Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The dark hallways seemed to hold so many secrets, untold stories, and truths.

Y/n wrapped her arms around herself for warmth, her footsteps silent as the breeze as she shuffled down the red-carpeted hall, gazing into the shadows. They didn’t hurt her like everyone else. Maybe they’d have the answers to all her problems.

She wanted to curl up in the darkness and forget everything.

How she hadn’t eaten at all that day. How her father gave the order to torture her. How Skylor got all the fancy treatment while she was left in the mud.

Y/n knew she was treated this way because of her age. She was ten — an easy target for the otherwise-oppressed servants. She was their punching bag when they were angry, and she was too young to do anything about it.

Y/n slumped in a particularly dark corner, burying her head in her arms and trying to calm herself. It was the middle of the night — who would be awake now to hurt her?

She stiffened as the wall behind her moved.

Trying not to cry out, Y/n scrambled away and looked back with horror-filled eyes.

Clouse stepped out of the shadows, and they seemed to move with him. No wonder it was so dark.

“Y/n. What are you doing?” He snarled, his fist alit with black and purple flames.

“I-I-I was j-j-just talking a w-w-walk,” Y/n managed despite her violent trembling. Clouse was the worst when it came to her punishments, due to his use of the dark magics. He didn’t just hurt her physically, but wormed his way into her head to play with her mind. She would be out of it for days following his attacks.

She backed into the opposite wall. No where to run. Clouse slowed slightly, knowing he’d won, and let the flames dance in his hand.

“You’re out past curfew,” he mused. “You know that’s not allowed.”

“I’m sorry,” Y/n whimpered, pressing herself into the wall as if she could melt into it and hide.

Then from behind Clouse, her father appeared. Where had he come from?

“Y/n, you can’t be out past curfew,” he scolded. “Bad girl.”

Something cold and very strong wrapped around Y/n body, pinning her arms to her sides and lifting her off the ground. A white and purple snake, previously invisible, suddenly materialized, hissing at her with disapproving red eyes.

“Wait—” Y/n tried, but the snake’s tail wrapped around her mouth.

“Such a disappointment,” Chen clicked his tongue in disproval.

“Waste of time and resources,” Clouse agreed.

“Unable to stand up for yourself,” Pythor added with a shake of his head. Mock sympathy flashed across all three faces before being replaced with wicked grins.

Then, simultaneously, all three villains started laughing evilly, and it only grew louder. Y/n screamed into her gag, feeling the tail squeeze the life out of her. The laughter grew louder. Y/n screwed her eyes shut and felt something leak from them, unable to do anything.

Y/n jolted awake, shooting upright.

Without thinking, she stumbled out of her soft bed and down the hall, barely able to keep her balance as she went, crashing into the walls. Her breath caught in her throat and she felt like she was choking, before finally getting outside and falling to her knees on the tiled courtyard.

Breathe, breathe, breathe, she scolded herself, still taking gulps of air like she’d never have the chance again. She shivered in a cold sweat as a breeze picked up, only making her more miserable. Her hands went to her throat, reassuring herself that there was nothing choking her.

But her panic didn’t die down. How did she know that Pythor wasn’t right in front of her, waiting to strike until she was vulnerable like this? He’d simply vanished after their last fight. Who’s to say he wouldn’t return at any point?

“Y/n?”

The elemental yelped aloud and whirled around so fast she lost her balance, scrambling backwards in a blind attempt to escape. She couldn’t see, couldn’t run, couldn’t breathe—

Warm arms wrapped around Y/n from behind. She’d been so blind, she hadn’t noticed the person moving around her until she crashed into them. She gasped in alarm before finally gaining some sense, realizing it was one of the Ninja. Reassured at the thought, she went limp but continued to tremble, head drooping in defeat.

“Hey, it’s okay,” a soothing voice said quietly, but Y/n was too panicked to identify who spoke. “You’re okay. You’re safe.” The person gave her a gentle squeeze, but it didn’t feel like how Pythor had strangled her. It was a protective embrace, like whoever held her was a shield.

There was only one person who had this effect.

“Cole,” Y/n managed, her throat tight. She twisted slightly to face him, just managing to observe his concerned expression before burying her face in his shoulder with a whimper. He didn’t change his position, for which Y/n was grateful. Don’t let go, don’t let go, don’t let go, she wanted to say, but couldn’t find the words.

She needed to feel this protectiveness after that nightmare.

It had been several weeks since Y/n officially joined the Ninja team. As soon as they’d arrived, she’d used some of Wu’s healing tea for her throat due to Pythor strangling her, but no tea was strong enough to cure her nightmares.

Every night, she relived her time on the island. The days getting tortured by Chen’s servants. Clouse’s dark magic. And even though Pythor had only attacked once, he was in her nightmares too.

And every night, someone was there for her.

It became clear very quickly that Jay, Zane, and Kai had no idea what to do when she was in her panicked state, all three awkwardly trying to comfort her while at the same time not really helping. Nya was a bit better, but even as she and Y/n grew closer during their training and “girls’ day outings”, she had difficulty connecting on a deeper level. Lloyd was pretty good at it — having nightmares of his own, he knew what to say to calm her racing heart.

But for some reason, Cole had the easiest time calming her down. He was always there, rarely saying anything — just there. No words had to be said; he simply found her and supported her. His presence put Y/n at ease, and she could feel his protectiveness.

Y/n wanted to be stronger than this. She never cried, which was a start, but she couldn’t keep relying on the Ninja like this. She was supposed to be able to stand up for herself, to push past the memories, and move on. She shouldn’t need anyone for a dream.

After her second nightmare, she’d mentioned this to Lloyd, and he immediately shot down the idea, telling her how dangerous it was to bottle everything up and never speak of it. “Y/n, don’t,” he’d interrupted her mid sentence. “I’m your brother. Don’t hide anything from me, okay?” He’d looked her dead in the eye until she reluctantly agreed, and though she did tell him about her nightmares, she didn’t say everything. He didn’t need that burden.

He even stayed awake some nights just to chase after her when the nightmares forced her from her sleep, once following her out into a storm just to be there.

Cole, of course, heard of her troubles despite her hardest to hide it. Continuous nights of disrupted sleep, when the best of days she caught four hours, made the Ninja suspicious that something was wrong. When Lloyd told them about her nightmares, much to their horror, all of them did their best to help her.

And yet, Y/n knew she shouldn’t need to rely on them. They had nightmares, too — she often heard Lloyd cry out from one. But they never had a full-on panic attack from them. What was wrong with her? Why were her nightmares so much worse than theirs?

As if reading her thoughts, Cole slowly ran his hand in circles on her back. “It’s okay,” he repeated, and Y/n’s heart rate finally slowed.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” she muttered into his gi. “No one else has this problem.”

Cole scoffed. “Yeah, right. You shoulda seen Lloyd after the battle against the Overlord. He was a mess.”

Y/n stilled, still taking shuddering breaths. “But I should be stronger than this,” she protested.

To her surprise, Cole pulled back slightly with his hands on her shoulders. “No, Y/n. It’s okay to be afraid. Chen and Clouse hurt you for a long time — it’s normal to have this reaction.”

Y/n’s shoulders slumped and her gaze fell to the ground. “It’s been weeks, Cole. Why haven’t I gotten over it?”

He pulled her back into an embrace, and she felt like melting, though prayed no one saw her so helpless. “You were on that island for years, Y/n. It’s all catching up to you know that you’re out.”

“I feel useless,” Y/n confessed weakly. “I can’t even stand up to my own nightmares.”

Cole fell silent for a moment before replying. “You’re not useless. I’d be surprised if you could recover so fast. You’re powerful, Y/n, but you’re also human. You’re bound to feel something — if you didn’t, I’d think you were a ghost or something.”

Y/n managed a dry chuckle at that. “No ghost here,” she affirmed, little tremor left in her voice. And as the panic faded, fatigue sucker-punched her hard. Her eyes wanted to force themselves shut, but she wouldn’t let them. Sleep meant nightmares, and she didn’t need more than one each day.

Cole stood, pulling Y/n to her feet with him and supporting her as she almost fell. “Maybe a mission will take your mind off things.”

“We have a mission?”

“According to Master Wu, there’s a mutant fangfish terrorizing a local coastal village, and he wants us to get rid of it,” Cole replied nonchalantly. “Seems like a good excuse to get your mind off things.”

Y/n nodded but her eyes remained unfocused. “Sure. Sounds good.”

“Hey,” Cole insisted gently, turning her face to meet his. She felt her heart flutter at his sincere brown gaze, and she knew it wasn’t from the nightmare. “Don’t worry about the nightmares. They will go away. Let me know if you need to talk about them, ‘kay?”

Y/n nodded with a small smile. “Thanks, Cole,” she whispered, and he gave her one last hug before guiding her inside.

Unfortunately it was only four in the morning, so definitely wasn’t worth falling back asleep and risking another nightmare, even though normally she wouldn’t wake up until six. Sighing heavily, she began to sort out the little tea shop the Ninja called their home. Might as well be useful if she was awake.

After a few moments, she noticed Cole still hadn’t left the storage room. He wasn’t in her way and didn’t say anything, just sat next to the wall and read a comic.

“You should get some more sleep,” she told him without much emotion in her voice. “We still have a couple hours before we leave.”

Cole shrugged. “Don’t think I’ll be able to fall back asleep,” he replied without looking up from his comic.

Y/n didn’t reply, instead turning a distracted gaze to the shelf of tea jars. Some of the jars looked a little empty — she’d have to tell Wu and Misako and look into buying more.

Y/n felt herself scowl when she thought of her mother. Lloyd had told her how Misako left him at the Boarding School for Bad Boys when he was a little kid, and they’d only found each other by accident. Misako hadn’t looked for her son, and taking up her role as the overprotective big sister, their mother’s actions rubbed off on Y/n the wrong way.

To her credit, Misako was trying. She spent time with Y/n in the shop or training, telling her the history of Ninjago, which Chen had previously deprived her of. But Y/n still didn’t see Misako as her mother, not yet.

And as much as he tried to hide it, she knew Lloyd felt the same.

“Uh, Y/n?”

The elemental flinched, caught off guard. She blinked at the jar of tea in her hands, then looked back to the owner of the voice.

“Yeah?”

Cole had put his comic away and stood behind her. “That’s...not Sereni-tea. It’s Hones-tea.” He gently pried the jar out of Y/n’s hands and put it in the correct spot, unlike where she’d tried to store it.

Y/n sighed heavily and crashed onto the chair, burying her head in her hands. “Like I said,” she grumbled. “Useless.”

“Y/n, get that out of your head.”

Her eyes widened and she looked up at Cole, surprised by his tone. Anger flashed in his eyes and he crossed his arms. “You’re not useless. You can’t believe that you are.”

With a grumble under her breath, Y/n gave in, running a hand through her messy blonde hair. “Can’t even sort tea,” she muttered.

Cole pulled up another chair, sitting next to Y/n. “C’mon, Y/n. Out with it.” When she gave him a confused look, he clarified, “Your nightmare.”

She groaned, once more resting her head in her hands. “Fine,” she huffed. “It was Chen and Clouse and Pythor. They backed me into a corner and Pythor almost squeezed me to death. Happy?”

Cole sighed. “That snake,” he hissed lowly, probably not meant for Y/n to hear. Louder, though, he told her, “We’re not letting him hurt you again. Count on it.”

“You can’t keep that promise.”

“Maybe, but you can bet on the First Spinjitzu Master I’ll try,” Cole returned. “You can take it out on that fish later.”

Y/n felt the corners of her mouth twitch upwards. “Yeah,” she agreed softly, rising to find a tea with caffeine. “I think I will.”

Chapter Text

At dawn, the Ninja headed out to the sea.

At Y/n’s insistence, neither she nor Cole spoke about her nightmare. Though given the concerned looks her brother and the others sent her, Y/n guessed they had a suspicion. Still, no one brought up the topic, for which she was grateful.

They rode on their elemental dragons out to the sea, playful banter passing between them the whole way.

Kai laughed aloud and sent his dragon into a spiral, shooting ahead of Lloyd, who led the Ninja. They fanned out in a loose V shape behind him, often disrupted when they flew over to tease each other, like Kai.

“Getting ahead of yourself, Kai?” Lloyd called. “I’m leading this charge.” But despite this, he laughed along with the Fire Ninja. He spurred his dragon faster and flew up to Kai’s, causing both to enter a spiral around each other towards the water. The tip of Lloyd’s dragon’s wing cut into the water, splashing it up into Kai’s face.

Kai spluttered indignantly as Lloyd grinned mischievously. “Hah!” Jay cried. “That’s one way to cool off a hot head.”

“Hey!” Kai replied with pretend offense. “No one messes up my hair.” He flew above Lloyd before diving at the water, aiming the splash at Jay, but the Lightning Ninja dodged and the water hit Zane instead.

Zane coughed in surprise as the water covered his metal form. Cole laughed and flew up to his side, calling, “You okay there, Zane?”

The nindroid smiled. “Affirmative. It’ll take more than a little water to take me out.”

Y/n was about to add her own quip when she noticed Jay looking back in alarm. “What about a big fish?” He cried. “Incoming!”

Below them, just under the water’s surface, a massive toothed fish, at least as long as one of their elemental dragons, swam rapidly to catch up before leaping out of the water, snapping at Zane’s dragon. It continued to leap out of the water as it chased them closer to the shore.

“There he blows!” Cole announced. At Y/n’s look, he added, “Or she.”

“Pixal says this is the one!” Zane affirmed.

Y/n had her dragon spiral to avoid the fish’s bite. “We were confusing this with another giant fish?” She demanded bluntly.

Lloyd ignored her comment. “And now that they’ve taken the bait, let’s reel them in and get them to the aquarium.” The Ninja swerved to the side, aiming for a fishing boat they’d set up earlier.

But the threat of a giant fish didn’t stop the teasing. “Let me guess, Kai,” Jay snickered. “You caught one that big once?”

Kai laughed, gesturing to the fish. “Heck no. He was twice the size.” The Fangfish leaped out of the water again, barely missing Kai’s dragon. “Whoa!”

Jay kept his gaze on the fish. “He’s almost as hungry as you, Cole,” he observed.

“And twice as ugly as you, Jay,” Cole returned without missing a beat.

The Ninja laughed, and Y/n felt the remaining nerves from her nightmare dissipate. Over the weeks she’d been with the Ninja, she’d quickly picked up on their friendly bickering. While she often struggled to come up with her own comebacks, she enjoyed listening to them. With each conversation she entered, they felt more and more like family rather than friends.

“It’s time for the catch of the day,” Lloyd called, fishing boat in sight. “In line formation!”

The Ninja quickly arranged themselves into a straight line, with Lloyd in the front and Cole taking up the rear. The plan was to lead the Fangfish onto the boat, and the line formation would help hide the boat until it was too late.

“It’s right behind us!” Cole yelped, his dragon within reach if the Fangfish decided to leap again.

And leap it did. The fish jumped out of the water at Cole’s dragon, jaws snapping. When Lloyd called the signal, Y/n yanked her reins to split to the side, and the fish landed on the deck of the boat. She let out a sigh of relief as the Ninja cheered.

“Now that’s what I call hook, line, and stinker,” Jay joked. Y/n rolled her eyes and dove into the water underneath his dragon, using her powers to gather it around her as she shot out, circled above Jay, and let the water fall. He yelped as the water splashed on him, sparking another round of laugher from the Ninja.

Lloyd waved to the boat captain, who began steering the ship to the shore. Lloyd and Kai wandered over to the side while Y/n, Cole, Jay, and Zane stood next to a giant glass fish tank. Once the boat parked safely at the docks, a crane grabbed the fish and moved placed it in the container.

“It’s working!” Cole cheered.

The crane dropped the fish into the tank, causing the displaced water to splash over the sides. Y/n’s eyes widened and she leaped backwards, avoiding the soaking, but the others weren’t so lucky. She giggled as they complained about being wet, earning a playful glare from the affiliated Ninja.

Y/n glanced to the side, where Kai had grabbed Lloyd to ruffle his hair. She smiled to herself, knowing that even with her on Chen’s island, Lloyd still had someone to look after him. Jay hurried over to them to request a picture, and Y/n’s smile dropped.

She never had the chance to be Lloyd’s older sister, and to fulfill that role as they grew up. She’d missed his entire childhood, and even though it wasn’t her fault — she hadn’t even known he existed — she felt guilt.

“I know that face.” Cole nudged her. “Cheer up, we just caught a giant fish.”

Y/n sighed and forced her smile to return. “I know, I know. We’re never gonna catch a fish that big again, and all that.”

Cole grinned. “Right! C’mon, let’s get a picture!”

He all but dragged Y/n over to the tank. “No one’s gonna believe this,” Jay remarked as the cameraman positioned himself not far away, Kai and Lloyd joining them. “This is awesome!”

And Y/n was reminded that even while her teammates were Ninjago’s saviors, they still acted like the teenagers they were.

“Back just a little further,” Zane instructed the cameraman. “Just a little further.”

Right as the cameraman snapped a picture, he lost his footing and fell over the side.

Y/n’s face blanched in alarm and she darted forward, then calmed when she saw the cameraman swimming to a nearby ladder and laughing.

“Oh, great!” Jay sighed in exasperation. “Who’s gonna believe us now?”

Y/n turned back just as the Fangfish lashed their tail, sending another wave of water toppling down on the Ninja. She smirked as, once again, she avoided getting wet.

Once the Fangfish was secured with the harbor police, the Ninja summoned their dragons and headed back to Master Wu’s new tea shop, Steep Wisdom. They passed most of the journey in silence, but one thing Kai mentioned bugged Y/n.

“So you’ve caught a fish twice that size, Kai?” Y/n called.

“Yeah!” He smirked. “It was a long time ago, so I don’t have a picture.”

Y/n snorted. “No evidence, didn’t happen,” she teased. “This was a huge fish!”

“I bet this one looked small,” Jay added.

“I’m not saying it was small,” Kai amended as they flew over the courtyard. “It was big, but I’ve seen bigger.”

Y/n dismissed her dragon and headed into the shop, the rest of the Ninja close behind. “As big as your ego?” Jay pressed.

“Right,” Zane agreed lightly.

Wu met them at the counter, holding a box. “Your new uniforms,” he explained before they even asked.

That made them even more excited. “What do they look like now?” Kai asked eagerly.

“I bet they’re off the hook,” Cole grinned.

Y/n blinked. “Was that…a fishing joke?” She took Cole’s mischievous expression as a yes.

Wu held up one of the uniforms, and the mood instantly switched from excitement to confusion. It was a beige-colored shirt with a blue teapot on the front, with an accompanying teapot headpiece to complete the look.

Zane was the first to speak. “Those do not appear to be Ninja uniforms.” He felt the fabric, frowning at its lack of flexibility. “They resemble work attire.”

Wu nodded in approval. “Very observant, Zane,” he approved. “We must focus on brand awareness.” He reached into the box and handed out the uniforms and paper fliers, but Y/n did not receive any. “And here are the fliers I want each of you to pass out in the city.”

“Master,” Y/n butted in. “Why did I not get any?”

Wu met her gaze. “I must ask you to stay here to train with Nya.”

Y/n exchanged glances with Nya, who shrugged. “Very well, Master.” She shuffled to the side to give the other Ninja more space, slightly disappointed that she wasn’t going on the same mission. Although on the bright side, she didn’t have to wear the ridiculous outfit that the Ninja were already putting on over their gis.

Misako was quick to answer the phone as it rang. “Steep Wisdom, how may we serve you?”

Kai frowned at the uniform. “Aren’t we going to look kind of dorky flying up on our dragons with these things on?”

“You already do,” Y/n couldn’t help but say, and Kai shot her a glare.

“You won’t be flying on anything,” Wu interrupted. “We’re selling tea, not magic. Besides, you all have been relying a little too heavily on your elemental powers lately. Real power comes from the inside.”

Lloyd seemed to be the only one with some decency. “It would be our honor, Master Wu,” he said softly.

Just then, Misako finished the phone call, her expression strangely worried. “It’s the police. They’ve asked for Lloyd. There’s been a break-in at the museum.”

Just Lloyd? Y/n wondered. Odd.

“Go on,” Cole encouraged, taking Lloyd’s fliers into his own. “I’ll take your share.”

“Thanks,” Lloyd smiled gratefully. “I owe you one.”

The Ninja, all in their tea uniforms sans Lloyd, used their dragons to fly out to the city.

“Let’s go, Y/n,” Nya sighed.

They wandered to the back of the tea shop, where they had a little training course set up. Y/n and Nya sparred for a little, but Y/n felt too distracted to focus.

Nya noticed. She suddenly stood, grabbing a towel to wipe her face. “Something wrong, Y/n?” She asked in a tone that suggested she already knew the answer. “You’re usually much more precise.”

Y/n sighed. “It’s nothing,” she muttered. “Just another nightmare last night.”

Nya frowned worriedly but didn’t press. “Okay…well, maybe a trip would clear your mind.” When Y/n gave her a confused look, she smiled. “I heard there’s a new history book in the library in Ninjago City. Might have some interesting stuff for you.”

Y/n brightened at this. After leaving Chen’s island, with limited education, she’d buried herself in books to catch up on Ninjago’s history. Library visits were her favorite.

“Yeah, I think I’ll do that.” She grinned. “Thanks, Nya.”

While Nya went to tell Wu and Misako where Y/n was going, she summoned her dragon and headed to the city at a leisurely pace, enjoying the breeze on her face and the sunset behind her. Her nightmare was all but a faint memory now.

However, right after she landed in a park adjacent to the library, she felt the wind shift from blowing in front of her to behind her, before switching back. Accompanying the wind came a strong feeling that something was wrong.

Frowning and book forgotten, Y/n turned around and wandered through the streets, sensing for whatever made her feel weird. She stopped as she rounded the corner, facing the museum.

That’s where Lloyd went, she realized with a shudder. Please tell me something didn’t…

Her thoughts cut short as she entered the building, with Lloyd standing with his back to her, staring at the wall, wearing some kind of blue armor on top of his normal green gi. Police tap fluttered loosely in the breeze.

But where was the wind coming from? Y/n was inside.

“Lloyd?” She called, a feeling of dread spreading through her. She hand’t exactly been quiet when she entered, and it was unlike her brother to ignore a stranger coming up behind him.

He stiffly turned to face Y/n, and she froze.

His face twitched somewhat from anger to fear, and he had weird greenish-gray markings around his eyes. He’d torn his hood in two, with one half draping around his neck and the other half over his head. Y/n took a step back as the wind picked up. It was coming from him.

“Y/n,” he observed flatly, his voice making Y/n shudder. It sounded like Lloyd but…not Lloyd. His normally cheeky expression was stone-hard, despite the constant twitching, which was becoming unnerving. “Nice of you to drop by.”

“Lloyd, what’s going on?” She demanded, halting her retreat. Backing away was a sign of weakness, and whatever was going on, she couldn’t show any. Something about her brother felt wrong, unlike the Lloyd she’d learned to love.

He tried to smirk at her, but it came out more of a grimace. His expression took on a look of curiosity and he touched his face with his hand as if exploring.

“Nice to feel again,” he mused, dropping his hand to his side. “Been a while.”

Y/n’s brow furrowed. “What? I saw you not even an hour ago. What’s going on?”

To her alarm, Lloyd gasped and dropped to one knee, clutching his head, visibly shaking. “Lloyd!” Y/n cried, running over to him despite her gut telling her this was wrong.

She crouched to his level and gently tugged his chin up to meet his gaze. His eyes switched from his usual bright green to a dull gray, the markings around them fading before reappearing. His skin felt ice cold.

“Y-Y/n,” he rasped.

If Y/n hadn’t been alarmed already, she was now. She’d never heard her brother sound so terrified.

“I’m here,” she murmured. “What’s going on?”

Lloyd jerked back, falling to his side and writhing horribly. Y/n staggered back in alarm, panic setting in before she could shut it out. She’d never seen anything like this.

“No!” Not-Lloyd’s voice shrieked, and he went still.

Y/n took a tentative step forward. “Lloyd?”

Without warning, he shot to his feet and lunged at Y/n, catching her off guard and managing to tackle her to the ground, putting all his weight on her wrists. His eyes remained a solid gray, boring into Y/n with hatred.

“Stop fighting me, you fool!” The voice snarled, he but wasn’t looking at Y/n. Lloyd shuddered and went rigid, falling off of Y/n when she shoved upwards and backed away, thoroughly confused.

Then, when Y/n tried to use her powers, only a few sparks left her fingertips.

No, no, no. Y/n felt herself start to tremble. Something was very, very wrong with Lloyd.

He turned an expression of agony to her. “Run!” He managed before doubling over and going still.

But Y/n couldn’t run. Her feet were frozen to the floor, unable to look away as Lloyd slowly stood, all friendliness from him gone.

“That pest,” the strange voice coming from her brother spat. “He still fights me.” Y/n’s heart pounded as he approached her, but she didn’t back down. “He cares for you.”

“What’s going on?” Y/n tried to keep the fear out of her voice, but after what she’d seen, she doubted it was possible. “Who’re you?”

Lloyd paused. “What, Wu didn’t tell you?” When Y/n seemed just as lost, he scoffed. “I’m sure he will.” Without further explanation, he thrust his hands forward.

Y/n had just enough time to wonder why he would try to punch her from so far away when a fierce blast of wind slammed her into the back wall.

Elemental powers? She thought incredulously, groaning as she stood. Not-Lloyd attacked her again, but Y/n couldn’t bring herself to hurt him, even if it meant defending herself. Not-Lloyd threw her into the wall again, then used his newfound wind powers to slam her into the ground, then the ceiling, then the ground again.

Coughing weakly, Y/n rolled onto her back as Not-Lloyd loomed over her.

“You’re pathetic,” he remarked without emotion. “Must be a sibling thing.”

Y/n stilled. On instinct, all her anger at Not-Lloyd for insulting her morphed into anger at him for calling her brother weak. “Lloyd is not pathetic,” she hissed, kicking upwards at Not-Lloyd.

He grabbed her foot and threw it to the side, then blasted Y/n with wind, sending her rolling across the museum. “Yeah. He is.” With that, Not-Lloyd brushed off his hands and walked to the door.

Y/n gasped for breath, struggling to her knees with her hand pressed to her ribs. She ached all over and finally noticed the small trickle of blood running down the side of her face.

Who was that? She grit her teeth as she stood, from confusion and anger. It was clear it was Lloyd’s body, and she’d heard him speak to her. But the new voice, that morphed with Lloyd’s, was definitely not his.

She had to warn the others. But first, she needed to show who could win in a sibling rivalry.

Limping rather heavily and using the wall for support, Y/n staggered closer to Lloyd. “Hey!” she snapped, and Lloyd paused to look back at her with a slightly irritated expression. “This isn’t over.”

Not-Lloyd smirked and entered a fighting stance, prompting Y/n to do the same. He lunged at her with a punch and a kick, but Y/n jumped through the attacks and came up in a roll. With lightning speed, she threw herself at Not-Lloyd and grabbed a wrist with one hand and wrapped her other around his neck.

“You’d hurt your own brother?” The voice asked, seemingly unbothered. Y/n kept her arm stiff around his neck but squeezed her eyes shut, tormented, knowing she had to do this to help her brother. She hated hurting him…but she needed to fix whatever was wrong with him. She was left with no other choice.

Something moved ever so slightly under Y/n’s fingers, and her eyes snapped open. She glanced back at Not-Lloyd, surprised when he went still, and a semi-transparent green form began to rise from his body.

Y/n yelped as the figure shot forward, escaping her grasp, and Lloyd fell limp against her. She quickly repositioned to hold her brother in a much less aggressive way. Her gaze frantically scanned his face, but he didn’t react.

“Sentimentality is a weakness,” the figure growled. Y/n stiffened and turned around, still holding her brother, and stared in shock at the figure hovering a few feet off the ground.

He glowed a soft green light, mostly transparent, and had black hair with a green stripe through it, marks around his eyes, and tattered black and green clothes. He sneered at her with a slightly amused and hateful expression.

“You’re a ghost?” Y/n uttered.

The ghost cackled. “I am Morro, Master of Wind, and rightful Green Ninja.” Y/n instinctively tightened her grip around Lloyd as she glared at the ghost. Apparently he had entitlement issues.

“You’re not the Green Ninja, Lloyd is,” Y/n snapped, “and he deserves it. What do you want?”

Morro’s amusement vanished. “I am the Green Ninja!” He cried, flying straight at Y/n.

She gasped and ducked, covering Lloyd with her body, but stiffened when she felt a weird sensation overcome her body.

A feeling of cold spread throughout her skin, and she suddenly couldn’t move. After a moment, burning pain ripped through her body and she screamed, falling backwards. A presence entered her mind, laughing at her expense, and she felt her whole body stiffen.

The pain faded a little but did not go away. Something moved Y/n’s body, forcing her to stand and walk away from Lloyd and leave him helpless on the ground. She tried to move her arm, to look back at her brother, to do anything — but the force was stronger than her.

Y/n steeled her mind. She was Y/n, Master of Spirit. She wouldn’t let someone else control her.

Her powers flared to life, and for a moment, Y/n felt the presence retreat in alarm. Then it slammed back with a vengeance, knocking her out of control with dizzying force. If she’d been in control of her body, she would’ve fallen to the ground.

Irritated now, the force positioned her at the far wall, sitting and staring at the blank paint. Then without warning, the presence vanished.

Y/n gasped for breath and tipped forward, catching herself on the wall, and tried to restore her breathing. Her whole body trembled with pain and her vision swam. Was the world always rocking back and forth like a boat?

“Like I said,” the ghost’s voice came from behind her. Y/n looked back and made out the figure of Lloyd standing over her, but Morro’s voice came from his mouth. “Pathetic.”

