Mystery of Everfree (Ninjago X MLP)

by Digi_Verse

Strange New Camp

“Hello Campers! Welcome to Camp Everfree! I’m your camp director, Gloriosa Daisy!” A pink haired woman caught the attention of all of the people in the mess hall.

“I’m so excited to have you all here with us this summer. We have an amazing program planned for you, filled with activities and adventures that you’ll never forget. Our goal is to make sure that every camper has the time of their lives and leaves with memories that will last a lifetime.”

The kids looked around at each other with excitement in their eyes, eager to start their new camping year.

“At Camp Everfree, we believe in the power of nature and the great outdoors. Our beautiful surroundings provide the perfect backdrop for all of our activities, from hiking and canoeing to archery and rock climbing. We also have a range of arts and crafts projects, talent shows, and campfire sing-alongs for those who prefer a more creative experience. And now some words from our Co-Director, Mr. Yang!”

Yang cleared his throat. “Ahem, while there are many fun things to do here in Everfree, you must also remember safety.”

Everyone groaned.

“Yes, yes I know… rules and such are boring, but we really do not want any of you to get hurt! So only five rules you need to follow. One, do not go into the forest after 10. All campers should be in their cabins or in the main area by 9pm. Two, if you see any unusual branches near the camp, contact either me or Miss Daisy immediately. Do not follow them or try to remove them. Three, always wear appropriate gear for each activity. We have helmets, life jackets, and other safety equipment available for use. Four, be aware of your surroundings and stay on marked paths. We don't want anyone getting lost or hurt. And finally, five, respect each other and our surroundings. No bullying or harmful behavior will be tolerated.”

Yang paused and looked around at the group of campers. “Remember, safety first, fun second. Let's have a great summer here at Camp Everfree!”

“What about the secret sixth!” Brad spoke up.

“Ah yes… campers… old and new. Stay away from eye of the storm. It’s the rock formation on your map. We are planning a new camp thing there and we wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise! So now campers, off you go to your activities, your cabin leader will take you there!” Yang’s serious demeanor turned back into a smiling face.

This didn’t sit right with Lloyd. Eye of the storm? Weird branches? Those didn’t seem like normal summer camp rules. Maybe they do just have a terrain problem, and they are building something new for the camp over there….

But something in Lloyd's gut told him there was more to it than that. He decided to keep his eyes and ears open and stay alert during his time at Camp Everfree.

“Sooo, what do you guys wanna do first?” Kai’s booming voice shook Lloyd out of his thoughts. “I was thinking of going back to the cabin for a nap.” Jay spoke up, which received a flick in the head from Kai.

“Any better suggestions?” Kai asked the others with slight annoyance.

Lloyd looked around at his cabin mates, trying to gauge their interests. "How about we try out the archery range? It could be fun."

The others looked at Lloyd skeptically at first, but then Kai's face lit up. "Archery? I'm in!"

The rest of the group agreed to give it a shot and they made their way to the archery range. As they walked, Lloyd couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about this place. But for now, he decided to push those thoughts aside and enjoy the activities with his new friends.

“Well, well, well. Look who decides to show up to archery as his first pick!” A blue haired girl smirked as she caught sight of Kai and the others.

“Can it Trixie! Can I go one year without running into any of my exes!” Kai yelled. “Maybe stop getting with so many people. It’d do you a favor.” Cole gave him a smartass smile. Kai rolled his eyes and picked up a bow.

“Any of you keep talking and I’ll start imagining you as the apple.”

The group laughed and began to take turns shooting at the targets. Lloyd found himself getting lost in the rhythm of pulling the bowstring back and letting the arrow fly. As he focused on his aim, he noticed a figure in the distance watching them from behind a tree. It was too far to make out who it was, but something about their presence made Lloyd feel uneasy.

He shrugged it off and continued to shoot, trying to ignore the nagging feeling in his gut.

“Ooops and Kai misses again! Just like he missed his chance with me!” Trixie yelled as Kai missed the target, causing the boy to heat up with rage.

“SHUT UP TRIXIE!”

---

“Isn’t this relaxing Twi? Me, you, and Drama Queen over there.” AJ smiled as Rarity screamed behind them.

“Excuse me Applejack, if I don’t like birds in my hair! It took forever to get it ready for today!” Rarity yelled.

“We’re in camp Rarity. Roughing it? There’s no time to be trying to attract partners since we all know that’s what all of this is uh, for.” Applejack waved a finger up and down at Rarity’s appearance.

“Hmph! Sorryif I like to look my best at all times." Rarity huffed, adjusting her hair.

Twilight chuckled at her friends. "Okay, okay, let's focus on bird watching. Look, there's a bluebird over there!"

The group spent the morning exploring the forest and spotting different birds. As they walked, they seemed to be going off path. It wasn't until they stumbled upon a strange rock formation that things started to get interesting.

"Hey, what's that over there?" Twilight pointed to the rock formation in the distance.

