Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

May 22, Monday. 1:55 AM.

This feels like the beginning of the Sons of Garmadon. 

This time, Lloyd is really alone. No PIXAL, no friends, just him riding his Ninja Cycle on a mission in the middle of the night. It’s ironic, really. They said "A ninja will never leave a ninja behind", but now the whole team is separated across Ninjago Island.

Except for one person, Harumi.

Lloyd takes a sharp turn left, straight into a dirt road.

It feels weird looking back on their relationship. Lloyd honestly liked her; he was interested in who Harumi was as a person and not a princess. Lloyd thought Harumi felt the same way, but she was just playing with him. She never saw him as anything more than a pawn in her game. 

Even after Lloyd knew her true intentions, he couldn't leave her in the lion's den. He knew there was goodness in her, and he would have felt guilty otherwise if he left her. 

Lloyd slows down and eventually stops. The cycle disappears into green power.

After the realm-ending threat the historians call “Crystalized” is over, Lloyd can connect with Harumi on a deeper level. He was able to clear up mishaps that caused Harumi to go into a spiral of revenge. Harumi was able to clear up some things too. Now, Lloyd always gives her a sly, knowing look whenever she goes out to the Kingdom of Shintaro to “help” Queen Vania with her duties.

Lloyd swiftly moves to a tree for cover. He never knows what can be out there. He climbs up to the leaves–succeeding in not tripping; Lloyd sees the view and realizes he is in the middle of nowhere. When he left the monastery earlier, he was following a tracker that senses energy bursts. It is unusual for such a thing to be present, but anything can happen in this realm.

Up in the leaves, the wind blows. It’s a familiar feeling that means nothing to Lloyd now. Up in the leaves, the stars twinkle in greeting. He averts his gaze elsewhere, not needing sympathy for the companionship of stars. Up in the leaves, Lloyd cannot help but think of his father,...or what is left of him.

He has only visited Garmadon once. The resurrected father called, saying it was an emergency and to get here as fast as he could. Being Lloyd, he assumed they were in danger, and knowing Lloyd, even if he didn’t like someone, he would do anything to keep his family safe. Lloyd hastily left the newly built monastery without a weapon. On accident, of course. He was in a rush which caused him to not think straight. 

Once he got there, it turned out that it was indeed not an emergency; it was Garmadon’s poor communication skills. No biggie, it didn't anger Lloyd at all. He was merely upset. During his visit, Lloyd picked up on specific cues Vinny and Garmadon gave to the other. He came up with the conclusion that they are... closely involved with each other. Before either of them confirmed or denied this assumption, Lloyd left. 

He climbs down the tree. The fallen leaves crunch with every step. A twig snaps. Lloyd stops mid-step. His eyes scan the area around him. 

“Be mindful of your surroundings,” Wu would say, “you never know what can be in front of you.”

The events of Crystallized caused Wu to retire. He was no longer their Sensei. Lloyd got promoted to Master Lloyd–even though no one calls him that. However, after Sensei Wu left, the team took his leadership as a joke. They no longer felt the need to train or patrol the city anymore. Once Wu found out, he stationed everyone in different parts of Ninjago Island as punishment for their disrespect.

Cole was sent to Nom, north of Ninjago Island, a place the Elemental Master of Earth seemed thankful to go be. Kai was supposed to be sent to the Metalonia region, but due to the effects of his element, he would overheat in the harsh conditions of the region. So Jay was sent there instead, and Kai went to Jamanakai Village. Before Wu gave Nya a location, she offered to go to Stixx to repay for the water damage she caused. Despite the adverse effects that being in a desert would bring him (due to his element), Zane offered to go to the Serpentine Valley, a place in the Desert of Doom. He wanted to Study the ruins of the land that used to be a vibrant community of Pyro Vipers, now lost to the Sands of Time. PIXAL had the opportunity to visit the Underground and study the Serpentine. Since Lloyd was now the Master, he would stay in New Ninjago City. Once the team left, Wu asked Harumi if she would like to go to the Shintaro Mountains. She responded with a yes, but because she is a new member, she will be back earlier [than the rest] to train.

Lloyd only has five senses: vision, hearing, smell, gustation, and tactile perception. To find his enemy, he can only use four of those five senses, but only one of the senses will do. He closes his eyes and listens. He takes a step forward, feet as light as a feather. It’s a game of mice and owls. Another twig snaps, and Lloyd gets into his fighting position. Fallen leaves crunch and Lloyd swiftly twirls around, making no noise whatsoever. His eyes snap open and glow a radioactive green. He’s now playing the part of the hunter. 

The shadows become easier to see. The Green Ninja begins to build up energy. He moves his arms in a circular motion, and energy follows in strides. His feet move along to the dance. Lloyd closes his eyes, confronting his own emotions, for whatever he’s about to hit will receive the wrath of the Son of Garmadon. A ball of energy forms in his hand, ready to be released. All he has to do is wait. 

A crow caws at the green glow; leaves rustle in the distance; a twig snaps. The ball of energy engulfs Lloyd’s gloved hand as he makes a 180 turn and seizes his opponent by the shoulder. They make a noise of surprise; Lloyd pushes them back and catches their leg with his foot. Before they fall to the floor, Lloyd punches them in the stomach, launching them into a tree. 

Spinning rapidly, he creates a tornado-like vortex that levitates him to a high and secure tree branch. The green ninja jumps from one to another at a brisk and constant speed. This obstacle that he’s facing shouldn’t stop him from finding out about the energy burst. From the corner of his eye, he sees the figure catching up to him.

Lloyd jumps down and softly lands. He must be close to the source if his opponent is chasing him. The Green Ninja summons his Ninja Cycle in hopes of outrunning them. A sharp blade lands at a small distance near him. Lloyd pushes the gas, dodging every throw. After a few, Lloyd no longer feels the presence of another. That doesn’t stop him from speeding his way to find the source of the energy burst.

In the distance between the trees, a Shinto Shrine glows in the moonlight's ethereal gleam. He looks down at his tracker. It all points to this. This is the source of the energy burst. He slows down and stops at the Torii. An uneasy feeling curdles in his stomach. Why in FSM’s name would they make a Jinja their hideout? The Ninja Cycle disappears, and The Ninja steps foot into the worship grounds. He keeps to the side as he trails the Sandō. For whatever reason, he feels like he is not welcome here.

The Green Ninja passes Temizuya and meets the second Torii. He looks back to see no one else. It is unnervingly quiet as the Ninja can hear his panting breath. He stiffly treks up the almost never-ending stairs. The eyes of the Komainu glare at the Ninja, and he shivers at the harshness. He then sneaks into the haiden. The hall has an eerie green fog that fills the whole place. The ground is a marble grey, and the only thing lighting the worship hall is scattered candles. The farther he goes in, the more anxious he becomes. In front of him, a set of sliding doors are carved with an ancient language. Lloyd would have to examine this later. The sound of upcoming footsteps pulls Lloyd to hide behind one of the pillars. 

They walk in a hurry, whispering swears and curses. They open the sliding doors. Murmurs can be heard from the other side. 

The Green Ninja takes a moment to breathe. Beyond those doors must be where the Honden is located. His back leans away from the pillar as he forces himself to peel away. He becomes transfixed on the sliding door he saw earlier. The paper fabric of the shōji has holes in it, but it is the outline of the wood that interests him. The Ninja traces his gloved fingers through the carved words. The ancient writings on the door bring him a sense of familiarity. He glances to the left and right. Then up. His eyes widen in astonishment. He hadn't known this was here. 

The portrait is of an orphic woman. Her cool ebony complexion is radiant, and her defined coily hair is captivating. She wore a Daxiushan over her Liuxian skirt. Her pibo hangs gracefully down her elbows. The vibrant colors of her daxiushan brought out her beauty, while her gaze, nearly hidden behind her unfolded fan, was mysterious and alluring. The woman in the portrait is a sight to behold. It isn’t clear why it hadn’t been chosen to be hung in a more prominent place.  

Lloyd hears footsteps from the other side, and he quickly moves to the pillar from before. In a few moments, the shōji slides open, and a group of cloaked bodies walks out. Lloyd pushes himself against the pillar and watches the group leave. A weight placed on his shoulder makes him jump.

“This is for slamming me into a tree.” 

Before The Green Ninja can react, the unfamiliar voice charges a blade into Lloyd's stomach. 

“This is a gift from the Souls of Lost Redemption to The Preeminent.”

A punch to the jaw knocks The Green Ninja out cold.

The Departed Realm isn’t what it seems.

It is full of life.

Animals, nature, and people; people weren’t able to live their lives, so they grew up here; the animals that die in abattoirs or just in the wild; nature that got cut out from life and planted itself in the Departed Realm. Any species from any realm has passed to live in harmony. They have no reason to fight. 

Morro lies in a field of Marigolds. Their eyes closed. It's peaceful. 

Before their first death, Morro ran away from the monastery. Angry and disappointed in themself for not completing their life goal: Becoming the Green Ninja. Their anger and disappointment clouded their vision. They caused many enormities in that duration of time away from the monastery. Morro knew they were going to the Cursed Realm before they even heard her voice. To make their existence meaningful, Morro started a new life goal. They knew no amount of power could prove destiny was wrong. With the exception of Cloud Kingdom, that is. The only problem was how they were going to get there. 

There were two ways Morro could get to the Cloud Kingdom: Through the Blind Man’s Eye or by obtaining the Realm Crystal. Both would be impossible. The storm in the sky had already passed the peak of the mountain. Morro was too lost in revenge to realize going for the Realm Crystal would be a total bust. Still, they chose the latter. To find the Realm Crystal, they would need to have found the First Spinjitzu Master’s Tomb. Little did they know, only a Spinjitzu Master could find the Tomb. Since Morro does not know Spinjitzu, they are not a Spinjitzu Master.

That left-out information caused a series of misfortunes. The Master of Wind was too obsessed with proving destiny wrong; they misinterpreted a passage found in the ancient Library of Domu that refers to a “cave in the deep.” They got stuck in the underground chamber. Defeated and desperate to get out. There she was, the voice of The Preeminent calling out to them. She promised Morro would get anything they desired, all for the price of their proven unbounded loyalty. The Master of Wind died screaming in agony, drowning in a scorching pool of molten rock.

Morro sits in a field of Marigolds. Their eyes open. It's distressing. 

Pain erupts in their chest. In the Departed Realm, you aren't supposed to feel physical pain. There's something wrong. The pain flows through every inch of their body, piercing their soul. They squeeze their eyes shut. It’s been so long since they felt anything, the feeling now foreign. Morro stands up, clutching their chest. They need to distract themself from this heavy throb. There is one place that always soothes their thoughts, and maybe it could soothe their pain–delicate and grand; The Garden of the First Spinjitzu Master. 

The Garden of the First Spinjitzu Master houses a special type of flowers, a type that blooms anytime for a soul. Morro, fortunately, is already in the garden; preliminary thoughts rummaging through their head became unbearable. Morro walks back to the more populated area of the delicate and grand garden. Marigolds push into the dirt as Morro trails it; the soil hugs the roots of the dead, hoping to soothe their rising emotions. Lotuses swim away in ripples from the base of a rushing waterfall, protecting the new and old souls for a fresh beginning. Chrysanthemums dance to the soft breeze, bringing cheerfulness and joy to the crestfallen and regretful. Many species of mortality tour the garden. Morro, on the other hand, scans the garden for their flower. Their sight on everything but in front of them causes the teen to trip over a moping sensei. 

“Morro!” The sensei looks at them in surprise. 

Garmadon kneels, cradling a blooming flower in the palm of his hand. His expression softens into a somber gaze. There is a pensive look in his eyes. 

As uncomfortable as Morro was, they didn’t shift under Sensei Garmadon’s gaze. They face him, giving the Sensei no emotion.

The Sensei’s eyes gradually move downward onto the flower. His fingers gently trace the blooming petals. He takes a deep breath, pulling his hand away to fold in front of him, and then he stands and entirely turns to Morro. Wrinkles crease his skin, his age reflecting his worry. “Save him,” Garmadon pleads, voice quiet. 

Morro stands unchanging, body language blank. Their eyebrows are slightly pinched. A hint of confusion presented itself.  

Garmadon shakes his head and doesn’t say a word. In due time, Morro supposes they will know what he means.

With nothing else spoken, Morro leaves the Sensei with everything but an answer. 

The sense grew as they went deeper into the Delicate and Grand Garden. A sunset of colors blurs their vision when their mind wanders elsewhere. The teen wants to know what Garmadon means. To save is to put themself in harm's way–whether that be dying or being scared shitless. There is a reason Morro only saves those who are beneficial to them. For then, they would get something out of it.

Morro stops in their tracks. Their surroundings are unfamiliar but all the same. They find themself in a grassy field, with wild patches of Marigolds. Masses of land hover overhead in the bright blue sky. The sweet smell of flowers in the breeze gives Morro consolation that sin no longer exists in the Departed Realm. 

Morro stands in this field of serenity. Their eyes closed. It’s quiet. 

“Be vigilant,” she would say, “you will never know who is around you.”

They open them.

They strain their senses to feel the presence of another. It’s behind them, walking ever so closely. Morro turns as if expecting someone.  The almighty god walks proud–hands neatly folded behind its back, a straw hat on its head.  

"Greetings, Morro." The First Spinjitzu Master greets.

The teen narrows their eyes.

The sun behind the demiurge shadows its face. Hiding any clue as to what it is feeling. "I have been meaning to talk to you." 

Morro's hand unconsciously presses against their chest. A dull feeling reminds them of the excruciating pain they felt for that brief moment.

The First Spinjitzu Master speaks, "You faced destruction, and you kneeled to it. You encountered the Temple of Ancients and destroyed it out of hatred; for what destiny have I given you? Morro. You gave into temptation and sin. You willingly turned your back on me and chose to follow the Preeminent. You rejected me; refused to repent or ask for forgiveness. In all you have done as a mortal and a spirit, I will give you another chance to serve me, the Holy Light, and to serve creation. 

"Morro. You wanted to prove destiny wrong. In doing so, you destroyed my tomb. Hopefully, my next words will make you realize being astray from me will corrupt your moral nature both inside and out. You defied destiny twice. When you didn't take Wu's hand and when you ran from the monastery. You were never destined for death." The deity lends Morro the palm of its hand, "Let me purify you of your sins. Take my hand and relish in the holy light."

Morro stares at the demiurge's hand. Their mind conflicted. They defied destiny twice. Such an opportunity should not go to waste, but Morro cannot help but feel as if they are being tricked.

"I would not do such a thing." The hand the First Spinjitzu Master offered now disappears behind its back. "The Preeminent tainted your soul. No mortal would ever reject such an offer made by their god." The demiurge begins to walk away. 

Morro stands in this field of perturbation. A recurrent feeling blows them back, they know they made a mistake. The First Spinjitzu Master summons its dragon. It's now or never.

"Wait," Morro speaks of their panic. Their voice is quiet–so quiet you would have to be beside them to hear.

Luckily, the First Spinjitzu Master is all-knowing. It stops. Its dragon disappears into golden power. As it turns, for a split second, Morro is able to see its face–or, really, the absence of it. As the sunlight briefly shines through it, a void replaces its face, and light vanishes in the endless of the night. Its face is gone to the shadows. "I am glad you have reconsidered." The First Spinjitzu Master makes its way to Morro.

"I do not understand. You could have given anyone this offer." Morro's voice is low, only for the ears of the First Master. They say such words not in confusion but in frustration. 

"You will come forth soon…if you choose to serve creation. Allow yourself forgiveness. Let me begin the process of purification. Face destruction with holy light, and respond with creation and love. For there is no greater response." 

Yellow petals surround Morro. 

"Have a taste of love and serve the holy light. Have a taste of new beginnings and serve creation. Have a taste of my heart and serve me."

Morro awakens in a dark hall. Everywhere they look is covered in green fog. Morro moves their arm to fan it out but stops when they catch sight of translucent skin. They gape at their hand. Morro is a yūrei. They take one phantom foot off the ground, then the other. They float mid-air. Morro grins. There are perks to being a ghost. 

The yūrei levitates around. A heavy feeling in the air prevents them from truly feeling welcome in this hall, so the best thing to do is leave immediately. They turn left, then right. They only stop to the sound of whispers.  Morro whips their head around. Cloaked mortals group up in a circle, whispering and scheming what they plan. The ghost vanishes and sneaks around the group. Suddenly, Morro clutches their chest, for the pain has returned. 

"Have a taste of my heart and serve me."

Morro whirls back. They take note of harsh whispers. It seems the group is arguing. Morro moves a few paces closer. They redirect their gaze into one of the spaces between two cloaked mortals. 

What Morro finds will forever change their destiny.

If Morro had blood, the sight of seeing the victim they tortured makes their blood run cold. They feel like the stabbing pain in their chest will never go away. They feel as if Cloud Kingdom wrote this just to mock them. 

"Save him." Garmadon pleads, voice quiet.

There is a reason Morro only saves those who are beneficial to them. For then, they would get something out of it. 

The Green Ninja lies in a pool of crimson blood. A blade twisted in his stomach. Gore circled the dagger, ruining the green gi. Blood pours out of his mouth. It's a gruesome scene–almost causing Morro to grimace. Nevertheless, they couldn't expect otherwise from the Green Ninja. He's always getting himself in trouble. Of course, one day, it would lead to him getting killed. 

The yūrei places their hand on their chest. The pain is dull but only subdued. Morro watches as the hands of the cloaked mortals explore the Green Ninja’s body. They begin to tear up his clothes. Trace their fingers on all sides and crevices of his figure. They pull his limbs as if trying to get a bite of him. One of the cloaked mortals even gets on top of him, perhaps to get a taste of what the Green Ninja has to offer. The mortal's back faces the ghost. Morro only assumes the pull of the blade by the slice of flesh. She shows the blooded edge off. Then it disappears in front of the mortal's face. Once it reappears, the only evidence of ichor on the blade is watered down in streaks. The blood has been licked off.

That is disgusting. The wind blows, making its presence known by the movement of the cloaks. That is vile. One of the mortals makes notice of the wind. They say nothing and continue to violate the Green Ninja's body. No one should ever experience this kind of suffering, not even the Green Ninja, who is an honorable and noble warrior. The wind whips around, alerting the cloaked mortals. 

"How dare you." Anger seeps out of their hushed whisper. 

The mortals peer at their surroundings. Confusion is drawn in their language. Chaotic whispers began to bloom. They wonder who the voice belongs to. 

“How dare you!” The wind lashes around the mortals, its gusts so strong that it amplifies the quietness of Morro's voice. 

The mortals are taken aback by the power of the wind, for they can feel the force of the yūrei’s words even though the sound of their voice is only a mere illusion. Seeing the wind seem to communicate with mortals; the phantom smirks as they observe them becoming mesmerized by its power. This experience is unforgettable and surreal, leaving the cloaked mortals wonderstruck but fearful.

The mortals jump at the sight of the yūrei. The wind lets out a howling scream. The cloaked mortal on top of the Green Ninja quickly scrambles off him. She gasps at the image given.  

Morro floats in the air, their translucent green skin noticed. Their fists clenched tightly, and their teeth bared in a fierce expression. Their eyes harden with a glare full of anger, like a burning that can not be whisked away. The mortal shivers at Morro’s eerie presence. It is a sight to see, a figure hovering in the air with hatred radiating off of them, and yet they appear to be in control of their emotions and environment. They are a ghost, a specter, a cursed soul that cannot be ignored. The wind surrounds Morro, a reminder of something that will not be trapped nor forgotten.

The mortals screech in agony as the wind tears through their flesh, and their cries of anguish echo through the halls as blood flies through the air, dripping on the wood walls like rain. Destruction and hate fill the air, and the cloaked mortals trample away. 

Morro gets down from their high. They float to the Green Ninja’s damaged body. 

They crouch in a pool of blood.

The Ninja’s face–discarded of his mask–is sprinkled in red drops. Most likely blood, Morro assumes. The ghost's hands are cold on the Green Ninja's chest. A strange sensation radiates from the touch. A renewed energy courses through the Ninja’s form, and Morro closes their eyes. The sense is there. The thing Morro has been looking for for the entire day. 

Their flower.

Morro opens their eyes. They look at the Ninja’s closed ones. Then to their hand on his chest. The ghost dives through his body. The Green Ninja’s eyes fly open from the impact. His eyes, once a vibrant green, are now a greenish-grey.

More than half of Lloyd's soul essence drifted to the Departed Realm. Morro's presence will keep the Green Ninja’s soul whole until the rest of the essence from the Departed Realm comes to reunite with it. Until then, Morro will be there to mend the pieces.

Chapter Text

June 14, Wednesday. 3:44 AM

Lloyd awoke from a deep sleep, his heart racing and his forehead damp with sweat. His body feels heavy and sluggish as if an invisible weight is pressing down on him. His head throbs painfully, and he feels as though his mind is foggy. He tries to move but finds himself unable to muster the strength. He feels trapped within his own body, and he is filled with a sense of dread. He lies there in the darkness, unable to shake the feeling that something terrible is going to happen. 

Moments pass, and Lloyd takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Ever since that mission he went on a few weeks ago, he’s been getting night terrors. This problem has become so severe that it is interfering with his schedule. Lloyd no longer has the motivation to patrol the city. He tightly shuts his eyes. He needs to get up and do something productive to not feel like a waste.

Lloyd stumbles out of bed, five senses aware. He makes a noise of annoyance and trudges to the bathroom. 

He stands in front of the mirror, staring at his reflection. For a second, he can’t identify himself. His flaxen hair sticks out in all directions, with heavy bags under his eyes. His actual eye color is dull–almost grey. Lloyd pulls at his lower eyelid. It must be all the sleep, he'll reason. Eye color changing isn’t new to him.

His attention gets put into readying for a shower. He turns on the facet, moving his arm under the water to adjust it. As water hits the porcelain tiles, the shower emits a pitter-patter sound. 

Lloyd yawns, now fully awake. The panic of the morning will wash away with the water down the drain. 

Relaxation makes his mind peaceful as the water touches his skin. Steam rises and falls over the bypass door and fills the bathroom. Bubbles float, and Lloyd giggles, reminding him of old times. 

Once he is done, he walks into the kitchen in standard clothes. 

The morning after that mission, his gi was torn. Lloyd couldn't seem to remember what happened, but he had a vague feeling of ire. He had a splitting headache, and his body–more of his stomach–was aching all over, but inspecting it, there appeared to be no damage done.

Lloyd rubs his eyes as he takes out a kettle from the cabinet. He heavily places it down and opens the refrigerator for the pitcher. He turns the stove on and pours water into the kettle–water spills as he moves the pitcher back into the fridge. Lloyd sets the kettle full of water on the heated stove.

He leans on the counter, head in hand. He gives out a low desolate groan. Slowly, he levels his head forward, and his hands thump against the counter surface. He feels his eyes tear up as he stares nonchalantly at the kettle on the stove.

There's nothing to cry about, so why is he tearing up? Crying is a symptom of sadness, but for unknown reasons, Lloyd cannot find the reason for his depression. He is stuck in a loop of trying to understand why he is feeling this way and not being able to make any progress. He tried to distract himself, but the feeling of sadness kept coming back. Sure, he can feel it, but at the same time, he can't feel it at all. His hypophrenia is a part of him now.

Lloyd notices the kettle steaming and takes it off the stove before it whistles. Steam rises, and Lloyd takes out a jar full of Chamomile petals and puts some of it into the teapot. As he waits, his mind wanders to how quiet it is in the monastery. He had never felt this alone before–not even when the Ninja got crushed on Destiny's Bounty. During that time, he and Nya had assumed the worst–that the Ninjas were dead. But now, he only feels so alone because he knows the Ninjas are somewhere on Ninjago Island. He grabs a glass mug and pours the tea into it. Lloyd adds a spoonful of honey. 

With his cup of tea, he walks to the living room and settles on the couch. He turns on the TV and switches the channels until it hits the only news service in Ninjago.

The camera shot a group of teenagers, all wearing pristine white robes. By the looks of it, they are standing in a line at the edge of a building, hand in hand. It is as if they are ready to jump off the edge and take a leap of faith. "Our Tamer of the Cursed, righteous and benevolent, radiant and captivating, we pray for our redemption." They say with their eyes closed, and with all their heart's content. 

Lloyd gives the TV a perplexed look. Why in Ninjago would NGTV News be showing this? Lloyd suddenly feels a strong wave of realization wash over him (what is he realizing?), only for it to quickly be replaced by a deep sense of bitterness that doesn’t feel like his own.

The camera view then turns to Gayle Gossip with a police force behind her, “It’s been approximately 56 minutes since these teens came onto the rooftop. Their chanting never stops.” 

The camera switches scenes, “There! The Neon Ninja!” The cameraman–Vinny, shouts. Teal and Orange figures jump from rooftop to rooftop until they get into a full camera shot. 

Gayle Gossip appears on the scene. She slightly bows in greeting, then she shoves the microphone in the Teal Ninja’s face, “What do you suspect of these teenagers?” she asks.

The camera lens zooms into Teal’s face, “That they’re about to kill themselves?” He smiles unsurely.

The Orange Ninja pushes her leader out of the way, “If you wouldn’t mind, Gayle, we have work to do.” She drags Teal out of the shot.

The camera zooms out and focuses on the News Reporter, “Let’s go see what the two Neon Ninjas will do to stop this downcast.”

The camera rotates behind the Neon Ninja but at an angle to see the teens standing at the edge of the building.

The Teal Ninja acts first, “Excuse me.” He raises his hand to get the attention of the white-robe teens. They don’t seem to notice him, so he talks louder, “Excuse me.”

One of the teens, a brunette-haired girl, furrows her brows. The Orange Ninja huffs petulantly, “This ‘Tamer of the Cursed’ seems to be a significant figure. I wonder who she is,” the Orange Ninja asks while trying to keep her annoyance unnoticed in her tone.

The Brunette opens her eyes and turns to meet the Ninja’s gaze. “The Tamer of the Cursed is virtuous. She is above all else. We bow to her divinity as scandalous and reprehensible mortals.” She turns her head back around and continues to chant.

Lloyd’s eyes are fixed on the screen. He can just feel the tension emanating through the TV. The thought of someone out there with the title “Tamer of the Cursed” sends a shiver down Lloyd’s spine. It is clear that whoever this individual is, they hold so much power and influence to one, be able to create a religious organization, and two, to be able to have devoted followers. 

The Neon Ninjas look at each other. The Leader speaks. “Is there a reason you are up here on the rooftop?” 

The sun begins to rise; it casts a golden hue on the white robes. “It’s almost time,” the Brunette breathes.

The Teal Ninja looks at her, confusion shows itself in his voice, “What do you mean by that?”

The teens stop their chanting, “Redemption,” she murmurs. She stares off into the distance.

The Orange Ninja backs away closer to the camera and speaks into her transceiver. She walks out of the shot. 

The Teal Ninja contemplates his next move, but the teens have already begun to act on theirs. 

“Wait!” The Teal Ninja shouts, but it's already too late. The white-robe teens made a leap of faith and fell off the edge. 

The leader rushes to the edge. He leans down.

Gayle Gossip gasps. She gets in front of the camera, her body covering the scene behind her. “Cut the camera! Cut the–.”

Despite her demands, the camera focuses on the background of the scene. The Teal Ninja backs away from the edge as the Destiny’s Bounty comes into view.

“Gayle, behind you!” 

With Vinny’s voice stopping Gayle’s frantic urging, she turns around. “Oh my! Vinny, get this on air!”

The police force claps when the rest of the Neon Ninjas and the teens are seen on the deck. The Orange Ninja salutes at their leader from the side of the flying ship.

Lloyd is overjoyed at the thought of the Neon Ninja saving the kids, but the question that enters his mind is how they got their hands on the Bounty. As of right now, the Destiny’s Bounty should be with Harumi at the Kingdom of Shintaro. 

Someone in a magenta spider suit exits the cockpit when the Destiny’s Bounty is safely floating beside the edge of the building. She helps the Neon Ninjas disembark the white-robe teens. 

Lloyd smiles. He finishes his cup of tea and gets up. In doing so, his phone begins to vibrate. Lloyd looks at the screen. He sees an unfamiliar number but decides to answer it anyway.

“Hello?” He hesitantly answers. 

After a few beats, the caller's voice booms in Lloyd’s ear. “Lloyd.”

Lloyd winces and pulls his phone away from his ear. He huffs. Lloyd knows for a fact he is talking to Garmadon. He brings the phone back to his ear, “Yes, hello?”

“We need to talk. It is of the utmost importance that you come to the apartment now.”

“For what reason?”

A beeping noise is heard, and Lloyd sighs. He takes the time to leisurely run to his room for cash and put on footwear. He gets ready to walk out the door, but he stops when he hears knocking. He stares at the door quizzically. Who in Ninjago would walk a hundred fleet of stairs? 

A forceful effort to open the door causes it to move. Lloyd begins to panic. He’s too tired to use his power (due to the lack of energy), but he uses it anyway. Green surrounds his left hand, and with his right, he reaches for a pocket knife hidden by his leg. 

The door knocks down, and a weak blast emits from Lloyd’s hand. 

The intruder catches it with purple power, and it dissipates. 

Lloyd pinches his brows, “Garmadon?”

The Oni walks into the monastery, his heavy steps reverberating as he steps onto the fallen door. The Oni’s face is oddly expressionless. His eyes dart around the room, examining the area with a keen eye. 

The Oni’s eyes land on his son. “That was weak.” The Oni advances past him, his hands behind his back.

A formidable and enigmatic Oni's steps are strenuous and demanding. With each stride, his presence looms larger, waxing in power and importance.

Lloyd hurriedly removes his footwear and follows Garmadon as he moves through the halls. The air around the Oni is tense, and the rooms seem to become darker with his presence. They reach a room full of scrolls. Nonchalantly, the Oni progresses inside the room, his hands still folded firmly behind his back.

“I thought we were meeting at your place?” Lloyd watches Garmadon as he scans the manuscripts. 

Vibrant purple eyes glare at him, “You were too slow.” 

Lloyd's face scrunches up, “How? You called me 3 minutes ago. I didn’t even have time to leave the monastery!” he incredulously shouts.

The Oni steadily approaches Lloyd, his heavy footsteps echoing in the stillness of the now-darkening room. As he moves closer, the Oni lowers his head; his eyes meet Lloyd’s. The Oni looms over him like a menacing shadow. There is an awkward silence between them, and Lloyd tries not to pry away as he solely becomes unsure of the Oni’s motives. 

Slowly, the Oni speaks in a low, raspy voice, “Did I not tell you this was of the utmost importance?”

For some reason, Lloyd feels like he’s being scolded. “Well, you did, but–”

A low growl comes from Garmadon’s throat, and Lloyd feels obliged to shut up immediately. “I told you to get at Vinny of NGTV News apartment ‘now,’ did I not?”

Lloyd swallows a lump in his throat and answers calmly, “Yes, but I need time to get there.”

One eyebrow rises on the Oni's face. "I gave you time." 

Lloyd bristles, "Barely any! Two minutes is not enough time for me to get to the apartment from here!"

The Oni raises his voice slightly, "How do you think I got here? If you are suggesting I walked or took another transportation route mortals take, then you are wrong." 

Lloyd gives Garmadon an unamused glare, "You got here by traveling in the darkness, I presume?" 

Garmadon smiles, but to Lloyd, it's more of an evil grin. "Precisely!" 

Unbelievable!

"It's light outside!" Lloyd argues.

"Us Oni will always find a way."

Lloyd runs both hands into his hair, his fingers intertwining and pulling it. He takes a deep breath in and out, "You know what? I don't even want to hear it." He backs away from Garmadon and roams around in the archive. "What’s your business here? What is the 'utmost importance' you must discuss with me?”

Garmadon watches Lloyd pull out scrolls that pique his interest. "The Souls of Lost Redemption," Garmadon states. "There is a sudden reemergence of the cult, posing a threat to everyone."

Lloyd glances at Garmadon and then back at the scroll. For a moment, he contemplates whether or not he should help, but Jay taught him how to let go of things that don't concern him, and to let others share the burden. "What do you suppose we do? If it's anything in Ninjago, then the Neon Ninja can handle it."

Garmadon shakes his head with disappointment. "Is it truly your intention to leave those dimwitted mortals to deal with the supernatural?" 

The ninja stops, mind racing at the thought of the Neon Ninja dealing with something otherworldly. It would be a disaster. Evidence of this was during the Crystal King's reign. However, a thought drifts to how the Neon Ninja dealt with the kids. How clever and quick thinking led to the kids being saved. 

“Do you not care?” Garmadon snides.

Lloyds thumb brushes the scroll. He does care. However, that's the thing. He cares too much. “I wouldn't have been able to help those kids. The Neon Ninja did well in their field."

Garmadon sneers, "Saving lives and saving the realm are diverse. You can only do one."

Harumi appears atop a collapsing building, falling to her sudden doom.  He wasn't able to save her, but he was able to protect Ninjago from the Overlord. Every time Lloyd needs to protect Ninjago, people's lives get taken away from them. The Ninja frowns and looks up to see the room continue to darken exceedingly. "As a person, I want to help people. That's the whole point of me becoming a ninja. I'm doing this for the people."

Lloyd thinks back to when he was little, particularly when he first found out he was the Green Ninja. He never wanted that. He never wanted to be a savior. But here he is now, all grown up. He cannot change his fate. Lloyd is destined to live and die as the Green Ninja.

A growl emerges from Garmadon, and Lloyd subdues the instinct to bite back. "Is helping people letting them die?"

Lloyd glowers, but he doesn't make a retort.

“Although you tell yourself you're saving lives, in reality, you're saving yourself the thought of losing lives you could have saved. There is no doubt you and the rest of your little Ninja friends have not killed people due-."

"We haven't killed people!" He barks out. 

All of Lloyd's anger vanishes as he sees Garmadon's eyes narrow, and for a second, Lloyd can see a swirl of lilac destruction in the Oni's eyes. He represses the urge to shrink under his sharp gaze. He needs to remember who he is talking to.

"Son-."

His voice begins as a whisper, "Don't call me that." Lloyd's voice comes out weak.

Much to his request, it was unheard.

"You cannot save everyone. Do not deny it."

In this situation, any person would balk at the accusation of killing rather than saving lives. Lloyd is no different. Before he speaks, the Oni continues his speech.

"Due to the destruction caused by villains, your team focused on taking them down. Mortals have passed during evil's reign."

The ninja retains this thought. Of course, they have. There is no doubt the citizens of Ninjago haven't died in those harsh times. When he was younger, he tried to tell himself it wasn’t his fault but his father's. Even then, his father was trying to recreate Ninjago in his image for Lloyd. Everything his father did, was for Lloyd. The death and destruction were all for him. 

Their death is no one but Lloyd’s fault because it was done in his honor. 

Now, Lloyd and his team are meant to stop evil and, in doing so, save citizens. Yet, that evil was released into the realm by him. He released the serpentine who released the Great Devourer, which had the Overlord corrupting it. Moreover, the Overlord is the original evil spirit, the embodiment of darkness itself.

"The Neon Ninja will be able to save souls, however, your Ninja will be able to save the realm."

Tears glisten in Lloyd's eyes, "That isn't enough!" He shouts, "Being a ninja isn't just to save the realm! It's to save the people in it!”

The Oni snarls, “Do you honestly believe you are saving mortals?” His eyes flash lilac; they glow menacingly in the cold, dark room. “Tell me, how many mortals passed under your watch? How many mortals have passed from villains that you let out?”

Lloyd doesn’t force out an answer. He knows he lets people down. He swallows harshly, overwhelmed by the sentiment. Many emotions rise in his chest, making it hard to breathe.

The Oni sighs, “You cannot save lives and save the realm. You cannot do both.  It is impossible. I am only trying to let you see the truth behind being a hero, son.”

Lloyds eyes glow a hint of a violent purple. The darkness prickles his skin, tempting him to succumb to it. “I am not your son!” He bellows, and purple power swirls around him. “I am not your son, not anymore, so stop trying to–.”

Pain inflicts on his chest, and Lloyd bites back a scream. He flies into a table behind him.

The room becomes lighter with each panting breath Lloyd takes.

Purple power lingers on Lloyd’s chest for a tad bit until it disappears. He groans while begrudgingly picking himself up from the broken table. “What was that for?” he venomously spat while wheezing.

Lloyd waits for the Oni's response, but there is none. He looks up to see Garmadon staring sadly at him. Suddenly, Lloyd realizes what he said. "Oh, I didn’t…," I didn’t mean that. He looks away in shame. "Don't look into that," he grumbles, face shadowed by a rueful frown. His attention is drawn to the forgotten scroll that fell with him.

Garmadon respects his wishes, though Lloyd knows it will never leave the Yōkai’s mind. "All I am saying is: you cannot save everyone if you are too busy saving the realm." Garmadon advances with strength and might. 

Lloyd begins his search for information, “What are we supposed to be looking for?” he inquires, trying and succeeding in changing the subject. The boy plucks out any scroll with even the slightest bit of information about cults. Strangely, there is a lot. 

Garmadon works on the other side of the room, “Information about the Souls of Lost Redemption.” He intones. Garmadon plucks out one scroll from the thousands and sets it down on another table. 

The ninja shakes his head. He has about twenty scrolls in his arms and places them on the table to be derived from. “I don't think that one scroll will do you any good.” Lloyd snides. He sticks his hand into the pile and digs one out.

This scroll isn’t necessarily about the Souls of Lost Redemption but more about cults in general. He puts that manuscript to the side to pick another one. This one was more on the topic of how to be in one. It is a step-by-step guide, and Lloyd questions the sanity of the writer who had to write the most ridiculous quests that would get someone killed rather than in a cult. 

He tosses the scroll to the side of him and sighs exasperatingly, “This is going to take longer than expected.” 

Garmadon glances at him and gives him the scroll he had.

The ninja unrolls it only for it to have blacked-out sentences. “What?” He pulls his attention away from the scroll, puzzling over why most of the written words are blacked out. 

Garmadon places another scroll on the table and unravels it. His claws trace over the blank parchment. He applies pressure and red ink spurts from the tears. More and more of the blood-like liquid pours from the tampered scroll.

Lloyd peers at the unusualness of the situation. "I've never seen that happen before." He murmurs in awe. Out of instinct, his finger approaches the red ink, but with a low rumble from the other Oni, he pulls it away.

The parchment has no words, only pictures to inform the reader of its contents. The red ink begins to spread, first drawing a picture of a beautiful woman who seems to be above all, the others bowing religiously at her feet; the ink shifts, forming a young man whose snake-like dragon curls around him, waiting for the command to strike its next opponent.

The beautiful woman enters a garden. She strolls through it, smelling the sweet scent of the in-between. She plucks a wilting flower, and then another, and another, and another until she has a bouquet of decaying blooms. She cradles the flowers with so much care, trailing her finger over the once lively petals, giving all her attention to the delicate ones. The woman twirls, her hanfu swaying in the breeze. She bumps into a young man. Startled, she backtracks, and once she realizes who the man is, she freezes in her spot. The man reaches for the woman, his dragon copying his movement with the pull of its head. The beautiful woman backs away in fear, hugging the bouquet closer to her chest. The man and his very long dragon fall back, not wanting to scare her. 

