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posted 8 months ago, edited last week
Alt text: a woman with long hair and a green jacket is looking front facing while carrying a pokeball in her hand. Behind her is a large blue bird Pokémon with cloud-like wings spreading it wide and joyously in the air.
Jac as a Pokémon Trainer! With Altaria by her side nothing stands in her way for being a champion!
Please do not steal or repost.
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trophyRecovery begins at the heart Pt 1Balan did not feel like himself. It had been only a few months since the previous twelve visitors had their balance restored. Still, he felt as if something was still wrong. He was in his room with his hat off. Looking at himself in the mirror. He recalled what Lance said to him. "Before you became Balan, it was my part to play. But I grew too close to the humans and their sorrows and sadness I fell prey." "No..." Balan said to himself. The voice continued to echo through his head. "But now you're falling in love with them too. Be careful, Balan-or Lance they'll soon call you." "Enough!" He yelled to no avail. "Face it, you don't stand a chance. It's only a matter of time until you become Lance." "NO! THAT CAN'T HAPPEN TO ME!!!" Balan yelled in a fit of rage as he threw a bottle of cologne across the room. It shattered against the wall, spraying what was left of the liquid all over the place along with tiny glass shards. He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to settle down and breathe until his hand jerked to the left side of his chest. A piercing sting that felt like a needle through his heart. He thought he let himself get too angry until he noticed that part of his skin was turning a shade of purple. In a panic, he took off his cloak and pulled down his tux with a finger. The purple shade spread from his chest up to his neck. He even noticed slight markings that looked precisely like Lance's. Is this what negativity feels like? "Oh no... It's starting already!" He wailed. He felt tears swell up in his eyes. Is this what Lance had to go through when he was being consumed by negativity? It hurt... The sharp pain in his heart didn't go away. The spreading negativity felt like pins and needles from his pecs to his neck. He pulled his tuxedo further down to see how far it spread. It was already on his shoulder blade, and it looked like it kept growing. "Wh... What do I do? How can I stop it?" He asked himself. He heard a knock at the door and jumped. "Maestro Balan." Called a voice. Sounded like frost fairy. "Leo and Emma have arrived. They wanted to see you." Balan took a deep breath and adjusted his suit. "J-just a minute! I-I'm sprucing up." He called on the other end. He grabbed his cloak off the floor and tucked it back, trying to hide the markings that reached his throat. He looked at himself in the mirror one more time before grabbing his hat. "I have to pull myself together. Right now, I'm just proving that Lance was right. I have to put on a brave face and calm down." He took a deep breath and put his hat back on, showing his elusive identity. He forced a smile before leaving his bedroom. Leo and Emma roamed the theater. It felt cold for some reason. Every other step they took creaked the floor, and the lights flickered eerily. Something in the atmosphere didn't feel right. It didn't have that fun, whimsical charm as it always did. Either he was letting the place go, or something was happening. "Hello, children! I wasn't expecting guests. But I'm glad to see you again. I won't protest." He started again at his usual rhymes. Leo and Emma looked up to see he was on the balcony of the lobby. "Balan!" They both called. "We saw the theater and decided to stop by. If you have the time, that is." Leo said. Balan sighed gently and jumped down to the floor. "You know you two visiting is something I don't mind. I am happy to have you here, my friends. You're both very kind." He put on the most humble smile he could muster. But there was something in his demeanor that didn't sit right with them. Balan's supposed to be excitable and energetic, right? Today, he seemed slow or out of character. "Please, come inside. We can talk backstage. You can tell me what's going on in your life. Tell me what's all the