The Chroma's Clutches Read online

  Garmadon and Wu looked at each other, and Garmadon shrugged as Peri hurried out of the kitchen.

  “I think she’s just not used to visitors,” Garmadon whispered. “Socially awkward.”

  She led them down a hallway into a very clean room with two beds, a dresser, and bare white walls.

  “I’m usually up early, but help yourself to tea in the morning if you’re awake before I am,” she said. Then she paused. “It’s nice to have company. You two are welcome to stay for as long as you need.”

  “Well, actually, we have to—” Wu began, but Garmadon nudged him.

  “That’s a nice offer,” Garmadon replied. “We’ll think about it.”

  Peri smiled. “Good night, Wu and Garmadon!”

  “Good night! Good night!” Balee echoed, and then Peri closed the door, leaving the brothers alone.

  Wu plopped down on one of the beds. “All right, Garmadon, what’s up? Is a pretty purple-haired girl blinding you to the fact that this place is weird? She has a talking monkey-dog for a pet and won’t tell us what happened to her family!”

  “I don’t think this place is weird,” Garmadon said, sitting down on the other bed. “It’s beautiful here, and comfortable, and the food is good, so why not stay and rest up for a few days? It’s a long way back down that mountain.”

  “That’s for sure,” Wu agreed. “But I just can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong with all of this.”

  Garmadon yawned. “Get a good night’s sleep, Wu. We’ll figure it out in the morning.”

  Garmadon drifted off to sleep, where he dreamed of floating across a perfect blue sky on a fluffy purple cloud. A deep feeling of calm and peace came over him. Then he heard an eerie howl, and the sky in his dream turned black. Garmadon woke up with a start.

  Aaaaaaoooooooooooooooo!

  I’m not dreaming anymore, he realized. That howl is real!

  Garmadon darted out of bed and left his sleeping brother behind as he rushed into the hall. He made his way toward the sound.

  Aaaaaaoooooooooooooooo!

  The sound came from behind a closed door. He reached out to open it—when it opened on its own! Peri stepped out and quickly closed it behind her.

  “I—I heard something,” Garmadon stammered.

  “It’s very windy up here on the mountain,” Peri answered. She spoke quickly, avoiding his eyes. “Nothing to worry about. You should go back to your room.” Garmadon noticed she kept her back to the door and had not budged, almost as though she were blocking his way.

  “Sure,” Garmadon replied. “Good night, Peri.”

  That wasn’t wind that I heard, Garmadon thought. I hate to admit it, but Wu might be right. There’s definitely something odd about this place, and maybe even our host, too.

  Garmadon and Wu woke at sunrise. Wu yawned and stretched.

  “This is a very comfortable bed,” Wu remarked. “Almost comfortable enough to make me spend another night here.”

  Garmadon almost told Wu about the strange howl he’d heard, and Peri’s odd behavior behind that closed door. But he stopped himself. Part of him didn’t want to give Wu the satisfaction that there was genuinely something weird about this place. The other part of him was curious. If there was something strange going on, he had an urge to find out what it was. Garmadon’s curiosity won him over.

  “See, nothing strange here at all,” Garmadon said. “Just a soft mattress to sleep on and yummy food in our bellies.” His stomach growled at the thought.

  “I hate to admit it, but you might be right, brother,” Wu said. “Let’s have some breakfast and talk about our next move.”

  They found Peri on the balcony of the villa, which seemed to hang in the sky over the edge of the mountain. A table was set with tea and food, and Peri invited them to eat breakfast with her. They dined on bowls of creamy, warm porridge topped with strawberries as the morning sun shone overhead.

  “I hope you’ve decided to stay,” Peri said. “We don’t often get visitors here. And honestly, I could use some help with the garden, if you don’t mind.”

  Wu beamed. “Oh, I love plants,” he said. “But tell me, Peri. You said you moved here with your family. Why are you all alone now?”

  Peri took a deep breath, as though she was resolving to tell them the truth.

