"Land ho!" 

   All the girls rushed out on deck as the bell at the top of the mast clanged loudly. 

   They were nearing the coast of an island. 

  "Welcome to Serpentine Island." Lloyd leaned against the railing next to the girls. 

 "What now?" Skylor asked. 

   "Serpentine Island. Today's the annual Serpentine Festival, we thought you girls would like to see it." Kai came up behind them. 

   "Serpentine?" Nya asked. 

  "Tribes of snakes that can talk, they have arms and most have legs..." Lloyd explained dryly, "Your father banished them from Ninjago, so they all live on this Island." Lloyd looked at Nya who flushed with embarrassment. 

   "We're the only humans they'll allow on the Island, but I'm sure they'll allow you since you're our guests." Kai shared a look with Lloyd who barked out a laugh. 

   "Lower the main sail and prepare to dock! Have the signal flags spell out 'friends'!" Lloyd yelled, rushing up to the steering wheel.

  "Faith laid out some dresses for you in your rooms. Don't worry, the dresses aren't like the monstrosity that you were all wearing when you came on board." Kai grinned before heading off to help with the ropes. 

   He was right. 

  Harumi fingered the fabric of her green dress. It was all green with pink cherry blossoms and branches adorning the bottom part of the skirt which reached just below her knees and was swishy, short sleeves and slightly off the shoulder. 

    "I love it," Harumi smiled. 

   After she got dressed, she looked at herself in the mirror. She wore the green shoes with kitten heels that she was wearing when she was captured and they went well with her new dress. 

    "Harumi? Are you ready? We've already docked and tied up. You girls certainly take ages to dress." A voice called from outside her door.

   Harumi swung the door open revealing Lloyd wearing a white shirt, a formal, yet slightly normal green jacket, unbuttoned, a loosely tied black cravat, black trousers and black boots. 

    'Wait... Did I just check him out?!' Harumi thought, as her cheeks were dusted a light pink. 

   "Well if you're done checking me out, I suggest we head up and join the others." Lloyd smirked, teasing her. 

   "I wasn't checking you out! I was just... looking to see what you were wearing." Harumi denied, flustered as she grabbed Lloyd's hand as he escorted her. 

   "Isn't that just the same thing?" Lloyd laughed. 

  Harumi blushed. "I-I..." She tried but failed to come up with anything. 

    Lloyd laughed again, "Don't worry about it. Whenever we he hit the streets of any village, town or city, girls always and I mean always look at us and more often than not, flirt with us." He explained as they walked out on deck. 

    "By us meaning...?" Harumi questioned. 

   "Me, Jay, Kai, Cole and Zane," Lloyd clarified, "It gets really annoying."

  "I can't picture any of you flirting with anyone... okay, maybe I can picture Kai flirting with someone. But not you." Harumi laughed. 

   "I normally ignore them and don't take any notice. Kai, he flirts sometimes, but other than that, none of us take any notice." Lloyd shrugged. 

   "Finally! They're here! Come on you two lovebirds, they're waiting for us!" Jay called out before jumping down off the side of the boat on the the wooden pier, surprisingly not making a noise as he landed. 

    "We're not lovebirds, if any of us are lovebirds I'd say it was you and Nya!" Lloyd retorted as he too jumped over the side, landing noiselessly. 

   Jay blushed as did Nya. 

  "We're not.. I'm not... we're just..." Jay stammered. 

  Lloyd and Kai burst out laughing. 

    Seeing the boys happy, laughing and having fun was heart-warming for the girls. It was certainly a big difference from the scowls and snapping. 

    A ramp was lowered and the girls descended the ship properly. 

  "Ahhhh!!! Welcome back to the Sssssserpentine Island! I sssee you have brought guesssstsss with you thisss time." A voice greeted. 

    The girls turned and were greeted with the sight of a human-sized blue snake with arms who was holding a staff. 

   "Skales! Lovely to see you again!" Lloyd greeted in return, giving the snake a pat on the back. 

  "It'sss lovely to ssssee you all again too." Skales replied, "Who, may I assssk, are they?" He gestured to the girls. 

    "This is Nya, Skylor, Harumi, Pixal and Seliel, they are... new friends of ours." Lloyd gestured to each one in turn. 

   "Let me guesssss, you captured them?" Skales looked amused. 

   Cole laughed. "You know us too well!" 

    "How is Selma and Skales Jr.?" Zane asked politely. 

   "Oh! They are fine! Sssssskalessss Jr. can't wait to sssssee you all. And Ssssselma is cooking your favouritesssss for tonightssss fessstival. Follow me. Jussst have your crew tie up your ssssship properly and it will be fine." Skales turned and slithered off, leading the way. 

   They followed Skales, who, Cole whispered, was the leader of all the Serpentine tribes. 

    "Lloyd!" 