rage." They ambled through the lobby of the theater to the stage. A chill in the air sent a shiver down Emma's spine. The place seemed... Dimmer and less vibrant than usual. "Excuse me, Balan," She started. "Does the theater seem a bit colder to you?" Although he didn't show it, Balan was surprised to hear this. The theater was meant to match his or Lance's heart wherever they stood. The building was reflecting his heart. "Is it? I didn't realize. Though changes in the air is not a big surprise. Sometimes it's warm, sometimes it's cold. The building reflects our auras, so I'm told." He explained. "Reflects the maestros auras?" The teens thought to themselves. Was Lance hanging around somewhere? Or was Balan hiding something? They finally entered the main auditorium. And just like the rest of the theater, it was less vibrant and gloomy in the atmosphere. "Leo, you can feel it too, can't you?" Emma leaned in to whisper to Leo. "Yeah. Something's off about this place. And Balan too. Is he sick or something?" He whispered back. But Balan's ears were burning. He could hear the two talking right behind him. "Excuse me." He announced. "I'm standing right here! Is there a reason you two are whispering in each other's ears?" Both of them froze a little. Balan looked on edge or irritable to them. "Yeah. We got something to ask of you, Balan... Are you feeling ok?" Emma asked. Balan felt a giant lump form in his throat. He was a professional actor. How could they see right through him? "M-me? Of course, I'm fine! Why would I not be... Fine?" He covered his mouth, realizing that he didn't rhyme properly. And the kids noticed it quick. "Balan," Leo called. "That wasn't the right way to rhyme. What's going on with you?" "No, no, it just merely slipped. I... I... Uh..." Balan started tugging on the brim of his hat, struggling to find the words. He was sweating profusely and shaking while biting the tip of his thumb. The act was finally dropped when Emma stomped her foot. "Alright, that's it! You can't even make up rhymes on the spot anymore! Something is clearly on your mind. Come on, Balan. Tell us what's wrong." Leo also stepped in. "Yeah. We're your friends, right?" The jig was up. He could no longer hold his composure. His smile dropped and he lifted the hat off his head, revealing his white face and seafoam green hair. "Very well. You win... I've had a lot on my mind lately... Please, sit anywhere you like." The maestro solemnly placed his hat on a nearby table. At the same time, Leo and Emma scooted two chairs over to the center of the auditorium. Balan sighed sadly. "Let's just say the last time you two were here, Lance and I had... An argument." "Doesn't that usually happen? I thought you and Lance hated each other. Aren't you two like, worst enemies?" Leo spurted out. "We don't... Hate each other. But we never really got along great. Lance had mentioned that he was the one who was previously running Wonderworld... But... He fell into negativity after becoming too close to the people... Their sorrows and sadness affected him and turned him into who he is now." Balan tried to fight back the tears that were filling up in his eyes. Leo and Emma were both stunned and confused. Lance was the one who ran Wonderworld previously? If so, how did Balan come to be? "I think we need a little more context, Balan." Emma stated. "What exactly does this have to do with you?" Balan tried to inhale carefully without hitching his breath. "Because... He warned me that the same thing will happen to me!" He raised his voice. Small tears started slipping from his eyes. This news disturbed both Leo and Emma. "What?!" Leo shouted. "That's ridiculous! How could any negative emotion affect you? You're too peppy for that stuff!" "He's right!" Emma added. "Lance couldn't be right about that. You're the funny, energetic maestro that you'll always be." Balan shut his eyes tight as more tears jerked from his eyes. "No... You don't understand... That's what's wrong... It's already started." Balan pulled down the left side of his suit, showing the purple shading all over his chest. Leo and Emma thought their eyes would pop out of their skulls. "I don't know how it started. And I don't know how to get it to stop. I fear it's already too late. I... I..." He stopped mid-sentence. Falling