  “My mother died three years ago,” she said. “And then my father, and my sister…they left. But they’ll be back.”

  As she turned away, Garmadon saw the sadness in her eyes.

  “We can stay for a few days,” he said, and Wu nodded in agreement.

  Peri smiled. “That’s wonderful! Thank you both so much.”

  “Hello! Hello!”

  The little mon-dog swung up onto the balcony and jumped into Peri’s lap.

  “Good news, Balee,” Peri said. “Wu and Garmadon are going to stay for a few days.”

  Balee looked at the brothers and his eyes got wide.

  “Beware! Beware!” he chattered.

  Wu raised an eyebrow. “Is he like a parrot, just saying words at random, or does he understand what he says?”

  “He understands, but he’s just being silly right now,” Peri said, wagging a finger at Balee. “Don’t be teasing our guests, Balee. They’re going to help us.”

  Balee nodded. “OK! OK!” Then he hopped off Peri’s lap onto the table and slurped down the porridge she’d set out for him.

  “So, what do you grow in your garden?” Wu asked.

  “Just about everything we eat,” Peri replied. “But it takes up a lot of time, and I like to save the afternoons for painting. Come on, I’ll show you.”

  They left the balcony and walked back through the main room, its walls full of paintings. The brothers couldn’t help noticing how bright and happy the colors were. A blue waterfall flowed into a stream winding through trees with orange and yellow leaves. White swans floated in a shimmering blue lake with pink lilies. Giant red mushrooms with white spots grew in a forest filled with equally giant flowers.

  “I’d love to take a closer look at these paintings while we’re here,” Wu said.

  “Sure, there’ll be time for that,” Peri remarked.

  Garmadon glanced at the painting nearest to him. Green ducks flew across a dark blue lake, their wings flapping….

  Garmadon blinked. It looked as though the ducks were moving, their wings actually flapping.

  “The ducks!” he blurted out, pointing. “They’re moving!”

  Peri smiled. “That shows you what kind of artist my father was. His paintings are so realistic they almost seem alive. Come on, let me show you the garden!”

  Garmadon looked at the painting again. The ducks were still. Wu approached him. “What’s the matter, brother? You’re as pale as a ghost.”

  “Nothing. Must be that mountain air,” Garmadon replied, and they followed Peri outside.

  She led them to a clearing on the south side of the villa, a flat patch of land that wasn’t terribly big, but filled with green, growing plants. Garmadon counted ten rows of vegetables. Berry bushes and pear trees bordered the garden in the back, and a well sat in the center. A wooden wheelbarrow leaned against a stone garden wall.

  Peri grabbed two wicker baskets and handed them to Wu and Garmadon.

  “We need to pick all the blackberries before the birds get them,” she explained, and picked up a basket for herself. “Then we can work on weeding.”

  “I’m berry happy to help,” Wu joked, and Garmadon groaned.

  “Maybe you should help pick the corn, brother,” Garmadon said. “Because that was really corny.”

  Wu grinned. “Good one, Garmadon.”

  They got to work. Garmadon soon found that berry picking required patience and care, unlike slicing carrots in midair.

  “I bet I can fill my basket before you can,” Garmadon challenged Wu.

  “Bet you can’t!” Wu said, and the ninja began to pick berries at a frantic pace.

  “Don’t squish them!” Peri warned. “Now, you’ve got to tell me about some of these exciting adventures you’ve had.”

  The boys talked as they worked. They told Peri stories about training with Nineko, the enchanted cat ninja, and defeating an evil puppet master named Tanabrax and his minions. Garmadon was explaining how he had saved his brother from being stuck in a puppet body forever when Wu cried out.

  “Done! I win!” Wu yelled.

  Garmadon looked at his brother’s basket, which was filled to the top with berries. His own was almost filled, but not quite.

  “Not fair!” Garmadon protested. “Balee’s been swiping berries from mine.”

  “Swipe! Swipe!” Balee laughed, and he grabbed a handful of berries from Garmadon’s basket.

