Chapter Text
It's been almost a year since Lloyd last saw his uncle's face — since any of the ninja have seen their master.
Lloyd wished he could argue that losing his uncle to a time stream was the oddest situation he's been placed in, but the winner of the titled belonged to the aftermath of losing him. The bounty he called home, was once filled with life but was now a quiet and empty shell of the past. As his teammates — his family — became caught up in their own searches for Master Wu to linger around for just a moment.
The Green Ninja had attempted multiple times to start his own search but his efforts were stopped by the never ending cycle of life in Ninjago City. Leading him to get caught up in the heavier or just pettier crimes Ninjago City's Police Department struggled to stop. These offenses ranged from midnight all the way into the early morning, fluctuating Lloyd's sleep schedule into a mess.
By sacrificing his sleep, Lloyd was usually left drained after dealing with each situation. Without many places open in during night, The Green Ninja manged to find refugee in Laughy's Karaoke Club.
Calling it a decent bar a overstatement, the place was conquered by countless bikers, low-level criminals, and considerably filthy. But Lloyd has learnt to keep his mouth shut when needed. It wasn't too bad, the food was quick, simple and cheap. The only true downside was the endless stares he received. Despite the awkward or hateful tension held in the stares noting disastrous ever truly happened.
As time passed and the more Lloyd visited Laughy's, the less stares he received. The people there started to become more comfortable around his presence, maybe more comfortable then he imagined. Before he could understand why, people began to talk with him.
Most of the conversations were simple, wether it was a question about his life as a ninja, small talk, or random conversation he was included in, they never lasted too long. There were a shocking amount of people that admitted to being huge fans of him and The Ninja, but even then every encounter was shallow and short.
Well, not every encounter. Amongst the countless of people he talked to each day, only two became a constant in his routine. Ultra Violet and Killow. From the moment he entered the building to the last seconds before he left, they were just a foot away from him.
Ultra Violet was a bit of a wild card, questionably insane, and was a bit of a thrill-seeker. That was all reflected well into her appearance, with her sickly gray skin that was covered in alongside her makeup or tattoos, Lloyd was never fully sure.
While Killow was nicknamed The Big Man, and it was clear on why. He was a large bulky man with an intimidating presence. Although he has mentioned he was working on his temper. He was a seemingly a well controlled man from what Lloyd knew.
The duo had always had something to share or ask him, and sometimes they were with him just because they could be. Together they were an odd mixture, but manged it make it work as friends.
Over the course of becoming friends, Lloyd shared bits and pieces of his life to them, within return Ultra Violet and Killow had done the same. He learnt about the multiple biker gangs — or motorcycle clubs as Killow referred it as — they had joined and ultimately got kicked out of. There was various reasons they were given for their exile, some were rightfully absurd while others were reasonable.
Despite only knowing the two while he's sleep deprived, they created a pretty strong friendship considering their dynamics as two biker thugs and a hero, what could ever go wrong?
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Lloyd sat in one of the many stools at the bar counter, he stirred the cup of mocha in front of him with a small wooden stick before removing it and placing a lid on his cup. It was a sweet treat for him to revive his sanity after he had just stopped an dove-themed man from throwing bird seeds at a group of teenagers.
"Lloyd!" Ultra Violet suddenly exclaimed behind Lloyd, she approached him and before he managed to turn around she had stabbed a dagger into the wooden counter in front of him. She broke out into laughter as the blonde looked behind to stare at her in horror with Killow by her side laughing along. Lloyd thought he would be accustomed to Ultra Violet's erratic behaviours but unfortunately he was not. "And hello to you too, Ultra Violet." The blonde responded with an awkward grin.
Ultra Violet moved away from him and sat on the stool to his right while Killow stood between them. "You wouldn't believe what happened it us today!" She said as she threw her hands up with the dagger flying out of her grasp and up into the air. Lloyd was about to mention the dagger but Ultra Violet spoke up before he got a word out.
"You know how we were with the Mechanical Prisoners, well not anymore!" She yelled, her tone angry but wasn't fully expressed as it mixed with her usual mischievous tone. "They kicked Ultra Violet out for running over the leader's nephew-in-law." Killow intercepted with a reason.
Lloyd blankly stared at Ultra Violet before he glance over to Killow. "Wait, what did you get kicked out for?"
"He got kicked out for punchin' one too many faces or something, but that's not the only reason they kicked me out!" Ultra Violet dismissed as she went to complain about each and every reason she was kicked out for.