to a sitting position, and tears spewing from his eyes like a broken faucet. "I won't be the same Balan you know and love before you! Lance was right... He was right about everything!" He buried his face into his hands, crying hard. The tims showed up and started nuzzling against his legs and sides. Even the teens stood up and rushed towards Balan to comfort him. Leo and Emma stood by both of his sides. Leo put his hands on Balan's shoulder and back, rubbing the tension away. "Hey, hey, take it easy, Bal. Relax. There's no need for the waterworks." He said. Emma knelt down to meet him at eye level. She tried in vain to wipe Balan's tears away with her hand. "Come on, Balan. Don't cry. This isn't like you." She said. But Balan continued to sob and sniffle while hiccupping as he tried to catch his breath. One of the tims came in, carrying a tissue box on top of its head. "Oh, thank you." Said Emma as she pulled out the material. "Here, Balan. Blow." She commanded as she held the tissue to his nostrils. Following suit, he blew his nose as Emma told him to. When he was done, she crumpled up the tissue and stuffed it into her pocket. "There we go. Good man." She said. Balan rubbed his index finger under his nose. "There has to be some way we can reverse this." Leo said. "It hasn't spread out through your entire body yet like Lance. There must still be a chance to stop it while the nega is still in its... Early-stage." He couldn't think of any other way to put it. Early-stage was the closest he's got. "It's the same way of how it works with us, right?" Emma spoke out. "There must be some sort of cause of imbalance. This whole negativity thing is driving you up the wall. Which means that's what's causing you to be imbalanced." Balan opened his mouth to say something but didn't get the chance as Leo suddenly spoke up again. "Yeah. Yeah! Everybody deserves balance. Even magical people like you. What you really need is a surge of positivity. There's still a chance we can fix it before it's too late!" Balan rubbed his eyes. The tears slowed down, but they were still dripping from his face. "How..." He stopped to sniffle. "How do you plan to do that? Lance wasn't able to avoid it. How can I?" The teens stood for a moment, processing what they could do to keep their friend from turning into someone like Lance. "We'll need to figure that out first. But right now, let's focus on here and now. What you need right now is a mental health break." Emma said. Balan blinked, unsure of what she was meaning. "A... Mental health break?" Emma took his hand and held it in her other. "You've got a lot on your mind right now. So you should relax and just have a day to do nothing." "But I can't... Th-the theater. I-I still have visitors I need to help. I have to restore their balance. That's my job!" Emma covered his mouth, stopping him from talking. "It'd be hard to restore anybody's balance if you can't do it yourself. You need a day off. The people can wait. We have to worry about you first. Until we can somehow reverse this negativity, you need some downtime. Trust me. It'll be good for you." Leo said. Balan couldn't say anything else. He could tell that the kids really did care for his well-being. He finally stood back up, rubbing the rest of the tears out of his eyes. "Ok..." He murmured. "I'll take your word for it. If it makes you happy, I'll take a break. I'll trust you to do the right thing. I believe in you." He hugged the two teens, finally feeling warmer again. When they let go, they decided to leave the theater. "We'll check on you often, Balan. Just hang in there for us, ok?" Leo said. "We'll find a way to reverse this negativity in you. You be strong for us. Keep that smile on your face." Emma added as she handed the maestro back his hat. He graciously took it, holding it by the edge of the brim. "I'll... I'll try my best. Thank you... Both of you." He could finally feel a real genuine smile return to his face. He escorted the two out the door, waving them off. But right behind him loomed was the shadowy aura of Lance. Tentacles exposed and markings glowing. "Don't put too much faith in their efforts." He said. "Once it's already started, it can't go back. It's too late for you, Balan. Just face the facts." Balan rolled his eyes and glared back