#sdhbdovbhd

[ninjago-happens-here]

_IN_A_O_ (chapter 1)

Ninbingo: Games

Zane would say that technically, their first time in Ninjago city was when they jumped off the Destiny's Bounty at night in order to stop Pythor's plans.

But Kai (respectfully) disagrees. They had spent more time in the sewers than on the streets. And it was at night!

Well, with the bounty...destroyed, the ninja had to look for a roof over their heads, and they could only trouble Cole's father for so long.

"I JUST WANNA KNOW, WHO ATE MY PUDDING CUP?" Jay shrieked at the motley crew. "Jay, come on, just give it a rest!"

"NO. I AM NOT LETTING IT GO THIS TIME." Jay huffed and aggresively pointed a spoon at everyone in the room, even Sensei Wu. "We are getting to the bottom of this, ninja, as one or more of you needs a reminder on HONESTY."

"Jay-"

"IT'S THE FOURTH TIME THIS WEEK-"

"Save your breath, me and lil Garmadon are gonna go get some groceries, we'll get you your pudding cups," Kai said, almost yawning as he slid off the couch having been accosted whilst procrastinating and playing games with Lloyd. It has been one of the rare times everyone was together too.

"Remember, it better be mango with those white jellies-"

"Nata De Coco."

"-the ones from Naspac, got it?"

Maybe it is supposed to be rare for everyone to be in the Brookstone's house. Either ways, Kai was high tailing it out of here with a little demon spawn before someone gets shut in the fridge again (Most likely Jay).

"C'mon Lloyd, let's leave these knuckleheads to their own devices," Kai feels Lloyd sliding a small hand into his larger, waiting one. Kai feels himself frown before shaking his head.

Lloyd had been... uncharacteristically quiet. Well, compared to his earlier days on the ship, and even before he got on board, Lloyd was loud, in your face, a 'Mwahahaha' demanding your attention. But since Garmadon left, Lloyd hasn't really initiated any talking, but has been initiating a lot of physical contact. Kai tousles with Lloyd's hair and smirks as Lloyd scowls, free hand batting away his hand before trying to smooth his hair down. Just wait til Lloyd's outgrown his bowl cut, Kai can't wait to have another sibling to bully into his little hair dressing simulator. Still, Kai feels the smile on his face lose its shine as he realises that Lloyd still wouldn't talk.

Looking through the Ninja's (read: Wu's) safe (which was fortunately found by the ninja), Kai pulled out the whole sum, doing some math in his head. Okay, maybe Nya worked the register back at the Smithy, but that doesn't mean Kai can't count money. However, due to the fact that Kai can count this whole sum means that they are running low on cash. You'd think that 5000 dollars should be enough as a rainy day check, but that's not factoring the fact that they have 7 people who are using these funds everyday. At the rate that they are buying groceries and later having to rent an apartment somewhere in the city, they would need to get jobs, fast.

A feminine shout startles Kai out of his thoughts as Lloyd keeps still.

Right.

To get groceries.

Standing ahead of the door, Kai checks that they had the necessary items before leaving. Keys (it's much easier to let themselves in then to call for one of the other occupants), Ez-link card (Jay convinced them all to get it for public transport since they would be remaining in Ninjago city for a while), Cash ($200 for a week should be fair, Kai's also bring more than what they need just in case), Stove and Windows (Kai hopes the others are smart enough to turn off the stove when the soup finishes, or at least won't distract Zane from doing so). All from a little strip of paper on the door, edited with Jay's handwriting.

"Well, looks like we're good to go, buddy," Kai says, putting Lloyd's ez link around his neck. He was just barely to tall to get to ride for free, a shame, really. (Kai ignores the bubbly sensation in his guts.) Meanwhile, the kid in question just scuffs his shoes against the door mat, tracing out imaginary patterns. Kai knows that pattern from anywhere. Lloyd was sulking.

"How about this: since we're too late for the Wet Market, we'll be going to the Pasar Malam close by. I'll get you Jamanakai sausages!" Lloyds eyes instantly light up. With grins on their faces, Kai lets the door shut behind him as they enter the main street from the detached house.

. . .

Really, they didn't need more food so soon. Cole's father already had ingredients in his kitchen, and the last time Zane and Kai tagged team the wet market (read: every morning at 5) had scored the household with several fish, vegetables, meat and starches for less than $50. Really, they could have added another $50 to last for a week, but any excuse to get out of the house is an excuse that Kai will gladly take. (Also, if they were sticking around the area, then the ninja need to befriend these hawkers and sellers. Regular discount, anyone?)

What they have run out though, are snacks. And really, well... Kai wants to spend time with his baby brother, okay? And he wants Lloyd to have a somewhat normal childhood before the green ninja training starts. (Kai ignores the voice in his head that tells him he didn't have a normal childhood either).