No, no, no, no, Y/n tried to come up with a plan to get her brother back, but her mind was sluggish and she barely reacted when Morro turned and walked out the main entrance. Did he just possess me? Is that what Lloyd is feeling right now?

Newfound rage gave Y/n the energy to stand. She ignored the pain in her ribs from the attack and aching of her whole body and staggered after her brother. She had to warn the others now.

Once outside, dark now without the sun, Y/n held her hands in front of her and called on her powers, but like before, only a few purple sparks flew from her fingers, and the action made the aching in her body worse.

Great. Now how was she supposed to get back?

A nearby citizen must’ve seen her distress. “Excuse me, miss?” The woman approached Y/n with a mixture of concern and respect. “Are you alright?”

Y/n shook her head no. “I need to get to Steep Wisdom,” she managed weakly. When she saw the woman’s confused expression, she clarified, “The new tea shop. Can you drive me?”

The woman nodded after a moment of hesitation, beckoning her to follow. She led Y/n to a small blue car and had her sit in the passenger seat, before immediately taking the reins and speeding down the road. Y/n slumped backwards with a pained hiss, letting the woman drive her. As much as she didn’t trust the woman — after all, they’d literally just met — she didn’t have the strength or energy.

Normally Y/n would complain about the speed the woman drove at, but with Lloyd in his current state, she didn’t have time to worry. Her mind kept circling back to his pained expression when he’d briefly regained control, and the agony she’d felt when Morro possessed her. Every train of thought returned to the horrifying fact that he felt that intense burning every moment the ghost was inside of him.

“So…” the woman started nervously. “Are you an ally of the Ninja?”

Y/n grunted in acknowledgment. “I’m training to be one,” she replied softly.

The woman hummed thoughtfully. “What happened in the museum?” She asked.

Y/n grimaced and readjusted her position. “I’m not sure,” she muttered in half-honesty. She did know what happened to Lloyd, but not what the ghost really wanted or why. “But I gotta warn my friends.”

The woman nodded in agreement and they fell into silence. Thankfully the shop was not far from the museum, and with the woman’s speed, they arrived in a few minutes.

The car pulled up next to the archway. Y/n stumbled out with a heartfelt “thank you” and looked up at the shop.

Quiet. Empty except for one van. No sign of Morro.

The car drove away as Y/n staggered up the path, wincing at the pain in her ribs. She made it just over halfway to the building when someone noticed her approach.

“Y/n?” A moment later, Cole and Kai ran to her side, both taking in her appearance and immediately putting her arms around their shoulders to support her weight. “What happened?” Cole demanded.

“Something’s wrong with Lloyd,” Y/n muttered, then stiffened when she felt eyes watching her. “Someone’s here.”

Not having had the chance to enter the tea shop, the three Ninja stopped and turned around, squinting through the night as an all-too familiar figure approached.

“Lloyd?”

Chapter Text

Y/n shifted to stand before her friends, blocking them with her body.

“Step aside,” Morro — Y/n refused to see him as her brother, even though he looked like Lloyd — snapped, coming within range of a quick lunge and sword swipe. Y/n didn’t move.

“Lloyd, what’s wrong with you?” Kai demanded, nudging in front of Y/n. She glared at him in protest but didn’t say anything, now pinned between Kai and Cole.

Morro stopped, staring daggers at the Fire Ninja. “Step. Aside. I want a word with your master.”

“What’s gotten into him?” Cole breathed.

Y/n huffed. “That’s what I was trying to tell you. That’s not Lloyd.”

Kai turned briefly to stare at her in disbelief. “Uh, yeah, it is.”

As if to prove Y/n’s point, Morro thrust his hands out and blasted the three Ninja back with a gust of wind.

“Aw, come on!” Jay complained as he and Zane joined them, fanning out on either side of Y/n. “We don’t have powers, but he does?”

Morro lunged at Kai again, and a slight moment of hesitation from the Fire Ninja allowed the ghost to land a hit on his ribs. Kai gasped and stumbled back, clutching his side, and giving room for the others to attack.

“How are we supposed to fight a friend?” Jay yelped as Morro blasted him backward, rolling to avoid a hard impact on the ground.

“Let me show you!” All of a sudden, Morro transformed Lloyd’s body to have jet-black hair and eerily green skin, almost wispy in effect. He slashed his arm sideways to create a wind vortex around him, forcing the Ninja away.

All Y/n saw with his transformation was her brother disappearing, replaced with a villain.

Despite her injuries, Y/n rolled under the wind and sprang up, grabbing Morro’s wrist. His eyes widened in surprise but he quickly twisted his arm, forcing Y/n to bend with him. As soon as she was off balance, he kicked her stomach to send her away.

Y/n coughed harshly but refused to let go. “Lloyd, I know you’re in there,” she pleaded. “Fight him!”

Morro’s expression hardened. “Lloyd is gone, girl Ninja. Your attempts are futile.”

Y/n’s face twisted with disgust at his words. She ducked under Morro’s arm and stood, pushing down on his elbow and forcing him to bend over. “Don’t call me ‘girl’,” she hissed. She heard muffled shouts from the other side of the wind vortex, looking up briefly to see the other Ninja trying to get to her but failing to push through the wind. Behind them, Wu and Nya watched from the entrance to the tea shop.

“So you’re the feisty one,” Morro mused as if unbothered by the fact that his arm was locked into a painful position. “I like that.”

That was all the warning Y/n had before Morro front-flipped, straightening his arm and sending Y/n crashing onto her back as he stood. He put a heavy foot on her already bruised ribs, making her shriek with pain.

“But it won’t get you anywhere,” Morro finished, leaning down with a smirk. “You can’t fight me. You care for Lloyd too much.”

Y/n grit her teeth, struggling to breathe through the pain and pressure. “But I can fight you,” she snapped.

In one smooth motion, Y/n yanked herself to the side, causing Morro’s foot to slide off her body. He stumbled at the sudden lack of balance, allowing Y/n to shove him away and scramble to her feet, using one arm to guard her ribs.

Morro grinned. “Look, sweetheart,” he snickered. “I don’t know how you fought my possession in the museum or how you got through my wind. But my fight is not with you. I must speak with your master.”

“You made me your fight when you possessed my brother.” Y/n slid back into a comfortable fighting stance, suddenly feeling vulnerable without a weapon.

Luckily she didn’t have to worry too much, as right then, the rest of the Ninja broke through the wind vortex in their spinjitzu tornadoes.

Kai wasted no time launching into Morro, breaking his concentration from Y/n. She risked a glance to the side just in time to see Zane throw a pair of shurikens at Morro, and Jay let out a shout as he charged with his nunchucks.

Y/n felt a tug on her shoulder. “Y/n, we have to get out of here!” Cole cried, desperately trying to pull her away from the fight.

She jerked out of his grip. “I’m not leaving until Morro is out of Lloyd’s body!”

Unfortunately for the Ninja, Morro deflected the shurikens with his wind and grabbed Jay’s nunchucks before they could hit, yanking them forward to carry the momentum and knock Jay into Kai. “Shurikens?” Morro looked sidelong at Zane. “Cute. Try this on for size!”

A ways away, the blades of a wooden windmill snapped off. Morro grinned as he used the wind to carry the blades over to the courtyard, letting them fall on top of the Ninja.

With little time to react, Y/n lunged to the side, landing hard on her shoulder and ribs. She gasped in pain and struggled to her knees, panting, blinking through the hair whipping her face as Morro pushed the Ninja to the side with another blast of wind.

Cole grabbed Y/n’s arm to help her stand, but she swayed with pain. “The Bounty is in the back!” Cole shouted to the other Ninja. “Let’s go!”

Y/n limped along with him, suddenly feeling the pain from the museum catch up to her mind. Her ankle throbbed and her forehead stung from a gash that still leaked blood down her face. Each breath was shallow and it felt like she was getting stabbed in the lungs. Even so, as she and Cole passed by the entrance to the tea shop, Y/n shrugged out of his grip.

“Y/n,” Cole hissed. “Not the time.”

She didn’t look at him and took a step closer to the door. “Go, then,” she insisted. “I need to do this.”

An overwhelming desire to protect her little brother numbed Y/n’s senses. She felt that, as the older sibling, it was her duty to stand against anyone who hurt Lloyd. If he was feeling anything like when Morro possessed Y/n, however briefly, then the ghost was definitely on the list of enemies.

“I see you’ve found the Allied Armor, Morro, yet you haven’t summoned your friends,” Wu noticed.

Morro scoffed. “Your pathetic students haven’t given me a reason to.”

Jay skidded to a halt behind Y/n. “Hey, hey, hey! No one called me pathetic!”

As if to prove his point, Morro let loose a blast of wind from his hands, forcing the Ninja in the doorway back. Y/n grimaced and crouched to anchor herself, but even so, she felt her feet slipping. Jay, however, screeched as he tumbled away.

Wu’s voice snapped her attention back to the battle. “You want the staff? Try to take it.” He stood in a ready position, and staff held defensively in front of him.

Morro wasted no time lunging for Wu. “You’ve gotten old,” he taunted. “You used to be a great master. Now you’re just a petty shopkeeper.” He pushed harder and with a gust of wind, forcing Wu to slide backward. The wind forced some tea jars off their shelves and they shattered on the ground, covering the floor with a faint layer of dust.

“With age comes wisdom,” Wu returned evenly, using the dust to slide past Morro and slam his staff into the ghost’s back — Lloyd’s back, Y/n winced — and sending him reeling.

The Master of Spirit took the opportunity to careen into Morro, tackling him to the ground. Once again, he seemed surprised by her abilities, but the expression quickly morphed into annoyance.

“You again?” The ghost snarled, forcing Y/n off of him and instead pinning her to the ground with one hand around her neck and the other on her right arm. His knee dug into her stomach, right below her ribs, sending pain shooting through her body.

“I’m not giving up on Lloyd,” Y/n choked out.

For a brief moment, Morro’s face flashed with horror and his eyes flickered green. But as soon as it came, the change vanished, and Morro jerked off Y/n.

“Annoying little—” he growled, a blast of wind exploding from his body. Y/n rolled several times before she slammed into a wall, panting in pain.

Through hazy vision, Y/n saw Master Wu’s staff roll in the tea dust. Both his and Morro’s expressions showed their surprise before the ghost lunged for the staff.

Nya beat him to it. She yanked on the far self, sending it on top of Morro, before rushing over to Y/n’s side. With difficulty, Y/n rose to her feet, wide eyes pinned on her trapped brother.

No, Y/n, she scolded herself. That’s not Lloyd. It’s Morro.

But at the same time…all she saw was her little brother’s terrified expression and his trapped, injured form.

Morro was right. No matter how hard the Ninja fought, all they succeeded in doing was hurting Lloyd.

Wu snatched his staff and ran out the back entrance. Nya assisted Y/n in the same direction, the latter hissing in pain at every motion, but lacking the energy or willpower to protest. Favoring her injured ankle, she climbed onto the deck of the Bounty, taking note of the other passengers.

Cole, giving her an irritated but alarmed look.

Zane, watching for any sign of Morro emerging from the shop.

Jay, frantically pulling at his hair as he paced the deck.

Nya, already at the controls and urging the ship to take flight.

Wu, looking at his staff with interest.

But no Kai.

“Where’s my brother?” Nya called anxiously as the ship lifted over the shop, sails flapping dangerously in the high winds.

Jay’s frantic pacing died down as he gripped the railing, looking down into the courtyard. Y/n followed his gaze and narrowed her eyes when she saw the Fire Ninja facing off with Lloyd.

“He’s fighting the Green Ninja!” Jay cried. “Alone!”

Somehow, Y/n couldn’t bring herself to be angry with Kai. Just like her, he wanted to protect Lloyd no matter what…even if it meant fighting a ghost. He was willing to go solo with no chance of winning if it meant seeing Lloyd again.

But Y/n knew better than any of the others that Morro was not that easy to push back.

Y/n whirled to Nya. “Get him out of there, now!”

Nya nodded and steered the ship closer, lowering the anchor to hook onto Kai.

The Fire Ninja somehow had Lloyd in a headlock, and based on his surprised expression, he’d seen Lloyd ever so slightly regain control. In his moment of distraction, however, he didn’t see the Bounty's anchor until it swept him off his feet and dragged him away from Morro.

“No, wait! Put me down!” Kai cried, looking back at the possessed Ninja on the ground. “I saw Lloyd!”

Y/n felt a pang in her heart, though she couldn’t decide if it was from jealousy or pride. Jealous that Kai had broken through to Lloyd faster than she had, or pride that her brother was fighting back. Or both.

Kai scrambled to the controls, trying to get past Nya to the wheel. “We have to go back!” He said desperately.

“Sorry, brother,” Nya grunted as she moved in Kai’s path. “That’s what I’m trying to avoid.”

Suddenly, the Bounty jerked as a powerful stream of wind held it back. Y/n yelped as she tumbled into the cabin wall, pressed there by the force of the wind. She blinked rapidly and turned her head to peer over the railing, noticing how Morro was reaching toward the Bounty as if trying to grab it.

Before the Bounty lost too much ground, an extra set of boosters flared to life and overcame the pull of the wind. The ship lurched forward and out of range, freed from Morro’s control.

Panting now that she was no longer pinned to the wall, Y/n limped up to the bridge with the other Ninja. “That was close,” Nya sighed with relief. “The coast is clear.”

“Okay, spill it, Master Wu,” Jay blurted. “What just happened back there, and what have they done to our friend?”

“Yeah,” Cole agreed, both suspicious of the new Elemental Master and anxious for Lloyd. “Who was that?”

Wu sighed, running a hand down his beard. “You four were not my first pupils. There was one before you.”

Despite the surprise of the Ninja, Y/n crossed her arms. Of course Wu would have other students — did they really expect him not to, with how old he was?

“Morro, the Master of Wind,” Wu finished softly. Was that…regret in his tone?

A beeping caught their attention. Nya frowned as she looked at the computer screen, pressing a button to make the radar appear. It showed an outline of the Bounty in the middle with a blinking dot behind them, quickly catching up. “Okay, now those lights scare me. We got something on our six.”

“Looks like our master of Wind just caught his second wind,” Jay gulped.

The elementals ran out onto the deck, with Y/n limping behind. Through the darkness of the stormy clouds around them, she spotted a flash of a sickly glowing green, and after a moment, made out the shape of a long, slender elemental dragon.

“Take positions!” Wu commanded.

The Ninja scattered around the deck, Jay and Cole taking up the cannons. They fired several rounds at the dragon, but Morro dodged each before sending a blast of power from his dragon. It exploded just short of the ship, but knocked Jay out of the cannon.

“Let me get this straight,” he demanded to Wu. “You’re just telling us now that you had another pupil before us, and now his cursed spirit has possessed Lloyd, all so that he can take your staff?”

“Yeah,” Y/n agreed, but kept her gaze pinned on Morro. “I feel like telling us of a cursed former pupil or how to defeat him would be a little important!”

Wu seemed not to notice their accusing tones. “Morro won’t stop until he gets what he’s after,” He replied. “There’s a secret message engraved on the staff. All these years, I had no idea.”

Jay shook his head, his panic setting back in. “Of course!” He laughed sarcastically. “Just another day in Ninjago!”

Cole fired the cannon again. “If this is as fast as the Bounty goes, I think we’re in for some serious trouble!” He yelped as Morro’s dragon landed a hit on the hull.

The dragon flew closer before disappearing, allowing its rider to land on the deck. Morro cackled as he somehow summoned two wickedly curved blades, grinning underneath the split mask. Y/n glared at him and lowered into a stable fighting stance, ready for anything.

Though with the way Morro threw them around before, Y/n had doubts about winning this fight. One wrong move and they’d fall off the Bounty.

“I need ink and parchment to make an imprint to see what’s on the staff,” Wu called.

Zane nodded. “Kai and I will take you to our quarters while Jay, Cole, and Y/n keep him busy.” Y/n set her gaze and shoved the pain in her body to the back of her mind, steeling herself. This was not going to be fun.

“Oh, that’s honorable of you to nominate us,” Cole retorted. Seems he didn’t want to fight as much as Y/n.

“Yeah,” Jay agreed. “We didn’t fare so hot last time. Why is it you get off with the easy task?”

Zane grinned as he held the deck’s hatch door open for Kai and Wu, leading deeper into the ship. “Because I’m the intelligent one!” He saluted in farewell before diving into the ship.

Y/n couldn’t help but snort at his flex.

“Ugh,” Jay sighed irritably but held up his nunchucks. “Let’s take this guy.”

The three Ninja swarmed Morro at the same time, but now armed with two weapons while Y/n had none, he easily beat them back. Y/n, however, immediately sprang forward as soon as her feet hit the ground, catching Morro by surprise. Again.

“You are beginning to annoy me!” Morro snapped, shoving back with one arm and bringing the blade down with another. Y/n yelped as it slashed her arm, leaving a clean cut in its wake — the mark of a dangerously sharp weapon. The ghost then slammed his arm into her side, sending her crashing into the wall once again.

Cole flew in out of nowhere with a shout and a kick, but Morro ducked underneath and deflected it. Jay watched his companion crash into the railing and turned towards Morro, unusually angry. He swiped his nunchucks at the ghost, but the elemental caught them between his two blades and flung them over the side of the ship.

“Uh oh,” Jay muttered, now cornered between the mast and Morro, defenseless.

As he raised the swords, however, a spinning disk sliced into them from behind before returning to its owner.

Y/n blinked in surprise as Nya stood over them, holding the curved weapon and wearing a samurai helmet.

Her stunt only served to make Morro even angrier. The ghost, now without his swords, sent a bolt of lightning at Nya.

Lightning? Y/n’s brow creased with confusion. Is that a Green Ninja power?

Nya leaped over the blast and landed on the deck, standing protectively in between Morro and Jay. Y/n pressed her hand to her arm and cringed at the warm blood flowing underneath her glove, but tried to ignore it as she stood on shaky legs. Her attacks, while successful, only led to her damaged body getting even more abused.

Seeing there was no threat, Morro laughed and chased after Kai, Zane, and Wu.

The Bounty lurched as the lightning fried the controls. Y/n’s hand shot out to steady herself on the wall, but her movements were too slow, and she ended up falling to the side. “Oh, that’s not good,” Nya gasped, trying to run back to the controls despite gravity telling her otherwise.

Somehow, the samurai made it to the controls and pulled on the wheel. “Come on, come on!” She grunted, putting all her weight into pulling back. “Pull up!”

Jay stood, bracing himself with the mast. “Uh, are you trying to aim for that mountain?” He shrieked, pointing to the distant looming shape.

“Trying to rise above it!” Nya retorted. “A little help?”

Jay ran up to help while Cole grabbed Y/n around the shoulders, taking most of her weight as they made it to the wheel. Y/n grabbed on with her good arm and put her whole body weight into pulling it backward, and slowly, the Bounty lifted into the air — but it wasn’t enough. Seeing this, Nya ran over to the computer and smashed a button, reigniting the boosters. The ship righted suddenly and barely missed the mountain. The side of it chipped the cliff, however, throwing the ship to the side.

Nya glanced back at the computer, which flared red in warning with an annoying alarm. “Primary thrusters destabilized!” She cried. “Hold on!”

Y/n’s eyes widened as she made out the trees looming ever closer.

Then everything became a blur. The hull of the Bounty smashed into the trees, wrenching Y/n away from the wheel. She tumbled across the bridge and only stopped when the Bounty smashed into the ground, skidding a ways before going still.

The quiet that descended felt oppressive. Y/n, lying on her stomach, used her good arm to prop herself up slightly. Her vision swam as her previous injuries reminded her of their existence, sending fireworks of pain through her body. Her gaze traveled down to her arm, the dark red mixing with the purple in her gi. Dazedly, she realized how late into the night it was and recalled her early awakening that day.

The adrenaline wore off quickly. The next thing Y/n knew was darkness.

Chapter Text

Lloyd wanted to curl up in forget everything from the past day.

If he didn’t think too hard, he may have believed everything was normal. He could see clearly, move, feel — but he wasn’t the one controlling his body.

He wished desperately to have one ounce of control, to be able to call to his friends, to do anything. He moved around and spoke, but it wasn’t him doing it, and his voice sounded weird. Every time he saw himself attacking his friends he wanted to scream.

Sometimes he wrestled control back for a few seconds, preventing Morro from hurting his family any more than they already were. He knew they saw him resisting and called out to him. He wanted to reply so badly, but before he could, Morro slammed him away and gave him a massive headache.

His family…

Y/n kept attacking him no matter how many times Morro beat her back. He saw her meet his eyes and see past Morro to his desperate gaze. She kept coming back no matter how hurt she was.

Lloyd could only watch his own hands injure his sister. He could tell she was in pain, yet no matter what, she kept fighting. He loved her for it, but he wanted to yell at her to stay away. Morro was vicious and unrelenting, unlike anything they’d seen. Though he guessed maybe she had, back on Chen’s island. The idea was not a pleasant one.

And every moment he felt like he was on fire.

Fire. Kai’s element. He dizzily remembered when he was in the volcano, wide eyes nervously watching the lava creep closer, desperately calling to Kai to save him. Then the Fire Ninja, his brother, had leaped across the stones to carry him to safety.

Kai’s fire was nice. It wasn’t burning or painful, but soft and soothing. After that, Lloyd never feared fire. In fact, his element was a combination of the Elements of Creation, and fire was a huge part of his energy. Now? He worried he would panic if he even felt the heat of a flame.

Morro didn’t help. Whenever he wasn’t in battle, the ghost prodded Lloyd’s memories like going through paperwork. He saw all of Lloyd’s past battles and training. He knew how to fight the Ninja because Lloyd knew how to fight them. During his training, he picked up on their habits and weaknesses, and Morro used that to easily defeat them while the Ninja had no idea how to fight the ghost.

Only one good thing came out of that. Lloyd hadn’t trained with Y/n enough to figure out her weak spots or her strengths, thus preventing Morro from finding out as well. His sister had gotten through Morro’s defenses several times, her training from Chen vastly different from what Morro was prepared for. Lloyd wished he could cheer her on, but he was voiceless in the void.

Now, all Lloyd could do was try and suppress the pain as it crawled over his body. He squeezed his eyes shut, taking a shuddering breath as he sensed Morro laughing at him.

What had he done to deserve this? As far as he could tell, Morro’s attack on him was unprovoked and unnecessary. Sure, he could feel the ghost’s rage at him being the Green Ninja, followed by taunts of his weakness and how much he didn’t deserve the green gi while Morro did. But he’d simply been trying to help stop a robbery at a museum, even if the crime was a trap to lure him in.

You know, Morro’s voice sneered at him. The Ninja only want to save you because you’re their beloved Green Ninja.

That’s not true! Lloyd cried as Morro flew on his dragon, away from the massive crash of the Bounty. He desperately wished his friends weren’t too badly hurt after that.

You can’t deny it, Morro laughed. They only want your powers, not you. You’re worthless.

That’s not true, Lloyd protested weakly. But…what if Morro was right? Why would his friends want him, when all he did was bring trouble and pain?

That’s right. The ghost grinned. They don’t care about you.

An image of Y/n’s pained yet determined expression flashed across his mind, and he felt Morro reel back in disgust. If nothing else, Y/n did care for him. He could tell she wanted to be his sister, and he wanted to be her brother. They’d been separated for far too long.

Suddenly, Lloyd felt a new presence.

He could tell Morro sensed it too. He went still, reaching into Lloyd’s mind to find the source. Lloyd tried to fight back, but Morro painfully shoved him away.

The presence was weak, like a small candle flame flickering in a strong wind, threatening to snuff it out. When Morro went to investigate, Lloyd followed, and they were both sucked into a new landscape.

To his surprise, he was standing on his own, Morro right next to him. They were in Chen’s castle, and Lloyd found guilty pleasure in the confusion evident on Morro’s face. In front of them, crouched on the ground below Clouse, was Y/n.

Clouse’s hand glowed with purple fire, and the same color surrounded Y/n. She cried out, but at Clouse’s glare, she quieted and instead writhed in pain, unable to stop tears from sliding down her face.

“Y/n!” Lloyd cried, rushing forward before Morro could stop him. He shoulder-checked Clouse, who dissipated into smoke.

Spell gone, Y/n went limp onto the ground, her whole body shuddering. Lloyd crouched next to her, his stomach twisting at her evident pain, and gingerly reached out to her shoulder.

The elemental flinched and thrashed wildly to scramble away, her eyes snapping open. Through the haze of pain and fear, she didn’t see who was in front of her.

“Hey, Y/n,” Lloyd whispered. “Please tell me this isn’t a dream.”

Y/n boinked several times, rubbing her eyes. Her gaze cleared and she jerked to her feet, stunned. Lloyd rose with her, sensing Morro watching behind them.

“Lloyd?” She breathed, gingerly reaching forward. He grabbed her hand, but it felt cold. “Are you…where am I?”

Lloyd shook his head. “I don’t know. I sensed you and suddenly I was here.”

A flurry of emotions passed over Y/n’s face. It ended on anger and she pulled Lloyd close, glaring over his shoulder.

Even though he couldn’t feel anything, and both of them were ice-cold, Lloyd wanted to cry with happiness. She was here for him, he wasn’t alone.

“Morro,” Y/n snarled, completely stiff.

Lloyd looked back as Morro approached them with a cocky expression. “Well isn’t this lovely,” he mocked. “Y/n comes crying to Lloyd when she has a nightmare.”

Y/n carefully nudged Lloyd behind her, hands clenched into fists as she glared daggers at the ghost. “I didn’t ask for you to invade my mind,” she snapped.

Morro shrugged. “No. But you gave me access.” A wicked grin spread across his face. “At least now I have something to use against you.”

Without warning, Morro vanished into thin air. Lloyd had enough time to exchange glances with Y/n before he was violently ripped from her mind, snapping back into his body with a sensation of severe whiplash.

Thank you, Lloyd, Morro purred. Lloyd’s head pounded and he felt sick. You revealed something that can tick Y/n.

Lloyd didn’t have the energy to reply, but he decided to keep Y/n’s face in his mind. Somehow he’d entered her dream and communicated with her, and without knowing what was going on, she’d shielded him from the ghost. If that wasn’t proof that she cared for him and not his powers, he didn’t know what was.

~~~

Y/n jerked awake, gasping when pain flooded over her.

Did that just happen? Her mind whirled as she remembered her nightmare. Once again she’d found herself on Chen’s island, but as Clouse tortured her, Lloyd and Morro appeared out of nowhere.

As confusing as it was, Y/n was overjoyed to see her brother again. She tried to hide her horror when she saw him, though, with his tired and pained expression. She’d wrapped her arms around him and glared at Morro over his shoulder, trying to ignore how cold he felt.

But she’d communicated with him in her dream. That was what mattered.

“How do you feel?”

Y/n blinked, brought back to reality. She was in the woods, lying on her back on top of a sleeping bag next to a campfire, the moon and stars glittering above. She felt the gentle pressure of bandages on her forehead and arm, and shifting slightly revealed the splint on her ankle and padding on her ribs. On the other side of the campfire, she could see the wreckage of the Bounty partly suspended in the air by trees. The rest of the Ninja, Wu, and Nya sat in a circle around the fire, and it was Zane who asked the question.

Y/n groaned as she slowly sat up, fingering the padding on her ribs. Someone had tied a blanket around her torso to protect her ribs, but it also made her feel pleasantly warm. With the warmth, though, came another wave of exhaustion. Y/n pushed it away and sighed, shifting to rest her back on the log behind her.

“I’m fine,” she replied finally, mentally checking off her injuries. Small gash on her head, large one on her arm. Badly twisted ankle. Bruised, maybe broken, ribs. Noticeable headache and slight dizziness. Feeling of loss and sadness that could only be from Lloyd’s possession. Lingering fake pain from her nightmare. “I’ve been better, but it’s not that bad.” That, at least, was true.

Zane accepted her response and kept his expression carefully neutral.

“What’s the plan?” Y/n asked quietly.

The Ninja exchanged looks, and Y/n furrowed her brow in confusion. “What? What is it?”

“We have to go to the tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master,” Cole replied after a moment. “Only, we have no idea where it is, what the message on Wu’s staff means, or how we can defeat a ghost.”

“Zane’s falcon also went to tell Misako where we are,” Nya added. “We’re gonna camp tonight and figure out what to do in the morning.”

“Speaking of which,” Wu said sternly. “You Ninja must rest before then. We do not know what tomorrow will have in store.”

Mumbles of agreement came from each of the Ninja, but Y/n hesitated. “We should keep watch,” she suggested. “I’ll go first.”

“While I agree that someone should look out for threats, I do not think you should,” Zane replied. “You are still injured.”

“I’m fine,” Y/n snapped, then flinched when Zane backed away at her harsh tone. Softer, she amended, “Sorry. I just…need some time to think. Alone.”

“Very well,” Zane gave in.

The Ninja spread out away from the fire while Y/n huddled on top of one of the logs. “Wake me up in two hours,” Cole instructed.

Y/n nodded once with a faint smile before turning away to gaze out into the forest, letting her mind wander. She heard the Ninja settling in and becoming still as they fell asleep, and not long after, the campfire died down to embers.

She thought back to her dream and shuddered at the part with Clouse. Her skin tingled at the memory, reminding her of the pain she’d felt even while asleep. Of course, it had been worse when he was actually hurting her…but still, she remembered very well what it felt like.

Then there was Lloyd.

Ever since the dream, Y/n felt something in the depths of her mind. At first, she couldn’t figure it out, but quickly placed it similar to a candle. It burned weakly as if any motion would cause it to go out. Some internal instinct told her it was Lloyd, and somehow, his mind and hers were connected. She felt a strong urge to protect the little candle, no matter what.

Closing her eyes, Y/n tentatively reached out to the flame.

As soon as she neared, it flickered and bent towards her. A moment later, though, a biting wind blew between her and the flame, almost snuffing it out.

Morro, Y/n realized gravely. He didn’t want her to talk with Lloyd.

She opened her eyes to the darkness of the forest and rested her chin on her knees. The sword cut on her arm throbbed, but she ignored it. She’d have to fight Morro again, and probably soon, and she couldn’t afford to be crippled by a little cut. She needed to be faster, stronger, more careful in her attacks.

Y/n hated herself for letting Lloyd go to that museum alone.

