Couldn't add much to this.
But hey, now we can focus on the next chapter of their second date. :3
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Jay, Nova, and Nya stand in front of a conveyor belt leading to the Temple of Madness
"Every single path leads straight into a spinning blade." said Nya.
"Look at there! See it? There was a thing, for a second. There's another! It's like the game has a glitch!" said Jay.
"Back on Dyer Island, we learned this was Dyer's very first adventure game, but it was never released because of problems." said Nya.
"Video game obstacles are usually on a time loop." said Jay.
"So if we get the timing down, we can make it to the other side." said Nya.
"But the glitches are unpredictable, and we can't get past them safely." said Jay.
"Then I guess we'll have to improvise." said Nya.
"Just like dancing." said Jay.
"But what about Nova?" Nya glanced over at Nova, who hadn't said anything and had been avoiding eye contact.
Jay looked over at Nova, feeling sad about the state she was in. "I'm not sure, I don't think she can get through this alone."
Nova looked at her butterfly necklace, changing its colors from purple to green. She took a deep breath. "I'll be fine."
"But how are you gonna get through this, Jay and I might be able to together, but, you." said Nya, going to touch Nova's shoulder.
Nova snapped her eyes at Jay and Nya as she started glitching again with a purple glow. "I'll. Be. Fine." The purple glow grew brighter, and before they knew it, her elemental powers had glitched through in the game as she had gone into the shadows.
"Wha-how!?" shouted Jay shocked.
"N-Nova, how did you?" Nya questioned surprised.
"Just get moving." Nova growled from the shadows.
Jay and Nya gave each other a worried look, but decided not to question it for now. The two hold hands and start to go through the conveyor belt.
"One, two, three, step!" They step through a spinning blade. "One, two, three, jump!" They leap over another blade. "One, two, three, roll!" They roll through a third blade and encounter a glitch. "Other track, now!" They leap to the other conveyor belt, but Jay loses balance and falls. Nya grabs his hand in time. "Aah!"
They encounter another glitch. "It's the other glitch!" said Nya.
"Nya!" shouted Jay.
"Time to pick up the pace!" They successfully pass through the rest of the blades and reach the other side.
"Piece of cake. Okay, get ready. Video games usually increase in difficulty as you progress." said Jay.
"So whatever is on the other side of this door is gonna be even worse." said Nya.
"Nova, are you able to get out of the shadows?" Jay asked.
"Nova?" Nya grew worried when they didn't get an answer straight away.
".....Yes, I can get out." said Nova as she slowly came out of the shadows, though when she did. Some parts of her body were covered in cracks again, she even had a few on her face.
"Nova! Y-your body!?" They shouted shocked.
"Just get the fuck moving!" Nova growled, pushing them forward.
*The door to the Temple opens. The three enter only to find an empty sushi restaurant.*
"Welcome." A Hostess bowed.
"The Temple of Madness has a sushi restaurant?" Jay questioned.
"Where are all the guests?" Nya asked.
"We've been expecting you." said the Hostess
"You have?" Nya asked.
"Of course. Jay Walker, party of three. Right this way." said the Hostess.
"Oh, perfect, 'cause I'm starving!" said Jay
"Jay, it's a trap!" said Nya.
"Do not trust everything you see, you idiot." Nova growled.
"No it isn't. Lots of games have areas like this, where you can recharge or power up, before you have to take on the boss." said Jay.
"Are you sure?" Nya asked.
"If this was a trap, they'd have come up with something a little more dangerous than a sushi restaurant. Trust me." said Jay.
"May I tell you today's specials?" The Hostess asked.
"Yes, you may. Boy, am I hungry!" said Jay.
"To start, we have some albacore tuna with garlic, crispy onions, and marinated destruction!" Her eyes glow red and she pulls out a kitchen knife, chopping the table in half. "Hiya!"
"Jay!" Nya, Nova and Jay dodge the waitress' attacks.
"Unagami welcomes you!" The Hostess hurls her knife at the two, which gets stuck in the door.
"Ha! Not too smart, throwing away your only weapon." The hostess pulls out two more knives. "Hey! No fair! There's no logic to this level at all!" said Jay.
"It's not a game, Jay! Take her out!" said Nya.
"Also on special today, monster sushi!" She pulls a lever, and a small conveyor belt carrying plates of sushi activates. Nya picks up a chair and slams the waitress into a wall, defeating her.