The young man notices the wilting bouquet in her possession, and he sharpens his gaze. He opens his arms out to her, expecting the woman to abide by giving him the flowers. She backs away slowly. The man's arms fall limp at his sides. He stands tall, fists clenching. One step forward has the woman running. He let her go, but the dragon, who is now beside the man, bares its fangs. It curls around the man; its head is a distance in front of him, waiting for the signal. The man's head falls, and the dragon flies through the wind in a heap of white and gold. The man disappears in his dragon's coil. 

The dragon catches up to her quickly. It opens its mouth for a big bite. The beautiful woman trips, falling on the flowers and squishing them. She doesn't have time to mourn, for the grand long dragon is hunting. The young man appears in a flash of green. He slightly raises his arm, and the dragon, now two times the size it was before, rams into the green shield. The woman looks behind her to see the man protecting her from the beast. The beautiful woman bows before the man, pleading for another chance. The young man glances back at her. 

Lloyd blinks away from his trance. The once-colorful story returns to red ink. 

He feels Garmadon’s eyes bore into him. First, nothing comes to Lloyd's mind. Then a strike of realization hits. The woman he had seen before. But where?  The young man and his dragon give Lloyd a sense of familiarity. Thinking more about it gives him a headache. 

“The people in the story seem…familiar.” Lloyd presses a palm to his head. For a short moment, a deep sense of panic erupts in his chest, and he acknowledges it, for it only to be crushed by confusion. His brows furrow and he now has ambivalent feelings about the scroll. 

Garmadon rolls the scroll up, “The man in the story is indeed very familiar, but the woman,” he gazes slightly past Lloyd with his narrowing eyes, “I...”

Lloyd detects his behavior and turns due to his curiosity. There is nothing. His breath gets caught in his throat when suddenly, Garmadon is beside him. 

“Nonetheless, I have an Idea.”

Lloyd notices the rolled-up scroll in Garmadon’s claws. A prolonged thought pops up in his mind. He looks to Garmadon for answers. “What even was that? I’ve never seen a scroll do something like that! And what about this?” He gives the ruined scroll to Garmadon, “I don’t think Uncle Wu would ever try to erase history.”

Garmadon stares blankly at the scrolls in his claws. He then retreats by putting them away. “My brother would not dare to tamper with the manuscripts. Everything in this room Wu has preserved upon founding. That scroll must have been muddled before he found it.” 

Lloyd opens another scroll in his pile. He traces his fingers across the black ink. This scroll is about appropriate activities to do in a cult. Although, the word ‘appropriate’ shouldn’t apply to sexual sacrifices. The scroll writes in detail exactly how to do one–with or without a partner.

“It is not the scroll that is different.” Garmadon carefully snatches the manuscript from Lloyd’s hands. “It is the ink that was used.”

Thankfully, Lloyd doesn't comprehend it very well. “Is it like–some magical ink? I mean, anything that looks like blood is concerning.”

Garmadon nods sagely. “Yes. When I was younger, entertainers used a certain type of ink to make their drawings more…lively.” 

“Like an animation?” Lloyd muses.

The Yōkai seems to flounder. “Ani…mation?”

Lloyd pauses, “You don’t know what that is, do you?”

Garmadon dismisses the question by handing Lloyd another scroll from the pile. 

Lloyd unwinds the scroll and begins to scan through its contents. It seems to be about a girl named Nineko and the legendary Warriors of Felis. The scroll had nothing to do with the Souls of Lost Redemption, but it did state the Warriors of Felis were made from rain and dark magic. Lloyd, now intrigued, continues to read the manuscript. 

Turns out, the Warriors of Felis is not a cult, but a bunch of cats the cat-girl, Nineko, made. Lloyd wonders why Garmadon gave him this scroll. 

He discards of it and digs for another that most likely has nothing to do with the Souls of Lost Redemption.

This scroll in particular looks older than the rest. The parchment is torn and worn. He opens it. Lloyd reads through it, boredly. The tiredness from the lack of sleep and the usage of his element is catching up to him. After a few beats of trying to read the first sentence, Lloyds realizes it's incoherent–at least for the most part. He can read a bit of it, but not enough to understand. Lloyd tilts his head, confusion taking up his features. He drags his finger over the jumbled words. The parchment is oddly smooth. He retracts his finger and sets the scroll near him for later examination.

He picks up another scroll to read through. 

The Cult of Fire. Lloyd remembers hearing something like that when Kai came back after his quest for his lost powers. Fire Fang, a creation Aspheera conjured with Kai’s powers, was worshipped by a group called Fire Feinds. 

Lloyd reads through the scroll, interested to see what it says about his brother's quest.

It is strange reading about someone he knows. The scroll states in immaculate detail what transpired during the quest for the lost power. He remembers Kai and Skylor retelling their adventure, and reading this scroll with all the correct information they gave him makes him wonder if Cloud Kingdom is the one to write the scrolls. This is Wu’s archive after all. 

Lloyd rolls up the scroll but stops when he notices black coloring smearing on his hand and scroll. He unravels the scroll once more to touch the words. They are written deep into the parchment. He tosses it aside. Lloyd peers up, expecting Garmadon to be idling through the manuscripts–but he isn’t there.

A sick feeling sturs in his stomach–then stabbing hot-white pain. It causes Lloyd to yowl as he falls to the floor, clutching his stomach. He squeezes his eyes shut, hoping the pain will go away on its own. Fat tears roll down his face and he can feel his mouth become watered with a taste of something bitter. 

A weight is placed on his shoulder.

Upon opening his eyes, a pool of black ooze surrounds him. He fixes his gaze on his shoulder. A hand is placed there. It drips with black …ink, Lloyd is now realizing. It kneels to his level. It appears to be wholly made of this black ooze. 

The figure tilts its head in the direction of Lloyd’s stomach. So, he withdraws his hand, only for it to be covered in black ink. The wound leaks of it too. He tries to get up in his panic but it still hurts! The table above him wobbles and falls. Before landing, the ooze consumes the falling objects, and it lands on Lloyd’s other shoulder in a splash. Everything around him is getting destroyed by the ink. It climbs upward and once that object is fully engulfed, it falls like liquid. 

The figure's hand seizes Lloyd’s jaw. It turns his gaze to look at them. It trails its fingers softly on his jaw, wiping his falling tears. Lloyd stiffens at such contact. A hint of anger erupts in his chest, but the alarming feeling of fear overcoming Lloyd is unmatchable. Everything around them is succumbing to the black ooze. Lloyd is stuck in his pain, and this–this thing has him in their grasp. 

The pool of black ink under Lloyd begins to shift, and the figure seems to notice as they start to giggle. “Let us try this again, shall we?” Their words come off as light and cordial. The figure lets go of his jaw.

Lloyd opens his mouth for a simple question–for any information on what is happening, but the sound of whispers overtakes Lloyd’s senses. They argue about plans and promises of temptation and salvation. A smarting ache in Lloyd's chest rips him apart. He chokes on the surprise and falls. He now lays on his back, hyperventilating, trying to get a breath of purified air, but what he breathes in makes him choke and whimper. He coughs up thick black ooze, dripping from his mouth onto the pool beneath him.

"Do not fret, little one. Soon you will have the gift of serving me." The voice echoes in the ink. They speak gleefully, but Lloyd can practically hear the sinister motive behind it. 

The sea of ink begins to ripple, nearly submerging Lloyd’s body whole. Ink circles and weaves around him, forming many figures hidden behind cloaks. Their whispers echo in the sea of ink. Light carves smiles and eyes into their faces. Terror spikes into his spine, and he struggles with the binds that overpower him.

He tries to speak once more, but more of that damned ink spills from his mouth. He wants to sit up, however, a heavyweight keeps him down. Lloyd looks deep within himself; a strange, but familiar sensation vibrates and blooms. It courses through his body, dulling the pain. Lloyd closes his eyes, his tears begin to dry. He searches for the only thing that keeps him alive and joyous. 

His power…but it’s not there.

Chapter Text

A Few Hours After Passing Out, 9:14 AM

The figures hovering above him appear to blur. They bleed into the void of darkness, their outlines are something Lloyd is too familiar with. His eyes strain to make sense of the shifting forms. Shadows dance and intertwine, merging into one another with eerie grace. The once distinct figures lose their edges, becoming indefinite in the inky blackness that surrounds him. 

The boundary between reality and illusion dissolves, leaving behind the murky fog that suffuses his lungs with each sickly breath he takes. It grants him the sight of an unsettling scene, red ink dripping down stone walls like watercolor on a canvas. He tries to focus, to discern any recognizable feature within the gloomy green fog, but his efforts are in vain. They tease and taunt him with hints of familiarity before dissolving into the formless void. He can feel the wind soothing his pain, before giving him its last breath of blessed air.

He wants to get up, but he is weighed down by gentle claws. A growl erupts from a dark shadow–darker than the others. Lloyd acquiesces in its decision to stay put. The shadow moves away. Its claw leaves Lloyd cold, and he dwells on this forlornly. His muscles ache as he shifts onto his stomach. Lloyd coughs meet his pillow, his breath coming out hot and wet. 

Thuds and thumps come closer to Lloyd’s bed. He tenses as an ice–cold cloth presses against his neck. As soon as the spike of discomfort ends, he sinks into the cushioning below him. A soft exhale of relief escapes his lips and Lloyd closes his eyes to relish in the chill solace. The rise and fall of his breath against the softness of the pillow bring respite. However, this fleeting relief is quickly overtaken by the constant ache that permeates his entire body.

He can feel the once-icy cloth soak into his skin, now a burden with the warmth. The sound of glass placed on a surface draws in Lloyd’s awareness. He squints into the darkness, catching sight of crystalline water. Lloyd can faintly hear the ice crack in the refreshment. He reaches for it, wanting nothing more than to get this bitter taste out of his mouth. 

“...What transpired?” A soft but solid voice reflects the darkness, bouncing off of invisible walls. He is able to hear it in all corners, never once allowing him to pinpoint where the voice comes from. He sounds concerned, a good sign of his recovery .

Compassion.

The fear and panic still curl in his stomach. The pain he felt was searing and hot, it bled through his insides like gasoline. It left him sick and tired, but not like your regular illness. His illness feels like a previous endeavor that left him bedridden for days. 

Lloyd tries not to remember those times.

“There was–,” Lloyd begins, his voice raspy and hoarse. He swallows down the rest of his water. “There was this figure.” He remembers the inky silhouette, how its words were inviting and sweet like honey. “They wanted to give me something.” He knits his brows, contemplative on the figure and its words. Demons are not a usual thing the Ninjas have to deal with. “Really, I should be asking you that question.” He turns to see violet eyes in the corner of his room. Lloyd shivers, but not from the cold. 

“Suzuri no tamashii.” Garmadon’s eyes glow brightly, a contrast in the dark room. He says these words with a repressed snarl Lloyd is able to pick up. 

“Suzuri no–what?” He inquires. The bedridden ninja squints in the dark, trying to see Garmadon’s outline. 

“An inkstone spirit.” Garmadon steps out of the corner, the white markings on his pelt hardly luster in the darkness. “Reentering the archives, I found you lying on the floor in a state of unconsciousness. I defeated the Suzuri no tamashii, in doing so, saving you.”

The now warm cloth bounces off Lloyd’s bed as he sits up, and a headache forms from his sudden movement. “But the ink!?” He flummoxes, then grimaces. His palm raises to the side of his head. The throbbing smart is subdued by the pressure he applies.

“Yes. It was not difficult to verify which silhouette was the yōkai.” He strides to the door. 

Lloyd hopes his confused stare gets Garmadon to spill, because there is no way in the Cursed Realm he was able to identify which ink figure was the Yōkai. They all looked the same!

Thankfully, Garmadon picks on, “I'm concerned for your well-being.” He smiles, only slightly. “The Yōkai’s appearance is a scroll.”

Lloyd observes Garmadon as he moves closer to the door. He nearly gets up but a raucous growl from the other restrains him; he winces. “Where are you going?” He calls out to him, a bit panicking. Being alone is the last thing Lloyd wants in this state.

“I am not too well dealing with human illnesses. Furthermore, I have called Harumi.” Garmadon looks levelly at Lloyd. He stares at him with a tint of concern in his eyes. “She will be here soon.”

The darkness follows him out. 

His room becomes lighter in seconds, but not for long. His own worries stretch to claw at the surrounding area. Lloyd shivers in the coolness, arms wrapping around his body. There is a slight ping in his chest, an acknowledgment of the unforgettable. Lloyd looks down. He stares at the dry ink on his sweater–something he can hardly see in his dark room. His hand falls under his sweater to trace his stomach. There is no scar nor ink on his skin–nothing to indicate what he saw or felt. 

Lloyd isn’t too familiar with the Supernatural, but since the Overlord was released from crystallization, more of these entities and spirits began appearing outside of Ninjago. Most missions are fighting those things. The Supernatural is a prominent part of their new job. It requires them to know much about Yōkai, but they usually educate themselves before meeting the entity.  So, whatever a “Suzuri no tamashii” is, Lloyd hopes it won’t come back to bite him in the ass.

A shadow from the corner of Lloyd’s eye catches his attention. A sharp chill runs down his spine. He audibly shivers as he squints to see what lies on the other side of his room. A swift movement dances towards him, and Lloyd flinches back. A soft breeze moves his hair from his eyes. He feels the wind fiddle with his blanket, shifting the covers slightly away from him. He narrows his eyes at the window, he can see daylight peeking through the curtains, but it isn’t open. He tugs the blankets back, now lying on his left side. It must be the after-effects, he’ll reason. 

(A soft thought pops up in his mind… questionably, the light and warmth the sun brings doesn’t radiate throughout his room).

Lloyd reaches for a stuffy and huddles it close to his chest. His headache has gone down, but the fear hasn’t. He’s glad Garmadon was there for him, he doesn’t know what would have happened. 

“...Soon you will have the gift of serving me.”

What did it mean by that? Surly the Yōkai didn’t suggest itself. Do yōkai need worshiping? 

Lloyd sighs, his hot breath contrasting with the brisk. He snuggles into his pillow. A good night’s rest will drown out his worry and fear–.

"Lloyd!” A loud, obnoxious voice cuts through the silence.

He shifts his position and lies on his back, staring up at the ceiling. The room is dingy and crisp, casting long, sharp shadows that stretch to devour his possessions. With a sigh, he reaches for the pillow beside him, its softness offering a small comfort. Grasping it firmly, he brings it up to his face and nearly suffocates himself because of the daunting aspect of Harumi being here.

Soft footsteps enter Lloyd's room and he feels a new warmth emerge, almost overshadowing the chill. The sound of what can only be Harumi opening the curtains is made.

“Can you be louder? My pillow is muffling my hearing.” he jests. The pillow gets snatched from his hands. The harsh brightness of daylight blinds him temporarily, and he grimaces. Lloyd raises the covers over him and he immediately relaxes in the subfusc light.

“Oh har har, you're very funny.” Harumi compliments him sardonically. She roughly pulls the covers back. Her tugs so strong Lloyd moves along with it.

Lloyd chortles, forgetting the thoughts that led him to be bedridden. He winces slightly, pounding dizziness in his head as he sits up. Lloyd hopes it went unnoticed by Harumi, but it looks like she caught on. 

She throws the covers back on him. “How are you feeling,” her voice soft and comforting, she hands him tea Lloyd never noticed was there. “Garmadon told me what happened, he said something about poison.”

Lloyd can almost scoff, he supposes that part of her never left. Always wanting to know how someone feels. Although it could be her asking a simple question about his health, Lloyd will never stray far from what she drilled into him. All the lies and betrayals. He still hates her for everything she’d done, never forgiving her no matter how hard she seeks it. All it was was sympathy for the fact the Overlord killed her parents. Sometimes Lloyd still thinks she will use everything she gathered from the past year and run away with it–plotting her next act of revenge because her parent's downfall is [indirectly] in Lloyd’s hands. He knows it’s a fateful thought–and unlikely, but he can't help it! Harumi did something to him that he will never heal from.

“I’m fine. Being on bed rest is a great change of pace from my normal routine.” he jeers wryly. On the note of poison, Lloyd sniffs the steaming cup. The smell of something warm and spicy nearly makes him sneeze. He catches sight of Harumi's frown, but she quickly masks it, leaving it with a slight crack Lloyd can see through. However, he says nothing. Lloyd is quite fond of seeing her saddened, but he squashes it down with a wave of guilt. “...It’s just a headache, it’ll go away,” he murmurs remorsefully.

There is a silence between them, it's not awkward, nor is it comforting. It’s just…silent. Shadows of his thoughts invade his room as the darkness spreads through it. They squiggle in delight. They reach out to him…or, they at least try to, but they're forever stuck to follow #1. Forever to be overlooked–forever to be cast away into nothingness. For what is a shadow without the light that guides the way? 

Lloyd is the light the shadows forever have to follow. It’s sickening and tormenting. Lloyd brings happiness to his found family, but darkness hides behind him, taunting and manifesting thoughts that feel too real. He would rather not wallow in terror, so he pushes it down. It resides deep within him. Yet, in times like this, it emerges in bright colors, too bright for him to see. He reels back into the dark, they nip at his skin. Murmuring soft words of a mother comforting her small child. It feels nice, but it’s cold. It’s so cold.

The Overlords' words ring throughout his head. “Where there is light, there will always be shadow.” 

Lloyd snaps out of his pensive thoughts, the cup in his hands is still warm. “Garmadon said something about poison?” He grimaces at the sound of his voice.

Harumi nods, “He said he could smell the poison near you, but ‘within the next day, it should be out of his system.’” She moves closer to sit down on Lloyd’s bed.

He nearly flinches. 

“But, I could tell he was concerned about something else, and when I asked, he didn’t emphasize. He just told me to tell you to ‘be careful’.”

Lloyd gets the thought of Harumi being too close [for comfort] out of his head. Lloyd bites his lip at the notion of toxins. The strange thing is him being poisoned. Lloyd would have been able to tell if he was consuming hints of it. Maybe it was the Yōkai?

“What of the Yōkai?” he asks her.

She raises a brow, “What Yōkai? Is there one here?” She sits straighter and scans the room as if one is inside with them. She then turns to Lloyd. She grins smugly, “Well, besides you, of course.”

He snickers. “No, the…umm,” he fumbles for its name, “Suzuri…no–.”

“Suzuri no tamashii? I don’t think they can poison upon attack.” She sagely informs him. 

He nods. It is interesting to know Harumi's knowledge of Yōkai. He remembers her rambling about the creatures when she was still a princess. He thought it was strange for a royal to know anything about the supernatural, but now he knows full well the reasons for her fascination with it, specifically with the Oni.

They fall back into silence. It leaves him on edge. The anxiety weaves through his ribcage, prickling his heart with enormous strain. He faintly touches his chest, fingers over his heart. A dull feeling, stings taunting him of what is to happen. The cooling cup of tea garners his attention. It would be rude of him not to drink it. Though, Lloyd can't bring himself to do so. 

Harumi, being the perfect observer she is, salvages the unwanted. “You can drink it cold,” she slightly grimaces, “it just won't taste good,” she murmurs.

Lloyd smiles at her warily, “Thanks Harumi,” he speaks in faux appreciation. He tentatively takes a sip, the strong and fiery taste nearly makes him spit it out in surprise. “Wow, that's, uh,” he coughs into his arm, “ wonderful .” he forces out.

Harumi giggles, “Your father made that. He said it would…”

Her words fade from his ears. Your. He can't believe Garmadon went through with that–and to think, maybe, just maybe Garmadon would apologize for Lloyd’s disownment, but that never happened. Sure, there were attempts to reconcile, but the results were futile, at least in Lloyd’s degree. 

Still, the plant's roots spread in sacred ground, flourishing in the blessedness under one whose sins are forgiven by divine favour.

In truth, he wants to have a good relationship with Garmadon. He yearns for a good relationship with Garmadon. However, every time an attempt for forgiveness is made, Lloyd can’t help but feel bitter. Yes, he knows Garmadon is trying his hardest, and everything he has ever done is in Lloyd’s favour, but with that acknowledgment, Lloyd supposes his decision of rejection was made long ago.

The fight was long and brutal, he was overwhelmed by the sheer power of destruction. His own element tried to protect him from the destructive energy shocks, hence his element emanating from his body. The feeling of pure misery Lloyd felt when the words “I have no son” were spoken. The former emperor of Ninjago was killing him–Lloyd’s father was killing him. The feeling of his energy–his life source–draining away into his opposing claws–his father’s claws–.

That day, Lloyd made his decision shortly after he was thrown out of the control room. Garmadon promises endless apologies of peace, but only Lloyd can forgive him, so their relationship will forever be severed. There will be endless tension between the two, between “father” and son.

Upon exiting out of his thoughts, Harumi is nowhere to be seen. The chilled tea now sits on his end table, getting ever colder by the second. The curtains are still open, leaving the day's warm light to flood his room, but that doesn't stop the darkness from spreading, tangling itself with the light, causing a somber grey feel. 

Lloyd falls back onto the bed. A wave of exhaustion hits him. His eyelids grow heavy, and he pulls the lost covers over him. He snuggles closer to his stuffy and lays his head on the plump side of his pillow. His breath begins to even out in slow huffs. His mind scrambles into incoherent thoughts. It twists and turns, images warp and stretch, and colors dance in the still grey…! 

Only for a brief moment, a voice from the wind whispers before his ear, “Bring forth the embodiment of life upon evil…your existence depends on it.”

Lloyd jolts up, and his hypnagogic visions lay to rest. A whisper, so clear it hypnotizes his mind of its words. What being has the power to do such a thing? 

His breathing comes out rigid and uneven. He gasps for the oxygen he so desperately needs. He needs–he needs air. He needs to feel the wind on his face, its claws running through his hair, and telling him it's alright.

He stumbles out of bed, his heart heavy and the air in his lungs light. He tries not to trip–not succeeding as he knocks into his furniture and drops halfway before catching onto it. Objects fall and crash onto the ground, causing him to jump out of his skin. The world around him spirals and Lloyd bites down vertigo. Everything–everything he sees is on a grey scale. The somberness of his room doesn’t light nor dim, it stays still. Lloyd can’t place where everything is (where is he…?); blending into the monotonous shades, becoming one.

His chest smarts and a scream rips his throat in two. Tears prickling in his eyes, Lloyd runs out of his room, his vision darkens while entering the hallway. He trips over himself, plummeting onto the wall with a loud thud before sliding to the floor. His shoulder caught on something cold as metal before descending. It clunks into the ground, startling Lloyd as he hastily gets up to make a B-line for the bathroom. He collides with many walls before making it and shutting the door.

Lloyd’s mind muddles, thinking of everything and nothing at the same time. His breath, more ragged than before, skips in his lungs, jabbing its tissue, and making him wheeze. Lloyd takes a light puff in—immediately his lungs reject it, but Lloyd keeps it in. He holds the air in his tightening lungs until the burning is too unbearable, and his breath forces itself out. Not even a moment after another quick consumption of air, he stops the pants from escaping his lungs, he holds the small intake once more. His chest pounds, and he tries to count to 100 from 1, but he counts it useless as he skips a few numbers.

Once, twice, thrice, he does it over again before his chest untightens and his breathing begins to even out. He sits on the bathroom tiles, wholly worn. Lloyd closes his eyes, focusing on his breathing to stay even. His pounding headache and the sticky cold of the tiles keep him from passing out [from exhaustion]. As well as the immense flare Lloyd feels on his shoulder as it burns throughout his arm.

Ichor flows down his arm, dying his green sweater to become a musty brown. It drips from his fingertips, hitting the white tiles. Seeing blood soak in his clothes only annoys him. Sure, he's a little worried, but the injury is on his non-dominant arm. 

He scans the bathroom, hoping for something that could help him get up, but his search quickly ends, as the cold tile floors are so much more appealing for how hot he is (he presumes he must have some fever). As well for his throbbing head that is too much to ignore. Lloyd curls his legs in to rest his head on his knees.

He stays like that for a while, the quietness and the chill get to him, it almost eludes him to sleep, but the moist feeling running down his arm wakes him.

Remembering blood is oozing from his shoulder, he clasps it with his hand and hisses as the fire ripples throughout his arm. Tears swell in his eyes, but it isn't enough to let him succumb to it. Weirdly enough, this is the same shoulder he fractured way back when in Primeval's Eye. 

His eyes lock onto a wooden stool near the corner. The problem is, it's on the other side of the room. Lloyd had hoped he wouldn't have to get up, though, he supposes destiny has different plans for him. 

Plans to hurt me, he thinks bitterly.

Leaning onto the wall for support, he lifts himself, gritting his teeth at the gash that roars in his shoulder. He takes a moment to breathe, for the Realm around him blurs, and his head reels unfavourable memories of past illusions. Such as one who looks exactly like him, with the exception of dead eyes.

He applies pressure to his wound. Lloyd sharply inhales. The sensation of molten hot needles pricking his skin rids the image of the cursed soul that once plagued his system. Blood spurts from the cracks of his fingers, and it rolls down his forearm, dripping at the elbow–discoloring his sweater.

Lloyd finally has enough of a mind to think. He opens his eyes and begins his search for cotton, bandages, saline solution, and such supplies. He peels off the wall, and timidly removes his hand from the injured shoulder. Air currents from the ventilation briefly brush his exposed wound, as if trying to sweep the lesion away. He quivers. 

Finally finding the necessary resources, he attempts to take off his sweater without the usage of his (as of now) disabled arm, but his endeavor is pointless. Alas, he ends up tearing his green sweater’s sleeve with his honed teeth (the only Oni trait that stubbornly stayed, much to his dismay). The blooded sleeve heeps to the floor and Lloyd kicks it away in consideration of the possibility of slipping and dislocating his already bruised shoulder. 

He grabs a cloth from the shelf and dampens it with water. Heavily, he presses the material on his wound, wiping away the spilling blood from the deep cut. He rinses it off and switches the water for saline solution.

Taking a deep breath, he gently applies the cloth to his shoulder, and to his surprise, the expected burn doesn’t happen. He smiles slightly and continues to clean his wound. However, Cloud Kingdom is out to get him for trashing their home (in Lloyd's defense, he was possessed!), and seconds later, while his guard is down, the intense flare of the solution could have knocked him out. He groans at his misery and gradually sinks to sit on the wooden stool.

He lays hold of gauze bandages. He pulls the rest of his sweater off with his good arm and begins the long and attentive process of wrapping a bandage across his chest and arm. He starts at his bicep, wrapping the gauze around and under his upper arm, and then he continues his way up to cover the lesion. 

He leans against the wall, his striking headache wishing he was done. 

Kai was always better at this.

He flings the gauze bandage behind him and repositions his functioning arm to wrap the dressing across his back and chest. Lloyd wraps his upper arm the final time. The bandages are neat, not so tight, and secure. 

He would be proud. 

He exasperatingly exhales, shutting his eyes because of the heavy exhaustion that weighs on him. 

Leaning on the wall, surrounded by clutter and the stench of blood, he sits there, hastily falling asleep. Until a loud shatter shakes him awake. He jumps up and rushes out of the restroom. Lloyd is slightly blinded by the natural light, (he didn’t know he was bandaging himself up in darkness) so he uses hearing and memory to pinpoint the commotion until his sight adjusts.

Thoughts flow through his brain a million miles an hour. There are only so many occurrences that could have happened, but the only person that is here is himself (and maybe Harumi? But he isn’t sure where she has gone. And he’s pretty sure Garmadon is out of the question). 

The sounds lead him back to the archives. Lloyd slows down, slightly sliding to a stop. He pushes his back against the wall and watches figures move beyond the shōji door. He listens and waits. Lloyd makes out three distinct voices, shuffling, and a shrill scream. Immediately after, a slap stops the noise.

“Shut up! FSM, are you even trying to be quiet?” A raspy voice disgruntles.

“Man, fuck you. I don't care.” A soft, but masculine voice retorts. “Green Ninja, fight me!” The voice boisterously hollers. 

The voice’s response is a few punches by the other.

“Ow–okay, I'm sorry.” The soft (and slightly seductive in Lloyd's opinion) voice speaks between laughs. The voice begins to whisper, and thankfully, in the quiet afternoon, no noise is heard from the outside. 

So, Lloyd continues to eavesdrop. He needs to gather information before he heads into battle. That’s what Zane taught him.

“I would have been more quiet if we were doing this at night.”

“You know, he’s kind of right,” a silvery voice pipes up, “why are we doing this in the afternoon? Usually, robberies take place–well, you know, at night!” She whispers back, a little bit of irritation found in the edge of her voice.

“Because no one expects robbers in the daylight.” The raspy voice sagely replies.

A few beats drop. Lloyd slides his way into the archives, he goes unnoticed by the three. Two of the figures are at the table, glancing through the scrolls Lloyd put out only hours before, and the other one is scanning the manuscripts on the walls.

Being in the archives reminds Lloyd of the searing pain he felt in his stomach. He scans the surrounding area. There is no ink on the walls and the furniture stands in their prior condition. 

There is no evidence of what happened in this room. That indication sends chills down Lloyd’s spine. 

He redirects his attention back to the three figures. He has no time to process.

The figures are all dressed in black. Their suits seem to have technological advances embedded in them, and their weapons hang at their waists.

“Bro, you’re a genius. Please act like it.” The soft-voiced one playfully pleads, clasping his gloved hands together below his masked face.

“You're right,” the tallest one in the group (the raspy voice, Lloyd supplies) airily nods. “I’m the brains and you're the fallout.” he quips. 

The shortest one snickers.

“No–” He turns to Shortie, “you shut up,” he spins back around, “it’s the brains and brawns you fuckin’ dumb–oh! I can’t even say that because your smart as fuck!” he exclaims. 

Smartie chuckles and leisurely gestures to the scroll in his hand. “Aw, not you complimenting me.”

Lloyd smiles at their antics. They remind him of his family…which are away. He forlornly grieves their absence. Before his emotions get too high, Lloyd clears his throat, slightly wincing from the soreness. “So back to no one expecting robbers in daylight.”

Seeing the three of them jump brings a smirk to his face. Lloyd smugly looks down at them while he sits on a ceiling joist high above.

Dummy is the first one to spot him. He stares at Lloyd.

“You know,” the soft-spoken Dummy begins, “I always wanted to have a tussle with the Green Ninja, but I never thought it was this kind of wrestle.” He motions his head upwards. “It’s a nice view, by the way.” Dummy unabashedly proclaims.

Lloyd follows his eyes and he realizes he's shirtless. Lloyd never had some flirt with him upfront or in such a brazen way. He is surprised by his eagerness, but Lloyd muses this is how he always acts. Nevertheless, Dummy almost made Lloyd smile. 

“FSM,” Shortie murmurs. “Greenie, I am so sorry. I don’t know why he catcalls every man he sees.”

(On a side note, Lloyd observes Smartie become increasingly interested in one of the manuscripts he plucked from the shelves).

Dummy scoffs and crosses his arms. "They're men. They can take it."

Lloyd can't help but somewhat laugh at that. "Well, I'm glad I can give you the honor of fighting me–if that is what you want. You can give me the scroll and be on your way, or suffer the consequences of theft in a holy place." Lloyd's tone gradually shifted to something more serious. 

He sees the tallest shuffle. Smartie seems to have finished encasing the scroll in a cylinder jar, sealing it tight with a code.

"You kind of remind me of someone, Greenie." Dummy meekly murmurs.

Confusion presents itself in Lloyd's features. Before he got to ask what he meant, Smartie strides to the shattered window. "I'm sure the three of us would love to keep talking, but we have a mission to complete." Smartie snaps his gloved fingers.

Shortie unbuckles a net gun from her waist. She points it to Lloyd and shoots. 

Before the net engulfs Lloyd, he pushes himself off the beam (his shoulder throbs and Lloyd can feel the blood spread through his bandage, but he doesn’t acknowledge this in front of criminals). In mid-air, he spins his body left twice. The little energy he has builds up into his dominant fist, and he thrusts forward, tackling Dummy to the table and breaking it in a loud thud. 

He smirks to himself when he hears Dummy’s groan, but to his surprise, Dummy flips them over, and his knee pins Lloyd to the ground. 

Lloyd kicks Dummy in the stomach and he grunts. Lloyd’s bandaged arm sneers as he uses it to try and push Dummy off of him, but unfortunately, he is physically stronger than Lloyd. 

They wrestle on the ground. For whatever reason, Lloyd thought this would be an easy fight. It’s just a bunch of crooks!? What do they have to offer? He doesn’t know what the other two are doing, but he quickly needs to end this.

Strategic thoughts run through Lloyd's mind. He tilts his head to the ceiling. The wooden supporting beams are right above them. If Lloyd could just–

Dummy snatches Lloyd's good arm before he can punch him in the face. “If I remember correctly, you were the one that unleashed the Great Devourer, right?” He says between huffs for air. Dummy slams Lloyd’s arm to the ground.

He winces.

“You've caused a series of unfortunate events leading on.”

Dummy is just taunting to get a rise out of him, so Lloyd tries not to let that seep into his mind.

Keyword: Tries.

Lloyd blasts the supporting beam above them, but in his exhausted state, he realizes too late. His energy, power, the blast…is purple.

Dummy pauses when the purple flare dances past his head. He snaps his head up, watching the fire dance between the poles. It hits the other supporting beams above them, and they all come crashing down. 

In Lloyd’s state of mind, he hurriedly pushes Dummy away from the wreckage that is soon to be, but he forgets himself.

…

He hates this. His body aches under the splintered wood. This pain will only last a few hours, thankfully. However, that doesn’t change now. Lloyd attempts to move under the heavyweight, but his endeavor leaves his shoulder in more pain than before. He hisses at the needles that sting his arm into numbness.

Overhead, light begins to shine through. Dummy, Lloyd guesses, throws the wood off of him. The right amount for Lloyd to sit up, but not move anywhere.

“Just because you're the prophesied Green Ninja, you think you can stop us?” Smartie stands in front of Lloyd with his arms crossed, the scroll nowhere in sight. Dummy is crouching down beside Lloyd (he was right, he did help), and Lloyd feels a presence from behind ( that must be Shortie ). “Well, guess what. The final battle is over, destiny no longer needs you in her clutches.” 

Dummy rests his gloved hand on Lloyd's bandaged shoulder. A raw, new wave of energy courses through his veins. He can feel the effects of all life deep within him and Dummy’s essence. This wave of new energy extends and connects in the middle, manifesting into a new power.

“The final light is upon us, and soon the soil hugging the roots of life will dry, the waters guiding lost souls will pollute, the breeze purifying the scent of sorrow will flee, leaving the green to shrivel and die.” Dummy’s soft voice, but volatile words admonish Lloyd for the future.

Dummy stands, his hand leaving Lloyd’s buzzing shoulder. Their connection severs and breaks, and it leaves Lloyd wishing for more of that power.

Shortie moves from behind him, and the three criminals shatter another window to leave through.

Lloyd watches them go. His frazzled mind is too tired to think. He breathes in the ruins of the archive. Wood and debris are scattered all around. After a few minutes, the light flees in the presence of an Oni.

“There is one thing we know about the Souls of Lost Redemption.” Garmadon pinches the back of Lloyd’s neck and wood tumbles as he lifts Lloyd effortlessly. 

Lloyd lands on the ground gently. He glares at Garmadon, “and what’s that?” he scathes. He notices Harumi beside him, with the stolen scroll in hand.

Garmadon keeps his gaze forward. “They’re after something greater than this Realm, something, or someone, greater than us.”

Chapter Text

June 18, Sunday. 3:10 PM.

Rain trickles from the grey sky in a steady flow. The water streams against the gold statue of a dragon, falling into the pond below. Lloyd watches as a waterfall of rainwater cascades from the roof down to the ground. He leans his forearms on the wooden railing, extending his hand to touch the water.

Nya could always tell when it was gonna rain.

He pulls his hand back. Wiping it on his gi. He doesn't need to contemplate their leave, for today is the day. He grins at the clouded sky. Hope and warmth bubbles in his chest.

Today is the day he is going to retrieve his family.

"I will accompany you." 

Lloyd stops dead in his tracks. Dirt particles swivel and stick around his feet from the constant rain dampening his gi. When he turns around, he meets Garmadon's unwavering gaze with his incredulous stare. Lloyd ambivalently contemplates the idea of Garmadon coming with him, but he supposes that no matter what he does, it will never deter the Oni. "That's–fine…I guess." He murmurs, not quite happy about this decision. 

Garmadon makes a noise of accomplishment, as if he just won a serious debate, and strolls past Lloyd to embark on the Bounty. Lloyd watches him go, doubtful about the reaction the Ninja will have upon seeing Garmadon for the first time in 25 weeks. 

He slowly trails after Garmadon, relisting everything he brought for the trip. Traveling throughout the island would usually take the average person about 74 hours, but thankfully, Lloyd has a flying ship that runs 340 miles per hour. It should take less than a day. Of course, he and Garmadon will be airborne through the night, because as of now, they're late.

Lloyd swiftly, but gingerly as he doesn’t want to slip, trots on the ramp to get onto the deck. He makes his way hastily to the right entrance, leading his way through the kitchen and up the stairs to the bridge and main computer. Lloyd rushes to start the engine, bring in the ramp, launch the sails, and insert navigation to Jamanakai village on the map. After all of that, he's surprised at the lack of technical difficulties he and the others usually encounter.

"Lloyd?"

Lloyd acknowledges his name with a quiet hum.

Nothing is said for a moment, but when Lloyd begins to question if Garmadon heard him, he speaks, “I have not told you the reason why I am here.” 

The engine roars and the rain thumping on the roof makes up for Garmadon’s lack of speech. When the green light flickers on, telling Lloyd the thrusters and propellers have heated up, he pushes the lever, and Destiney’s Bounty takes flight. 

Walking onto the bridge, he leans on the west railing, relaxing in the warm, rainy weather. He closes his eyes to relish in the open air. This must be the first time Lloyd has been out of the Monastery in days. It brings respite from the memories of last week(and the fact that Garmadon is behind him).

Lloyd turns around when more than 3 minutes of silence passes. A troubled look covers Garmadon’s face, and Lloyd waits patiently to hear what the Oni has to say.

Garmadon haltingly opens and closes his mouth, his facial features show more conflict as the seconds pass. In an instant, he resolutely faces Lloyd. “I am here to make sure you do not fall.”

Lloyd’s eyebrows pinch, and his hand on the rail tightens. He turns back to lean on the rail and tilts his head to get a good look at how far high they are. He gazes deeply at the realm beneath him. It is a beautiful sight of greenery being clouded by the rising fog. Lloyd reaches out for it, almost like he’s in a trance. He can touch it if he wants to, but for whatever reason, his hand halts and slowly recoils back. He doesn’t want to lean too far out and endanger himself for some childish act. Lloyd's attention stays transfixed on the ground. 

“Fall? You think I could fall?” He chastises in feigning smugness.

