TW?: PDA (kissing)
Acronix, Morro, and Pixal (carrying Cyrus Borg) walk across the desert.
Acronix: Pixal, can you take my cuffs off?
Pixal: No.
Acronix: How about now?
Pixal: No.
Acronix: Now?
Pixal: Still no.
Acronix: Whyyyy not?
Pixal: I trust you about as far as I can throw you and I would trust you even less than that with your hands free.
Acronix (sighs): Fair. But then, why doesn’t HE have handcuffs?! (He points at Morro)
Pixal: Since he is a ghost and I lack deepstone, I cannot restrain him at the moment.
Morro sticks his tongue out at Acronix who makes a face.
Acronix: I’m SO bored. Can we play a game?
Morro: What kind of game are you thinking of?
Acronix: Truth or DARE.
Morro: I’m in. Pixal, are you?
Pixal: …
Acronix: Please, pretty please?
Pixal: Fine.
Acronix: Ok. I start! (Acronix points at Cyrus) Tell me your deepest, darkest secret.
Cyrus (wearily): I never agreed to this.
Acronix: Buzzkill.
Morro: My turn.
Acronix: What?!
Morro: You messed up, now it’s my turn.
Acronix: No fair!
Morro: Pixal, tell us your greatest regret.
Pixal (blanches): Dare?
Morro: Do the “whip”.
Pixal: Excuse me?
Morro: The “Weekend Whip” dance. You know: “Jump up, kick back, whip around…”
Pixal glares at both of them, sets Cyrus on the ground, and performs the dance.
After spinning once in the air (without producing spinjitzu) she lands on her feet, stumbling slightly but remaining upright.
Acronix: Wow. That was actually good.
Morro: You should be in the Fold’s music videos.
Pixal blinks a few times.
Pixal: Thank you?
Acronix: Pixal’s turn!
They resume walking, taking turns playing the game until a nearby monument catches their attention.
Acronix: What’s that?
The gang approaches the structure. It resembles a singular stone tablet rising from the sand. Writing is engraved on its surface.
Pixal: It appears to be an ancient form of writing native to one of the old tribes of desert people in Ninjago. Would you like me to translate it?
Morro: Please.
Pixal: This tells a legend about an ancient artifact called the “Bane of Shiian”. According to this, the God of Death, Shiian became fearful that the other gods would turn on him due to him having the most deadly power: control over life and death. So Shiian used dark magic to place his powers in a giant ruby, planning to hide it from the other gods. When the gods came to harm Shiian, they discovered that the ruby had absorbed Shiian’s life, killing him. The gods were so fearful of the ruby, they cast it to a place that no one would ever find it. They called it “The Bane of Shiian” and forbade anyone from searching for it. The artifact was lost to time, but its story remains as a warning for those who disobey the natural laws of the world by experimenting with dark magic.
Cyrus: That’s ominous.
Acronix: That’s cool!
Morro: I wonder where it went.
Pixal: This is a legend, Morro, meant to instill moral lessons in its readers, nothing more.
Acronix: Morro! Truth or dare?
Morro: Acronix, no.
Acronix (whines): We haven’t finished our game yet. The massive rock interrupted us during MY turn. I NEED to finish.
Morro: Fine. One more round.
Acronix: Morro, you have to tell us your secret crush!
Morro (smirks): I have no crush.
Pixal: Your nose is twitching and your form has become 3% more transparent. My sensors indicate that you are lying.
Acronix: Ha! You have to tell us the truth. Or…(pause)...You have to kiss that big rock over there!! (He points dramatically at the tablet.)
Morro inhales, looking from the group to the monument. He approaches the structure as if it is a graceful wild animal he does not wish to frighten. He puts his hand on its surface, sighs and then thrusts his mouth towards it.
Acronix: EEEEWWWWWWW!
Pixal covers Cyrus’s eyes with her arm.
Acronix: Yes, YES! Smooch the old, crusty rock!
Pixal grimaces at the scene, her arm never leaving Cyrus’s eyes.
Morro withdraws from the rock, patting it gently.
Pixal: You just desecrated a sacred cultural artifact.
Acronix: I know right?!? So cool!!!
Cyrus (clearing his throat uncomfortably): We should get moving. It’s almost sundown.
The team resumes their walk. When the sun begins to set, they spot a small village.
Morro: We’re here.
Acronix: This isn’t an oasis!
Morro: It’s a town called “Oasis” that has an oasis in it.
Acronix: Ohhhhh.
Pixal (to Morro): You were right.
Morro: Surprised?
Pixal: Maybe a little. (to Cyrus) Now, let’s go get you some food and water.
Cyrus (sighs wearily): Indeed.
The team strides to the glowing lights of the town, their backs to the screen.
The screen cuts to black. The “Renegades Theme” plays. The credits roll.
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Hi! Thanks for reading! Message me if you would like to be pinged/unpinged. I will try to release the next episode by this weekend (or next week at the latest).
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