   A blur of blue and white slammed into Lloyd, knocking him off balance.

      "Hey Junior! How are you?" Lloyd asked, laughing as he swung the young Hypnobrai around and around. 

    "I'm good! I knew you would come to the fessstival!" Skales Jr. replied, beaming. 

  "Have we ever missed one?" Lloyd asked, going down on one knee to come to the young Hypnobrai's height. 

   "Nope!" Skales Jr. grinned. 

  The girls stood back and watched this cute scene, smiles on all their faces.

  "Hi Junior!" Nelson came up.

  "Hi Nelssson! Come on, the othersss are waiting!" Skales Jr. grabbed Nelson's hand and they both dashed of to play with the other young serpentine. 

    "You may do asss you wisssh asss we wait for lunch to be ready, after that, the fessstival gamesss may begin!" Skales said before he slithered off. 

   "What do you want to do?" Lloyd asked the girls. The crew had already parted ways to do as they pleased. 

   "Anything to pass the time!" Seliel said. 

   "Anything?" Lloyd and the other boys exchanged sly looks. 

  "Uh oh..." The girls started to back away to run, but it was too late. The boys grabbed and dragged them off.

   They ended up on one side of a deep canyon. 

  "Umm... what are we doing?" Skylor looked suspiciously at Kai. 

  "You'll see in a minute. Lloyd, you and Harumi go first." Kai grinned evilly. 

  "Your highness," Lloyd mocked bowed and held out his hand, "this way please... and hold on tight to me." He instructed as he strapped them both in a harness.

   "Why - AAAAAHHHH!" Harumi suddenly screamed as Lloyd pulled them both off the ledge, zipping through the air.

   "Harumi!" Nya and Skylor gasped running to the edge.

  "Don't worry, they're safe." Kai, Jay and Cole laughed.

   "What game do you boys think you're playing?!" Nya turned on them.

  "We're going zip-lining. You said you wanted to do anything as long as it helped past the time." Cole put his hands up in mock surrender. 

   "THAT WAS AMAZING! I WANT TO GO AGAIN!" A scream was heard from the other side of the canyon. 

   The rest of the girls turned to see Harumi squealing while jumping up and down excitedly.

  "My turn!" Seliel immediately stepped forward. 

 "Don't worry, we'll all get a shot." Cole assured her, taking her hand. 

                    ⚔⚔⚔⚔⚓⚔⚔⚔⚔

     "We've searched the entire Southern area, your majesties. There is no sign of them." General Akita reported, as Generals Vania, Raven and Cryptor all stood behind her. 

   "Where are you searching next?" Ray asked.

   "We are searching the West next. Moving up to the North, then to the East." General Cryptor said. 

   "We must find the girls at all costs, and..." Here Cliff paused, "And we're searching for the boys again too. They must also be found." 

   "As you command, your majesties." The generals bowed and left the room. 

  "I hate to think what is happening to the girls right now. They could be starved, tortured, beat-up, seriously injured, scared -scratch that, terrified, lost -" Maya started listing possibilities hysterically, but Garmadon cut her off. 

  "I seriously hope they're aren't being tortured, and seriously doubt it anyway." Garmadon said firmly but gently to calm the panicking Queen.

   "But the others could very well happen or are happening." Lou pointed out.

   "They better not be harming my precious little angel!" Chen growled, slamming his fist on the table in front of him. 

   "I wonder what they're doing right now?" Cyrus sighed.

  "They could be lying in darkness, cold, hungry and injured..." Maya wailed. 

                 ⚔⚔⚔⚔⚓⚔⚔⚔⚔ 

     A huge bonfire lit the sky as well as lit torches all around the huge, spacious green where the festival was being held. 

   "Thank you for the wonderful dinner, now, time for the dancing!" Skales announced. 

   Music started playing and the girls immediately jumped up and started dancing along with some of the crew and other Serpentine, while the boys watched from the side, drinking champagne from their glasses. 

    "I think they've enjoyed themselves." Kai commented, as he and Lloyd stood leaning against a low wall.

   "You think?" Lloyd laughed.

  "Did you see their face when we did cliff-jumping?" Kai grinned.

  "Absolutely priceless!" Lloyd smirked, laughing once more.

     "Nya screamed so loud!" Jay chuckled as he came up beside them. 

   "Not as loud as Harumi." Kai looked at Lloyd who just rolled his eyes at the comment.

   "I would think Skylor or Nya are the slightly more adventurous ones, although Seliel is the dare-devil of the lot, she was the only one who tried cliff-jumping." Lloyd mused. 

   "Yeah, she is. I must say, it must be really boring being a royal and staying in a palace, because Nya said to me that this is the most fun she's had." Jay nodded at the raven-haired princess. 

    "Why did you give them the choice to stay or to leave?" Kai asked, turning to look at Lloyd

   "I realised that, maybe if they see the real world, once we return them to the palace, they'll make a change and try to help make the world a better place..." Lloyd shrugged, staring into the fire. 