Lloyd knows Garmadon just wants to protect him, but why? Has he truly had a change of heart? This must be a part of his recovery to heal his divided soul, and Lloyd hopes to help him get there–but it's that terrible feeling that gnaws on his fingers, keeping him from reaching out to assure. Something is restraining him from seeing Garmadon fulfilled, and a part of him knows what it is, but Lloyd himself chooses not to confront it.

“What is it that you want from this journey across the Island?” He spits out the sour that's been burning his tongue for so long, “A chance to reconcile? Well, I assure you, my decision has been made long ago. So there is no point in trying.”

Why is he so angry? So bitter? This isn’t like him, not at all. Lloyd responds with love, giving everyone, no matter what they have done, another chance to live life under creation. Lloyd is the harbinger of light, a guide to the right path towards salvation. Rejection isn’t a part of his slogan.

The kami of wind calls out once again, “Bring forth the embodiment of life upon evil…your existence depends on it.”

‘And so it does.’

Terror strikes him in the chest–that stabbing pain, drilling through his heart, his soul. It brings him to the ground, taunting him with his divided mind. It hurts..it hurts to see the man he once saw as his father being rejected from achieving his recovery. The pain settles deep within him, forcing out a thought he wishes isn’t true. 

He wants Garmadon to feel what I felt if only a fraction. He wishes for Garmadon to suffer through the hate and harm he had to go through. Through years of torment and pain inflicted on him just for doing what’s right. Watching his brother(s) become a “fatality”. Knowing everything that leads to the present was created in a void of destruction and darkness, a place he opens the doors to so the demons can take freedom in the now-diminishing light. 

To feel the pain spread through his body, devouring every right of control. 

“This is why I am here.” A deep rumble emits from Garmadon’s chest, a purr. His arms wrap around the fallen Ninja, and Lloyd can’t help but go limp into the hug. He can feel the wind on his face, and Garmadon’s claws moving through his hair. For someone so wrong, he didn’t think Garmadon was capable of this…of comfort. 

“I know I’ve promised I could never hurt you,” Garmadon murmurs in a hushful manner, “and I apologize for lying to you all those years ago. This is my apology in advance: harm and pain will forever come our way, severing us from a life of peace.”

Thunder roars in the distance, and Lloyd hides his face in Garmadon’s arms. He yearns for this. A place in time where they aren’t trying to defeat each other. Lloyd cannot tell if it's his sobs or the thrumming rain washing his face with salt, but he supposes it doesn’t matter. It’s all the same, giving off an equal effect that seeps through his clothes, sticking to his skin like glue.

“I promise endless apologies of peace; no matter your declarations of rejection, I know you have not given up on me, and I will not give up on you.

I desire to protect you from falling into melancholia. That is why I am here. I do not want to see you fall.”

Maybe Garmadon has felt this feeling before. Has he gone through paths of torment and pain? Lloyd knows nothing of Garmadon's upbringing, aside from a few stories here and there, but other than that? Nothing. He doesn't know all the hopeful adventures, harsh challenges, or wanderlust nights Garmadon has been through. Lloyd doesn't truly know how Garmadon's upbringing developed his perspective. 

Such a concept crashes down on Lloyd and those thoughts of gnossienne expand his insular mind. He has no right to have an opinion about Garmadon. So, to believe only himself to drown in this hurt is extremely selfish.

“I'm so sorry,” Lloyd plaintively cries. 

The claws in Lloyd's hair freezes, and the soft purr wears off. Lloyd can't help but tense, and he is too afraid to look up upon the Oni's face. 

As soon as the motions stop, they start again with Garmadon twirling a lock of Lloyd's hair with his claw. “You have no reason to apologize. You only done minimal wrong–to me, at least.”

Before Lloyd can reply, the sound of metal clanking makes him jump. He faces the east-side deck and a hook is attached to the railing. Lloyd wipes his tears (even though that doesn’t do much to dry his face), and slowly gets out of the hug wishing Garmadon’s warmth doesn’t leave him in this cooling rain. 

Both of them get up. Lloyd walks aimlessly to the end of the bridge. 

“I do not advise.”

Lloyd’s halts and his head slightly pivoting to the sound of Garmadon’s warning. However, the advice does not dissuade him. He jumps down to the deck, landing as a feather, and warily stalks up the hook. Lloyd can assume something, or someone is climbing up to the Bounty. Power accumulates in the palm of his hand, ready for every and all attacks that may come forth.

“Lloyd.” Garmadon rivets.

The Ninja swiftly turns his head, and the Oni’s violet eyes pierce through the rain and fog, his hands are folded behind his back, and he stands on the bridge hauntingly. “Your hand.”

Confused, he looks at his hand, which is concealed by a purple blaze that brings fright to Lloyd's senses. He yelps and shakes his hand, hoping the power will be whisked away like fire.

In the midst of Lloyd's panic, a figure surges upward, making the skillful Ninja jump back. 

‘Very unprofessional, Lloyd.’

He dismisses this vaguely familiar voice and rolls back into a fighting stance. When he looks up, a man in red smirks back at him. That is when Lloyd realizes who this is. Before he can cry in excitement, Kai–the master of fire–bullets down in steaming fire–bulldozing Lloyd right to the ground.

They slide across the deck while hugging and laughing the whole way. 

“Green Bean!” Kai boisterously exclaims, squeezing Lloyd tighter.

Lloyd struggles to get out of the hug–not because he doesn't like it, but because he's suffocating.“I can't-,” he wheezes, “Kai, I can't breathe.”

Hesitantly, Kai lets go, and Lloyd lets in a deep breath. The slide drenched his gi, and Lloyd now shivers from the wind hitting his body. Kai’s hand stretches out to Lloyd, and he clasps his own with his brother’s to pull himself up.

“Let's get out of the rain, yeah?” Kai muses, leading Lloyd through the entry to the main hall, and into the kitchen. “You know, I can't stand the rain. It messes with my fabulous hair.”

Lloyd chuckles when Kai motions his hands around his messed up, ‘flat’ hair.

“Right,” he draws out, “fabulous.” 

“Hey! Come here you little booger.” Kai lunges for Lloyd's head. 

A spark of excitement flickers in his eyes, and Lloyd's smile is so bright, it should be equivalent to the golden armor. He dodges Kai and runs behind the island, shielding himself. “Just because your hair is screwed doesn't mean you can ruin mine!” He exclaims mirthfully.

“Whatever you say, booger,” Kai gushes.

Lloyd gasps, offended at the nickname. He can see Kai smirking at his reaction, and Lloyd can't help but roll his eyes–still, a playful smile is present on his face.

Lloyd tries to escape, but the fire Ninja quickly blocks him from running. At this point, they are playing a game of cat and mouse, circling the island until one of them makes a break for it. 

The younger dwells on the fact Kai is finally with him. His sworn brother is back on the Bounty, ready to protect him at all costs–well, at least he hopes so (you never know what changes). It's like all of Lloyd's feelings of depression and loneliness disappear in the presence of a family member. However, he knows these emotions will continue to fester–even if restrained by joy. Though, for now, Lloyd decides to stay in the present with Kai, one of the people that inflicts happiness upon him.

Lloyd sprints for the exit onto the deck, but unfortunately for his hair, his brother catches him. 

He squeals and Kai locks Lloyd's neck under his armpit and ruffles his damp hair. The Green Ninja tries to pull away but he is utterly stuck. “Kai,” he whines, miffed. Lloyd thinks about biting Kai’s arm, but he can see dirt sticking to his wet clothes from the slide.

“Hey…I know what you're thinking.” Slowly, Kai moves his arms away from Lloyd's face.

Lloyd snickers.

“Please don't bite my arm.” he lets go of Lloyd. 

The youngest shivers, he didn't know how cold he was until Kai's heat moved away from him.

Kai appears to take notice, “We should change. Don't want you to catch a cold.” 

Lloyd lets out a short laugh, “I never get sick.” he chides. 

Kai eyes him, smugly.

Okay, maybe that was a lie. He was sick about a week ago, but that was because of something else. Something he still hadn't got the answers for. Like, how? The thought still creeps him out. How did Lloyd get poisoned? Was the poison the reason for his delusions? If Lloyd remembers correctly, there were a lot of anomalies that took place during that night. Which made him panic. Hearing the Kami of Winds (after a bit of thinking and reading after the incident, Lloyd assumed it was the Kami) really startled him. 

“What's with the frown?” Kai looks at him worryingly. He places a hand on Lloyd's arm. “What's on your mind?”

He sighs. It wouldn't be a good idea to spill, especially about his own problems. “It's nothing.” He replies meekly. His wet gi lays very uncomfortably on his skin. It would be nice to change.

He steps away from Kai’s grasp and walks onto the deck, heading for the other side where the stairs go below. Lloyd can feel Kai’s stare burn onto his head. He tries not to think about the fact that he lied to his brother–again. He supposes nothing good nor bad has changed from before.

A hand on his shoulder yanks him back, and Lloyd's eyes widen. He is met with Kai's steely glare. Lloyds voice quivers, “Kai–” Thunder rumbles in the distance, and Lloyd jumps. Panic seeps into his mind. He will hate himself if Kai is mad at him.

The fire Ninja's eyes soften. “Lloyd,” Kai's hand relaxes and slides off his shoulder, “I got your back, remember? You can tell me anything.” He says softly.

Lloyd smiles at him appreciably. “Thanks, Kai.” Still, he says nothing. It's too much of a burden, and he won't let Kai hold onto it. “Can we…go inside now?” He tentatively asks. “The rain is starting to bother me.”  

A pained expression washes onto Kai's face, and Lloyd can't help but feel bad, even if it is for his own good. 

“Yeah,” he agrees quietly. A grin cracks his face, “Let's go, Boogers.” 

Lloyd rolls his eyes, “Don't call me that.”

“What? Boogers?” Kai teases, throwing an arm over Lloyd's shoulders. 

They walk down the steps and eventually make it to their cabin. They split off to their bunks, opening the drawers beneath the beds.

Lloyd skimmers through his own, moving spare clothes around in hopes of finding something more comfortable. If this “Souls of Lost Redemption” threat becomes a big thing, Lloyd will need to order the team new gi's–per tradition. 

He finds green sweatpants and a hoodie and picks out a white shirt and new undergarments to switch into. 

He hears Kai shuffling, then opening the door, “if you need anything, I'll be on the deck.” 

Lloyd nods in acknowledgment. When his brother shuts the door, he begins changing out his wet gi. The cloth sticks to his skin, and Lloyd can't help but let out a disgusted whine. He opts to take a shower, but he doesn't want to miss Cole's welcome. So he quickly switches out and into dry clothes, hastily making his way out to the deck. 

Lloyd covers his face with his hand, the setting sun almost blinding him. He tries to walk but instead, Lloyd slips and falls on the icy floor. He yelps.

“Lloyd,” he hears Kai stifle a laugh. “I thought it was summer,” he quips. Kai grabs Lloyd's arm and pulls him up. 

“It is,” Lloyd deadpans, irked. He watches the snow slowly fall into Kai's hair, and the rays of the descending sun bring an air of expectancy. “We should be at Nom in less than an hour.” 

Kai nods. “In the meantime, let's play a little game of cards, yeah?”

The sky is dark, and the snow and ice were left behind. The two brothers wait for Cole's arrival.

Lloyd notices Kai's anxious shuffling, and he knows what it's all about. He smirks, “Nervous?”

Kai smiles awkwardly, “Nervous? Why would I be nervous!? It's just Cole!”

“Right,” he draws out, “just Cole.” Lloyd snickers, smirking to himself.

In the horizon, where the earth itself comes apart in deep crevasses, moving away from each other and jutting to the sky; a figure of a man rides above stone and clay. Once he moves from one mass of rock to another, the land fixes itself, coming together perfectly like puzzle pieces.

“Huh, that's abnormal,” Lloyd remarks.

The figure disappears with the severed rock, and the Bounty shakes with a heavy thud. Lloyd's hands tighten on the rail in order not to tip. The ship rocks from side to side. This is the feeling of an earthquake in mid-air.

The anchor chain rattles, and Lloyd observes Kai's eyes light up. As they see a hand come in contact with the rail, the two ninjas back up. Cole–the master of earth–climbs over the Bounty's railing, landing and standing proud.

Lloyd rushes up to him, tackling him into a hug. “Dude, your beard!”

Cole chuckles, sheepishly rubbing his facial hair with his hand.

“You look like you're a father of two!” 

Cole bursts out laughing at Lloyd's comment, “Maybe one day.”

Lloyd lets go, and as he does, he catches sight of Kai's longing gaze on Cole. He has yet to walk up to him.

Cole calms down from his laughter, and Lloyd watches as Cole's eyes land on Kai. 

“Hey, Cole.” Kai greets gently.

“Hey, Kai.” 

Lloyd slowly shuffles away. A grin written on his face, I'll leave them to it.

Following the stairs to the bridge, Lloyd submerges in the feeling of contentment–something he rarely felt when he was younger,(even now. He deems that never went away) before he met the Ninja. He turns on the main computer and Lloyd looks for a course to the ruins of Stiix. 

“What makes them so special?” 

The sound of Garmadon's emanating voice makes Lloyd jump. He completely forgot he was here. “Where were you? Don't tell me you were just hiding in the shadows–.” 

The Oni growls, “Answer the question.” 

Lloyd is very annoyed by Garmadon’s sudden appearance. Still, the Yōkai appears to be very assertive, and Lloyd himself is quite surprised by his interest in what makes his family so special. “Well…there's nothing that makes us so special than anyone else. The people of this Realm have different skills and powers, but that doesn't define who we really are. That doesn't make us special. You know?” Lloyd tried to make a speech that would make sense, but he ended up wincing at the end of it. He runs a hand through his hair, shyly smiling at Garmadon.

He stares at him blankly. “What makes the Ninja so special to you?” He urges. 

Ohh.  

That is an easy question for Lloyd to answer, but it shouldn't be. Maybe there is something more in their bond. The Ninja hung out together, ate together, and lived together. They fought for one another, sacrificed themselves for one another–and Lloyd hopes the Ninja will stand by this too–they would die for one another. 

Lloyd can trust them. 

‘but you trust too easily.’

There has to be something more. Being together all the time is nothing. He could play, eat, and live with anyone. Lloyd fights for the greater good of the Realm, he sacrifices himself for the greater good of the Realm, and Lloyd knows he would die for the greater good of the Realm. 

It's all because Lloyd cares. He cares for this Realm and the people in it. He cares for his friends–his family. He even cares for the monsters that still lurk in the dark. 

‘The Overlord? The Omega? Garmadon? You care too much.’

He has compassion for anything that has feelings(even plants). So trust and care can't be why the Ninja are so special to him, but it is a factor. 

Lloyd knows the Ninja. He knows how they feel, how they fight, and what their favourite things are. First Master, he could say he knows them more than they know about themselves. He can thank their history together for that. So, maybe that's it. Their bond and their history. It's that or nothing.

‘The answer is more intense than compassionate drives, much deeper than unyielding trust. It is the root of life itself. Love.’

A seed injects itself into Lloyd's mind. Somehow blooming into a singular word that makes so much sense to him. What is the most powerful force of all? “My love for them.” Lloyd quietly answers. 

“That’s generic.” Garmadon retorts.

Lloyd looks up, staring right into his eyes, “but it's the truth.”

Garmadon hums, “Would you betray them for this Realm?” 

Lloyd wants to say no, but he is stunned. He feels like he would(he feels like he did, at some point), but he doesn't want to dwell on why.

“You have before. You betrayed their very trust…in you. All because you didn't agree with them.” he murmurs the last part.

The moon's glimmering shine doesn't do much, the bridge darkens with each threatening step Garmadon takes towards Lloyd. 

He steps back. Fear festers in Lloyd's stomach, curdling and weighting down in him like stone. 

“Clearly, you do not love them enough to care about how they felt during that time. The Ninja must not be as special to you as you think.”

Lloyd can't read Garmadon’s eyes. What is he trying to get at?

Hitting the control panel, he grips at the front. Anger bubbling at the stones of fear. “They are special to me.” He sharply mutters. 

“Are you special to them?”

“I-!” His anger vanishes. What is left is fear and a soft flow of sadness. His grip on the panel relaxes, and his arms fall to his sides. “What are you trying to get at?” He gazes into the floor.

Garmadon doesn't speak for a while. 

Lloyd is going to suffocate. 

“I am…,” he begins, pausing, probably thinking of his wording. “I am trying to understand you.”

Lloyd furrows his brows in his confusion. “Why?” He can think of many reasons, none better than the last.

Garmadon nods. “Your thought process…indulges me.”

That sentence garners Lloyd's attention from the floor. He hopes Garmadon will elaborate. 

“You're selfish.”

Before Lloyd can interject, Garmadon continues, “You say you love them, but you don't care about how they feel.”

“Yes, I do!” Lloyd argues. 

“What happened before the control room?”

The control room . That's where the fight happened. Lloyd shuts his eyes tightly. He doesn't want to think about it, not now while Kai and Cole are near. 

“Lloyd,” Garmadon's stern voice pushes, “what happened before.”

“I-” Lloyd chokes on unshed tears, “I left everyone to find you.”

“Why?”

“Because I thought I could do it alone!” Tears fall down from his eyes, so he wipes them away with his hands.

“You didn't think about how the others felt?”

It isn't a question, not to Lloyd. He knew what he did. He just–he just didn't think the others were too worried. What happened to their high hopes?

“You should think about it.”

The night's glow breaks free from the unnatural dark that surrounded the main computer and bridge. Lloyd is left recovering from Garmadon's harsh accusations.

He tries not to think about the control room in an effort to hold in his sobs. He turns his heel to pace in the room, breathing in and out in a rhythmic way. Lloyd thinks about the good memories with his team, and about his upcoming future with them, but it only gives him the desire to cry more. 

Lloyd tiredly sets course for Stiix.

He doesn't know what to do. The talk with Garmadon completely wore him out, as most talks with him do. Lloyd supposes he could just think about it like the Yōkai said, but he's so tired . He wants to fall asleep and never wake up(some nights he really believes this sentiment). 

Instead, he thinks about that shower he wanted to take earlier. He has enough energy for that.

Trailing down the steps, he hears laughter in the distance. Lloyd smiles to himself. He's glad he is not alone anymore. Seeing them leaning on the rail, he makes a quick detour, walking over to the pair. Kai notices him first.

“Lloyd!” He moves to the side, letting the younger squeeze in between the two. “There's my favourite little man!” he ruffles Lloyd's hair with one hand, and with the other, he holds a beer bottle over the rail. 

Lloyd's head twitches away from Kai's hand.

“What were you doing?” Cole asks, taking a swig of his own beverage of beer.

“Setting a course to Stiix.” he succinctly replies. Technically, he isn't lying.

They don't speak for a moment.

“That took an awfully long time,” Kai warily searches Lloyd’s face with his eyes. 

“Oh, you know,” he shrugs, “technical difficulties. It was bound to happen at some point.” Now he was lying.

Kai nods, hopefully believing the information. He sips his beer.

“Pfft–I don't even bother with the computer.” Cole rolls his eyes, grinning.

Kai cracks a smile, “We know Cole, we know.”

Lloyd giggles.

“Rude…but fair.” 

The trio gazes into the sky. 

“You see that?” Cole points up. He nudges Lloyd.

“Huh?” His eyes trail Cole's finger to the stars above. “Is that a snake?”

Cole snorts, “What? No. It's a horse.”

Kai bursts out into giggles.

Cole grins, “What's so funny, Hotstuff?”

He stifles his laughter. “Nothin’.”

Cole rests his arm on Lloyd's shoulder, “So, meet any girls?” He takes a drink out of his beverage.

Kai bursts out into an even less controlled fit of laughter. Lloyd can't help but chuckle, his mind immediately going to that soft-spoken robber he met almost a week ago. 

“Ahh, here we are.” Cole pokes Lloyd's cheek. “You're blushing.”

Lloyd gawks, placing a hand where Cole had poked him.

“Wait–are you being serious!?” Kai leans on the rail to get a good look on Lloyd's face. “You are!” He fervently exclaims.

Lloyd shakes his head, softly smiling. “It’s not what you think.” He shrugs Cole's arm away and steps back a bit, somewhat uncomfortable around this subject.

“How did you meet her?” Kai looks at him expectantly, excitement clear in his eyes. 

Lloyd softens at that. The thing is, Lloyd worries that Kai won't get what he's looking for. He knows Kai has always been concerned about Lloyd’s feelings of seeing everyone in the group active and him being alone.

He moves forward to lean on the rail. He watches as the clouds part around the Bounty. That vague sadness washes over him, causing him to be rather confused about its appearance, but more disappointed that it is back. It is a heavy burden on his soul, worse so on his mind. Depression’s dark tendrils have restrained him from finding satisfaction after a happy moment, and it often leaves him frustrated in himself.

“Well?” Kai reiterates, not quite grasping Lloyd’s mood shift.

Lloyd supposes that's alright, Kai isn’t as attentive as he or Zane, especially not while drunk off of beer. He eyes it, distaste and disgusted. No amount of alcohol of that kind will ever enter his body. Never again. (He remembers the taste on his tongue, and it lingered like a sickness plaguing his system, stretching his consciousness thin, away from awareness.)

Lloyd furrows his eyebrows, conflicted. He usually wouldn’t say anything about his (non-existent) love life; it isn’t like Lloyd has a crush on that certain robber. It’s just the way he spoke to Lloyd…it’s…it’s…

Infatuation, at best. Nothing more, perhaps less.

Kai means well; he would never pressure Lloyd on purpose, especially if it was just for his entertainment. He only wants to know if Lloyd is suited for someone. “Well…this is going to sound a bit weird, so bare with me.” 

Lloyd’s eyes look up to the stars, recalling what happened that afternoon. “So, basically, three people tried to rob the Monastery archives–and mind you, it was sometime in the afternoon–,”

“So in broad daylight,” Cole remarks.

“Yeah,” Lloyd affirms.

“That's stupid,” Cole concludes.

Lloyd snorts at that. “I know, right?” Thinking back, he realizes the ridiculousness of that situation.

“Spill the beans!” Kai shakes his shoulders.

“Okay! Okay!” Lloyd swats him away. “So, there was this guy, and he was flirting with me.” He averts his gaze from the stars to see their reactions.

Cole motions him to continue.

Lloyd shakes his head, “No, that was it.” Lloyd drums his fingers on the rail.

“Hold up.” 

“I'm so confu–.”

“You're gay!?” Kai rudely interrupts Cole with a baffled look on his face.

“Kai–I was getting there. But, anyway, you're gay?”

Lloyd’s confusion must shown itself on his face, for Cole and Kai fall away from that conversation. Lloyd just doesn’t understand how a guy flirting with him leads Lloyd to become a man loving other men, and he wouldn’t lie if he said he was a little bit offended at their conclusion. He had his share of female crushes, Lloyd only blushed because of–

How the robber spoke to him. It..it was…Lloyd just never really thought about it. “I'll eat whatever I can catch.” He glances at Kai when he makes a noise.

His mouth opens and closes, and he hesitates to speak, eyes averting in thought. Finally, he has come to this, “Honestly man, I'm going to need another beer for this.” Kai strolls back into the kitchen, leaving the other two alone.

“So, uh,” Cole clears his throat, “have you told anyone else…?”

“No. It’s infatuation, that's all. Nothing more, perhaps less.” Lloyd shrugs his shoulders in faux nonchalance.

Cole nods, not saying another word. But Lloyd can see a small smirk forming on his lips.

He looks back to Kai coming out with two more beers. 

“I'm going to head to bed.” He announces, changing pace in the conversation.

“Aw, but the party just started!” Cole hollers while Kai hands him the other beer. 

“Sorry,” he apologizes, guilt worming its way into his heart, “had a long day.”

“That's understandable, go get your beauty rest,” Kai waves him off as if teasing him.

“Goodnight,” Cole acquiesces.

“Night, boogers!” Kai yells.

Lloyd rolls his eyes, a small chuckle escaping him, “Night. And when I wake up I better see that beard gone, Cole!” He hollers, snickering on his way down.

“Aw come on! What…”

Cole’s voice trails away. Lloyd still has a little bit more energy for a quick shower, wanting to be fresh to see Nya.

Chapter Text

June 19, Monday. 2:00 AM

Lloyd tightens his hold on his pillow, slowly drifting away from his sleep by turbulence(so what he assumes). He doesn’t want to wake up and feel the nervous excitement flow through his course. The thought of Nya coming home could bring a smile to his face, but Lloyd is so tired. If he could sleep for the rest of eternity–he will. The deep sense of gratification for sleep nearly lulls him, but a tingling sensation boars through his skin. 

His fingers twitch at the thought of someone watching him. Logically, it must be his fixation, because who would watch him while he slept? A sense of uneasiness creeps into his mind, and suddenly the atmosphere darkens into something sinister. 

Lloyd wishes he could go back to sleep, and maybe he will. 

Debating on the most natural way to go about this, Lloyd slowly turns around, acting as if he has just woken up. The sight before him makes him scream, jolting up–banging his head on the roof of his bunk–then passing out.

Each shimmer of the future flashes before Lloyd’s eyes as he walks through the crystal blue labyrinth. He feels like he’s been here before, but the sense of deja vu doesn’t comfort him. The air is very still, giving off an uncanny aura that begins to suffocate. 

With each step deeper into the maze, a heavy fog rolls in, taking the place of the crystalline structure that used to surround him. Lloyd loses his sense of gravity, seemingly floating through an abyss of a forgotten future.

Whispers here and there, filling Lloyd’s ears with the sounds of their unfulfilled prayers, as if tiny changes in the wind could have prompted destiny on a different path. There was a gust so strong that entered Lloyd’s lungs, and even that couldn’t move the carved stone that sat on the pedestal of glory.

Lloyd bumps into a glinting wall that sparkles with the indication of a dreadful dream. In the mirror, he sees himself weeping at the end of a dock. The shine that his usual self brings is stripped away, leaving him as an empty life with the means of nothingness. In the vast horizon, the sunset doesn't emit the shades of bright colors–for the hour is blue–in more ways than one. The dull ocean weaves with the tears of his soul. 

Is this what his sacrifice to the realm leads to? Lloyd went through suffering, torment, and depression, only to end up with nothing but his soul drowning in the void of darkness. His existence means nothing to the life of this realm; he has been forgotten since the primordial. 

Lloyd is concerned about what the future has to bring. The feeling of a thousand prayers–his unfulfilled prayers–brings weight to him, and Lloyd wishes one of them to be fulfilled, hopefully changing the cruel fate destiny has given him. The fog enters his lungs, and he suffocates in the dead air. He goes back, floating through the abyss of his forgotten future.

Lloyd is rudely woken up by harsh shaking–however, this time Lloyd feels a pair of claws digging into his comforter. Lloyd groans, tearing his eyes open from the immense pain in his head. “Garmadon,” Lloyd winces at his pounding head, “please just stop. I’m up!” he whines, straining his voice to speak.

Garmadon thankfully stops his persistent shaking. He sits down beside Lloyd’s bunk.

Lloyd's eyes flutter shut; tiredness bringing him down. He can hear Cole’s raucous snores, and it surprises him that it isn’t the thing that woke him up.

(In his deep sleep, he swore he heard Garmadon cackling–the audacity that man has).

He feels a sharp edge poke his cheek. Lloyd opens his eyes and glares at the other’s claw. “What do you want.” he scorns bitterly, albeit quietly.

“Many things, some of which I cannot have.” He replies smugly.

Lloyd turns over, deciding not to deal with this. He pulls the covers over his head.

“Specifically, there are many things I want from you.”

Lloyd hums, “And what’s that?”

“Like I said, many things,”

Before Lloyd can scoff, Garmadon continues.

“Too many to say without tea.”

Lloyd pulls the blanket off his head. He turns back around, somewhat confused. “Tea?”

Garmadon nods. “When was the last time you ate?” He asks with critical eyes.

Lloyd pales. Thankfully Garmadon can't see it in the darkness of the night (unless he had night vision–which wouldn't surprise him). “Uh, not too long ago.” 

Truth be told, it's not like he has a problem with purposefully not eating. He just forgets . A little too often for Lloyd's comfort. He guesses the good thing about this is he doesn't feel hunger…that's a lie, he just doesn't associate the emptiness in his stomach with hunger. Whatever! As long as he isn't dead!

“You're an adult and still can't fend for yourself?” Garmadon questions, exasperated.

Lloyd’s eyebrows furrow, completely taken aback. “Who are you to talk?” He hisses, “You literally have to depend on Vinny–,” 

Before Lloyd can continue, Garmadon takes him by the neck of his shirt and drags him out of bed. 

“Let’s go get tea.” With that, Garmadon leaves the cabin in a swift.

Lloyd is left lying with half his body on the floor and half still on the bed, with the comforters somewhat spewed over him. Has he gone too far with that comment? It is true, but so is the fact Lloyd can’t ‘allegedly’ fend for himself. These last few months without everyone have been hell, and Lloyd can't say he hasn’t gone a few days without drinking water, exercising, or even brushing his teeth daily.

Absurd, right? It’s just…Lloyd doesn’t have the motivation to get up and be productive, but he hates feeling like a waste at the same time. If he could get up, right now, drink some tea, and maybe have a little snack…

That’ll be enough for him.

So with a deep sigh, he pushes himself off the floor. He grabs the blanket, drapes it over his shoulders, and puts on his slides. He moves to the door–.

“Lloyd?”

He stops, hand on the knob. He tilts his head back slowly as if being caught doing something naughty. He smiles awkwardly, “Hey Kai.”

Kai squints his eyes at him, not saying anything as of now.

Lloyd shuffles under his gaze. He must be scrutinizing him, and Lloyd hopes Kai doesn’t decide to go with him because he might set the whole kitchen ablaze once he sees Garmadon.

“What are you doing?” He asks, voice slurred with sleep.

Lloyd’s mind is blank momentarily, and he scrambles to think of something. “Um, I was…I was gonna go eat.” 

Kai doesn’t say anything for the moment, Lloyd can basically see his thoughts churning in his head. Technically, it isn’t a lie–at least not anymore. Saying it out loud has his stomach grumbling.

At last, Kai’s face softens, “You didn’t eat anything last night, did you?”

He shakes his head, not responding out of fear of criticism.

Kai’s head lowers back onto his pillow, “Bring me back some Tylenol,” he mumbles, “I have a killer headache.”

Lloyd’s lips curl into a soft smile, “Of course.”

He steps out of the cabin, closing the door behind him.

Making his way through the hall and up the stairs, he tugs on the blanket closer to his chest; he wishes he was back in the comfort of his bed. Is this really necessary? The cool nightly wind softly blows through his hair like a gesture for encouragement. 

Outside, Lloyd strays away from the path to the kitchen, mostly due to his curiosity. He leans on the rail, and fog dances above the Styx sea. For whatever reason, the ship is getting very close to the body of water–closer than normal. Hopefully, the Bounty isn't…well, gradually sailing down–that would be a way to put it. Crashing into the sea isn't on Lloyd's seasonal bingo card. 

Lloyd shivers at that thought. “That would be terrifying,” he murmurs. He backs away, a tad bit paranoid.

Entering the kitchen, he sees Garmadon cooking over the stove. On the island, two cups of tea are steaming. Lloyd pulls the blanket from his shoulders to pool over his lap and legs once he sits down on a stool. 

He sits and brings one of the cups towards him. The liquid is a clear goldish-orange color. He glances up for Garmadon, making sure he won't turn around because frankly, what he's about to do is quite embarrassing. Without a moment to lose, he sneakily sniffs the cup and whiffs up a sweet floral scent. 

Okay, that could be anything. The good thing is Lloyd didn’t smell any poison or any of the like. (Is it really his fault for not trusting Garmadon fully?) Tentatively, he brings the cup up to his mouth, taking a small sip to not burn his tongue. “Mmh!” He winces at the small burn going down his throat.

“Be careful,” Garmadon warns. He places a plate of food down. Vegetables and meat, surrounded by rice, and all wrapped together in place by seaweed.

Garmadon sits next to him, already digging in.

Lloyd takes his chopsticks and pokes around at the food, not exactly knowing what it is. It looks like sushi, but this is cooked meat and fish in the center. It’s also not cold.

“Gimbap.” The other comments with a mouthful of it.

He must have sensed Lloyd’s hesitation. He nods, “Oh.” Still, Lloyd doesn't partake in eating. 

There’s something that tugs in the back of his mind. He can’t quite remember, but he feels like it’s right under his fingertips. Like a forgotten dream, of sorts.

“You're not eating.” Garmadon heavily sets down his chopsticks. “I didn't think you were still a picky eater. I assumed you grew out of it.” He gets up, ready to take Lloyd's plate.

“Picky eater? I was never a picky eater!” He scowls, offended. Lloyd shoves his hand away.

Garmadon hums, “Yes you were. When you were a baby, you didn't enjoy soft or liquid foods. Particularly peas.”

Lloyd grimaces in disgust at the thought of eating those. Then it hits him, “Wait–you remember when I was little!?” 

Excitement pulses throughout his body. This is his chance to learn more about Garmadon's past! 

He nods, “Mostly unpleasant memories, from a time when I was a teen to a young adult.”

“Oh.” Disappointment feeds on his excitement.

He looks at the Gimbap. Would Garmadon even want him to know about his darkest times? He plucks one in his mouth. The sweet and light flavour erupts on his tongue–almost making him drool for more. 

He won't lie, Garmadon was always a great cook.

“Can you…tell me a little bit about it?” he shyly glances at the Yōkai.

Garmadon stares blankly at his empty plate.

Yep, he was right. What type of person would willingly talk about bad stuff that happened to them?

Garmadon turns to him, “I suppose I can. In return, you must answer a question of mine.”

Lloyd aggressively nods, a smile spreading on his face.

Garmadon chuckles, probably at Lloyd's antics. “I wish I had that reaction to my recurring memories.”

Lloyd's smile weakens. Was it really that bad?

“The time was a few decades after I got bitten. I was camping on one of my adventures with Wu and Father–since we weren’t old enough to go on our own. We were arguing about our money supply while Father was gone.”

Lloyd furrows his brows, trying to picture the setting.

Garmadon sighs, “It would be better if I just show you.”

“Huh?”

At that moment, Garmadon's claw taps on Lloyd's forehead. Suddenly, a veil of mist covers his eyes, immersing him in the past.

“I cannot believe you! You just spent all our savings on a poorly made haori!” 

The fire roared, blocking Garmadon's view of his brother. He scoffed, standing up to meet his younger brother's eyes. “Says you! You spent half of our savings on Bua Loy!”

“And you liked it!” Wu snarled, fists clenched.

Garmadon took notice of Wu's rising anger. If they kept going like this, Wu might actually try to kill him. He sighed exasperatingly, rubbing his hands over his face, “It is not about me liking it–nor wanting it–but the problem has to do with what we spend our money on.” 

Garmadon watched as Wu fell back into the dirt, a sullen look on his face.

He sat down as well, not needing to look like a father reprimanding his child.

He stared into the fire, it danced under the empty dark sky. Garmadon can't help but feel a little guilt. He hated being the responsible one. If he could, Garmadon would spend all his Nen Coins on clothes and food, he'd buy his way into political meetings and raunchy clubs, he'd get everything–then start bragging about it.

However, this mission is very important to their family name, and they can't be spending their savings willy-nilly. 

Garmadon sighed, “I will admit,” he began, sitting straighter, “It is partially my fault we do not have Nen–”

“Yes, it is.” Wu huffed, agreeing.

Garmadon took a deep breath. He tried not to get aggravated by his brother's incompetence. “However, it is yours too.” 

He watched as Wu shifted uncomfortably. 

Garmadon stared at him with expectancy.

“W-well,” Wu stuttered.

“Well?” Garmadon raises an eyebrow. He smirked, feeling a victory in this argument.

Wu said nothing. He picked up stray sticks around him and threw them into the fire.

The fire rose. An amber spark landed on Garmadon's face. 

“Stop that.” he addressed Wu. Garmadon rubbed his nose and glared at the fire as if it was the one who attacked him. In hindsight, it did. But Garmadon knew Wu’s potential.

Wu shook his head, “stop what?” He continued to throw rocks and sticks into the fire.

Garmadon rolled his eyes. He considered his word choices, if Wu was going to be mean, he would be too. “Stop acting dumb. You know what you're doing.”

Wu gritted his teeth. “I'm not doing anything!” He huffed. “and why would I be acting dumb if you are right there?”

“Says the one who claims he can experience the future while dreaming.” Garmadon retorted.

Wu bristled, “No, I can! I literally can!” He urged frantically.

“Sure you can.” Garmadon drew his words out while he pretended to agree.

His brother spoke is words slowly. “I. Am not. Dumb.” 

“Yes. You are.” He mocked, annoyed.

“Nuh-uh. Because if I was I would have got bitten by the snake.”

It was like the world halted. The birds paused mid-air, crickets were silent, and the blazing fire stilled.

Garmadon wasn’t the type to be quick to anger, but the way Wu said it as if it wasn't his fault; it made Garmadon’s blood boil. “So you’re weak, then,” he seethed, finally speaking up, “you love to cause problems, but too scared for the consequences.”

Wu gasped, “Not true! I’m always the one getting in trouble by fixing your problems!”

“My problems?!” Garmadon yelled, face flushed. He stood up, the fire cackled at its audience. “You’re the one that lost the katana and was too much of a coward to go get it!” 

The words seemed to settle in, for both Garmadon and his brother. Well, at some point it needed to be said.

His brother froze, and Garmadon could practically see the anguish in his eyes. 

Wu shook his head, and sorrow turned into anger. He threw a rock at him with tears forming in his eyes, “Leave!” He found another rock of formidable size and chucked it at Garmadon’s head. “Leave and I hope you never come back!”

He dodged, confused but mostly upset about what he had just heard, “You cannot say that casually!”

Wu threw another rock, “Boo-hoo, I just did.” 

Garmadon rolled his eyes, catching one of the rocks and flinging it to the fire. He began to walk away.

“Where are you going!?” Wu called behind him.

He whirled back, hands in the air. “I'm leaving, aren’t I!” 

Wu shifted. It almost seemed like he was going to get up. “Where!?”

“None of your business!” Garmadon shouted back and turned away.

“I hope every time you walk your feet trip on thin air!”

Garmadon kept going. 

He just needed space that wasn’t contaminated by Wu’s breathing. Like, who did this guy think he was? Some prophesied savior? Well, Garmadon knew. Wu’s a coward, and he will be a precursor of disaster if he keeps up this ‘hero’ act.

Garmadon kicked rocks that were in his way. Wu had the nerve to blame him for all their problems as if he wasn't the one to lose the katana. Not only that, but Wu stole it in the first place! So if anything, it's his fault that Garmadon got bit.

Although, if he hadn’t gone over that wall so recklessly, there wouldn’t have been a chance for that snake to bite him. 

The more Garmadon walked, the more self-loathing overcame his anger. He didn't want to entertain these thoughts. 

He roamed the forest with his head down, so deep into his head, that he didn’t even notice where he was going until he bumped into someone.