"Whew." Nya turns to Jay, only to find him being attacked by monster sushi.
"Ugh! Ow!" said Jay.
"Jay!" Nya starts pulling the monster sushi off of him.
"Ow! Aah!" Jay shakes all the monster sushi off. A door opens, and three sushi chefs leap out and start attacking with plates and knives. Jay and Nya defeat two of them with tables and their weapons, only for the third chef to show up with a mace. He throws the mace at them, which they dodge. The monster sushi surround them. "Oh, if only it were a pizza joint. Pizza would never betray me like this!"
Nova rolled her eyes as she had summoned her duel blades, and had gone on to slashing and stabbing anything coming her way. "Say that to the strawberry and banana pizza."
"You can't kill the sushi roll by slicing it! You just make it a smaller portion!" said Nya.
"Then keep doing it, till they're bite size!" They cut the sushi into tiny pieces and collects them in a bowl. "Anyone for seconds?" The third sushi chef fills the room with steam, obscuring their vision. "Oh great. Now what? I can't see a thing." said Jay.
"Just get ready for anything." said Nya.
"Yeah, we can't let down our guards." said Nova, holding her blades ready.
"To be a master sushi chef, you must apprentice for years," Sushimi emerges from the steam. "become an expert at every aspect of the sushi dinner, from ingredients to preparations . . . to table settings. And that includes . . . chopsticks. It also includes . . . defeat!" He hurls chopsticks at them.
"You may be a master sushi chef, but I'm a master ninja. And I had to train for years and years at every aspect of kicking your butt!" Jay attacks Sushimi with chopsticks. "This guy's fast! A little help?"
"How about some wasabi?" Nova throws the wasabi at Sushimi's eyes, blinding him. "How does that taste!"
"Haha! That was the perfect amount!" Jay kicks Sushimi onto the conveyor belt. "Hey Nya, this order's to go!" Nya pulls the lever, sending Sushimi flying. "And that's how we roll!"
*A door opens, leading to the next level. The two ninja go through it to find a fire wall.*
"A fire wall. The last obstacle between us and Unagami." They insert the three Key-Tanas into slots.
"We made it. I couldn't have done it without you two." said Jay, turning to Nya and Nova.
Nova rolled her eyes but gave a small smile, slowly recovering from what happened. "I think you two did the most."
"We're a good team." They embrace. Nya looks up to see Sushimi, barely alive, hurl a mace at them. "Look out!" She throws Jay and Nova to safety but is hit herself, losing her last life and getting cubed.
"Nya!" shouted Nova as she watched her be turned into a cube.
"No! Ugh!" Jay picks up the mace and throws it back at Sushimi, destroying him for good. "Nya! No! I–I–I can't do this alone. Don't leave me! I love you."
"Save your weepy sentiments for players who can hear you. Give up now, or you'll simply become an Energy Cube like all your friends. Nothing more than fuel for my Manifestation Gate." said Unagami.
"Only if we don't beat the game first!" The three Key-Tanas turn, opening the fire wall, and Jay and Nova runs through the doorway. "I'll fix this, Nya." He arrives at the Manifestation Gate.
"We'll fix this." Nova corrected as she followed along.
"Congratulations. You have beaten the game." said Unagami.
"And we're about to beat you, Milton Dyer. Unless you turn our friends back, right now!" said Jay.
"Idiot." Nova facepalmed with a sigh, and shook her head.
"Dyer?" Unagami questioned.
"Yeah, I know who you are. We figured it out. So let's drop the whole Unagami thing and just call you—" said Jay.
"Dyer is my maker." said Unagami.
"Uh, maker?" Jay questioned.
"He isn't Dyer, you idiot, Dyer was the one who created him along with this game." said Nova with a sigh.
"The one I seek. The energy cubes will allow me to open a portal between this realm, and the of the maker, so I may confront him." said Unagami.
Jay looked at Nova and then to Unagami. "Dyer is your maker?"
"But he attempted to shut me down. This is why I must find him. He must explain himself." said Unagami.
"You're ... the game?" said Jay.
"I am Unagami." He said.
"Unfinished Adventure Game 1". "Un-a-gami"!" Jay finally caught on.
"I have said this already." said Unagami.
"You're trying to go to Ninjago to confront Dyer for shutting you down?" Jay questioned.
