We are getting some fluff here in this chapter. :3
Also, at the end of the chapter, I've put up a pic of what Nova looks like now grown up.
I'll add her new outfit in the next chapter.
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*Lloyd and Nova were standing on Destiny's Bounty watching some kids playing down in Jamanakai Village.*
Nova looked over at Lloyd as she heard him let out a sigh. "Poor Lloyd, since becoming the green ninja, he has lost his childhood."
"Lloyd? Nova? Lloyd! Nova! Concentrate!" said Kai trying to get their attention, Lloyd and Nova just looks at him.
"Now that the Bounty is in our possession again, we can train you guys more effectively. But you'll have to focus. One more time." said Zane.
"Oh, but we've been training all day." said Lloyd.
"Yeah, can't we get a break?" said Nova.
"It's all to get you ready to face your father, and Nova needs the training too to keep up. Now, in position." said Cole.
*Lloyd and Nova sighs as they come up to the middle of the deck, the ninja put their hoods on . Nova and Lloyd yawns before posing as they did so as well.*
Lloyd sighs. "Whatever."
"Let's just get this over with." said Nova.
*Kai charges at Lloyd first, but he punches him, knocking him back and yawns again. Zane and Jay soon come at him from the air. Cole goes straight for Nova, trying to swipe her off her feet, but she easily jumps over and kicks him back.*
"Ninja, go!" Lloyd and Nova goes on to do Spinjitzu, knocking both Zane and Jay down.
*As Lloyd lands, Cole and Kai comes up to them from behind and slide kicks them, knocking both of them into the air. As he spins, Lloyd lands face down while Nova lands on her back as the others take off their hoods, in concern.*
"That was fun. Are we done?" said Lloyd, getting up and walking over to Nova, taking her hand as he helped her back up.
"Oh, come on. You guys are better than this. What's on your mind?" said Jay.
Lloyd sighs. "Well...The latest issue of Starfarer just came in at Doomsday comix, and it's a limited run, so if I don't go out and get it, it's going to sell out. Last they left off, intergalactic rogue Fritz Donnegan was surrounded by the Imperial Sludge, and if I don't find out if he gets out alright, I think I might have my own doomsday."
"The fate of Ninjago rests on your shoulders. As the green ninja, you have a giant responsibility to hold. I'm sorry, but you don't have time for such childish things." said Kai.
"Other kids get to play and have fun. All me and Nova ever do is train." Lloyd complained.
"Well, I've already had most of my childhood before I came here, so I'm not that upset about it." Nova thought with a small sigh. "Yeah, can't we take a break and just have some fun."
*Lloyd and Nova goes to the railing and sees the Bounty is almost out of Jamanakai Village, where they hears the children's playing in the distance.*
Nya comes up from below deck. "Guys, there's been a break-in at the museum and the security cameras picked up you-know-who."
"Garmadon!"
"We have to stop him before he uses the Mega weapon to start another one of the dialogical plots." said Jay.
*Lloyd and Nova comes up to them, hoping to come, but they look at them, causing both of them to sigh.*
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. we can't go, and it's safer if we stay here and train." said Lloyd.
"This is just bullshit." said Nova.
*They nod, causing Lloyd and Nova to fold their arms in disappointment. Several minutes later, outside Ninjago City, the ninja are in the Ultra Sonic Raider.*
"We'll meet up at the Bounty as soon as we're done." said Kai.
"We'll be waiting for your safe return." said Nya.
*They soon take off.*
Lloyd sighs. "Too old for comic books."
"too young to fight." said Nova
"When are they gonna make up their minds?" They said in unison.
"Come on, pint sizes. Show me what you two got." said Nya while Lloyd yawns before walking away.
*Nova was shaking her head as she walked away too, back to the room they were sharing like before.*
Nova walked into the room and over to her bed, pulling out her bag of stolen goods, but it hit something, and that something was the cursed alarm clock. As it went off like crazy, and it could be heard on the whole ship, and soon enough Wu, and Nya, along with Lloyd had run into the room.
"What's going on in here!?"
"Are we under attack!?"
"Where is that sound coming from!?"
Nova had a nervous smile on her face, pulling the alarm clock out while pushing the bag of goods back under the bed, before turning off the alarm clock.
"Sorry about that, looks like I hit my cursed alarm clock, and it turned on." said Nova, scratching the back of her head.