Shaken, he looked up. “F-father!” He immediately dropped down onto the ground, bowing into the dirt. “Please forgive me!”

“Garmadon!” He sounded surprised. 

Good, good. As long as he isn’t mad, Garmadon should be okay.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

Garmadon froze. That’s right…he just kind of walked off. “I was…cooling off steam,” he replied, warily.

He didn’t respond for a moment. “Your brother, where is he?” 

“Uhh–”

“At the campsite, I presume?” he inquired.

A lump formed in his throat, causing his voice to crack, “Yes, Father.”

It was quiet for some time; Garmadon didn’t have the bravery to get up and look at his Father’s face.

“Sit up, please. I do not wish for your clothes to get dirty.” 

Garmadon stood. He sheepishly looked around at the clearing, anywhere other than his Father's eyes. 

The two of them were alone in a garden of flourishing bushes and tall trees. Little critters crawled around in the dirt, and animals of smaller sizes took fruits from plants. Currents of water flowed down paths through the greenery. Garmadon and his Father stood in the middle of it.

“Beautiful, is it not?” His Father spread out his hand and motioned to the garden.

Garmadon nodded. “The Garden is wonderful,” he said, starstruck. 

Garmadon's Father began to move. He waved Garmadon over. “Come.”

They both ambled through the garden, and soft buzzes accompanied them on this trek.

His Father spoke, “This garden is a gift for the one of the Celestial's above.”

For whatever reason, everything is more full and meaningful around his Father. Garmadon looked up at the starry night sky filled with spewed rock and stardust clusters. If he looked deep enough, perhaps he could see the bridge to the Heavenly Realm.

The two of them continued to walk in silence, Garmadon occasionally paused at the exquisite sight the garden had to offer. Gradually, his Father came to a stop.

“I know you and your brother do not get along as much, unlike how it was when you were younger,” he plucked a vibrant pink flower–a petunia–from a nearby bush. He turned (what did his face look like?) in Garmadon's direction. “Please, do not feel angered nor saddened by your brother's actions. It is the grief that controls his thoughts.” His Father tucked the Petunia in Garmadon's hair.

He frowned, “grief from what? No one we know has died.”

“Look into Wu's perspective. Feel the emotion that resides deep within him.” He lent both palms of his hand, and Garmadon placed his hand on his Father's. “Cleanse him from his guilt that devours the light he holds. Keep him from falling into despair.” 

Golden energy flew in strides from his Father's palms. The intense shine brightened the dark sky into rivers of golden shimmering light.

“Let him feel your love. There is no other way to purify than to give him your heart.” 

The morning light falls onto Lloyd’s awoken face. He couldn’t sleep much after that memory Garmadon showed him. 

It is somewhat of a shock. Uncle Wu always spoke fondly of his and his brother’s relationship. He never said anything negative about Garmadon, but at the same time, Lloyd could see the discord that separated the two of them. He always thought siblings were always kind and respectful to each other but that tiny glimpse into Garmadon’s memory proves that assumption wrong. There is so much conflict, he guesses that’s what a regular brother relationship is like. Lloyd is grateful he, Kai, and Nya don’t argue like that, of course throwing away the fact they aren’t actual siblings.

Throughout the memory, Garmadon’s thoughts poured into Lloyd’s mind. Those timely actions, the reasons behind them and the emotional reactions towards everything that came his way made everything seem so real, like he was truly there in his own body. 

The one thing Lloyd can’t get out of his mind is seeing Garmadon’s father–or his Grandfather for short. He feels so familiar, that Lloyd can’t help but feel like he felt his aura before, even though they never met. 

He squints his eyes at the bunk above his own, thinking really hard. Lloyd swears he felt his Grandfather’s aura before, but they never met—.

A sharp ache weaves through his head, making Lloyd wince. He gingerly places his hand on his forehead. It was gone as soon as it came, leaving Lloyd a bit disoriented.

Lloyd looks over to his right, where Cole and Kai were sleeping. Their empty beds dwell in his mind.

He should probably get up, he’s been lying here for a while. He can think about this later.

Two knocking sounds garner his attention to the door. Lloyd doesn't know why they aren't coming in, this is their Cabin too.

“Come in!” He shouts.

Kai opens the door. “Wh– you're not dressed yet!”

Lloyd looks down on himself. 

Kai frowns, and then his face lights up, eyes twinkling as he peers at Lloyd’s lying body. He traipses to Lloyd's bunk and then sits down next to it. “I talked to Nya on the phone,” he comments.

Lloyd nods, however, his facial expression stays the same. His mind is too filled with the memory of Garmadon’s past.

Kai continues, “I can’t exactly tell you what it is–it’ll spoil the surprise.” He smiles.

Lloyd raises a brow, intrigued.

Kai pushes his finger on his smile, saying nothing.

Lloyd sighs. Garamon has done so much wrong, but he is trying to make amends now. Can learning his past explain his actions? Does the fact that the Great Devourer bit Garmadon justify everything that he has done in evil’s name? Lloyd wants to know. Not only that but why is Garmadon so keen on helping him from “falling” into melancholia?  

Kai wouldn’t understand the complexity of his situation, or his wants for a better understanding of Garmadon. (Lloyd really hopes this isn’t some type of trauma response. That would make him feel so much worse than he already does.)

Lloyd places his feet on the floor, rising to get a good stretch. 

A weight pushes down on Lloyd’s shoulder, Kai’s hand. His unwavering smile can be quite contagious, and the surprise fills Lloyd’s thoughts with anticipation–something different from the usual apprehension.

Lloyd should get ready for Nya’s arrival. Through time, he hopes he will retrieve all his answers.

They dock onto Stiix. 

Lloyd really thought the Bounty was crashing into the sea, but it turns out it was just on course to dock. So that means their regular on-to-dot technical difficulty hasn’t made itself present yet. This would scare Lloyd, but at this point, the amount of false alarms is starting to annoy him.

Lloyd lets down the ramp from the control room, before he leaves, he locks down the computer system. If anyone even wanted to run out of here with the Destiey’s Bounty , they would have to have one of the Ninja’s fingerprints or the emergency key–which he is giving Garmadon.

“Do you promise not to run away?” He squints his eyes, scrutinizing the Yōkai. He hands over the key.

Garmadon rolls his eyes, “If I were to leave, I would have left while you and your little ninj-nerds slept.” He snatches the key from Lloyd’s hand.

“Hey!”

“Be grateful.” He turns and trails away.

Lloyd crosses his arms and scowls. Garmadon does have a point, but it's not a good one; Lloyd can't help himself from being a little weary, but he weighs down his suspicions on how easy it would be to get the Bounty back. Right, he wouldn't be too upset, just annoyed.

Lloyd's phone rings, and as he picks up the call. Kai’s shouts can be heard from the outside. “Come on! Let's go see our sister!”

He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I’ll be there in a second!”

The streets of Stiix are bustling with the young, and old, and the horrible continuous smell of wet dogs.

“Why couldn’t Nya just meet us on the Bounty?” Cole complains, covering his nose with his hand.

Kai does the same. “It smells like Cole whenever he doesn’t wash his damn Gi’s.”

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?” Cole shouts.

“I can tell when you just turn your uniform inside out to avoid laundry,” he jests.

Cole laughs, “I know you're lying. There’s just no way…”

Cole and Kai’s words bleed away as Lloyd’s smile wears off. He maneuvers his way through the crowd as his mind drifts into the spiral that is Garmadon’s memory.

Lloyd remembers those thoughts that brought loathing into Garmadon’s mind. He blamed himself for getting bitten. It was almost like he deserved the path he was forcefully given.

Lloyd can’t help but somewhat resonate with that notion. It reminds him of his original desire to proceed in his destiny to become the Green Ninja. Yes, he wanted to save people, but as well as fix the misdemeanors caused by Garmadon’s name; unfortunately, it's his name too, for he blames himself for everything that has been done. 

Lloyd reaches the town square with Kai and Cole not in tow. Wherever they went, Lloyd hopes it’s worth it because now he’s all alone. That shouldn’t scare him but come on! Let’s be real! This place is full of crackheads, and it's not the funny kind.

Lloyd walks to the side of one of the buildings, hopefully not garnering unwanted attention. He’s pretty sure the people of Stiix still haven’t forgiven them for the Ghost invasion. 

The bustling crowd of people walking with food makes him hungry. He spots a stand filled with sweets of many kinds. It wouldn’t hurt to walk over there right? What's the worst that could happen?

He excuses his way through the crowd, finally making his way to the stand. 

“What would you like?” The seller asks. She motions to all her choices.

“Um…” Lloyd takes a minute to look at his options. 

The seller crosses her arms and leans on the table. “It's a nice day out. Warm and windy.”

Lloyd's attention shifts. “Oh yeah. I heard it was going to rain soon.” 

She nods, her brunette hair curling around her face. “I'm glad, I like the rain.”

She taps her fingers on the table. Lloyd can't differentiate whether she's waiting for him or thinking.

Whatever. What should he get? Lloyd wanted some Hotteok for himself, but should he get something for everyone else? He might get some Osmanthus and Mung Bean Cakes for them.

“Hey,” The seller leans in as she whispers, “Are you the Green Ninja?”

Lloyd flushes, not thinking he would get found out. Can’t blame him, he had put on commoner clothes and a whole scarf to seal his identity. “Yeah, I am,” he whispers back, hoping not to be charged more for that inconvenience.

The seller seems taken aback. Slowly, she looks behind her, as if making sure no one is watching. Then she takes out a piece of paper and pen, handing it to him. “Give me your number. It’s for important business.”

What? Well, this isn’t the first time someone asked for his number, although, this is more demanding, if anything.

The girl must have seen Lloyd’s confusion. “It’s regarding the Souls of Lost Redemption,” she murmurs.  

Lloyd’s eyes widen in shock. It’s not every day people bring up cults into the conversation. He scribbles his number on the paper. “What’s your name?” He asks. Information is such a vital thing, and he wants to know everything related to the ancient cult.

“Ahmya.” She answers. The girl looks around again, “Don’t tell anyone that though. They’re watching.”

Oh, that’s what she was doing, but that does bring some concern. 

“Why? Are you in danger?” Lloyd questions, almost frantic.

Again, Ahmya seems surprised because of him. Reluctantly, she shakes her head. “No, I’m alright. It’s just a precaution. The ritual was unsuccessful and they want to make sure I’m alright.” She smiles, but it's more like a grimace. “However, I do miss my privacy.” She chuckles, or was that a hum? Either way, Lloyd can tell how worn out she is.

Acquiesced, he accepts her reasoning. “Still, if you have any trouble, call me.” Lloyd slides her his number.

She takes it, her warm ivory tone glows with her relieved smile.

“Lloyd!” Kai waves at Lloyd as he runs to him.

Cole catches up, and he takes notice of the food. “Ooo, sweets?”

Ahmya folds her hands in front of her, hiding the paper in her folded hands. “What would you like?”

As Cole orders, Kai places his hand on Lloyd's shoulder. “We have to go to the fountain for the surprise,” he informs, his smile big and bright, rivaling the sun. “I think you’ll love it,” Kai surmises.

“Thank you!” Ahmya waves them off, “Come back again!”

The trio begins walking away, but Lloyd can’t seem to shake off his worry for the girl. Whatever it is, there’s something about her that makes her familiar. The type of familiar that sends someone into a spiral of faces he met in the last few months.

Maybe he saw her on television? But that wouldn’t make sense. Lloyd doesn’t watch TV that often unless it's the News.

“Hey, whatcha get?” Kai inquires, talking to Cole.

That reminder gets Lloyd’s mind off of the girl. “Yeah! Whatcha get!”

Cole hands Lloyd the bag, “Osmanthus and Mung Bean cakes.” 

Lloyd pulls out a Hotteok, mouth drooling at the aroma. “Oh, this is going to be so good.” 

“And,” Cole adds on, “I got this for you.” He gives Kai a Mitarashi Dango Stick. It's very sugary and sweet to the taste, something Kai would only have as a special treat for a special occasion.

The fountain comes into view for the trio. People are standing around, their small children talking loudly about a water show. The adults hold the same interest, albeit not as expressive.

Was this the surprise Kai was talking about? Lloyd can conclude it's about Nya performing.

The water begins to softly glow, emitting a glossed and serene light. Slowly, it drips into the sky–as if the gravitational shift reversed. As those droplets continue to rise, they grow in size, morphing into spheres. The pedestrians below, witnessing this extraordinary and unnatural event are left in awe. The droplets weave through the crowd, as if curious of the humans. It transforms into fishes, dolphins, and other aquatic animals. The Children begin to laugh as the animals invoke a sense of playfulness and wonder.

A blue dolphin comes closer into Lloyd’s space. He pets it, and it flies away from his touch.

The animals fly back into the sky, circling them. As sunlight streams through the water, it creates a shifting halo around the crowd. Beneath the animals, the water glosses before them. Lloyd extends his hand as if trying to grasp the dancing illusion. 

It’s beautiful. 

Lloyd has never seen Nya use her element like this. Usually, the movement is fast, harsh, and angry. But this is the opposite, slow, gentle, and peaceful. It’s like two sides of the same coin, water could be all those things.

The animals break out of the circle, in a single file line, and the animals fly back into the fountain–flipping their fins at the end.

The crowd applauds Nya's showcase.

“Nya!” The three exclaim in union. 

She runs up to them, smiling brightly. “I didn't know you guys–!” 

Kai tackles her into a hug, cutting her off. 

She appears surprised, but her face quickly shifts to fondness as she hugs him back. 

Lloyd can't pick up what they say to each other, but it's probably on the line of “I miss you,” because know it or not, Kai is pretty sentimental about his sister.

Cole walks up to them and heavily places his hand on Kai’s shoulder–almost like a hit (not in a bad way or anything, Lloyd knows this is how they always act).

Nya barks out laughing. “What, jealous?” she teases. When she sees Cole’s face, she gasps. “Dude! Your beard!”

Cole’s head tilts up in amused laughter. While catching his breath, he combs his facial hair with his fingers. “How–how can't I be? You're keeping Kai all to yourself!” He hollers, amidst short guffaws.

Lloyd watches as they greet each other with their special handshake. 

(He doesn't know why, but it makes him sad seeing how close they got. He knows it could be jealousy, it's just that he wishes he had a friendship like that.

Being family is different from being friends, right?)

Nya notices him from afar, Lloyd couldn't imagine just how much bigger her smile got. “Lloyd!” 

Hearing his name come out of her mouth makes everything seem so real. His family is finally coming together!

He opens his arms and embraces Nya in a tight hug. They laugh as he spins her around in a circle. He stops shortly after beginning, feeling the full effect of dizziness. 

They talk for a while, catching up on each other's lives. Of course Lloyd doesn't tell her anything too depressing.

Nya places a hand on his shoulder, a gesture of support. She gives Lloyd a grin, but her eyes downturn. “I'm so glad we're back together!”

Lloyd smiles awkwardly, “yeah, I know right? Haven't spoken to you guys in forever.”

Lloyd can tell Nya is a bit disconnected from the conversation. 

She looks away from him, and begins watching Kai and Cole bantering. 

“We should leave now. We still need to pick up Jay and Zane,” he suggests softly. 

She lights up at her boyfriend’s name. 

“We have to stop at my apartment so I can get my things,” she walks toward the left, Lloyd following her, leaving the boys to themselves. “You don’t have to go in,” she glances back, “to be honest, I don’t think my roommate would really appreciate it anyway.” She shrugs her shoulders. 

Lloyd would be puzzled by this, but he already assumed why. “I’ll just wait for you at the door.”

Lloyd really hates the fact that people still dislike him for what happened. He wants to blame himself but Lloyd just cannot find the reason to anymore. He just moved on.

…Maybe that’s the reason.

She tries to make it seem like it's not a big deal, and in theory, it isn't. 

“...what's your roommate like?” He asks. Curiosity takes the best of him.

Nya suddenly stops, and he nearly bumps into her. She moves her head towards him, “Do you remember who Tox is…?” She replies tentatively. 

Lloyd shakes his head.  That name does not ring a bell. “Who's that?”

“Uhh, she's the Elemental Master of Poison.” 

He shakes his head once more, “That doesn't really help,” he chuckles sheepishly.

Nya seems to think for a moment. She glances at him then faces forward, making up her mind. 

Lloyd frowns. He wonders what Nya's thought was. 

“Just know we met her a long, long time ago.” She continues onward.

Lloyd stays silent. 

Tox, Tox, Tox…oh!

She must have meant the green haired girl he met in the Tournament of Elements–but that's not something to hide. Is it painful for her to look back on? If Lloyd remembers correctly, she didn’t participate in the tournament. So, why...? He looks around to change the topic. “Hey, I noticed how well Stiix looked.” Too bad it still smelt like a wet dog.

Nya glances at Lloyd, “Thanks! A lot of people are coming back to live here because it isn’t a landfill anymore!”

Lloyd looks at the area around him. So many people, so many lives. 

He was brought to do this, to save the Realm and the people in it. But he knows, throughout this whole crowd, the true intentions and morals others hold–whether that be good or bad. The Celestial’s above has set an expectation for him to redeem others of their sins. Everyone deserves a second chance (within reason, of course) and that’s a notion Lloyd will stand by. Everyone can start over, either it is Lloyd conducting this change or another outside source or perhaps it’s the realization they made themselves that will set them on another path. 

And because of this, Lloyd wishes to help Garmadon find the redemption he so strives for.

He feels a vibration in his pocket, he takes out his phone. There is a notification from Kai asking where they went.

He disregards it, instead he starts to think about the Souls of Lost Redemption. Lloyd thinks about how those poor people, made to believe they had no place in the Realm–so the only option to rid the heavy burden of their life is death. He wants to help them; he wants to help them acknowledge the beautiful aspects of life, not the ugly.

Chapter Text

Later that day, 1:14 PM

The sun's hot flares are never able to reach Lloyd and his team as they trudge through the Desert's red sand. Thanks to the clouds shielding them from the afternoon heat, Kai, without the fear of overheating, is able to come along on this little adventure. There was a risk of leaving the Destiny’s Bounty unattended, but Lloyd didn’t have any worry on the matter. He assured them of how secure the Bounty was, and he couldn't help but smirk because of the reason why. 

“Where are we going?” Kai carps, once again.

“I don't think I can walk anymore.” Cole complains. He is very much out of breath.

Nya rolls her eyes playfully, “You guys are babies.” She says this even though she was the one to initiate their small brakes.

Lloyd scans the horizon, feeling not one bit exhausted in this travel. He turns back to the group, “We need to hurry if we wanna be back before six.”

Cole walks up to him and drapes his arm over Lloyd's shoulders.

He somewhat stumbles on the exerted weight.

“What's got you in such a rush, huh Greenie?” Cole taunts with a grin spread happily on his face.

Lloyd sighs exasperatingly at the nickname. It reminds him too much of the run-in with those robbers. Reminded of robbers, he needs to fix the archive’s ceiling. There’s still rubble and dust everywhere from the collapse.

“Just some chores at home.” He glances at Cole in the corner of his eye, “Why are you so out of breath, anyway?” He turns his head at the others, “you too.”

Nya sits on her laid out jacket, leaning back on her hands in exhaustion. She wares a black thin strap top. Her brother completely took of his top and discards it on the desert’s red sand.

The shirtless Kai squats on the sand, resting his head between his knees. “Huh?” Kai looks up at them. 

Nya leans her head back and closes her eyes. She talks to Kai coolly, “You've been slacking off.”

His eyebrows raise in surprise, “uhh,” –he whuffs– “have you seen yourself?” Kai shouts in no ill manner.

Nya sits up quickly then flips him off.

Lloyd averts his gaze away in fond annoyance. He already knows they haven't been doing much exercise.

He wiggles his way out of Cole's grasp and continues walking.

“Hey, wait up!” Kai hollers.

Lloyd hums in indifference and puts his hands in his pant pockets. 

As they walk, he can hear them whispering behind him in a serious tone. Whatever brought this up, he doesn’t know. It wouldn’t have been a problem if they weren't talking about him. Lloyd can feel the frustration washing over him. He clenches his teeth and tries not to get aggravated. 

It's not the fact that they're talking behind his back (literally) that makes him so upset. But it's the trust, the hiding, the audacity they have to keep acting like this. Ever since he was a child, they always spoke about him behind closed doors; whether it was out of worry or bitterness. He always hated the way that they could never be straightforward with him. 

As he progressed, he understood the weight of his life. He knew any action he made would change the fabric of the universe–how it thought and what it did. But his team still thinks of him to be that little child that needs to be shielded from the Realm. A selfish child that was. 

(But in Garmadon's eyes, he is still that child. Do they–Kai, Cole, Nya, Jay, and Zane–think so too? 

How fair is that? Has he changed at all?)

His team, his friends, his family. It doesn't matter what they tell him. Not even they understood–no, not even they understand  the feeling of how utterly trapped he is. It doesn't matter what he does because in the end destiny will always foretell as a decree.

His whole life is already planned ahead, and there's no defying it.

‘To defy destiny is a great feat, but it's not impossible.’

He abruptly stops, and body's crash into him from behind.

Is there really a chance…?

He shakes his head, ridding of that thought. To defy destiny is impossible, and he knows this. From trial and error he knows this. But why , why does he feel hope? Who told him there was a possibility? How did that thought even pop into his mind?

“Lloyd?”

He glances back to see if they're alright. He sees them, worried and remorseful. 

“Is there something you have to say to me?” He asks, berating.

They tense up, and they look at each other. Each of their eyes tell a different answer. Nya is cautious, she wants to say something, perhaps in different wording then what they were whispering about. Cole knows his resolution, he would have spilled if he didn't care about what the others have to say. And in Kai's eyes, there is an ugly, doubtful glint that reopens the wounds from earlier endeavors.

His chest, stomach, head, shoulders, heart–his soul aches in the prospect of his family’s cynicism towards him.

“Well?”

Neither three of them move to speak; perhaps that's an answer in itself.

Lloyd swallows the rising emotion. It hurts him to think that they don’t trust him.

He wonders, is he special to them?

He glowers, “The audacity you have to lie to my face.” 

Lloyd averts his gaze from them, and continues to walk in the direction of the city with tears swelling in his eyes.

“Lloyd, wait!” Kai calls out to him, but Lloyd doesn’t want to hear it.

He doesn't want to believe it, they still treat him like a child; they hide and scurry away when faced with confrontation even though Lloyd knows more than they could ever possibly learn.

Guijiang, a large international hub in the Metalonia region, is a huge sprawling city where sandstone towers, clay buildings, and underground temples meet the orange cliff sides. The structure of the city could be considered complicated for tourists and other visitors.

“Okay…,” Kai scrolls through the web-page, he types: “How to navigate Guijiang City.”

Lloyd moves away from Kai’s shoulder. 

Guijiang City is such a complex place. It has many underground caves and jarring cliffs. Not only that, the city’s layout has multiple levels of elevation with slopes and ramps connecting the floors, arches opening different places, and bridges accessing one area to another. It’s very crowded with buildings, but at the same time, very open for the wind to be able to move freely and the sun to shine through every spot.

“Okay, I think I got it.” 

The trio surrounds Kai’s phone. 

“So, apparently we're at the second level.” Kai points to the map on his phone.

“What?! How?” Nya shouts, confused.

Cole rubs the back of his neck, “I figured. I felt a lot of footsteps below us.”

“And you didn’t think to mention that?” Nya crosses her arms, slightly glaring at the black-haired boy.

Cole shrugs his shoulders, smiling sheepishly.

“We are here.” Kai points to them at the second level, “and Jay should be here.” He points to a place on the third level.

“Sweet! It looks like we’re close!” Cole exclaims.

“So,” Lloyd speaks up for the first time in a while, “how do we get there?”

Nya makes a hum, and she looks around to find a clue.

Kai smiles upon hearing Lloyd’s voice; he brings his attention back to the map. “I don't know.”

“Let's just walk upward until it seems like we've made it.” Cole concludes.

“That’s…not too smart.” Nya chides. She looks up while fanning her face with her hand, “It's so hot.” Lloyd notices the way Nya’s cyan jacket hangs off her elbows.

Kai wipes sweat from under his nose. “Agreed. And us being in the shade is doing nothing.” 

Lloyd looks down at himself. He decided to switch clothes and wear something for the occasion, and he ditched the scarf since it didn’t do much to conceal his identity.

Then, Lloyd looks at Kai’s clothes. He had a similar idea. “It’s definitely not our doing.”

Cole sighs, “If only Zane was here, he would let it go for all of us.”

Kai grumbles, the heat making him upset, “If only.” 

Liking summer is a misconception on Kai’s part. The public thinks since he’s the Fire Ninja, he must like hot things. They are right about food, but weather is a completely different thing. Kai likes warmth, not arid heat, and definitely not humidity.

Lloyd ponders the idea of running the rooftops, but it quickly gets shut down when he realizes the impossibility of the notion. The building and tower heights are so uneven, it really makes this place seem so clustered and labyrinth-like. “We could ask around.”

Without much hesitation, Nya turns around and stops an inhabitant. “Hi, I'm sorry to bother you but we were wondering if you knew how to get here?” Kai passes her his phone and she shows them their destination.

“Ahh,” he begins with a heavy Metalonian accent, “The Amber Stone Tavern?”

“Yes,” She confirms. 

“What a coincidence! Pradeep was making Pradeep’s way there, so you can come follow!”

“Uh…sure,” Nya tightly smiles, giving a hesitant nod.

“Here we are!” Pradeep opens the door, “After you four.”

The four of them mutter thanks and Lloyd gives him a quick bow of the head.

“Pradeep’s pleasure.”

Inside the Amber Stone Tavern, a lively and friendly feeling in the air engulfs Lloyd as the group makes their way through the bouncing crowd. The soft lighting from the hanging lanterns and the warm color scheme of the sandstone walls emanate a comfort and homey vibe.

The closer Lloyd gets to the bar, the more buzzing static he can feel in the air. The feeling of electricity was already present once he entered the City, but the closer in proximity he got to the Elemental Master of Lightning, Jay, the heavier the energy waves got.

It’s a sense Lloyd can feel more prominently than the average life form due to his powers. Each person in the Realm has a certain aura that radiates off of them. Aura itself can show so much about a person, but Lloyd tends to not recognize such a thing because of how normalized his mind makes it. The thing about Jay, because of his element, his energy waves are so striking, it is a lot more powerful in terms of presence. The team has been picked up on this, so when Lloyd walks off closer to the bar, everyone follows knowing a bubbly Ninja will be waiting. Soon enough, they catch sight of Jay in a black vest, white long sleeve undershirt with a red tie.

Nya excitedly pushes through the crowd and calls out to her Yin, “Jay!”

Upon hearing his name, he looks up from his conversation. As he realizes who is calling him, his face lights up. “Nya!”

In the midst of all the chaos and excitement, Lloyd feels a burst of elemental energy infront of Nya, and before he can even think, Jay teleports to that exact spot.

He staggers into her arms, and cups her cheek to immerse in a fervent and yearning kiss. 

Beside Lloyd, Kai mutters a swear, “Did we all see that?”

Lloyd is hardly paying attention. The overflow of unexpected energy sets off signals in his brain.

‘He’s just a bundle of surprises..!’

Lloyd can only agree with that thought.

After Jay greets everyone else, his arms surround Lloyd in a cuddly hug. Lloyd giddily hugs back and the two of them begin to rock back and forth. Whenever Jay’s around, everything gets ten times better–and that’s the Jay effect.

“So, Jay, how’s it been?” Cole inquires.

Lloyd nuzzles Jay’s hair, and lightning zips through the strands. “It was so scary! Everyone spoke in the third person!” He squeaks out. “Besides my manager.” He murmurs something only Lloyd heard.

“Hey, you didn’t hug me for that long…” Nya gazes at them with fondness and mild annoyance.

“Lloyd’s different.”

Lloyd gives her an affectionate but sly smile.

“Hey!”

Jay lets go, and Lloyd briefly frowns until Jay takes hold of his hand. 

“Lloyd, Lloyd! Guess what I heard!”

“Hmm?” They waltz up to an unoccupied table, “was it the announcement of the Starfarer animated series?” Lloyd surmises.

Jay sits Lloyd and the others down. He nods with a beaming smile, “Isn’t it coming out on the 23rd?”

Lloyd barely gets an answer out before Jay starts chatting again.

“Well, I was wondering if we could go do a Starfarer marathon before it came out so I could refresh my memory.”

“Umm,” Lloyd thought it over. He didn’t mind rewatching all the movies again, but he just thinks the comics are way better. There’s just more scenes and information that isn’t put in the movies. “We should just reread all the comics instead. They’re way better.”

Jay protests, perplexed, “But the movies cover just about everything in the comics!” 

Lloyd’s eyebrows knit together, “The animated series is based on the comics, not movies.”

Jay was about to comment, but Lloyd quickly cut him off. He nearly laughs at himself for not realizing sooner. “Wait,” he waves his hand, “I think you're confused. The new series is the animation adaptation of ‘Nonna: The Star Way Engineer’.”

Jay’s eyes widens, “Ohh, that makes so much sense.” Once his surprise wears off, he grins, “No wonder you thought the comics were way better.”

Lloyd chuckles, mouth forming into a smug smile. He leans his head on his hand, “is this what that was about?”

“Well, yeah!” he beams, unknowing of Lloyd’s confession. “I will say Nonna’s comics are better than Fritz Donagan’s–art and surprisingly plot wise, but Fritz Donagan movies are superior compared to any comic in the Starfarer cinematic universe!”

“Sure. I’ll say the Fritz Donagan movies are better than his comics, but better than Nonna’s?” he questions incredulously, “that’s just wishful thinking.”

“Hey Zaptrap, mind giving us some menus?” Cole motions to their empty table.

“Oh,” Jay’s cheeks reddens, “I’ll be right there!” He walks away.

“Anyway,”

Nya’s voice garners Lloyd’s attention, “I think Friday will be perfect!”

“Perfect for what?” Lloyd asks.

“We wanna host a welcome home party.” Cole succinctly supplies.

‘What? For yourself?’

“Party time, whoop whoop!” Kai boisterously shouts, already fired up.

“Save that energy for Friday.” Cole relaxes into the chair.

Nya smiles at their antics.

Lloyd wonders if his plans will be postponed because of this. “Me and Jay were planning to watch the new Starfarer series.”

Kai voice is laced with disappointment, “wha–this friday?”

He nods, “It starts at five.”

Jay walks up and places menus on the table.

Before he promptly leaves again, Nya stops him. “Can you get another one? Zane is twenty minutes out.” She tucks her phone back in her pocket.

Lloyd suddenly gets reminded of picking up Zane. It seems he finished work up earlier and chose to pursue them instead. The original trip would have taken around 4 hours–and they definitely wouldn’t have been back before 6. 

“Oh sure, have a nice dinner while I slave away in the back,” he jests with a dramatic sigh, dropping another menu on the table.

Lloyd glares at the three across from him. “Don't worry Jay, you can sit next to me–since nobody wants to sit next to me anyway,” he deadpans.

Jay breaths out a short laugh, “Aw, thanks Lloyd. I wasn’t too worried.”

Nya fiddles with her menu, “When do you get off?” she inquires.

Jay sheepishly smiles and shrugs his shoulders. 

Kai clicks his tongue, “How do you not know?”

“I work until my manager doesn't need me anymore.”

The group stays silent to process what Jay just said.

Cole rises from his laid-back position, “Isn’t that a little dubious?”

“It’s usually only for seven to eight hours.” Jay quickly responds.

“What time would you usually be leaving?” Lloyd poses.

“In about,” Jay checks his watch, “two to three hours? But I could probably ask to leave early.” He claps his hands, “anyway, I gotta get going or my manager is gonna come at me if she doesn’t see me working.”

Everyone says their temporary good-byes.

“Alright, your server will be right with you!” Jay begins to leave, “and her name is Kalinda by the way.” he speeds off to his next table.

“Um,” Nya sets her elbow onto the table to rest her chin on her hand, “that’s worrisome.” She twirls a lock of her hair.

Lloyd notices the way her hair brushes past her shoulder, “Nya, you usually don’t wear your hair down.”

“Haha, yeah.” At Lloyd’s observation, she pushes her hair back, “I got these really bad headaches from keeping my hair up too much.”

He nods, feeling a bit sorry for her. With that aside, Lloyd opens up his menu and goes straight to the drinks. 

BEVERAGES:

Fountain drink [Support all soda products]

Water

Tea (Sweet or Unsweetened)

Taro Milk Tea,...

Brown Sugar Milk Tea,...

Pearl Milk Tea,...

Mango Slushy Tea,...

Strawberry Slushy Tea,...

TOPPINGS:

[Popping Boba Flavours] Peach, Mocha, Lychee, Rose,...

[Jelly Flavours] Grass, Rainbow, Tri-Color,...

[Pudding Flavours] Vanilla, Custard, Chocolate,...

Someone wearing the same outfit as Jay stands in front of their table. “Hello,” she greets, “any beverages?”

Cole starts, “I’ll have Pearl Milk Tea with coffee boba.”

“And I’ll take a Mango Slush,” Kai flips through the menu, “can we also get spicy wonton as an appetizer?”

“Of course,” the server, Kalinda, nods. She glances at Nya with a jaded expression, “and you ma’am?”

“Another Mango Slush, but with pineapple boba.”

The server’s words are slightly softer when her eyes settle upon Lloyd, “And for you, sir?” She shifts and tilts her head to the side.

Lloyd can’t help but entertain her with a charming smile, “What would you recommend, Kalinda?” 

The server blushes, and surprise shows itself on her face, “well,” she giggles, “Kalinda would recommend Taro Milk Tea. It’s one of Kalinda’s favourites.” 

“Taro Milk Tea?” he reiterates, acting as if those words are foreign to him, “If a beautiful girl like yourself sees it fit,” Lloyd gazes at her intently, “then so shall I.”

Kalinda grins cheekily, “Kalinda will be right on it,” she winks at him, then departs.

Kai looks at Kalinda’s departing figure then too Lloyd, grinning, “Uhm, excuse me, I felt a little something in that interaction.”

Nya trails her finger on the menu, as if drawing invisible pictures. “Like you’d know anything about that–Mr. ‘we do make a pretty good team, so let's be a couple from now on.’” She laughs at her own reminder, “can’t believe you actually said that.” she muses.

Kai gawks, “I don’t know if you know this, but me and Skylor did go on a date–thank you very much.”

Nya fiercely gazes into her brother's eyes, “literally when?” she asks, genuinely curious about this so-called date.

“Literally when we were looking for my powers?” He reasons, flummoxed.

Nya scoffs, “I’d hardly call that a date. If anything, that benefited you and had nothing to do with her.”

Kai furrows his eyebrows, and before he says anything he would regret, Lloyd interjects, “I thought you didn’t like Skylor anymore.”

“Huh?” confusion is present on Kai’s face, “where did you hear that from?”

Lloyd lightly snickers, “when you and Cole were on the balcony last night.”

Cole bursts out in a fit of uncontrolled laughter. He continues to pretend to scroll on his phone.

Kai’s face redends like the blazing fire he controls.

“What!” Nya adds wood to the flame, “what happened last night!?” 

Lloyd fidgets with the menu with a sly smile. At the remembrance of last night, he recalls nothing but laughter, shrieks, and clinking of bottles hitting each other. No sensual noises were heard from the balcony, Kai and Cole were just very loud in their celebration. Lloyd doesn’t fully know why he said that, but he supposed somewhere deep down, he knew this hilarious reaction would follow. “You know, I was actually in bed, so you’d have to ask Cole and Kai for details.”

Cole doubles over, sucking in breaths of air he can’t quite let go.

Kai looks at him with disbelief, “Cole!” he balks.

He glances at him, “huh?” he says with faux cluelessness, still having a hard time breathing. He grins, teasing Kai, “I don’t know what you guys are talking about!” He motions to the phone in his hand, “I just saw something very funny.”

Kai’s mouth hangs open, “be so for real!”

They continue their banter, while Lloyd and Nya look on the menu.

Lloyd doesn’t particularly feel hungry, but the last thing he ate was Hotteok (which was his sole reason for existence)–and that was this morning. Lunch is in the air and Lloyd usually wouldn’t breathe it. Dessert on the other hand…

DESSERTS:

O-Aew,...

Khao Lam,...

Khanom Tako,...

Lloyd pauses at the contents after he reads: Bua Loy (floating lotus), soft rice flour balls in sweet warm coconut milk soup. 4.99 Nen Coins.

Huh, how coincidental. This is the same dessert Uncle Wu and Garmadon were arguing about in Garmadon's memory. The both of them claimed it was good, and Lloyd himself would never pass on the opportunity for a good taste.

“Let’s just do a hotpot,” Nya suggests, “Is everyone okay with that?”

Cole pushes his menu away, “Yeah, that's alright.”

“I bet Lloyd isn’t even looking at the entrées,” Kai utters jokingly.

Lloyd closes it shut, “when you order, order me Bua Loy.” He places his menu on the side of the table with everyone else’s menu.

“Bua Loy?” Kai tilts his head in confusion, “what’s that?”

“I think I heard Wu murmur something about that,” Cole hums. He gazes into the ceiling in recollection, “when he was still little,” he adds meekly, as if in a haze.

“What is this? Trix?” Nya snickers. She shows Kai her phone, which supposedly has a picture of the dessert.

My goodness, he covers his face with his hands. 

Kai giggles, “I got you man, I’ll order you your bowl of cereal.” 

Lloyd sinks in his chair. Maybe he shouldn’t get it. It is kind of childish.

Kai smiles in glee, “I mean it–don’t worry. I'll order it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you know what it tastes like.”

Lloyd peeks through his fingers, “What do you mean by that?” he hesitantly asks.

“Since the only thing you’ve probably been eating these past weeks was cereal.”

Lloyd gasps, offended. “Do I look like I've been eating cereal for the past six months!?”

Kai laughs at his reaction.

“Why would you say that?” She punches Kai on his shoulder, chuckling.

“Hey!” He puts his hand up to block her, but his mirth staggers his movement. “I can't even move ‘cus I’m laughing too hard!”

She continues messing with her brother.

The irony brings tears to his eyes, “do I look like I was slacking off?” he hiccups, not because of him actually crying, but because of how fast laughter escapes his lungs, “If moving through the desert proved anything, I’d expect that from you guys!”

“Lloyd, you’re actually crying?” Cole asks, worried for his friend although it doesn’t seem like it.

Lloyd wipes his eyes, “Stop smiling Cole. It’s not funny!”

“Pfft–I’m sorry! What you said was just so unexpected! I didn’t think you’d go all off like that.”

“Does anyone else want dessert?” Kai asks between guffs of laughter.

A familiar, robotic voice cuts through the merriment, “I’ll take an ice cream sundae!”

Lloyd’s eyes widen at the sound of Zane’s voice. “Zane!?” He turns to his left, where Zane is standing.

“Zane!?” The group shouts in unison. 

Nya races from her chair to hug him. “Zane! We missed you so much!”

He grins, hugging her back, “I’m delighted to hear that!”

Cole gets up from his seat, “Who’s my favourite tincan?” He gives Zane a big hug once Nya lets go of hers.