  “That was a close one,” Peri said. “Hey, Garmadon, I bet you can win the weeding contest.”

  That was all Garmadon needed to hear.

  “Ninjaaaaago!”

  Garmadon launched into Spinjitzu and whirled through the vegetable beds, pulling out the weeds. When he finished, a pile of weeds was stacked high in the wheelbarrow.

  “You didn’t even give me a chance,” Wu grumbled.

  “So that’s Spinjitzu,” Peri said. “Impressive. This is all a really big help. I wish you both could stay forever.”

  Forever. The way she said it sent a chill up Garmadon’s spine, and he wasn’t sure why.

  I’ve got to figure out what’s going on with Peri, he thought. And something tells me I’d better do it soon!

  Wu and Garmadon spent the rest of the morning helping Peri in the garden, and
then they all had lunch together.

  I’m glad Garmadon was right, Wu thought. It’s good to rest in a place where there are no monsters to fight and the host isn’t an evil villain in disguise.

  “This is delicious, Peri,” he said. “Thanks so much for inviting us to stay.”

  “You can both relax this afternoon while I paint,” Peri told them. “Unless…No, it’s asking too much.”

  “What is it?” Wu asked.

  “Well, I was wondering if I could paint you both?” Peri asked. “I’m running out of things to paint up here. And Balee doesn’t like to sit still.”

  “Busy Balee!” the mon-dog agreed.

  Wu and Garmadon looked at each other. Wu shrugged. “I think we can sit still for a while. It would be cool to be in a painting, right, Garmadon?”

  “Sure, why not?” Garmadon asked. “When we’re famous ninja someday, you can hang it in a museum.”

  Wu shook his head. “Us? Famous? Like that would ever happen.”

  Outside, Peri set up her easel and paints in front of a small boulder on the edge of the woods.

  “Do you think you could pose in a fighting stance on top of that rock?” Peri asked. “Maybe using your weapons? That might look awesome.”

  “We can give it a try,” Wu said. He jumped onto the boulder in one leap and stood with his feet apart. Then he gripped his staff with both hands and held it in front of him in a defensive position.

  Garmadon jumped up onto the rock next to Wu. He posed with a triumphant smile, raising his sword over his head.

  “Perfect, if you can hold it!” Peri said, and she dipped her paintbrush into the paint and began.

  “Staying here is a good idea, Garmadon,” Wu remarked. “I feel kind of silly now, being worried.”

  Garmadon lowered his voice to a whisper, and Wu thought he saw a guilty look on his brother’s face. “Listen, Wu, I think you might have been on to something when you said this place was weird. Last night, I heard a strange sound.”

  Garmadon quickly explained his encounter with Peri the night before.

  Wu’s eyes widened. “Why didn’t you tell me? And what are we still doing here?”

  “We’re ninja,” Garmadon replied. “I don’t think we’re in any danger we can’t handle. And I’m really curious to know what’s going on with Peri. Aren’t you curious?”

  Wu glanced at the purple-haired girl, who was concentrating on her canvas.

  “I am,” he said. “But when we’re done here, we should start investigating. I’d like to know what’s behind that locked door you saw Peri protecting.”

  Peri painted and painted some more. The boys held their poses, but it grew more and more difficult to stay still. Wu started humming and whistling, and Garmadon snapped at him to stop.

  “Come on Wu, remember our Spinjitzu training,” he said. “Father has put us through a lot more than this. Close your eyes. Focus on your breath.”

  Wu nodded and closed his eyes. Then the sun got brighter and hotter, and despite their best efforts, the two brothers started to yawn.

  Wu felt himself drifting off to sleep, and he struggled to stay awake. He fell down on one knee. Garmadon was already curled up on his side, napping.

  “Sorry,” he mumbled. “Just need to close my eyes for a minute…”

  When he opened his eyes again, he found Garmadon sitting upright, looking around in wonder. Wu gazed from left to right.