If the night markets were anything like the ones back home at Ignacia (and they should be, they travel around the continent as a seasonal kind of thing. Kai hopes to see one or two aunties who originates form ignacia and makes those wonderful Kweh Tutus-) then Lloyd should really enjoy himself with this night of fun.

. . .

Lloyd does not enjoy the Pasar Malam. It's too hot, too bright, too crowded, too loud, too-it smells too much. Feeling his lips tremble, Lloyd pulls then pinches Kai's forearm. It gets Kai's attention from haggling with a man over towels and thank FSM Kai gets it. He takes a stack of towels and pays the man $5 before bringing Lloyd to the end of the bazaar, being quieter and having less smells, less noise, less people (parents and their kids walking around, why couldn't Lloyd-) where Kai stops near a claw machine. Handing Lloyd a few coins (that adds up to 10 dollars!) Kai looked around shiftily before sighing.

"Okay kid, I know this is such a bad idea to leave you by yourself, especially what happened after I left you at the arcade- but I can't stay with you at the claw machine here, I need to get more snacks like potato wheels and bak kwa and what not." Kai then gestures to a young woman who's at the very end of the stalls. "That is Mimi, she'll keep an eye on you whilst I'm gone. Speaking of which, can you also look over our stuff?"

Lloyd nods, and Kai places his purchases on the candy machine. "Thanks kid. I'll be back with a Jamanakai sausage in no time."

All alone, Lloyd turns back to the candy machine. Observing the build, it was one of those mall machines where you press a button and the letters slowly stopped spinning from 1-4. The prize? Mentos. It really was only mentos, but mentos was candy, and well, you can never really have too much candy, can you?

15 minutes later, Kai returns with 2 sausages on a stick before dropping the food as he's gobsmacked at the amount of candy Lloyd managed to win. Sure, sometimes he messed up the timing and din't get the max 4, but other times he consistently hits the jack pot. Seeing opened but not finished candy wrappers, Kai deduces that Lloyd had already gotten into the sugar and- gods they are going to kill me.

"Kai Kai Kai Kai! Look at all the candy I won!" Lloyd bounced on his toes, quickly pulling Kai from his stupor. "That's... great kid. How about you, uh, lay off the sugar for a while? I got you-"

"Jamanakai sausages!!" Lloyd squealed excitedly. Whenever Darkley's had field trips (or Lloyd snuck away from the boarding school) he'd always take his chance to sneak food away, be it the candy shop or the meat stall. Raising a hand to Kai expectantly then giving a quick glance, Lloyd quickly bounded to another claw machine, this one with stuffed animals that he wasn't quite sure how to have a gurantee win yet, but he's willing to try. Kai dropped off a few more change besides Lloyd, then turns to look at an astonished Mimi. "Your kid is really something else, huh?"

"Yeah, you can say that again. Anyways, want some candy?" Kai asks, also looking at the little crowd of children that gathered around the candy machine, eyes transfixed. They jumped a little, having been asked so directly, before looking at each other. "...can we have some?"

"Mom said I can't," a young boy, 7 or 8, huffed. "Well, Lloyd can't have this much either." Kai reasoned. "When she comes around, you should ask her if you can have some because Lloyd really doesn't need this much.

A noise of protest was mufled by the sound of chewing. "C'mon Lloyd, it's all mentos anyways, you really don't need to have this much." Kai patronises.

Little by little, Lloyd's hard won candy disappears until maybe a quarter of the stash remains. It doesn't help that Lloyd had been trying and failing to get a snowy tiger from the claw machine, needing to get a refill from Mimi.

"I think the tiger's a lost cause," A boy around Lloyd's age said. He whips around, frustration curling around his lips. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, see how the tiger's pressed up against the glass? The claw can't reach that far. If I were you, I'd go for the whale."

"Then do it!" Passing the controls and a coin to the other boy, Lloyd sits back and watches shocked as the boy manages to get the 3 hooks around the whale, before dropping it into the chute. "Wh-how?"

"You want to get one that's easy to grab," The boy explained, hands opening the hatch and taking out the whale plush. "Here, he's yours."

"Wha- no, he's yours! You won him, right?"

"Yeah, but I used your money to do so. It should be yours. Besides, I have a lot of plushes already." The boy said, rubbing the back of his neck. Lloyd gracefully accepts the plush. "Are you like, some kind of arcade expert?"

"You can say so, yeah. Name's Nathan."

"My name is Lloyd G... do you want some candy?"

. . .

Kai returns with the final purchases of the night, before seeing Lloyd and another kid discuss enthusiastically about the latest issue of starfarer.

"You should really have paid me for babysitting those kids, Kai," Mimi started but was shut down quickly with a "those candies were payment".

"Cheapskate," she snorts, but Kai's already out of earshot.

"Lloyd! Hey buddy," Kai calls, and both of the kids turned around. "Great to see you made a friend! What's your name?"

"Nathan!" Both Lloyd and Nathan said. "Well, hi Nathan, sorry but Lloyd and I have to go now."