After everyone greets Zane, he comes to sit next to Lloyd. 

“Here’s a menu,” Kai passes on to him.

“Thank you.” Zane opens it, reading its contents.

“We were thinking of doing a hotpot, if that's alright with you,” Cole states.

Zane gives him a thumbs up.

Kalinda, the server, approaches with their drinks and appetizer. “Are you all ready to order?” she poses in a more upbeat manner.

Kai nods, “We all will just do a hotpot, and, um, can I get Bua Loy?” 

She writes that down on her notepad, “For the hotpot, do you want to add anything or will it just be the standard ingredients?”

“Standard.”

“Okay, and for Bua Loy, do you want that now or later?”

Kai chuckles, “now.”

“Alright,” she brings her attention to Zane, “for you sir?”

Zane closes the menu, “Brown Sugar Milk Tea, tapioca boba with custard pudding.”

The server takes all the menus, “it’ll be out in a second.”

“So,” Zane begins, “how has everyone been?”

“Tired.” Nya answers, and she takes a sip of Mango Slush.

“Tired?” Zane reiterates, “how so?”

“I was just cleaning up Stiix.”

“Mhm, this is good!” Kai takes another bite of the spicy wonton. 

Cole breaks his chopsticks and picks one up, “I don’t get how you like spicy things.”

Lloyd takes big mouthfuls of his taro milk tea. The light taste of sweet potato and vanilla is delicious, it has a nutty undertone that leaves a tickling sensation coating the back of his throat with every swallow.

“Lloyd?”

He glances at Zane.

“What have you been up to?”

Everyone stops chatting to intently listen to what Lloyd has to say. He’s mildly annoyed about their reactions, but he’s more worried about saying something that leads to how lazy he was and not the other way around.

He shrugs his shoulders, “I’ve been on a few missions here and there, a little community service, and I got a job.”

All truths, maybe with a touch of exaggeration, but no one will find that out.

“Window cleaning?” Kai chuckles.

“Shush.”

“What type of mission?” Zane asks.

Lloyd bits his bottom lip, “Well, you know, the supernatural.”

“What!?” Kai exclaims, “they’re still there!?”

This is the exact reaction he was hoping not to get. “Unfortunaly. You think they would just disappear when we separated? Honestly, they got more aggressive once they found out it was just me in the area.”

Zane brings a finger to his chin, “I thought most Yōkai didn’t like highly populated areas.” 

Lloyd sighs, “It depends.”

Come to think of it, the Yōkai aren’t the only thing Lloyd is concerned about. It’s the Kamigami. Doing some light research (on his phone this time because the archive is still trashed), he found out the Kamigami aren’t good or evil, and not neutral either. They have their own motivations and what not. So, the one that keeps talking to him, what does it want?

What was it saying?

Bring forth the embodiment of life upon evil, your existence depends on it… Well, isn’t that just great. That just sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

“Let’s move away from this topic,” Lloyd suggests. He doesn't want to think about horrible possibilities that could lead to his death.

They nod, warily.

Then, in the midst of their silence, Jay appears. “Zane! You're back!”

“What’s good, Jay?” Zane waves at him.

Jay giggles, “everything. I just talked to my manager, and she is gonna let me go in an hour!” He sits on the other side next to Lloyd.

Kalinda and a few other servers bring their food and set it on the table. They place rice, noodles, kimchi, other vegetables, and raw meat around the pot. One server pours broth into the pot and lays out the seasonings for the Ninjas. Kalinda places Zane’s drink down onto the table.

Jay waves them off, “thanks guys!”

They bow in service then depart.

Cole turns on the pot and spills the seasonings into the pot to stir. Then he lets it boil.

“Oh!” Nya claps, “Hey, I wanna show you guys something,” 

“Oh, what is it?” Kai asks quizzically.

“Let’s go outside real quick.”

Jay gasps, “Are you showing them–”

Nya brings a finger to her lips, “Shh.”

“Now we're sharing secrets.” Cole rolls his eyes.

“It’s not bad!” Nya stands up, “c'mon let's go!”

Lloyd nods, chuckling. He knows this isn’t something big, unlike the issue he’s been hiding. This is something that’s not intended to be kept as a burden.

On that note…he should probably tell them soon. 

After we get back, he tells himself.

“I'll stay here to start putting stuff in.” Jay takes the noodles to boil in the broth.

The rest of them head outside the tavern.

Nya urges them forward. 

Nya unzips her cyan jacket, removing it from her body. “Mm, it’s so nice out,” she slightly looks up while balling the jacket into her arms.

“Didn’t you say you were practically melting, like, not even that long ago?” Cole teases.

She smirks, tossing him her jacket, “Congratulations, now you get to hold this.”

She moves her long hair (surprisingly it got longer–her hair past her shoulders) and pivots on her heel to show–

Lloyd gasps, mouth open to say something but cut off when Nya shakes her finger in the air.

“Wait for it!”

Right below her neck, between her shoulder blades, a tattoo of a black swan glides through the water, parting the white peonies from its path. The swan circles back into place, and the peony floats back into their respective lining. Everything freezes again.

Nya revolves back around, dropping her hair. She reaches for her jacket.

“Holy–sis, did you move that!” Kai yells, amazed.

“You got a tattoo!?” Lloyd shouts, gazing at the striking design.

“That’s sick!” Cole praises. “The detail is awesome.”

“Your elemental control of water-based substances has grown,” Zane states, impressed. He claps, “Congratulations, Nya!”

Nya blushes, zipping her jacket back up. “Thanks guys. What can I say? I’m just that cool.”

They trail back inside to joking and laughing the whole way there.

Jay has already begun eating, and the rest follow his example.

Lloyd fishes for some pork and noodles in the pot to put on his plate.

The server, Kalinda, comes back again to give Lloyd his Bua Loy. She slides him a piece of paper, winks, then she leaves again. 

He pockets the paper–not thinking much of it–and places his chopsticks down and picks up a spoon.

The rice balls swirl in the milk in circles as Lloyd stirs it. He picks a few up. For whatever reason, he’s a bit hesitant to try it. Is it because he fears a similarity to Garmadon? In the memory, Uncle Wu accused him of liking it, and Garmadon didn’t protest. Having anything to compare to Garmadon brings him on edge.

Lloyd wants to know more about Garmadon’s past, and this is the first step in feeling it. So, without much to think about, he eats it.

The sweet taste of the flavourful dumplings combined with the warmth of the coconut milk brings such a heavenly and delightful taste on his tongue. This might just be one of his favourite desserts.

Before he knows it, he is already finished.

Jay stands up, “I should get going.” he sniffs, faux distraught, “don’t wanna leave my coworkers to fend for themselves.”

Nya chuckles as Jay peaks her cheek.

Before he is able to speak another word, a woman in a red dress and leather boots cuts him off.

One look at that woman, and Lloyd feels a rushing hatred flowing through his veins. At first it surprised him, but soon validation came through at the sight of her licking his blood over his marred body.

“Although I always love a family reunion,” she tugs Jay's neck tie tighter to his throat, intensely staring into his eyes, “you work on my clock, not yours.” 

He gulps, nodding. She smiles, satisfaction written all over her face. Before the woman walks away, Lloyd stands, abrupt to everyone else but himself.

He stares at her face. For a moment, there is shock, but in the next second, she smiles ear to ear in the most sickening fashion as her eyes show a type of pleasure that only came from hurting others. 

The woman winks at him, and then she's off; her crimes against justice unknown to everyone but him and the witness of an all-knowing god.

No! Don't let her leave! She hasn't paid for the crimes she's committed!

But he can't move. Paralyzed in withering pure ire; it's too much for one body to handle. 

The fight, the shrine, the light–images of the past flash before his eyes. He can feel the gusts of wind around his gored body. He can feel the strange sensation of renewed energy radiating from a tender touch.

How can he forget something like this? 

He remembers her hand on his shoulder, the immeasurable pain once she stabbed the knife into his stomach. He remembers their whispers of plans and promises of temptation and salvation. He remembers their inky fingers bounding him down, exploring every crevice of his body, every pull to the limbs as if they were trying to take a bite out of him. 

That scroll with the Suzuri no tamashii! It showed him and he didn't realize. It showed him a fucked up version on what happened that night in the Jinja.

What did that witch say?!

‘This is a gift from the Souls of Lost Redemption to The Preeminent.’

“The gift…what is the gift?” 

“Lloyd!” 

He jumps at the sound of Kai’s voice. In Kai's eyes, there is uncertainty. One of which begs the question, are you alright? But in this case, he already knows the answer. And this time, Lloyd pushes away the grip on his shoulders.

However, the difference between yesterday and today: it is Kai's resolve. Lloyd can tell by his lack of speech and the decision to not ask the question, are you alright? And knowing this, Lloyd tries to leave before the others have the same epiphany.

‘Do not fret, little one. Soon you will have the gift of serving me.’

The acknowledgement dawns on Lloyd. He puts a hand to his mouth before he screams. The absolute disgust wrenches itself with anger and fear. 

Kai grabs his arm, squeezing it and seemingly calling his name. But Lloyd can't hear. He can only hear his rampaging thoughts of the greatest act of destruction: death.

No one should ever have to endure this suffering. How dare that witch put this upon him.

The Souls of Lost Redemption, huh? 

He'll be sure to destroy every single human associated with such filth. 

Ahmya…

Lloyd shivers, but not in fury. Goosebumps cover his arms and legs, and Lloyd’s hot panting hits the brisk air. The temperature seems to drop drastically. This momentarily slows Lloyd’s thought process, and his own emotions begin to cool down.

“I apologize, Lloyd!”

…huh?

He looks to his left to see Zane’s hand in his line of vision, moments before knocking him out cold.

Chapter Text

The night before Morro’s venture, 4:28 PM

‘CLACK.’

The boy with dull dark brown hair widened his eyes and grunted in surprise as the change in the wind, Morro, began to push him back. One break in Morro's stance would cause his opponent to have the upper hand, what's worse is he could slip on the powdered snow that covered the land and give him an opening to attack.

Morro hardened his gaze, it never left his opponent’s washed yellow eyes. He will not let that happen.

He tightened his grip on his bokken , using all his might to bulge his opponent out from his stance. Morro felt his opponent’s arms quiver under the harsh pressure, but that only filled them with determination–as their eyes sharpened and their grip steeled.

Morro’s opponent–Fengge, the elemental master of Light–was skilled in close combat; his defense and trickery surpassed Morro’s. There always was a sort of confidence he had in his abilities, and that confidence led him to victory countless times.

However, Morro had a trick up his sleeve, his agility and his sheer intelligence of strategy was all Morro needed to overrule.

Fengge laughed, his hot breath contrasted the coldness of winter. A manic grin spread across his face, and it sent shivers down Morro's spine. The air that surrounded Fengge was imperious and clouded with impish glee.

Something was about to happen. A trick of the light? A beam of crepuscular rays? One which could outshine even the brightest stars? 

“Oh Morro,” he sang balefully, “am I here?” 

He paid no mind to the words his opponent spoke. Morro furrowed his brows, and concentrated on upheaving Fengge’s wooden sword into the air. 

The boy whispered with laced disappointment in his tone, “or am I over there?”

A second to late, Morro realized what Fengge had done.

The weight of the opposed bokken was gone, and Morro staggered forward at the sudden displacement. Fengee jumped away and threw a fistful of snow into his face before Morro was able to catch him.

“Hey!” The wind picked up and circled around him defensively as Morro wiped away the snow with his training gi's sleeve. His hair swayed crazily in the wind (at this point, his hair was long–nearly reaching his waist. He planned to cut it later tonight).

Fengee better feel lucky that it was a spar, otherwise Morro would have quickly ended him in a single glance.

There was a scream, a high-pitched and shriveled one. Morro’s heart leaped from his chest and he whipped his body around, arms raised in a defensive stance. He turned his head to the source of tumultuous shrieks that could only be described as child laughter. There is a little girl over yonder. The girl sat down on a huge boulder flailing her legs around and kicking snow, squealing at Fengge’s performance. In the pure cold mountainous air, she laughed and pointed far past what Morro’s eyesight could capture.

“Morro.”

The moment Morro spun around, Fengge was an instant closer to his body, with his bokken inches away from Morro’s neck.

Morro diverged and guided a gust of wind to push Fengge back, but Fengge’s statue disappeared the moment the wind touched his body.

What in the 16 realms…

The crush of snow became louder, as if on purpose. Frustration boiled within his gut. How dare this man mock the way of the ninja?

His savior, the wind, flew him aside before Fengge was able to hit his mark. 

“Dammit,” he cursed, he breathed heavily from the exerted energy he spent. His grip on his wooden sword weakened, “you were right there!”

Morro barely was able to hear Fengge’s drivel. Without a second to lose, Morro raced to slash Fengge’s stomach. He raised his arms to make a swift ‘cut’. Fengge clashed his sword with Morro’s and sent a beam of light to his side.

Morro’s reflexes are superb. He jumped away a considerable distance and saw the beam blast the snow. 

A blinding iridescent shine hovered above Fengge’s head, like the light herself bestowed her powers onto her incarnation. It became increasingly shaded around Morro and his surroundings as Fengge absorbed the light into the brilliant shine over his head. He was a haloed angel in the vast darkness of the depths of sin–a beautiful symbolism of the final light upon the 16 realms.

Bending the element to his will, he whisked the shine and leveraged the magic into a thread of light that encircled Fengge’s frame like a curling snake. “Putting on a light show is much more entertaining.” He smirked and raised his right hand, his bokken aiming straight to Morro. 

A fluctuating movement in the air hurdled over to Morro. It was very hard to discern what it was, for Morro could not hear nor feel it. With the squint of his eyes, it appeared to be a near invisible string which had the slightest colour that shined in different angles.

Morro quickly tried to defect it with his bokken, but upon contact, the string made of light solidified and wrapped around his weapon.

It happened too quickly, the master of light yanked this thread and Morro’s bokken slipped from his hands and flew into the air. Fengge laughed as Morro’s wooden sword became his possession. 

He didn’t have time to asset this mistake. The wind burst from below their master, and the snow wildly shifted and hurdled into the air. Morro jumped at the unexpected movement of his element. He was surprised to say the least. The snow blocked Morro’s sight on his opponent, and the added darkness from Fengge’s light absorption didn’t help. His teeth grinded together, and he tried to focus on controlling this onslaught. 

Fengge cannot continue to gather light like this. 

The wind flailed and shifted frantically through the trees; it carried the snow on its back, running and searching for guidance in its wake. Morro faced both his palms out, and with this inviting gesture, the wind shot down from all directions to his hands. It wrapped and spiraled into itself to form a ball. It was a bit difficult to control, the pressure on his hands made his arms shake, and the feeling of the wind ruffling his hair and clothes made him grimace. 

Morro needed a way for Fengge to stop absorbing light. He hoped this was the best option, because not only would Fengge have limited power, Morro would as well.

Between the storm that brewed in his hands, the snow that rushed up and fell down the sky, the darkness showing its presence, and the shine of a beautiful silhouette in the distance, Morro shot the gale into the sky. The wind rushed up with incredible distance, and at a certain point, it pushed outwards into a dome-like shape to make a border distaching their battle from the outside.

Elemental Solitude: Wind Dome

This is a skill Morro worked on for the longest time. Elemental Solitude separates a specific area from everywhere else. The description of his skill could be misleading; this skill isn’t meant to protect everything outside the border (although with Morro’s expertise, he supposed using Elemental Solitude is also perfect for that scenario), it assists a Elemental Master by surrounding them in their element, thus separating everyone else from them. Obviously, the creation of such skill doesn’t always uphold its ideal purpose–so to say, wouldn’t this further testify Morro’s mastery? Creating such a skill that can perform the most practical things adheres to his intelligence. 

“Hey!”

With a shout coming from the otherside of the battlefield, Morro pulled out of his own musings and focused ahead.

“How dare you use this skill facing me?”

…Well, would it be a lie to say he made Elemental Solitude all by himself? He was the first to make the concept into a reality, so by all means, he should take all the credit.

“You jackass. Fall off a cliff and die!” 

Wow, what an angel. 

“You can use it too, you know,” Morro grumbled, the wind carrying his voice to the other side. 

Instead of retorting back, he flung his bokken to the side. It fell into the snow with a crunch–right next to Morro’s discarded one. “You're not taking this seriously.” he scowled gravely. 

“Hm?” Morro tilted his head, flippant. It's not like he was not taking this gravely, he just wasn't completely being hurried. Well, he did just use Elemental Solitude.

His eyebrows seemed to furrow even more, and his comely face scrunched pensively. Then, his lips and eyes contorted into a sly expression. “Your weapon is gone, and I bet you used a lot of energy to perform Elemental Solitude.”

Morro frowned, placing his hands on his hips. Was he really at a disadvantage? He sighed exasperatedly. 

There was a current draft in the air from Elemental Solitude, and with the cold and his growing hunger, Morro couldn’t be bothered with this spar any longer. He was sure Amary felt the same–as she watched from afar.

“So I propose this: the first person to land a physical attack on the other wins.”

“A battle of invisible forces,” he mused, planning the fight in his head–only, there was one thing. “We can use our powers, right?”

Fengge snorts. He brushed his shoulder-length hair to the side. “Of course, you're gonna need that handicap!”

Whatever. That was all Morro needed to get into a low position and launch forward, the wind used as a projectile for more speed. He raised his fist and aimed for Fengge's cheek.

In hasty succession, Fengge made a shield that cracked when it made contact with Morro’s fist. He wrapped his thread on Morro's arm and catapulted him to the side.

As Morro got dragged through the snow, he saw a light glimmer that separated into two. 

Morro pushed himself up and ran with the tread that pulled him along. It led him to both Fengge's.

Distinguishing which one is the real Fengge would be hard. With the wind blowing everywhere, he couldn't clearly define their breathing. 

One of them leaped forward and ran up on an invisible staircase that leveled him above Morro. Under his footsteps, the sky cracked and light wavered and seeped through the blinds. 

Morro called the wind to slash and knock him down, but it went through his body. 

That was the hallucination. 

Morro twisted his wrist and took hold of the thread. He pulled it with his strength and it snapped in half.

With the force gone, he tripped and stumbled into the snow. 

In and out.

Each pant brought a coolness that flowed through his system. Knowing what was above, he threw himself and rolled out of the way. 

A striking beam of light shot the snow–it was exactly where Morro had been. “Are you kidding?” he murmured. Was that the hallucination doing that? Or was Fengge hidden in the dark?

Morro flipped, rolled, and somersaulted over every beam that flew from the sky. He ran in circles, dodging the Fengge above. With each heavy step, it was getting harder to breathe. This mountainous air was starting to affect him, and his energy had waned. He needed to finish this quickly.

He gathered a formidable amount of wind and plunged himself to the sky, he leveled himself to Fengge’s view and he pressed a deft low kick to Fengge’s waist. 

It went right through.

A wavering disturbance in the light spiraled and tightened around Morro’s stretched leg. 

Morro couldn’t help but smirk. 

This thread pulled him across the snow, going straight for Fengge’s real body. How does he know? The halo of light that shone above his head. Maybe one day Fengge would think hard enough to replicate everything.  

The thread stopped dragging him, and Morro jumped up to finish the distance between the two.

Close combat wasn’t going to cut it. The shield Fengge used is tough to break through, and Morro doesn’t have enough energy to strengthen his punch. However, Morro also knew Fengge didn't have much energy left to fortify his defense with that stunt he pulled twice!

“I'm not that bad at close combat either.”

Fengge dashed forward, and both shared a multitude of deflected jabs.

“Crap,” he grunted as he dodged another punch of Fengge’s. 

He pulled his fist back, and lessened the wind resistance. The light thread emerged and riveted Morro's arm, and he couldn't move it any longer.

That’s fine. He didn't want to mar Fengge’s pretty face anyway.

There was a slight shine that enveloped Fengge. He would break through this shield.

The wind blew around Morro's leg.

The final blow would be led by him.

Fengge is an angel crest in snow. A human with the beauty of the divine…the Celestial's should feel threatened.

Fengge smiled, although miffed, “What can you expect from going against someone as great as him?” he complimented between short gasps of breath. Sweat heavily dripped from his light beige face.

Morro rolled his eyes, he knew Fengge was just saying that to stroke his ego. …He supposed his smugness got the better of him, “Right,” he snickered, “I’m a prodigy, after all.” He gloated. Morro lent him his hand while thinking of how great he was. Perhaps Morro is a little too full of himself.

Fengge's eyes glistened with impish glee, he took Morro’s hand and pulled himself up, “let’s do this again sometime tomorrow.” Fengge winked.

Morro frowned, tomorrow. His hand fell away from Fengge’s grasp.

He won't be here tomorrow.

Amary jumped off the boulder and ran straight for Fengge. She hugged his torso, “That was so cool!” Amary shouted boisterously. “You went like, ‘bam bam!’ And like…” She was going to prattle like this forever if someone wouldn't stop her.

Morro crouched down to her level, feeling a little jealous. “How about me, Amary?” he asked while pointing at himself.

Amary glanced at him, “you're always cool!” she smiled sweetly, “but Fengge just made his debut!” She returned her attention back to Fengge and gave him more compliments.

Morro stood back up. She’s right. Fengge used his powers to make clones of himself. It’s such a drastic feat. All he needs to do is practice to master this skill.

A sudden smell of authentic curry weaved through the air, and Morro turned to see what started the draft. 

The wind carried a woman's voice from the top of the mountain , “You three, come in for dinner!” she shouted.

Morro relayed this message to the other two.

“Well, you heard the woman.” Fengge gazed up at the snowy mountain. 

As the three of them trailed up the mountain, the two boys tried to shake the snow from their clothes and hair. It would be very upsetting if the snow seeped down to their skin. They finally found the steps to the monastery. 

Amary grinned, “Last one there is a rotten egg!” She raced up the near one-thousand steps.

They reached the walls of the monastery in record time. Morro was first (obviously), Fengge second, and Amary third. She panted heavily and attempted to open the wooden doors, but she just couldn’t. “Please,” she placed her forehead on the door and whispered to it, “I'm cold and thirsty, please open up.” 

Fengge pulled it open and Amary ran through.

“After you,” he smiled.

Morro rolled his eyes with feigning annoyance and went in.

The training grounds were covered with snow. Thankfully, it was less than being on the inhabited part of the mountain. A few days ago, they lit up lanterns to melt some of the snow. The air was much thinner than down there, Morro couldn’t comprehend always breathing this way. 

They stepped up onto the engawa and Morro slid open the door. 

He could faintly hear Hyunok scold the little girl, “Amaryllis! No shoes in the house!” 

Tiny sandals came flying from the corner and nearly knocking a portrait askew.

Fengge laughed at the misshapen that almost occurred. He urged Morro to follow, then he ran after Amary–flipping his shoes off in the genkan and leaving them scattered. 

Morro shook his head, already kneeling down to clean up their mess. Would it kill them to tidy up? However, Morro weakly smiled, and he wished he did not have to go. He slipped his shoes off and neatly lined it up next to his other pairs in the genkan.

Inside the Monastery, it was chilly. He walked past many adornments that lined the monastery walls. Some sharp weapons, decorative vases, refreshing greenery, and lots and lots of portraits. Portraits of previous elemental masters that took residency here, portraits of Garmadon and Wu respectively, other portraits of sacred places and artifacts, and random portraits made from this period.

The smell of delicious food made Morro’s stomach grumble and his mouth water, so he hurried to make it to the dining room, but once he overheard Hyunok's shouts he slowed.

He peeked into the room, hiding behind the archway. He saw Amary and Fengge plating the table with sullen looks on their faces, and Hyunok was standing above them–arms on her hips with a crossed face. She was scolding the two, probably for their horrific manners. 

Serves them right, he mused. He ambled in and caught Hyunok’s onyx eyes. She seemed to calm with Morro’s presence in the room, as her reddened face faded back to her brown tawny freckled complexion.

“Will you help me get the food?” Without Morro’s answer, she pulled him out of the dinning room and zoomed down to the kitchen. Her black hair bounced with each step she took.

Sick of being pulled around, Morro tried to yank his arm away, but it only caused Hyunok to steel her grip.

Morro groaned, “Hyunok, what's wrong? You clearly seem to be in a bad mood.” 

She instantly glared back at him and kept moving forward. Once they got into the kitchen, Hyunok let him go.

He rubbed his wrist, miffed and frustrated. “Hyunok, this isn’t like you.” He glanced up, and a sharp object nearly lodged itself into Morro’s eye. In a split second, he curtly moved his head out of the way and the object sliced his cheek instead.

Morro stared at the knife jammed into the wall, his heart beating loudly in his chest. His hand raised to the cut right beside his eye. He reeled over the fact that he almost lost his vision. He felt his blood run down his face, and the way the wind picked up on his own accord in a panic.

Then he wondered, what have I done to cause this? Because whatever Morro did, he may not make it out to have his last meal with this family.

“Morro,” she whispered in poorly concealed ire.

He whipped over to the sound of her voice. She hung her head low as her fists vibrated beside her.

Morro didn’t know what to do. He had never seen her this upset before. Hyunok is a passionate person. She is clever, and caring. Sure, she can be sassy most times, and her attitude is bigger than Morro’s ego (which is humongous), but Hyunok is warmhearted and protective. This anger Morro is witnessing isn’t like any other time he’d seen her mad. She is a forgiving person, but what Morro has done will not be pardoned.

“You skank. You absolute crook,” she spat out venomously.

Morro furrowed his brows. Hearing those words come out of her mouth did not entirely feel right, but who is he to argue with the truth?

He scowled, “Please, keep your comments to yourself.” he exasperatedly sighed.

At this moment, he supposed Hyunok’s anger was justified. His words appeared to engulf Hyunok in a fiery whirlwind that only got stronger with time. Every metal utensil in the kitchen began to slowly rise like puppets connected to string, and the wielder was Hyunok Chokshi, the elemental master of Metal.

She looked into Morro’s eyes. This anger she felt towards Morro strengthened her resolve as hard as the steel she wields.

As such, every metal object within her vicinity came to fly at Morro.

Soon after, Hyunok opened the medicine cabinet to pull out a few bandages for Morro’s battered face. “I still do not understand your reason.”

Morro stood with his arms crossed, royally pissed. “And I expected you to comprehend something so trivial.” he jeered. Blood trickled down to his lip and Morro quickly wiped it away with the back of his hand. All the cuts on his face and bruises on his body stung. It was really making Morro resent Hyunok.

She slammed the items on the counter, “Deciding to run away is not trivial!” she bellowed bitterly.

“I’m not running away!” Morro balked, “I would never do something so cowardly!” 

Fengge peaked his head into the kitchen, “Hyunok, I got the water you wanted.” His eyes trailed over to Morro’s face. “Woah, what happened to your face!” he shouted in astonishment. He stepped in with two buckets of water.

Amary waltzed in with a big smile and an aloe vera leaf that looked ridiculously huge when she held it in her small hands. “And I brought the–” she saw Morro’s bloody face and screamed, “Ahh! It’s a yōkai!” 

The aloe vera leaf that was formally in Amary’s hands had smacked Morro in the face.

Morro groaned, and caught the plant as it dropped.

Fengge hysterically laughed as Amary screamed a high-pitched wail.

Hyunok hadn't bothered to conceal her amusement, “Amaryllis, it’s okay. Fengge, take this pot,” Fengge placed the buckets on the floor to take the pot full of curry. She went back to the side for a bowl, “Amary, be a good girl and take this to the dining room, okay?” She encouraged Amary to handle the bowl of grilled broccoli.

They both left a bit more out of breath then they came.

Without saying anything else, Hyunok took a rag and dipped it into one of the buckets. She ringed it out and traded it with the aloe vera in Morro’s hand. “I want to make it very clear to you,” she voiced as she heavily chopped the plant in half, “your reasoning is ludicrous.”

“Hyunok, you're okay. I can clearly tell that you cannot understand.” He carefully wiped the blood from his face with the damp rag. Morro felt the knife Hyunok was using thrust into the air. It wedged itself into the wall, right near his ear. It didn’t surprise him as much this time, Morro was already used to her habits. He sighed, “Must you always do that?” However, Morro felt different this time around, he sort of missed it already.

The cuts on his face weren't shallow, but they also weren't deep enough for stitches. Upsetingly, the bleeding had not stopped once he patted it dry. 

So annoying.

“What is there to understand? You're still upset about something that happened 2 years ago!” She shouted.

Morro’s eyes darkened, and the soft flow of the wind that always accompanied him stilled. “You do not know of what you speak.” He glared daggers at her wavering form.

She focused on her task intently, greatly bothered–greatly wary. What should Morro do with her?

A heavy air sat between them. This wasn’t some petty banter the two would engage themselves in. No, rarely, Hyunok and Morro would seriously argue. This was so much deeper than the surface scratches that littered Morro's face. Much deeper than the air swirling in his lungs. 

In a strange restrained tone, he spoke what he never shared before.

“You're wrong.” He tightly held the rag in his fist.

Hyunok abruptly stopped chopping. She turned her head at him, and with each fraught gasp she took, it became harder and harder to breathe.

“I'm not upset.” The rag shook in his grasp. Morro's whole self trembled in what can only be described as ire. 

He held so much animosity towards what happened that day. It's a miracle he’s holding it together.

“I absolutely abhor what took place the day of my ceremonial debut.” He took a step forward, “but Hyunok, you must understand,” he placed his hand holding the rag on his chest, close to his heart. “It seems as if destiny hasn’t warmed up to me.” 

The streaming blood on his face dripped, dripped, dripped–onto the floor. Morro took notice. He crouched down, and wiped it away. With this divergence, the wind began to sway once more.

“What do you want to gain from being the Green Ninja?” Hyunok walked to him with a wooden bowl filled with clear gel.

Morro pivoted on his toes, and faced the clear blue water. With the rag in his hand, he dipped it into the bucket. The blood spread out in a haze, slowly churning and reaching, like sweet smelling smoke wafting in the air. His thumbs moved with grace as he washed his sticking blood out of the rag, hoping to calm his slightly shaken self.

Morro rang the water from the rag, and wiped his bloodied cuts. What does he want? With his delirium memories of the past, one could say he doesn't remember his reasoning. 

He doesn't remember his initial reasoning. 

However, after he was blatantly told he couldn't become the green ninja–after everything he had been through, after everything he had done!? Destiny dared to tell him no? He cannot be left with this unbridled hate that devours his whole being! There is power and glory that comes with that title, and Morro wanted it–no, he yearned for it! It is his way of life. His sole purpose for living!

It was uncharacteristically silent for the both of them. 

“I…” His throat squeezed on itself, and his whole body trembled. Morro was getting choked up.

What…what did I want?

Deep down, in the back of his mind, he knew. He did not want to be ignored–like how he was when he lived on the streets, and he did not want to be forgotten. There is a goal he set himself for once Sensei Wu took him in, he intended to pay back the time Sensei Wu spent on him–plus he wanted Wu to be proud of him and his accomplishments.

His blood trailed down his check, and fell off his chin. On his hand, he saw liquid drip and cascade down. His blood was watered down with his tears. He gazed blankly at the red-stained water in the bucket, and onto his own face where his weeping showed.

“I-I’m sorry,” Hyunok apologized hastily. “I shouldn't have asked.”

Morro was seated on a zabuton, looking somewhat mummified with the huge amount of plasters on his face. He took a sip of water, trying to ignore Fengge’s giggles and snickers.

He exasperatingly sighed, then glared at the man. “Shut up, will you?”

He covered his mouth with his hand. That did not cease his laughter.

“Blow on it, okay?” Hyunok held the flatbread dripped with curry to Amary’s lips. “Bite it.”

A gentle and small zephyr came from Amary's mouth. Then she opened it and ate the curry. Her face reddened, “It's spicy!” She cried. 

“You didn’t eat the bread!” Hyunok urged her to do so.

“So,” he paused, supposingly hesitant, “when are you leaving?” Fengge brought up the question of the night, while playing with his portion of chicken vindaloo.

With the guide of his hands, Morro’s long chopsticks picked up a pork belly strip. 

“What!” Amary yelled, completely surprised. She looked around the table, no one else shared her shock.

Hyunok scooped her bread into the curry, her lips in a scowl. “When did you find out, Fengge?” She doesn't look up from her bowl.

Fengge hurried to swallow the grilled broccoli in his mouth, “uh-” he choked, and sent a panicked glance at Morro.

Was she really that upset? They did fight, but… He nibbled on the fatty meat.

“Well. I bunk with him, so…” Fengge chuckled, anxious.

Amary abruptly stood, her vibrant pink eyes welled with tears. She clutched her pink kimono with her quaking fists. “You…you…” The little girl shook her head.

Morro’s lips parted, and his food slowly fell from his mouth.

Ahh..

Honestly, this was not how things were supposed to go.

Amaryllis. Her small body shook, and big tears streamed from her eyes. She stared straight at Morro–who was in front of her, sitting on the other side of the table. He seemed to be a world away. Her voice quivered, “You're leaving…?”

Morro’s tongue moved, the instinct to excuse himself was so large, his fingers curled onto themselves. Why, in front of this little girl, did he feel the need to run?

Abruptly, she stepped onto the table, and ran for Morro.

Fengge pulled his food close to himself, “Ah! My food!”

Morro raised his hands, whether it was to shield himself or to stop her from running, he did not know. “Ah, Amary, wait!” 

Surprisingly, Hyunok did not reprimand Amary for this stunt.

The little girl reached her hand out. 

He was a world away.

She dived and clung onto Morro’s waist, wailing into his lap.

Shocked by this, he hesitated. His hands hovered above Amary’s trembling from.  Although she was an expressive young child, crying never came to her. He could only recall one other time when she outspokenly cried like this. It was when Amary was accused of poisoning her orian, during the time she worked as a kamuro in a red-light district. 

Luckily, his Sensei was right in his hunch of an elemental master nearby. They paid off her debts, and she came to live with them at the monastery.

Through these memories of their first meeting, Morro’s face began to soften, and eventually, he rested his hands on the crying child.

“When were you going to tell her?” Hyunok had her arms crossed, a frown etched deep on her face.

Morro glanced at the crying child on his lap. He rubbed her back in smooth circles. “You’re making me feel guilty.”

“Then don’t go.”

Morro swallowed a big lump in his throat, “you don’t understand–”

“Then make me understand!” She shouted, there were only a few tears that trickled from her eyes. “Make me– understand.” 

Amary’s weeping ended, and she now just laid her head on Morro’s lap. Perhaps she was listening.

Then listen well, Amary.

“You said you could not stand it here.”

“...” Morro stared blankly at his food. Many thoughts fester, but none seem to cross his mind in coherence.

Hyunok sighed, “Hey. Go on and say something.” Her tongue was like a sharpened knife, cutting through the silence.

Fengge spoke up for him. “He said he wanted to change destiny!”

She glared at him. “Impossible.” 

Morro was unimpressed. “Your mindlessness is your limitation. Break past the placeholders of this world, and awaken your transcendence state in pure pursuit.” He replied, mildly. “Nothing is impossible.” He patted Amary’s head. 

A little guidance will do her good.

Hyunok scoffed, “There is no need to proclaim your philosophies. Tell me the truth.”

Through gritted teeth, Morro tried to push out the words, “Being here…I can’t–”

“You said nothing was impossible.” 

Morro resisted the urge to express his shock. 

The black-haired woman shifted in her seat, pulling her legs from underneath her to cross them like a pretzel. She leaned forward, resting her head on her hand. Her onyx eyes, as beautiful as they are, tinted with a glint of something ugly. “You there, tell me your story.”

Morro swallowed down the bile that rose in his esophagus. It was absolutely disgusting. The thought of that damn night made his stomach churn with bubbling hate. 

When Morro began talking, Hyunok’s brows furrowed.

“Imagine being lied to–for a considerable amount of time. You were told you would gain immeasurable power, and you’d have the power to do great things.” He spoke slowly, eyes glazed over, immersed in his memory. “Then one night, all of that was thrown out the window.” 

(“Then I refuse to listen! I am the Green Ninja! You made be believe!”)

“Everything you trained for was for naught. Your biggest supporter turned a blind eye to the injustice that was forged, and he discouraged your dreams into becoming reality.”

A small whimper startled Morro out his head. A wave of guilt washed over him as he hastily let go of Amary’s crumpled hair.

He couldn’t tear his eyes from Amary slowly sitting up to rub the spot where he clenched his fist into her hair.

The air in his lungs stilled, “I am leaving tonight.” he managed to croak out.

The sound of a dish falling clanked onto the table, “You’re what!” Fengge rushed to be seated beside him. He grabbed Morro’s shoulders and shook him frantically. “Tonight?”

The dizziness in his head momentarily distracted him from his attention on the little girl. With his stunned features regressing back to his impassive face, Morro took hold of Fengge’s wrists. “How could I live in such hostility?” 

He shifted his body, he moved closer to his food. He tore bread, and dipped it into the curry. “I can only hope you gained light into my perspective.” He ate. The flare of spice coated his tongue, and the softness of the bits of potato was a heavenly delight. He glanced at the woman.

During an argument, if someone were to ask who was more stubborn between the four of them–Morro would simply walk away from a situation if it was deemed a waste, Hyunok could only stop asserting herself once she was satisfied, Fengge would shamelessly lie, and Amary would complain–it is nearly impossible to gauge who it would be. Their ideals would never waver, and it didn’t matter if the foundation of their ideals were emotional or logical. It was that type of stupidness that drove their passion, and by extension their arguments nowhere (not Morro though, he isn’t stupid, it’s conviction).

[It is a complete waste retelling what happened during that time frame, because Morro knows the result.

Let’s just say, Hyunok is an idiot. Fengge needs to get his pretty face away from theirs. And it is a good idea for Amary to stop crying about marriage.]

Sometime later, Morro and Hyunok were the only ones left in the dining room. 

“The whole thing feels like an elaborate story just so you can leave the monastery a year early.” Hyunok’s straightforwardness was going to kill her one day.

At sixteen, that was the universal agreed age to formally begin your exploration into adulthood. That was also the age Sensei Wu promised to show with the golden weapons if he was the Green Ninja. Obviously, the both of them were a bit too eager to know. If more training was needed to prove destiny wrong, it couldn’t hurt. (But that was a few months before his birthday, and Morro concluded that if wanted something, he would have to chase it). 

“You haven't even mastered Spinjitzu! You are being too hasty.”

He gritted his teeth, his jaw flexing. “When I said I couldn't stand it here, what do you think I meant?” He admonished harshly.

There was a slight twitch of her eyebrows, but then it went away. “Hey. Be polite to your elders.”

Morro couldn’t fight the eyeroll.

“And I’m sorry–”

Huh?

“–for making you cry.”

Morro did not cry.

Hyunok’s laughter wafted in the room, between the breaths of air were words, “what’s with that look on your face?” she grinned teasingly, “we all saw it.”

Morro huffed, miffed.

Once she calmed herself, she placed her hands folded in her lap, poised. “At this rate, I know I cannot change your path, but I hope I was successful enough to change the way you choose to walk on it.”

