upside down by the ball and chain. "We have to help them!" Jay shouted.

Nariko scowled. "Yeah, well, chiquita here is being stubborn!" she snapped slightly.

"Well, we have to take care of your sister! It's four against one and I think she's winning!"

"That's only because she doesn't care if she hurts us or not! We don't want to hurt her and that means we REALLY have to hold back!" Nariko snapped. Then her eyes lit up. "... what if you used your powers... but you didn't hurt her? Then that would solve the problem!"

"I like that idea!" Zane agreed, and shot a blast of ice that sliced through the chain, making both Cole and Nya fall to the ground.

"Let's do it!"

Nya threw two darts, but Zane and Jay threw their swords up and blocked it.

"Cole, Nariko, can you blind her for a sec?" Jay asked Cole and Nariko.

"Thanks to you, sure thing!" He stabbed his sword into the ground, sending up a cloud of dust and dirt that made Nya let out a shriek of pain. Nariko then held her hand out, and a cloud of inky blackness fired from her hand, splashing Nya across the eyes.

"Kai! Quick! Cut that tree!" Jay shouted, and Kai whipped out his Elemental Blade. "On it!" he fired another blast of fire, which sent a palm tree toppling towards Nya, who was staggering around.

"I see what you're doing!" Zane threw another blast of ice, which iced over the top of the tree and made a frigid prison, in which Nya's screams of rage could still be heard.

"Sorry, sis," Kai apologized, "this club just became boys only."

Nariko gently flicked him on the back of head. "And what am I?" she said, smiling sardonically, "chopped liver perhaps?"

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, you know what I'm doing."

"Yes. Anyway, hurry!" Nariko started running along the path, her hair streaming out behind her as they dashed away rapidly, towards the coast.

x

The Overlord cackled evilly, and Lloyd said, helplessly, "W-we tried--!"

"We did, we really--!" Hikari nodded, but Sensei Wu simply placed his hand on their backs. "I know."

"It is done," Misako said, in an almost dismissive tone, "the balance has shifted."

"Stop laughing," Garmadon demanded to the Overlord, "this is my victory! What's happening?"

"You've helped upset the balance," the Overlord croaked gleefully, "because of you, I can now cross over into your world! I'm finally FREE!"

"Wait a minute!" Garmadon shouted, "you stole that from MY playbook! You can forget about it! Ninjago is MINE!"

The Overlord seethed with wicked glee, "No, it was never going to be yours, it-- is-- MINE!"

And a bolt of white light struck the machine, and Lloyd's father, and an agonized scream filled the air. Hikari cried out and stumbled back, gripping Lloyd's shoulder as the wind picked up, blasting her hair back from her face in a wild, windblown effect.

"Sorry we're late," Jay panted, rushing over, "did we miss much?"

Garmadon let out another screech of agony, and Jay's eyes widened. "H-holy...!"

Garmadon's hands turned into clawed, gnarled monstrosities and he straightened up, looking at his hands with wide, red eyes. "Wh-what is happening to me?!"

"Are you scared?" Jay squeaked into Hikari's ear in fear, "I'm scared!"

Hikari watched as Garmadon straightened up suddenly, his face long and snoutlike, with glowing violet eyes. "The metamorphosis," he croaked, in the Overlord's horrible voice, "is complete!"

"Metamorphosis?!" Kai sputtered, "what does that mean?!"

"Metamorphosis is a biological process in which someone or something changes into something else--" Zane was cut off by Cole's shout of, "Yeah, changes into something UGLY!"

Hikari watched in horror as Lord-- no, the Overlord-- roared with horrible, croaking laughter. Sensei Wu grabbed Lloyd, who'd started moving forward. "No, Lloyd-- that is no longer your father."

"But what about the prophecy?!" Lloyd cried, "it said I had to face my father!"

"You still must," Misako answered, sternly, "but now the Overlord has possessed him. Unlike your father, the Overlord will not show you mercy."

"What about Hikari?" Lloyd asked over the roaring winds.

"Hikari is easily corrupted, even without Nariko, because of the pure darkness she has power over," Misako answered quietly, and Nariko glanced at Hikari, whose eyes were wide with fear. "The Overlord will do his best to turn Hikari over to his side, and Hikari's job is arguably one of the hardest-- she must help you defeat the Overlord without succumbing to his persuasion and her own darkness."

"You can do this, Lloyd, Hikari," Kai said, putting a hand on both their shoulders.

Jay nodded, "We're here, and behind you all the way!"

"He's tough," Cole added in, "but you two are tougher!"

"But we have to act before his evil gets more powerful!" Zane shouted, and Lloyd and Hikari turned back to the machine to see the Overlord cackling, before turning to one another.

"Let's do this!" they shouted in perfect sync, before everyone charged forward, spinning into their brightly colored Spinjitzu tornados. "NINJA-GO!"