   The music changed to a slower one.

   Harumi came bounding up towards them.

  "Come on! Put that glass down and dance." Harumi took Lloyd's champagne and set the glass down on a table nearby. 

   "What?! Wait! Harumi, stop, no. I don't know how to dance!" Lloyd protested as Harumi dragged him off. 

   Kai and Jay were laughing their heads off but stopped immediately when Skylor and Nya came and dragged them off! 

  Cole and Zane smirked at the helpless and desperate looks on their brothers' faces.

  Cole then stood up and approached Seliel, tapping her on the shoulder.

  "May I have this dance?" Cole asked, bowing as he held out his hand.

  "Why, of course you may!" Seliel grinned, playing along with his antics. They both laughed.

     Zane made his way to Pixal. "Would you care to dance with me?" He asked politely.

  "Yes, thank you. I would." Pixal smiled at him, taking his hand.

      "Harumi, please! I don't know how to dance." Lloyd pleaded.

   "Nonsense! I'll teach you." Harumi took his hands, "Now, place your left hand on my waist and take my left hand in your right." 

   "What?!" Lloyd's eyes widened. 

  "Just do it." Harumi rolled her eyes.

   Lloyd flushed with embarrassment but did as told, holding her at arms-distance. 

  "Closer, Lloyd. You can't dance if your partner is miles away." Harumi shook her head, amused as she drew Lloyd closer, "Now then just follow."  

   "If I step on your toes, don't say I didn't warn you." Lloyd made a face at her.

  "I'm sure you'll do fine." Harumi nodded assuring him not to worry. 

   In a perfect world, 

One we've never known,

We would never need to face the world alone. 

  "Just follow me lead and you'll be fine." Skylor assured Kai as they started to dance. 

    "We're doing better than Cole and Seliel anyway." Kai laughed.

"That is true, but Jay and Nya seem to be doing great." Skylor commented, looking at the two.

   "They seem to have a natural talent for dancing." Kai agreed.

  "But we're doing just fine." Skylor smiled, before placing her head on his shoulders.

They can have the world,

We'll create our own,

I may not be brave,

Or strong

Or smart,

But somewhere in my secret heart,

I know, love will find a way,

Anywhere I go,

I'm home 

If you are there beside me.

    "You are a good dancer." Zane complimented, as they danced to the music.

   "You're not to bad yourself." Pixal smiled, "Have you ever been taught how to dance?" She asked.

   "No, not properly. But over the years when we've been coming to the Serpentine festival, Selma insists on teaching us how to dance. Kai and Lloyd have managed to escape her each time, but the rest of us haven't been that lucky." Zane laughed.

 Like dark,

Turning into day,

Some how we'll come through,

 Now that I've found you,

Love will find a way. 

"You're not a bad dancer, Commander Cole." Seliel teased, as Cole spun her round. 

   "Likewise, Lady Seliel." Cole grinned, then he asked, "What was your favourite activity this afternoon then?"

   "Ooh! Well, I liked cliff-jumping, but then there was also archery! That was fun! I also enjoyed the pottery making." Seliel listed, unable to choose.

   "Glad you enjoyed yourself." Cole smiled.

  "Oh, I did! We've never been able to do anything like this back home." Seliel beamed.

  "Well, hopefully we'll be able to get you and the others to experience more enjoyable things." Cole said.

   "I'd like that." Seliel smiled. 

I was so afraid, 

Now I realise,

Love is never wrong,

And so it never dies.

There's a perfect world,

Shining in your eyes.

"You look really beautiful tonight," Jay whispered, "Not that you don't any other time, but -" 

   "I know, you look really handsome too." Nya blushed. 

  "Did you enjoy yourself today?" Jay asked, slowly spinning her round.

  "Yeah, I did. Thank you, really, for everything." Nya smiled.

  "Oh! This is just the beginning, trust me. There are other fun things to come." Jay laughed.

  "I'm looking forward to them then." Nya giggled before she gave him a quick peck on the cheek, "Thank you." 

 And if only they could see it too,

The happiness I feel with you

They'd know,

Love will find a way

Anywhere we go,

We're home,

If we are there together,

Like dark,

Turning into day,

Some how we'll come through,

Now that I've found you,

Love will find a way.

   They were all smiling at each other as they danced slowly to the music, fireflies flying around and the bonfire rising up in the night sky.  

I know love will find a way.

         ⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓

       There's chapter 12! Hope you all enjoyed it!! I certainly had fun writing it! 

    {Video not mine, rights for the song go to Disney, I don't own it.}

     There you go, some cute stuff for you! And Nya gave Jay a quick kiss on the cheek... hehehe...

   Anyway, I'll see you all in the next chapter!

 Claire xxx ⚓