Morro didn't make any move to say something.

She continued, “I’m not very good with words, but I hope you don't come to regret your decision.” She stood and began her way out the dining room, “Just know, the path you're traversing is indefinite. The foundation on what you build your goal on will have lasting effects on the product.” She leaned her body on the archway, and shifted her head to grin at Morro, “That is to say, don’t delude yourself into believing you're doing this for the correct reason, because you might not be.”

[(“Do you really want the Green Ninja title for the benefit of the less fortunate? To sacrifice yourself and defeat the greatest evil with your whole heart?

Or is it the power and glory you're after? Passing an impossible achievement will definitely give you bragging rights.”) – A young man Morro met from his journey.

Morro's limitation is their inner turmoil. Their foundation for wanting to be the Green Ninja was too unclear, but the feeling of hate was at its brink. It was hard to contain, it was overbearing. So that was the only thing they could recognize in their heart, and that feeling of hate fundamentally changed their reason. Their reason–the foundation. Hate clouded their mind. Those lasting effects were their downfall.

Morro, reflecting on their past, has come to an agreement with themself.]

“You wanted a story, did you not?” He glowered.

She nodded, “It feels like a fantasy. A broken and homeless kid promised to earn great power?” She scoffed, “it's a fairytale.” Then she left, leaving Morro alone with the soft flutter of the wind to lend him comfort.

The wind blew through his hair–now shortened to his shoulders. His memories of his time spent at this monastery were cut off by Fengge (per request), and given to Amary for solace. A pair of chakrams that Hyunok commissioned rested on his back in a cool compress. The first chakram is able to split apart at the middle, and can be wielded with both of his hands at the handle. The second one is a full wheel–sharp and lethal. Morro would need to learn how to use this weapon, but for the meantime, a katana lies at his waist, ready for use.

The mountainous air is quiet. Morro spent a long time here. Dumpster diving in Sensei Wu's garbage led to here, becoming a ninja to fight evil. Now it was time to go. 

The large wooden doors creaked open, and a man that looks to be young–but is roughly older than 1500 years of age–steps into the training grounds. His eyes were nearly closed, but once his gaze landed on Morro’s tense form, some of his exhaustion left him. 

Snowflakes slowly fell from the sky. Sensei Wu’s snow-covered garments and hair noted on the hard long journey that overtook him. He was gone for nearly two months, and no sign of his whereabouts were prevalent. 

So arguably, this was where the miscommunication began.

Sensei Wu brightened, “Were you going to look for me?”

Morro just stared.

[And they wonder what their face looked like. Was he angry? Disgusted? Does he feel the overpowering blackhole of guilt and sadness in his stomach as Morro, remembering the night that changed everything? The night that destiny hasn’t written with their ill-fitted pens and poorly made scrolls.

Morro does not regret it, although it is still a pain to look back on what they have done.]

Sensei Wu smiled apologetically, “I’ll try to send a crow whenever I'm out longer than expected.” He closed the huge double doors. “Now! Let's go back inside.”

He clenched his fist. Morro would not make any move to leave.

Once Sensei Wu passed him, he stopped. He must have realized Morro wasn't going to follow him. 

“Morro, is there something wrong?”

At this question, his teeth ground together, and the pressure of his anger and annoyance and just utter guilt of a want to do something about his life but not having the support to just do so–

It was a bit difficult to speak. There was this heavy lump in his throat that made it hard to swallow, and Morro feared if he did decide to use his voice, it would crack.

Morro didn’t hear the snow crush under Senesi Wu’s feet, but he felt his teacher’s hand reach for him. It wasn’t touching, but it was close. It was like how a campfire would burn large to produce the warmest flames, and dry cold hands would hover over said flames; careful not to touch, in case it got burned. 

The snow began to fall harder.

Come on Sensei, just say it. Just say you want him to stay.

[Unaware of Morro, his fists were shaking. But it could have just been the cold.]

He couldn’t see his teacher from the way he faced out in the snow. He wasn’t talking to anyone. The door was right in front of him. It beckoned him to leave.

No. To come in.

To come into the realm, and find his destiny.

“Courage is not the absence of fear; it is the conquest of it.”

These words…

Morro’s vision focused, and he was finally aware of the swirling snow in a whirlwind of his own making. An icy rivulet ran down his cheek. Then another, and another. Until it was molten lava burning his skin off.

His body was a pressuring sensation. It felt too small, a constraint, a limitation. Morro gasped for a breath of blessed air between his sobs. The air surged down his windpipe into his lungs. Air circulated throughout his body, it pushed against the tissues that were the very prison that held him down.

The wind flowing through his body felt so close, yet how was he controlling it exactly? How far will Morro have to reach–

To be. Just to be.

Then Sensei Wu swept into his line of warped vision–his face void of anything but concern–pulled him into his chest, and wrapped his arms around him. Morro couldn’t believe it. He was drowning as a bird meaning to soar. Nevertheless, he grounded himself into the weight of his old teacher like a lifeline, and if he rid himself of this burden, he would be swept away to nothingness.

So he pushed that strange feeling down, and grabbed onto his passion (whatever that may be).

In a soft tone, Wu murmured in his ear, “The doors of the monastery will always be open for you if you wish to return.”

Morro didn’t hug him back. The wind slowed, and then dispersed into the air. The snow settled onto the ground. He pried himself away from Wu’s arms, and trotted to the big double doors.

Should he look back?

He thought for a moment. Morro didn’t particularly want to see Wu’s face. He was a bit embarrassed, crying in front of his old teacher like that.

How many times has he cried today?

He pulled the heavy doors open, and stepped out. The stairs were at least a thousand steps. By the time he was far away enough to not see the monastery walls where he stood, he looked up.

The snow has stopped long ago, and the sky has cleared up from its haze. He thought he would feel a lot lighter finally leaving, but that didn’t seem to be the case. The opposite, actually. He could hardly breathe.

Whilst Morro stared deep into the sky, the stars twinkle in greeting. His eyes hardened in a glare, not needing pity for the companionship of stars.

Chapter Text

June 22, Thursday. 11:09 PM

There is a sudden flash of heat that envelopes Lloyd in a tight bundle. He struggles to stay comfortable under the thin covers that drape over his body. His head twitches, and his hands tighten its grip on the sheets below. It is almost a feverish moment, where the fire that surrounds him dries up sticky sweat plastered on his skin. 

“Mmm…” A deep groan rumbles from his throat, a curling growl that clenches his jaws together. 

His eyelids are heavy. They stay shut, no matter how much force to pry them open in his sleepy state.

A hushed sound is made in Lloyd’s right ear, “he’s waking up.” A hand that is smaller than his own lays hers over his.

Dull footsteps sweep across the floor becoming louder and louder, and the more Lloyd becomes aware of his surrounding, a constant noise–

Beep,

Beep,

Beep,

–are perpetual.

A sharp prick on his arm slightly moves in Lloyd’s discomfort. Another palm, a freeze over his chest, dimming the throbbing pain of a waning–

‘His soul is healing.’

With a heavy heart, only two thoughts, and the words Uncle Wu used to say, float into a symphony.

I feel like crying, it’s a huge weight that ceases from my mind. 

(“The murk of Darkness that once drenched his body will flee from Gold.”)

Lloyd wishes he could stay like this forever, sleeping into oblivion, but his family holds his heart dearly, and he will fight for them. Take a deep breath, then exhale. Lloyd feels close to crying, but the chill that brings his fever down pulls him back to sleep, and the insight of an awakened mind regresses to once was before: a clouded fog of temptation and salvation.

Dream sweetly, his mothers lullaby whispers in his ear.

The memories of the day Uncle Wu left are forefront and clear. 

The whole team had already said goodbye besides Lloyd. He still hadn't come to terms with his new responsibility–something he had before but it never sat right. Wu said being a leader was nothing new and that he had been a leader for quite some time, but Lloyd argued that he'd never been alone before. He always had his Uncle near his side, but now he would be gone.

Uncle Wu placed a hand on Lloyd’s shoulder, “Lloyd, you are not alone.” He spoke earnestly. “Wherever you go, the Ninja will follow.” He patted his head and began to walk off.

“What if something goes wrong?” He asked, tears welled in his eyes. 

Uncle Wu stopped and gave him a mirthful glare.

Lloyd stepped closer to his uncle. “Not universally! Like with me,” he voiced, despondent. He didn't need to speak directly on the topic. His uncle already knew of his worries.

Wu's gaze softened, “Lloyd, do not dissuade your confidence in your abilities. If it ever comes to that point, the others will stop you beforehand. I can promise you that.”

“But–”

“Hush!” His Uncle whacked him with his staff.

“Ow,” he rubbed his head, and laughed. A smile creeped on his face. “Uncle, you're leaving. Is this how you want me to remember you?”

Uncle Wu stroked his beard, a sad smile on his face whilst he watched Lloyd rub his temple. “Do not give into the darkness that surrounds your heart.” 

Lloyd’s smile slowly faded into a frown.

Uncle Wu placed his hand on Lloyd's head. His hand laid there, and anchored Lloyd down. “Keep your heart from evil, for that is life.”

The rain trickles and whispers through the night. It awakens him. The wind howls and overpowers his thoughts, stretching and morphing them into a feeling of overwhelming tiredness and regret. His mind whisks away in the storm, seemingly nothing in the grand scheme of things. All Lloyd holds onto is his memories of the past.

The dreary Jinja, the dark corridors fogged green, the whispers dripping in hunger, and the pulsing pain of a knife impaled into his stomach.

But also the gentle hand, so gentle it could be mistaken for the soft flutter of a butterfly’s wings, and their tiny legs slowly descending onto their flower, tickling its petals.

The rapid intake of his memories was too much. He needs to access it all one step at a time, and try to make sense of it all–later, though. He’s too exhausted to think at the moment.

Shadows in the shape of his friends, family surround his bed like a worried mother beside her sickened baby. However, in this case, he is not a baby, and his mother is gone. His mother now takes the form of five individuals who risked their lives for this Realm. Instead of fighting another world-ending threat, they watch a disaster unfold in front of them, and they do nothing to stop it.

“Lloyd? Are you awake?”

Dread spills deep within his stomach and spreads through his core like the Suzuri no tamashii’s spilled ink submerging Wu’s archive. It still gives him chills thinking about it. More so, how uncanny the resemblance of the act to his memory of that cursed night. He would have to unfortunately ask Harumi more about this specific Yōkai.

He tentatively blinks his eyes open, wishing to disappear into his mattress. He turns his head to see their pained expressions. It warms his heart to see them so worried over him. They truly do care.

However, it cannot compensate for their waning trust.

Through the heavy haze of the frost, Lloyd sees a figure welled deep within the darkness. That alone melts away his remorse. The one person who comforted him in his collapse, Garmadon. He knows what it's like to struggle, and that alone gives Lloyd shelter.

But enough of that, Garmadon is the last thing he wants to think about. Only because he doesn’t wish for a reminder of how pitiful he is, and how much Garmadon would agree so.

He sits up, joints popping. At the sudden movement, pressure throbs in his forehead. He groans, embracing this heaviness in his hand. The covers over his chest fall and pool around his hips. These bed sheets belong to his room in the Monastery. Lloyd can feel something prickling his arm. He glances to see, and it's an IV needle. How long has he been out?

“I hope you can forgive me.” Zane smiles pleasantly, clipping the pulse oximeter off Lloyd’s index finger and plucking out the IV needle from his arm.

Nya, sits in a chair beside Lloyd’s bed.

“Oh, uh,” Lloyd winces at the sound of his dehydrated voice, but confusion gets him to speak again. Whatever Zane did, it must not have been too important. In any case, Lloyd couldn't care less due to hardly remembering the latest events before he got here, besides the stuff involving the woman and the jinja. ”I just–” he coughs, “I just hope everything went smoothly during the dinner.”

There's a certain point where his brain starts to fog when trying to think of that day at the Amber Stone Tavern. It was around the time his memories came flashing back.

“Zane punched you, knocking you out.” Nya announces bluntly.

“What?” 

Zane smiles apologetically, bandaging Lloyd’s arm.

“Why..?” He sighs, “I wont worry about it.” He must have been on a sugar high or something.

The rain’s pitter-patter is loud. They should all succumb to its hearty music, but words need to be spoken tonight. If not, their fear of misunderstanding and lies may further uproot their splintering trust.

Lloyd’s gaze gradually lowers onto his lap. He smothers his covers, ridding of the wrinkles. He feels a little bit flustered, but being around his family is already making him feel better already.

A knock on the wood panel of the door echoes throughout his room. It opens, and Jay gasps, “why is it so cold in here?” His gaze falls onto Lloyd, and he instantly brightens, “Lloyd! You’re awake!”

He runs to jump on Lloyd’s bed, hugging his side. “Ugh, you must be freezing!” He shivers, embracing Lloyd closer.

Nya gets up to sit down on Lloyd’s bed, squeezing her yin’s side.

“Uh, guys?” He isn’t particularly cold to begin with.

“Is this better?”

They fall to the side giggling. Lloyd, with two people dragging him down, falls with them.

Zane comes back from wheeling the vital sign monitor to a corner of the room. He leans over the bed, taking Lloyd’s temperature. 

“So, how is he, doc?” Jay smiles enthusiastically.

Zane pulls his hand away. “Hmm,” he frowns, tired. “One hundred–”

“What!” Jay bolts up, and whips his head at Lloyd, not letting Zane finish. “One hundred!?”

Lloyd laughs, disregarding it. “Technically, one hundred means I'm doing great, right?”

“.....”

Jay rips the blankets from his form.

“Hey!” Lloyd shouts, surprised. 

He rises from his reclined position, fumbling for the covers, but Jay continues to pull it away.

Zane lets out a breathy laugh, “It’s nothing to worry about. For Lloyd, one-hundred and one fahrenheit is an improvement!” 

Unpromptly, Nya wraps her arms around his upper half. One arm over his shoulder, and the other folds at his waist. “Thank goodness.” She whispers in Lloyd’s ear.

Shock contorts his features. 

Why, why is she doing this?

“Thank goodness, you are okay.” She mumbles, voice shaky. 

Lloyd’s heart thumps in his chest.

“I never would have left you if I hadn’t hoped you would be okay by yourself.” She holds him tighter, “The moment I saw you again, I wished I could turn the clock, and go back before I volunteered to leave.” She laments, sounding close to crying.

Lloyd nearly forgot. This is Nya after all. The sole person to even imagine what he is going through, as she has been in the same boat as him. Being in this hellish loneliness will never do him good. 

“Depression and loneliness do not disappear simply because you are around your family. Do you find yourself unsatisfied after a happy moment?” Zane continues, “as you wish for a lasting positive impression?”

Unfortunately, happy moments with his most loved ones does not satisfy the whirlpool of his emotions that sink him lower and lower into the ocean’s abyss. Most often than not, he is left with disappointment, and oftentimes frustration in himself.

“Lloyd, we need you to be honest. You know we are here to support you–”

Jay interjects, moving his fingers through his static-y hair. “But there's not much we can do if you don't confide in us, you know?”

Trust works both ways. It always has, it always will.

“Thank you.” Because he really means it. It's a great comfort to hear that his family is always there for him, in person or in spirit. Lloyd wants them to trust and confide in him as well, and not in obligation, but in a reach for a shoulder to lean on.

That being said…Lloyd's eyebrows furrow, “What were you guys talking about behind my back?” He asks gravely.

He needs to know. If it is something worrying about him, then he needs to know so he can quickly change it. Or if it's something superficial, he wishes to help out.

Nya pats his back twice, then pulls away. “Changing the subject, are we?” she snarks, inquiring.

Lloyd’s cheeks flush, “...not necessarily.”

“Unfortunately, we have more pressing matters to attend to.” Zane says.

Seriously? What’s more pressing than talking about him in secrecy?

Jay smiles awkwardly, “Don't worry though! It's nothing serious!”

Nya gives Jay a strange look.

He averts his gaze away shyly, “I think.”

“Sure…If you think Lloyd turning into a furry cat demon is nothing serious, then go ahead and laugh.” She deadpans.

A furry…cat demon? Lloyd crosses his legs in a pretzel, pulsating head lowering into the palms of his hands. He can’t shapeshift into anything, and believe Lloyd, he has tried. Wait, no, thinking about it further, he has transformed into one thing. His head jolts up, shivers buzzing though his body.

Zane's robotic voice supplies in a cheerful tone, “a cute furry cat demon!”

Worse.

“Quite threatening,” Jay airily adds.

The three of them nod in agreement.

They refocus their attention on Lloyd, but the look of his face gives them a pained expression. Do they know what they're talking about right now?

Jay frantically tries to comfort Lloyd. his body moving like an animated character as his fits clench in front of his chest. “We thought you were cute!” He cajoles.

Nya puts her chin in the palm of her hand, “They thought you were cute.” She intones flatly.

“But I think I also screamed!” 

“And I only had to punch you!” Zane beams, unhelpfully adding to Lloyd’s fears.

Lloyd incredulously stares at the three of them. “You thought an Oni looked…cute?”

Jay grimaces, “No, no! Oni’s are scary! We thought you looked cute.” 

They were the same thing!

“Enough with the jokes.” Nya moves off the bed and walks towards the window. 

She opens it. The afternoon light happily greets Lloyd's room, eager to quickly clean away the dark shadow that stood menacingly in the corner of his room.

“We need to talk.” Her eyes stay glued to the scenery, “all of us.”

The beating of Lloyd’s heart quickens, but he takes a deep breath, steadying himself.

“I texted them,” Jay waves his phone in the air. 

“I’ve made an agenda to follow.” A wiring noise and a soft light comes from the back of Zane’s head. 

It's good to know they are all on the same page. “What’s it about?” Lloyd poses.

A small paper prints from Zane's head. Nya takes it. 

“‘One, Oni Powers!?!?’” She raises her voice in false exclamation. “With a whole bunch of question and exclamation marks.” Nya sneers at Jay and Zane, and Lloyd can practically guess what she’s thinking. Jay waves in reply, and she sighs in disappointment, continuing. “‘Two, Get Lloyd to open up more.’”

Reasonable. 

“‘Three,’” she reads, then she gets cut off.

“Pardon the interruption, Nya. I hope this is okay to ask.” Zane takes the slip of paper gently from Nya’s hands, nodding in thanks. “Lloyd–what happened in Wu’s archive?”

Lloyd pales, and he breathes in sharply as he recalls the ink.

Jay gasps, “that's right!” He turns his body towards Lloyd. “The archives were in shambles!”

Everything began falling down, turning into liquid right before his eyes.

“Hey, I mean, at least Nya got her sun room!” Jay laughs, although it isn’t very enthusiastic.

Nya sighs, but she nods her head anyways. “The hole is pretty big,” she grumbles.

Their chatter continues, but certain words don’t reach Lloyd’s mind. In fact, he has a hard time trying to include himself in the conversation when he is focusing on keeping his hands idle from their shake, and his breath from getting out of proportion. The pounding of his head hasn’t diminished quite yet, and this reemerging hunger Lloyd finally recalls gnaws in his stomach. 

Or rather, instead of a gnaw, it is a tear.

Blunt, but gentle. Peaceful, but seething in wrath. Truly, the woman who lies in the middle of all this is to blame. 

Lloyd needs to do something about that. After what she did to him…is it not justifiable? Does Lloyd not get the justification to purge them of their existence?? Lloyd doesn’t need disgusting vermin running around, they need to eat! Morro needs to kill her and her corrosive voice–

Lloyd chokes, and he folds into himself. (His family’s chatter instantly combusts into shouts.) He gasps for air that can’t sit right in his lungs. For a second, Lloyd could have felt the imposing thoughts of a vengeful demon haunting his narrative. These feelings of hate and distaste can’t be his, because if it was, then something deeply evil within him resides. Truly evil, he thinks.

“Zane,” Lloyd coughs, words squeezing together to get through his windpipe. “Do an energy scan.” He wipes away a few tears that fall from his eyes. 

He may be overreacting just a bit, but it’s better to be careful. Lately, with the sudden increment of power in his Oni magic these days, and these strange…thoughts[?] in his mind reminds him of a certain process he had to go through to ‘embrace destruction’ or something like that. He cannot go back to his training days. 

One more thing, his emotions. Why is he so angry? Anger is not a foreign emotion Lloyd feels, and at one point in his life, that seemed to be the only emotion he felt. But now? And nearly all the time? This is uncharacteristic, even for him.

(It wasn’t the specific anger that was off-kilter, but the general moodiness and melancholy that induced his irritability. This frustration is at his fingertips. It is beneath his skin, and only a tiny scratch can cause it to bleed. It is always there in the corner of his vision. Thinly veiled at the forefront of his mind.

Boiling, and ready to overflow.)

At this, he is almost sure of it.

Zane’s eyes glow brightly blue, “scanning.” Once his eyes go back to their regular glow, another wiring sound comes from the back of his head and a small piece of paper emerges once again. “Printing report.”

Lloyd bites at his lower lip, chewing on the skin.

Zane gaze flits over, eyes narrow. “I suppose your suspicions are correct.”

Lloyd's face pales, tension stiffening his muscles.

“Although, I don't think there is anything to be concerned about.” 

He hands the report over.

Lloyd's energy levels have always been high, but it isn’t because of the element he controlled, it is his nature as a dragon. Reading this, why are his levels lower than what it should be? 

“I cannot tell you why,” Zane points to the slip of paper in Lloyd’s grasp. “Compared to the last time we’ve done this, the energy which corresponds to your Oni side is much higher than before. This,” Zane draws a circle with his finger over one diagram. “Is new.”

Distantly Lloyd hears three knocks on his door, followed by two distinct footsteps.

“Never ever let Kai watch over the stove,” someone admonishes. “Because at this point it’s getting ridiculous.”

A different voice laughs, “I didn’t have time to watch the stove. I was thinking!”

Bodies move in Lloyd’s peripheral, the warmth on his sides leave. Lloyd doesn’t look up at their arrival. 

This is odd. There is no reason for his energy levels to be so low. It’s quite alarming, and Lloyd has a feeling no one really understands how bad this could be.

A scarred hand lowers the report. Lloyd blinks in surprise, breaking out of his pensive trance. 

Kai’s eyes flick over to the report. “Not even a hello?”

Lloyd’s mouth parts, startled. “Huh? Oh, I didn’t notice!” Lloyd lightens, “Good Morning!” The thought of a clear blue sky makes him flounder. “Or Afternoon..?”

Kai grins. His other hand sneaks behind Lloyd's back to ruffle his hair.

Lloyd winces. “Ack, Kai!”

“Leave him alone. He just woke up.” Standing on the side, Cole smiles. “We cleaned up your room.”

“It was a mess.” Kai remarks.

Looking around, his room is a lot cleaner. The clothes that were hazardously sprawled on the floor are piled in a hamper, and all of his stationary supplies are neatly organized on his desk. His room originally wasn’t this bland, but with the recent explosion that burned down the monastery, Lloyd hasn’t bothered to decorate it again.

It’s silent for a moment, but Kai jumps the gun and begins to talk first. “At the dinner, Lloyd you–”

Lloyd cringes at the reminder. “I’m sorry–I just–”

“What?” Disgruntled, Cole furrows his brows. “Lloyd, we’re trying to–”

He waves his hands in the air, smiling sheepishly, “I want to explain it, I just need to get my thoughts together first.” His hands fall down, fingers interlocking and a frown immanent on his face, “I can't think about it now, I’m sorry.”

Nya places her hand on Lloyd’s, and slowly, she musters out her words, “Lloyd, we never even knew you could do that.”

Zane’s robotic voice fills the air. “We were only told of it when Harumi overheard us speaking on the matter and decided to say something.”

Ugh, Harumi.

“Why didn’t you ever tell us?” Jay asks meekly.

Is it acceptable to say he didn’t think he had to? Lloyd bites his bottom lip, scraping the skin off. “I don’t know,” he sighs. “I was so caught up in the moment that we won, I didn’t think about it anymore–and the event never popped up again, so…”

Kai keeps his regard on the floor. His brows furrowed, and face pensive.

“Again, Lloyd.” 

Lloyd picks his head up at his name, facing Zane.

“We don’t know how to stress this enough, but you can confide in us anytime on anything.”

His thoughts at the dinner, and what transpired in the Jinja moves to the forefront of his mind. Lloyd would love to discuss it with everyone, but even he doesn’t fully understand what happened. It’s not like Lloyd doesn’t want to say anything, he’s just tired.

Okay, so maybe he’s stalling.

Cole leans on his desk, gazing at Lloyd in sympathy, but he addresses everyone in the room. “Come on, you guys are acting like Garmadon actually died up there.”

Nya scoffs, but she doesn’t say anything to retort.

“Do you know…” Jay murmurs, gesturing to Lloyd’s body with his index finger, “do you know what set you off?”

Stunned, Lloyd mouth opens, agape.

“Jay!” Nya shouts, equally appalled.

Jay flinches, “Oh! I didn’t mean for it too come out like that–”

Kai snorts, “Straight to the point, huh?”

“–I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

Lloyd’s shoulders tremble, and a small laugh erupts from his mouth.

“Perhaps it was the manager at the tavern?” Zane surmises, sitting upright in the chair besides Lloyd’s bed. “I could tell something was off the moment you saw her.”

Tears swell in Jay’s eyes. “I didn’t think my dubious hours affected you that much…”

Lloyd shakes his head. Although, he wishes that was it.

Zane continues. “Lloyd completely froze, no respiration and eyes dilated.”

“Then when you stood up, you started shaking like crazy after she left!” Kai exclaims.

Cole rubs the back off his neck, “So it was the manager…what did she even do to you?”

Nya rolls her eyes, getting off the bed and standing up. “It doesn’t matter what she did, she must have done something to piss off Lloyd.”

“Was it because she smiled at you?” Jay grabs his arm, urging him to speak. “She’s flirtatious with everyone she sees!”

Nya raises a brow, “even you?”

Jay puffs his chest out in pride. “I told her I have a girlfriend.” Slowly, he wilts in despair. “But I don’t think she heard me.”

Cole crosses his arms, looking up at the ceiling in confusion. “Lloyd was flirting with another girl, though?”

Kai smirks smugly, bending his arm back in a pose. “Not everyone can handle getting hit on!”

Licking someone's blood off is a weird way to hit on someone, but it's true. Lloyd couldn’t handle the way she smiled at him. When she walked away knowing her assault will never see the light of day, he was…angry.

It was too much for him to handle. Even now, knowing what she did to him, and possibly countless others.

“You must have met her before that day.” Zane suggests.

Did he? These memories he gained were strangely blurred, almost as if he wasn’t actually there. Still, he knows for a fact that he did get stabbed (the pain he experienced was very real contrary to his wound’s scarring) because of the evidence that was graciously retold in Wu’s archive. However, the figure in the ink was just a figure. A blotchy, dripping figure of black goo–not the girl he saw before getting stabbed.

That woman in red–that was her face. The memory is hazy at best. Trying to piece it together, there is something unusual in how Lloyd perceived it. There was no clear visual, but he knows that women licked his blood off the knife. Maybe his mind is filling in what he knows with faux images. Maybe it’s his exhaustion clouding his brain in fog. All he recalls is the sound of her voice–not her words–and the pain where hunger feeds into temptation and salvation.

At Least one thing is clear. It happened. He knows it, and Lloyd will be damned if it is his imagination.

Lloyd nods, albeit hesitantly, “I met her on a mission.”

The colour of Zane’s eyes lights up, confirming his surprise. “A mission? PIXAL and I haven't seen a description of injury from the reports.”

The mission reports are a new thing for the Ninja to keep in track of during the emergence of Yōkai. Any useful information about specific Yōkai will be recorded on these reports, but it is also good for keeping in track with regular missions the Ninja go on for the point of the database.

“I forgot.” He chuckles bashfully, “but I just remembered not too long ago.” Precisely with the flow of the rest of his memories. “I’ll…write one soon.”

He probably won’t, purely because of how long ago it was.

“No need,” Nya replies curtly, sensing Lloyd’s wariness. “Just tell us now.”

Kai nods, “Lloyd, if she hurt you, we need to know. And the only way to help you is if you speak up.”

He averts his gaze to his lap, seeing his knuckles whiten. It seems they came back full circle, the exact topic Lloyd doesn’t want to discuss.

‘Everyone's intently waiting for an answer. Those guys don’t know when to quit. ’

Well…ninja never quit…?

Lloyd knows everyone is worried for him. They must think he isn’t acting himself. In all honesty, it's been that for a while now, but Lloyd wonders if there was a certain notice in his behaviour to get his family to be smothering him like a child. With the addition of his low energy levels, it's possible to be a subconscious thing. They must have known something was off the moment they looked at him.

He sucks his teeth in, shifting his sitting position in the discomfort of their silence. One thing is for sure. As of right now, in Lloyd's tiredness, hunger, and overall unwell-being, he does not bode well under pressure. 

“She stabbed me in the stomach,” he confesses quietly. “...I think she almost killed me.”

Their faces morph in horror, and immediately Lloyd regrets it.

Kai’s hand slams on the wall, furious. “I'm going after her. ” 

“Wait!” Nya calls, but Kai is already half-way out the door.

“Why should I?” He growls, spinning around sharply. “She laid a hand on Lloyd. Why are we still here when she’s out there!?” 

“Look, I'm angry too, but we need to know how this happened!” Nya snaps.

Kai grits his teeth, and although he loves his sister dearly, Lloyd knows there is a very good chance he will walk out this door.

“Kai! Hold on!” Lloyd yanks his shirt up, showing his stomach, “Look! I'm fine!”

No scarring. No mark.

Jay prods it. His skin is the way it should be–firm but smooth. “It’s not even stiff…what the hell-y.”

Zane studies his stomach carefully. With a troubled expression, he allows Lloyd to pull his shirt down.

“Ah! This is frustrating!” Electricity crackles in Jay's hair. “She always gave me the heebie-jeebies!”

Cole sighs heavily through his nose before approaching, eyes searching Lloyd’s face in worry. “Hey…I wished you didn't feel the need to hide this,” he offered softly, crouching before Lloyd’s bed. “Know that we are here for you okay? Like Zane said–drop a bomb on us and we'll still help you, always.” He leans in for a brief moment, wrapping his muscular arms around Lloyd.

Zane takes a deep breath, restraining himself. “There is no scar as the healing process was otherworldly. The energy signature, however, matches what I detected when Lloyd…revived.”

The air stills. A buzzing resonates in his ears. If that’s the case, then Lloyd must have really died then. Tears swell in his eyes, and the absoluteness of one notion could tear down a whole castle. An ugly, indescribable unease courses in him. He thickly swallows, feeling the frustration pulse through his veins.

“She messed with the wrong family.” Nya ticks, angrily stomping through the room to give Lloyd a hug of her own, but even her own arms shake under the cutting notion.

“Fuck. Fuck, where the hell were we! We should have been there!”

“We–we couldn’t have done anything,” Jay stammers. “We were around the island!”

Kai’s jaw clenches, “shut the hell up, Jay!”

“Hey!” Cole yells, upbraiding the two. “He’s here now. Let’s make sure he is comforted, alright?”

Strange how anger and guilt intersect.

Lloyd feels it rattling inside his bones, an unwelcome expression taunting his sole-self. For once, he isn’t angry at himself, but his family. Thus increasing his frustration two-fold. This aggression cannot be his. There is a distinct sensation that envelopes his mind, and he is fully aware of the grip it has on his will. How come the weaving control Lloyd has in himself isn’t questioned? A part of him knows that this is how he truly feels. Yes, he does not agree with it, and yes, he wants to separate himself from this true evil. However, at the end of the day, that monster is him.

Somehow, Lloyd manages to breathe, but only the smallest intake and exhale.

The light, imposed, flees as darkness withers in the hall, stretching and reaching to devour in its hunger. An Oni walks down the hall, hands clasped together behind his back.

He heard everything, from the topic of his son's outburst of powers to the daunting air of his confession. Garmadon left soon after, not waiting for that woman to enjoy another second of her life. 

Walking to the Bounty, the shouts of a young woman and three others echo past Garmadon.

The engines of vehicles roar, and the sound vanishes off to the distance.

“Garmadon!” Harumi’s footsteps pound the ground hard. “You saw that, right?” She catches up beside him, panting her breath. “I tagged them with my Spyders–I'm tracking where they went. Let me come with you.”  

Garmadon doesn’t say anything as he embarks on the Destiny’s Bounty.

She continues walking with him, undeterred. “I spent weeks decoding the technology that surrounded the scroll. Why would they come back for it now? What changed?”

With the emergency key his son gave him, Garmadon has the authority to start the engine. The Bounty rumbles and groans, trembling as it comes to life. 

He stares at the confusing array of buttons and levers with a frown.

Harumi bumps his shoulder, “You have a plan. Where to?”

A growl escapes his throat. His teeth bare, voice rough with hatred. “The maze where people go to hide. Guijiang City.”

Chapter Text

June 24, Saturday. 6:30 AM

Lloyd's feet are cold.

Wind rustles through the curtains, a hollow wail crying out in desperation. The chill sinks into Lloyd’s blood, freezing his bones. His unmoving hand dangles off his bed, his fingers growing numb.  Eyes–once a vibrant green, are dull–glaze over in the pain of his aching soul. Unspeakable darkness mournfully arch over Lloyd’s still body. 

Lloyd is dead.

His eyes flutter closed.

Or was.

He was rolling through the forest, looking for an abnormality: an energy burst. To be more specific, Lloyd was chasing after a spiritual energy burst–one that was far too close to New Ninjago City for his liking. Those types of things only happen when a supernatural entity emerges into the living plane. So with that in mind, Lloyd initially assumed it would have just been a Yōkai he would have to defeat, but the closer he got, the more overbearing the aura from the energy burst became.

He sighs. He should have known it would have been far greater than what Lloyd hoped it not to be. 

After shaking the trail the underling had on him, Lloyd continued on his mission. The signal pinpointed to a Shinto Shrine. When he first stepped onto the sacred grounds, Lloyd felt the oppressing aura of holy divinity glaring at him. Making no mind of the foreboding, he stepped into the Haiden, getting ever so closer to the source of the energy burst. Until–

Lloyd sharply inhales. The cutting edge of the cold enters his lungs.

She said, “This is for slamming me into a tree.” Apparently that underling was her. 

After that…Lloyd got stabbed, then…

Lloyd’s eyebrows furrow, face scrunching in concentration. No, before that, she said something else.

It was important. It was something that made Lloyd lash out.

A knock on the door derails Lloyd from his thoughts. 

Nya peaks her head in the door, “We thought we would all eat breakfast together, and maybe discuss what you've been through? Sounds cool?”

What Lloyd has been through, huh? She must be referring to that woman, and the mission he's been on. After all, that's all Lloyd told the team.

Lloyd nods, not moving to get up, “I'll be out in a bit.”

She slides the door shut.

FSM, what the hell is Lloyd gonna do?

After washing up and putting on new clothes, Lloyd prepares himself to answer a million uncomfortable questions while walking to the dining room. The waft of food fans out through the hallway. Lloyd sniffs the air, a pleasant smile curves on his face. It smells like someone cooked a whole spread.

Zane spots him as he enters the room while setting down a pot of Kimchi Jjigae on the middle of the table . He smiles, “Good morning Lloyd!”

Banchan like japchae , seasoned spinach and sprouts, white rice, assorted grilled meat, scallion pancakes, and the such that complements the main dish litter around on the square table.

A cluster of good mornings and hellos sings into Lloyd’s ear.

Kai pats the top of an empty chair adjacent to him, signalling for Lloyd to come over and sit with him.

Lloyd treads slowly to Kai’s mischievous face, unfortunately resigning himself to a harsh head pat. “Good morning…Kai.”

He smirks impishly, fingers twitching in anticipation. “Mornin’ Green Bean.” 

The savory smell clouding this room has saliva building up in his mouth. His stomach grumbles, and Lloyd reflects on his horrible habit of not eating well.

“Kai, do not do something that will knock over the food.” PIXAL chides. She sits perpendicular from the empty seat. She garners her gaze to Lloyd, “did you sleep well? I sense unease in your expression.”

“Thank you, PIXAL, but I’m alright.” He replies. Softly exhaling, he succumbs to his fate by sitting down.

Kai’s grin gets impossibly wider. “Aw! You decided to sit next to me?” His voice wavers, at the edge of laughter. 

Lloyd braces himself, but only two short head pats follow. Lloyd’s eyes widens in shock.

Huh? What’s this? Did he have a change of heart? Is Kai finally showing some mercy for the hardship he put on Lloyd’s hair? It’s almost as if an angelic light from the heavens showers down on Kai. Hope glints in Lloyd’s eyes. This is celebratory! This is–hey wait, where’s his other hand–

A mix of screams and laughter bursts from Lloyd’s mouth, “Kai, no–!” He wiggles in his chair, trying to flee from the feathery fingers tickling Lloyd’s stomach.

“Wait a second,” Kai wheezes, “you’re about to fall out of your chair–!”

A loud crash echoes throughout the dining room. On the floor, Lloyd heavily pants, clutching his stomach. 

A wooden chair screeches against the hard tiled floor. PIXAL’s house slippers come into view, “Kai. Was that a necessity?”

“What! He fell!”

‘That was worse. Much worse.’

Still, a smile blooms on Lloyd’s face.

“Come on, up you go.” Kai pulls on Lloyd’s arm, shifting him up to his seat. 

PIXAL helps by preventing Lloyd from falling over again.

Zane finishes plating the last bachan. “Everything is well prepared. Please enjoy!”

Eagerly, Jay grabs his chopsticks and snags an eggroll, but Kai quickly retaliates and steals it from his grasp. Their metal chopsticks clack together.

Jay gawks, “Hey! That was mine!”

Kai grins, “Too slow! Should have seen me coming! I was eyeing that eggroll.”

Nya sighs, miffed. “And the chaos ensues.” She takes a bit of everything from the surplus amount of food on the table, and places it in her bowl.

“There is a seventy percent chance this breakfast will end in a food fight.” PIXAL supplies, equally vexed.

The shouts of Jay, Kai, and even Cole grow louder.

“How do we lower those statistics?”

Zane smiles happily, “Let’s discuss the distribution of chores!”

The table is instantly silenced.

Bowls and utensils clink together in harmony. Each member of the team engages themselves in their food. Lloyd is trying his best to hold his laughter at the sudden quietness. 

When the quiet is too much, Jay begins to complain. “Ugh, I don’t want to weed the yard.” He stuffs seasoned soybean sprouts in his mouth. “It’s so much work !”

“It’ll go quicker if I roast them with my–fire~” Kai pumps a fist in the air.

Lloyd snorts, ghost noodles nearly choking him.

“Seriously?” Nya murmurs. “Let’s just burn down the rest of the monastery while we’re at it!”

“Flame weeding is a controlled technique used in more rural areas of the island.” Zane informs, fishing out pork from the stew and placing it on PIXAL’s plate.

“Key Word: Controlled. It’s basically a jungle outside!” Jay shouts with a mouth full of food. “We’d have to plant new seeds in the ashes of the monastery!”

Kai narrows his eyes, “I can control myself, thank-you-very-much!”