Lloyd and Hikari fired a green and purple blast of energy, setting a ring of sand on fire, before they charged in. Zane froze a knot of the Stone Army, and Cole sent the frozen brigade everywhere as he shattered the ice. Hikari then slammed a chasm into the earth, swallowing some of the Stone Army, before closing it again.

Kai slid under one of the vehicles, ducking under the spinning blades, and jabbing his sword into it as he ran, the vehicle simply fell apart. Nariko flicked her hand, and a pool of darkness appeared beneath some of the Stone Army, which plunged into it. She then shut it again, leaving a completely blank stretch of sand.

"What was that?"

"Portal to the void," Nariko said simply, before kicking one of the Stone Army Warriors in the stomach, sending them flying into the water.

Jay sent lightning at one of the vehicles, short circuiting it. He grabbed Hikari's hand as she charged, and a blast of lightning exploded through the sky, sending a whip crack of thunder through the air and blasting the Stone Army while leaving the ninja completely unscathed.

"We need more evil!" the Overlord rasped, "but where to attack next??"

He then smiled evilly. "Ninjago City.."

Sensei Wu smacked the Stone Warrior holding one of the dark capsules, caught the capsule, and heaved it over to Jay. "Jay!"

Hikari had rushed over someplace else, and Jay swung his sword like a baseball bat and sent it flying somewhere into the water. "That one's out of the ball park!"

"SEE TO IT PERSONALLY THAT THE CANNON IS LOADED!" the Overlord screeched to one of the Stone Warriors, who charged over to Sensei Wu. Sensei Wu dodged and then knocked him into the cannon loading dock, where he fell in and the loading dock shut.

The Overlord hit the button and sent the Stone Warrior flying, making the ninja all laugh a bit. "Well, he did load the cannon," Nariko snarked through her cackles, and Hikari was giggling so hard that she had to cover her mouth.

"Look out Jay!" Kai suddenly shouted, and they dodged out of the way and onto the weapon itself as the guns fired at them, and kicking the Stone Warrior who was controlling it off. "Sorry, only two can dance this dance!"

Jay Spinjitzued onto the ground and knocked most of the warriors away, Kai firing the gun at the random vehicles that tried to help their comrades. But Lloyd and Hikari jumped into the weapon and walked towards the Overlord as purposefully as they could. "This ends now!" Lloyd shouted.

"All of this time... has led up to this," Hikari said simply.

"Stupid children! I have been planning this for thousands of years!" the Overlord roared.

Hikari shrugged. "Well plans don't always work out."

"Eat your greens!" Lloyd shouted, firing a bolt of light at the Overlord and knocking him back. Cole cheered something, but Lloyd and Hikari were focusing more on the Overlord, who was standing up... his hands were glowing purple...

Hikari fired a beam of darkness that acted as a shield, absorbing the darkness before exploding against the side, and Hikari and Lloyd jumped away as the Overlord punched them.

Lloyd and Hikari tumbled across the sand roughly and ended up with Lloyd on top of Hikari. Hikari helped him up and smiled at him, before turning to face the Overlord, who was summoning a beam of power with all four of his hands.

The two of them fired back, ending up with a mixed purple-and-green beam of light at the Overlord's, meeting in the very center.

The Overlord suddenly stopped and fired another blast, making Lloyd and Hikari roll out of the way and reconvene, charging sideways, before firing another beam that hit the Overlord directly, and sent him flying backwards into the trees.

"Yes!" Jay cheered, but the Overlord's figure shot into the air, his bottom hands glowing.

"No!" Jay groaned.

The Overlord swooped towards them, but Hikari jumped in front of Lloyd--

Both of them were sent flying so that they landed at the water's edge, Lloyd groaning as he sat back up.

"The battle for good and evil," the Overlord snarled, "I can do this for eternity... but can YOU?" he pointed mainly at Lloyd. Hikari waved, glaring at him. "Hey! What am I, chopped liver??"

"Join my side, and you can have all you want," the Overlord crooned persuasively. "You can have your parents back, you can bend reality so that you have what you want! You know that is what you truly want!"

Hikari hesitated, before suddenly shaking her head and plugging her ears with her fingers. "Nope. Can't hear you!" she yelled, at the top of her lungs, making a sudden desire to laugh spring up in Lloyd's throat, "Nope, nope, NOPE! OH SAY CAN YOU SEE..."

Lloyd snickered before clearing his throat. "I'm not alone in this! I have Hikari!" Hikari, seeing it was safe, gingerly removed her hands, as he continued, "and my father is still in you! He won't fight with me!"

The face shrank back, and the eyes were red again. "Lloyd...!" he groaned, reaching out, before his face changed back to the Overlord's, "You must destroy...!!"

"Fool," the Overlord sneered over Garmadon's fading voice, "you cannot defeat me!"