"That was the sound of an alarm clock?"
"What a horrifying sound. That scared the shit out of me."
"Where did you even get that?"
"Ummm, I found it?" said Nova, a little hesitant with a nervous smile.
Wu and Nya looked at each other before shaking their heads. "Just never do that again." After that, they left, but Lloyd was still in the room.
"That was the scariest sound I've ever heard in my life, and I never thought an alarm clock could make such a sound." said Lloyd.
"Yeah, try waking up to that in the morning, I got a heart attack each time it went off in my face." said Nova, putting the alarm clock back under the bed.
"Why did you even bring it with you, knowing it will make that sound?" Lloyd asked.
Nova shrugged. "I thought I could use it as a distraction on a mission or sell it." She said.
"Oh, that is actually a smart idea." Lloyd said, smiling.
Nova returned the smile as she got back up. "So, since we have some free time, how about we play some video games?"
"Sure, might get some actual fun while the ninja is out." said Lloyd.
Nova smiled as they walked out of their room and to the gaming room.
"By the way, Ocea, I've noticed since we got back the Bounty. You seem a little more happy and outgoing." Lloyd said while he went on to set up a game for them to play.
"Huh? I have?" Nova said taking a controller.
"Yeah, back when we were just using the dojo you seemed more quiet, tired and.....scared." said Lloyd, grabbing a controller too and sat down next to her, not thinking much of it.
"Damn, even as a little kid, he is very observant when he needs to be." Nova thought, pressing start and began playing.
"I guess I just grew very used to the Bounty, and so I felt more safe, and able to relax after we got it back." Nova said.
"Hmm, I guess that would make sense. But can you then explain why you have a bag of money under your bed?" Lloyd asked.
Nova took some damage in the game when he asked her that. "Hey, don't go through my stuff without asking. That's personal."
"You were stealing while we were doing the race, weren't you." Lloyd said with a clear smirk on his face.
Nova couldn't help but start blushing when she saw his smirk, along with having already caught on to what she had been doing that day. "....Nooooo."
Lloyd started laughing, which didn't help with her blush. "Haha! I'm right, aren't I?"
"S-shut up asshole, I couldn't help it, okay, so stop laughing." Nova grabbed the pillow she was sitting on and threw it at him, causing his character in the game to take a hit.
"Hey! That wasn't fair, you son of a bitch!" Lloyd said, grabbing his pillow and threw it at her.
At this point, they forgot about the video game and were now having a pillow fight against each other, laughing and just having fun.
"I am Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon! And I am here to take you down, you evil feind!" Lloyd went on to use Spinjitzu while attacking with his pillow.
"Haha! You can try all you want, but I'm Nova Ocean, the strongest and most evil villain to ever live!" Nova went on to do the same as Lloyd by using Spinjitzu and attacking with a pillow.
They went on attacking each other with pillows until they tripped over a table, causing they both to fall over each other on the floor.
"Ow, that hurt like shit."
"I feel like I got hit by truck-kun."
Nova opened her eyes and began blushing right away as Lloyd was on top of her.
Lloyd was blushing too after seeing their positions, and quickly got off of her. "S-sorry Ocea, I didn't mean to-well, what I mean is-" He tried to explain.
"No, no, I know it was just an accident, so all is forgiven." Nova said, rubbing the back of her neck.
There was an awkward silence between them for a good few minutes.
"Sooo, should we get back to the game?" Lloyd asked.
"Oh yeah, we should get back to that." said Nova with a shy smile.
They both went back to playing the video game, hoping to forget what just happened.
*Later the following morning, on the Bounty, Lloyd and Nova are reading comic books.*
"Oh, they should be back by now." said Nya.
"Oh, I fear something horrible has happened to them." Wu turns to Lloyd, who was eavesdropping. "Lloyd," Lloyd gasps before quickly switching his comic book for a lesson book. "You and Nova are in charge of the Bounty, while Nya and I have a look around town."
"You go it, Sensei Wu." said Nova, already reading a lesson book.
"Uh, yeah. Sure thing." said Lloyd while Wu walks away as he turns back to the comic book. "Okay, Fritz Donnegan, looks like it's just gonna be you, Nova, me, and the Imperial Sludge."
Nova giggled a little as she went on to join him in reading the comic, the both of them blushed a little when they noticed how close they were, so they tried to make some space between them.