~~~

Y/n had no intentions of waking up Cole for watch duty. She refused to go back to sleep, telling herself it was to prevent nightmares and make sure she wasn’t caught off guard again. A distant part of her mind whispered that it was to punish herself for not stopping Morro, but she dismissed it as crazy.

Not long before sunrise, just as the sun lightened the sky, a cry of a falcon split the still morning air.

Y/n shifted to watch the metallic bird perch on a branch, eyeing the camp with beady glowing eyes. She stifled a yawn and gingerly stretched her stiff limbs, then limped over to the bird.

“Hey,” she murmured, holding out her arm. The bird flew down to her, claws retracted so they didn’t hurt her. It chittered at her and flapped its wings, pointing its beak out into the forest.

A moment later, a familiar figure stepped into the clearing.

“Mom?” Y/n asked in surprise.

“Y/n,” Misako returned, glancing around at the sleeping Ninja before her gaze returned to Y/n. “What happened to you?”

Y/n let out a breath and shifted her weight to her uninjured leg. “Morro.”

Misako’s expression became carefully guarded. “Seems like it didn’t go well, then.” She set a duffel bag to the ground and began pulling out food. “I’ll make breakfast.”

“Okay. Thanks.” Y/n wandered around the clearing to gather dry sticks to remake the fire, carefully removing the old coals and setting up the sticks in a square, Lincoln-log shape. Little ones in the middle, larger ones making walls around them. A good cooking fire.

Misako observed Y/n walking around to fetch supplies for the fire, which took her to the Bounty. She carefully climbed up to the deck, stepping lightly and freezing whenever the wood creaked or moved. She grit her teeth and shuffled inside, heading for the storage. She found a fire starter and several water pouches. Slinging them over her shoulder, she gripped the doorway to leave.

The Bounty took that moment to slip free, sliding several feet before the bow crashed into the ground. Y/n yelped and grabbed onto the doorframe, almost falling with the sudden stop.

With heavy breaths, Y/n hopped to the ground and landed on her good leg, which almost buckled under the extra force. Her lungs tightened as her ribs throbbed, but after a moment, the sensation passed. She sighed and straightened, returning to the campfire.

Misako gave her a look as she lit the fire. “You shouldn’t be walking around so much,” she chided.

Y/n huffed and drank some of the water. “This isn’t the first time I’ve had a busted leg. I know how to handle it.”

Her mother used some of the water to boil noodles and sat back as she waited for it to rise to the correct temperature. “Y/n,” she said softly, “no one here is going to call you weak because you’re injured. Please sit down, you’ll only make it worse.”

Y/n stiffened and whirled to face Misako. “Look, mom. I’ve done just fine on my own for twelve years. Besides, I’m not going to let a twisted ankle stop me from saving Lloyd.”

“I’m not saying you’re not capable,” Misako replied softly. “I’m saying you’ll make everyone else feel better if we know you’re not hurting yourself more.”

Y/n sighed and gave in, plopping unceremoniously to the ground. “There. Happy?”

Misako dipped her head and returned her attention to the food.

What are you doing, Y/n? the elemental scolded herself. She’s just trying to help.

Yeah, the bitter half of her agreed. Just like she helped your brother when she tried to prevent the final battle and abandoned him at an awful school.

Okay. So maybe she was still a little angry at Misako for doing that to Lloyd. First Master’s sake — she knew Lloyd was the Green Ninja from the moment she’d seen him, and never told anyone. Instead, she left him at Darkley’s and never tried to find him after that.

Yeah, Lloyd told her. He’d said how it was simply a coincidence he’d reunited with Misako at the museum, how she’d tried to “protect” him from his destiny-bound fate, and how he had mixed feelings about the whole ordeal. Being the new overprotective older sister, Y/n felt some of his resentment towards their mother. How could she not?

But Lloyd was trying to forgive her, so maybe Y/n should too. Curse his infectious optimistic worldview.

Before Y/n could say anything, she heard a strange mooing sound. Startled, she leaped to her feet and whirled around to find the source.

Misako laughed at her confused expression. “Don’t worry, they’re harmless.” She motioned behind Y/n, where five shaggy-furred animals grazed lazily on the grass. “Wallopers. They’ll help you travel faster.”

Y/n sighed at her defensiveness and turned back towards the fire. Misako drained the excess water from the noodles and portioned them into separate bowls, placing them near each of the Ninja. Y/n took hers and returned to her seat on the log, cradling the warm cup in her cold hands.

The smell must’ve woken the others. It didn’t take long for them to realize there was food, and they quickly began eating.

“Y/n!”

Uh oh.

The elemental flinched and sighed, knowing what was coming.

She turned with an innocent smile, unsurprised to see Cole accusingly pointing his chopsticks at her. “You didn’t wake me up!”

Y/n shrugged. “Oops.”

Cole’s annoyed expression faded away to concern. “Seriously, though,” he scolded. “You need to sleep, too.”

Y/n turned away slightly. “How can I when all I get is nightmares? When all I see is Lloyd scared and alone? When I should be better than this?”

The silence that descended was only broken when Kai woke with a cry, apparently also suffering from nightmares. He was quick to get up, though, when a walloper licked his face. He quickly grabbed his food before the walloper could eat it.

“No one blames you,” Cole replied quietly. "You've already done more than we could."

Y/n sighed and ate a large mouthful of noodles, pointedly ending the conversation.

“Now that you’re all awake,” Misako started, and all eyes pinned on her. “I have not been able to interpret the second two symbols, but the first means airjitzu.”

“Airjitzu?” Kai repeated.

“A lost martial art created by Master Yang, you passed years ago. If mastered, it allows one to temporarily take flight.” Misako studied a scroll in her hands, then looked up at the Ninja.

“Y’hear that, Kai?” Jay grinned. “We get to fly!”

Y/n swallowed her food and waved her chopsticks at the Lightning Ninja. “You already could, windbag. Remember? Your dragon?”

Jay chuckled and shrugged, his grin never faltering.

Wu reminded them of the major obstacle in the way. “You haven’t found it yet. The Scroll of Airjitzu is well guarded in the Library of Domu.”

Zane frowned. “Forgive me if I speak out of turn,” he said, “but my records reveal it was recently stolen.” His eyes narrowed as his eyes flashed, no doubt searching the records as he spoke. “By a thief named Ronin.”

“But this is good news,” Jay protested.

“Uh, how so?” Cole demanded. “The scroll was at the museum, right where we could find it.”

Jay sighed. “‘Cause if Morro doesn’t know it was stolen, he’ll be heading to the library.”

Understanding lit up Cole’s gaze. “And Ronin’s most likely holed up in the village of Stiix, which gives us a head start.”

“Why Stiix?” Y/n questioned.

“It’s known for housing thieves and escaped criminals,” Kai replied, crossing his arms. “It’d make sense that Ronin would go there.”

Wu ran his hand down his beard. “Then it’s set. The Ninja will head to Stiix.” Gesturing to himself, Misako, and Nya, he added, “We three will fix the Bounty and head back to the tea shop to start deciphering the next clues.”

Nya frowned. “But Lloyd’s my friend too. The Ninja will need my help to—”

“I’m sorry, Nya,” Wu interrupted. “You’re sitting this one out. There’s…too much to be done.”

After years of lies in her life, and time to reflect on them, Y/n saw the hesitation from Wu and the way he averted his gaze from Nya. She frowned. Wu was lying about something.

She didn’t say anything, though, and instead finished her noodles and mounted a walloper, secretly relieved she wouldn’t have to walk. Both because she didn’t want to walk who knows how far, and because her ankle pulsed with pain. Not that she would tell anyone.

“Don’t worry, sis,” Kai called to Nya. “With me in charge, this scroll will be ours in no time.”

“‘Cause time flies when you know airjitzu!” Jay grinned.

Y/n raised a brow. “Who put you in charge?”

Kai shrugged and nudged his Walloper, but it didn’t budge. Y/n gave him an unimpressed look and turned toward Zane for direction.

“Be careful, Ninja,” Wu called, “for the path we seek is never a straight line. Rely on each other to guide your way.”

Y/n gave Nya a sympathetic smile and waved. According to Zane, the fastest way out of the forest was south, so they’d travel that way until they reached the edge of the forest, then follow Kai’s lead.

“Hey, I’ve got an idea,” Jay called, exchanging a mischievous grin with Cole.

At the same time, they both burst into song. “Ten thousand bottles of tea on the wall, ten thousand bottles of tea! Take one down, pass it around, nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine bottles of tea on the wall!”

Well. That was…something. This was going to be a very long ride.

Chapter Text

First, I apologize if you were expecting a new chapter. This is not new content.

I've been super busy lately and haven't had the opportunity to write anything, and I need to do my essays before this story.

On top of that, I'm going on vacation until 11/26 so I won't be writing anything. I should still be able to respond to comments but there will not be any new chapters. Then after that, my semester is wrapping up, and with that comes finals and studying. So unfortunately I have no idea when I'm going to have the time to write again — could be the week after I come back or mid-December (hopefully not longer than that).

Again, I apologize for the bad news.

I will likely delete this part after I come back unless there's a lot of comments or something.

I'm so happy that everyone is enjoying my story, it means a lot when I get votes and nice comments. I think I might be enjoying writing the story as much as you all are reading it!

Feel free to leave any thoughts or opinions throughout. I will read them and I will respond.

Thanks for reading, you all are the best!

—C-E

Also...is anyone else interested in PJO? The full trailer for the series just came out and it looks AMAZING!

Chapter Text

After traveling most of the day and finishing the tea song, Zane graciously decided to point out that they’d been going in the wrong direction the whole time. After voicing her irritation to both Kai and Zane, Y/n turned in the right direction — oddly enough, following train tracks.

Who would’ve thought, she thought with a glare at Kai. His cockiness and the heat of the desert rubbed her the wrong way.

A few hours later, they came to a small train station in the middle of the desert. “Let’s take a break here,” Zane suggested.

Y/n sighed with relief as she slid off the walloper’s back, stretching her back and sighing in relief when it popped, releasing her tension. She rolled her neck and jogged in place for a couple of paces in an attempt to regain feeling in her legs.

The Ninja spread out on the platform, silent for the first time on the trip.

A sinister laugh cut through the air.

Y/n froze, glancing up with unease.

“Uh, did you hear that?” Cole whispered loudly.

“Yeah,” Jay replied nervously, spinning around to look for the person who’d laughed. “But we’re in the middle of nowhere!”

The source laughed again, this time louder.

The Ninja circled up, standing back-to-back. “Be on guard,” Kai hissed.

Out of nowhere and headed straight for them, a glowing green motorcycle whirred into existence, a green chain spinning from a ghost’s hand.

“What is that?” Jay yelped as the bike crashed into the platform, almost crushing them.

Zane threw a shuriken at the ghost, but it went right through the ghost’s intangible body.

“It went right through him!” Zane gasped.

“Look out!” Y/n slammed into Kai to get him out of the way of the bike as it revved past.

Jay drew his makeshift sword. “Because he’s a ghost, Zane!”

The cycle began circling the platform like a hungry shark, the ghost continuing to spin the chain at the Ninja.

“Morro must have summoned a friend!” Kai cried. “We’re sitting ducks out in the open. We need to find shelter!” The cycle turned and careened towards the Ninja once more. “Watch out!”

Y/n leaped nimbly to the side, covering her eyes with her arm as the cycle crashed into the little shelter on the station, immediately demolishing it. “There is no shelter!”

They all ducked as the blade on the end of the chain sliced right where they had been standing moments before. The blade, since it missed, instead hit one of the wallopers behind the team.

At the moment of its touch, the blade’s ghostliness spread to the animal.

“He turned my walloper into a ghost!” Cole cried in shock, then turned an angry glare to the attacker. “No one turns my walloper into a ghost!”

Y/n limped over to the other animals, hurriedly shooing them away. When she turned back, however, the ghost was gone.

“Where did he go?” Kai demanded as Y/n rejoined them, once again circling up.

“If our weapons do nothing, how are we supposed to fight a ghost?” Jay cried.

“Good question,” Kai muttered. A moment of silence passed, and then the ghost cycle reappeared out of nowhere, almost crushing the Ninja. The chain managed to wrap around Kai’s leg as the Ninja tried to dodge.

The chain dragged the Fire Ninja a ways off the platform, but luckily he managed to free himself just before he could become ghosted. Then the cycle flew into the air before spinning around to dive at Kai once more.

“He’s gonna pick us off one by one, isn’t he?” Cole realized. “There’s nothing we can do!”

Kai ran back over to them, the ghost cycle right behind him.

Y/n hefted her sword, eyes narrow. Somehow, the ghost’s chain had connected with Kai’s leg. That meant it could be touched and moved, but quickly. “There’s always something we can do!” She retorted, placing herself in front of the Ninja.

Before they could question her, the ghost’s chain flew at her. Y/n ducked but thrust her sword upward, then twisted it, resulting in the chain getting caught. She then ran over to the stairs and hooked the sword between two planks of wood, anchoring it in place.

The sudden halt of momentum caused the ghost to be yanked off his bike, where he landed on the train tracks. The motorcycle flashed, and when the light faded, revealed a normal bike.

The Ninja cautiously approached the ghost where he lay.

He suddenly leaped up, screaming, but it didn’t last long. A train slammed into the ghost, who disappeared.

“Onto the train!” Y/n cried, timing her jump for an empty flat train car. She rolled upon landing, about to slide off the other side. Her fingers grasped at smooth wood.

Y/n yelped as her body slid over the side, pressing into her ribs.

Only to be stopped by two Ninja, inches off the ground.

Cole and Zane hauled Y/n to her feet, and she panted with relief.

“This is crazy!” Jay cried, pacing in the small space they had. “We can’t beat something we can’t fight!”

“There has to be some weakness,” Zane argued, mulling over the thought and likely searching his databanks for the information.

Y/n looked down at her hands, wishing desperately she still had her powers. She felt useless right then — the ghosts couldn’t be hurt by weapons, and she had nothing left to offer.

“Well until we find it, stick together,” Cole said firmly.

The train arrived at Stiix later that night, and as the Ninja began the long walk down the wooden pier to the town itself, Y/n felt like the walls were closing in.

The whole town was built on stilts above the Endless Sea.

Water, Y/n thought anxiously, risking a glance down. Her heart thudded and lurched into her throat, and she scrambled back into the middle of the pier. Lots of water.

She distantly noticed Kai having the same reaction, but her attention diverted when she saw Cole looking at her with a mixed expression.

“What’s wrong?” He asked with concern.

Y/n wrapped her arms around herself, shivering despite the blanket. Her arm wound throbbed with the shaking, making her wince. “Water,” she mumbled.

Cole blinked with surprise. “You…don’t like water?”

She took a shaky breath. “Chen never taught me how to swim,” she replied in a whisper. “And I was stupid enough to try and swim to the mainland. It…it was better than staying at the island.” Another weak breath. Y/n squeezed her eyes shut as the memories assaulted her, and she swayed as if she were still in the water. “I didn’t get far.” The cold wetness of water covering her head. The pain in her eyes as she opened them to try and find the surface. The burning in her lungs with the need for air.

Y/n only opened her eyes when Cole rested a hand on her shoulder, brow furrowed with worry.

“Clouse had to drag me out,” she finished quietly. “And…you can guess what happened next.” Gasping softly for breath, Y/n’s head dropped. “So no, I don’t like water.”

“I’m sorry,” Cole murmured with a reassuring squeeze.

“It’s not your fault,” Y/n sighed, arms dropping to her sides. She took a few paces forward, and as she did, felt her outer shell rise. Her face hardened and lost all emotion. “Let’s just find this thief and get out of here.”

She stormed ahead of the other Ninja, and while Cole didn’t press, she felt him watching her carefully. She spotted some strange kelp over the side of the dock, waving as if there were a breeze, even though the winds were calm.

When they entered the town, Y/n wanted to turn tail and leave.

The citizens cast them hostile looks and stared as they walked past. The smell alone was enough to deter Y/n from ever coming back — like seaweed, mold, and dirty humans. She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

“Ugh, what a dump,” Jay grumbled, voicing Y/n’s thoughts. “You’d think the thief who stole the Scroll of Airjitzu would have better taste.”

“On the contrary, Jay,” Zane countered quietly. “This is an excellent place to avoid the police.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Y/n spotted a larger shop with gold glittering in the windows. “Yeah, I doubt there are any rules here,” she called and stopped walking, pointing to the shop. “Seems like a pretty obvious hideout.”

The other Ninja followed her finger, then glanced at each other in surprise and suspicion.

“Seems like that’s our guy,” Kai agreed, leading them into the shop.

The place was barren of people but cluttered with objects. Gold, silver, metal, ancient ceramic jars; it was all there. Even a trophy with a space in the top.

“Wait a minute,” Cole gasped as he held up the trophy. “This is my dad’s Blade Cup. What’s it doing here?”

Frowning, he placed it back, no doubt wanting to return it to his father.

A whistle attracted their attention to the counter, where an older man with a straw hat and cloth over his eye appeared from a back room, carrying a large blue and white ceramic vase. He stopped dead when he saw the Ninja.

“Ah. Customers,” he mused as they circled the counter, and he set the vase down. “The Ninja, no less, and without Lloyd? You’re bad for business.” His hand slid along the bottom of the desk.

Just like Chen—

Y/n leaped forward and grabbed his arm, holding him in a steel grip. He looked up with poorly disguised surprise and her eyes flicked to the button inches from his fingers.

“Nice try,” she hissed, twisting his wrist to encourage him to step away from the button. He grunted in pain and complied, and once Y/n was sure he was out of range, she let him go.

“Nothing here’s legit, including you,” Cole muttered.

Ronin crossed his arms. “Hey, ease off,” he snapped. “I’m trying to make an honest living.”

Kai scoffed. “Honest enough to steal all the stuff in here, like the Scroll of Airjitzu?”

“The Scroll of Who-whatzu?” Ronin arched a brow.

“Airjitzu,” Jay corrected. “It can make a spinjitzu master fly.”

Almost imperceptibly, Ronin’s eyes drifted towards the vase before snapping back to the Ninja. “Sounds important. Definitely not something I’d keep on site., and definitely too much for you to afford. Maybe I can interest you in some unique weapons? I’ve got jadeblades, obsidian armor…” He trailed off, but Y/n’s ears rang.

Jadeblades.

How connected was Ronin to Chen? First the trap button, then the blades. Y/n’s fists clenched as she took deep breaths to calm herself. Chen was gone, and she was free. Nothing to worry about.

“How about anything that can vanquish ghosts?” Zane questioned.

Ronin’s eyes flashed with interest. “Ghosts, you say?”

“Yeah,” Cole replied, folding his arms over his chest. “We don’t know what can defeat them. You must have something.”

“Forget the weapons,” Y/n interrupted. “How much for the Scroll?”

Ronin leaned against the back wall, his expression unreadable. “Let’s see. The Ninja themselves need something from me, who apparently has a target on his back. Then they mention ghosts, which previously didn’t exist — only a few people know about them, including the Ninja. They come without Lloyd, which means something happened to him. And they don’t have anything else to defeat the ghosts? The Scroll must be their only hope.” His expression darkened. “So four hundred gold.”

Y/n was too shocked to be horrified. He was way more perceptive than she’d thought, and he’d gotten every detail right. He used their liabilities to raise the price to a ridiculous amount. And the way he’d seemed so nonchalant about Lloyd’s harm—

“Four hundred?!” Jay cried. “We don’t have that kind of money!”

Ronin laughed once. “Come on, you guys once had the Golden Weapons. You’re honestly telling me you’ve never pinched anything?”

“No!” Kai snapped. “We don’t pinch. And we don’t even have pockets!”

Pockets would be a good idea, Y/n mused.

She beckoned for the Ninja to huddle together. “Forget about the thief,” she murmured, casting a look behind her to make sure Ronin was out of earshot. “I know where the Scroll is.”

Three sets of eyes widened at her words. “You what?” Jay whisper-yelled. “Why didn’t you—”

“You know why,” she cut in. With a softer tone, she continued. “If we come back later, and make a distraction, I can sneak in and grab it without him knowing.”

“We’re Ninja, not thieves,” Cole protested.

“I dunno,” Jay grinned at Y/n, who kept a straight face. “Haven’t you ever heard? Two wrongs make a right?”

A moment of silence descended, each Ninja looking at the others as if daring them to tell Jay the correct saying.

When no one spoke up, Y/n shrugged. “I’ve spent my life on an unforgiving island. I know how to slip a few things.”

When no one argued, Y/n straightened and glared at Ronin, forcing her eyes away from the vase. “While we go to make some money,” she snapped, “you sit here and think about how you could be delaying us saving Ninjago and cause dozens of casualties.”

She spun on her heel and stormed out, the stunned Ninja trailing after her. She paced several buildings away, shooting fierce looks at any Stiix citizen who seemed hostile towards them. Her thoughts raged as much as her temper.

Ronin was a good-for-nothing liar and thief who only wanted money for himself, no matter the cost to Ninjago — and in this case, Lloyd’s life. The part where he didn’t seem concerned for her brother made her angrier than anything.

“We’ll go in when Ronin closes for the night,” Cole suggested. Y/n stopped pacing and looked up, somewhat distracted, and nodded dazedly.

The couple of hours leading up to midnight, when Ronin closed, felt like the longest in Y/n’s life. She ran her fingers through her hair, pacing to keep alert when sleep threatened to claim her. The inactivity reminded her of her lack of sleep over the last two days, but she couldn’t rest now. Not with Lloyd’s life on the line and her nightmares. She rubbed her eyes when the strain from keeping them open began to hurt, and sighed heavily.

Her sleep deprivation probably wasn’t healthy. But she had bigger things to worry about.

When midnight finally approached, the Ninja snuck to the side of the store, underneath a window. Jay began to fiddle with the lock, even trying to bite it off at one point. Kai reprimanded him for that and a small bicker ensued, but Y/n wasn’t paying attention.

Was that…noise coming from inside the shop?

“Everyone quiet,” she hissed suddenly, and they immediately stopped talking.

She listened intently, but heard nothing more.

“What’s wrong?” Jay whispered.

“I thought I heard voices,” Y/n replied hesitantly. “But I guess I’m just imagining it. Let’s just get this over with.” Without warning, she turned and lunged at the window, breaking it in.

The Ninja crawled through, shards of glass crunching underfoot. “Great,” Cole muttered. “Now we’re on the hook for breaking and entering.”

Y/n grimaced — he was right, but she was anxious and they were running out of time. “I don’t like it any more than you do,” she muttered. “So let’s just find the Scroll and get out of here.” She nodded towards the doorway to the back room. “He’s probably over there. You guys go distract him and I’ll get the Scroll.”

Kai and Jay wandered over to the back room, but Cole went searching for his father’s trophy and Zane hesitated.

“Zane?” Y/n questioned. She glanced at the vase with the Scroll inside, but her skin began to tingle. It was a familiar feeling — like someone was watching her.

“I do not detect any heat signatures in the back of the store,” he admitted, turning his gaze to the rest of the room. The only person he saw was Cole holding his father’s trophy, and yet, his scanners picked up two other heat signatures, though one was much colder than the other. He pointed at the cabinet on the side. “They’re—”

Before he could finish, a stolen organ began moving. Its pipes lunged towards Cole and wrapped around him, then retracted and squeezed.

Cole cried out in surprise, desperately trying to push on the metal. Y/n lunged towards the cabinet while Zane ran to Cole, desperately trying to pull him out even as the metal constricted tighter. Y/n yanked the door open, and before she fully registered faces, she shot forward and wrapped one arm around Morro’s neck and the other shoved Ronin out of the way. She then threw herself onto the ground, taking Morro with her.

Kai and Jay had reemerged upon hearing shouting. Ronin called to Kai to set him free, but Kai hesitated. Jay yelped as another ghost began chasing him, and the ghost in the organ freed itself and began fighting Zane.

“You again!” Morro shrieked, trying his best to free himself from Y/n’s grip. But her arm remained firmly locked around Morro’s neck, though not tight enough to constrict his breathing. All her tiredness vanished in the face of adrenaline, and she glared daggers into the back of Morro’s head. Her now-free arm snagged one of Morro’s wrists and pinned it to his back. “You are annoying!”

“Thanks,” Y/n grunted as Morro twisted, forcing himself on top of Y/n as they fought on the ground. “I try.” She flipped them back over and pressed her forearm to Morro’s collar, her uninjured foot pressed to his left arm and her other hand still holding his arm with a steel grip. She leaned closer to Morro’s face and snarled, “Let my brother go.”

The stormy gray eyes remained solid, and in the depths of Y/n’s mind, she sensed the little candle was barely lit. Lloyd’s energy was fading and he was losing the ability to regain control.

“It’s too late for him,” Morro snapped, struggling against her unrelenting force. “He’s not worth saving anymore.”

Y/n froze, suddenly cold. “What do you mean?” She demanded fiercely, trying to keep the quiver out of her voice.

Morro smirked, seeing that he was under her skin. “He doesn’t have much time left,” he said, almost gloating, and made anger writhe in Y/n’s heart. “I told you he’s weak. He won’t be able to sustain me for more than a week.”

Y/n could breathe.

Lloyd was dying.

Morro’s possession was sucking away not only his energy but his life force.

If they didn’t get the ghost out of his body, she might never see his cheerful smile or bright green eyes again.

And it was Morro’s fault.

“Get out of his body!” Y/n screamed, fist reeling back to strike Morro’s face.

But that’s Lloyd, a tiny, rational voice in her mind whispered, halting Y/n’s actions. Her eyes widened and she lowered her arm, unclenching her fist. Don’t hurt him any more than he already is.

Before Y/n could fully process what she had almost done, Morro shoved her off of him and blasted her into the back wall with a powerful gust of wind. She slid to the ground, not so much from pain as the shock of realizing what Morro told her.

“It works!” Jay’s voice cut through the ringing in her ears. She startled, looking up dazedly as Jay proudly held up a three-pointed throwing weapon. He turned and threw it at another ghost, who didn’t have time to react before it plunged through his body. The ghost screeched before vanishing with a puff of green mist.

Ronin had freed himself, holding two more weapons like Jay’s. Cole was free from the organ and stood back-to-back with Zane, and Kai was fighting Morro, though with little success. Jay faced the last ghost with a cocky grin, but no one was watching Ronin.

“Sorry to leave you hanging,” the thief called from the entrance to the back room, waving the Scroll, “but since this Scroll’s so important, I can’t just give it away.” He vanished into the room, only to reemerge moments later on a small airship.

Morro kicked Kai away and reached towards the ship, summoning his wind to pull Ronin out. The thief fell but immediately sprang to his feet and ran. Morro quickly gave chase.

The last remaining ghost grinned and turned invisible, reappearing behind Ronin and summoning a bow.

“Run, run, run away,” he chanted. “My arrow will find you anyway.” He released the arrow and it began chasing after Ronin.

Y/n hauled herself to her feet, still slightly dazed, and stumbled out of the shop. The other Ninja followed close behind and they began a pursuit of the thief and Morro.

“He won’t outrun the five of us,” Cole said determinedly.

He jinxed it, and Jay landed on a weak roof beam and fell through into the house, causing a ruckus. “Scratch that, four of us.”

They began roof-hopping, expertly leaping across the tiled buildings. At one point they came to a particularly large gap, and without pausing, used the telephone wire to zipline across. However, the line snapped just before Zane could get on, leaving him on the other roof.

“Keep going!” He called. The three remaining Ninja nodded and continued after Morro, who was nearing the docks.

They only had a few more roofs to go. Kai led the charge with Y/n in the back, worn out faster than normal. She prepared to leap across the least gap, but her foot slipped at the last second, destroying her momentum, and she fell short of the building.

Y/n yelped, reaching up frantically for something to hold onto. The ground suddenly seemed too far away — but it was getting closer.

Until it wasn’t.

Y/n looked up when Cole lunged over the edge of the roof, snagging her arm before she could fall too far. He grimaced with the exertion and not having his usual super strength, but glanced behind him to yell at Kai to keep following Morro. He turned back to Y/n when she slipped a few inches, making her cry out in fear.

She’d probably survive the fall, but it would hurt.

“Hang on!” Cole cried, slowly inching backward. Little by little, Y/n came closer to the roof, and as soon as she could she grabbed the tiles and pulled herself up, then rolled onto her back, panting with her eyes squeezed shut. Her ribs throbbed.

“Y/n, you good?”

The Master of Spirit opened her eyes to see Cole’s concerned gaze above her. As the adrenaline began to wear off, she felt herself start to shake and sat up with her arms wrapped around her knees. Her vision spun as everything came crashing down.

“No,” she replied eventually with a shaking voice. Mentally she scolded herself for sounding so defeated, but she couldn’t help it. “Morro told me Lloyd’s not — he’s not going to last a week.”

Cole’s eyes widened in realization and he spun around, searching for Kai. The red Ninja was staring up at Ronin in his airship, strangleweed wrapped around his ankle. Morro was long gone.

“Well…” he hesitated. “We just have to get him back before then.” He offered his hand. “Let’s get down from here first.”

