Poor Nova, never gets a break. :(
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Nova wasn't sure how much time had gone since she had been moving around in the shadows, and was able to steal some bandages that she went on to wrap around her arm of darkness, so it would look more normal when covered in bandages.
"I'm lucky I'm high on adrenaline, but I can already feel it slipping away." She mumbled to herself as she finished covering her arm, so it at least look normal for the time being. "I need to find the others." She had gone on to turn off her mask as tears were still running down her face since the pain of cutting off her arm was still there, but she had been trying to ignore it so far.
"I need to find, Lloyd." Nova tried wiping away her tears before going back into the shadows, even though it was still causing her pain and adding cracks to her.
Nova looked everywhere she could for Lloyd and the others, trying to find someone to cling to as she felt like she was gonna break down at any moment. But soon enough she could hear voices, and much to her relief, one of them was Lloyd.
"I wonder what happened to the others." said Lloyd, only to then get tackled to the ground by Nova, who came out of his shadow.
"N-Nova!?" Lloyd shouted, surprised, until he noticed her shaking with how tight she was holding on to him. "Nova, what's wrong? Did something happen? Are you hurt?"
Nova didn't say anything as she was hiding her face against his chest, but he was able to hear the faintest sound of her crying.
"Oh no! What happened to her arm!?" Jay shouted as he pointed at her bandaged up arm.
"Jay! Stop the shouting, can't you see that she is shaken up." said Nya.
"Sorry." Jay rubbed the back of his neck.
Lloyd slowly got back up from the ground, while having an arm wrapped around Nova, holding her close. "Nova, what happened?"
Nova just shook her head, not wanting to speak, as she clung to him like glue.
Jay and Nya couldn't help being a little surprised to see Nova like this, since she had never shown this vulnerable side of herself to the others besides Lloyd.
Lloyd let out a small sigh and decided to pick Nova up in his arms, holding her close as he was now carrying her.
Nova wrapped her arms around his neck as she kept on shaking, and crying into his chest.
"Um... hmm." said Murt, getting the others' attention.
"Everything okay? Why'd we stop?" Lloyd asked.
"Murt not remember the way." said Murt.
"What? I thought you knew these tunnels like the back of your hand!" said Jay.
Murt looks at his hand, confused. "Uh..."
Jay sighs in exasperation. "Ugh."
"Is one of these. Either this way, or this way, or this way." said Murt.
"Yeah, um, we figured it was one of them, Murt, but we kinda need to know which one." said Lloyd.
"How about this way?" Murt points behind the group.
"That's the way we just came." said Lloyd.
Murt went on to point at the shadows.
"No, we aren't traveling by shadows, Nova isn't in the right state to do that." said Lloyd.
"Oh, great! Now we're gonna get lost down here, we're never gonna see the sun again, we're all gonna –" Jay complained.
"It's this way, guys!" shouted Nya.
"How do you know?" Jay asked.
"I can see footprints in the dirt." said Nya.
"Oh. Nice work, Nya. See, I told you it would be fine!" said Jay.
Lloyd gave a small smile before glancing at Nova. "Moonie, what happened to you? I've never seen you this shaken up before."
Nova shook her head, not wanting to say.
Lloyd sighs, gently kissing her cheek while holding her close in his arms. "You're safe, Nova, I've got you."
A few minutes later, they gasp as they arrive at the Munce Home-Cave. "Wow."
"Halt! Who goes there?" Munce Sentry asked.
"Where?" Murt asked.
"There!" shouted Munce Sentry.
"He means you, Murt." said Lloyd, as he noticed Nova flinching to the shouting.
"Oh. Murt goes there." said Murt.
"Murt? Son of Murt?" asked the first Munce Sentry.
"You escape from the Skull Sorcerer? How?" asked the second Munce Sentry, while Jay waves nervously.
"My Queen! We have visitors." shouted Munce Sentry.
Murtessa gasps. "Murt!"
Murt kneels. "My Queen. Murt escape. With help of these "moutsiders."
"How? No one has ever returned from the caverns held by the Skull Sorcerer." said Murtessa.
"If you wish to hear story, Murt will tell." said Murt.
"This should be interesting." Jay whispered to Nya.
"Shh!" Nya shushed him.
"Tell!" said Murtessa.
As Murt started telling, Lloyd went on to check on Nova, who was still hiding her face against his chest, but at least she had stopped crying now.
"You're okay enough to stand on your own feet?" Lloyd asked.
Nova gave a slight nod, to which Lloyd slowly put her down while still hold on to him. "I-I'm doing....a bit... b-better now." Her body slowly turning back to her human form.
Lloyd smiled softly at her as he was just glad she was able to speak again, though still very shaken up. Probably from whatever injury she got on her arm.