*Later On the Bounty, Lloyd is playing a video game on the console while Nova is watching as a nearby phone rings. He struggles to answer it while still playing the game, so Nova grabbed it instead.*
"Destiny's Bounty. How can we help you?" answered Nova.
Lloyd let out a laugh as Nova made herself sound like someone from a support call center.
Jay was the one speaking through the phone. "Nova, Lloyd, it's Jay! Let me talk to Sensei!"
"Jay? Where are you? Why haven't you returned? Sensei's out looking for you." said Nova before giving the phone to Lloyd.
Jay groans. "Apparently, you need parental permission to take the bus, and we can't seem to get out of the city!"
"Uh, what?" said Lloyd, confused.
Nova giggled watching his reaction to what Jay told him.
"Oh, never mind, it's a bit complicated. Just meet us at Buddy's Pizza in ten minutes. And bring our weapons." said Jay.
"Weapons?"Lloyd falls off his seat.
Nova giggled a little. "Come on, I'll help you with the weapons." She said getting up.
*At Buddy's Pizza, Lloyd and Nova heads inside and looks around for their friends, noticing a guy with a gopher mask coming up to the counter.*
"Really? Of all places we could meet, you pick this place?" said Cole.
"What? I like their pizza." said Jay.
Kai whispers. "Psst, Lloyd, Nova." Lloyd turns to him.
Lloyd not recognizing Kai while holding the ninja's weapons with Nova. "Beat it, brat! I'm on a mission." He goes to move again.
Nova punches his arm. "Lloyd, it's Kai you idiot."
Lloyd looks closer to see his friends, all as young as him, and gasps, dropping their weapons, but Nova quickly catches them. "Whoa. What happened? You're, uh, uh, small!"
*Everyone in the restaurant turns to look at them.*
Nova slaps Lloyd at the back of his head.
Kai whispers. "Keep it down. We're trying to lay low." Normal kid voice. "Your father's Mega Weapon not only to turn us into kids, but unleashed a creature whose sole purpose is to hunt down ninja."
"Typical Garmadon." said Cole.
"And now, every time we try to tell someone." Nova gives Lloyd back the weapons. "They won't believe us, 'cause we're kids."
*Lloyd and Nova laughs.*
"What's so funny?" Kai asked.
"Well, I guess you now know what it feels like to be treated differently." Lloyd throws their weapons onto the table.
"Yeah, it's not fun when no one takes you seriously when you are a kid." said Nova, knowing what the ninja was going through right now.
"Look, this is serious. If we don't turn big so that we can use our Spinjitzu, we don't stand a chance against the Grundle." said Zane.
"Well, what about me and Nova? We know Spinjitzu." said Lloyd.
"Yeah, but you don't know the Grundle. We all need to be at full strength. What we need to do first is to find someone who might know more about how to defeat one of those things." said Kai as Lloyd notices a kid reading a "Starfarer" comic.
"Lloyd, focus." said Cole.
"I am. I think I know just the guy." said Lloyd.
Nova had a smirk on her face and couldn't wait for when she could get older again, but she still needed to be patient for a little longer.
*They come up to Doomsday Comics and enter it.*
"You brought us to a comic book store?" said Cole.
"Trust me. If there's anyone who knows how to defeat a monster that doesn't exist, I know just the person to talk to." said Lloyd as they start walking along the store.
Kai stops Lloyd. "We're not coming to pick out your stupid comic, Lloyd! This is serious business."
"Guys, let him cook for a moment." said Nova.
The team turned to look at her, confused. "But he isn't cooking any food." said Zane.
Nova let out a heavy sigh. "It's just a saying, geez don't take it that seriously." She said, resting her hands behind her head as she looked around.
Jay grabs a comic book, gasping. "Oh, look. A first edition "Daffy Dale." I used to love that nut growing up." He laughs before he soon clears his throat. "So juvenile."
*Lloyd guides his embarrassed friends except Nova to the register, where a man with a ponytail and beard sirs.*
"Fellas, meet Rufus McCallister, AKA Mother Doomsday." said Lloyd.
"Well, if it isn't Lloyd "Hemorrhoid" Garmadon." said Rufus as Jay catches up with the others. "Sorry if you came looking for the latest "Starfarer," I'm all sold out."
"Wh—Sold out?" Lloyd screams, causing everyone to look at him. Nova punches him in the arm. "Oh, actually, Mother Doomsday, we need help."