Y/n sighed and took his hand, and they found a safe way to the ground. Zane and Jay joined them and Y/n rubbed her arm, eyes downcast.

“So after all this, Morro gets Airjitzu and we’re left with zip?” Jay burst out, but Y/n knew his anger was directed at the ghost. “Except for the weapons.”

“We didn’t lose everything,” Cole denied. “At least we’re all okay. Tomorrow I’ll lead and we’ll figure something out.”

Ronin’s airship drifted closer and Kai hopped out, thanking Ronin as he left. “Remember what I said about second chances,” Ronin called. “And I’m gonna hold you to that deal.” He saluted to the Ninja. “So long. I hope you get your friend back.”

Cole stared incredulously at Kai. “Second chances? What did he mean by that?”

Kai grinned. “We may have lost out on the Scroll, but he thinks there may be another way to learn aitjitzu.”

Y/n looked up at that, allowing herself to feel a little hopeful.

“This is great news,” Zane approved.

“Whoa, hold up a sec,” Cole interrupted. “Ronin makes deals in his favor, and you’re a terrible negotiator. What did you give him?”

Kai’s smile turned sheepish. “I sort of…gave him my shares of the tea farm…along with all of yours.”

“You what!” Jay shrieked.

“Wu’s gonna flip!” Cole agreed, crossing his arms.

“That is horrible news!” Zane reprimanded.

Y/n stayed silent. He did what he had to.

“I did it for Lloyd, and I’d do it again,” Kai defended.

The Ninja paused but couldn’t argue. Y/n sighed wearily and looked up at Kai with her hands limp by her sides. “If Morro has the only Scroll, how are we gonna learn airjitzu?”

Kai’s brow furrowed as his smile dropped. “Let’s just say it’s not gonna be easy. We only have a ghost of a chance.”

Y/n nodded once. “Then let’s go. We have no time to waste.”

Chapter Text

“Sensei Yang’s temple,” Misako mused, staring at a computer as she scanned for information. “Not much is known, though there are tours that take you right up to the edge.”

Y/n nodded in satisfaction. “Perfect. We’ll go on one of those.” She yawned. “When’s the next one?”

The Ninja stood in a loose circle around the archaeologist, having spent the rest of the night and half the day getting back to the tea shop. The journey had been uneventful but slow, and Y/n could hear Morro laughing at her in the back of her mind every moment. His dire warning echoed through her head; his stormy gray eyes consumed her thoughts. She had to concentrate hard to maintain her focus, and even that was getting difficult.

Misako gave her a look. “The next you should go on is tonight just before sunset. But for now, you should rest and recover.”

Y/n frowned at the concern and agreement in her teammates’ eyes. “No, I’m fine. We can’t waste any time to get Lloyd free.”

“It’s not wasting if you’re unable to go on without,” Misako returned.

“Look, Y/n,” Kai added with a sigh. “I want to get Lloyd back as much as you. But we all need to recover from last night, you especially.”

Y/n crossed her arms. “Why ‘especially’ me?” She snapped.

“I’m not trying to target you or anything,” Kai defended with a raise of his hands. “But you’re still injured.”

A throb to her ribs and ankle reminded Y/n of that truth.

“I am inclined to agree,” Zane continued softly, unflinching as Y/n turned her glare to him. “If my memory is correct, you have not slept in days.”

Y/n huffed and stormed off. “Fine. But make sure you take me with you.”

She beelined for her bed, unwilling to admit how exhausted she felt, when someone came up behind her. “You know it’s only ‘cause they care, right?”

The elemental stopped, still facing ahead. “I know,” she replied softly. “But I’m just…”

“Worried about Lloyd?” Cole put a hand on her shoulder. “We all are. But Y/n, you know he wouldn’t want you to drive yourself into the ground for his sake.”

Y/n hugged herself, head bowed slightly. “If I can’t deal with this, how can he?” She whispered. “He’s possessed, Cole. He’s in pain every minute. And I’m being forced to rest?” A stray, forbidden tear slipped down her cheek. “How is that fair to him?”

Cole frowned. “None of this is fair to anybody,” he muttered. “But the best thing you can do for him now is sleep and heal. We’ll find him again soon.”

“Fine,” Y/n grumbled, shifting closer to her room. She supposed Cole was right — but more than he realized. He didn’t know about the connection between her and her brother, and if she regained some of her energy, she might be able to pass it on to Lloyd and help him hold out for just a little longer, just until they figured out how to defeat the ghost. She crashed onto her bed and stared at the bunk above, trying to clear her mind.

She would get Lloyd back if it was the last thing she did.

~~~

A very grumpy Nya woke Y/n a few hours later.

As soon as the elemental opened her eyes, feeling relaxed for the first time in a while, she noticed her friend’s distraught expression and sat up. “Nya? What’s wrong?”

The other girl stepped back, allowing Y/n to slide off the bed. Distantly, she noticed that her ribs and ankle barely hurt anymore. “Master Wu isn’t letting me go with you,” she grumbled. “He’s acting all weird around me.”

Is that because of your water powers?

Y/n blinked, stunning herself with the stray thought. Where had that come from? Nya wasn’t an Elemental Master. So why did Y/n think she had powers? Shaking her head in confusion, the elemental offered a sympathetic smile. “He probably has a reason, right?”

Nya sighed in defeat. “Unfortunately, yes. He’s very cryptic.”

“I’ve noticed,” Y/n agreed dryly. She turned her attention back to the problem at hand. “Is it time to go?”

“Yeah,” Nya replied. “Good luck.” As Y/n headed for the door, the other girl added, “And if you see Morro, give him a good punch for me, will you?”

Y/n’s smile became forced. “You bet.” She’d try not to hurt Lloyd anymore, but if she saw Morro out of Lloyd’s body, she would not hesitate. “Take care.”

The rest of the team was waiting by the gates to the shop.

“Remember, Ninja,” Wu said as Y/n joined. “Trust one another. We do not know what secrets the temple holds. You will be each other’s guides.”

“Yes, Master Wu,” they replied simultaneously.

The sound of a bus approaching broke the silence that followed. “And next time you’ll see us, we’ll be able to fly!” Jay finished excitedly.

Y/n watched silently as the bus paused next to the gate and allowed them to enter. She looked back only to wave to Nya, who stood in the building’s doorway, before finding an empty seat and leaning against the side of the bus.

This ‘Sensei Yang’ better have what we need.

The ride passed in relative silence, and they picked up a few more passengers. Y/n, however, soon found herself nodding off to the bus’s gentle vibrations and white noise of the engine. She shifted a little more comfortably and let her eyes slide shut.

Her mind was immediately assaulted with emotions.

She felt a strong desperateness, a vague hopelessness, and a little anger. Over it all, though, she sensed fatigue and pain.

The elemental frowned, brow furrowing in concentration as she tried to make sense of the feelings. They could be any of the Ninja’s…but none of them were terribly injured.

Y/n froze when a stray thought crossed her mind.

Immediately after, she reached for her mental candle. It seemed to burn a little brighter than before; its flame a little higher. She approached the candle and held out a hand as it bent towards her. As soon as the fire touched her hand, she jerked forward through a dull green portal-like space.

When the sensation ended, Y/n stood in a black void.

She frowned, looking at her feet. She couldn’t see the ground, but it was there, hard as stone. Some form of light illuminated the space, but there was no sun or light evident in the sky. Everything looked like a very dark gray, except for her. She had her normal colors.

Y/n slowly turned around, confused, looking for anything to tell her where she was.

Her eyes landed on a little speck of green not far from where she stood.

“Lloyd!” Y/n cried, racing over to where her brother lay on his side.

Falling to her knees next to the Green Ninja, Y/n cautiously shook his shoulder.

Lloyd let out a pained groan but didn’t move.

“Lloyd,” Y/n hissed, shaking a little harder. He jerked in alarm and scrambled away, eyes flying open, but his arm buckled and he stopped moving. His wide gaze landed on Y/n, who stared in alarm. He looked so pale — too pale.

“N-n-no,” he stammered, propping himself up again. “This has t-t-to be another trick.”

“What?” Y/n blinked, confused. “Lloyd, it’s me. Y/n.”

Her brother rubbed his eyes, then squinted at Y/n. After a moment he seemed to realize she was real, and practically tripped over his feet in his haste to fall into her arms.

“Y/n,” he whispered, and she wrapped her arms tightly around his skinny frame. A shudder passed through his body and he could barely keep a grip around Y/n. “How are you here?”

“I’m not sure,” she replied quietly, stroking his hair when he buried his face in her shoulder. “Doesn’t matter.”

Lloyd exhaled shakily. “I think he’s asleep right now,” he muttered.

That makes sense, Y/n realized. Morro’s wind stopped her the last time she tried to contact Lloyd through the candle, but he hadn’t this time. She probably had a few minutes with her brother before Morro sensed them and came to fight her. Well, she would use those minutes to the fullest. “Lloyd, what is he doing to you?”

The Ninja stilled but pulled away, eyes pinned on the ground beneath his knees, and refused to reply. But his silence was enough.

Y/n fingers curled in rage. “Ooh, when I get my hands on that ghost—”

“Y/n, you have to leave,” Lloyd said suddenly. He looked up to meet Y/n’s gaze, his expression unreadable. “Now.”

“What?” She reeled back, alarmed. “Why?”

Lloyd’s eyes slid shut and he jerked to the side, falling to the ground. A moment later, another figure rose from his body, and his eyes opened again; but this time, they were full of pain and exhaustion.

“Morro,” Y/n growled, standing.

The ghost sneered at her and hovered in front of her brother. “Hello, Y/n,” he greeted coldly. “Quite unfortunate that we should meet like this.”

“Why?” the elemental snapped. “‘Cause you don’t like me talking to my brother?”

Morro looked amused. “Because now I can fight you another way.”

Without warning, the ghost lunged for Y/n’s face.

Just before his fist could connect with her, Y/n jerked back into reality.

She shot upright, heart pounding, arm pressed to the side of the bus to steady herself. Her mental candle had faded and died down a lot — too much. Lloyd was fading fast.

“Uh…sorry.”

Y/n’s head jerked to the source of the noise, finally registering how still the bus was. All the passengers, save the Ninja, had left the vehicle. “Didn't mean to startle you,” the Earth Ninja added.

Y/n shook her head and stood shakily, mind whirling with confusion and dizziness. “No, that wasn’t you. I’ll explain later.” She jerked her head towards the front. “Let’s get this over with.”

The Ninja hovered around the tour group, not really paying attention. The guide did mention something about a curse; if they weren’t out by dawn, they’d become a ghost. Y/n absent-mindedly dismissed it as nonsense, impatiently waiting for the group to leave so they could enter the temple.

“Well, the sun is setting, which means we should head back to the bus,” the guide chirped. In a more playful tone, she added, “Wouldn’t want anyone to turn into a ghost.”

Y/n rolled her eyes but watched the group file onto the bus, which took off a moment later.

They didn’t even check attendance? she thought incredulously. How do they even have four and a half stars?

Whatever. Time to focus on the mission at hand. Jay and Cole immediately went for the window, much like they did at Ronin’s, but Y/n marched straight up to the door. She wasn’t in the mood for a sneak entrance or any formalities, and she flung the door open.

The Ninja gathered behind her as they stared into the darkness of the temple, a musty air escaping from inside. Y/n’s bright green gaze scanned the darkness, but as nothing appeared to move, she stepped fully inside.

“Ugh, creepy,” Jay muttered, glancing around frantically like he expected something to leap out at him.

Kai let out a sigh. “Relax. If this place is truly haunted, we just need to wait until Yang shows himself.”

“He should’ve been here by now,” Jay tried to defend.

They decided to search the first room they came across, which turned out to be a library. “You head the tour guide, Kai. If we’re not out by sunup, we’ll be ghosts.”

Y/n gave Cole an exasperated look, which Kai voiced. “You didn’t buy into that malarky, did you?”

Cole crossed his arms, facing a bookshelf near a grandfather clock. “Hey, I don’t wanna be a ghost. Who wants to be a ghost? Why didn’t anyone warn us this place would get so creepy after dark?”

“Are you afraid of ghosts?” Y/n demanded, eyes widening at the realization.

The Earth Ninja rubbed the back of his neck and didn’t meet her gaze.

Y/n sighed wearily. “Right. Well, there’s nothing haunted yet.” As she turned around, though, she caught the three other Ninja whispering amongst themselves. She raised a brow at that but decided to ignore them; instead, she elected to examine a book about Yang.

The elemental’s eyes widened at the words. “Whoa,” she breathed, catching the attention of her teammates. “Listen to this. Apparently, Yang’s strict teachings drove his students away, but no one actually saw them leave temple grounds, suggesting a more sinister plot.”

Her wide gaze rose to meet her friends’, and they looked just as shocked — except for Jay. He grinned and said excitedly, “Hah! How awesome is that!”

“Not awesome,” Cole scathed. “Not even a little.”

“Don’t believe everything you read,” Kai sighed.

Another line of text caught Y/n’s eye. “This says that Yang was hard on his pupils for a reason, ‘cause in his words, ‘as iron sharpens iron, sensei sharpens student’.”

“Interesting,” Zane mused, reading the text alongside Y/n. She subconsciously held the book slightly closer to him so he could see it clearer. “I wonder what that means.”

Before Y/n could say anything else, a loud chime from the clock broke the silence, followed by a loud groaning that was obviously fake.

She raised a brow at Zane, who, to his credit, kept a very straight face. Cole, however, yelped in alarm. “It’s him! He’s in the clock!”

Y/n wanted to bite back that the moaning sounds they’d heard were from a horror movie, but Zane subtly shook his head. The words died in her throat and she watched curiously.

“You wanted to lead,” Jay hissed, shoving his friend closer. “You check it out!”

Clearly nervous but unwilling to back down, Cole slowly approached the clock before flinging the door open.

A metal bird shot out of the clock, flapping its wings in Cole’s face, before landing on Zane’s arm. Cole shrieked at the surprise and jerked back, but his frightened expression hardened when he saw the falcon and the laughter in the nindroid’s eyes. Y/n had to bite her tongue to stop from laughing, but the other Ninja did not try to hold back. The heavy atmosphere seemed to lift at the sound of joy filling the cold halls.

“A prank? Really?” He crossed his arms, clearly unimpressed.

Kai let out a chuckle and patted the startled Ninja’s back. “Hey, we were just trying to help you relax.”

Jay giggled. “Yeah, you should have heard yourself scream!” Taking the hint, Zane replayed the recorded reaction from the falcon, and the Ninja laughed again. Y/n allowed a small smile, but it quickly faded. It seemed kind of…irritating, to her, for them to taunt Cole about something he clearly was not comfortable with. This she could sympathize with.

A deep thud echoed through the temple.

Y/n froze, glancing at the other Ninja. They too looked confused, and Y/n knew instantly that this was not from them.

“Really? Another prank. Funny.” Cole yanked open the library door. “Didn’t anyone teach you to quit while you’re ahead?” He stormed out of the room and down the hall, following the noise.

“Was that you?” Kai asked nervously.

“Not me,” Jay replied.

“Me neither,” Zane added, pressing a button to collapse his falcon, and storing it in a little pouch in his gi.

Y/n shook her head as well, and her eyes widened. “Cole, wait!” She cried, bolting after the Earth Ninja.

Cole stood in front of a door at the end of the hall, reaching for the handle, which appeared to be moving on its own. Not at all freaky. “Cole, that’s not us!” Kai cried.

“Don’t open the door!” Jay shouted.

Their words fell on deaf ears as Cole let the door swing open, revealing a mostly empty room. An altar decorated one wall, with various swords hung up around it, but appeared to be a normal dojo.

“Well,” Kai grunted. “That was anticlimactic. This is where Yang must’ve trained his pupils.”

“Or got rid of them,” Jay squeaked. Y/n elbowed him in the side and he yelped, swatting her arm away. She glared at him to be quiet, and he obeyed.

The elemental approached the altar. “There’s a note,” she noticed, reaching for the slip of yellowed paper tucked behind a corner of the portrait.

“‘In the heart of darkness, I’m what you fear most.

Who spoke of only a solitary ghost?

I haunt your every move, a sinister host.

A dance with fear, a deadly ballet.

With each step you take, I’m not far away.

Come out, Ninja, it’s time to play.’”

Silence fell over the Ninja as they exchanged unnerved gazes.

“O…kay.” Kai broke the silence. “That’s not cryptic at all.”

“So he’s going to play with our fears?” Y/n guessed, staring at the first line, then the second. “And he’s not alone?”

“Perfect,” Jay muttered sarcastically.

Zane seemed bothered by the last line. “How did he know we would find it first?” He questioned, and the rest of the team fell silent. “My records show he passed on decades ago.”

“What if he’s watching us right now?” Jay whisper-shouted, looking around the room with wide eyes.

A moment of suspenseful silence filled the space.

Then a glowing green specter appeared above the altar.

Y/n yelped and shot backward, stuffing the paper into her gi and holding up her hands. “Yang!”

“As iron sharpens iron,” the ghost breathed ethereally, “sensei sharpens student.”

“What does he mean by ‘sharpen’?” Jay cried.

Just then, the swords on the wall began vibrating. Y/n yelped and ducked as one shot over her head before embedding in the wall behind her, still shaking with power.

“Run!” Kai shouted, yanking the door open.

Y/n followed close behind, the other three on her tail. “Does this mean he won’t teach us airjitzu?” Jay demanded frantically.

“Forget airjitzu, where’s the window?” Kai shot back.

Y/n stopped dead in her tracks, making Jay crash into her.

“Y/n, what are you doing?” He cried.

She turned back to glare at the ghost. “I am not leaving here without airjitzu!” She hissed, stalking closer to the ghost, who watched with amusement. “We’ll figure out your stupid riddle and learn that art, or else!” She wasn’t sure what she could threaten the ghost with, but the venom in her voice hinted toward a promise that she would find a way.

Yang smirked and vanished, replaced by three swords aimed at Y/n’s face.

She smoothly sidestepped, and the weapons stabbed into a door behind her. The force of the impact made the door jerk open, but the weapons stopped vibrating.

Y/n gave a cocky smirk to her teammates, whose expressions ranged from shocked to horrified to impressed. She flicked her ponytail off her shoulder and sauntered inside the room, looking around for another clue. After all, riddles could have more than one part.

“Nice going, Y/n.” Cole gave her an approved look, and the elemental felt her face warm slightly. She grinned self-consciously and shrugged, turning away to hide her blush, and instead focused her attention on the desk in front of her.

“So we just gotta show Yang that we’re not scared,” Kai mused, then paused. “Uh…are paintings supposed to move?”

Y/n whirled around, eyes widening when she saw the Ninja huddled around a painting of a sailboat on an ocean. Except the ocean was moving.

Jay let out a hum and curiously rapped his fingers on the paint. Almost immediately, the moving water started leaking out of the frame — and increasingly fast.

“Why would you touch the scary picture, Jay?” Cole snapped.

“I didn’t know it would do that, Cole!” The Lightning Ninja retorted.

Y/n nervously backed away as the water lapped against her feet, but her blood ran cold when her back hit the wall. The water started flowing faster, practically gushing out of the painting, and flooding the room.

Kai was beside her, frantically tugging on the door. “It’s locked!” He cried.

Y/n felt her breaths increasing in panic. The water was up to her knees now, and rising faster. “Water,” she muttered in a daze, unable to tear her eyes away. “So much water.”

“We’re all gonna drown!” Next to her, Kai appeared to be in a similar situation. His frightened gaze scanned the room much too fast to see anything properly.

The water rose to her chest.

“It’s all in your head!” Jay called, grabbing onto a loose plank. “He’s trying to scare us out so we don’t get airjitzu!”

The water was at her chin.

“Tastes pretty real to me,” came Cole’s voice.

That was the last thing Y/n heard before water filled her ears, leaving her with a deafening roar in her ears.

So much water.

Saltwater, too, just like Chen’s island.

The memories flooded over her. The way her lungs burned. The way her eyes stung. The way she felt so utterly helpless and trapped, deprived of the one thing that could have gotten her off the island.

She was going to die in this stupid temple.

She’d never see Lloyd again. Never make sure he got out okay. Never see him recover from Morro’s possession and grow to be stronger because of it.

The flickering light provided by the Ninja kicking their feet above her seemed to dim.

I’m gonna die in Nya’s element.

That’s the last semi-coherent thought that filters through Y/n’s mind before a blanket of darkness engulfs her like a fuzzy blanket.

~~~

Y/n gasped for air and rolled onto her side, coughing heavily as water forced its way out of her lungs.

Wait. She wasn’t dead?

Slowly, Y/n regained her vision and hearing. She was in the hallway in Yang’s temple, the other Ninja surrounding her with worried and relieved expressions, softly calling out to her.

“Just breathe,” came a low and soothing voice, and someone rubbed circles on her back. Y/n blinked painfully at the saltwater in her eyes, and slowly, her breathing evened out. Her lungs continued to burn in protest as she filled them with sweet, sweet air.

Y/n released a heavy breath and attempted to stand, only succeeding when Zane offered a hand to pull her up and she leaned against the wall. Immediately, shivers wracked her body, and she felt the biting cold from the water. “What just happened?” She rasped, throat screaming in protest from inhaling the water.

“Yang’s playing with our worst fears,” Kai replied, also shivering, soaked head-to-toe like Y/n. “First the haunting, then the water.”

“Since Cole’s afraid of ghosts, and you and Kai fear water, it is reasonable to say that Yang will pit us against what Jay and I are afraid of,” Zane added quietly.

Understanding lit Jay’s eyes. “‘As iron sharpens iron, sensei sharpens student’,” he quoted. “He’s making us face our fears.”

“He’s got some way of doing it,” Y/n grumbled, then coughed harshly. She sighed wearily when it passed. “Just so we’re not caught off guard, what are you guys afraid of?” She made eye contact with Zane and Jay, arms wrapped tightly around her torso to try and trap a little heat.

Zane’s gaze drifted past her. “I think I know what I’m afraid of!” He yelped, taking a step backward.

Y/n whirled around and stiffened when she saw the figure at the end of the hall.

Morro.

The other Ninja let out nervous cries, beginning to back away, but Y/n grit her teeth and her fists tightened.

“No,” she hissed, moving closer to the ghost. “I’m not afraid of you, Morro. You may be screwing up my life, but I’m done with your games.” She heard the other Ninja mutter behind her before trailing after.

Just before Y/n could reach him, Morro suddenly turned and bolted away.

“Get him!” Kai cried, almost beating Y/n in their haste to catch the ghost.

This isn’t right, Y/n realized. Why is he running?

When she grabbed the ghost’s shoulder, she got her answer.

He turned around, but it wasn’t Morro.

Y/n’s eyes widened in horror and she pushed back from the dark-haired man, letting out an involuntary shriek.

Because where Morro’s face should have been…

It was Clouse.

Y/n’s mind flooded with flashbacks of Clouse using his dark magic to hurt her in any way he could — poisoning her food, locking her in a room, torturing her mind with images of a better life that weren’t real, physically inflicting pain upon her. She hit the wall and slid to the ground, curling in on herself in an attempt to both make herself smaller and protect her body.

“Clouse?!” Kai cried in surprise. The older man let out a chuckle and began running; leading them to their next fear. “Hey! get back here!” One set of footsteps chased after Clouse.

Y/n didn’t follow, however. She squeezed her eyes shut and trembled violently, flinching at every noise, waiting for the man to strike. It was always like this — she was on the ground, in pain, not doing anything wrong, and he’d punish her for it.

And once again she found herself on the verge of a panic attack.

The elemental gripped her gi with tight fists, feeling chilled to the bone, throat constricting in fear. She gasped for the air that felt so far away. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t breathe—

A calm, grounding voice somehow cut through her inner chaos. “Y/n, he’s gone. You’re safe.”

Y/n lifted her head slightly, barely seeing anything. What if Clouse was waiting for her in the darkness? He’d done that before. Waited until she thought she was alone, then pounced. As a matter of fact, this hall looked similar to the one in Chen’s palace, and Clouse should be right around the corner, if memory served correctly.

“Go on, guys, I got this,” the same calming voice said. A moment later, two people ran off, and a hand gently placed itself on Y/n’s shoulder. She flinched at the contact before realizing it was unthreatening and harmless.

I’m so dumb, Y/n mentally scolded herself. She saw one glimpse of the illusion of Clouse and immediately panicked, becoming next to useless as she struggled to breathe and contain her fear. She jeopardized their entire mission because of a stupid memory.

Cole waited in silence until Y/n managed to compose herself enough to think properly.

“Argh,” she hissed, angrily rising to her feet, eyes stormy. “I’m such a liability. How much time do we have?” She glanced between the Earth Ninja and the end of the hall, where the others had gone.

“Well, I’m not sure, but Y/n.” Cole grabbed her wrist and forced her to look at him. She scowled and pulled her hand away, but his gaze remained firm. “You’re not a liability.”

Y/n let out a bark of sarcastic laughter. “Cole, in case you haven’t noticed, every time I see anything related to Chen or get close to some water I freeze up. I panic. I put the mission at risk ‘cause I can’t think of anything besides what happened the last time. What kind of Ninja freezes from a memory? I can’t be a Ninja. I’m weak.” She spat the last few words, turning away from her teammate.

“Everyone gets scared, Y/n,” Cole replied softly. “Even Ninja.”

The elemental frowned, and with effort, shoved her fears to the back of her mind. “Yeah, sure. Whatever. Where’d they go?”

Without saying a word, Cole led her down the hall.

The path ended at a staircase leading up into the attic.

“Let me guess,” Y/n grumbled, announcing her presence. She pointedly ignored the concerned looks from the other Ninja and crossed her arms, glaring into the darkness of the attic. “He went up there, and Jay’s afraid of attics.”

The Lightning Ninja winced. “Well, that’s one way to put it,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. “But yes.”

Nodding in affirmation, Y/n showed no hesitation as she climbed up the ladder.

The man had transformed into Morro again and had his back to the Ninja, hands folded neatly behind him as he stared at the back wall.

“He’s just standing there,” Jay whispered loudly, but Morro didn’t flinch. “What do we do?”

“I don’t know,” Kai admitted. “But go face him, Jay.”

The Lightning Ninja scoffed indignantly. “You face him!” He protested.

“We’ll all face him,” Cole jutted in.

Together, the team slowly approached Morro.

Then he vanished.

Y/n immediately entered a defensive stance as a new ghost appeared above them — Yang. He gazed down at them with a mixture of disgust, surprise, and cockiness, and he held a scroll in one of his hands.

“As iron sharpens iron, sensei sharpens student,” Yang told them. “You have passed the test.”

“Then teach us airjitzu,” Y/n demanded. In hindsight, she probably should’ve been more patient with the one creature between them and helping Lloyd, but she was tired, physically and emotionally, and she just wanted to leave the stupid temple. Formalities could wait.

Yang smirked at her impatience but held forth the scroll. “Only those who see things through will reap the benefit of the reward.” He handed the scroll to Cole, who took it gingerly.

“That’s not the only thing we can see through,” Jay cried in panic. “Why is it I can see through my hand?!”

Y/n’s eyes widened and she squinted at her hands, only then realizing she could see the wooden floor beneath them.

The curse is real!

Yang let out a malicious laugh. “Now you will join my students,” he crowed, at least a dozen other ghosts in chains appearing around them. All of them had their heads bowed in defeat, as if they’d tried escaping and learned the hard way that was simply impossible.

“He’s not just their mentor,” Cole breathed, backing towards the door. “He’s their captor!”

Y/n whirled around towards the ladder, heart pounding. How had they spent the whole night in the temple? Maybe time passed differently here. Didn’t matter — all she had to focus on was escaping. She ushered the others in front of her while keeping an eye on Yang as he laughed.

“The new dawn’s upon us,” the ghost gloated. “Get out of here before the clock’s last chime, if you can.”

Y/n sent one last glare at the ghostly sensei before practically falling down the ladder, but immediately springing to her feet to bolt after the Ninja. She ran like her life depended on it, which — oh yeah, it did.

Then the door was in sight.

Y/n sped past the others, breathing hard, and threw herself into the wood. It buckled under the force and flew open, revealing a rapidly brightening sky, and Y/n held it tight as it tried to close itself.

Zane escaped first. Then Kai, then Jay. None of them were ghosts; that was good. Then—

Where’s Cole?!

Y/n frantically scanned the room to look for the Earth Ninja. He’d stopped at the other end of the hall, reaching down to grab the fallen scroll.

“Cole!” She shrieked.

He darted for the door.

The wood slipped out of her grasp, and the elemental tumbled to the ground.

The door slammed shut with a loud bang.

Deafening silence.

Then: “Don’t worry, I got the scroll!”

But it didn’t sound right.

The cool, calming tone had an edge to it, like a strange echo or a mix of a shout and a whisper.

Y/n’s breath caught in her throat as she picked herself off the ground, blood going cold at the sight before her.

“What?” Once-dark brown eyes scanned the four stunned Ninja. “Why are you all looking at me like that?” His brow furrowed in confusion.

“Cole…” Y/n’s voice cracked.

“You didn’t make it out in time,” Jay finished, though clearly just as spooked.

Kai took a cautious step closer to the Earth Ninja. “Yeah, Cole,” he managed tightly. “You’re a…a…”

It was only then that Cole looked down at his hands.

His glowing green, mostly transparent hands.

“I’m a…ghost.”

Chapter Text

Y/n thought she was done with surprises for the day.

Oh, how was she wrong.

Since seeing her childhood tormentor and one of their own turn into a ghost wasn’t enough. No. That would be too easy.

First, while they were busy, Morro had taken over Nya’s Samurai X suit.

