Chapter Text
During the celebrations, the night was gloomy and black but the fireworks lit what felt like the darkest hour. It was like sorrow wore a mask of blithe. Everyone was blind and oblivious to what had really happened.
That was apart from Lloyd, Sora and Nya. For them everything was desaturated and grim, I mean who'd be happy when they all lost someone important to them right? Sora sat on the brick wall lonely and cold, she stared at her medal... It meant nothing. Nothing could even somewhat begin to fill the gap left in her heart after the battle ended, after the dust cleared, when she saw her best friend look away from her and run away as if she had a knife pointed straight at his soul. But what if she did have a knife pointed at Arin? Sora lied to him, she backstabbed him, he trusted her and she messed up, she couldn't just apologize either because Arin and Ras had disappeared into another realm.
"Did Ras tell Arin what I did?" Sora thought, "But how could he know!?" She corrected herself doubtfully, Ras was smart after all. Her theories were cut short when she noticed Lloyd walking towards her, she hoped he was going to tell her that they were going home, she didn't wanna stay in the city any longer, it would haunt her until the day she died.
Lloyd sat besides her, he looked guilty and regretful. "How you holding up?" He asked, his voice was quiet and raspy. Sora sighed and faked a smile, "Never been worse." She replied and proceeded to dig her face into her palms and cried. "Why? Just why did he have to leave!? He was my best friend!" Tears streamed down her face. Lloyd gulped. "I'm sorry Sora." He couldn't even make eye contact with his student. She still cried but managed to wipe her tears away. "It's okay Lloyd, it was my fault not yours." She reassured her master unknowing to what he meant by his apology.
"I'm not talking about Arin..." Lloyd explained, "It's you Sora, you have to go home." He finished. Sora looked at him confused. "What do you mean?" She asked, trembling. "I couldn't protect Arin, but I can protect you, which is why I have to send you away." Lloyd told her, finally turning to look at his student. Sora looked at him, her tears had resurfaced and she tripped up on her own words. "S-s-send me... Aw-way?" She tried to confirm and accept what he was saying, but no part of her could be okay with that outcome. "You can't send me away! He's my best friend Lloyd, I have to find him!" Sora demanded, furious. But Lloyd snapped back instantly, "NO! You have to stay safe! If something like this happened to you I wouldn't be able to live with myself!" He screamed which is scared Sora since she had never seen her master so angry, in a way it reminded her of her own parents.
Sora was shocked, tears still dripped from her sorrowful eyes. "THIS ISN'T YOUR DECISION TO MAKE!" Sora screamed back, but two Temple City Guards came behind her and grabbed her by the arms. "Lloyd..?" She whispered. "I'm sorry, but this is to protect you." Was all he could say. The guards dragged Sora away, their grip tightened as she tried to fight back, kicking and screaming like a little baby. "LLOYD DON'T! PLEASE!" She begged crying so much that it hurt to speak. Lloyd got off the bench and stared at Sora for a second. "I'M SORRY IF I WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH JUST PLEASE TAKE ME WITH YOU!" She sobbed, but Lloyd turned in the opposite direction and walked away, he himself was crying. "I HATE YOU!" Were the last words he heard from Sora.
- ✦ -
Lloyd sat in front of his picture frame of his missing Master Wu. He placed on the table besides it, a photo of himself, Arin, Sora and Riyu, it was the day that they both completed the training course before he finished half a cup of tea, he was so proud of them that he took them out for dinner after. Lloyd smiled for the first time in hours after remembering that day, he couldn't stop staring at the picture, he loved his friends-his family but, Arin and Sora were like his own kids, during the aftermath of the merge it was them that kept him going after so long, he was lost until he found them, now they were gone again.
Lloyd had to find Arin and bring him to Sora so they were both safe together just like before. Lloyd was suddenly shoved out of his thoughts when a large red glow flashed behind him. "Motion..." He knew. The large red dragon stood in regal form, in front of Lloyd. "What do you want? I'm doing anymore favours for you!" Lloyd made clear by pointing at her. Motion was surprised by his attitude, "I came her to thank you Lloyd, you're aid has been recognized by the council, I am in your debt." Motion ripped a scale off her skin and it dropped slowly like a leaf to the ground where it then glowed bright red and transformed into a crimson dagger.
Lloyd was curious and picked up the dagger, it wasn't what he had hoped. "The Source Dragons always pay off their debts." She stated. Lloyd looked up at her angrily, "This is it? A dagger? After everything I sacrificed for you? Everything I lost and you give me this in return!?" Lloyd demanded a good answer, rage flowing through him. "You may use that blade to summon me at anytime, but only once." She raised one claw while speaking. "I must go now, good luck conduit." And a bright red flash blinded Lloyd temporarily, when it cleared she was gone.
"I'll find you Arin, with or without the help of a Source Dragon." He said out loud to nobody, he fit the useless dagger in his pocket, he still couldn't believe Motion had given him something so worthless, being able to summon her into battle didn't bring Arin or Jay back, he and the remaining ninja would have to do that themselves.