Chapter 1-New Reality

Feeling the warm sun against his shuddering eyelids, Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon opened his mouth to welcome a yawn. He stretched his muscled body, flinching at the soreness he'd gained after his battle with the overlord. As his brain began the slow process of awakening, The green ninja opened his emerald green eyes and stared at the bright blue sky opening before him. There was a soft breeze, cool enough to raise a light wave of goose bumps across his skin. Tree branches filled with brightly colored leaves leaned in and out of his vision.

Lloyd blinked once. Twice. He forced his eyes shut then open, yet the scenery before him did not change. He tracked his memories and remembered beating the overlord the day before, staying up rather late celebrating with the ninja and his reunited family. He remembered falling asleep in the cheap apartment that they'd rented in Ninjago city with an uncomfortable mattress holding up his exhausted body. He looked the memories of the day before through every possible angle but nothing led to answering why he was currently laying against the hard cold ground in the middle of a forest.

"Ah, Sleeping beauty awakens!"

The green ninja jumped into a sitting position and looked for the source of the familiar voice. Sitting across from him was a brown haired man with bright blue eyes. His body was dressed in brown leather, both his jacket and pants overwhelmed by a crazy amount of unnecessary pockets. Strapped to his belt were a pair of golden nunchucks, which were covered in beautifully carved images of dragons.

"Jay?" Lloyd's body relaxed a bit. At least he wasn't alone here.

"I'd rather go by James but whatever floats your boat." Jay laughed. "It's James Jay Walker otherwise known as the guy that saved you from being beheaded ."

"Beheaded?" The green ninja's mind spun with confussion.

"Yes by King Pythor you clay-brained fool. "Jay rolled his eyes. He pulled out a folded paper from one of his thousand pockets and threw it at Lloyd. "Maybe this'll refresh your mind."

Lloyd unfolded the yellow parchment. A crude drawing of his face stared back at him. Below the image, written in large black letters, it read, 'Wanted: Treason, Murder, Theft. Bounty 100,000 gold coins'

"With that bounty on your head I'd be surprised if there's anyone who ain't lookin' for you." Jay said, sending chills up Lloyd's spine. He didn't even know where he was and someone already wanted him dead. "But me? I don't got any place for a bounty that large. 'Sides us fugitives gotta stick together, even though I don't feel too comfortable with the whole 'Murder' part."

"I'm not a murderer." Lloyd responded. "I don't even know where I am."

"You're in the forest you ninny." Jay shook his head. "And here I was thinking I'd finally gotten myself a smart partner. Everyone always turns out to be a blitherin' idiot though."

"I meant. . . Nevermind"

"Yeah I won't mind. Though what I do mind is who you killed. I mean if you were gonna go ahead and kill someone, you might've at least tried to kill King Pythor. He ain't nowhere near dead though, I saw him at what was supposed to be your execution sittin' at his throne feelin' all high and mighty."

" I didn't kill anyone," Lloyd insisted. "I'm not even from here. I'm a ninja from Ninjago city. You know, one of the ones that saved the city? From the overlord?"

"Saved the city? Sure buddy"

"I did don't you recognize me? I'm the green ninja!"

"Sorry to disappoint." Jay chuckled. "But there ain't nothing green bout you."

"Stop mess-"

Lloyd's words were stopped by Jay's dirty hand pressing against his half open mouth. "Hush. . . Someone's here. ."

A man stepped out from behind a thick tree. He was dressed in heavy silver armor, his jet black hair almost covering a pair of thick black eyebrows. Behind him, a dozen soldiers stepped out of their own hiding places, each with a loaded crossbow pointed directly at Lloyd and Jay's body.

"Cole." Lloyd stated.

"That's Sir Cole to you. " He said. "I didn't spend my whole life training to be a knight so people could call me 'Cole'"

"Now let's see. "He continued. " We've got a petty thief whose bounty doesn't even reach the thousands and the kingdom's most popular traitor. I think King Pythor will be rather pleased."

"Petty thief?" Jay scowled reaching for his nunchucks. "I'll show you. . ."

All the crossbows aimed at Jay. The thief froze, then decided his life was worth more than responding to an insult. Cole stepped forward, snatching the golden weapon for Jay's hand. "Where did you get this?"

"Stole it. "Jay smirked. "Right from under King Pythor's ugly nose."

"I guess your worth more than I thought." The Knight nodded his head towards one of his soldiers. In a few seconds, Lloyd and Jay had thick iron handcuffs around their wrists. With crossbows pointed at his back, Lloyd had no choice but to move forward. His mind was still searching for answers as he was pushed through a medieval looking village, and through the mouth of a monstrous castle.

"You will remain here until King Pythor gives us orders." Sir Cole said, pushing Lloyd and Jay into a dirty jail cell. "Though knowing him, I'd say goodbye to your heads"

The green ninja stared at Cole as he walked away. There was a pounding on his head now. Nothing around him could be explained by logic and this new reality was causing him to feel sick. Maybe it was merely a dream. He leaned back against the cold rock wall. Maybe his world would come back any second now, and he could tell the guys everything and they could laugh about it together.

Lloyd forced his eyes shut then open.

His new reality remained the same.

(I'd promised not to write anymore fanfictions until I finished the ones I'm currently working with but when this idea hit me, I knew I had to write it. I've never experimented with writing characters in a completely different world so what do you guys think so far? )