"Well, color me intrigued." said Rufus.
"We have a problem. There's a Grundle on the loose, and we need to know how to deal with it." said Lloyd.
Rufus ends up misunderstanding what Lloyd was talking about. "Oh, a theoretical question."
"Yeah, theoretical. Can you help?" said Nova, resting an arm on Lloyd's shoulder.
*Rufus lowers his seat, gets off and comes out from behind the register.*
"Dromaeosaurid Theropod Grundalicus. Phew! Although extinct, there has been a plethora of film, television and comics exploring the mythology around the primordial predator." Rufus grabs a nearby comic, showing the Grundle. "Supposedly, they always get their prey."
"Sounds like he knows his stuff." said Kai.
Lloyd pushes through Zane and Kai. "Can it be stopped?"
"First thing you need to know is that its thick shell-like hide is invincible to swords, scythes, nunchucks, and throwing stars. So your cheap imitations will do nothing to slow him down." said Rufus.
"Swell." said Cole.
"Huh, well, I do have my bow and arrow, so I do have a weapon I can use." Nova mumbled.
"Second of all, it's nocturnal and will only hunt at night." said Rufus.
"Oh, good. It's still daylight, so we can relax for a bit." said Jay as they look outside a window before Rufus looks at him, suspiciously before Kai clears his throat. "Uh, I meant theoretically."
"And the only way to defeat it is with light." Rufus puts the comic back. "Like a vampire, with enough of it, it could potentially destroy him." He comes up to a display. "If I had my weapons of choice, may I recommend the Illuma-Sword?" He opens the display case, revealing four purple bladed Illuma-Swords.
"These are authentic replicas that would come in handy were you to live long enough to actually face a Grundle. And if swords are your thing," Rufus points to another case. "Maybe I can interest you in an authentic ninja gi," The display has Kai, Zane, Jay, and Cole's ZX Gi inside. "signed by the very ninja that saved the city."
"Uh, we'll just take the light swords." Kai goes up to the fake Illuma-Swords and is about to grab one before Rufus stops him.
"Not so fast. This "Starfarer" combo pack can only be won in the Fritz Donnegan Trivia Battle Royale." Rufus points to a fan, dressed like Fritz Donnegan, talking to some cosplayers. "You have what it takes to be the best?"
"You can do this, Lloyd." said Jay.
"We are all rooting for you, Lloyd." said Nova, smiling.
"Sign me up." said Lloyd.
*Later that night, at Doomsday Comix, Lloyd and the fan are on a stand. Jay and Nova are eating some cotton candy.*
"It's down to the final two. This question is for Lloyd." said Rufus.
The crowd chanting "Lloyd! Lloyd! Lloyd!"
"What is Fritz Donnegan's famous catchphrase?" Rufus questioned.
"Fear? Fear is not a word from where I come from." answered Lloyd.
"Correct! We're all tied up." said Rufus.
*The crowd cheers as the fan looks at Lloyd, who smirks at him. As they keep celebrating, Zane looks out the window.*
"It's getting dark. The Grundle will be on the prowl soon." said Zane to Cole.
"Don't worry. I got faith Lloyd can win those Illuma-Swords." said Kai as they soon hear slurping and turn to Jay and Nova, who is eating some cotton candy. "Is this really the best time to be eating cotton candy?"
"It makes me feel young. Deal with it." said Jay.
"I'm still a kid, and I were craving some sugar here." said Nova.
"Final question. The first person to answer this will win." Rufus turns to the competitors. "In the latest issue of "Starfarer," how did Fritz Donnegan escape the Imperial Sludge?"
Lloyd struggles to find the answer. "But I haven't read the latest issue!"
"By reversing the polarity of the ship's gravity transducer." answered the Fritz Donnegan Fan.
"Bruh." said Nova.
"We have a winner!" said Rufus.
*Lloyd looks to see the ninja are disappointed besides Nova, while the rest of the crowd cheers. Pretty soon, the lights shake before the power goes out.*
"Who shut off the power?" Rufus asked.
*Everyone looks up at the sound of the disturbance as the sign falls off.*
"It's here." said Kai.
"Fuck." said Nova.
"What's here?" Rufus asked, confused.
"You know that theoretical discussion we had earlier?" Jay chuckles.