"I have the last energy cube that I require." Nya's cube flies towards the Gate.
"Nya! Noooo!" The Gate activates, sending a wave throughout the game. "Ugh!"
"Well, this isn't good." said Nova.
"The Manifestation Gate is complete. I intend to leave now. This conversation is concluded." Unagami turns and leaves.
"You're angry! You're angry at Dyer because he tried to shut you down because he abandoned you? You think that'll fix anything? You think that'll make you feel better? No!" Jay and Nova leaps onto a drone and fights Unagami.
"This is futile! You can do nothing to stop me." Unagami disarms Jay and Nova.
"Oh, shut up you man child!" shouted Nova, summoning her sword and went for another attack.
"Oh, yeah? How about this?" Jay tackles Unagami, knocking him off his drone, then kicks him. "Game over, Unagami!"
Nova went on to point her sword at Unagami as she glared coldly at him. "Yeah, game over."
"I am the game. I am Prime Empire. I can choose any form I wish. Do you two really think this will stop me?" Unagami shapeshifts into the Empire Dragon and attacks Jay, and Nova, who is knocked aside. The Empire Dragon leaves through the Manifestation Gate, with many Red Visors following.
"No!" Some Red Visors attack Jay and Nova, and Jay fights back with his controller, while Nova used her sword. "Get back! I'm warning you!" A Red Visor knocks Jay's controller off the platform. "No!" They corner him and Nova.
"Might be a good time to use that amulet, Jay." said Nova as she switched out her sword for her blades.
Jay activates the amulet and raises it. "I call upon the Blue Dragon! I call upon the Blue Dragon! I call upon the—ugh!" Red Visors pile on top of them. The Blue Dragon appears, pushing away all of them. "Yeah!" They shoot at him and Nova, so the Dragon jumps up and lands hard, taking out all the Red Visors. It then flies through the Manifestation Gate.
*Jay and Nova enters Ninjago through the gate on his Blue Dragon.*
"Zane!" shouted Jay.
"Pixal!" shouted Nova.
Jay and Nova gets off the Blue Dragon. After that, they help Pixal, pull the cord off Zane. Zane falls to the ground, motionless.
"Zane... Zane... Please say something." said Pixal worried.
Zane wakes up, gasping.
"Zane!" said Pixal relieved.
"Don't scare us like that." said Nova, letting out a sigh.
"Oh! You had us scared, buddy!" Jay helps Zane up.
"What happened? Where are the others?" Zane asked.
Nova, her attention back to her necklace, letting out a sigh but knew everything was gonna be okay. And everything would return back to normal.
"They got turned into energy cubes..." Dyer and Wu gasp. "but it's okay because Nova and I, are gonna get 'em all back. All we have to do is A, find Milton Dyer, B, find Unagami, C, get them to work out their issues, D, convince Unagami to turn all the energy cubes back into people and E...Uhm, I don't think there is an "E." I think that's it."
"We found Dyer." said Pixal.
"Well, that checks one thing off the list, now we just need to worry about the rest." said Nova.
"And I will do whatever I can to help." said Milton Dyer.
"Are you certain Unagami can be reasoned with?" Wu asked.
"I think so. He doesn't seem "evil" to me. Just confused. He doesn't understand what he's doing." said Jay.
"Yeah, all he wants is answers." said Nova.
"This is all my fault. Vast Industries forced me to shut the game down. And I did it. But I didn't understand what I had created. I didn't know it was alive." said Milton Dyer.
"Oh, he's alive, all right. And he's a little ticked off." said Jay.
"Very alive, and not in a good mood." said Nova, crossing her arms. "He is kind of action like a child, throwing a tantrum."
They gave her a questionable look at what she said, but she just shrugged it off.
"If only... I could talk to him a-a-and explain." said Milton Dyer.
"Okay, this is starting to sound like a plan. You guys get to the top of Borg Tower, Nova, and I'll get Unagami there." said Jay.
"I'm not sure how much I'm able to help, but I'll do what I can." said Nova.
*Jay and Nova jumps onto the Blue Dragon.*
"How?" Zane asked.
"I have no idea!" said Jay and Nova in unison.
*Jay and Nova leaves and the rest do the same. They looks around the city for Unagami. More Red Visors appear on the streets.*
"Where are you, Milton Dyer?! Where are you?!" shouted the Empire Dragon.