“There is a five percent increase in breakfast ending in a food fight.”

Hearing this, Cole yells over the two loudest voices. “Let's not talk about our home burning down. Again.”

Jay points his chopsticks at Nya, “she started it.”

Kai chuckles. “If it wasn’t for my sis, burning down the monastery would have never entered our minds.” 

Nya gapes at the two of them.

Lloyd stifles a laugh.

It’s good to be back like this. Lloyd…he missed it. He missed the absurdity of conversation between the seven of them, and the lighthearted warmth of their presence in the halls.

“It is a miracle the scrolls in Wu’s archive were never burned.”

Lloyd nods at PIXAL, swallowing his food. “Uncle Wu used a practical spell to protect them.” He plates more food on his bowl (of course avoiding the beans). “Something simple like a fire wouldn't ruin the scrolls.”

“Practical spell?” Zane questions. “Magic?”

Lloyd nods in confirmation.

“Whaaaat? Magic is real?” Jay points one chopstick in the air, swinging it around. “Bippity-boppity-boo magic?”

Lloyd giggles, “It’s something like that. Of course, way more complicated.”

“Interesting.” Zane leans into the conversation. “Do you know much about magic, Lloyd? I would like to add it into my internal database.” 

Cole chews on a piece of fish pensively, “isn’t controlling our elements already magic?”

Lloyd disagrees. “No. Not at all. Our elemental powers are completely separate from magic.”

The feeling that overcomes Lloyd when he uses his element, and his dreaded Oni magic are completely separate. It’s two types of energy Lloyd is tapping into.

“I want to learn a spell to instantly do my hair!” Kai boisterously shouts.

Nya playfully rolls her eyes, “good grief, you sure do need it for the time you spend doing it.”

“After this, may we check Wu’s archive for information?” PIXAL asks, intrigued.

Lloyd winces. So…about that. How long has it been? A week? Time is surely stretching slowly. Just for Lloyd’s discomfort.

“We don’t have an archive anymore, we have a sunroom!” Jay babbles.

PIXAL tilts her head. “...Pardon?” 

“Since when did we have a sunroom?” Kai asks, confused.

At the same time, Cole also poses a question, albeit more menacing. “What happened to Wu’s archive..?”

Nya groans.

Daylight illuminates the broken beams on the floor. Dust particles rain from the ceiling. A good layer of debris covers the walls, dirting the scrolls. 

Three of the seven people in the doorway stand in shock while the others are already entering this mess.

“Well, it’s not that bad, but it’s going to be a pain to clean up.” Nya crosses her arms, surveying the damage.

“Sis. The whole entire ceiling collapsed.”

Gazing up at the blue sky, Lloyd wonders if it always looked this bad. Did something else happen?

“Oh, my,” PIXAL pipes up. “What has happened?”

“Wait,” Cole breaks out of his perplexity, “Lloyd, didn’t you say robbers broke in this place?”

At the reminder, Lloyd pales.

“Did they do–” he motions to the area, “all of this?”

He shakes his head, not wanting to cause unnecessary blame. “No…I–um.” He swallows harshly, thinking of the destruction he prompted. “I did this.”

“What? What happened?” Kai’s brows furrow, “Lloyd, did they hurt you?”

“No! No! Nothing like that. It’s just a misuse of powers.”

PIXAL steps closer. “Lloyd, I have been by your side in your training for years. You have honed your element to perfection–there is a low chance of misuse.”

Lloyd’s proficiency in controlling his elemental powers is beyond that of everyone in this room. His skill is precise, mighty, and empowering. It’s one of his greatest confidence in himself. It’s the thing that keeps him feeling alive and joyous. However, there is a destructive nuisance that holds him down. He has no control in it whatsoever, and his skill is subpar. If it suddenly comes down to using his Oni magic, he wouldn’t even know what to do, and from his past experiences of unsuccessful concur, he’d probably blast rapid fire like a newbie.

Lloyd wishes he could call on his element, but when he does, it’s just not there! Where did it go? Lloyd is assuming it has something to do with his low energy levels, but how will he go about bringing that up?

The breeze of the mountainous air swarms by, cooling Lloyd’s tense thoughts.

Lloyd needs to calm himself and stay grounded. He needs to clear his mind of all of his worries so he can think about one problem at a time.

Meditation. Lloyd is going to meditate.

Cole waves his hand in dismissal. “Let’s focus on cleaning up.” With how strong Cole is, picking up a wooden pole seems like light work. “Then Lloyd, I hope you plan on telling us what happened to you the past couple of weeks.”

He nods, not refuting. It’s about time Lloyd tells them about the Souls of Lost Redemption. Based on the email he got from the Neon Ninja’s leader–

Good morning, Green Ninja. I hope this email finds you well. 

I want to inform you that we, the Neon Ninja, have formally given up on the Cult Case as it is beyond our scope of practice. We will send over the file including our investigation, the police investigation, and all other information discovered if you and your ninja choose to take it over.

Please consider it. It is much more than it seems.

Respectfully, the Leader of the Neon Ninjas, the Teal Ninja.

This mission appears to be a harbinger of a supernatural chaos upon the realm. Lloyd hasn’t replied yet, but knowing his ninjas, he is more than positive that they will involve themselves into saving the realm and the people in it. Especially with Lloyd’s own personal involvement with the cult, they will not hesitate.

With this thought in mind, he becomes excited at the prospect of a new challenge. “Pick up all of the big objects and throw them in the back,” he chimes, getting everyone to work. “We can send them to the junkyard later.”

With max efficiency, the team begins to clear the floor of the archive. Dust still sticks to the floor, but Nya washes it away with water and a trickle of soap. While Cole and Kai move the big broken beams to the back, Zane and PIXAL are deciding what should replace the ceiling until people can come in to fix it, and during that time frame, Lloyd gets an abrupt call from Harumi.

Stepping out, he picks it up. “Hey…what’s up?”

Lloyd walks down the dim-lit halls. His fingers slowly pick at his lips, pulling unhealed skin. Harumi wouldn’t normally call on any occasion unless she is in a dire situation. No…not even that. Harumi scarcely ever even comes up to him for anything, much less to talk. She’s almost a ghost walking these halls, a scared one that does her best to avoid him and the others. Well, after everything that happened…should it not matter though? Lloyd has shown her a level of forgiveness in hopes for her to feel comfortable enough to allow herself to seek the path of purification, and for Lloyd to feel comfortable enough to lend her his hand if she ever wished for it. Though, Lloyd wonders if it’s her guilt stopping her.

Thinking about her is anxiety fueling…why isn’t she saying anything?

“Hello?” He calls once again. 

“You still trust me, don’t you Lloyd?”

Her tone, once a sharp blade, but now dull on the edge has shivers going down his spine. The floor beneath him seems to be sinking. He stares, gaze unfocused as his mind swarms with mild panic and his thoughts begin to circulate horrific scenarios of hurt–the things he knows she is capable of.

The phone in his hand quivers against his ear. “What do you need?”

She hesitates, the other line silent. “You understand what I am capable of, correct?”

Panic squeezes his heart.

“I have a very sharp blade. All we want to know is an appraisal of the women who hurt you.” 

An unsavory pinch draws numbness to his bottom lip. He licks it, tasting the metallic accord of blood.

“Where she is…what she looks like.”

Lloyd doesn’t have the mind to stop himself from quaking all over. Her calmness is what scares him the most, especially with the delivery of her statements. He didn’t think she would turn over so soon. 

How did she find out anyway? Did the ninjas tell her? Of all people–her?

Did they think she was still as deranged from before, so she would agree to hunting down his perpetrator? Lloyd doesn’t understand why she is going so far in the first place, and why would his family spill a secret he told them with the assumption that they wouldn’t expose him to anyone else.

“Do not kill her.” Lloyd demands, voice rough.

She chuckles airily, “If that is what you want Lloyd, but do note Garmadon isn’t too pleased with this.”

Garmadon..?

His eyebrows furrow, and the picture of a darker shadow in the corner of his room rationalizes what she is doing. Garmadon must have gone under the bed to eavesdrop on them. Nevertheless, he’s not sure why he told Harumi. He has a nature to do things alone whilst ignoring all advice.

Lloyd breathes in and out, dutifully calming himself from panicking. He knows Garmadon is willing to listen to him, and if that’s the case, Harumi has no motive to commit manslaughter.

“Promise me to bring her back to the monastery,” he insists. The floor no longer feels like quick sand, so he continues down the hall.

Instead of her soft, sly tone, a disgruntled grunt transmits through the phone speakers.

He asserts more steely, “promise me, Garmadon. Do not hurt her.”

Silence.

“Remember, you're the victim here.” Harumi remarks.

Her words douses Lloyd in ice cold water. He has been assaulted many times over, but his endless sympathy and compassion towards his abusers is unlike that of a victim.

Soon, the call ended. Lloyd gave them a quick description, thoughts ambivalent of whether they are the right people for this mission. It still mildly surprises Lloyd that Garmadon, and even Harumi, care somewhat for him, but their sinister presence educed Lloyd into uneasiness. Lloyd had to mush down the instinct to quickly end the call.

Walking back into the archive, it is more notably cleaner. Nothing litters the floors, and the dust and dirt was scrubbed away. Scrolls that were once on the floors are now neatly put back into place. A blue tarp covers the ceiling, plunging the archives in deep blue dusk.

The team stands around the table in the middle of the archive. A lantern in the center of the table dully glows, flickering flame casting an orangish hue on the seven ninjas.

Lloyd opens his mouth, not waiting another second to stop them from saving the people of this realm. “Sometime late May, I went on a mission to oversee a suspicious energy burst. I followed the signal, and it led me to a Shinto Shrine somewhere in the forest outside of Ninjago City.” he pauses for a second, remembering that night once more. “When I went in, that is where I met the woman…and then…” He chuckles sheepishly, “I already told you the rest.”

He recounts the complete shock of her suddenly appearing before him. The words that she said about pushing her into the tree, and the other words she said that Lloyd can’t recall for the life of him.

“How did you get back?” Cole starts. “No offense…but you were dying, Lloyd.”

That…is true. 

“I'm not sure,” Lloyd whispers, “but someone must have helped me.”

There is something missing that Lloyd feels was taken away from him, like a huge gap in his memories is gone. It was then right before he got stabbed (though, he can reason that with the trauma of nearly dying), and again during the dinner at Amber’s Tavern when he almost transformed. Was the punch Zane delivered really that impactful to the point of Lloyd forgetting his latest memories at the time? And was nearly turning into an Oni causing him to black-out?

Or is it the inward push in his soul that is keeping him away from the truth he knows?

Lloyd watches as his team picks their heads up from their thoughts when he moves away from his own mind. 

They lean in intently through his next words.

He runs a hand through his hair, “There was an incident in this very room that connects to that mission. It was a warped retelling of that night–showcased in ink.”

Lloyd doesn’t pay any mind to their confused gestures. Instead, he becomes engrossed in the ink, he breathes in the sickly air, he touches the wetness of it sticking to his skin. The creature's peaceful voice…

“‘Soon you will have the gift of serving me.’ It said.” He wrings his hands together, nervousness causing his lip to bleed. “I’m not sure if what it said correlates to what that woman might have said before she stabbed me, but…I know what she said was important. I just can’t remember because it was so long ago.”

Kai nods, poorly restrained anger shown in the increasing brightness of the lantern. “What the hell did she mean by that? Let’s go find her so we can ask–”

Cole grabs his arm, “are you going to walk all the way to Guijiang City? Because the Bounty is gone .”

“Let's not assume that is what she said,” Zane placates. “Lloyd’s memories are–”

“Faulty,” PIXAL finishes. “Have you tried any methods to recover them?”

He sighs. Here comes the questions, Lloyd thinks. 

“No, but I plan to meditate later today.”

“Where is the shrine that you went to?” Nya asks, eyes fixated on the table. “The forest outside of the City is vague.”

Lloyd shrugs his shoulders, “East from here..? Probably nearing the Birchwood Forest, but still a considerable distance from there–it was more on the outskirts of the City.”

Nya’s whole demeanor shifts into determination. “We should go there.” 

“What? And risk Lloyd getting hurt again?” Jay shouts, shaking his head. “No way! We need to come up with a plan!”

Cole breathes out a snort, “for once, I agree with Blabbermouth.”

(“Hey!”)

“Okay!” Kai smirks, “Here’s what I got–”

Lloyd quickly shuts him down, “no, no, no!”

“Okay–hey!” Kai grumbles, “at least hear me out first!”

“No!” Lloyd doesn’t mean it like that, but to be honest, they have bigger fish to fry. “We have an official mission sent in by the Neon Ninja.”

“Since when did we ever listen to them?” Nya asks boldly.

Lloyd ignores her to save his sanity–her attitude is something Lloyd does not want to address right now. “First, have any of you heard of the Souls of Lost Redemption?”

It’s silent.

Until Jay speaks up. “I…” he haltingly pauses, glancing at Nya. “My manager said something about it. She wanted me to go to one of their group sessions that she leads.”

What..? Is it a coincidence that she is related? It sounds like she's a group leader in the Souls of Lost Redemption.

Nya blazes with fury. “That girl is way out of line.”

“I said no!” He hurriedly adds. “I’d never go anywhere with another girl unless it’s my mom! ..or if it’s PIXAL…but that’s because I trust her! And I'll ask you, then Zane–!”

“Jay! Oh my goodness! I’m not going to kill a woman because I'm upset. And..” she gingerly takes Jay’s hand, “I trust you too.”

Jay visibly melts.

“There’s no need to ask me. I trust PIXAL with my heart.” Zane also takes his girlfriends hand. 

PIXAL swoons. “I only have eyes on you.”

Kai hackles, “get a room!”

Cole puts an arm over Kai’s shoulder, a sultry grin on his face. “Maybe we should leave them instead…and get a room for ourselves.”

Woah…it’s getting a little steamy in here–

The lantern suddenly bursts, dark grey smoke and the sliver of vermilion flames shoots into the air. Glass projectiles sprays onto the table. Lloyd shields his face so the glass doesn’t nick his skin. 

Lloyd laughs, but he’s more uncomfortable than anything. “Can we please focus?”

“I-I’m gonna go weed the garden!” Kai pushes away from Cole’s grip, running out the door.

“Wait! We came in here to see how we can do magic!” Jay calls behind him, but Nya takes his arm and skips out the door.

“We have business to attend to, remember?” She giggles, jolly.

“Huh? We do?” Cheeks blushing, he allows Nya to drag him out of the room.

“Yes! The Mech blueprints we were looking at…” Her voice trials away the farther she gets.

How can they hear something so serious, but their mood shifts so placidly?

Cole huffs beside him, “Us lone wolves have to stick together, right?”

No. Absolutely not.

“I’ll meditate with you. I’ve been meaning to do so anyway.” He pats Lloyd's back, “Meet me out in the front. I need to leave my phone in my room.”

He soon leaves, and Lloyd comes to the realization that he lost everyone. Why won’t anyone listen to him? He really is trying his best to fill the leadership role.

“Here is a scroll about different types of Mana.” PIXAL lays it on the table, sweeping the broken glass away. “Lloyd, come take a look.”

The fairy lights lining the shelves lowly illuminate the room, but that’s barely an issue for Lloyd’s eyes, as well for PIXAL’s and Zane’s.

He squeezes beside PIXAL, with her in the middle and Zane on her other side to read the details of the scroll.

Oh...Lloyd familiarizes himself with this scroll. He read it during his year of training to become one with his element. It is about the different types of mana–what Lloyd personally recognizes as the energy that flows in this realm, and most likely in the realms beyond.

In a nutshell, this is a summary of what he remembers as this scroll is very long.

One, Life Force Energy–the scientific name for Mana. It’s everywhere where pureness and corruption can touch, which is all the realms. In Lloyd’s own experiences with this type of Energy, it’s the easiest to tap into when using his elemental powers, and it deals the most power against enemies.

Two, Life Energy, the energy found in all living beings, from people, plants, animals–the like. Acts as a neutralizer in the cosmic sense. So, if one wields more than one type of energy, that person won't spontaneously combust due to something like a chemical reaction gone wrong.

Three, Spiritual Energy. Whoever wrote this scroll isn’t well versed in this energy type, so nothing was said besides its founding in the Shulkin. Now recently, Lloyd was able to deduce the fact that the Supernatural emits it…as well as Garmadon, Harumi, and Cole. 

Four, Magical Energy, which is found in Mythical Beings, Mysterium (whatever or wherever that is), or in objects with magical properties. To use magic, one has to have this type of energy. It is something everyone–but Lloyd–lacks. 

Lastly, Elemental Energy. It can be separated into three sub foundations, Elemental Masters, Elementals, and Elemental Concepts. It is a legend that the First Elemental Masters were granted their elemental energy by Elementals. From then on, that specific elemental power is passed down from generation to generation. Actual Elementals are beings/beasts that are the embodiment of the elemental energy an Elemental Concept omits. As seen, Elementals are able to use this energy for their own. In the center of the spiderweb is Elemental Concepts, which is told to usually be a natural phenomenon in a realm, or an existence of life that greatly impacted a realm.

Lloyd knows the most out of what Elemental Energy is because of his initial research he conducted.

“It’s a shame, but we have to break the news to Kai and Jay.” Zane chuckles.

Lloyd laughs, backing away. “I’ll catch up with you guys later.” He begins to amble out the door.

“Lunch at twelve-thirty!”

Walking out the Monastery, the weight of the past few days gradually becomes too difficult to carry. After everything he’s been through, one would think he would have found a way to better emotionally deal with it. In all honesty, one can only try to forgive and forget so they can believe it doesn’t mean much anymore. That in itself is a type of denial Lloyd wants to avoid, a type of avoidance he wants to deny. 

It doesn’t work that way. For one who forgives and forgets, it’s another type of hurt when his forgetfulness is involuntary, and for the women who hurt him go around about her day losing herself by the wrongdoing she commits, not knowing there is a chance for someone to be willing to hear her. Lloyd just wants to see her start her change to be a better person. Then all is forgiven. All in the past. It doesn’t stop Lloyd from holding animosity, but it helps both parties to grow.

Lloyd sits down, planting himself on the wooden planks of the engawa. When Lloyd takes his first deep breath, he focuses on the rise of his chest, and the immediate fall that comes with it. In again, and out once more. Again. Again. Again until there is a rhythm. The sound of the whistling wind quiets, the air entering his nostrils clears his mind. Some thoughts wander, but Lloyd quickly redirects his focus to the rise and fall of his breath. Simultaneously, the natural sensations of his body buzz. He twitches his finger, accidentally drawing too much into the buzz. So, his awareness falls deeper and deeper out of synergy, loosening the tethers between himself and this plane.

Suddenly, there is a bright light that envelopes his vision. Flashes of smiling children flow across his mind. Their laughter echoes the locker-lined halls as children wearing uniforms head outside to a large garden. A man with soft curls tied lowly in a ponytail stands by the door as the children walk out. He grins, eyes crinkling in amusement, beckoning Lloyd to follow. The atmosphere shifts into a dark basement. The metal bars of prison cells gleam from purple fire. Chains nailed into the walls slightly shift from drifting air in the stone bricks. Lloyd looks down, in his hand is the off-white parchment of a scroll.

A vibration in Lloyd’s pocket quickly pulls him out of the picture. Lloyd blinks his eyes open, the sensations of the realm reintroducing themselves to him. He picks his head up in a daze, barely realizing Cole’s shoulder is now spotted with drool.

That…was a vision.

Lloyd doesn’t normally get them, but he supposes it’s in the family.

Now, the contents of said vision are concerning. Those halls and the uniforms…Lloyd recognizes it! A long time ago, he went to a boarding school called Darkley's. However, there definitely wasn’t a dungeon in the basement of the school. No matter how terrible it was, the worst punishment was public humiliation. So…how come..?

Ah. The thing about visions is they’re foreboding. Are they going to start chaining kids up in dingy cells?

Lloyd frowns.

What was with the scroll in his hand? Where did he get it from?

The phone in his pocket vibrates once again. Miffed that it interrupted Lloyd’s thoughts, he takes it out.

[Harumi]: 

thought id show you this See Location

those guys stole the scroll again—I think thats their hideout.

The robbers from the other day, they came back? No wonder the archive looked worse than Lloyd remembered. It must have been them. 

He taps on the link, phone loading only for a split second until it settles.

Lloyd’s chapped lips part in surprise.

Could it be?

This is Darkley's. This is the insufferable school Lloyd went to all those years ago.

Lloyd doesn’t dismiss it as a coincidence. It makes too much sense with the scroll in the last scene, and it wouldn’t go well if he ever ignored a vision. Such a clear indication has Lloyd tense and absolutely freaked out. He has to gather the team together and make a plan. 

Lloyd needs to get into that school.

Chapter Text

June 26, Monday. 12:15 PM

It wasn’t hard to get into the school.

Unlike what a Ninja would usually do–stealthily sneak in, disguise themselves, and make a quick in and out job–Lloyd decided to take another approach. He wanted to fully immerse himself with the school, carefully treading the edge of his trauma to delve deeper into the infrastructure of what the school actually was. 

Formerly known as Darkley’s Boarding School for Bad Boys (and many other renames), the school reintroduced themselves to the world after their temporary closure due to the Nindroid Crisis. It’s now called: Darkley’s Academy. 

Short and Sweet. The founder of the boarding school, Darkley, must be honoured to have their name continuously revered in history.

To go about this situation in a [mostly] legal way, Lloyd scoured the internet for any key information about the school. They didn’t have a website, Lloyd noted, but the amount of posts from students made up for it.

[Spirit Week! Day 4 🤭]

[istg this elevator is haunted cant make this shi up]

[THIS WOMAN CAN SING!!! GET HER IN THE STUDIO NOW]

[the garden is soooo nice]

[Thank you, Mr. Eugene! We couldn’t have done it without you!]

As such, the students' social media was at its peak. In this array of scrambled posts, one stood out to Lloyd the most that made today possible.

[School Nurse position open at Darkley’s Academy! If you are passionate about a student’s health, apply now and join our team!]

Subsequently, there were other positions offered as well, but Lloyd chose to strive for this one.

The freedom of the Nursing Position would allow him to explore the school, giving him clearance to many different rooms, and unlike a teacher’s position, he wouldn’t be on a time crunch to stay on schedule. He would be able to view personal documents and such, seeing as he needs any information of the employees and students that go there. No one would question what he is doing either. Looking at such personal information is simply a nurse’s job in knowing a patient’s medical histories (Lloyd can’t guarantee that is the thing he will be looking at). They could question why a nurse is in the gymnasium, but one could chalk it up to them being on the lookout. 

It was a much more logical option.

Perhaps he’ll even meet some old colleagues who have a thirst for robbing sacred libraries with a tinge of destruction in their wake.

That job brings him here.

Lloyd never imagined ever coming back to this place. He can rarely remember the faces that walked down these halls with him, and the discomfort cooling his back as he shuddered for the moment of something terrible happening in the near future. The children here did not hold back. They were quite resourceful in that way. Something inside of them allowed them to warp their view upon good things and turn it evil, and they would use that evil to its greatest capacity.

He…somewhat recalls preaching that there was goodness in the children's hearts, but he’s not sure how long that ideal lasted.

The summer wind carries the scent of blossomed flowers. The castle highlighted by the sun’s eternal beams stands tall, towering over the expanse of the mountain. Anxiously, Lloyd steps forward, pushing past the fear from the past and strengthening his resolve.

The front doors creak open. Lloyd sees littered groups of uniformed students seemingly spanning the ages of six through twelve standing around shoe cupboards, all cheerfully chattering. The door behind Lloyd shuts, and suddenly, an unusual stillness emanates between Lloyd and the students. They quit speaking, caution written on their faces as they walk out of the lobby and split down the halls.

Ah…it seems like his trauma is resurfacing. 

Lloyd lets go of the breath he was holding the moment all the children have scattered from the lobby. Slowly, the tension eases from his shoulders with the rapid beating of his heart decreasing. For a moment, he felt like he was playing the part of an outcast. 

(Lloyd never stopped playing that role, has he? Celebrity is just ‘outcast’ written in a fancy font.)

“Excuse me, Mr. Montgomery?” A woman, looking to be in her late thirties, pokes her head out of the small window. “Mr. Klein is waiting for you in Conference Room Three.”

Lloyd nods, smiling gratefully at her.

Right…deep breaths. Time to get back on track.

As he walks down the office hall, he quickly goes over his new identity he crafted just for this mission.

Floyd Montgomery. A young recluse who doesn’t mind the soft inquiries of curious children when he is out by the riverbank. He always had a soft spot for kids. It was his nature to nurture the growing ones, as he was the sole provider of his little brother, whom he hasn’t seen since Floyd left for work a few weeks ago. His mother and father were not present in their lives. Most often than not, they were traveling the realms looking for ancient artifacts to sell to museums. However, the day when the monthly income that his parents would send never came, Floyd knew he had to find a way to make more money to continually support his brother.

Floyd saw somewhere online for a nursing position, and lucky enough for him, Floyd finished his schooling long before his parents death. So, that’s how he got here at Darkley’s Academy.

As Lloyd walks down the hall, he catches glimpses of Jay (Jak Lawyer) and Cole (Brook Colestone) through the small window in the passing doors. They too, have gone undercover, applying for the teacher position and choir director position respectfully. It will be easier having more eyes and ears in this school.

He stops in front of a door. Beside it, a blue plaque states this room as Conference Room Three.

Perfect. Lloyd takes a deep breath, readying for the interview that will let him infiltrate this school on a more legal note than not. Although, in one way, shape, or form, Lloyd will enter this school. Even if it damages the Ninja’s rickety reputation. 

He brings his hand forward, turning the handle and pushing the door open. Lloyd enters a small exclusive room, the cold air greedily engulfs Lloyd’s body. Goosebumps emerge on his skin as he walks in further, the door creaking shut behind him.

Lloyd frowns, confused. Why is it like this? 

It’s a bit, uh, strange that there are small lamps scattered across the room, some on the floor while another on the table. In essence, the room is dimly lit. As Lloyd’s eyesight adjusts, he sees chairs lined up at the wooden rectangular table in old fashion. A few papers skewed in disarray in front of one of the empty chairs. Curious, he gazes at them longer, wondering what is written on them. Half his mind tells him to go look, knowing no one seems to be in the room with him, but Lloyd understands it wouldn’t be appreciated if he got caught.

‘You're a ninja for goodness sake.’

True…but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

By this point, Lloyd is getting rather comfortable talking to his inner evil.

Other than that, the room itself seems to be a bit grim. Lloyd noticed the second that he entered it seemed unusually cold, dark, and empty. Lloyd softly sighs, wishing to quickly get this over with.

“My…what a handsome fellow you are, Mr. Montgomery.” 

Lloyd flinches, not realising someone is in the room with him. He quickly turns, setting his sight on a man wearing a tailored suit and nicely trimmed hair. 

The man stands up from his seated position by the door. “Ah, did I scare you?” He laughs, a rich sound resonates from his throat. “Pardon my manners, but I have never seen a gentleman quite like you with such divine features.” His eyes gleam brightly in fascination. A smile stretches across his face, showing perfect pearly white teeth.

Lloyd chuckles, his stomach churning knots. “I’ve been told.” 

Wow, that startled him. People have a hard time sneaking up on him, with Lloyd sensitive hearing and all. However, this man did it so effortlessly. 

“Yes! Yes! I don’t mean to flatter you, but you look absolutely delicious in that suit.” He extends his hand, Lloyd taking it as an invitation for a handshake. “My name is Mathis Klein, Mr. Montgomery. I would advise not to forget.”

Mathis Klein, the headmaster of this school. He looks extremely youthful for a man who is in his late forties.

“Please, have a seat anywhere you would like!” He exclaims, contradicting himself by ushering Lloyd to sit directly in front of him. 

Mr. Klein walks to the opposite side of the table, sitting stiffly in his seat, not acknowledging the mess of papers before him. “Please, Mr. Montgomery. Tell me about yourself! Anything would do! Ah, but please restrain yourself from speaking too loudly…you never know who could be listening…”

Lloyd nods, writing off the weird feeling he just got. “Uh, sure. Well…I'm from Baisi village, its south of here–”

Mr. Klein gasps. “Oh my! From all the way down there? Why in Ninjago would you ever apply for a job so far from home?” 

Lloyd’s eyes widens in surprise, not expecting to be interrupted. “I needed a good paying job to support my brother’s college expenses.”

“That’s right! I saw in your application that you were the sole provider of your little brother. Oh wow, how noble of you! You’ve taken great leaps of faith to get here.”

Awkwardly, Lloyd smiles. “Someone had to provide for my younger brother. I just did what I thought was right.”

“And how right you are, Mr. Montgomery! Between the other applicants, you are by far the most interesting! I’m sure you’ll pass with flying colors!”

Lloyd grins.

“It’s almost destiny. Mr. Montgomery, do you believe in destiny?” The man smiles, face highlighting in perfection. 

Lloyd immediately is doused with a sense of…unease and revulsion. He slightly furrows his brows, taken aback by such a question. Mr. Klein doesn’t move, body perfectly poised as he waits for Lloyd’s answer. His smile does not falter.

During every practice scenario he did with Zane, this question was never brought up. It’s a bit strange…something inside of him is telling him to stay alert…

‘Hey, stay alert.’

“…” 

Reluctantly, Lloyd thanks his inner demon.

Now, back to the question on whether he believes destiny…hah. Still, he wants to answer this question with complete sincerity. “Well, to be honest–”

Mr. Klein interjects, “honesty is a virtue.”

Lloyd warily nods. He opens his mouth to continue–

“What I’m saying is…”  Mr. Klein's eyes interlock with Lloyd’s own. Lloyd’s guard spikes up, his senses thrown in overdrive. His hands tremble under the intensity of Mr. Klein’s gaze. “Do not lie, Mr. Montgomery. We teach this lesson to all the students and staff, so please take no offense.”

Purple flames briefly flicker in between Lloyd’s fingers, which quickly garners Mr. Klein’s attention. Unfortunately for Lloyd, he catches this way too late. It only happens for a second, but Lloyd still makes an effort to quickly put his hands under the table.

Why did his magic have to act up now of all places?

Lloyd bites his lips, intently waiting for Mr. Klein’s reaction.

Mr. Klein blinks. “...?”

Lloyd hurriedly continues, wanting to quickly shift Mr. Klein’s possible thoughts. In reality, Lloyd doesn’t need this job, but things would be a lot smoother in legal bounds. “I used to think destiny was a single road, that forward was the only path to go.”

After everything Lloyd has been through, can he really say that’s true? “When I was younger, I felt like I was trapped. I felt like no matter what I did, I would be forced to do things I really hated. At the time, it was evident.”

He glances at Mr. Klein’s small smile, then he averts his gaze to the table as he speaks from the heart.

“That you would always end up where you're supposed to go, no matter what you did…but…” As Lloyd lived through destiny, he realized something. “Destiny…is the most probable suggestion, it’s not guaranteed to come forth. As life hounds you like a storm, you decide what type of person you will become, and what type of path you will follow in it.”

Again, he glances at Mr. Klein, but confidence seeps into Lloyd’s posture. “Because we implement our free-will. So, do I believe in destiny? I believe our lives don't depend on destiny, destiny depends on us.”

Mr. Klein’s smile is wiped clean off his face. “Destiny is the most probable plan, the strongest suggestion,” he murmurs. “Ah…a suggestion is a suggestion, in the end, it is us who chooses the suggestion, not the other way around, as a suggestion is based on our actions…hmm.”

The silence is equivalent to a ticking time bomb. Lloyd shifts in his seat, patiently waiting for Mr. Klein’s response.

Seconds pass by, then he beams. “Splendid. Absolutely splendid! Mr. Montgomery, you thought process precedes me!”

Lloyd sighs in relief.

“But I have to ask. It seems like you went through some hardship in your life–ah! As we all do! However, your issue seems to directly intersect with what you believe is your destiny, and how much ‘free-will’ you believe you actually have corresponding to it.”

Lloyd freezes, his previous respite gone.

Mr. Klein tilts his head, “Would you mind telling me a bit about it?”

Lloyd pales. “Oh–I–”

“Oh my, how forward to me! Mr. Montgomery, I must apologize for my lack of professionalism.” The headmaster stands, smoothing out his coat. “Let me serve you some green tea…”

“Thank you…but there’s no need. I’m alright.” He smiles shyly. In truth, Lloyd doesn’t exactly feel comfortable enough to drink anything Mr. Klein gives him.

“No, no! I insist!” He strides to the door, “just give me one moment.”

The moment he leaves, Lloyd exhales, tension bleeds from his posture. In this stuffy, cold room, Lloyd finally calms down enough to assist the eerie feeling crawling on his skin. 

The headmaster, Mr. Klein, he seems so…uncanny. The way he presents himself in a perfect, cheerful demeanor has Lloyd thrown off-kilter. Perhaps it's the chill seeping into his bones, but it almost feels as if Mr. Klein isn't–

(Well. Lloyd doesn't want to accuse someone of not being human, now does he?)

Lloyd can't shake off the notion that something isn't right. 

Lloyd looks down at his lap. At the sight of his hands, he clenches both fists in aggravation. That display of magic could have been detrimental to this mission. Ah, but…slowly, his fists loosen. When his power sparked, he wasn't angry. What he was feeling during that time is akin to fear. It was an instinctual reaction, he supposes, and with his instincts, Lloyd shouldn't keep it to chance. 

With this new thought in mind, he lets out a deep breath.

His eyes are naturally drawn to the papers discarded on the headmaster's side of the table. 

“Here you are, Mr. Montgomery.”

Lloyd jumps in his seat.

Mr. Klein places a cardboard cup in front of Lloyd, green liquid languidly swirls. “Haha! You must be a timid guy!” 

No, that's not true.

He pats Lloyd's shoulder twice, but that does little to assure him.

Lloyd poses a question. “Can I ask you something, Mr. Klein?”

Mr. Klein grins, “of course! I would never deprive such a wonderful young man of his curiosities!”

Lloyd gestures to the papers, “Not to sound rude but, is there a reason there are so many papers on the table?” More specifically, Lloyd is inquiring if it has anything to do with him.

“Ooo, yes! I was wondering when you would point them out.”

Perplexed, Lloyd's eyes slightly squint in distrust. Now why would Mr. Klein purposely cause Lloyd to seek it out?

“You see, Mr. Montgomery,” with a smirk on his face, the headmaster finally finds his way to the other side of the table. “These documents are displayed here for comparison between you and our old nurse.”

Lloyd sits up straighter. 

“Do you know the reason she got fired?” He asks, rustling the papers around with one hand.

The reason she got fired..? Drily, he grins. “I've heard these kids were a bit much.” Lloyd used to be one of these kids, so he feels aloud to say this much.

Mr. Klein shakes his head, chuckling softly. A sardonic smile plasters on his face. “The other nurse, ahh, poor girl. She thought she heard screaming one night.”

Lloyd's smile fades. “...Thought?”

“Yes! We believe she was under some sort of…let's say–medication–as none of the overnight employees reported anything amidst.” He sighs heavily, voice filled with slight remorse. “Unfortunately, she went into one of the back rooms in this office, a specific room where she had no authority to be in.”

“Oh…” The plans Lloyd carefully crafted is falling apart. To think this place has strict restrictions. 

Mr. Klein slides a folder across the table. Lloyd opens it, and is immediately horrified by what he finds. He sharply inhales, breath caught in his throat. 

Mr. Klein blithely laughs, “Mr. Montgomery! Don't look so shocked! Any boss would fire someone because of their death, it was inevitable!”

A woman's body is mangled deep within a hole. Her bones jutted through her clothes, tearing the fabric and exposing deep grooves of silk blackening crimson. Blood splattered across the ground, her head twisted in an unnatural position.

“I feel more concerned about the employee that saw her!” Mr. Klein proclaims.

Lloyd tears his eyes away, his hand quivering as the photo slips from his fingers. 

“One more questions, Mr. Montgomery. Has anything particularly stuck with you that you can't seem to let go?”

Stunned, Lloyd automatically responds, “M-my father–”

He gasps excitedly, “your father!?”

Shit!

Lloyd jolts to his senses. That talk about destiny has him picturing his history with Garmadon.

Wait–back to that woman…!

“Mr. Klein, this woman–!”

“We have a lot of traps still operating in this school.” He waves it off airily, “we discovered and disabled many in locations where most students and teachers roam.” He gives Lloyd a chilling smile, “as you can see, not every place is accounted for. Especially places where special authority is needed.”

Chills go up his spine. 

“Now…about your father…”

Lloyd shrinks back.

Mr. Klein quickly brightens. “No matter! I just had the impression your father was dead.”

My father is dead, is what Lloyd wants to say. However, the topic is too complicated to say if he was or not. Lloyd’s ‘father’ is split in two. Between the loving, purified, dead Sensei the team all loves, and the vengeful, corrupted, revived Villain the realm hates. Back then, there was a chance to get his father back, but Garmadon disowned him, and Lloyd doesn’t have the heart to forgive him just yet. 

(Lloyd wants to try. He wants to try and get his father back.)

Lloyd stares longingly at the discarded green tea. “He…is.” 

“...I see.”

“.....”

Mr. Klein speaks up, “If you ever wish to speak about it, me and the other employees are here.”

Lloyd's eyes find Mr. Klein's. “Huh…?”

He beams, “you're hired!”

Outside, waiting patiently is Jay and Cole. They stop whatever weird role-playing they were doing with their ties once Lloyd pushes the doors and steps out.

“Lloyd!” They shout in union.

“So, how did it go, Greenie? Get that golden ticket?”

Lloyd nods, but his smile hardly stretches across his face. “What about you two?”

“Yeah, but,” Cole frowns, “are you alright? How was it?”

Lloyd sighs, despondent. “Stressful. Although, he only ended up asking me less than five questions.”

“Seriously? My interviewer kept on asking me a whole bunch of questions!” Jay laughs, “at the end of the day, experience over education, right?”

Lloyd stares at him.

Jay shuffles, face growing unsure. “Well, I'm only saying this because there was someone else there way more qualified than me, but I still got the job because I've been here before…” Jay’s voice slowly trails off.

“Are you sure?” Cole asks, ignoring Jay. “You look really down.”

Lloyd thinks any interaction with the weird headmaster would cause them to be a bit deprived.

“Oh! Let's go get some ice cream!” Jay suggests.

With that, the trio begins strolling away from the school. As they approach the edge of the mountain, Lloyd sees a man with tied curled hair tending to the garden. It gives him a strange sense of Déjà vu. A warm, shy smile beckoning Lloyd to enter the garden, and a remorseful longing for the friend he left behind. To think the man in his vision is Lloyd’s old friend.

Walking–not directly, but closer to him, Lloyd’s old friend hums a small tune as his dirt-covered gloves touch the stretching leaves of purple hyacinths. The song stops at the overcasting shadow. Glancing up, he freezes, face full of shock at the polite smile Lloyd delivers.

His soft-spoken voice murmurs, “no way.” 