"Murt, you okay?" Nya asked as Murt seemed to finish up telling his story.
"And so it was. We are free, thanks to them." said Murt.
"Hmm." Murtessa turns to the ninja. "This is true? You are ninja from the surface? And you freed my subjects?"
"Uh..." Lloyd tried coming up with an answer.
"Yes, it is, your Majesty." said Jay.
"Idiot." Nova mumbled quietly for only Lloyd to hear, and he had to hold back a chuckle, as it looked like she was turning back to her normal self.
"I am most grateful. How can I repay this?" Murtessa asked.
"Oh, no, it was nothing. Forget it." said Jay.
"You are also modest, I see." said Murtessa.
"Jay, you fucking idiot." Nova mumbled with an annoyed sigh, but was still holding on to Lloyd.
"Well, heh, modesty prevents me from agreeing, but... yes." said Jay.
"And who is this? Your servant?" Murtessa asked.
"Servant?" Nya replied annoyed.
"Oh, oh, no no no. This is Nya, my "yang." said Jay.
"Yang?" Murtessa said confused.
Nya pulls Jay closer. "It means we belong together!"
"And how about you?" Murtessa turned to Lloyd, who looked a bit surprised by this, but before he got to say anything, Nova was the first to react.
"Back off! He is mine!" Nova growled in pure rage as her eyes were glowing purple while changing into her oni form. "Go near him and I will raise trouble!"
"S-sorry about my girlfriend, she has been through a lot as you can see." said Lloyd, wrapping his arms around Nova, pulling her close to him so she wouldn't try and attack the Queen. "But yes, we are together, your highness."
"Hmm. Make our guests comfortable. Give them whatever they wish. Our best quarters, food, drink. Even for the Yang-Servant." said Murtessa.
Nya squeezes Jay. "Aah!"
Nova calmed down after they left as she turned back to her human form before almost falling over if Lloyd wasn't already holding her.
"Nova, you might wanna try and rest for a bit. You are in no state to get into a fight." said Lloyd, still holding her close.
"S-sure." said Nova before passing out from all the stress.
*A while later.*
"Yang-Servant? Can you believe that?" said Nya looking at Lloyd, who was sitting with Nova in his lap who was still passed out.
"Actually, I think it went pretty well." said Lloyd, only to get a cold glare from Nya.
"And you didn't say anything!" Nya turned to Jay in rage.
"What? No, I totally did!" said Jay.
"Will you guys relax? This is good. They might be willing to help us. And we can use all the help we can get right now. Finding the others, dealing with that Skull Sorcerer guy, and - hey, look." Lloyd points at a carving on the wall.
"Huh."
"That must be this "Milly" guy." said Lloyd, getting up to point at a person on the wall.
"Ahem. Queen Murtessa asks if you would dine with her." said Munce Sentry.
"Of course. We would be honored." said Lloyd.
"No. Not you. Just him." He points to Jay.
"That's it! You tell the Queen we're a team! Where he goes, we all go. Right, Jay?" Nya grabs Jay. "Right?!"
"Ow! Yes! Haha, right!" said Jay.
Lloyd looked over at Nova, he knew she would be safe here, but he had a feeling something bad might happen if she woke up to find them gone. With a sigh, he walked over to her and gently began shaking her. "Butterfly, wake up, please."
Nova was out for a good while, until she felt someone shaking her and the voice of Lloyd. She slowly opened her eyes to see Lloyd was the one waking her up. "What?"
"We are having dinner, and I wanted to know if you are in a good enough state to join us." said Lloyd.
"Hmmm." Nova slowly got up, but still had to cling onto Lloyd, as she could finally feel how weak and exhausted she was. "Might need a little hand."
"Okay, but do let me know if I need to carry you the rest of the way." Lloyd wrapped an arm around her and held her close, as they left the room so they could get dinner.
*At the dinning room.*
"Bring another three bowls." said Murtessa to a munce, when she saw the others coming into the room right behind Jay.
"What is this?" Jay asked, looking at the food.
Nya sniffs the food. "Ugh. I have no idea."
"Oh! Think it's trying to eat me." said Jay.
"Is it true you know Spinjitzu?" Murtessa asked.
"Uh, yes." said Jay.
"And you have Elemental Powers?" Murtessa asked.
"I-I do." said Jay.
"We all do, actually–" said Nya.
"I hope you will show me, Ninja-Jay. I would love to see a demonstration." said Murtessa.
"I think I'm gonna throw up, and I'm not talking about the food." Nova whispered as she was leaning against Lloyd.
"Oh, uh, okay. Um, how about this?" Jay uses Lightning on the rocks above them. They start glowing. "Oh, gee, um. Hehe, that doesn't usually happen, heh."