"Over there!" shouted Nova, pointing towards an explosion.
"Found you! Good eye, Nova!" said Jay.
Citizens panic and run as the Empire Dragon lands and roars, blasting an energy beam from his mouth. He searches for Milton Dyer, while Red Visors spawn beside him. The Mechanic's henchmen drive a noodle truck in front of the dragon and make a sudden stop. The Empire Dragon looks at them and roars. Jay and Nova swoops in and smashes the Empire Dragon against a building. He blasts a laser beam at Jay and Nova, but misses, hitting a nearby car.
"I-I guess that got your attention." said Jay.
"We got his attention, now get moving!" said Nova, holding on to Jay so she wouldn't fall off.
*Jay and Nova starts flying upwards, and the Empire Dragon follows, blasting a building as he catches up.*
"That's it. Keep following us." said Jay.
Jay loses sight of the Empire Dragon.
"Fuck, this isn't good." said Nova.
"What?" said Jay.
*The Empire Dragon rams into the Blue Dragon and they crash. The Empire Dragon pins the Blue Dragon against a building.*
"Get off!" Jay blasts the Empire Dragon with Lightning. "Huh! Powers are back. That felt good."
Nova tried joining in to help, but when she tried using her elemental powers she fell over, grabbing her chest tightly in pain from where her heart was as a few shards were falling off her face. "Fuck! My powers glitching into the game must have really seriously affected me more than I thought."
She glanced over at Jay and the Empire Dragon as her breathing got a bit heavy. "I'm gonna have to ask, Wu, for double of that tea." She let out a weak giggle. "Lloyd is gonna get so mad if not stupidly worried about this."
"Don't give up yet! Nova!" shouted Jay rushing over as he helped her back on the Blue Dragon just as the Empire Dragon was about to attack.
"W-Wouldn't dream of it, Jay." said Nova, giving a small smile.
*Jay and Nova flies upwards once again, and the Empire Dragon follows.*
Citizens run away as Zane, Pixal, Wu and Dyer are running toward Borg Tower. Red Visors shoot at the four of them. Zane freezes the Visors using Ice. Pixal, Wu, and Zane continue forward, while Dyer looks at the frozen Red Visors.
"Oh no." said Milton Dyer.
*Dyer catches up with the others. Richie and Ritchie corner two citizens.*
"Haha!"
*Okino kicks them both onto the ground. He bows to the two citizens. The two citizens smile and run off. Dyer, Pixal, Zane, and Wu spot Jay and Nova leading the Empire Dragon*
"There's Jay and Nova." said Pixal.
"They are almost at the tower. Hurry!" said Zane.
*Ritchie blocks the group's path with his Speeder Car. He laughs and throws a bomb at them, missing. Ritchie attempts to drive off, but Zane and Pixal kick a lamp post over, blocking Ritchie's path.*
"Hey! No fair!" Zane grabs Ritchie's arm, pulls him out of the vehicle. "Woah!"
*The group get onto the Speeder Car and drive off.*
"You'll pay for this!" shouted Ritchie.
*The group makes it inside of Borg Tower. They get off the Speeder Car and enter an elevator.*
Jay and Nova leads the Empire Dragon to the top of Borg Tower.
"I've never been to the top of Borg Tower before." said Milton Dyer.
"We come here a lot." said Zane.
*The elevator stops. The Empire Dragon fires a laser beam at Jay and Nova, missing and hitting the tower. Jay and Nova flies up the tower, but loses sight of the Empire Dragon. The dragon suddenly appears in front of them.*
"S-shit." said Nova, holding on to Jay the best she could.
"Whoa!"
*The Empire Dragon blasts a laser beam at the Blue Dragon, causing it to crash at the top of Borg Tower. The Blue Dragon starts to glitch.*
"No, no, no." said Jay.
*The Blue Dragon disappears, while the Empire Dragon flies upwards and lands on the top of Borg Tower. He roars at Jay.*
Nova was laying on the ground, using what strength she had left to stand up, but had to summon her sword for support.
"Fuck my life, I'm tired and out of energy." She mumbled as more shards were slowly falling off of her.
"Unagami, wait! Please." said Jay.
He roars at Jay.
"You're angry! I get it. You were abandoned by your maker!" said Jay.
He roars again.