at his counterpart. "Don't try to humor me with your rhymes, Lance. I told you I wasn't going to end up like you. And so help me, if I ever end up the same way you are now, I'll give up my position as maestro and throw myself out of this theater." Lance smirked at him, getting closer to his face. "Is that a bet?" He hissed. "Don't hold your breath." Balan retorted. "I still stand by my statement that I'll NEVER end up like you!" Lance only snickered and backed away. "You'll see I'm right in the end. You'll become the new Lance in due time." He walked away, leaving Balan at the foot of the door.Heart of the Storm - Chapter 5 - Ninjago Fanfic“LLOYD HAS A DATE!” Jay yelled, running into the living room, where Kai and Nya were watching TV. Neither of them paid him any attention, instead craning their necks so they could look around him. “WHY AREN’T YOU GUYS HYPED ABOUT THIS?” Nya shrugged. “Because he just turned nineteen and it’s not a big deal?” ‘It is a big deal!” Jay bent down and grabbed Nya’s shoulders. “IT MEANS HE IS IN LOOOOOOOVE!” “JAY! KNOCK IT OFF!” Lloyd yelled from down the hall. When he walked into the room, he held his arms out to show off his button up shirt and nice jeans. “How do I look?” Kai stood up and circled him with a proud look on his face. “You clean up nicely! I taught you so well.” “Um, hellOOOOooooo?” Jay said, pushing in between Lloyd and Kai. “He obviously got his style from me.” Lloyd laughed. “Okay that’s enough from you guys.” “So, where are you going on your date?” Jay asked. Lloyd slid his arms into his brown jacket. “It’s not a date! We are meeting up at an arcade to exchange our books and then maybe grab dinner or something.” “Huh uh, yeah because everyone wears nice button ups to hang out at an arcade,” Kai teased, rubbing his hand into Lloyd’s hair. “DUDE, STOP!” Lloyd yelled irritated, yet amused. “It may not be a date, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to look good! I’ll see you guys later tonight, okay?” “Come on, I’ll walk you out,” Kai said, leading him towards the outer deck. “I don’t need an escort, dad,” Lloyd joked. Outside, Cole was quietly training, throwing punches at a training dummy. His fists glowed every time he swung, but the light would vanish before his punch landed. He took a few steps back and reached for his water bottle while wiping sweat from his forehead, finally noticing the two others approaching. “You look fancy!” he said, gesturing to Lloyd. “You guys are acting like I’m wearing a suit!” Lloyd laughed. “When all you wear are ripped jeans and oversized hoodies, you may as well be wearing a tux!” Cole clapped Lloyd’s shoulder. “Have a good time tonight, alright? And don’t forget to use protection.” “Oh my GOD I’m leaving now.” And without another word, Lloyd repelled down from the ship. “You getting some training in?” Kai asked Cole, the two of them now alone. “Yep. I need to stay sharp.” “Why were you pulling your punches?” Kai asked. “What are you talking about?” “When you were punching the dummy, you were using your super strength, but you’d stop using it right when you landed the punch.” “Oh, that!” Cole took a sip from his water bottle, then put it down, taking his fight stance again. “Two reasons. One, I don’t wanna break our dummy again. And two, it’s important that I always have control over when and where I use my strength. I never want to actually hurt anyone.” “But if you never use your strength, how will you know what you can do?” “I’ve got a pretty good idea of what my powers do.” Cole threw a punch, but Kai caught his fist before it landed. “Cole, I want you to hit me.” Cole took a step back, confused. “I’m assuming you mean with my full strength?” Kai nodded. “You have the potential to hit harder than the rest of us combined, but you always take a more defensive position. If you can learn to play more offensive, you’d be a force to be reckoned with.” Kai put his hands up. “Okay, punch me.” “Kai, I really don’t think-” “DO IT!” Cole wound up for a punch, but as he threw it, Kai perfectly dodged and retaliated with his own hit, landing against Cole’s chest. The heat from his knuckles felt like he was going to burn a hole right to Cole’s heart. Kai shook his head. “You are too predictable and too heavy with your stance. You gotta loosen up and be