"It is beautiful! I have never seen such beauty. Truly, you are gifted. Brave, modest, and powerful! Tell me. Are you ... betrothed?" said Murtessa.
"You should have left me back in the room we were given, that way I wouldn't have to see nor hear this." Nova whispered.
Lloyd gave a slight nod as he wrapped an arm around her. "Agree." He whispered.
"Yes! He is! To me!" Nya and Murtessa scowl at each other.
"So, um, what is this wonderful food? Heh." Murtessa knocks Lloyd's plate off the table. Under his breath. "Oh, thank goodness."
Nova let out a small giggle as she saw this. "Saved by the bell." She teased.
"Yeah, looks like it." said Lloyd with a relieved smile.
"I demand the Munce rite of ritual combat to fight for the honor of Ninja-Jay, for you are unworthy!" said Murtessa.
"Are you nuts? I'm not gonna fight for Jay!" said Nya.
"Ouch, that gotta hurt to hear." said Nova.
"Why? Would you have fought for me if I was in his position?" Lloyd asked.
"Yes, very much so, with no mercy. I already did it against Harumi." said Nova.
"Fair point." said Lloyd, kissing her cheek.
"Why not? You're afraid? You hide behind others, like a child?" Murtessa asked.
"Nya, come on, don't. It's - it's not worth it." said Lloyd.
"Like frightened child? Child!" Murtessa taunted.
"That's it! Bring it!" Nya, Lloyd, Nova, and Jay enter a room with weapons.
"Nya, you can't do this." said Lloyd while having Nova holding on to him so she wouldn't fall over.
"Yeah, Nya, there's gotta be a better way." said Jay.
"Well, if you figure it out, let me know. Jay, has it occurred to you what would happen if I didn't fight? You'd have to stay here, forever! She wants you to be her king, or whatever the Munce call it." said Nya.
"King? M-me? I would have to stay down here? Forever? Eating that disgusting Munce food?" Jay questioned.
"Wow my guy, it took you this long to notice she was flirting with you?" Nova raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, Jay." said Nya.
"You have to win this, Nya! This is serious!" shouted Jay in panic.
"Oh, I intend to." Nya heads to an arena in her Hero suit.
"Ninja-Jay! I challenge this "moutsider" creature to combat, for you! I wish you to be my king, for even though you have tiny arms and ugly human face, you have a stout heart and are a mighty warrior! We should be together." Murtessa declared.
"Oh my god, this is so cringe to hear." said Nova, sitting next to Lloyd while rested her head against his shoulder, while he had an arm wrapped around her.
"Not if I can help it." said Nya.
"Let the combat begin!" shouted Murtessa.
"You asked for it, lady." said Nya.
"For what?" Murtessa asked.
"For this! Hiya!" Nya leaps at Murtessa, only to be knocked over. Murtessa drops her weapons and begins to act weirdly. "Huh? What the–" Murtessa curls into a ball and knocks Nya off her feet. "Hey! Aah!"
"Nya!" shouted Jay.
"Quit that! That's not how you –" Nya is repeatedly hit by Murtessa.
"Lloyd, Nova, I'm scared." said Jay.
"Relax. Nya's got this. I hope." said Lloyd.
"She is gonna be fine, Jay. Have some faith in her." said Nova.
"Okay, lady. Let's see how you like it when I spin! Ninja go!" said Nya.
Nya does Spinjitzu and kicks Murtessa into a wall. Murtessa collapses.
"See." said Lloyd and Nova in unison.
"The Queen. She-she–-" said a Munce.
"She has lost." said another Munce.
Other Munce start to murmur among themselves.
"The Queen has lost! Long live the Queen!" shouted a Munce.
"Queen Mya."
"Queen Mya!"
"Queen Mya! Queen Mya! Queen Mya! Queen Mya! Queen Mya!" They continue to chant in the background.
"Oh, boy." said Lloyd.
"I did not see that coming." said Jay.
"Nova, with this settled, should we go and take a look at your arm?" Lloyd asked.
"No." said Nova, avoiding his gaze. "I wanna wait until this is over."
"But you aren't in the best conditions to even fight, Nova. At least checking your arm, we can see how serious the injury is." said Lloyd.
Nova slowly looked at him with teary eyes. "Please Lloyd, I don't want you guys to see it, let alone myself. Can we please just wait until everything is over."
Lloyd was a little surprised by how vulnerable she was being right in front of him, a lot more than after their fight in the Never-Realm, this was clearly a different situation for her to be acting like this. "Fine, we'll take a look after we've taken care of the Skull Sorcerer." He sighs but took notice of the small smile she gave him.
"Thank you, Lloyd." said Nova, with a soft smile.