*The Grundle appears on the glass roof.*
"Not the..." Rufus looks up, seeing the Grundle steps on the glass, cracking it before looking down. "Grundle!"
Zane amid the screaming kids. "We've got to get out of here." They run up to the door, but it is blocked by the fallen down sign. "The door is jammed, we can't get out."
*They look up to see the Grundle move along the roof.*
"Look! It's coming!" shouted Jay.
"That's what she said." Nova mumbled while holding in a giggle.
*The Grundle breaks through the glass roof, landing in the store.*
Jay screams. "Agh! We're doomed!"
"Doomed as Britts Subskian in Phoenix War, page 15." said Rufus.
*The Grundle swings its tail at Rufus and the kids, making them dodge as they scream. As it looks at them, the Grundle's tail breaks the glass on the display case to the ninja's ZX gis.*
"Quick! This way!" said Jay as they run down a nearby section as the Grundle turns back to where the ninja originally were. Jay grabs Kai's gi as Zane and Kai grab some Illuma-Swords, and they immediately glow.
Nova summoned her bow and got an arrow ready.
" Hey, McNasty, I thought ninja were on your menu!" shouted Cole.
*The Grundle turns to the ninja, who are wearing their gis while holding the Illuma-Swords. They wave them in front of the Grundle, who backs away a bit.*
"It's working!" said Jay.
*They start moving forward, waving the Illuma-Swords as they do so, before Jay jumps at it and strikes it, but his Illuma-Sword immediately breaks and stops glowing as he slides back. Kai jumps at the Grundle next and strikes, but his Illuma-Sword also breaks and stops glowing.*
Nova fires some arrows at the Grundle, while the ninja was keeping its attention on them, making it easier for her.
"Stupid toy." Kai strikes the Grundle at its leg.
*Zane jumps onto the Grundle and hits it with his Illuma-Sword, but it breaks and stops glowing as he lands near the others.*
"Argh! Uh-oh!"
"Oh. We got a problem, guys." said Jay.
"Hey ugly! Taste this!" shouted Nova, firing two arrows at the same time towards it, but it only seems to make it more angry.
*The Grundle knocks them into the register as Kai, Jay, and Zane drop their broken Illuma-Swords and Nova drops her bow. The Grundle comes up to them as it growls and opens its mouth, causing them to scream.*
Lloyd raises the seat behind the register. "Not to worry, I'll take care of this."
"Lloyd!"
*Lloyd summons his Energy power, the light affecting the Grundle as it backs away and the others cheer, but the Grundle soon uses its tail to knock Lloyd down.*
"Oh, gross!" said Kai.
"This is the end, isn't it?" said Cole.
"This is fucking bullshit!" shouted Nova.
*The front door is soon kicked open, revealing Nya, who kicked the door and Wu, as the ninja and Nova turn to them.*
Nya turns to the crowd. "Everyone out!"
*The crowd, sans Rufus, runs out the door as Wu holds up a jar of tea.*
"Use this!" Wu throws it to them.
Jay caught it. "What is it?"
"It'll turn forward the hands of time, turning you old and reducing the Grundle back to dust and bones." Wu explained as they jumped onto the fallen register. "But be careful, there's no turning back."
Jay holding the Tomorrow's Tea up. "Grundle, prepare to be extinct!"
Cole stops him. "No, wait." He holds his Illuma-Sword at the Grundle. "What will happen to Lloyd and Nova?" They look at him and Nova. "They will grow old, too."
"Just do it." said Lloyd.
"For fuck's sake! Just do it already!" shouted Nova.
"You'll miss out on the rest of your childhoods, you two." said Jay.
"We can't do that to you two. It's not fair!" said Kai.
*The Grundle strikes the last Illuma-Sword, knocking it out of Cole's hand.*
"Oh, no!"
*The Grundle chomps at them, making them fall, as the Tomorrow's Tea soon lands on Lloyd as the Grundle comes closer.*
"Fair? Fair isn't a word from where I come from." said Nova and Lloyd as he gets up and throws the tea at the Grundle.
*The Grundle growls as Wu and Nya are shocked.*
"He used it!" said Wu.
*The Grundle spins as its skin dissolves away.*
"And it's working!" said Nya.
*The Grundle is again a skeleton as it soon comes apart. Kai, Cole, Jay, and Zane soon stand up, removing their hoods now back at their original ages.*
"What happened? We're not kids anymore." said Cole in his normal voice.