more bouncy on your feet.” “I’m not as quick as you, twinkle toes.” Kai motioned for Cole to try again. “Come on, you got this.” Cole threw another punch, but Kai easily batted his arm away. Kai groaned and stepped behind Cole, grabbing his waist, his warm, calloused hands gently pressed against Cole’s skin. “Relax your hips,” Kai said calmly, “and let yourself feel all that energy flow through you.” His hot breath against the back of Cole’s neck sent tingles down his spine. Cole tightened his jaw, doing his best to focus. “Feel the wind on your skin.” Kai’s voice was soft and light. “Flow with it.” Cole closed his eyes and felt the wind, letting his body move with it. Whenever he went too far in one direction, Kai would tighten his grip and guide Cole back the other direction. Cole was melting into putty under his touch. “Yeah, you got it!” Kai said excitedly. “This is where you want your balance to be when you’re on offense. You want to stay loose and relaxed and ready to move without moving too far in any direction. Hold that position, I’m going to do something.” Cole suddenly felt Kai run his hands down his arms, grabbing Cole’s hands. Cole’s skin burned under his touch, making Cole shudder. Kai moved his hands, one held out in front of him and one held closer to his body. You want to be ready for anything. You can’t afford to tank hits like you normally do, you have to be ready to feel the natural push and pull in a fight.” Kai finally let go of Cole and circled him. “Now, I want you to throw a hit at me at full strength this time, but make sure you stay light on your feet.” Cole nodded. He bounced from foot to foot and rolled his shoulders back. He then took up the stance Kai had taught him, earning an encouraging nod from Kai. Cole felt the wind pick up as he raised his fist to punch. To his surprise, Kai didn’t dodge. Kai grabbed Cole’s wrist and pulled him forward, making him stumble out of his stance. Kai jumped and wrapped his legs around Cole’s torso, his momentum knocking the two down. Cole landed against the deck, Kai still on his torso. Kai put his hands down on either side of Cole’s head, beads of sweat dropping off of his face as he breathed heavily. He gave Cole a cocky smile, but Cole couldn’t smile back. His chest was tight with anxiety at having Kai so close to him like this. “I gotta work on my form, I guess,” Cole mumbled. “No, no, your form was good. You just trusted me to play fair, and I didn’t. That’ll be the next lesson I teach you.” Cole looked up at Kai, wide-eyed, his heart beating out of his chest. Kai sat up slightly, cocking his head at Cole. “You good?” “Am…. I interrupting something?” Jay asked, appearing just off to the side. Kai quickly jumped up as if he didn’t just take down another man who towered over him. “DUDE! YOU MISSED IT! IT WAS EPIC!” Kai grabbed Jay by the gi. “I was teaching Cole some pointers and he left himself open for a takedown! It was so AWESOME!” Jay looked over at Cole, who was still laying on the deck, trying to catch his breath. He narrowed his eyes. “Uh huh. I see.” “Did you need something?” Kai asked. “Zane wanted me to tell you guys that he has dinner ready.” “Sweet! I can’t wait to tell everyone else about this!” Kai ran into their living quarters, the biggest smile on his face. Jay lingered for a moment, but followed Kai inside. Cole couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. All he could do was lay there for a few more minutes, missing the feeling of Kai’s touch. Cole closed his eyes to take a deep breath, his lungs filling with the scent of a campfire in the middle of a cold Summer’s night. — Lloyd nervously waited outside the arcade, fidgeting with Akita’s comic book. When he and Akita agreed to meet, Lloyd had no expectations whatsoever. But since the other ninja kept calling it a date, Lloyd became stressed. Was this a date? Am I dressed up enough? Am I too dressed up? Should I have brought a gift? What if it’s not even a date anyway? What if…it is? Do I want this to be a date? I’m not sure I’m ready to- “Lloyd, right?” A sweet voice asked behind him. Lloyd turned around to find Akita wearing a cute green dress, making her brown eyes pop and perfectly pairing with her olive skin. She held up his comic book. “I believe this is yours, kind sir.” Lloyd smiled