Lloyd and Hikari both fired a beam of light, mixing back into purple-green, and sent the Overlord flying. Hikari charged forward and kicked him in the chest, knocking him back, and when he stood back up Lloyd blasted him backwards several steps, a shock of purple light flying from him. "We can try!" they shouted in sync.

The Overlord laughed and threw beams of violet light from his hands, and Hikari and Lloyd mixed their beams of light again, making a battle of light in the center of the beach, with the Overlord's maniacal laughter ringing in their ears.

"Fight him, Father!" Lloyd screamed at the Overlord.

Garmadon momentarily flickered into the Overlord's place, his face shrinking back and his hands growing less gnarled. "Lloyd!" he shouted, before the Overlord replaced him again.

"Fight him!" Lloyd screamed again. Hikari added in, "Do it for Lloyd! Fight him, please!"

The Overlord and Garmadon began to toggle, making the both of them dizzy. "You... will not take... my son...!" he screamed out, in a mix of the two voices, before suddenly Garmadon disappeared. The Overlord had a wicked sneer on his face as he leered at them. "Your father," he gloated to Lloyd, "is GONE!"

And then he fired another, stronger beam of light, but not at Hikari.

Hikari's eyes widened. "No... LLOYD--!!" she screamed, just as the beam of light caught Lloyd and threw him across the beach.

Hikari let out another scream and ran to him, sprinting so fast that she managed to reach him before even his parents did. "No-- Lloyd! Lloyd!" she screamed, leaning over him as a terrified sob tore at her throat.

"Lloyd!" Sensei Wu shouted, and Misako screamed as she rushed over, "My son!"

The cannon swiveled to Lloyd, Misako, and Wu, as the Overlord let out yet another wicked laugh.

Hikari lifted her arms, ready to block the shot of Dark Matter he was about to shoot, when suddenly the Bounty soared in front, the Dark Matter crashing over it.

Dr. Julien sprinted over and jumped, and Hikari sent a blast of ice desperately. It made a quick slide that deposited him safely on the ground. He grinned at her sheepishly, glasses lopsided. "That went well."

The Overlord was shouting something, but Hikari focused her attention on Lloyd, even as a swirling vortex formed. She could sense how close he was to dying, but she gripped his arms as tightly as she could without hurting him, eyes welling up with tears. "Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon," she said, firmly, "you are not dying on me... you're not--"

Her voice broke as the ninja came over, slowly, looking defeated.

Lloyd's head slowly shifted, and relief flooded through her as he looked at them, sitting up slowly. Hikari choked back a sob of pure relief, feeling terrified and joyous and shattered all at the same time. "Did we...?" he asked, his eyes focusing, and Hikari lunged forward and hugged him, briefly, before letting go of him again and wiping her eyes furiously.

"Did we win?" Lloyd asked, sounding bewildered, as Hikari looked as though she wanted to tackle him in another hug. Sensei Wu shook his head. "No. But you're alive."

Lloyd stared, trying to get up. "But-- the prophecy--"

"Easy kid!" Jay said, sounding worried, "you've been through a lot!"

Lloyd stared again before looking at Hikari. He extended his arms slightly and awkwardly--

Hikari hugged him again tightly. "How do you think I would've felt--" Hikari choked, "if my--" For a moment, crush, love, and beloved danced tantalizingly on her tongue; she swallowed it back and choked out, "if my best friend died and I was left??"

For a moment, Lloyd's face looked-- disappointed? And then he seemed to be deep in thought. "... Destiny showed us who was stronger today... but destiny also wanted us around to fight another day. We didn't lose the battle. Today, we just lost the fight."

And I didn't lose you, Hikari added to herself silently.

A/N: Next chapter is the final battle, guys! Who's hyped for that? I know I am!

The Overlord has gone to Ninjago City with Nya, and the ninja, Misako, Sensei Wu, and Dr. Julien are stuck on the Dark Island! Will Hikari and Lloyd be able to defeat the Overlord next chapter, without Hikari succumbing to the Overlord?

Responses to commenters!

Fanfiction:

MMM: Thanks, good to know :)

Greenninjaisbae: You're getting that next chapter!

Quotev:

LovelyLife: I actually put a bit of that in as a joke, but now I'm considering making it more canon in this story... I dunno, what do you all think?

Hailey is kawaii for a week: Thanks!

Elaine Smith: Hey, thanks! Yep, you're right, it's a mystery (wiggles fingers) And thank you!

cookiecat567: (grins)

CrystalSong11: Haha, first Llokari, now Kairiko. More ships, that's exactly what this story needs :)

Painted Wings: Hikari is wearing more of a ninja gi like the others, but don't look at that for reference yet because her outfit changes a bit next chapter and then the chapter immediately afterwards, so... unless you want to do an old fanart?

Leah2306: Haha, yeah, Nariko is a sarcastic one. Thank you!

MCianEnder: Hehe, yep, I am doing all the seasons of Ninjago. :) So hold out for that.

Wattpad:

None, once again.

x.X. A.L. X.x