Second, as it turned out, Nya was an Elemental Master — just as Kai could control fire, she had power over water. And her powers weren’t dampened by Lloyd’s possession.

Then, Master Wu had new gis made for them, these embedded with deepstone. According to Jay, that particular stone evaporated a ghost when used as a weapon. The only remarkable thing about the stone that made it so special was that it could only be found at the bottom of the ocean — in other words, surrounded by water. Perhaps, then, they had found their ace card in Nya.

Above all, one thought plagued Y/n as she lay on her bunk, staring numbly at the ceiling.

How had she known?

Twice in the last day, she’d had the stray thought that Nya could control water, but none of them had known until they returned. She hadn’t felt different around her friend, yet somehow she knew with absolute certainty. She knew before the Master of Water herself.

But why?

Letting out a sigh, Y/n swung off her bed. There was only one person who could give her an answer.

However, right before Y/n could voice her worries, her target spoke up.

“We must leave now,” Wu announced. “We have a long journey ahead of us, and we cannot afford to waste any time.”

“Where are we going?” Jay asked, tugging uncomfortably on the sleeves of his gi.

Wu motioned for Nya to fly the Bounty over to them, and she carefully guided the ship close to the ground. “I will explain when we are in the air,” he replied dismissively.

Y/n huffed in annoyance. She needed to talk with Wu, not learn about where they had to go.

The sun shone brightly as she climbed up the anchor into the ship, reflecting off the chain and practically blinding the elemental. She squinted and craned her neck to avoid the angle that would put the sun in her eyes and pushed on, making it to the top in record time.

The other Ninja boarded behind her, all talking quietly — except for one. Y/n’s concerned gaze watched her ghostly teammate shuffle past without a word and head belowdecks.

Misako halted at her side. “Give it time,” she said quietly, but Y/n didn’t tear her eyes away from the door. “It’s a difficult change.”

“Don’t lecture me on change,” Y/n snapped, leaving Misako to find Wu. She spotted him talking with Nya at the steering wheel, the latter none too pleased.

They both looked at Y/n when she joined them. “Hey, Y/n,” Nya greeted tiredly. The elemental nodded toward her friend in acknowledgment before looking straight at Wu.

“I need to talk,” she declared, then remembered to add, “alone. Please.”

Wu seemed curious and dipped his head. “Very well. Nya, when we are done, we will discuss what comes next.”

The newly-made Water Ninja sighed. “Right.”

Wu led Y/n inside the ship to his meditation room. Once they had seated comfortably in front of the other, he motioned for her to speak.

“Something happened earlier,” the elemental started, “back before we left for the temple. When Nya woke me up and told me something, I’d had this random thought of her being a water elemental.” She frowned and rubbed her forehead, her confusion giving her a headache. “Then inside the temple, when the room was flooding—” Wu raised a brow at this, surprised “—I had the same thought. But no one knew Nya was the Water Elemental at that point, so why could I tell?”

Wu hummed thoughtfully. “Perhaps the question you should ask is not why, but how.”

Y/n’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Wu sighed. “I will tell you, but you must promise not to speak of this outside of this room.”

A chill passed through Y/n’s body and she glanced around, her hearing suddenly ten times better and her eyesight sharpening. “O-okay,” she agreed cautiously. “Now I’m nervous.”

“What do you know of your ancestors?”

Y/n blinked. “Uh, my dad’s your brother and son of the First Spinjitzu Master…who…” she wracked her brain for the detail that seemed just out of reach. “I can’t remember. But my mom’s a researcher.”

“Not your mother,” Wu dismissed. “I meant your father. We are the the sons of the First Spinjitzu Master, who was a child of a dragon and an Oni. Creation and destruction. Life and death. Garmadon took more of the Oni traits while I am more dragon. Of his two children, the balance continued on.”

A memory clicked in Y/n’s mind — she was on her elemental dragon, a half-Anacondrai version of her father seated behind her, telling her about her powers. “He said they stem from creation.”

Wu dipped his head. “Indeed. As if the dragon and Oni are two crystals; black and gold. But they shattered into fragments and split between you and Lloyd, but not evenly. One of you took more Oni traits, the other dragon. It is what fuels your powers.”

“I’m the dragon?” Y/n asked in a near-whisper.

Her skin tingled. She knew she was related to a god, and recalled her father mentioning her powers came from creation, but it didn’t click until then what that truly meant. She was part dragon, a tiny bit Oni, and human. Lloyd took the rest of that Oni as well as the dragon she was missing.

“You are.”

“Is that why my powers aren’t working?” Y/n held her hands in front of her. “Because I’m connected to Lloyd, and he’s—” Her heart panged and she cut off, no longer excited by the idea of being part dragon.

“It is true that you connect to Lloyd’s powers. When one of you loses them, the balance requests the other to lessen as well. But unlike the four core Ninja, his powers do not control yours.” Wu pulled out a cup of tea out of nowhere and sipped it carefully.

Y/n’s brow furrowed. “But ever since…y’know…I can’t use my powers.”

Wu met her gaze evenly. “Have you really tried? They may not be as strong, but they are there.”

Silence filled the room as Y/n stared at her hands.

Her uncle was not wrong. She hadn’t tried to use her powers after that day at the museum, when they’d flickered out. She’d assumed that with Lloyd indisposed and the other Ninja lacking their powers, she’d also lost hers. But, now that she thought about it, Nya had just learned to start controlling water with no hindrance. Why couldn’t she?

Taking a deep breath, Y/n concentrated.

Her powers felt like a ball of energy, soft and flickering, inside her core. She hadn’t felt it since the museum, but now that she focused and searched for it, she felt the ball of energy faintly glowing. She called on it; let it spread into her fingertips. She grimaced with effort. It had come naturally before, but now it felt…off. Like she shouldn’t be doing anything. Y/n pushed on, and as if a blockage on a river broke, her powers rushed into her hands in the form of two glowing spheres of lilac.

As usual, using her powers made her more tired than usual. This time, though, she felt her energy rapidly draining and had to quickly snuff out her powers before she lost consciousness.

Head ringing and panting, Y/n leaned forward, eyes wide. But despite the fatigue threatening to force her eyes shut, she felt renewed.

She had her powers. She could force the ghost out and save Lloyd.

“Do not try anything extreme,” Wu warned. “Using your powers will upset the balance, since Lloyd doesn’t have his right now, and I do not know what that would do to you.”

His concern showed in his eyes, more emotion evident than Y/n was used to. She bowed her head in agreement, fiddling with her fingers. “I won’t,” she promised quietly, though it took effort.

She knew what he was asking.

Don’t use her powers on Lloyd. Not yet.

The wait was intolerable.

“What about why — how — I sensed Nya’s powers?”

“Elemental powers come from the dragons,” Wu replied. “As such, your dragon blood senses when it is near a product of its creation. That is why you knew Nya was an Elemental Master. Your dragon aspects could sense her element.”

Y/n stood shakily, rubbing her forehead. “Thank you,” she rasped. “I need to think about this.”

“Of course,” Wu replied softly. “But do not tell anyone. The more people who know about your heritage, the more danger you are in.”

“Even the other Ninja?” Y/n frowned, worried.

“Even them,” Wu confirmed sadly. “If any of them were to be captured, they cannot have the risk of revealing your or Lloyd’s blood in an unfortunate situation.”

A.K.A. torture, Y/n thought grimly, nodding in understanding. She would do whatever it took to protect her family — a part of her dragon instincts, she guessed — wait. Family.

A spread of warmth spread through Y/n.

She hadn’t known them for too long, but they’d shown her compassion, understanding, and even love.

The Ninja were more than friends now.

She was proud to call them her family.

Chapter Text

After receiving new gis made of deepstone, the material the aero blades were crafted from, the Ninja began practicing airjitzu. Y/n, on the other hand, simply watched. She didn’t even know regular spinjitzu; how was she supposed to learn a more advanced form?

She sighed and headed below deck when she noticed another Ninja not participating in the exercises.

“Don’t feel like training?” She questioned quietly, entering the room and approaching the Ninja.

Cole scoffed and looked away, his form glowing softly in the dim light. “In case you haven’t heard, I’m a ghost. And don’t tell me we can fix it, ‘cause we can’t.” He sighed—a sad, weary sound. He reached forward to grab a cup but his hand went right through. “This is just…who I am now. I don’t feel anything anymore.”

Y/n frowned, fumbling for words. She’d never had the chance to try and comfort someone before and discovered that she didn’t know where to start. “Well…” she tried. “Are you sure you can’t feel anything?”

Cole gave her a blank look and reached for the cup again. “Yeah.”

“Not all feeling comes from touch,” Y/n continued hesitantly, lowering her gaze. “I know you feel something for your team, otherwise you wouldn’t be sitting here right now. You care enough to go back for a piece of paper and turn into a ghost rather than leave empty-handed. You care enough to do that for Lloyd—and that’s feeling.” She smiled slightly. “You felt something back on the island that made you trust me, and even though you weren’t a ghost then, it’s not physical touch that made you feel that way.”

A moment of silence passed, and Y/n began to fret that she’d said the wrong thing. Did she overstep her place? She wasn’t even a full Ninja and she was trying to help. What if she made it worse?

Before her thoughts could spiral, Cole let out a chuckle. “You’re right, Y/n.” He stood, renewed fire in his eyes, and Y/n relaxed knowing she’d helped. “There’s gotta be something good that comes out of this, right?”

Y/n smiled. “Right.”

A knock on the door made her whirl around, alarmed, but it was just Kai. “Misako’s about to debrief us about the next clue,” he told them.

“Be right there,” Y/n replied with a nod. Kai gave them a salute and headed off.

She turned back to Cole, surprised to see him smiling. “Thanks, Y/n.”

The elemental dipped her head slightly and placed a hand on his shoulder—and it didn’t phase through. “Can’t have you quitting when I joined, now, can I?”

“I—I wasn’t quitting!” Cole spluttered, making Y/n laugh. “I just—”

“It’s okay,” she grinned. “I think anyone would’ve done the same.”

She yelped when Cole suddenly gave her a light hug before quickly pulling away. “Ninja never quit,” he breathed.

“Ninja never quit,” Y/n agreed.

~~~

Misako told them about the next symbol, the sword in the clouds. Apparently, it represented the Sword of Sanctuary, which could foresee an attacker’s next move. The problem was, the Sword could only be retrieved from the Cloud Kingdom realm through the Blind Man’s Eye at the top of the Wailing Alps, which could only be reached with airjitzu (“Cyclondo,” Jay protested.)

They rode the Bounty to the mountains, but according to Nya, it wasn’t built to reach a high altitude and must be kept lower—something she said she was going to fix for the future. This left the Ninja with four mechs to climb the mountain and thick parkas to block out the frigid temperatures.

“Why only four?” Kai wondered with a glance at Y/n. The mechs were color-coded for their representative Ninja, but there was no purple one.

Nya looked extremely apologetic. “I made these a while ago when there were still four of you, and I didn’t have time to make another.” She sent a guilty look at Y/n. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” she replied dismissively. “I’ll just ride on top of one.”

As the Ninja strapped themselves in, Cole nodded to her, and she grinned. With one smooth motion, she jumped onto his mech and clung tightly to the metal as he tested out the controls.

“I don’t know about this,” he muttered as his hand phased through the control stick. “Maybe I should sit this one out.”

“Don’t even think about it,” Kai shot back. “You may be a ghost, but you’re still part of the team.”

Y/n nodded in agreement. “And if it weren’t for you getting the first clue, we wouldn’t even be here,” she reminded him.

Nya approached the lever to open the hull and drop them out into the snow. “So what are you gonna do, Cole? Are you in, or out?”

After a moment of silence, Cole looked up with a determined expression. “Open the hangar doors.”

Y/n had a second to grin before the wood underneath them opened up, blasting them with cold, snow-filled air. Her stomach dropped at the distance between them and the ground. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

Jay, on the other hand, had no regrets. “Whoo-hoo!” He laughed. “Is anyone else getting a tingling feeling?”

“Yeah,” Kai grumbled. “Frostbite.”

Y/n flexed her fingers, which already felt the bite of cold, and pulled her hood up tighter. “Let’s do this.”

Ronin gave the all-clear to Nya, who flicked a lever. The supports keeping the mechs latched to the wall suddenly released, and they fell.

For a moment, all Y/n could hear was the wind in her ears as she desperately latched onto the mech, her heart leaping into her throat. She screeched in alarm—this definitely wasn’t a good idea.

Then as soon as it had started, they landed in the soft snow underneath.

Or rather, the other Ninja landed and Cole’s mech collapsed, almost causing Y/n to fall off.

“Sorry,” he apologized immediately, then sighed. “Are you sure you want me along? I can hardly control my new body, let alone this piece of metal.”

“Hey,” Jay returned, his mech helping right Cole’s. “We all have our bad days. We’ll pick you up so the next time you can return the favor.”

Cole still looked unconvinced as Zane spoke. “Jay is correct. The only way we will climb this mountain is if we stick together.”

“This isn’t about who’s a Ninja, a nindroid, or even a ghost,” Kai added. “Above all else, we’re a family. And as iron sharpens iron, family sharpens family.” He looked at each of them in turn, though his gaze lingered on Y/n a slight bit longer.

Her eyes widened. They—they thought of her as their family? Sure, she felt the same, but that didn’t mean the sentiment was shared. She looked at the others in awe as they also nodded, and something warm bloomed in her chest.

Family. Not like the toxic empire that Chen controlled on his island. People who genuinely saw her as one of their own.

“All right, guys,” Cole said determinedly. “Let’s do this.”

They began the trek up the mountain, moving much slower than Y/n would have liked. She recalled Nya saying that they only had four hours—and she felt each passing second like it lasted an hour.

She almost snapped at the Ninja when they stopped to argue about a yak and whether or not it was actually a goat. “It’s a yak,” she grumbled. “Now can we please get going again?”

“Look!” Zane suddenly cried. “Tracks!”

“Maybe another yak?” Kai asked with false hope.

The tracks were way too big to be an animal. They looked like another mech.

“Morro,” Y/n hissed, grip tightening around Cole’s mech.

“If he’s ahead of us, we don’t have much time,” Kai muttered.

Before anyone could reply, a bone-chilling wail echoed around them.

“What’s that sound?” Cole whisper-yelled.

The wind against them picked up.

And suddenly Y/n realized why it was called the Wailing Alps.

“Wind gust!” She yelled, looping an arm through an opening in the mech and curling in on it. “Anchor down!”

The wind blasted at them in full force. Y/n gasped as it sucked the air out of her, making it like she couldn’t inhale. The mech started to slip backwards and Cole made a noise of distress. A moment later, a grappling hook shot out of Zane’s mech and latched onto Cole’s.

They remained like that for a minute longer, and Y/n was sure she couldn’t feel her nose.

When the wind finally died down, she took a gasping breath, heart pounding.

“That was close,” Cole breathed with relief. “I owe you one,” he added to Zane.

“Come on,” Kai called, but even he couldn’t keep the shakiness from his voice. “There’s still a lot of mountain to go.”

They continued on, but Y/n never released her tight grip.

She stiffened when a strange sensation tugged at her mind. Her inner candle suddenly flared brightly, filling her with warmth, and she grinned. Fight back! She called to Lloyd, even though she knew he couldn’t hear her. We’re coming for you!

The flame suddenly pulsed with alarm before fading back to its small flicker.

Lloyd? she called mentally. Lloyd, what’s happening?

“What’s that sound?”

Y/n jerked her head up, eyes widening. Another loud sound echoed around them, but this one wasn’t as much of a wail as thunder. And the mountain began to shake with it.

“Avalanche!” She screeched, eyes locked onto the wall of white careening towards them.

The snow descended upon them and everything became a blur of white. The mechs tumbled backward and the force wrenched Y/n away with a yelp. She heard someone scream her name before everything became the roar of snow and a whirl of confusion.

When the snow finally stilled, Y/n gasped for breath—and froze when she inhaled snow.

She was buried.

The heavy powder pressed in on all sides, blinding her, filling her hood and ears, pressing down on her chest, and freezing her limbs in place. The cold settled in not long after—bitter cold that sank into her body and chilled her to her bones. She couldn’t feel her body, she couldn’t hear, she couldn’t breathe.

Y/n’s heart pounded and she wanted to suck in air, but the snow limited how much reached her. Her head spun with lack of oxygen and blackness pressed in on the edges of her vision.

This was it, she realized. She was going to die from suffocating on snow.

The brightness of the snow dimmed and she closed her eyes. Ice formed around her head as she breathed, preventing more air from reaching her. Her body was numb, her head pounded, her lungs felt like they were going to explode—

The candle in her mind flickered in alarm.

No, Y/n thought as she fought to stay awake. I need…need to free Lloyd.

Darkness enveloped her.

~~~

“Y/n, wake up!”

Something shook her frozen body as she regained her senses. She felt hot despite knowing she was in the snow and her vision spun as she cracked open her eyes.

“Oh, thank the Master,” a familiar voice sighed.

Y/n blinked, her eyesight slowly coming into focus. She was on her back, looking up at four very concerned gazes, the sun shining brightly off of a white mech standing next to her.

“Hey,” she slurred, brow furrowing. “This doesn’t look like the Departed Realm.”

Giddy laughs escaped the Ninja around her as someone pulled her upright and leaned her against the mech. She blinked slowly as she took in their appearances: covered in snow but faces flushed with exertion, pure relief on all of them.

Cole shook his head and laughed. “It’s not,” he replied, taking Y/n’s hand in his—not that she felt it, her fingers were so numb. “You’re alive.”

“Huh,” she replied eloquently, head lolling as she looked around. Fresh snow covered everything and only Zane’s mech was anywhere to be seen. They were near the edge of a cliff, pushed back a huge ways from where they’d been. Her gaze lingered on the drop-off. “That looks fun,” she muttered sarcastically.

“Yeah, well, you almost found out,” Kai said as he crossed his arms. “You got lucky.”

Doesn’t feel lucky, Y/n thought dryly.

Her attention snapped to Cole when he suddenly cried out in pain and withdrew, staring at his hands.

Steam rose from where he’d contacted Y/n’s hand, the snow having melted with her limited body heat. His eyes were wide with shock and Y/n quickly realized why—he’d felt something.

“Cole?” She questioned weakly, pushing herself forward despite Zane trying to keep her still. “What’s wrong?”

“I—I don’t know,” he replied, still in shock. “It’s like as soon as the snow melted it felt like it was burning me.”

Jay suddenly gasped in excitement. “Where does deepstone come from?” He demanded urgently, looking at Zane.

“Underneath the ocean,” the nindroid replied uncertainly. “Why?”

The Lightning Ninja grinned. “What if water is the ghost’s weakness?”

Y/n’s green gaze flicked to Cole, who gaped at Jay in surprise. “That…might be the smartest thing you’ve said so far, Jay.”

“Hey!” He protested, but both laughed.

“Nya,” Y/n gasped.

Kai suddenly looked defensive. “She’s going to be a target.”

“No,” Y/n argued. “She’s a weapon.”

Cole glanced at the snow around them with an uneasy expression.

“I do not think you will have a problem,” Zane reassured the ghostly Ninja. “You do not emit any heat, so you will not melt the snow. It was Y/n’s body heat that turned it into water.”

He only looked slightly reassured, but forced a grin. “Great! So now we know how to defeat a ghost.”

Y/n’s expression hardened with determination. We’re coming, Lloyd, she thought as she glared at the top of the mountain. Just hang on.

Chapter Text

Despite Y/n’s protests, the Ninja forced her to sit in the cockpit of the mech while they clung to the outside and Cole possessed it. If she wasn’t so tired, Y/n might have teased Cole about accepting his ghostly abilities and, in effect, not letting her use the controls. But she was exhausted and so, so cold. It had taken enough convincing to let her go with them in the first place, so she wasn’t about to protest him forcing her to lean back and watch as he did all the work.

It was the kind of cold that felt like a dozen bee stings at once in every part of her body, especially her fingers and toes. The cold that penetrated so deep, not even her own body heat could chase it away. The kind she’d only felt before when Clouse decided to torture her with his dark magic.

The mech generated some heat, which seeped into the seat and handles. Y/n let herself relax into the warmth, hardly registering as the mech climbed higher and higher. The wind didn’t bite so harshly from inside the mech, and eventually, she could move her fingers without them hurting too much.

Kai laughed as the mech sped up. “Cole, it’s like you gave this thing boosters!”

Cole’s face appeared on the dash in front of Y/n, his expression deadpan but amusement flickering in his eyes. Y/n shook her head in exasperation as he retorted, “‘Boo-sters’? Is that some kind of ghost joke?”

At least he was in better spirits than before. “Glad to see your sense of humor hasn’t changed,” Kai replied lightly, whooping as the mech jumped upwards.

“Yeah,” Y/n agreed teasingly. “Now you’re not sitting around doing nothing.”

“Hey!” Cole protested, but everyone laughed.

“You also seem to be recovering remarkably quickly,” Zane added to Y/n. She frowned slightly, reminded of her fatigue and the chill that still seeped into her body despite the heavy gi and parka.

Y/n shrugged. “I’ve always been a quick healer.” If she wasn’t, she dreaded to think of the damage Clouse and Chen would’ve done to her on the island. “Any idea on how much farther?”

“The Hanging Temple is right there!” Jay called suddenly, pointing upwards. Y/n craned her neck to see better, briefly catching a glimpse of a wooden pathway before a ledge of snow covered it as the mech climbed. “It’s not long after that.”

They jumped onto a higher ledge and the mech’s arm caught onto the pathway, bringing the rest to the top. The Ninja clambered down, looking around for any people. “Hello?” Kai called. “Anyone there?”

Y/n suddenly felt a wave of cold wash over her.

But not from the icy wind.

The cold knowing someone was watching her.

Before she could give the other Ninja time to react, she clumsily exited the mech and dashed for a building, throwing the door open and tackling the person inside.

“You again!” Morro snarled, pushing her back.

“Yeah, I’m alive,” Y/n snapped. “Didn’t appreciate your little snowball fight, either.” She scrambled to her feet, fists in front of her as Morro brushed himself off, scowling.

A small part of her mind flared with warmth. Lloyd knew she was okay, and it gave him strength.

She charged him, sending a flurry of punches and kicks but always hesitating right before she made contact with his body. That’s Lloyd kept replaying in her mind, and every time she met the gray eyes of the ghost, she saw green.

(Something deep within her writhed and snarled at the ghost taking over Lloyd’s body—but it was more than that. Part of him that was buried deep and neither Morro nor Lloyd knew about begged to be free, and Y/n was reacting to that.)

(Maybe it had to do with what Wu told her about the Oni and dragon.)

She snapped out of her stupor when Morro sent a kick of his own, smacking into Y/n’s side. She staggered and barely managed to hold her hands up to her face before Morro’s fist flew at her.

She growled, backing away, and holding her fists forward as she did when using her powers. She felt them humming beneath her skin, begging to be freed now that she knew she could. Only Wu’s warning stopped her from blasting the ghost right then and there.

But a little warning couldn’t hurt.

Y/n pushed past her fatigue and let her powers flow into her hand, giving the room a dim purple glow.

The ghost’s eyes widened. “You—that shouldn’t be possible,” he uttered. A hard scowl set into his face as he recovered from his shock. “Keep doing that and you won’t see your precious Green Ninja again.”

Y/n knew that. It didn’t make it any easier.

She let up on her powers. “That was a warning, Morro.” She set her expression in stone. “If you don’t free him, I will blast you back to the Cursed Realm myself.”

The ghost crossed his arms. “I’ll keep it in mind. But I don’t have time for you, and you need to go help your friends.”

Y/n’s brow furrowed. “What—”

Someone shouted in alarm, followed by a scream. Y/n whirled toward the door, eyes wide, as a ghost drifted past, loaded bow in hand.

When Y/n spun back to Morro, he grinned sadistically. “Save your friends, or run after me. Your choice.”

Save the Ninja, or save my brother.

She took a step back, and her candle flickered with relief. Lloyd wanted her to help the Ninja. The thought didn’t give her any comfort.

“Just wait, Morro,” she spat. “We will come for you and I will get him back.”

His laugh followed her out of the building. “I’m counting on it.”

~~~

The Ninja fought the ghosts. They had protective armor and deepstone weapons. They knew that water could defeat them. They had the advantage of numbers.

They were losing.

When Y/n stepped outside, she froze as an arrow whizzed in front of her face.

She glared at the ghost it had come from and called upon her powers. It was an old, well-practiced spell that shouldn’t upset the balance too much. She held out her hand, forming her bow, and felt the weight of six arrows rest on her back. Her head pounded as the other side of the balance protested her powers, but she tried to ignore it.

It was one action to summon them and another to dismiss them. So she would be stuck with them.

Shame, really.

It took about one second for her to load the bow and fire at the ghost watching from a snowy ledge above her.

The ghost laughed; a mocking sound, knowing she couldn’t be hurt by basic arrows.

So the pleasure that swept over Y/n when the arrow caused the ghost pain was even sweeter.

“How?” the ghost shrieked. “That shouldn’t be possible!” Just like what Morro said. Almost as if they knew each other in the Cursed Realm.

Y/n grinned, loading another arrow. “I’m full of surprises,” she returned smoothly. “I won’t miss a second time.”

The ghost scowled and turned her arrow away from Y/n. She followed it and her eyes widened upon seeing it aimed at Cole and Kai, who were busy fighting another ghost.

“These arrows will corrupt a normal human,” the ghost cackled. “What might they do to another ghost?”

The arrow fired.

Y/n didn’t have time to figure out the trajectory and intercept it with her own arrow—if hers was even powerful enough to stop the ghost one; the other was much larger.

In her heart, she knew that it would physically injure another ghost. She couldn’t let that happen.

The elemental shouted in warning and threw herself in the way a second before it would’ve hit Cole.

She landed on her side with a groan, expecting a cold and numb sensation to spread through her from the arrow’s impact. Someone shouted her name.

But…nothing happened.

Y/n sat up slowly, muscles protesting as she over-used them. Her parka had a hole in the front, revealing her deepstone gi—which was perfectly undamaged, the only sign of the arrow coming from the rapidly fading green coloration of the gi.

“Y/n!”

She blinked and looked up as Cole and Kai knelt in front of her, both evidently worried. “Y/n, are you okay?” Kai offered his hand, which Y/n took as he pulled her to her feet. “What were you thinking?”

The elemental sighed tiredly. “Do we have to do this again?” She muttered. “Stop getting angry when I save you.”

“But Y/n, if that actually hurt you—”

“It didn’t.” She frowned. “It would have hurt another ghost.” Her eyes flicked to Cole, who’d been silent.

She didn’t like not being able to interpret his expression.

“You’d have done the same for me,” she murmured with a soft smile.

Cole’s poker face broke and he laughed. “Can’t deny it, Kai.”

Kai grumbled to himself and turned away, making Y/n’s smile turn into a smirk.

“Morro’s getting away!”

Y/n’s grip on her bow tightened as Jay’s cry rang out. He and Zane ran over from where the mech was—and the mech had turned a ghostly green. “We must hurry!” Zane added frantically.

Knowing the urgency, Y/n fired two arrows in rapid succession, making the other Ninja yelp in surprise. One blew past the archer-ghost’s face, making her dodge in alarm, and the other embedded in snow above the heavy combat fighter. The snow collapsed from its tentative hold on the mountain and crashed down onto the ghost below, sending him tumbling down the mountain in a giant snowball.

“You have your powers?” Jay uttered in the brief silence that followed.

“Not the time,” Y/n returned immediately. She ran forward, shooting an arrow into the cliff. With one smooth motion, she leaped onto the top of a building, then used the arrow’s shaft to spin around, and let go when her momentum took her to the next ledge. She looked down at the other Ninja as they followed after her.

But Morro had a head start. She could see him ascending the mountain ahead of them, using airjitzu to leap from ledge to ledge. Her heart dropped to see the speed with which he was climbing. They’d never catch up.

Unless…

She had two arrows left.

But if she missed, she might hurt Lloyd even more.

She turned her gaze from Morro to the other Ninja, her expression solemn.

“I suspect you have a plan,” Zane said softly. “But you do not appear to like it very much.”

“No,” Y/n agreed sadly. “But it might be the only chance to stop him.”

“Y/n,” Kai said in a warning tone. “What are you doing to do?”

The elemental sighed. “I need to pin his sleeves to the cliff.”

A half-second of silence passed before they registered what she meant.

“No,” Kai immediately shot down. “No, you’re not doing it.”

“I have to,” Y/n tried. “It will slow him down long enough for us to get ahead.”

The other Ninja except Zane voiced similar doubts.

The Ice Ninja met Y/n’s gaze and she instantly knew he understood. And agreed.

“You would need to calculate for the wind and the angle of the shot,” he said slowly. “The chances of you completing this shot are very low.”

Y/n took a shaky breath of frigid air.

She wanted to save Lloyd herself. It was her fault he’d left for the museum alone, making it her responsibility to free him. Right now, that meant shooting two arrows so precisely it would pin his gi to the cliff but not touch his arm. The winds howling around them taunted her; laughed at the crazy idea.

If she missed, she’d lose an arrow.

If she hit Lloyd…

But this wasn’t about her. It was about Lloyd. And all of the people standing on the snowy cliff with her, where one wrong step meant death, would do anything for her little brother.

She couldn’t do this herself. But a nindroid could.

“For me,” she agreed, holding out her bow and arrows. “Not for you.”

Zane paused, eyes widening. Y/n understood his hesitation—she unexpectedly thrust upon him her crazy plan, and now it would be his fault if it went wrong. But he knew he could calculate for the wind, he could make the shot.

Or maybe he didn’t expect her to trust him with something so important.

The Ninja gingerly grabbed the bow and Y/n dropped her arm with a gasp, stepping back so she couldn’t talk herself out of it. Zane nodded once and nocked an arrow.

“Zane—” Kai tried.

“Let him do it,” Cole interrupted. “It’s our only chance.”

They remained silent as Zane aimed, his eyes brightening as he scanned the mountain.

He fired.

The arrow twisted in the air.

Morro let out an angry shout as it pierced through the fabric of his gi and pinned him to the mountain.

Y/n exhaled in relief as the second arrow pressed Morro’s other hand to the cliff.

“Go, go, go!” Jay cried, jumping into airjitzu and landing several feet above them. Zane dropped the bow and followed, Kai right behind—but not before he sent a hard stare at Y/n.

Y/n watched them, knowing she couldn’t follow. Her heart ached with the realization that Lloyd’s fate was completely out of her hands.

“Y/n, are you coming?” Cole gave her a worried look and she sighed sadly.

“I can’t even do regular spinjitzu,” she muttered, fists clenching as pressure pressed on the back of her eyes. “I’ve come as far as I can.”

Cole stepped over to her, leaving no footprints, grabbed her hands, and brought them up between them—he actually managed to touch them. “You can do this, Y/n,” he declared in a tone that left no room for argument. “You might not know spinjitzu, but you’re one of the strongest and most determined people I’ve met. I know you won’t rest until Lloyd is safe. So I don’t think that you’ll let a little airjitzu stop you. I think you’ll try, you might not get it right away but you’ll keep trying until you do, even if the portal’s gone. Because if you don’t, you’ll look back on it and think ‘I could’ve done it’ but didn’t.” He paused for a moment, letting the words sink in. “I know you don’t want that regret, because you care. You care about winning, you care about Lloyd, you care about your family.” He stopped, expression turning mortified as he dropped Y/n’s hands and stepped back, staring daggers into the snow. She was grateful that the cold kept her face from turning red, but even so, she felt the heat stinging beneath her skin. “You have a choice,” he finished. “You can stay here, thinking you can’t do airjitzu, or you can fly up there, bust that ghost’s butt, and save our brother.” He looked up and met her gaze. “It’s up to you.”

For a moment, all Y/n could hear was her ragged breath and heart pounding in her ears.

Because, well…he was right.

She had to chase after Morro and find the Sword of Sanctuary in the Cloud Kingdom to save Lloyd. The only way was to find airjitzu. Such a small thing to stop her from making sure her brother didn’t die in front of her. If she gave up—if she quit—she’d never see him again, never forgive herself for failing to do one stupid task.

And Ninja never quit.

She was a Ninja.

Besides…Cole didn’t know airjitzu either, and he gave no sign of backing down.

Y/n’s expression hardened into fierce determination as she crouched slightly, copying the movements she’d seen the other Ninja do. Cole followed suit with a grin.

“Ninja sharpens Ninja,” he declared.

“Ninja never quit,” she added.

With a jump and a twirl, she rose into the air.

Chapter Text

With Morro pinned to the mountain and airjitzu on her side, Y/n ascended to the top of the mountain in minutes. She landed after the other Ninja but before Cole, who, like her, struggled with the airjitzu. But just as the Blind Man’s Eye drifted overhead, the last Ninja made it to the top, out of breath but exhilarated.

“You’ll pay for this!” Morro screamed after them, and Y/n flinched.

“Come on!” Kai cried, preparing to fly up. “It’s now or never!”

Y/n glanced down as Morro struggled out of one of the arrows, immediately pulling at the second. “He’ll be fine, Y/n,” Cole called, “but we have to go!”

She nodded once. “Let’s do this.”

Together, they shot up into the portal.