  They were still standing on a rock, but they weren’t on the mountain anymore, and Peri and her easel were nowhere in sight. A waterfall flowed behind them into a sparkling blue stream. Bright purple and orange flowers grew along the stream’s banks. The scene, and the colors, reminded Wu of something….

  “Does this look familiar?” he asked. “Garmadon, where are we?”

  Garmadon turned and gasped. Wu spun around.

  Peri’s face, enormous as the trees, floated in the air in front of them.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I had to be sure you would help me.”

  Then her face disappeared.

  Wu’s mind raced. She’s big, and we’re small. She was painting us, and now we’re in a different place with bright colors.

  “Peri has trapped us inside a painting!” he cried, and Garmadon said the words at the same time.

  “I was right about this all along!” Wu yelled, although he knew anger and fear weren’t going to help them right now. “I guess we’re destined to fall into the clutches of deceitful foes wherever we go. There’s nothing we can do now except try to solve this problem.”

  “If we’re inside a painting, then maybe we can get out,” Garmadon suggested. “Ninjaaaaaago!”

  Garmadon launched into Spinjitzu and hurled himself off the boulder, in the direction where they had seen Peri’s face. Wu watched his brother spin right into some kind of invisible force field and bounce back.

  Maybe it’ll take two of us, Wu thought.

  “Ninjaaago!” He jumped and joined his brother, spinning like a tornado into the force field.

  WHOMP!

  He felt himself collide with the field as it pushed him back. But he didn’t give up, and neither did Garmadon.

  WHOMP! WHOMP! WHOMP!

  They crashed into the force field again and again, with no results. Finally, they slowed down and collapsed in the soft green grass.

  “Well, this is definitely a problem,” Wu said.

  “Definitely,” Garmadon agreed. “But we’ll find a way out.”

  “Don’t bother,” said a voice behind them. “There’s no way out of here.”

  The boys turned to see a large white deer with sparkling blue eyes standing there. Her crystal antlers glittered.

  “Another talking animal?” Garmadon asked.

  “I am Jelena,” she said. “And there is something you must know: Peri has sent you in here to fight a monster!”

  Wu’s head was spinning. There was so much to figure out. How had Peri trapped them inside a painting? Who was this magical-looking white deer? And what did she mean about a monster?

  Jelena looked at the brothers with sympathy. She seemed to understand their confusion.

  “This is a lot to explain,” she said. “Please, sit and listen. I have a tale to tell.”

  “A good one, I hope,” Garmadon grumbled.

  Jelena thought for a while. “Once upon a time, there was a magician whose name was Mindaro,” she said. “He channeled all of his magic into one very special talent: he could create paintings that came to life.”

  “Aha!” Garmadon blurted out. “I thought I saw ducks moving in one of his paintings. Now I know it was real!”

  Jelena nodded. “Yes, exactly. Mindaro was a gentle man, and he created paintings to delight and entertain those around him. He worried that too much natural beauty was disappearing from the world of Ninjago, and he wanted to preserve it.

  “Mindaro married a woman named Violet, and they had two daughters, Periwinkle and Indigo—Peri and Indi for short.”

  Peri mentioned she had a sister, Wu thought.

  “Seeking a peaceful place to create his magical art, Mindaro moved his family to the top of a mountain in the middle of Ninjago,” Jelena continued. “He painted scenes of enchanted forests and beautiful landscapes, and populated them with wondrous creatures, like myself, to delight his wife and daughters.”

  “Wait, Mindaro created you?” Garmadon asked.

  “Yes,” Jelena applied. “In many ways, he is like a father to me, and Peri and…Indi are like…my sisters. They spent many happy hours in front of this painting, watching me frolic and play. I longed to leave my painting and enter the world with my sisters, and Mindaro listened and tried to create magic that would let me do so. He began with Balee.”

  Wu gasped. “Balee? Started out as a painting?”

  Jelena nodded. “Yes. He is smaller and simpler than I, and Mindaro was able to bring him into the real world. I eagerly waited my turn. But then…everything changed.