The others followed his gaze and gasped. "That's Eye of the Storm! We're not supposed to go there!" Rarity exclaimed.

“Let’s just turn back around, Alright?” Applejack said. “We wouldn’t want the camp directors worried over us would we?”

The two other girls nodded and they made their way back to the campsite to do another activity.

“I wonder what’s next to do!” Applejack read through the list. “The other four are baking cookies with Pinkie.”

“I for one would really love to go to the arts and crafts section, there is so many nature designs I could put into my dresses!” Rarity spoke up.

"I think that's a great idea," Twilight said, nodding in agreement. "I heard they have some really cool projects using natural materials like leaves and flowers."

The group made their way to the arts and crafts section, excited to start their next activity. As they walked, Twilight began talking to the others, which turned her direction from in front of her and she was suddenly stopped by a strange figure and an “oof”

She looked to see Lloyd raising an eyebrow at her with the other 4 behind him.

“You and I have really got to stop bumping into each other.” Twilight smiled.

Lloyd chuckled. "Yeah, we should probably start paying attention to where we're going."

“So where are you all coming from?” Rarity asked. “Archery. Kai can’t go one second without trying to strangle Trixie, so we had to get out of there.” Cole explained while glaring at Kai.

“In my defense. She asked for it, and I gave it to her. Well, tried.” Kai rolled his eyes. “She should learn to get over the fact I dumped her! Isn’t she with Morro now anyways?”

The group exchanged awkward glances, not sure how to respond to Kai's comment. Twilight cleared her throat, trying to change the subject.

“Well, we’re on our way to arts and crafts, so uh, maybe you all would like to join us? Kai could maybe use it to um… calm down?”

Kai stared at her and shrugged. “I don’t see why not. As long as we don’t run into another ex of mine.”

“How many exes do you have?!” Twilight asked, shocked. “Let’s see… Trixie, Skylor, Sunset, Morro, Cole, Tox, Ash, Shade, Starli-“ Jay began as Kai jumped to cover his mouth.

"Okay, okay, we get it," Lloyd said, chuckling. "Let's just focus on the arts and crafts for now."

The group continued on their way to the arts and crafts section, trying to shake off the awkward tension that had settled over them. As they arrived, they were greeted by a cheerful counselor who showed them how to make friendship bracelets.

As they worked on their bracelets, the group chatted and laughed, enjoying the simple pleasure of creating something together. Twilight looked around at her friends, feeling grateful for their presence in her life. They were all so different, with their own quirks and personalities.

As they finished their bracelets and said goodbye to the counselor, Twilight felt a sense of contentment settle over her.

The group made their way through the woods, they chatted and laughed, enjoying the peacefulness of the moment. The surroundings were beautiful, with the sun shining through the trees and the birds chirping in the distance.

“The other 4 should be making their way over to us… Now.” Rarity looked around for the rest of their friends. “I’m right here silly!” Pinkie popped up behind Rarity, scaring the hell out of her. “Oh my darling, you really scared the shit out of me.” Rarity struggled to catch her breath.

“How did the cookies go?” Applejack asked. “I think they went great! Besides Pinkie randomly exploding sprinkles in our faces.” Nya rolled her eyes.

“Ahaha Classic Stuff, Classic- wait what.” Jay shook out of his thoughts and thought back to what Nya said. “Exploding Sprinkles?”

“Yep! It was so weird! One second I dumped some sprinkles in my hand…” Pinkie pulled out a can of sprinkles and dumped them in her hand.

Suddenly, the sprinkles began to pop and crackle like fireworks, shooting out in all directions. The group ducked and covered their faces, trying to avoid the flying sprinkles.

"What the heck?" Kai exclaimed, his eyes wide in surprise.

As the sprinkles finally settled down, the group looked at each other in shock. What had just happened? Was this some kind of strange magic?

"Maybe we should report this to the camp counselors," Twilight suggested, her voice serious. "Something strange is happening here, and it's not safe."

The others nodded in agreement, and they made their way to the main office to report the strange incident.

---

“Magic Powers? Here? At Camp Everfree?” Gloriosa faced the teens with a raised eyebrow. “This is the safest camp in the world! Sure it used to be cursed or something like that, but it’s fine!”

"But something strange is definitely happening," Twilight insisted, her voice firm. "We've seen exploding sprinkles. There has to be something going on."

Gloriosa sighed, her expression softening. "I understand your concerns, but we've had no reports of any unusual activity. I promise you, this camp is perfectly safe."

The group exchanged worried glances, unsure of what to do next. They knew that something was going on at Camp Everfree, but they had no proof to back up their claims.

“If Pinkie needs some rest, I am sure I can get her some hot towels and some time in the Sauna! Remember, I’ve got this! If she’s okay, then you all can make your way to the campfire with Co-Director Yang!” Gloriosa continued with a exaggerated smile that left the teens uneasy.

As they walked out, Gloriosa caught their attention again.