~~~

Y/n let out a groan as her eyes fluttered open.

When did she fall asleep?

Alarm shot through her. How long has it been? How much time did they lose? She couldn’t afford to rest now—not with Lloyd’s life on the line. If she’d been knocked out—

“We made it!”

The elemental suddenly went still, looking around. She and the other Ninja lay scattered around on a field of clouds, each looking groggy as if they’d also been asleep. Maybe that’s a good thing, Y/n thought dryly. Realm-hopping is probably not great for the mind.

Ahead of them stood a collection of buildings, each supported on a foundation of clouds. They were round in shape and pearl white with gold roofing and details, connected by a series of tiled walkways. A few serene-looking people in white robes traveled along the paths, one holding a stack of scrolls in their hands. The warmth from the wind-free air contrasted sharply with the frigid air from the Wailing Alps, and Y/n removed her parka to soak up the warmth, her fingers finally regaining some feeling.

“The Cloud Kingdom,” Kai breathed, staring out at the buildings. A cobbled pathway led from their location up to the largest building, almost as if inviting them forward. An elegant white and gold arch stood over the path where it met the smooth road of the walkway. The whole place seemed well-crafted and cared for.

“Too much white,” Y/n complained with a sniff, pushing herself to her feet.

“Hello, Ninja.”

Y/n yelped as a robed figure suddenly appeared next to them, standing like he’d always been there. He wore a white and gray robe and had short gray hair that framed his pleasant expression. He seemed bemused by Y/n’s reaction but said nothing on the topic, instead keeping his gaze level as he looked at each of the Ninja in turn. “Welcome to the Cloud Kingdom. We have been expecting you.”

“Expecting?” Y/n echoed. “How could you—”

“Know that you are coming? Well, you seek to defeat a ghost. Logically, you would find your way here.”

Y/n’s mouth snapped shut. How…?

Jay laughed. “Cool! So how are we—”

“Standing on a cloud? Easy. In other realms, there are other rules.” He smirked at Jay’s shocked expression. “My name is Fenwick. I’ve been asked to show you around.”

For some reason, Y/n felt bothered by the calmness surrounding Fenwick; he seemed too laid-back given the ghost circumstances and the fact that they were on a very tight schedule. “Nice to meet you,” Kai spoke up. “I’m—”

“Kai, yes, we know,” Fenwick interrupted amusedly. “You’re quite popular with the other monks.” He turned to Y/n. “And you are Y/n, granddaughter of the First Spinjitzu Master, with untapped potential that makes the monks here very intrigued by your abilities, and the fact that you rarely follow our scrolls.”

Y/n felt the color drain from her face. “W-what?” She rasped, taking a shaky step back, and the other Ninja exchanged uneasy glances. “What do you mean?”

Fenwick shrugged, unbothered. “You shall find out given time. For now, follow me. I will show you to the head writer, who can bring you to the Sword of Sanctuary.”

“‘Follow your scrolls’?” Cole echoed, and Y/n took an unsteady breath. Fenwick was getting into her head—she had to keep him out. But what did he mean by her potential? He couldn’t have known about her conversation with Wu. If he found out about her dragon side, he could—

“Up here, we see everything that goes on in Ninjago, such as how you seek the Sword of Sanctuary; which can predict your opponent’s next move and is the second clue to finding the tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master. You could say that we know what happens next.” Fenwick folded his hands behind his back. “Yet, somehow, Y/n Garmadon defies our predictions.”

If it was possible, Y/n paled another shade.

“All right enough,” Kai butted in irritably with a worried glance at Y/n. “Just take us to this ‘head writer’ and stop being cryptic.” Under his breath, he muttered, “He’s worse than Wu.”

Again, Fenwick smiled pleasantly. “Of course. Follow me and I will explain everything.”

Without waiting for a response, he turned and leisurely made his way along the cobbled path toward the largest building in sight.

Once he was out of earshot, Y/n released a shaky breath, chest heaving as she scrambled for air. Jay and Zane hurried after Fenwick, but Kai and Cole hesitated, glancing at the distressed elemental.

“Y/n?” Kai asked slowly. “Are you okay?”

The blonde wrapped her arms around herself and shivered despite the heat. A crawling sensation traveled up her spine, its icy fingers squeezing her in its cold embrace. “Something’s not right,” she rasped. With a nod at the retreating Fenwick, she added, “He has something to do with it. I just…I don’t like this. He’s too nice.”

And he knows things he shouldn’t.

Cole’s ghostly hand rested on her shoulder, his gaze sympathetic. Y/n scowled at his expression, but he didn’t flinch. “Not everyone’s gonna betray you, Y/n.”

She shrugged out of his reach, glaring at the clouds. “Not everyone can be trusted.”

The other Ninja sighed. “We’ll keep an eye out,” he promised. “Nothing bad’s gonna happen.”

Y/n knew he was trying to make her feel better, but she couldn’t find it in herself to smile. “I hope not,” she grumbled, trailing after Fenwick. “I don’t like how much he knows.”

~~~

The inside of the building was arguably more impressive than the outside. Shelves of scrolls lined the walls, reaching floor to ceiling and each shelf packed full. Several rows of desks extended from the door, each occupied with a monk furiously scribbling with a feather and ink onto a long scroll of parchment. A red carpet lined the floor and black symbols painted the wooden pillars framing the carpet. A huge metal bell hung in the center of the building, almost so low Y/n might have to duck underneath.

Fenwick led them up the carpet, ignoring how the other monks turned to whisper and stare at the Ninja. “I know you are familiar with a few of the realms already. The Cloud Kingdom is just one of the sixteen realms that exist parallel to Ninjago.”

Sixteen? Y/n thought in surprise as they walked under the bell (she didn’t have to duck). The hall split into two wings of the building, each just as packed with scrolls and scribes as the main carpeted walkway. She kept her face neutral as she walked through the stuffy hall, the weight of the air almost suffocating her. “Actually, I’m not—”

“In this realm,” Fenwick interrupted rudely, “we strive for greater understanding and let go of distractions. There is no television, no video games—”

Jay gasped dramatically. “No video games? Not interested.” He crossed his arms with an unamused expression.

“It appears that all everyone here does it write,” Zane observed.

Fenwick paused and turned to look back at them. “That is because here, our words matter. You see, the monks of the Cloud Kingdom are the writers of destiny. It was here that it was decided Lloyd should be the Green Ninja.”

Y/n froze.

Writers of destiny? What a bunch of washed-up lies. But if any of that held a speck of truth, these guys were responsible for Lloyd losing his childhood. They held responsibility for him being possessed.

“Okay, that’s great,” Cole interjected before Y/n could say anything, rage evident on her face, his own stony with distaste. "Just show us where the Sword of Sanctuary is and we'll leave."

Fenwick hummed in understanding, his patience driving Y/n stir-crazy. “I am aware of your urgency and your promise to save your friend Lloyd.” More than a friend, Y/n thought irritably. “Sadly, we cannot ensure promises, because we are not allowed to choose sides.” He glanced around before lowering his voice and adding, “And no one else will tell you this, but we had intended for Morro to stay in the Cursed Realm.”

Y/n paused. “What?”

Fenwick nodded sadly. “He was never supposed to escape; he somehow defied destiny, much like Miss Y/n here.” Y/n clenched her fists with a scowl, less than pleased with being compared to the ghost. “Now we’re playing catch-up.” He looked to Cole before continuing down the hallway. “Do you think we wanted you to become a ghost? That’s preposterous. Ever since Morro broke free, things have been happening outside of our control. To be honest, we do not know how this will end.”

“Then quit talking and give us the sword,” Kai snapped. “We’ll find the tomb and stop Morro.”

The monk dipped his head. “We want to give it to you, Red Ninja. But first, the Master Writer wishes to see you.”

“Fine,” Kai grumbled. “Then show us to this ‘Master Writer’.”

The group exited the other end of the building and approached the edge of the walkway, where a small sailboat-looking thing floated in the air, waiting for them. The Ninja boarded and Fenwick took his place at the rudder, gently steering them through the air towards another building. Y/n peered over the side, shuddering when she saw nothing below them but clouds. How does this thing even fly?

“So this Master Writer,” Cole broke the silence. “He’ll decide if we get the Sword just by looking at us?”

Fenwick nodded. “It is an important decision, one that will not only decide the fate of Ninjago, but  of all Sixteen Realms.”

“It’s not a choice,” Y/n grumbled. “It’s the only way to save Lloyd.”

Fenwick gave her an amused glance and her frown deepened. “Are you aware of what is inside the tomb?”

Y/n glanced at the other Ninja, brow furrowed. In fact, she did not know what was in the tomb and so important that the First Spinjitzu Master left a secret and hidden message in his staff. The others appeared just as confused, and they all turned to Fenwick.

The monk did not seem surprised. “Morro is after the Realm Crystal. It is a powerful artifact and the doorway to the other realms.” Y/n’s brow furrowed, unconvinced. “It is a bridge to greater understanding—or a gateway to ruin. When the First Spinjitzu Master created it, he knew the power to cross realms freely could never fall into the wrong hands, which is why he buried it with him in his final resting place. The tomb is protected by impossible traps that only a master of spinjitzu could get past with the aid of the Sword of Sanctuary.”

Y/n’s heart dropped and she turned away. This again. She wasn’t a spinjitzu master earlier on the mountain, and there was no way she could become one before they reached the tomb. She knew she needed to learn the art, as it was the most powerful attack she’d seen the others use in combat, but she didn’t know how and Wu refused to tell her. The other Ninja tried to help, but said something about how they memorized an obstacle course with the same motions as the spinjitzu tornado, and they couldn’t explain how to do it. So she had to resort to her training on Chen’s island to help her fight, and, well—it had worked several times against Morro and showed no sign of failing her now, so she didn’t see the need to try and understand spinjitzu.

Except now it was coming back to bite her.

“I’m confused,” Jay said. “I thought Morro just wanted to be the Green Ninja. What does he want with the Crystal?”

“It is not Morro who seeks the power to ruin, but his master, the Preeminent. The Cursed Realm herself. She cannot cross over by any other magical means. But if Morro uses the Crystal to free her, after cursing Ninjago there will be no stopping her reign until every last realm falls under her control.” The skiff suddenly stopped next to a large circular building. “We are here.”

He led them to the front door and held it open for the Ninja as they filed past. Y/n entered last, and as she passed Fenwick, a shiver traveled down her spine.

Shuddering, Y/n hesitated at the entryway. A glance at Fenwick revealed his normal calm expression as he waited for her to step inside. She did so with heavy reluctance.

The inside of the building was filled with toys. Jay beelined for the pinball machine in the corner despite Kai and Cole scolding him to leave it alone, and the air felt heavy.

Y/n knew this feeling. They were being watched.

Just as she turned back to Fenwick, the door shut with him still outside, and let out a soft click as the lock slid into place.

“No!” Y/n cried, slamming against the door. “Fenwick! I knew it!”

“Y/n?” Zane questioned from her side. “What is wrong?”

“Fenwick locked the door!” Y/n tried pulling at the handle, but it didn’t budge. “He’s a—he’s a low-life good-for-nothing liar!” Anger bubbled in her chest. This is why I don’t trust people! she cried internally.

The other Ninja joined her in trying to open the door, only to freeze when they heard a deep thump.

“What was that?” Jay whisper-yelled.

Then, from a side room, a creature stepped into the light.

The beast’s large and dull teeth bared as it snarled at them, its shaggy brown fur tangled and bunched with little care put into it. The fur around its piercing white eyes was black, giving it a haunted look as it stared at them from the dim light of the room.

“I don’t think he likes you trying to beat his record!” Kai yelped, rolling out of the way as the creature launched a broken guitar at him. “I don’t think he’s giving us the Sword!”

“This can’t be the Master Writer,” Y/n hissed. “This thing is no writer!” She sprinted to the side as the creature lumbered down the stairs, roaring fiercely. She took the opportunity to ascend, using height to her advantage to look around the room for anything that could help.

Nothing. Some broken toys, pinball machine, random knick-knacks. A locked door. One large and very angry creature attacking two humans, a hybrid, a nindroid, and a ghost. The Ninja kept throwing stuff at the creature, who caught them all and placed them to the side before using anything broken for its own attacks.

Y/n observed Cole stumble to the side as he dodged, only to phase through the wall and escape.

Her eyes narrowed as the Kai threw a large stuffed animal at the creature, who caught it and gently set it to the side. It growled when Jay snatched a rattle from the ground and prepared to throw it.

Y/n leaped over the edge of the railing and landed right between the Ninja and the creature, her hands out to either side. “Stop!”

Everyone, even the creature, froze.

“Jay, give me that,” Y/n demanded, holding out her hand. The Ninja handed her the rattle, too shocked to protest, and Y/n turned fully to the very confused creature. Behind her, Zane spoke to Cole through the locked door as Kai and Jay backed away. Y/n, however, slowly approached the creature, holding the rattle high.

The creature snorted and shook its head, bending down to sniff the rattle. Y/n flinched as it abruptly snatched the toy from her hand and held it with surprising gentleness.

“Easy,” she breathed warily. “There we go.” The creature let out a soft grumble and sat back, grabbing one of the stuffed animals next to it. It made a confused noise at Y/n, tilting its head to the side. Y/n smiled sadly as she relaxed from her defensive stance.

“Y/n,” Jay whispered loudly. “What did you do?”

The elemental’s gaze never left the creature as it seemingly pet the stuffed animal. “It’s harmless,” she replied quietly. “Those teeth aren’t meant for attacking.”

“What about the guitar he threw at me?” Kai demanded harshly. The creature snarled at him, bringing the stuffed animal closer to its body.

Y/n sent Kai a sharp glare before holding up her hands to show she wasn’t a threat. “You invaded its home and messed up its things. The guitar was already broken and therefore has no value.”

She carefully approached the creature, ignoring the other Ninja’s calls for her to stop, and patted its knee. It let out a low noise, almost like…purring. “It’s just protecting its home.”

She looked back at her team, turning away from the creature. Kai still seemed uncertain, but Jay gave her a thumbs up and Zane nodded approvingly. The door behind them swung open and a green form materialized from inside the lock, his expression morphing from defensive to confused.

Y/n turned back to the creature, giving it a smile. “We’ll leave you be now, okay?”

With a sudden jerk, the creature swept Y/n into its furry arms and squeezed.

The elemental yelped as the creature spun around, her face pressed into its coarse fur, the pressure on her body tightening. She gasped for air, trying to push away, but the creature wouldn’t let go.

“Okay—” she gasped out. “Enough—!”

The creature suddenly stopped and gently set her on the ground.

Y/n stumbled to the side, her vision spinning, as her lungs heaved for air. She managed to regain her footing before she fell and barked out a laugh.

The other Ninja had started to approach her but stopped at her sudden laughter. The creature whimpered as it clutched its stuffed animal to its chest, gazing at Y/n as she backed towards the door.

“Bye, buddy,” she said breathlessly with a small wave, turning to leave the building.

Zane closed the door behind them and Y/n breathed a sigh of relief, the warm air refreshing after the stuffy building. The sun beamed down on them like they hadn’t just been in battle.

“Very clever, Y/n,” Zane said, and she self-consciously rubbed the back of her neck and turned away. “It was not an aggressive creature, simply defending itself.”

“I told you not to use the pinball machine,” Cole grumbled, elbowing Jay.

The Lightning Ninja yelped and jerked away, rubbing his side. “Yeah, well, how was I supposed to know?”

No one answered their question as they looked back at the Cloud Kingdom. “We need to find Fenwick,” Y/n declared, her fists tightening. “I have some words for him.”

“I don’t think we have to look far,” Kai replied tightly, pointing to one of the walkways—where Fenwick and Morro walked next to each other, oblivious of the Ninja outside the building, two ghosts trailing after them.

Jay glared at the group. “Traitorous Fenwick. I knew I didn’t like that snob.”

“No you didn’t,” Y/n snapped. “That was me.”

Jay rolled his eyes and didn’t reply.

“Come on!” Cole interrupted. “No time to lose!” He pulled on his hood and ran down the path towards the ghosts. Y/n and the other three followed suit, the fabric of her gi comforting as it easily slid over her face.

They ran down the path, ducking behind pillars and under the stone wall to hide from the ghosts when they turned to look around. Y/n led the way, anger pumping in her veins and fueling her energy.

She didn’t trust people for a reason—and Fenwick only served to prove that. They let their guard down around him and he tried to get them killed, only to leave and help Morro of all people. Y/n didn’t know how he managed to get into the Cloud Kingdom, but from what she could see, he still had snow on his gi.

Her heart clenched. Morro didn’t need to feel warmth, but Lloyd sure did. And Y/n was willing to bet that Morro wasn’t going to provide her brother with any accommodations. The thought made her even angrier.

The building Morro and the ghosts entered was huge, with several stories framed with sloped awnings and square windows. The whole building was not round like the others; instead forming a more rectangular design. Many floating boats sailed lazily around the outside, going from island to island. Clearly, this structure held more importance over the others.

Fenwick walked away, unconcerned with the three ghosts he let inside the building. Y/n used the opening to sprint forward, the others hot on her heels. She rounded a corner and skidded to a halt, wide green eyes staring at the brown-haired monk in front of them.

They’d been spotted. She’d slipped up, let someone spot them as they tried to chase after Morro and stop the ghosts. The monk would call Fenwick, who would alert Morro, and the ghosts would take the Sword and leave them to the mercy of destiny.

“You’re alive!”

Y/n blinked.

The monk shuffled over to them, his eyes filled with relief. “Fenwick is convinced there is no way to stop the Queen of the Cursed, so he’s agreed to help Morro only to help himself. But he doesn’t know you’ve escaped.” He looked at each of the Ninja individually. “You must get the Sword of Sanctuary or else Morro will have too big of an advantage.”

“Then tell us where it is,” Cole requested firmly.

“The tallest room,” the monk replied, pointing up at the building. “But you must hurry, they’re already headed there.”

Y/n observed the skiffs in the air. If they timed it right, the boats practically lined up as steps…

“No time to take the stairs,” Kai spoke, voicing her thoughts. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Airjitzu,” Y/n replied at the same time as Cole and Zane.

“Cyclondo,” Jay said instead.

Y/n gave him an incredulous look. “Seriously?”

The blue Ninja huffed and crossed his arms. “Why isn’t it catching on?”

‘Cause it’s dumb, Y/n internally grumbled.

She turned back towards the monk. “Be careful,” she said as thanks, giving him a single nod.

“You too,” he replied anxiously.

Y/n crouched, eyeing the top of the building. “Ninja, go!” They all shouted together, leaping into the air with their colors swirling around them, lifting them higher and higher as they hopped from one skiff to another. Y/n kept her eyes pinned on the top floor, her determination hardening with each jump.

She had to get that Sword. And hopefully not hurt Lloyd in the process.

Chapter Text

Y/n reached the top of the tower first.

She crouched on a skiff, eyes locking onto the silhouette of Morro’s form through the window, holding a sword. She prepared to jump through the window to attack when she paused.

The sword was supposed to show an opponent’s next move. Whatever she did, Morro would know—so she had to be sneaky. He’d expect the Ninja to simply burst through the window at fight; she’d do something else.

Before the others could catch up and ruin her plan, Y/n shot forward, crashing into the room, and leaped away from Morro.

The ghost had his sword poised to strike, but when Y/n didn’t attack him, he lowered it slightly with a confused look.

“Give me the sword!” She demanded, taking her chance and lunging at the ghost. She easily dodged his sloppy first attack and moved in too close for sword usage, grabbing the hilt and holding it away from Morro. She glared into his eyes as if her stare could penetrate through him. “Get out of Lloyd’s body!”

Morro tried to yank the sword away, but Y/n’s grip was relentless. “Annoying gnat!” He snarled, jerking his whole body to the side. Y/n tumbled with the momentum, allowing Morro to snatch the blade away, and pointed it at the elemental. She retreated slightly but defensively held up her fists nonetheless.

Before Morro could strike, the other Ninja jumped into the room and fanned out, surrounding the ghost. He let out a frustrated cry and summoned his wind in a cyclone around him, holding the sword out in front of his body as his gray eyes flicked between the Ninja.

After a moment of silence, Kai lunged forward from behind Morro. Without even looking, the ghost stepped to the side, and Kai went stumbling past. Another gust of wind sent him careening into Y/n, briefly blocking her view of the ghost when she stumbled away from the Fire Ninja.

In this time, the other Ninja exchanged their attempts at attacking him—all of which he avoided with ease, glancing at the blade before each attack. “Too late!” He taunted as he threw Jay away from him. “I know your every move!”

Y/n shot forward, intending to sidestep his attack and go to the right. He gave her an amused smirk as she approached and lazily swiped the Sword at her. She ducked and began to slide to the right, but suddenly changed direction and sprang up to his left, once again holding the hilt of the Sword. This time, though, she gripped it in her right hand and pulled up while her left pushed down on Morro’s shoulder, forcing him into an awkward angle. He yelped in alarm and tried to free himself, but his position didn’t give him a lot of opportunity to do so.

“Go, Y/n!” Jay cheered, recovered from getting thrown into the wall. Morro glowered at him and used his free hand to blast him with wind, but a figure blocked the attack. Kai uncrossed his arms from in front of him and swiftly joined Y/n behind Morro, holding his other arm across his back. He winced when Morro shrieked, but his grip remained firm.

The ghost struggled for a moment before going still.

Y/n felt rather than saw the change. Her candle flared in warning.

“Y/n…” Lloyd’s raspy voice came from below them. “Kai…run!” His hold on the Sword relaxed a fraction, allowing Y/n to yank it free, her eyes wide with shock.

Kai’s strength faltered and his expression slackened. “Lloyd?”

The person in their hold suddenly surged upright, using their brief loss of concentration to break free. Morro’s face scowled at them as he, weaponless, backed away.

“You,” he snarled, pointing to Y/n, “are incredibly annoying.”

Now it was Y/n’s turn to point the blade at her opponent. “Coming from the dead guy hurting the most innocent person you could think of.”

“‘Innocent’?” Morro echoed incredulously. The other Ninja fanned out in a semicircle around them, effectively trapping him in the corner. “He’s the farthest thing from it!”

A low growl built in her throat, which she swallowed with difficulty as she stepped closer. “Get out of his body,” she snarled.

Morro’s gaze drifted past her before returning, and he grinned. “No can do, sugar.”

Y/n’s expression soured at the name moments before pain erupted from her body.

The cries of the other Ninja became drowned out with her scream and the ringing in her ears. Fiery yet burning cold pain spread through her body, making her vision white—and a foreign presence writhed painfully. Her hand opened on its own accord, dropping the Sword; but before it could hit the floor, a gust of wind carried it over to the master of the element.

It felt just like when Morro had briefly possessed her.

As quickly as it had come, the pain vanished. Y/n collapsed, her vision spinning, and struggled to identify the tattered clothing of a ghost in front of her is it writhed in pain. Then two sets of arms, one warm and the other cold, lifted her to her feet, completely taking her weight as her world tipped to the side. She would’ve fallen if it wasn’t for the strong hold around her.

“What’s the catch, Bansha?” Morro snarled, grabbing the downed ghost. Steam drifted off her ghostly skin and she flinched before glaring at Y/n.

“They wear protection,” she spat. “I cannot possess them.”

Morro muttered something under his breath and made his way to the window, slicing through the glass with the Sword of Sanctuary. “Let’s get out of here,” he hissed, jumping out. The ghost in the room flew after, though much slower than usual.

“What happened?” Jay cried, running over to them. Zane stood by the window, watching with narrowed eyes before looking back at the rest of the team, expression conflicted.

Y/n shook her head, the dizziness slowly fading even as the pain lingered. “We can’t let him get away,” she rasped, shrugging out of Kai’s and Cole’s support.

“Y/n, you were just possessed—”

“I’m fine!” She insisted, harsher than she meant to. She nodded to Zane, who immediately slipped out of the building. “Let’s go!”

Without waiting for the others, she dove through the broken window.

The cold air slapped her fully into focus as she free-fell, briefly catching herself with airjitzu before continuing her fall. She heard the whirls of the other Ninja’s airjitzus as they followed her, and a short distance away stood Morro, watching them with amusement.

He waited on the roof of the building until they had neared, when he used his powers to rip off loose tiles and send them flying at the Ninja. Y/n dodged most, but one fragment sliced her cheek before she could dodge. She hissed at the stinging pain and ran forward, springing out of the way of more tiles.

Morro’s laugh echoed off the buildings. “So long, Ninja!” He crowed, landing on an empty skiff and pointing it away from the buildings. Y/n’s gaze followed his trajectory until they landed on the spinning clouds a short distance away—the Blind Man’s Eye.

“He’s escaping!” She cried.

A loud scream erupted from the boat, blasting Y/n back. She covered her ears with a yelp as she suddenly fell uncontrollably and landed hard on her back, the surface briefly bouncing under the impact. Her chest shuddered as she tried to get her breath back, succeeding just before the Ninja joined her, when she realized she was on a skiff.

“Still passing through!” Cole apologized. “Uh—on the other hand, mind if we borrow your skiff?”

The monk piloting the boat nodded dazedly and steered towards a pathway so he could dismount. With the skiff in their possession, the Ninja gave chase to the ghosts with Y/n at the wheel.

“There!” Cole pointed to the portal just as Morro flew his skiff through. “Hold on!”

Y/n grit her teeth as she pointed the bow downward and began their controlled descent.

Which quickly turned into a very uncontrolled fall.

Gravity suddenly remembered its existence, sending the skiff plummeting. For a moment, Y/n felt weightless as the frigid wind pushed against her, biting her exposed face with icy teeth. Then the boat crashed against the snow and began sliding down like a giant sled.

“Why aren’t we flying anymore?!” Kai cried, gripping the side of the boat and amber eyes wide.

“Different realm, different rules!” Y/n yelled back, the wind whipping her face through her mask and forcing her to blink rapidly to see. Her fingers tingled with the reminder of the cold she’d recovered from only an hour ago.

Somehow she managed to steer their skiff out of the way of the sparse conifers littering the side of the mountain. They quickly caught up with Morro, sliding down parallel to his skiff. He stood on the deck, golden sword glinting in the sunlight, and drew back his hand.

“Got you now!” Kai gloated.

“You really think so?” Morro laughed, extending his hand and sending his power at the skiff. Y/n jerked it to face the blast head-on, but even so, it skidded sideways and away from the ghosts.

“Incoming!” Zane called. “Abandon ship!”

To where? Y/n wanted to ask as her eyes landed on the tree they were aimed at. In a split second decision, she jumped onto the back of the boat, holding the rudder to anchor herself, and braced for impact.

The skiff burst apart, sending Y/n tumbling in the snow. She held onto the now-detached rudder and, when her momentum sent her into the air, planted it firmly under her feet. She twisted slightly with a grunt and landed standing on the wood like a snowboard. Pointing one end downhill, she continued at the same speed as the skiff. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the other Ninja climb onto their own pieces of debris to ski or snowboard after Morro.

“Your ride’s kinda slow, isn’t it?” Kai taunted, sliding over, oblivious to the tree in his path. Y/n’s eyes widened and she urged her board faster, barely managing to yank Kai out of the way before he slammed into the tree.

“Stop insulting him!” Y/n chastised when Morro blasted them with wind. The red Ninja at least had the decency to look guilty before they both focused their attention back to the ghosts.

The ghost let out a frustrated yell. “Don’t you ever quit?”

“You should know we don’t!” Y/n retorted. Morro simply glared at her.

At the back of his skiff, the archer drew back his bow and aimed it at Jay, who clung to the broken bow of the ship and held on for dear life as it spun out of control. The arrow missed its initial mark, but Y/n saw it turn midair to chase after the Lightning Ninja. Cole shouted a warning and Jay yelped as he slid underneath a log, which the arrow hit, and turned it ghostly.

“Come in, Bounty!” Kai called into his comms. “Hope your jets aren’t cold, ‘cause we’re coming in hot!”

Y/n rolled her eyes as she subtly made her way closer to Morro’s skiff. “Seriously?”

Kai laughed at her reaction and skied around to the other side of the skiff, preventing her from telling him how bad that one-liner was. She scoffed with a fond smile before her expression hardened with determination. There was still a ghost to catch.

Zane joined Y/n, his eyes calculating. “We need to get the sword,” he warned.

“Working on it!” Y/n suddenly jerked to the side, right next to the wooden boat, and in one fluid motion launched herself to the deck. Her makeshift snowboard went flying before eventually burying itself in the snow somewhere. No going back.

The Bounty rounded the mountain and flew close to them, ready for them to bail onto the safety of the ship. Zane left to chase after Jay and Cole, leaving Kai and Y/n to deal with the ghosts. Kai drew his aeroblade and chased after the archer, stealing his attention away from the other Ninja, while Y/n once more attacked Morro.

“What good are a bunch of ghosts if they can’t keep you away?” Morro spat, swiping the Sword of Sanctuary at Y/n.

She vaulted away and fingered the single throwing star in her belt. No, can’t use that. Can’t hurt Lloyd. “Wouldn’t matter,” she returned. “I’d come back anyway.”

Morro’s face pinched in disgust, and Y/n knew she’d never forget the look. It was like her brother was making the face, but she knew he’d never do that around them. Still, it hurt to see his face being used against them.

Y/n lunged at Morro, who had an eye on the blade. He easily avoided her attack and smacked the flat of the blade into her side, sending her staggering towards the end of the skiff where Kai had the archer on defense. Y/n raised her fists, tempted to call upon her powers, when something heavy landed on the bow.

The impact made her lose balance, and she fell backwards. Morro immediately pointed the blade at her chest to stop her from fleeing while he simultaneously turned towards the front.

“You big oaf!” He snarled, his glare directed at the new ghost who’d joined them. “How are you slowing us down? You’re a ghost!”

“Ghoultar likes puffy potstickers,” the ghost whined.

Morro growled and turned back to Y/n, his glare murderous. “You’d fight someone unarmed?” She tried desperately, knowing Lloyd would never.

Morro pretended to consider it. “That’s a good question.” He raised the blade with a sinister grin. “Yes!”

Y/n closed her eyes, reaching to the depths of her mind.

Lloyd, she called. I know you can hear me. Please. I need you to stop him. Just this once.

Kai screamed her name.

Y/n felt the disturbance of air from the blade as it swished downward.

And stopped an inch from her face.

Her candle flared, the force protective and very angry.

The elemental rolled to the side and shot to her feet, eyes wide. Morro was visibly shaking, his body contorting with spasms. A groan came from the ghost—but it wasn’t Morro’s voice. It was Lloyd.

“Lloyd!” Y/n grabbed his shoulders and forced him to look at her. His eyes flickered green and gray and the markings on his face stubbornly remained; but for a moment, her brother had control.

“Take…the Sword, Y/n!” He rasped with effort, struggling to hold the weapon away from himself. Y/n gently pried it from his grasp and his gaze returned to her worried one. “I…I can’t…”

Y/n gently brushed some hair out of his eyes. “You can do it, Lloyd. Just a little longer. We’ll free you, I promise.”

He managed a ghost of a smile before his face twitched and he fell back, two voices screaming in tandem. The sound tore Y/n’s heart to shreds, and her candle reduced to almost nothing once again.

She forced herself to turn away and ran to the back of the boat. “Kai, time to go!”

The red-clad Ninja nodded and swiped his blade at the ghosts around him, then bolted for the back. The edge of a cliff drew very close, very fast.

Lloyd will survive, Y/n tried to reassure herself, chest tight. He knows airjitzu.

“Thanks for hosting the party,” Kai called down when he saw Y/n unable to form words. “But I think we’ll be going now. And just because you’re in my friend’s body—” he eyed the cliff “—watch out!”

Y/n and Kai jumped up in their airjitzu just as the skiff flew over the edge of the cliff. A bloodcurdling scream of rage rose from the falling ship, making Y/n falter in her movements. She crashed heavily onto the snow, rattled.

Kai landed quite a bit softer. “Y/n?” He questioned, crouching next to her. “Y/n, look at me.”

The elemental managed to lift her head slightly and met Kai’s sympathetic amber gaze.

“He’ll be okay,” the Ninja murmured. “We have the Sword. We’ll get him back.”

Y/n nodded numbly and stood on shaking legs. “R-right.” She knew that scream would haunt her dreams for weeks.

The Bounty rounded the edge of the mountain with the other Ninja safely on the deck. Y/n weakly held up the Sword of Sanctuary, earning cheers from the others, but she couldn’t find it in herself to smile.

Kai patted her shoulder before using his airjitzu to leap onto the flying ship. Y/n glanced down the cliff where Morro—and her brother—had just fallen. Taking a deep breath, she jumped onto the Bounty and it turned away, flying to warmer air.