and offered her comic book in return. “And for you, m’lady.” Akita playfully cringed. “Eww no, don’t ever say that again.” Lloyd laughed. “I won’t! I regretted it as soon as it came out of my mouth.” The two exchanged books and Lloyd lit up, seeing the autograph he was given. “Thank you so much for this Akita!” “Of course! And to say thank you, you can take me to dinner!” “But I also brought your comic. Aren’t we even?” Akita’s smile faltered. She waited for a laugh or a punchline, but was surprised to see Lloyd was dead serious. “Lloyd, This is me asking you to take me on a date.” Lloyd went pale. “I am so sorry. I sometimes struggle in social situations. I had an unconventional upbringing, so I’m sorry if I ever misunderstand things.” “What? Were you raised by wolves?” Akita joked. “Honestly? I sometimes think I would’ve been better off if I was.” Lloyd pulled out his phone. “So, uh, where do you want to go for dinner?” “I’m new to the area, so I was hoping you’d maybe have a place in mind that you’d like to share with me?” Lloyd thought for a moment, then smiled. “I know a place.” — “Chen’s Noodle Shop?” Akita asked as the two walked into the restaurant together. “I can’t say I’ve ever heard of it!” “It’s a pretty nice place. The owner is actually a friend of mine,” Lloyd explained. And as if right on cue, a friendly face walked up and pulled Lloyd into a hug. “Lloyd! Hey! How are you doing?” “Skylor! Hey! I’ve been pretty good. How are things here?” Skylor looked around her restaurant, busy as ever. “Well, I’d say things have been pretty amazing!” She then looked at Akita and offered out a hand. “And you are?” Akita smiled and shook her hand. “Akita!” “I can’t say I’ve seen you before, Akita.” “I’m new in town.” Skylor raised her eyebrows and looked at Lloyd. “Well, you’ve got a pretty solid tour guide.” “I’m going to freshen up in the restroom,” Akita said, handing Lloyd her comic book. “Hold this for me?” Lloyd carefully took the book and watched her leave, waiting till Akita was out of earshot. “She doesn’t know,” Lloyd whispered. “Know…what?” Skylor asked. “That I’m the Green Ninja.” Skylor stared at him. “Wait, really?” Lloyd nodded. “She didn’t recognize me and I haven’t told her yet. Just please try to keep ninja stuff to a minimum tonight, okay?” “Just be careful there, Lloyd. You’re playing a dangerous game,” Skylor warned. “Don’t let this come back to haunt you, okay? I’m honestly shocked you were ready to be dating right now.” “It’s complicated, I’m not sure I’m ready either.” Skylor blinked slowly. “So you’re hiding your identity from a girl you don’t even know if you want to be on a date with right now?” “Yep.” Skylor’s demeanor changed as Akita approached. “Table for two, right this way,” she said with a smile. As they two followed her, Akita saw the conveyor belt and excitedly asked, “Is this one of those revolving sushi type places?” “Yeah, but they have so many more dishes than just sushi! You’ll love it!” Lloyd responded. Skylor sat them down at their table and left to grab them their drink order, leaving the two alone for a moment. “This place is so nice! Thank you for taking me here!” Akita said. She tapped her nails on the table as she watched a few of the dishes go by. “What do you recommend here?” Lloyd shrugged. “That’s a tough one. I’ve never had a meal here I didn’t love. Noodles of any kind are a staple of this place, but I also love their fried rice. It’s simple but still a classic.” “These choices are going to kill me!” Akita playfully complained. Lloyd smiled at her, but from where he was sitting, he could see the restaurant’s entrance. These two rougher looking guys walked in and seemed to be having some sort of argument with Skylor, but the noise from the other restaurant goers drowned them out. Lloyd couldn’t help but watch them. Akita noticed Lloyd was no longer looking at her, so Akita turned around and saw the men too. “They seem angry.” “Akita. Something’s wrong.I need you to trust me.” “Lloyd, you’re scaring me now.” “Akita, get down.” “Do you know those guys?” “Listen to me and get down.” “Lloyd, what’s going on-” A gunshot rang out. “GET DOWN, AKITA!” Lloyd screamed as he dove across the table. He didn’t know what he was doing, all he knew was he had to protect her without being the Green Ninja.