"I was abandoned by my parents too! I'm just like you!" said Jay.
The Empire Dragon growls.
"I never understood why, and I never had the chance to even ask. But I always hoped there was a good reason. What if there's a reason?" said Jay.
Unagami turns into his ruler form.
"What reason?" Unagami asked.
"I...I don't know, but..." said Jay.
Wu, Pixal, Milton Dyer, and Zane make it to the top of Borg Tower. Unagami sees Milton Dyer and walks towards him, but is blocked by Jay.
"Wait! Listen! Anger doesn't solve anything. It won't help. It won't make you feel better." said Jay.
"Y-yeah, take it from me. Anger is never the s-solution to a-anything." said Nova, fighting to stay awake.
"You are merely delaying the inevitable." Unagami points his spear at Nova first and then at Jay. "This conversation can no longer be of use."
Milton Dyer moves in front of Jay, pushing back the spear with his hand.
"Unagami. Don't do this. Please." said Milton Dyer.
Unagami's form flickers to a child before flickering back to his ruler form.
"A-as I said, man child, a-and throwing a t-tantrum." said Nova, giving a weak smile.
"You recognize me, don't you? You recognize my voice?" Milton Dyer questioned.
"You are Milton Dyer. My maker." said Unagami.
"Yes. But you were not made for this. You were not made to instill fear and suffering." said Milton Dyer.
"Why was I made?" Unagami asked.
"To instill joy. And happiness." said Milton Dyer.
Unagami's form glitches. His form turns into that of a child.
"But you abandoned me." said Unagami.
Milton Dyer looks stunned. After a short while, Unagami returns to his ruler form.
"I didn't understand what I had created. I didn't fully see what you were. I...I was scared." said Milton Dyer.
"To fear something you created is illogical." said Unagami.
"Yes, but it's true. I didn't understand how real you were. How alive. And then when disappeared and the company panicked, I shut the project down." said Milton Dyer.
"Scott did not disappear. He is inside Prime Empire." said Unagami.
"I know." said Milton Dyer.
"Your expectations were very clear in this regard. You told me to provide him with an intense simulated gaming experience." said Unagami.
"You were doing what you were told. The fault is mine, Unagami. And if you will let me, I would like to make amends." said Milton Dyer.
"Define "amend." said Unagami.
"To correct a mistake." said Milton Dyer.
"Correct how?" Unagami asked.
"Come home. Let me finish your programming and help you. Let me answer all of your questions." said Milton Dyer.
Unagami looks calmed.
"You must have so many." said Milton Dyer.
Unagami turns into his child form.
"Home?" Unagami asked.
"With me." Milton Dyer puts a hand on Unagami's shoulder. "Please."
Unagami thinks for a moment. "Your proposal is...accepted."
"How sweet." said Nova as she had an arm over Jay's shoulders since he had gone over to help her stay on her feet.
"But you must release all the people you took. They are living beings, like yourself. And they deserve freedom." said Milton Dyer.
Unagami looks at the Manifestation Gate's beam. He turns back to Dyer. "Very well. But all who choose."
*Gayle Gossip runs away from a group of Visors. Okino pulls her to safety.*
"Not just the ones from this realm, also the ones from Prime Empire. They too deserve freedom." said Unagami.
"You learn quickly." said Milton Dyer.
*Unagami smiles. Just as Okino, Gayle, and Vinny are being surrounded by Visors, they power down. The doors to the Mechanic's warehouse open. Players trapped in Prime Empire have been released, alongside other NPCs.*
"Where are we?" Lloyd asked.
"What happened here?" Cole asked.
"We're home. We're in Ninjago." said Nya.
"But...how?" Lloyd questioned.
*Wu, Jay, Nova, Zane, and Pixal walk toward the rest of the ninja.*
"Jay!" shouted Nya.
"Nova!" shouted Lloyd in shock as he rushed over to take her, so Jay wouldn't have to carry her anymore. "By the First Spinjitzu Master! What happened to you? You're covered in cracks."
Nova let out a weak giggle, looking at him. "I did something stupid."
"I can see that, but seriously, what happened?" Lloyd questioned.
Nova was happy to see him again as she smiled, but the words of the fake Overlord still echoed in her head. Scared of what was really to come, and if the real Overlord had wanted this for her. She felt her eyes getting heavy, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep in Lloyd's arms.