~~~

“Y/n, are you okay?” Misako emerged from the Bounty’s cabin and beelined for Y/n, who simply shrugged and wrapped her arms around herself. She let her mother guide her inside, where the heat that surrounded her felt like a fuzzy blanket.

The elemental sighed in relief, flexing her frozen fingers as they regained some feeling. She could sense that Misako wanted to ask a question but she hesitated, not wanting to delve too deep into her fears. Misako didn’t know about the timer on Lloyd’s life.

“He…fought back,” she finally admitted in a whisper.

Misako’s eyes widened and a small smile played on her lips. “That’s good.”

Y/n shook her head, swamped with grief. “Every time he fight back he loses strength,” she rasped. “I—I don’t think—” She broke off when he throat closed up, but she refused to let herself cry. She had to be stronger than that.

Luckily, her mother understood. “I…see,” she muttered. After a moment, her voice hardened with resolve. “We need to find the tomb.”

Y/n nodded, swallowing hard. “Y-yeah. We have the Sword.” She lifted the weapon slightly for emphasis, accidentally seeing her reflection in the gold blade. First Master she looked terrible—face red from heat and white from cold, hair in a disheveled mess, exhaustion tainting her features, and the slice on her cheek bleeding worse as she warmed up. “We don’t have a lot of time. I can tell.”

Her candle was like an ember—any sudden motion would snuff it out entirely, but still lit. She could sense it getting fainter and fainter with each passing day, and whenever Lloyd wrestled control back from Morro, it became even smaller than before he fought back. His stubbornness was killing him.

Misako gently brushed the side of Y/n’s face, and she subconsciously leaned towards it, too tired to care. So what if Misako made mistakes in the past? Right now, she was the closest thing to a mother that Y/n had ever experienced. She sorely needed the comfort.

“We’ll see what we can figure out with the Sword,” she reassured, softly removing the Sword from Y/n’s grip. The elemental let her arm drop with fatigue; now that she was safe and out of the cold, weariness slammed into her. “You should get some rest.” Her brow furrowed and she tilted Y/n’s head to the side. “You’re bleeding!”

While the idea of sleep called to her, Y/n knew it would mean taking time away from saving Lloyd—time they couldn’t afford. She shook her head and pulled away, taking a deep breath to try and wake up more. Why did her stubborn eyelids feel so heavy? “I’m fine,” she protested. “I need to help find the tomb.”

“What you need is sleep and a bandage,” Misako denied. “You can’t do anything if you’re too tired to act, and I’m not letting my daughter walk around with an untreated cut on her face.”

“Fine,” Y/n huffed, crossing her arms. “But I’m only gonna rest for an hour.”

Misako looked like she wanted to protest but said nothing. Y/n frowned and trudged down to the med bay to look for something to clean the cut with and patch it up.

She poured some antibacterial onto a clean cloth and gently dabbed at the wound, wincing when it stung. She gingerly ran her fingers over her cheek to feel for where the cut was and stopped when her skin pulsed with pain. Giving up, she settled for pressing the cloth to the entire side of her face.

A hiss escaped her while she waited for the antibacterial to work, the stinging pain like a thousand little paper cuts. She sat back onto a bed to wait, definitely not thinking about how she could just lay back and sleep. She didn’t want to—she wanted to find the tomb, get Morro out of Lloyd’s body, and forget any of this happened. She didn’t have time to sleep.

Y/n broke out of her thoughts when rapid footsteps sounded the arrival of Jay.

He paused in the doorframe, eyes widening at Y/n’s presence. When he said nothing, she raised a brow. “Do you need something?”

It did the trick to break the Lightning Ninja out of his stupor. “Oh! Not from you. I just came for—uh, that,” he replied rapidly, pointing to the bandages Y/n had left out when she realized she needed an adhesive, not a gauze sheet.

Jay didn’t move towards them. “Well, far be it from me to stop you from patching yourself up,” Y/n said dryly. “What for, anyway?”

Only then did Jay fish out some of the bandages from the box, his expression unsure. “Just some scrapes from the whole ‘falling down the mountain in an uncontrollable sled’ thing.” He threw the now-empty box into the recycling and held out one of the gauze patches. “There’s only two left.”

Y/n waved him away. “Seems like you need it more than me. Besides—” she removed the cloth to reveal the cut on her face, which had a lovely mix of cleaning chemicals and blood on either side. “I need a different kind.”

Jay’s eyes widened a fraction when he saw the wound. “Yeah. Right. That makes sense.” He hesitated. “Do you mind if…” He motioned to his face, then gestured to Y/n’s.

It took her a moment to realize what he was asking, and she gripped the blanket beneath her when she figured it out. She couldn’t deny that she trusted the team, every one of them—but she’d never seen them all practice first-aid, and she didn’t know whether or not she should allow someone to treat a cut on her face where she couldn’t see it. She knew it was stupid to think that way, but she just…couldn’t get over the deep-rooted fear of someone in her face, no matter who it was or for what purpose.

“Y-yeah,” Y/n decided eventually, forcing her fists to relax. “Yeah, please.”

Jay’s brow raised. “That looked painful.”

Y/n forced a laugh. “Sorry. I’m not used to…” she waved her wave vaguely around them, “all of this."

The blue Ninja’s expression bordered on alarm. “Not used to what?”

“Oh. Y’know. People being nice to me, full access to the medical supplies, someone offering to help me…” She trailed off with a wince, understanding why Jay looked so concerned. When she said it aloud, it sounded bad.

“How in all of Creation did you survive?”

Y/n knew he meant well, but she felt herself closing down.

He didn't want to know.

Jay shook himself and cleared his throat. “Anyway. Can I see the cut?”

Y/n shoved her fear and her past into the back of her mind and tilted her head sideways, giving Jay access to the wound. She stared straight in front of her as he leaned closer to examine it.

“It’s free of dirt and it’s shallow,” he announced. “I’m just gonna clean it a little and use the butterfly bandages.”

Y/n nodded once. “Great. That’s what I was gonna use.”

Jay rummaged around the cabinets until he found the right materials. With a little clean water on a larger gauze patch—turns out they had different sizes—he gently wiped the blood off Y/n’s face, then discarded the used gauze and placed the butterfly bandages across the cut.

“Thank you,” Y/n said quietly when he’d finished, her fingers instinctively tracing the bandages. She was faintly surprised at how quiet and thorough Jay had been with her, his gaze focused on her wound. “You’re pretty good at that.”

“Lots of practice,” Jay replied absently, stepping over to the counter. He pulled back his sleeve, revealing a red patch on his forearm, and wrapped it with a bandage and gauze before Y/n could offer her assistance. “You get used to it.”

“Oh, I’m used to it alright,” Y/n muttered. “Though usually I don’t have such a good variety of things to use.”

Jay pretended not to hear, instead placing his attention entirely on the bandage.

Okay. So that wasn’t normal.

“Jay…” Y/n frowned and crossed her arms. “What is it?”

His motions became jerky with nerves as he covered a second scrape. Y/n waited until he’d finished, and he put the supplies away all without looking at her.

Finally, when he didn’t have anything else to distract him, the Lightning Ninja sighed and turned towards Y/n, his expression a mixture of unsure and wary. “How could you use your powers?”

Straight to the point. Y/n was taken aback by the question, the feat having slipped her mind. But as Jay spoke, she recalled the bow she’d made and the arrows that had expertly pinned Lloyd’s sleeves to the cliff to prevent him from going through the Blind Man’s Eye. It hadn’t taken a lot of power…but the part before, when she’d faced off with Morro, had.

…Why did she not let herself sleep?

Oh yeah. ‘Cause she needed to prioritize her brother’s well-being over her own.

“Y/n?”

The elemental blinked back to reality and her eyes flicked to Jay’s now concerned face. “Uh. Sorry. I—I can’t tell you.”

Jay frowned and crossed his arms. “And why’s that?”

Y/n sent him a half-hearted glare. “Wu told me not to.”

Jay groaned loudly, but no longer seemed as suspicious. “Of course he did. No one ever tells us anything!”

“It’s for your own safety!” Y/n shot back and rose to her feet, suddenly defensive of her uncle’s request. “If I told you, it could compromise everyone on this ship, and Lloyd!” Her voice caught on his name and she swallowed uncomfortably. “We don’t know what could happen if the reason why spread—and I can’t guarantee that the people on this ship won’t spill by accident or by torture. It’s…” She deflated and slumped back onto the bed. “It’s for the best.”

Jay frowned, his blue gaze searching, before he sighed in defeat and wandered off.

Y/n suddenly felt a heavy pang of guilt. She shouldn’t have yelled at Jay like that. He was right to be curious why she could use her powers while everyone else’s remained locked away. It wasn’t his fault that she couldn’t tell him—no one had any control over that. If the world found out about her dragon and Lloyd’s Oni genetics, they could be in serious danger. Y/n shuddered to think of what people would do if they found out about the two demigods roaming freely in their precious city.

She groaned loudly and buried her head in her hands. “I can’t do anything right.”

I need to apologize.

Y/n inhaled shakily and slid off the bed. She needed time alone first.

The elemental trudged down the hall to her and Nya’s shared room, where sat heavily on top of the covers and let her head drop into her hands.

Her powers, her dragon-hybrid blood, how to save Lloyd—it all swirled around her mind and left her in a forest of confusion. She had no control over her fate or the reasons behind her powers. She’d just begun to figure out how they worked when Morro appeared and sapped them away by using Lloyd’s body as a tool.

He treated Lloyd like a thing. It made Y/n’s blood boil.

“Hey, Y/n.”

The teen glumly looked up at Nya’s tired expression. She shifted to the side so her friend could join her on the edge of the bed, where they both sat in silence for a while. Y/n could sense Nya’s desire to ask if she was okay, but bless her heart, she didn’t.

“We’re heading back to the tea shop,” the Water Ninja said after a minute. “We’ll arrive tomorrow morning. The others are training, if you want to join.”

Y/n shook her head. “I need some time,” she muttered.

Nya simply nodded and stood, resting her hand on Y/n’s shoulder. “This is all crazy,” she murmured. “I hope you can get some rest, Y/n. You look terrible.”

“Thanks,” Y/n replied dryly, earning a laugh from her friend, and the sound made her lips quirk upward for a moment. She looked up to meet Nya’s gaze. “I hope you can unlock your powers so you can join us with the super-intense training we do every day.”

Nya pretended to be offended with a hand on her chest. “And here I thought you liked me.”

Y/n’s eyes narrowed playfully. “I can’t stand you,” she groaned dramatically, the back of her hand on her forehead with dramatic irritation.

“Well, that makes it easy,” Nya grinned. “Only room for one beauty in this relationship.”

Y/n shot to her feet with mouth agape. “Oh, you are so on!”

She lunged towards her friend, who giggled and fled out of the cabin. Y/n chased after her, shouting, “No! Come back here!” The Water Ninja led her outside, where they skirted around the other very confused Ninja before Y/n tackled her near the bow of the Bounty. “Hah!”

Wind whipped their faces and made Y/n shiver slightly. But they were both laughing too hard to care.

Chapter Text

Y/n and Nya composed themselves and trained for a while, having nothing better to do. It distracted Y/n from the mystery of the tomb and allowed her to hone in her skills at the same time, as well as hang out with with Nya. They both assessed the other and adjusted their stances under watchful eyes. At some point, Y/n lost track, they just started sparring before it ended in roughhousing on the deck.

Zane somehow made dinner with the Bounty’s limited supplies. Y/n could smell it from the deck, and it smelled amazing—it tasted even better. The nindroid sure knew how to make a good meal. Y/n expressed her gratitude to his skills when she’d finished, and he replied with, “There is no need for thanks. It is my pleasure.”

Y/n shifted uncomfortably. Habit told her that if she didn’t compliment the chef, she’d find herself without food the following day—but even so, she felt the need to show how much she appreciated Zane’s food. “Still,” she replied tightly. “It was really good.”

Zane smiled softly. “Thank you.” His next question was so casual that it caught Y/n off guard. “Would you like me to teach you?”

She blinked. “You—you’d do that?”

“Of course.”

The elemental smiled warmly. “I would like that. When all this is over.”

Zane dipped his head. “I will find a recipe to teach you.”

Suddenly overcome with emotion—curse her frayed nerves—Y/n threw her arms around the nindroid. He made a startled noise of surprise but was quick to return the gesture and gently patted Y/n’s back. She pulled away and sent him one last shaky smile before practically fleeing to the deck, missing the bemused look Zane sent her way.

Y/n sat on the dragon figurehead and closed her eyes, enjoying the gentle breeze brushing her hair out of her face. It felt warm and gentle, so different than Morro’s cold and biting elemental wind. It warmed her and made her blonde hair practically glow in the light of the setting sun. It was a rare moment of peace; she should remember this spot.

“Fancy seeing you here, Y/n.”

Y/n opened her eyes and raised a brow when Cole sat down on the other dragon head and copied her meditative position. His ghostly skin radiated a soft light but Y/n knew that he couldn’t feel the warm sun around them, and it made her heart ache with guilt.

“What brings you out here?” Y/n returned she resumed her pose and closed her eyes again.

“I like the sunsets,” Cole replied in the same quiet tone.

Y/n’s gaze flicked to his face again before jumping back to the front of the ship. “I’ve heard that watching them is easier with your eyes open.”

Cole chuckled. “Probably.”

“So why are you really here?” There was no malice in her voice, simply genuine curiosity.

He was silent for a moment. “I wanted to make sure you were okay,” he finally admitted. “You didn’t seem that great after coming down the mountain.”

Y/n sighed through her nose, the barrier that her previous pleasure had put up immediately crumbling. She was such a fool to think that playing and training with Nya would make her forget the harsh reality of their situation—though at the same time, she knew she’d needed the break. It only made her feel guilty that Lloyd didn’t get one. “I’m fine,” she replied heavily, convincing no one.

“You broke through to him.”

Something twisted in Y/n’s gut—an unpleasant, infectious feeling. “Yeah.” She’d only sped up his dea—she’d made him weaker and allowed Morro to drive him further into the ground.

“You’re not happy with that.”

Y/n’s eyes opened and she glared at the sky. Why did he have to sound like he didn’t care? No, Y/n, he’s just being passive. Calm down. “No, I’m not,” she spat, her fingers curling into fists. “He’s getting weaker and weaker, and I might have just condemned him to his end. Every time he gets control back, he’s weaker afterwards. I purposely ticked Morro off and forced Lloyd to fight him. I’m a catalyst for all the wrong things.”

Cole searched her face, but she kept her gaze firmly pinned on the horizon in front of her. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed,” he stared, “but you’re making Lloyd happier than he’s been in a long time. Ever since we picked him up as a little brat when he released the Serpentine, he’s had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Then when you came, his sister, he’s been so much happier.” Y/n couldn’t hold her glare anymore, a strange pride swelling in her chest. “You did that. I bet that just by seeing you, he gets some hope that we’re still coming for him. You prove that we’re not quitting on him, and we know that he’s still fighting with everything he has.”

“So what does that mean?” Y/n asked quietly, her gaze dropping to her hands in her lap as they went limp, the fight drained out of her.

“It means that you’re not making him weaker, you’re making him stronger. We don’t know what Morro’s doing on the other end—if I had to bet, I’d say that he’s the reason that Lloyd’s getting weaker, not you. You’re actually giving us more time.” Cole smiled softly. “He knows you’d never hurt him. I doubt he’d let himself be defeated by ’cause of you breaking through.”

Y/n drew her knees to her chest, but the new perspective was food for thought. She had no idea how her candle would react if she hadn’t ever broken through to her brother—it wasn’t like there were tests and experiments to find out. There was a chance she was boosting his strength. The way the candle had flared protectively back on Morro’s skiff came back to her mind: stronger, fueled by anger at the ghost and the drive to protect Y/n. It had been so much stronger than before he regained control.

“Hey, Y/n?”

“Yeah?”

“Back when we were on the bus to the Temple of Airjitzu, you looked like you had a nightmare.” Cole’s gaze searched Y/n’s face. “You said it you’d explain it later.”

Y/n searched her memory of the instance. It was only two days ago, but felt like so much more.

That was when she’d contacted Lloyd through the candle.

“I can feel a connection to Lloyd,” she admitted. “I was testing it when Morro tried to attack me. That’s why I woke up startled.”

“Can you feel him now?”

Y/n closed her eyes and reached into her mind. She felt the candle, same as before: a little flicker, like an ember. So much smaller than it used to be. “Yeah. It’s not strong.”

Cole looked down, his expression crestfallen.

Y/n sighed wearily and rubbed her eyes. She didn’t know how much more heartache she could take.

“When was the last time you slept?”

Y/n dropped her hands and sent Cole a half-hearted glare. “You, too?”

He frowned. “Everyone needs sleep, Y/n. Even you.”

“Everyone’s ganging up on me,” Y/n muttered. “I don’t remember.” Yesterday? The day before? “I guess when we were on the mountain.”

“Getting knocked out doesn’t count,” Cole returned, crossing his arms.

A sigh escaped the younger elemental. “Fine. I’ll try.” She stood slowly, careful not to lose her balance and fall over the side of the ship. “No promises.”

Cole looked faintly amused as he stood as well. “Sure.”

Y/n trudged to her and Nya’s shared room. The Water Ninja was nowhere to be seen, leaving the room barren and lonely and quiet, numbing Y/n’s senses before she even stopped moving. She placed herself on the bed and her mind immediately became fuzzy.

Her whole body ached.

A minute later, Y/n’s eyes slipped closed.

Another moment and they opened.

She was back in the void-space. The dark mindscape stretched on for as far as Y/n could see, devoid of color except for her. And Lloyd.

Y/n ran to the green figure hunched on the ground but slowed as she neared, her heart pounding. “Lloyd?”

When he didn’t react, Y/n crouched in front of him. His eyes were closed and he sat limply in a slightly meditative pose, his hands lying on his legs. His skin was unnervingly pale, making the bags under his eyes stand out prominently. Y/n felt sick.

The elemental gently placed her hand over Lloyd’s. They felt cold as ice. “Hey, bro,” she whispered, trying to keep her voice from breaking. “Lloyd? Wake up.”

The Ninja let out a pained groan and his eyes slid open a fraction. “Y/n?” He rasped weakly, lifting his head slightly to look at her better.

Y/n exhaled shakily and pushed some of his hair away from his eyes, her hand lingering on his face. He looked exhausted.

“I’m here,” she replied.

Lloyd released a breath and closed his eyes again, his head relaxing into Y/n’s hand.

Y/n immediately shuffled closer and pulled her brother close to her body. He sank into her as she wrapped her arms around him, his form skinny and shivering. Y/n felt tears in her eyes and she let out a pained sigh. He was so tired.

The older gently ran her fingers through Lloyd’s tangled hair. Neither said anything for several minutes. During the time, Lloyd did not stop shivering.

“It’s almost over,” Y/n whispered, trying to reassure her bother as much as herself. “We have the Sword, thanks to you. One more clue to go.”

Lloyd seemed to relax at that. “Good,” he mumbled into Y/n’s gi. Softer, he added, “I’m tired.”

Y/n didn’t know if it was possible for her heart to break any more. She gave Lloyd a gentle squeeze. “I know,” she replied, and this time, her voice did break. “I’m so sorry, Lloyd. For all of this.”

“Not your fault,” he muttered.

Maybe not, but Y/n still felt responsible for his well-being. The next time she saw Morro, she’d make sure to be faster, stronger, more powerful. She’d kick that ghost back to the Cursed Realm if it was the last thing she ever did.

Y/n gently separated herself to look at Lloyd’s face better. His head fell limply in front of him and his eyes remained closed, but with the way he scrambled to hold onto her arm as if desperate to keep her next to him, Y/n knew he was still awake.

Now, Y/n noticed more than just how tired he was. He looked like he hadn’t eaten anything, either, and his chapped lips hinted to dehydration. A bruise poked out from the top of his gi.

We’re doing this, Y/n thought with horror, her eyes landing on the bruise. We’re hurting him.

“Where’s the…other guy?” Y/n asked hesitantly.

“Dunno,” Lloyd replied quietly, his voice just barely louder than a whisper. He mustered up the energy to open his eyes, and Y/n’s stomach churned. His normal bright green had dulled into a sickly shade, framed by the bloodshot whites of his eyes. “I…I’m glad you’re here.”

“Anything for you,” Y/n replied, rubbing her thumb over his limp hand.

A beat of silence passed before Lloyd whispered, “You can use your powers?”

Y/n paused. She did, back on the mountain. “Y-yeah. But it’s hard.”

“I can feel it.” Y/n saw the shudder pass through his body. She immediately shuffled behind him and nudged him back so she could act as a pillow and a heater, hoping to provide him as much comfort as she could. He relaxed slightly and let his eyes close again, but kept a surprisingly strong grip around Y/n’s hand.

She absently stroked his hair with her free hand. (He sank into the gentle touch—it had been so long since anyone treated him this carefully. It was nice.) “You can?”

“Yeah. Mine try to come out when you do that.” He shifted into a slightly more comfortable position and shivered.

Y/n fell silent. Lloyd’s powers reacted to hers? Why? Did that mean—

“Are they hurting you?” She gasped.

A minuscule motion from Lloyd as he tried to shake his head. “No. It’s just…there. Powerful.”

“Must have something to do with this connection,” she mused. Her hand paused when an idea crossed her mind. “They…make you stronger.”

A slight nod.

“I want to try something,” Y/n told him, her tone suddenly urgent. Lloyd’s eyes opened in confusion and he let out a grunt of discontent as she propped him upright and sat in front of him, taking both of his hands in hers.

“Y/n, what are you doing?”

She took a deep breath, narrowing her concentration. “I’m gonna use my powers to give you some of my energy.”

Lloyd immediately tried to pull away, but in his weakened state he didn’t have the strength to escape Y/n’s grip. “N-no, don’t. You might hurt yourself.”

“You need it more than I do,” Y/n returned. She reached into herself and pulled on her powers, illuminating the dim space in a brilliant purple glow. Lloyd squinted and turned his head to the side, but quickly looked back at Y/n’s face.

The elemental called on her powers. She was connected to Lloyd; her powers intertwined with his. If she could give her energy to him, he could pull through until they rescued him.

Her powers answered.

They flowed into Lloyd’s hands, turning green halfway there before sinking into his skin. A dull ache pulled at Y/n’s chest as she kept going, but she ignored it. At the same time, Lloyd’s irises brightened and some color returned to his skin.

Y/n fell into a buzzing numbness. Her senses faded away, replaced only with fierce protectiveness and desire to give her brother strength. Her energy didn’t matter when he was barely making it through each day. She could afford some—it wasn’t hard math to know that she could afford it and he needed it.

“Y/n, stop.” Lloyd suddenly pulled his hands away, forcing Y/n’s powers to retreat back into her body. She blinked heavily, suddenly dizzy, and met his gaze. The ache in her chest increased tenfold, making it hard to breathe, but as she scanned her brother, she didn’t care.

Even after the short boost, his condition improved. He still looked half-dead, but some life had returned to his eyes and he sat a little straighter, his gaze sharpened a little more. He offered Y/n a half-smile, and suddenly the pain was all worth it.