“Remember! Stay away from the eye of the storm. You wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise, would you? If you see any more weird activity, like you claim, our park ranger Ray is here on Thursdays and Fridays. Please report such things to him. Have fun!”

The group exchanged uneasy glances as they made their way towards the campfire. Gloriosa's words had left them even more worried than before. What was so important about this "eye of the storm" ? And what was the surprise she didn't want them to spoil?

“Something is not right about that woman this year.” Cole pointed out. “I mean, why is she so strict about the eye of the storm, whatever it is, this year? And why are we just now getting cool powers?” Rainbow put a hand to her chin.

“Woah woah woah, there is nothing cool about what’s happening to Pinkie. For all I know, it could be connected to what they don’t want us to know.” Lloyd reasoned. “Let’s just try to enjoy camp, and worry about silly stuff later, alright?”

Zane nodded in agreement. "Right now, we should focus on keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. We need to stay safe and protect each other."

As they arrived at the campfire, they saw Co-Director Yang waiting for them with a warm smile. "Welcome, welcome! I'm so glad you could all make it," he said, gesturing for them to sit down around the fire. "We're about to start our spooky stories. It's always a highlight of the week here at Camp Everfree."

The group settled in, watching as a green haired boy flashed a light across Yang’s face. He went from a smiling face to a cold demeanor as he began to speak.

“Have you ever heard of the Storm King Overlord?” Yang began.

The group leaned in, eager to hear what Yang had to say. They had a feeling that this story was going to be more than just a spooky tale.

Yang continued, his voice low and ominous. "Legend has it that the Storm King Overlord was a powerful nature spirt who could control the weather. He was feared and respected by all who knew him, for his power was unmatched. But one day, he grew greedy, and decided that he wanted more. He wanted to control not just the weather, but everything in the world."

The group shivered, imagining the power-hungry ruler and the chaos he must have caused. But Yang wasn't done yet.

"Legend has it that the Storm King Overlord was eventually defeated by a group of brave warriors, who rose up against him and overthrew his reign of terror. The battle took place in this very camp they say… And so his spirit roams on, waiting for his chance to return to power…”

The group exchanged nervous glances, unsure of what to make of this story. Was it just a legend, or was there more to it?

“And STRIKE!” The boy who was holding the flashlight let out a yell that startled all of the campers causing Yang to let out a laugh.

“Thank you Timber, you always make it end with a bang.” Yang nodded towards the boy. “I wanted to try a new story this year, and I hope you all can sleep tonight, if you make it back to your cabins without being snatched up without the storm.”

The group laughed nervously, feeling a sense of relief that the story was just a tale. But at the same time, they couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to it than just a spooky story.

As they made their way back to their cabins, the group stayed alert, watching their surroundings carefully. They knew that they couldn't let their guard down, not even for a moment.

As they entered their separate cabins, the group tried to relax and unwind.

“I hate this. I can’t sleep.” Jay muttered. “What if the Storm King is real!”

Kai threw a pillow at his face.

“Shut up Jay. Some of us are trying to sleep!” Kai yelled. “You can't even sleep! Can you?” Jay stuck his tongue out. “I would be able to if someone wasn’t crying for their mommy!”

“Both of you be quiet.” Cole spoke up. “That was just a story. We’re fine, right Lloyd? Lloyd?” Cole looked over to the new kid.

“This is my first year of summer camp, and that is the scariest thing I’ve heard of! What happened to bullies and mean girls and other stuff!” Lloyd put his head in his hands.

“Someone’s watched a bit too much Disney… And plus, there’s a bully right here! You just haven’t met the mean girl.” Jay pointed at Kai and chuckled.

“Mean girl?” Lloyd raised an eyebrow.

************

“Sunset Shimmer. Meanest girl at camp, nobody knows what her problem is.” Rainbow told Twilight. “You just, watch out for her and you’re good.”

“Is there some type of camp hierarchy or something?” Twilight asked.

“Obviously Darling. There’s Trixie and Morro as camp Queen and King, Sunset as their like, enforcer or something, and Ash and Chamile and other bitches as their grovelers or something, and then there's the rest of us," Rarity replied, her tone laced with annoyance. "It's like a twisted version of high school."

Twilight frowned, feeling a sense of unease. She had heard rumors about the camp hierarchy, but she didn't realize just how deep it went.

"We need to stick together and stay strong," Twilight said, her voice firm. "We can't let them intimidate us or bully us. We need to stand up for ourselves and for each other."

The group looked at each other.

“Yeah um, news flash Sparkle, nobody stands up to them. We just y’know, mind our business.” Nya explained. “I see…” Twilight frowned. “Don’t worry Twilight, we’ve survived every camp season just by ignoring them!” Fluttershy smiled.

Twilight nodded, understanding their point of view, but she couldn't help but feel frustrated. She knew that they couldn't just ignore the camp hierarchy and hope for the best. They needed to take action.

Author's Note:

Chapter 2! A cover for this is coming soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that! Thanks for reading!