"Awww really? Kaiiiiiiiii."

"Sorry kiddo, but it's getting late and we need to buy a few more things," Kai started to gather up all of his purchases. "Do you have someone to pick you up Nathan?"

A small nod. Kai quickly scribbles down his number from a new pen onto a new notepad that he had bought. "Give this to your guardian and we can arrange for you guys to go play sometime."

"Okay," he said softly, before whispering something in Lloyd's ears. Kai narrows his eyes but ignores it in favour of packing up all of the items he'd picked up today.

And by packing, he meant fitting smaller plastic bags into the larger plastic bags. "Come on Lloyd."

Lloyd sighs and waves goodbye to Nathan until both him and Mimi were out of sight.

. . .

It was now around 6pm. (Had they really spent 2 hours at the Pasar Malam?) and Kai was praying that they avoid the evening rush at cold storage.

"Fruit, Drinks, Dairy...Pudding!" Kai muttered out loud before dragging Lloyd from the fruits section. "Hey kid, I need your help to find Jay's branded pudding. It's a very important job, okay?"

Lloyd was now back to quiet, but he began to diligently loo through the lower shelves.

Tugging on Kai's hand, he points to Jay's pudding at the second row from the bottom and Kai picks it up and places it into his trolley. Well, usually he'd have gone with a hand basket but the items from the bazaar were taking a toll on him, so shopping cart it was. Kai watches as Lloyd fiddles with the coin in the handles of the cart before signing and carrying him up, putting him in the cart. "Since you've been so good today, let's have some fun, shall we?"

Kai couldn't see Lloyd's face, but he bets his hair gel that Lloyd was smiling.

"Also, since you've been so helpful, you can pick out something from the refrigerated section."

Lloyd visibly brightens at this and looks overthe selection from his vantage point in the cart. He ponders for a few moments before pointing at...

"The juice box?" Peel fresh, berry mix. Not 'top 10 things Lloyd would select' for sure. Lloyd nods, saying a gentle 'yes', and Kai's heart does something weird. Zane probably would be affronted with the sugar in that thing, but it was a lot healthier than the other things Lloyd could have chosen.

On their (victory march) to check out, Lloyd keeps looking at the shelves, curiosity in his eyes. And maybe longing when they pass by the candy section, but Lloyd doesn't make any motions to indicate that he wants the candy.

"Hey, green bean, it's okay to want something, you know?" Kai said, breaking the silence between him and his little brother.

"...I already have a lot of candy," Lloyd states. Well. It is true, and Kai even said it to Lloyd himself.

"Still, it's a different kind of candy. Some variety wouldn't hurt." Lloyd bites his lip.

The cashier calls them over to indicate it's their turn when Lloyd asked Kai if he could grab some Kinder Eggs. Kai happily obliges, leaving Lloyd alone as the cashier scans the items.

As time went on, Lloyd got more and more nervous, hands tapping the top of the trolley than wringing themselves before going back to tapping again. The cashier was almost done and Lloyd didn't have the money to pay her, and oh now he was going to cause everyone else in line to wait- why couldn't he have just said nothing? Then Kai didn't have to leave him here-.

"Hey kid, loosen your grip, you might get hurt," the cashier lady said, which startled Lloyd as he did not notice his knuckles were starting to go white. "Trust me, these shopping carts are unsuspectingly sharp. I work here."

"W-what's it like working here?" Lloyd asks in a moment of confidence. Or desperation. Lloyd was anxious and he didn't know why (he knew why, it was the line- the people) and talking was helping to ground him, so he listened. "Well, retail is... a harsh job. Your... brother? Guardian?"

"Brother! He's name is Kai," Lloyd stated. "Well, he looks to be around my age and that's when many people start working, however, usually we start with 'lower' jobs, you know? Ones that don't pay too well or doesn't fit our diploma or those 'inbetween' jobs, you understand?"

Lloyd nods. His family were in a bit of an inbetween living situation, actually.

"Retail, being a cashier? It's nobody's dream job. I'm lucky that most of my customers are nice, but once or twice you get those kind of... mean people. And sometimes they make me want to quit. But it's honestly just a few bad eggs. Oh look, your brother's back."

Kai arrived, breathing a lot heavier. "Wow, I can't believe finding those chocolate eggs were so hard!"

The cashier picked them up and scanned them. "Your total is $14.75. And next time, maybe ask the cashier if they could help you find those snacks. They're usually around the check out area."

She gestured to a display of kinder eggs that Kai did not saw. Feeling his face heat up and Lloyd giggle, Kai tries to cover up his embarrassment by flirting with the cashier lady. She laughed, before gesturing him to get out so she could get to the next customer in line, before giving him a receipt with her number written on it. (Ignacians need to stick together!)

Kai and Lloyd left for home, arms burdened by objects but hearts considerably lighter.

. . .

Ninjago city was beautiful at night.

What was more beautiful however, was the people.