The blonde just listened and nodded along. Each reason gave Lloyd more questions but one trait was undeniable, it was all in character for her. Lloyd looked over at Killow with a silent plea to make her stop, or at the very least to slow down.
Killow placed his large hand down on Ultra Violet's shoulder and yanked her off the stool. She made a noise but it went ignored as Killow spoke up in her place. "Anyways point is we've been through most clubs, and the rest aren't excellently welcoming towards us." The Big Man blatantly admitted.
Ultra Violet fell to the floor and began to laugh to herself as she remained sitting on the ground. Muttering to herself about something involving biker gangs.
"Oh, I know how much you two enjoy your little biker gangs- or eh.. I mean motorcycle clubs." Lloyd sheepishly responded. He really did want to feel bad but given his small experiences with biker gangs, he believed it's for the better that they weren't involved in any.
Ultra Violet stopped her giggling and shot up. "Lloyd, Killow. I got an ideaaa." She proudly stated with a sinister grin plastered across his face. Lloyd watched her carefully, already sensing whatever she thought up of might not be a thought he'd enjoy.
"You, me, and the big guy start a little club of our own." Ultra Violet leaned in closer to Lloyd and whispered. "Like a biker gang?" The Green Ninja questioned before he saw the grin on her face grow.
Killow smiled along, enjoying the idea. "Oh, that would be interesting, wouldn't Lloyd?" He smugly spoke as he elbowed the blonde lightly.
Lloyd gave the duo a distraught expression the idea already well racing through his mind. "What- No. No! I can't be in some- some.. biker gang. Let alone be a co-founder of one!" He said, fumbling to find the right words.
"And why's that? Your morals to good for you too have a little bit of fun?" She taunted, feeling amused over Lloyd's squeamish behaviour.
Lloyd fidgeted with the plastic lid of his cup filled a now long forgotten mocha. "No! It's just that.. you know I am a ninja, ya know? The Legendary Green Ninja? I'm not apart of some gang." He sputtered out.
Ultra Violet frowned at his response. "Are you really going to let me- err" — She moved closer to Killow and wrapped a arm around his neck — "Us do this without you? It could be fun." She corrected herself, watching Lloyd, waiting for his response.
"And who said you had to do it?" Killow added.
The blonde gave him an confused expression. "What is that supposed to mean?"
The Big Man offered him a gentler smile. "You don't have to be The Green Ninja. You could be someone else.." Ultra Violet began to giggle at the idea. "Smart thinkin' big guy! You could have a fake identity."
Lloyd's face flushed with embarrassment, worrying that someone else would hear their conversation. "I can't do that. It's against for what I stand for, its absurd, its just plain stupid." The Green Ninja harshly whispered to them.
"Come on, we won't do anything mildly illegal.. somewhat. You're a bit a stuck-up with your whole ninja persona. Let loose for once." Ultra Violet expressed. Her shallow attempts to change Lloyd's mind, he wouldn't let it. "It's not a persona, it's who I am." Lloyd firmly spoke. It sounded like a pathetic attempt to convince his friends but maybe also himself as well.
Who was he if he wasn't The Green Ninja? He would be just some blonde with issues? Was the The Green Ninja the only thing that made up Lloyd, was it all ever he was?
Ultra Violet rolled her eyes as she pulled herself away from Killow. "Not with that attitude." She scoffed. "Seriously what part of I'm The Green Ninja do you not understand." Lloyd replied back, holding back a small wave of anger he felt.
"Come on just this once join us, you don't want to disappoint your friends, do you?" Ultra Violet said, trying to lure him into commitment of the idea. "You could alwasy leave whenever."
The Green Ninja bit his tongue, he really didn't want to disappoint Killow and Ultra Violet again, hes already rejected one to many ideas they've had. "But I'll have friends who might be happy with such a thing." He murmured. What would the ninja think of him if he committed to this?
"Who cares! The ninja- They don't have to know shit, Lloyd!" Ultra Violet exclaimed as she leaned closer to Lloyd once more. She wasn't too good in the convincing department, but she managed to make up for in with her erratic behaviors that admittedly scared Lloyd sometimes.
The duo stared at Lloyd, awaiting his final response. The blonde sighed in defeat. "Fine, I'll play. But just for a month, nothing more." Lloyd finally agreed. Killow and Ultra Violet grinned at his response.
"Then let's get started!" Ultra Violet gushed as he pulled Lloyd out of his stool. His cup of mocha falling helplessly to the ground.