"It worked!" said Nya.
"They are the real ninja." said Rufus, surprised.
Wu gasps. "But what about Lloyd?" Everyone is concerned.
Lloyd stands up, now old as his friends with more hair, and he and the others are shocked, deep voiced. "I'm... older." looks at himself.
"The time for the Green Ninja to face his destiny has grown nearer." said Wu.
*The other ninja comes up to Lloyd as he smiles.*
"But wait? Where is Nova?" Lloyd asked.
Everyone looked around worried trying to find her until they heard movement.
"Oww, fuck, I pretty sure I got hit by truck-kun this time." said Nova slowly getting up, now older with a bit longer hair and a softer voice while rubbing her head.
"Nova!" The ninja shouted.
"huh?" Nova turned her head confused before someone ran over and hugged her.
"You okay, for a moment there I thought something bad happened to you, Ocea." said Lloyd, who was now taller than her.
Nova let out a soft laugh, returning the hug before they both let go, and it was only then that they took in their new looks and started blushing.
"Y-you pretty with longer hair." said Lloyd, rubbing the back of his neck while blushing.
Nova's blush increased at his compliment, turning her head to look away. "T-thanks, you don't look that bad yourself."
"Awww, young love." said Jay as the ninja were all smirking watching them.
Nova grabbed a few knives and threw them at the ninja, cutting at least some of their hair. "Not another word." She growled.
The ninja simply gave a small nod while looking very scared.
*They prepare to leave the ruined building as Rufus stops Lloyd while holding a comic book.*
"Here you go, Lloyd. You can have my copy of Starfarer." Rufus sniffles a bit. "You deserve it."
"That's okay." Lloyd lowers it. "I already know how it ends." He leaves to catch up with the others.
*Rufus looks at his comic book.*
"Girl, we gonna need to get you some new clothes, now that you are older." said Nya, coming over to Nova, who had noticed that she was now, the shortest person on the whole team, which she wasn't very fawned of.
"Yeah, I guess so, how about we take a look around tomorrow morning." Nova suggested with a smile while pulling out a hair tie she had and tied up her hair.
*At night, on the deck of the Bounty.*
Nova had gone on to stand outside, leaning over the railing, watching the stars as she was wearing some clothes that Nya had let her borrow.
"I can't believe, after so long, I'm finally back to my right age. Though the most annoying part now is that I'm the shortest person out of everyone here." Nova let out a small sigh of annoyance, until she heard movement behind her and turned her head to see Lloyd.
"I guess I'm not the only one here who couldn't sleep, after what happened back at Doomsday Comics." Lloyd gave an awkward smile, walking over to learn over the railing too, next to her.
Nova gave a slight shrug, before turning her attention to the view they were getting from the Bounty. "I see you still have trouble getting used to moving around with your new body." She gave him a teasing smile.
"Hey, I was just a kid a few minutes ago. Having an older body isn't something I'm used to yet." Lloyd playfully nudged his shoulder against hers, earning a soft laugh from her. "If anything, I'm surprised how easy you took it, like you've always been used to it."
"Maybe I'm just a faster learner than you." Nova went on with teasing him with a big grin.
Lloyd went on to roll his eyes at her. "Or maybe it's because it isn't that different to your kid body, with how short you are." He quickly dodged a knife coming his way.
Nova gave him an annoyed glare. "Say that again, I dare you, Lloyd."
Lloyd quickly raised his hands. "Where do you keep those fucking knives of yours anyway?"
"Not telling." Nova stuck out her tongue, before looking at the view again.
Lloyd slowly lowers his hands with a relieved sigh that she didn't throw another knife, only then did he take notice of the light from the city shining on Nova, maybe her look beautiful in the night.
"Beautiful...." Lloyd spoke in wonder, looking at her.
"Yeah, the view is very beautiful. I never knew it could look like this at the night." said Nova, smiling at the view, and hadn't noticed the way Lloyd was looking at her.
"Yeah, the most beautiful view tonight." A slight blush grew on Lloyd's face as he slowly moved on to stand right next to Nova, leaning over the railing again with their shoulders touching each other.
Nova didn't think much of it at the time as she slowly leaned against him a bit, while taking in the view and enjoying the moment.
This is what Nova kind of looks like right now(updated version):
(image)