Lloyd pauses, dots connecting in his head. That voice, he’s heard it before. It would be insane to recognize any type of voice Lloyd comes across, but this sound is strictly different. This sound left an impression on him.

Swiftly, Lloyd turns around, grabbing the shoulder of the man that already leaped up and prepared to run. 

Gripping his shoulder, Lloyd smirks. “Off to somewhere?” Closer, Lloyd’s lips nearly touch the man’s reddening ears, “Brad Tudabone?” he whispers. An idea pops in his head, and Lloyd inwardly chuckles. After all, Dummy–or, Brad–clearly has some type of affection for him. “Why don’t we go on a date!” he suggests, “bring your friends too, for–you know, moral support…”

It’s either a clean conversation or jail. Lloyd is sure to know which one his old friend will pick.

Yikes…and to think the robbers are all people Lloyd used to be friends with, and actually, Lloyd thought he was on good terms with one of them.

The four of them sit outside on a picnic table, the afternoon sun blaring heat on their heads. The three robbers all are seated on one side. Gene (Smartie), the grumbling ginger on the right; Brad (Dummy) in the middle, contently sipping Lloyd’s mint chocolate chip milkshake that they are ‘allegedly’ supposed to be sharing; and Sally (Shortie), the one on the left who is bawling her eyes out. 

Lloyd is on the other side, alone. He can feel the stares of Jay and Cole from a distance.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Sally cries, “they made me do it! Wahhh…”

Gene scoffs, arms crossed. “ We didn’t make you do anything. It was you who decided to tag along.”

The pink-haired girl sniffs, eyes narrowed in anger. “You said we were going to our friend’s house!”

“Yeah, we did.” Gene replies.

Incredulous, Sally’s mouth hangs open as she howls back, “I only met him twice! What makes you think I have the clearance to walk into his house?!”

They speak as if Lloyd isn’t actually here. Awkwardly, Lloyd listens to their conversation anyway.

“Yeah, Gene,” Brad pips up, straw falling from his lips. “How can you say we’re friends when that was the first time I met him in person? Ugh,” he stares fondly at the sky. “And what a fine time that was…”

Lloyd remembers getting brutally thrown to the ground, kneed in the stomach, and being buried alive. It was not a ‘fine time’. Not to mention he was not feeling well beforehand, such is a time like this.

Gene grits his teeth, “can you not when he is right in front of you?”

Three pairs of eyes instantly lock onto him.

Lloyd smiles, but cold sweat drips down his back.

Sally, who stopped crying to yell, eyes swell with tears once more. She leaps across the table, yanking Lloyd’s arm towards her. “Please save me from these lunatics!”

Lloyd’s mouth gapes in surprise.

Quickly, Brad slaps and clutches his hands over Lloyd’s outstretched arm. “Lunatics?!” He glares at the crying girl, “You're the most unhinged one here!”

She shakes her head, “No! You’re both delusional!”

Lloyd tries to move his arm away, but the both of them surprisingly have a strong grip. 

A strained smile crosses Lloyd’s face, asking for help. “Gene…”

Gene raises one brow, then he rolls his eyes, tilting his body away. “You left us. The least you can do is endure.”

The reality of what is the past and present washes over Lloyd. Without realizing, he nearly went back to the old days of when the four of them would hang out like this. Hurt pangs in his heart because Lloyd knows they may feel resentful. He practically abandoned his friends with no other word. Lloyd hasn’t made an effort to stay in touch, nor has he been worried about what was happening at his old school knowing that it has been built on evil.

It is a mistake he now deeply regrets. A part of him wonders if he would feel this regret if he never got the vision in the first place. Would Lloyd still go out of his way to go to the school with only Harumi’s intel? Lloyd isn’t so sure in himself.

Seemingly fed up, Gene snaps at the two of them to shut up. “First of all, I would never call myself a mad genius–”

“You did when you were younger–”

A scathing glare shuts Brad up. “Second, do you two seriously not recognize him?” He gestures with his hand towards Lloyd. He laughs, exasperated. “I knew I was the smart one, but this is just insanity.”

Brad freezes, a glint of hope flashes in his eyes before his expression darkens. He lets go of Lloyd’s arm before continuing to drink Lloyd’s milkshake, face pensive.

Gene pinches the bridge of his nose, “Ugh, this is driving me nuts.”

Lloyd slowly pulls his arm away. Sally lets him, as she is too preoccupied with scanning Lloyd’s face. She covers her mouth with her hands, gasping. “Lloyd! Like–our Lloyd? Not the famous one?”

Gene groans, “They are the same Lloyd!”

“What? But how? I saw the Green Ninja a long time ago when I was a kid, and he looked like a teenager then!” She stares intently at Lloyd, scanning his face.

He nods his head, “It’s true. I’m the same Lloyd you know.” He dryly smiles, “and about my age…” Should he tell them? They might not believe him, so…

“There's this tea that can physically age you by a few years,” Brad begins, head down. “After that, your body pauses so your brain can mentally catch up.” He exhales, and murmurs. “...and then you begin aging again like normal.”

Lloyd stares at him, eyes wide. “That’s not exactly common knowledge. How did you know?”

Brad shrugs his shoulders, gaze averted elsewhere. “I’m well versed in plants.”

Brad’s demeanor seems to have fallen off ever since he found out ‘Lloyd’ was the Lloyd they knew. 

He frowns, reaching to touch Brad’s hand. “...It seems like you're not too happy to see me.” 

Brad jolts back, shaken. Ultimately, he doesn’t say another word.

Sally draws her hands away from her face. She glowers, “You left us.” Her fingers clench around the diamond holes in the metal picnic table. 

Gene rests his chin on the palm of his hand. “You practically left us to rot in that old school. What makes you think we would be entirely happy to see you?”

Lloyd will not dare to refute that. It’s the simple truth that stings. “I didn’t want to become what we were being brought up to be.”

“You gushed about how much you wanted to be like your father.” Gene snides.

Lloyd nods, voice level. “Yes, but I changed.” He smiles warmly at the three of them, it is as if sunshine casts a halo over Lloyd’s head. “You three can too.”

Sally beams at him, eyes filled with hope. She appears to be holding back tears. “You really think so? That we are capable of change?”

Lloyd chuckles, “I’m the type to believe in second chances.”

“So, no jail?” Sally asks.

Ack..! Right, about that… “Yes, but–”

Sally abruptly stands up, rushing to tackle Lloyd in a hug. “Ahh! Thank you! Thank you!”

Although confused, Lloyd wholeheartedly returns the hug.

“Shouldn't you be more upset?” Gene grumbles, but even he looks too tired to try and come up with any insults.

Sally squeals. “Who cares? My career is saved!” She lets go of Lloyd only to bow deeply. 

Flustered, Lloyd blushes at the show of gratitude. “Really, you don’t need to.”

Sally shakes her head, pink ponytails moving with the motion. “No, really, thank you! I can’t be famous if I'm a convicted felon! …And, um,” She tilts her head up. “I forgive you. I understand your decision…because I didn’t want to become a villain either.”

Lloyd’s heart swells with newfound joy. “Then let's do our best to amend for the future.”

Sally brightens, “Yes..!” 

She hugs him once again, then happily trails back to her seat.

“Always the optimist…” Gene glances at him, a less harsh gaze meets him. “At least that hasn’t changed.”

Things are turning around for the better, Lloyd notes. Lloyd will take that as a sign of forgiveness, and…Brad.

Of course Brad would be more upset with him. He was the closest to Lloyd out of the three, being his companion in the darkness that engulfed Darkley’s Boarding School. It would be no wonder if Brad doesn’t want to reconcile, but for the life of him, Lloyd doesn’t want to leave on a bad note.

He doesn’t want to replay the hurt they felt when he left all those years ago.

Before Lloyd opens his mouth to formally apologize, Brad speaks up. “The past is dead and gone. There is nothing we can do to change it, so let's just accept it and move on.” Brad lifts his head, his dark expression replaced with a gentle one. “If not…we won't be able to live anymore.” Brad gingerly takes Lloyd’s hand from across the table. “So…let's just restart right here and now. “

Sally awes. “Woah, that's something smart Gene would say.”

“Gene lacks the emotional intelligence to say these things.” Brad curtly remarks. He squeezes Lloyd’s hand, speaking softly. “Let’s make new memories together.”

Between their touch, a raw, new energy grows like the beauty of a blossoming bloom. The roots courses through the two’s veins, implanting a seed of deep connection in life that has only begun to sprout.

This sensation deeply rattles Lloyd’s body as it begins buzzing only from a single gesture. Lloyd can almost die of happiness. “Yes! Let’s–”

“–in bed.”

“!” 

How brazen. Lloyd shakes off his shock, unknowingly pulling his hand away in a swift. He’s not used to people flirting with him like this, as it's usually Lloyd as Prince Charming. He might have to step up his game soon…

Lloyd winks, “as long as I take the initiative.”

Brad shrugs his shoulders, a playful smile on his lips. “Just know I can always roll you over. We already tested it out during our fight.”

Gene glares at Brad. “At some point, you have to come to your senses.” Then, he redirects his leering gaze at Lloyd. “And you..! I suppose if you're giving us another chance, I should give you a second chance too, Green Ninja.”

Grateful, Lloyd grins. However, can he still apologize in these conditions?

For another few hours, the four of them spend the afternoon catching up on things they missed in each others lives. The natural genius Gene is, he started his own lab program researching supernatural phenomena–‘finding the logical in illogical’ as he called it. Sally spent her time songwriting, and finding acceptable people in her to play in her band alongside her. Despite her shortcomings, she’s holding onto hope tightly, refusing to let go. Brad, on the other hand, lives a quiet but fulfilling life.

“You know, I’m actually wealthy.” Brad says, eyes crinkling in delight.

“Really?” Lloyd can’t wrap his head around it. He’s sure none of his friends were from big families.

“Yep! I never told anyone in fear of being an outcast, but my family owns this huge corporation. Anyways, I gained a large portion of my Grandmother’s inheritance. So if you ever want to take a break from your knightly duties, they have some really nice beaches in the west we can go check out.”

“Hey! Let me come! I want to go to a spa!”

“There have been a lot of Yōkai sightings in the west…I need some more samples.”

Lloyd grins brightly. “I’d love to!”

Lloyd hopes he will be able to see the day where the four of them are relaxing at some fancy beach, but this warning: “Bring forth the embodiment of life upon evil…your existence depends on it.” has only gotten louder. 

Lloyd cannot help but dread the future.

Chapter Text

Morro awakens to the sound of Lloyd’s soul. 

The calm soft chiming of the forest leaves brushing against each other, the melodic echo of rushing water slapping against dull rocks, the soothing wisps of the fog enveloping everything in a cool embrace. The popping bubbles of rising air from the gentle soil, the eerie whispers heard in the dark corners of this forest, the falling dreary sky pressuring the Realm under it. The unnerving sway of a notch above a broken chair, the never-ending crinkles of decaying flowers beneath the grave, the wind weaving through the crying call of the Green Ninja’s soul.

Morro lies in a forest of trepidation. They open their eyes. It’s almost regretful.

Morro didn't get to enjoy the calmness the last time they were here. This place was fighting their control, and every time Morro slipped, the subconscious would shift into a labyrinth to protect the Green Ninja’s soul. It was annoying to be lost in a place where the trees all seemed to be the same, and where the fog would dwindle their vision, but the thing that really upset Morro? Every time the Green Ninja forced them to let go–it felt like the one thing that made Morro Morro was being ripped out of them.

It is an agonizing pain in their chest. Similar to the pain they felt because of the displacement of their flower. Though, that never stopped Morro from yearning for Green Ninja’s soul. The feeling of his soul in their hands was so powerful, Morro became hungry for it every time they were away, and the sheer greed for more led them to life in a second. 

Morro sighs wistfully. Thinking about the past always makes them acknowledge their mistakes. They should have taken away the Green Ninja’s breath every time he fought for his body back–as a threat, of course. Killing the Green Ninja is something Morro would never do, despite the hatred they feel for him. Now, severely injuring the ninja, well, that’s a different topic.

Morro stands up and begins to weave through this disconcerted forest. Thinking of the Ninja, there is a young boy that looks much like the Ninja they know. He is somewhere in this empty forest. If that boy found Morro, he would alert the subconscious of an anomaly, and having the subconscious fight them would be very troubling since they’re trying to help. Moreover, Morro doesn't have the same thirst for power anymore, so finding the soul would be impossible. If Morro is not there to mend the pieces, the Green Ninja will surely die.

Whatever, that would be the Green Ninja’s problem, not Morro’s; what’s the chance of the Ninja finding them out anyway? 

Morro fans the fog away from their face in aggravation. Being here in this place is an unfortunate and annoying event to deal with. When Morro decided to be whisked away by yellow petals, they did not account to ever meet the Green Ninja, let alone stay in his subconscious. In the midst of Morro’s obscured sight by fog, their foot catches on a tree root and they stumble through the leaves. Morro’s body pushes the greenery away, and they so happen to uncover a curling stream rippling through the landscape.

And they fall into it.

This water is so soothing to drown in, why is that?

The river swishes them around, flowing farther and farther down with the harsh current. They try to swim up, but the body of water waves their head back under. A stone of fear curdles in their stomach. It seems to weigh them down deeper into the abyss. They desperately stretch their arms out for any rock that can be used to anchor themself, but their meager attempt is futile.

If only Morro could learn how to breathe properly, then they’d finally be able to live honestly; but oxygen and water don't mix, and Morro is cursed to not have either. However, Morro has the blessing of Wind, so that counts for something. That is a great feat to their defiance to destiny, and they are very thankful the wind decided to stick around for the rewrite of Morro’s story.

Being grateful won’t get them out of this situation.

So they scream. A scream that resonates from their deep frustration and annoyance. Usually, Morro would have a hard time keeping their composure near any water source, but this place isn’t exactly real. Well, it is, but it doesn’t have the same principles as a realm would. So water doesn’t hurt them, it’s just a huge nuisance to their emotions, mostly to their irrational fear.

In the Green Ninja’s subconscious, Morro has become solid. Still a yūrei, but solid like any other living organism. And they cannot float, or vanish, or conduct any perk a yūrei would have besides being somewhat translucent, and green, and not weighing a thing–which is the lamest part. At least they can’t feel physical pain.

Oh wait, never mind. There is the exception of the displacement of Morro’s flower, which right now is wreathed in the Green Ninja’s soul.

Does that make them soulmates now? Morro doesn’t want to be eternally bonded to that dweeb. This is all just so unfortunate. If only Morro didn’t possess him for such a long time, their flower would not weave into the Ninja’s soul, and none of this would have happened. Too bad Morro has no feeling of regret, although knowing the consequences would have been a nice heads up. Now they have no idea how they are going to nurture that damn flower.

A small hook nips at Morro’s hair, and they don’t waste any time to reach for it. This is perfect! The current harshly tries to push them forward, but Morro’s grasp on the line (or the hooks grasp on Morro’s hair) does not deter. A crooked grin stretches their face, and they pull on the line to check for sturdiness. All good…hold up, not good! Why is the line pulling them out!?

Morro emerges from the river, and a young version of their victim gasps at the figure in the air.

If Morro had blood, seeing a child-like version of the victim they tortured makes their blood run cold. It being here only means one thing, The Green Ninja knows they are here. Although, that doesn’t seem to be the case, because if it was, the child would have already alerted the subconscious of an anomaly, and Morro would be transported to the farthest depth this forest can offer.

Instead, the kid reels Morro in with the fishing rod in its hand, and they land onto the deck unceremoniously.

The kid enters Morro’s field of vision, it bites its bottom lip nervously, “are you a fish?”

The two stare at each other. Morro doesn’t know what to think. Should they just blow it away? 

The kid opens its mouth again, and Morro hastily decides to hit the kid with a hefty gust. The kid’s shrieks are gone with the wind.

Morro scrabbles up and quickly attempts to untangle the hook from their hair. Morro lets out an irritated huff once they deem it too time consuming, so they rip the line from the hook and let it dangle from their hair.  

The little kid’s giggles catches Morro off guard. Perplexed, they watch the kid as it boisterously claps. “That was fun! Do it–!”

Morro doesn’t waste another second to send it away again, but this time, Morro watches it go. Once they deem it safe to look away, they do so. Morro runs off the dock, staying by the shoreline. They need to leave the area. Morro can’t comprehend why the subconscious is acting up, but the more they think about it as they run, they suppose that the subconscious does not acknowledge them as a threat. 

Morro sees this as a problem. If that is the case, then that would mean the Green Ninja isn’t bothered by the yūrei’s presence. Which…doesn’t make sense to them. Even with the Green Ninja’s nature to redeem others by second chance, they cannot find a reason to deserve this change.

With this notion fully thought out, Morro finds the ridiculousness of it. Being in the Green Ninja’s subconscious, they are aware of every little detail about the ninja. The yūrei would say they know Lloyd better than he knows himself. Such a proclamation should not be taken lightly. Staying in the Ninja’s subconscious is only furthering the sentence. So, with the previous notion, it would not be in the Green Ninja’s character to conduct this change.

Now, what does this mean for that kid? The kid that takes the form of the younger version of Ninja they recognize today as a reflection of the Ninja’s own self. If the Ninja out there is familiar with something, then the Ninja in here is as well. The fact that the kid has found him means the Green Ninja is somewhat aware of there being an anomaly, or perhaps he just believes something is wrong.

Hmm, well, that's a bit problematic.

Is it because of Morro's decision to immerse themself into the Green Ninja's perspective? Morro couldn't help it. The situations the Ninja finds himself in is like a theater drama, and who doesn't like dramas? Plus, the Ninja wouldn't have found out half the stuff he needed to know about that cult (even the mere mention of it, Morro feels enraged) if Morro wasn't projecting their voice in his head.

Morro finally makes it to the center of the subconscious, the residency of the Green Ninja’s soul. They halt in their steps at the sight of the little kid. 

It addresses Morro's presence, “Took you long enough,” the boy smiles, “I was worried that you got lost and I would’ve had to find you.”

Morro doesn't dare say a thing. 

What if the Green Ninja died? 

What would Garmadon say? 

What would the First Spinjitzu Master do? 

Morro is curious. If the Green Ninja died…would his legacy live on like the flow of the wind? Or would he be destined to a future where the inhabitants of the Realms would live as if he never existed?  

What type of ending would that be? 

“That would be sad,” the boy glances at Morro, observing them. “Who are you, anyway?” It asks, brows furrowing. “Because this energy is familiar.” In the boy's hands, the soul bounces mid-air.

Morro’s mouth opens and closes haltingly. The words that they speak are always so quiet nowadays.  “You don't know who I am?” They ask, warily. It seems Morro's hypothesis is somewhat right. The subconscious does not see them as a threat because this boy doesn't recognize the threat Morro could inflict.

The child shakes its head, frowning, “I'm sorry, mister.” It worries at his lip, picking the skin off with its teeth. The kid shuffles its feet, seemingly to be thinking. 

They glance at the soul. 

Souls take the resemblance of a glass orb. The Green Ninja's soul was a beautiful pure white. Unfortunately, this soul is wasting away. Wisps of the Ninja's unfiltered energy is drifting off; this only has one meaning: decay. Morro’s flower floats inside the Ninja's soul. Their cursed green essence encases their flower, filling the core with that color within the orb. The wind tethers the two energies together, creating a bridge for new connection. 

“It’s strange,” it begins. “Despite how this soul is in ruins, I am calm.”

Morro listens, intently.

“I know how fragile life is…” its voice trails off. The kid shakes its head, dismissing its thoughts.

The subconscious violently shakes. Morro stumbles to catch their footing.

“Oh no! It's another quake!” The little boy screams. 

These quakes are the byproduct of a dying soul. It’s such a shame, the Green Ninja is dying. Morro would’ve been lying if they said it didn’t scare them to see that the title they looked up to is succumbing to a fatal failure. 

Something must have caused the Green Ninja to lose focus that day. The thing is, with the Green Ninja’s powers, sensing presence by aura is elementary. There was a huge energy burst on the 22nd day of May of this year, and the Ninja was trailing after it. Morro can only assume during that point of time, it was the effect that caused the Preeminent's revival. One would wonder what happened during the early morning. If the Green Ninja can sense aura, why did he challenge to go after it? Knowing something dangerous but familiar might be the death of him?

Perhaps, he wished to stop the revival ceremony before it was too late. (He didn’t even know there was a revival ceremony to begin with. What was he thinking?) The underling that attacked him–that man was only buying time. The Ninja prevailed and still sought after it, wishing for victory.

“But only for a moment. This is not happiness, contentment, or enlightenment. It is only a fool giving into false hope at the edge of despair…and hopefully never diving in.”

The words Morro spoke so long ago deem true. The boy under the mask, the fool, couldn’t handle the Preeminent's name. Morro remembers jolting the fool’s memory of that sickening night in the Jinja. They wanted him to at least be aware that she is relevant to the Souls of Lost Redemption, but it seems he wasn’t ready to face that obstacle. As lilac flames surged over him, Morro came to the conclusion that if they don’t tamper with the Green Ninja’s memories (getting rid any possible linkage to the Preeminent's relevance), then he very well may die a foolish death going against the Preeminent incarnate.

Morro may never understand the Green Ninja’s perspective despite living through it all themself. Whatever, Morro wanted the power, not the idiocy that came with the title. The Green Ninja was lucky enough for the FSM to heal his physical wounds, and he better praise Morro–they had to transfer the pain to themself. That bastard.

The subconscious’ shaking subsides. The ghost is lowered to the ground, the kid has steeled and hidden itself in the yūrei’s side. Although for their atrocious actions, Morro is pretty good with children.

“What do you call yourself, child?” Morro inquires in a soft but demanding whisper. After all, they are quite curious.

The kid looks up to see Morro's somewhat pellucid green face, “Call? I don't call myself anything.”

Morro would gently laugh at the child's innocent cuteness if it didn’t have the face of the man in their possession. 

They look up idly, viewing the plain sky. There’s not much to be done here. Is this place truly a reflection of the Green Ninja’s soul? On the surface, the subconscious is calming, but if Morro looks into detail, it’s a graveyard filled with the concept of consolation in death. It may seem to be a good thing, but the unusual quietness in the dimmed shadows say otherwise.

“Hmm,” its cognac brown light up, “Oh, I know! If anything, I’ll call myself Lloyd!” It exclaims excitedly.

Morro stiffens, slightly surprised. “...What made you think of that?” They slowly question. Surely it isn't because of the Ninja. Surely it’s a coincidence.

“I like the sound of it!” It replies with a cheeky smile.

Well, if Morro remembers correctly, that name means ‘grey-haired’.

“My hair isn't grey!” The kid hollers, placing its hands on its blond hair.

Grey-haired is a metaphor for wisdom, which is what this kid clearly lacks.

Morro faintly smiles at the child's antics. “Pick another name.” they supply in a quiet manner.

The kid frowns, “uhm…”

Morro almost feels sorry for the kid. They know better than to think this kid is just a random entity that is only present in the Green Ninja’s subspace. This child is a spell–one to protect the Green Ninja’s soul. 

The kid furrows its brows, “Kai…?” The kid scrunches its face. It must not sound right.

The yūrei sighs, disgruntled. “That’s the most horrendous suggestion I've ever heard,” they convict. 

“Um okay, what about Jay?”

Morro rolls their eyes, shaking their head. 

Ew.

The kid pouts, “aw, I like that name.” The kid sinks to the floor woefully. It props its head on its elbow and leisurely flicks tiny rocks around with its finger. 

Morro clenches their fists and resists the urge to slenderly kick the child in the head with their foot. They know what it’s doing. Amary used to do this all the time when she didn’t get her way. “Stop it, what you're doing is ill-mannered.”

The kid shakes its head, “Nuh uh, all I want is to be called ‘Jay’, but you said ‘no’ and now i'm thinking it over.”

The yūrei glares at the kid’s back. They reach for the kid’s neck to pick it up by the collar of its clothes, pushing themself off the ground too. They level the child's eye with their own, “You're sulking.” 

The child kicks the air beneath it, puffing its cheeks out, “No I'm not! I’m Lloyd Garmadon, bringer of evil!”

A smirk stretches Morro’s face, “Really?” they tilt their head, intrigued. It’s a wicked thing for Morro to be interested in something, but they can’t help themself. 

Throughout this conversation, Morro has noted every word this child said and compared it to the words the Green Ninja spoke as a child. It was familiar, almost identical. 

Morro is good with children, yes–but most of all? They are good with real children.

This child in Morro’s grasp is nothing but a spell. A soulless, sentient thing.

The kid feverishly nods, “Now let me down or else!”

Or else? Morro begins to laugh a laugh that chills the subconscious. The ghost has nearly lost their patience. How long do they have to stay here babysitting the Ninja’s soul? Morro is a yūrei, a powerful being that defied the laws of life and death. They are the master of the howling wind–the wind, coercive and chaotic; a maelstrom. Morro is not someone to threaten willfully.

The kid tries to wiggle out of Morro’s grasp. Morro sighs and decides what they're doing is not worth it. The kid yelps as Morro drops it to the ground.

The yūrei chuckles. How did the First Spinjitzu Master accomplish such a complex spell? Morro doubts that the First Spinjitzu Master did it at all. Perhaps it was someone else proficient in magic? A mage? 

Morro wishes to compliment their work.

“Ow…,” the child murmurs, wincing in pain.

They stare at the kid below them, slightly scrutinizing it. What name will be appropriate that one, it’s easy to remember, and two, it won’t remind them of those pestiferous ninjas. A name that is as complicated as this being? 

Who is Morro’s favourite person?

“Lil’ Garm.” That is the conclusion Morro comes to. They grin at their creativity, “Call yourself that from now on, understood?”

Lil’ Garm wildly nods, “Yes, I like that name.”

Of course you do,  Morro wants to say, but they refrain themselves. The spell’s personality is similar to how the Green Ninja acted when he was younger. So, of course it would want to be called something similar to its father.

The soul behind the child and ghost cries out. Strings of energy reach for a reliable support engine. That support engine is no other than Morro.

They have possessed countless people, but the Green Ninja’s subconscious is the only one who has such a strong spell of defense against breaches. Obviously, not everyone can be the Green Ninja, and it took Morro tribulations to find this out (however, this doesn’t make them less salty). There was a reason they weren't chosen.

The embodiment of life is a delicacy. The divine yearn for a power that transcends all things created in the Realms. 

The Green Ninja’s soul warbles, the flowing wind dances through the whisking white energy. The ghost watches as their own cursed essence shines in the soul’s core.

Not even Morro is informed of the full aspect of what it is. They only know from the way the Preeminent used to preach about in the Cursed Realm. She said, “To have it in the palms of your hands is a pleasure no worldly desire can bring.”  The Preeminent would rather give up taking over all of Ninjago if she could have the embodiment of life in her possession. That is how Morro gained the importance of it.

But of course, Morro could never fully understand why someone with tremendous power would want it. Why did celestial beings, divine gods and monsters, crave for an item that did not bring anything but more status in the hierarchy?

There was a voice that traveled similar to the way of the wind. “Bring forth the embodiment of life upon evil, your existence depends on it.”

Morro has heard this voice countless times. The kami of winds, Fūjin, has always blessed his incarnations that took the time to connect with the wind. This warning is a premonition of the near future. Morro’s life does depend on this, as well as the Green Ninja’s, and every other soul in the Realm of Ninjago, perhaps beyond. 

Morro places the palms of his hands directly under the Green Ninja’s soul, close but not touching it. They can feel the vibrations and pure power of this soul, and the leakage of mana grazing their translucent skin. There is no need to bring the Embodiment of Life upon evil, for it is already in Morro’s hands.

“Morro,” With a slight frown on his face, Garmadon placed a hand on Morro’s shoulder. “What is the one thing celestial beings, divine gods and monsters cannot reach that we , lesser mortals, can?”

Morro didn't understand then, but they acknowledge it now. The Embodiment of Life is the pinnacle of absolute power in all the Realms. 

Morro holds onto this power for forever and ever, in an eternity of silence. No one will know of the secrets they keep. Morro will probably die with this shame, but the eternal and the damned do not deserve it. The Preeminent does not deserve it. Despite Morro’s heinous actions, after everything they have been through, they have all the right to deserve this. 

Right? Is Morro different from the countless gods and monsters that roam the realms?

Morro clenches their jaw tightly. The more they doubt themselves, the worse it gets. Fortunately, this emotion shall be ephemeral, for ‘ the power of the Embodiment of life will lay over all drowning strife ’. 

Well, at least that's what they were told by the Preeminent. 

They furrow their eyebrows at the soul with a confused look. How come they still feel this way?

…is it broken?

Oh, goodness.

“What are you gonna do with that?” The boy asks. It steps a bit closer, the soul illuminates its face in a whitish grey glow.

Morro eyes the spell, “fix it.”

Lil’ Garm visibly dims. It puffs its cheeks out and stares harshly at the soul in Morro’s hands.

…

“What…what are you doing?” Morro poses, they were almost too scared to ask.

Lil’ Garm’s face turns back to neutral, “I was trying to see what was wrong.”

Oh. “Hmm,” Morro closes their eyes, pensive. “You won’t find anything.” 

The soul probably looks normal to it.

Disregarding Lil’ Garm as a whole, Morro concentrates on a certain flowing energy in their system. This method of skill is derived from meditation.  It’s a skill both them and the Green Ninja are accustomed to. This skill is called Mana Control. It isn’t something they developed, but a skill they perfected over the course of a few months. It works as one might believe it to, recognizing the mana inside and outside of oneself to control it.

Deep within Morro’s boundless body, there resonates a thumping energy called Mana. 

Mana is separate from Elemental Energy, Magical Energy, Life and Spiritual Energy, or any other type of energy that exists outside the soul. Mana is the life force, the scientific underlying reason for living in life and death. Mana is unfiltered energy that makes up the soul. If you can control Mana, you can control every other type of energy in all the realms (all types of energy derive from Mana)–between and beyond.

Just imagine being able to control this pure energy.

The Embodiment of Life grants that power. Luckily for The Green Ninja, he has the aptitude to manipulate Life Force Energy, or more commonly known as: Mana. Now, that doesn’t mean he isn't connected to other types of energy…but, well, that’s not what Morro is worried about. The problem is where the Green Ninja gets his power. Again, it’s the idiocy that infuriates Morro. 

For a yūrei Elemental Master, Morro’s Mana stream consists of Elemental and Spiritual Energy. With their Elemental Energy, Morro can connect to the wind’s Elemental Energy. That is how they can guide the wind. As a ghost, Morro can also manipulate their Spiritual Energy. That is how they get their yūrei-like tendencies and powers. 

The Green Ninja’s Mana stream consists of Life energy, Magical energy, and two types of Elemental Energy, one more apparent than the other. He can only control his Magical Energy–his newfound Oni magic and everything under that pretext, and the more apparent Elemental Energy–the power to connect with all Elemental Energy, the green power he has.

(It is a bit strange for Lloyd to have Life energy. Looking through Lloyd's memories, they are sure he has died before. And his soul moving to the grasslands would conduct that change for Life energy to turn into Spiritual energy. 

Even now, as half of Lloyd’s soul is in the Departed Realm, why hasn't his energy converted? 

How is Lloyd bypassing a universal law?)

The stupidity, idiocy, audacity…how can someone be so dumb to keep using their own Mana while they’re dying! Mana is not eternal, it especially is not eternal when it is floating away to the Departed Realm. Mana runs out and that ends with something worse than death.

“And what’s that?” Lil’ Garm asks, listening to Morro’s murmuring.

“Something worse than death.” 

“.....”

“...i'm right, you know.” These damn kids. Morro will not explain any further. 

Lucky for the Ninja, Morro graciously decided to enclose his flow of Mana so he won't further kill himself over his element usage, sensing that that type of energy is what’s slowing down his soul from repairing itself.

(The Magical Energy the Ninja used is very interesting, but Morro is more curious about the dormant Elemental Energy that he has never used before.

(It lies so deep within the shadows of this place Morro is sure it will never emerge)).

Morro sighs, they refocus on their Mana Control. There was another reason for closing the Green Ninja’s Mana stream, it was to keep it in one place so they could repair his soul. More Mana is a need to repair the soul. Now, how does one acquire Mana?

“You can steal it.” Lil’ Garm answers.

Morro shakes their head.

That’s exactly what Morro is not going to do. A person cannot use stolen mana for their own reserves. In other words, a person cannot prolong their life using someone else's Life Force Energy. However a good substitute is Life or Spiritual Energy.

Spiritual Energy is Life Energy, but Life Energy is not Spiritual Energy. 

“Make sense?”

“All these energies are getting to my head.”

For living beings, Life Energy is like a neutralizer, it doesn’t come with any cool powers like Spiritual Energy; the only thing it really helps with is making sure if a person has more than one type of energy, that energy doesn’t collide or combust. Once their flower in The Garden of the First Spinjitzu Master blooms, the Life Energy converts into Spiritual Energy. Spiritual Energy is like Life Energy, just in souls that passed on. Sometimes, Spiritual Energy comes with cool powers depending on the type of entity you become once you die.

Now, Morro doesn’t have any Life Energy since they are dead, but what do they have instead?

They are brimming with tainted [cursed] Spiritual Energy.

And Morro has lots of it. 

They will use this energy to stabilize the Green Ninja’s soul until the drifted pieces mend and revert back to normal.

“That’s a good plan.”

Morro nods, “Of course it is, it’s my plan.”

But there are some precautions they have to take. Like…making sure they have complete control over their mana so nothing bad happens. In theory, the Spiritual Energy they inject into the Green Ninja’s soul will live in harmony with the Green Ninja’s Life Energy. If Morro makes even a sliver of a fault, the Green Ninja might become a ghost, with the Spiritual Energy Morro is injecting to consume The Green Ninja’s Life Energy. It is very diligent and experimental work. 

“Ah! I think I understand it now!” Lil’ Garm claps its hands, congratulating itself.

But for how long?

Lil’ Garm is not a real person. Morro wonders if its memories work in the same circumstances as other mortals. Maybe not, Lil’ Garm did not recognize Morro from the last time they met.

One glance back at the soul, Lil’ Garm begins to frown, “I know you're helping us, but…”

Morro’s tainted energy swirls within the soul, bounding it together. Morro’s green, rotten, energy–filling the Green Ninja’s soul.

“It has a feeling like something is wrong, in a sense. Like something is happening that’s not supposed to happen.” 

Well shit. Morro should hurry.

“It’s almost as if you’re…”

Cursing his soul, yes.  

There is a small price for living, isn't there?

“Are you ready to speak now?”

Wrists chained to the table, the wicked woman lets out a sharp-cutting laugh. “No matter if you are the revered Green Ninja, I can have you arrested for false imprisonment.”

Taps echo through the room. A scowl on his face, Kai taps his foot on the ground with the restless urgency of a burning flame devouring a match.

Lloyd interlocks his fingers, elbows resting on the table. “I heard you’ve been asking for me since you got here,” he begins. “I’m sorry it took a few days. I never meant to keep you from your cell in prison for this long.”

The others never wanted Lloyd to meet her ever since they found out she was coming here. They wanted to deal with her quickly to send her off, but this wicked woman wouldn’t speak of the evidence unless it was to her victim directly.

“Anyway, it’s not false imprisonment. You’re suspected of other things as well.”

She crosses her legs, slight burrows in her eyebrows. “What for?” She asks, tilting her head to induce [faux] innocence.

Kai quickly stomps over and smashes his fists on the table. “You stabbed him in the stomach! You killed him!”

She arches her brow with a sick expression on her face, clearly relishing in Kai’s temper.

“Kai…” As frustrated as he is, Lloyd knows this is the exact reaction the wicked woman wants. “Control yourself. Don’t give her the satisfaction.”

Kai clenches his fists, “She almost took you from us.” He grunts, teeth bared and ears practically smoking. “Don’t expect me to stay quiet.” 

Thankfully to Lloyd’s request, he steps away from the table.

The wicked woman snickers, “Where is the evidence? He looks fine to me!”

Lloyd can’t exactly tell her about the divine intervention.

She leans in, staring right into Lloyd’s eyes. “Or perhaps I'm not speaking to the Lloyd Garmadon I asked for. Am I speaking to someone else entirely?”

A sense of alarm quickly overtakes him before being smothered. 

“You're not making any sense.” He replies evenly, however, Lloyd’s fingers twitch.

“No,” She grins, eyes intensely wide as she seemingly stares straight into Lloyd’s soul. “If you knew what I saw, you’d scream in horror.” She backs away, fixing her composure, still grinning. “Then I would make sense.”

Goosebumps prickle his skin. This women emits her own type of strangeness. One that makes her seem deranged, unapproachable...Lloyd suddenly becomes aware of the fact that this strangeness must have something to do with her masochist self.

“Why are you smiling?” The flames belonging to perched lanterns whisk dangerously. “You think this is a joke!?”

She looks at Kai, eyes full of contempt. “Save the little dignity you have left. Is your name Lloyd Garmadon?”

Kai clicks his tongue. “You're lucky he’s here beside me.”

She snorts sardonically, “Oh ho, and if he wasn’t? What a righteous ninja you are.” Kai snarls, ready to lunge at her, but the wicked woman quickly follows up her statement. “I am nothing of a villain.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Kai vehemently proclaims, “anyone who hurts Lloyd is going to get the same impartial treatment as one.”

Lloyd opens her profile. There is nothing much in here besides her charges and her small background. “You’re here for attempted murder, incitement to suicide of the mass, and psychological coercion.” He narrows his eyes at her, “...amongst other things.” because he is sure a person like this wicked woman has done even more harm in her life. “So, you’re not a good person either.”

She shrugs her shoulders, indifferent to it all. “There are no good people in this Realm. The moment you are inclined to judge a person like yourself, you lose the right to be a good person.”

Kai scoffs, disregarding her as he starts pacing behind Lloyd in deep thought.

“That’s convenient for someone like you.” Lloyd doesn’t look away from her, his expression cool. “Twisting the reason behind your actions doesn’t make it any less real.” He closes the file. 

“She’s just giving herself justification to be harmful.” Kai murmurs through grit teeth. 

Lloyd doesn’t mind the interruption. “Bottom line is you still done those things, correct?”

The wicked woman doesn’t respond. She rolls her eyes.

Kai pauses. “Hey.” The room grows warmer. “Don’t try to think of a way to get out of this.” He walks forward slowly, quivering in restrained anger. “If I catch you lying, I promise you won't see the light of day ever again.”

She keeps her lips sealed. 

Before Kai snaps once more, Lloyd's voice sounds heavy in the room. “Enough.” Leaning forward, the room becomes increasingly darker as he leers at the wicked women. “You asked for me. Now talk.”

Prior to leaving home for his first day as a nurse, Lloyd sends a quick email to the leader of the Neon Ninja.

Good Afternoon, Teal Ninja. Thank you for the email regarding the Cult Case. 

My team of Ninjas would love to take over this case as it is seen to have the potential to cause havoc upon the realm. I appreciate your team’s effort in handling this case to the best of your ability. If you don't mind, please send the file at your earliest convenience. 

Best regards, 

Lloyd Garmadon, the Green Ninja.