“It worked,” she breathed, slumping in relief. “Thank the Master.”

“You’re hurting yourself,” Lloyd protested. “Don’t do that.”

“I told you,” Y/n replied softly, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. He didn’t feel quite as cold. “Anything for my little bro.”

Lloyd’s smile wavered. “He knows,” the Ninja rasped with a new urgency. “Y/n, you need to leave.”

“You’ll be alone—”

“I’ll be fine,” he interrupted, though his legs buckled when he tried to stand. Y/n caught him before he could hit the hard ground and he grimaced, shaking with the effort. “Please. I don’t want him to hurt you. H-he wants to find a chance to—to play with your mind.”

Oh, right. Morro had seen her in her nightmare, putting her back on Chen’s island with Clouse attacking her. That sick ghost.

Y/n let out a frustrated growl and made sure Lloyd was seated comfortably before she stepped away, the tears finally leaking down her face. Lloyd made no attempt to follow her, simply watching with a tired expression. “We will free you,” she said fiercely. “I promise.”

“I know,” Lloyd replied softly. His body suddenly went rigid and he cried out—and a moment later, the ghost appeared over his body as it listed towards the side. Morro released an ear-splitting scream and careened towards Y/n.

She locked gazes with Lloyd one last time. “Just hold on,” she whispered as she pulled herself from the void-space. “Hold on.”

Y/n’s eyes slid open, and exhaustion slammed into her.

She went stiff, her aching body hurting twice as badly as before she fell asleep, starting in her chest and spreading to the rest of the body. Her vision spun and she closed her eyes again, releasing a strangled groan.

Someone immediately placed a hand on her shoulder. “Y/n? Y/n, what’s wrong?” Nya’s voice cut through the ringing in Y/n’s ears. “Do I need to get Master Wu?”

“N-no—” Y/n grabbed the hand on her shoulder and forced her eyes open, instantly pinning on Nya’s worried face above her. “I’m fine.”

“Y/n, you sound awful.” Nya helped her sit up, blue eyes wide. “You’ve been sleeping for a few hours. How do you look so tired? And hurt—!”

Y/n shook her head, immediately regretting it when a wave of nausea swept over her. She grit her teeth and inhaled shakily, gripping Nya’s hand to ground herself. “J-just…another day in Ninjago.”

Nya gave her a deadpan look. “You’re in pain, Y/n. Stop acting like you’re not.”

The elemental sighed heavily. “I shared another dream with Lloyd. I used my powers to give him energy. Guess it has its drawbacks.”

“’Another’ dream?” Nya’s eyes widened. “Oh-kay. I have so many questions.”

“First time was before Yang,” Y/n explained wearily. “We were in this void-like space…I dunno. H-he’s fading, Nya. I had to help.” She pressed a hand to her forehead. “Wait…I’ve been out for hours?!”

Nya sat next to her as she had before. “Calm down, Y/n. I tried to wake you up but you were really out of it. And…you did need the sleep. Although I guess it only made things worse.”

“All that time…” Y/n whispered, lowering her hand to stare at it. “How long until the tea shop?”

“About half an hour,” Nya replied, frowning when Y/n groaned. “Misako and Wu have been busy with the second clue and the boys are asleep. You didn’t miss anything, promise.”

Y/n slumped in defeat and Nya gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “It’s just…I feel useless when I’m not doing anything. I don’t know spinjitzu and my fighting only gets me or Lloyd injured. I don’t have time to sleep when there’s so much I have to do and learn.”

“Chen’s island put you behind,” Nya replied quietly. “They taught you a different way to fight that isn’t as balanced or honorable as what we learn. No offense.” Y/n shook her head once, stopping when her vision spun. “Even I still don’t know spinjitzu. But you have a team for a reason, Y/n. You might not be used to it, but we’re always here for each other.”

Y/n blinked, processing the words. “You…don’t know spinjitzu?”

Nya shrugged. “No. I only started becoming a Ninja when Lloyd—” Y/n looked away and she winced. “After Morro showed up. Before that I was Samurai X.”

“I’ve heard of Samurai X,” Y/n murmured. “Dunno if you meant to or not, but you set Chen’s plan back a week. I didn’t realize it was you.” She smiled slightly.

Nya smirked at that. “Hah. Good to know. But the point is, just because you don’t know spinjitzu doesn’t mean that you aren’t a Ninja or part of the team.”

She was right. On the island, Y/n was taught to fight to kill, honorable or not, and to fight alone. She often sparred with four or five opponents at once, going up against them solo. The notion of being alone was engraved into her mind—because back then, it was kill or be killed. But now she was a Ninja and a powerful Elemental Master. She was learning new ways to fight and catching up on everything that she missed while on the island. Her unorthodox techniques allowed her to best Morro time and again, even if it meant her getting hurt. After all, injuries were not scarce in battles.

“Thanks, Nya,” Y/n said quietly. “Guess I still need someone to beat me into shape.”

The Water Ninja grinned and lightly punched Y/n’s shoulder. “What’re friends for?”

Y/n responded with a quick side-hug to the ravenette, who squeezed her back. The ache in her chest still radiated throughout her body and she felt nauseous with every turn of her head, but Y/n decided not to bring that up. Instead, she added, “I’ll tell you about the dream connection thing later.”

“You’d better,” Nya agreed. “I want to know how my fest friend can communicate with my leader.”

Best friend. Y/n’s eyes widened a fraction. She’d never had a best friend before.

Her face broke into a grin and she copied Nya’s statement from before. “What’re friends for.”

Chapter Text

When they finally arrived at the tea shop, Y/n had composed herself and woken up enough to not make the others worried. She felt Nya’s eyes on her, though, but pointedly ignored her friend. She climbed down the ladder and trailed after her mother as they neared the shop.

“Morro and his ghosts may show up to steal the sword,” Misako told the team, “so it is your job to defend the shop. At least until we can figure out the last clue. Understand?”

The team nodded, glancing at each other. No one looked ready to fight—injured, tired, and sore. Even on their own turf, they might not last long in a fight.

Not like they did the first time, anyway.

“If water is a ghost’s weakness, we should use that,” Kai mused as Misako headed inside with Wu and Ronin to puzzle over the last clue and put the Sword hidden in an adjacent shed where it wasn’t very obvious.

Y/n caught the fleeting expression of alarm on Cole’s face before he hid it. “Yeah, but be careful,” she said, and the Ninja-turned-ghost gave her a grateful look. “Not everyone here wants to get wet.”

Kai nodded in understanding.

“Ooh!” Jay brightened. “Water balloons!”

Y/n raised a brow and Cole and Nya snickered. Kai just sighed in exasperation while Zane gave their energetic teammate an intrigued glance.

“Perhaps we should also include water guns or a hose on a tripwire,” he suggested.

“Dibs on a water gun,” Y/n claimed. When Zane blinked at her in surprise, she shrugged. “They look like fun.” And the most efficient way to kill a ghost.

Jay pumped his fist in the air. “Yeah! They are so fun. I’ll join you!”

Y/n sent him an unamused look. “Maybe not so fun anymore.”

While Jay scoffed at her, the others laughed. Y/n crossed her arms with lips pressed tightly together but winked at the Lightning Ninja. After a moment, he joined in the laughter. Nya gave her a fist bump, eyes twinkling with humor.

Y/n couldn’t bring herself to join in.

“So water guns, a hose, and balloons,” Cole counted. “That seems good enough. Just make sure it doesn’t hit me.”

“Of course,” Zane agreed. “I will work on the hose so it triggers if it senses more than one ghost.”

“Then Nya and I can fill the balloons,” Kai finished.

The Ninja split ways to complete their defenses. Jay showed Y/n how to refill and shoot a water gun, using two metal pails as their water supply, placed strategically outside where it wasn’t easily visible and inside near the counter. They added a ‘Closed’ sign on top of the door just in case any curious shoppers wandered past.

As Y/n practiced aiming the water gun at different distances and angles, her eye caught a shape making its way up the path, wearing purple and a straw hat. She glanced around to see if anyone else noticed, but they were too engrossed in their own tasks to notice. Nya and Kai were both dripping with water but laughing—Kai less so than his sister—as they flung the liquid at each other from a central hose for filling the balloons. Y/n smiled at them before turning her attention back to the newcomer.

Not knowing who it was, Y/n shouldered her water gun and stuck to the shadows as she snuck closer. Being invisible was something she knew how to do—even before becoming a Ninja.

The person was a man, walking alone with a piece of paper in one hand and wearing a heavy-looking brown backpack. He held a walking stick in his free hand and his hat shadowed his face.

When he was close, Y/n lunged out from her hiding place and planted herself in front of the man, glaring daggers at him with her hands raised defensively.

“Who are you and what do you want?” She demanded.

The man startled and scrambled backwards. His glasses slid down his face some and he quickly pushed them back up. “I, uh—I have mail for the Ninja,” he stammered.

Confused, Y/n relaxed out of her fighting stance. Whatever he was, he was no fighter.

Zane must’ve heard her, and placed a hand on her shoulder. “He is a friend,” the nindroid reassured Y/n. He dipped his head to the…mailman. “Thank you for delivering the mail. What is it?”

The frightened man simply handed the paper to Zane before yanking his hand back, eyes on Y/n.

She looked away, guilty.

She really was paranoid.

“You should leave here,” Zane told the mailman. “It is not safe right now.”

He didn’t need telling twice. The purple-robed wanderer quickly turned down the path and vanished.

“Sorry,” Y/n muttered before Zane could say anything.

“It is not your fault,” he reassured. “Everyone is stressed right now, and you did not know him.” He gave her a gentle smile and headed back towards the shop with Y/n by his side. “I wonder what mail would come here.”

“Probably nothing good,” Y/n grumbled.

Nya noticed their return first. “Whatcha got, Zane?” She called.

Kai turned around to look, and his sister sent a huge splash of water into his face.

The Fire Ninja spluttered indignantly and turned around to get his revenge, but Nya had already run towards Zane and Y/n. She stuck out her tongue at her brother and he scowled.

Y/n gave the Water Ninja an approving nod.

“It is for Master Wu,” Zane answered in his usual calm tone, but clearly amused by Nya’s move on Kai.

“Master Wu!” Jay called a little too loudly and definitely too dramatically from his spot at the front desk. “Maaaaaaiiil!”

Amusement flickered through most of the gathered team.

Y/n, though, furrowed her brow. “How can you all joke around right now?” She asked quietly. “There’s nothing to be happy about.” Kai looked down, crestfallen, but the others exchanged glances.

“I got this one,” Jay said finally. Somehow he managed a serious expression. “It’s not about all the negatives, Y/n. When all hope is lost, sometimes all you need is a good laugh to stay positive. Helps cope with what’s bad while opening your eyes to what’s good.”

Y/n hugged herself for comfort and let the words sink in.

Not all about the negatives.

Like Lloyd slowly dying in Morro’s clutches or how none of them could use their powers. Like how she was so paranoid, she almost attacked the innocent mailman.

Opening her eyes to what’s good.

They had the Sword of Sanctuary. Lloyd was fighting back. She could share a dream with him and make sure he wasn’t alone.

However this was going to end, it would be soon.

“Okay,” she whispered.

Cole put a hand on her shoulder. Zane did on the other side. Y/n sent them each a shaky smile.

When Wu came into the room, the Ninja shifted to act like nothing had happened.

Only Y/n caught the faint nod he sent at her, and she appreciated it.

He read the mail and sighed heavily. “What is it, Master?” Zane prodded.

Wu crumpled up the paper. “Nothing to concern yourself with. Are the defenses taken care of?”

“Yes, Master.”

Before Wu could return to deeper in the shop, Ronin and Misako came out in to the lobby, the latter holding Zane’s falcon on her arm. Ronin shifted towards the back, glancing around nervously, while Misako called everyone else to the front.

“Did you figure out where the tomb is?” Jay asked eagerly.

Mask shook her head and Y/n’s heart sank. “Not yet,” she replied. “But we think we know how to locate it.” The falcon’s eyes glowed and a projection of the third symbol—a skull—appeared on the wall. Wu turned the blinds down and the Ninja crept closer to the wall.

“The skull refers to the tomb’s entrance,” Wu told them. “However, my father’s resting site is guarded by three deadly tests designed to keep anyone unworthy away. Only the Sword of Sanctuary can see past its riddles.”

“Which we have,” Y/n added thoughtfully.

“Sure, that’s great and all, but where is the tomb?” Cole pressed.

Misako dipped her head. “We started to wonder if the first two clues combined could lead to the third. The Scroll and the Sword. There is a map on the back of the original Scroll—and we think if you use the map’s reflection on the Sword, it will reveal the tomb’s location.”

“So we have to get the map back,” Kai determined.

Wu pulled the blinds back up and light filled the room. Y/n frowned, thinking about how they could even start to get the map back from the ghosts—when she paused, eyes narrow.

“Where’s Nya and Ronin?”

Silence fell. But only for a moment.

The clang of metal rang from the shed off to the side.

Where they had put the Sword.

Y/n was out the door before anyone could say a word.

The courtyard fell silent as Y/n raced closer, slowed by her fatigue.

Then Ronin sauntered out of the shop, Sword in hand, looking all too pleased with himself.

His smirk turned to a frown when he saw the five Ninja running at him.

“Hold on a minute,” Ronin demanded, hefting the Sword. Y/n slowed but continued to stalk closer, sure that her expression must be terrifying. “We can do this the easy way instead of the hard way.”

“Then drop the Sword,” Y/n demanded.

Ronin tsked. “You can’t fight me,” he scoffed. “None of you. I mean, look at yourselves. You’re all too weak and tired.”

Too weak.

Too weak?!

“Uh oh,” Cole whispered loudly from behind her. “Y/n’s mad.” Entirely mocking Ronin, but he had no idea how right he was.

Y/n had been called weak too many times.

Never again.

“Don’t say that!” She cried, lunging at the thief.

(She didn’t notice her eyes flash purple for a moment nor the way her yell reverberated around her as if she had two voices.)

Surprised by her boldness (and the power), Ronin didn’t have enough time to raise his weapon before Y/n had closed the distance between them and taken hold of the hilt. But his grip was far stronger than hers in her worn-out state and he wrenched the Sword away before sending a kick at Y/n’s side to knock her off-balance.

The other Ninja attacked, but Ronin wasn’t terribly wrong.

They were all too tired and uncoordinated to hold a proper fight.

If they went against the ghosts right now, they would be destroyed.

Nya pulled Y/n to her feet and they glared at Ronin as he ran towards the tea shop.

“We can’t let him get away,” Y/n hissed.

“I know,” Nya agreed, “but he’s not going anywhere in that direction. Not with Master Wu and Misako in there.” She frowned thoughtfully. “There’s only one other way to get away quickly. Follow me.” She ran towards the small river behind the shop and Y/n followed hot on her heels.

The two looked up and down the stream, but there was no one there. Something glass crashed inside the shop.

“They need us in there,” Y/n pressed, jittery with adrenaline. She needed to get in there and help, not stay by the river and wait! She bounced on her heels to prepare for running to her friends’ aid.

“Hold on,” Nya insisted, gently grabbing Y/n’s wrist to ground her, but loose enough to pull free. “There’s too many people as it is.” She suddenly gasped and scrambled backwards, out of eyesight from upriver. “Get back!”

Y/n grunted in surprise but followed. She and Nya hid behind a tree, the only sound their quiet breathing. And then a small sailboat appeared upstream.

Ronin.

He had the Sword of Sanctuary.

“Now’s our chance,” Y/n hissed, crouching to leap forward.

But her friend held her back. “Hang on,” Nya whispered. “You’re in no shape to take him one-on-one. Let me try something.”

Y/n frowned but stepped back.

Nya exhaled and held out her hand, brow furrowed. Y/n’s eyes widened.

Water powers.

The river rippled but its flow didn’t change.

“Come on…” the Ninja muttered. “Come on…”

“You can do it,” Y/n encouraged, resting a hand on Nya’s shoulder.

Nya dropped to one knee and Y/n bit back a yelp of alarm, just noticing how pale her friend was. “Can’t…fail…” she rasped, her other hand leaving Y/n’s wrist to extend next to her other one. “Can’t let him…escape.”

Y/n reached for her powers. They fluttered under her touch but didn’t spring up like usual. Just a little, she begged. Please. Tiny sparks appeared on her hand and settled on Nya’s shoulder. The water stalled and stopped flowing, trapping Ronin’s ship right as he drifted over the eddy.

The thief ran to the side of his little sailboat and stared down at the water. His eyes shot up and zeroed in on the two Ninja.

“Why are you doing this?” Y/n demanded. “What do you need the Sword for?”

The thief started messing with his sail to try and get free. His boat shifted forward and Nya grimaced. “Giving Morro the Sword is the only way to save myself,” Ronin answered bluntly. “I can’t afford to let my soul get cursed. So if you will, I’ll be leaving now.”

“No!” Nya snapped, moving her arms as if pulling something. The water’s flow briefly reversed. “That’s…that’s the only way to save Lloyd!”

Ronin shrugged. “Sorry, kids. I gotta look after number one.” He pulled his sail higher and began moving forward again.

Y/n glanced down at Nya, whose forehead glistened with perspiration and paled from her normal dark tan to a sickly white. Her body was tense under Y/n’s hand. She recognized it.

“Don’t force it,” the elemental whispered. “You can’t force your powers. Let them—” right, Water elemental, not Spirit. “Let them flow and bend them to your current.”

Nya inhaled slowly and closed her eyes. Her posture relaxed somewhat. Her expression relaxed.

“Feel the river’s flow,” Y/n added. She had no idea what she was saying. “Don’t try to reverse it. Just…turn it.”

Ronin’s sailboat moved back even faster.

“What the—” he ran to the back and stared at Y/n crouched next to Nya. His expression hardened and he pulled out a throwing star. “Let me go or I’ll throw it,” he warned.

“Ronin, don’t,” Y/n hissed venomously. “Morro will never hold up his end of your deal.”

The thief pointed the star at Y/n, her warning going over his head, then Nya. “You can’t defend both of you. I will throw it.”

Nya’s eyes snapped open in alarm. Her concentration broke. Her hold on the water vanished and it resumed its normal course. Ronin’s dark expression brightened and he gave them a friendly wave as if he was a friend just leaving for the night. Nya slumped forward and punched the ground as she glared weakly downstream. “No!”

Y/n dropped unceremoniously to the ground, panting as she let up her powers.

They’d failed. Ronin had the Sword and was on his way to Morro.

No map. No Sword. No clue where her grandfather’s tomb was.

“That’s it.” She buried her face in her hands. “We’re done. We lost.”

Nya grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Nope. Not yet. Ninja never quit.”

The Water elemental recoiled somewhat in surprise when Y/n looked up, eyes wet. But her gaze softened and she wrapped Y/n in a firm hug.

“We’ll get him back,” Nya whispered hoarsely. “We will.”

Y/n’s breathing was shaky but she refused to let any more tears out. “How?” She rasped.

Before Nya could reply, they heard another voice. “Nya? Y/n? Where are you?”

Y/n jerked away from the Water Ninja and frantically dried her face as she sent a half-hearted warning glare to the other Ninja.

“Don’t worry.” Nya smiled. “I won’t tell anyone.” She stood and pulled Y/n up with her. “We’re here, Kai!” She shouted back to the newcomer.

The Fire Ninja ran around the corner, worried, but immediately relaxing when he saw they were unharmed. “He got away?” The brunette guessed. Nya and Y/n both nodded dejectedly and Kai muttered something under his breath. Louder, he said, “We should regroup and figure out what to do next.”

Y/n nodded and trudged back towards the shop, glancing at Kai when she passed.

Something in her expression must’ve given her away. The red Ninja snagged Y/n’s arm and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Y/n tensed in surprise but quickly leaned into the gesture. Kai was warm and protective.

Kai pulled back, shot Y/n a small smile, and continued towards the tea shop as if nothing had happened.

The Spirit Ninja pulled her arms close to her body and ducked her head as she trailed after Kai.

Nya sidled up to Y/n and elbowed her. “Well, you got on his good side.”

Y/n smiled and blew some hair out of her eyes. “Seems like it.”

When they entered the shop, which had tea leaves scattered on the floor, Misako immediately scanned Y/n for injury and Jay scurried over to Nya, whispering something. Zane messed with the mechanics in his falcon and Cole spoke in a hushed tone to Wu.

“What do we do now?” Y/n pressed into the otherwise quiet room.

Wu nodded to Cole before heading to the shop’s supply room. “Now, you have some healing tea. We do not have enough time for proper rest, so it will have to do.”

None of the Ninja looked too happy with that.

“It’s bad?” Y/n guessed.

“Repulsive,” Jay replied with his face scrunched in distaste. “You gotta just chug it.”

A few minutes later, when Wu emerged with six steaming cups on a platter, Y/n realized that the others weren’t wrong. It even smelled bad.

She stared at the seemingly harmless liquid, lips curled in disgust. The others began gulping theirs down as fast as they could, none without making a gagging sound. Except Zane. He drank his calmly.

Here goes nothing.

Y/n tried to keep it down as she swallowed.

When she finished, she exhaled loudly and swallowed heavily, trying to get rid of the flavor.

But beneath that, she felt a tingling as her aches and cuts began mending themselves.

“Now that Morro has the Sword and the map, we have to confront them directly,” Misako started.

“’Cause that always goes well,” Kai mumbled, crossing his arms. Y/n nodded in agreement.

Misako said something else, but Y/n stopped listening.

Because her candle burst to life.

A moment later, Zane’s falcon started beeping. The nindroid frowned and pressed a button and a projection shone from the bird’s eyes. Ronin.

“You traitor,” Kai growled. “Some nerve you have showing your face here so soon.”

Ronin ignored the Ninja, glancing around nervously. “Look. I can’t talk loud, but I wanted to let you know, Y/n, you were right. Morro didn’t hold up his end of the bargain. And Misako, you were right, too. The Sword did reveal the tomb’s location and I managed to sneak a peak. I know you don’t have the Sword, but you can still beat them to the tomb.” His eyes widened. “They’re coming. I have to go.”

“Wait!” Jay barked. “Where is it? Where is the tomb?”

“The Caves of Despair!” Ronin gasped, his form glitching. “It’s in the Caves of Desp—” The video cut out.

The Ninja exchanged uneasy glances.

“The Caves of Despair?” Wu questioned. “But we’ve been there. I don’t remember any tomb.”

“We can’t trust him,” Nya added.

Y/n shook her head in agreement before focusing on her candle.

Why did it come back moments prior to Ronin’s message?

She tried reaching to it, but it went dim again right before she could do anything.

“With Lloyd’s life on the line, we don’t have a choice,” Cole responded with regret lacing his words.

Nya still looked agitated. “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. What good will it do if it’s all a setup?”

Y/n hummed in agreement. “It feels like a trick. And we can’t afford to lose any more time.”

After a beat of silence, Wu sighed. “I’m afraid we have no choice. And even a misstep can be a step in the right direction. We have no other clues and no time. You will all go.”

“I do not like this either,” Zane piped up upon seeing Y/n and Nya’s crestfallen expressions. “But if we go knowing to expect a trap, then the chance of something happening reduces significantly.” He let his falcon fly to a nearby perch. “We will go armed and ready to fight.”

“Then it’s set,” Misako finished. “We leave immediately. One way or another, we will find this tomb.”

Chapter Text

They took the Bounty to the Caves of Despair. It was a one-hour flight and the skies remained clear with no wind. It was smooth sailing the whole way. Y/n sat on the bow, staring out at the horizon, thinking.

They had no way to know if they could pass the tests without the Sword of Sanctuary. They couldn’t use it to make sure they were at the right place. They had no idea if Morro had a head start, or if they were even in the right spot. The tests could only be conquered by a master of spinjitzu, which she wasn’t.

So even if it was the right place, she wouldn’t be able to go in anyway. She’d have to let the others find the Realm Crystal without her—sitting on the sidelines, useless.

Nya’s words rang in her ears. “Even I still don’t know spinjitzu.” She was going into the Caves, too.

None of it would matter if they couldn’t use spinjitzu.

“We’re here!” Jay exclaimed suddenly, running over to the side railing. Y/n stood and joined him just as the others crowded the deck, peering down.

The Caves looked like a stone quarry with several holes in the wall. Old mine cart tracks led into the depths of the darkness and some wooden pillars supported the cave walls. Y/n counted at least five different openings.

“The Caves of Despair,” Kai breathed, his expression somewhat nostalgic.

Cole, Jay, and Zane shared similar sentiment. “The place we came for the first Golden Weapon,” Cole remembered. “The Scythe of Quakes.”

“And met Rocky,” Zane remembered.

“And learned spinjitzu,” Jay added.

They shared a fond smile at the memories.

“Who’s Rocky?” Y/n asked timidly.

Cole suddenly looked wistful. “A dragon.”

Y/n blinked. Not what she was expecting.

But not surprising. Not in Ninjago.

“It’s like we’ve come full circle,” Kai mused.

Jay groaned. “Don’t say that. Full circle means it’s coming to an end, and I don’t wanna hear that before I go into the Caves of Despair, one of my least favorite words! Are we sure the tomb’s in there?”

Nya swatted his shoulder. “We’ve already been saying that!” She huffed, exasperated.

“Do we have any evidence that it is the right place?” Y/n questioned. “Y’know, before we go in?”

Zane leaned closer to the caves, his eyes flashing slightly. “There.” He pointed to one of the cave entrances, where a small skull symbol had been carved into the rock.

The same one as the third clue.

“Good enough for me,” Jay declared, and even though he put up a determined facade, Y/n saw the lingering fear in his eyes. “Let’s go and get it over with.”

Zane saluted to Wu and Misako up on the bridge, who nodded and dropped the anchor. Jay went first and, one at a time, the others followed.

A puff of dirt flew into the air when Y/n landed. She sneezed and dusted off her gi, then waved her hand in front of her face. “Great. This place hasn’t been used in years.”

“About two,” Cole replied with a shrug.

Right. They would know.

They wandered up the side of the quarry to the skull symbol, watching their steps to make sure they didn’t slip off the edge of the narrow path. Luckily the entrance to the cave had a wider platform, so they could all fit without risk of falling.

Y/n stared at the symbol.

It seemed too easy.

How had the tomb not been found before if the clue was right at the entrance?

Kai took the lead, plunging into the dim entrance. Zane brought up the rear.

When the cave split into two paths, they paused—but only briefly. Jay pointed out another skull symbol and they went down that path.

“It’s so dark.” Cole suddenly broke the silence, his voice falling flat in the cave air. “I can barely see my hand in front of my face.”

Y/n grimaced. She could still see pretty well; outlines and generic shapes told her where to go. And she could definitely see her hand no matter where she held it.

Zane’s eyes suddenly brightened like two flashlights. Y/n shielded her eyes from the sudden onset of light and blinked rapidly to let her eyes adjust.

“Thanks.”

The two beams of light suddenly panned to the ground, illuminating four lanterns.

“Hey, more light,” Kai realized, beelining for the lanterns.

Just as he reached down to pick one up, Cole yelped. “Wait! What if this is one of the tests?”

Jay gasped. “Yeah! Master Wu said the tomb was guarded by three deadly tests. Maybe if we pick the wrong lantern…”

They all hesitated, staring at the lanterns. Y/n gazed at the walls to try and find a tripwire or any kind of trick but she didn’t see anything. If this was a trap…it would be magically set as one.

Wonderful.

Then Kai snatched one, and nothing happened.

“They’re just lanterns,” Y/n sighed.

Quiet chuckles of relief broke the silence as Jay and Cole grabbed their lanterns and continued down the tunnel. Nya took the last one but paused with her hand hovering over the handle, glancing back at Y/n.

“I don’t need it,” the elemental assured. “All yours.”

“If you’re sure,” Nya muttered.

Y/n gave her a tight smile. “I am.”

Tense silence regained its footing within the six Ninja. The air inside the cave became colder and flat as they continued at a slight downward slope, the walls smooth from ancient miners. Y/n shivered at the chill that ran down her spine. This felt wrong.

And then the air warmed, the walls widened, and a putrid smell filled the space.

Y/n craned her neck to see around the heads in front of her. The tunnel abruptly widened into a small cave with a glowing orange hole in the middle and a vertical vent above that. A small shape lay on the far side and a few boulders were scattered on the other.

“What is that smell?” Jay gagged, pinching his nose. He swung his lantern around as he looked around as if to find the source.

Zane gazed at the glowing crater. “Kethanol. A highly flammable gas sometimes released during deep well mining.”

Cole looked like he wanted to say something, but Kai interrupted. “This wall,” he breathed, running his fingers over the stone and peering at them. “They’re covered in ash. Perhaps one of the traps?”

“The kethanol geyser,” Zane corrected, suddenly nervous. “It could ignite again at any moment, and if it does, will burn everything within five miles. We cannot stay long.”

“If this is my grandfather’s tomb,” Y/n realized, “it’s long since burned.”

Nya sided up to her and they both glanced around. It was feeling more and more like a trap every moment and every clue they found.

An exclamation drew Y/n’s attention to the other side of the geyser, where Cole and Jay had wandered. Upon closer inspection, the small shape revealed to be…a skeleton.

“Oh, lovely,” Y/n sighed. “Just what we needed.”

“You think it’s him?” Cole asked.

Y/n headed over, slowly from lightheadedness setting in. “No way. If this is supposed to be hard, it isn’t. And there’s no Realm Crystal. And why would he just be lying there?”

Zane joined them, his frown thoughtful. “Y/n is correct. That is not the First Spinjitzu Master. This is…” His eyes narrowed and he fished out a small symbol hidden behind the skeleton’s hand, badly singed but the embroidery still visible. “This is the Master of Wind.”

Discomfort rippled through the Ninja, and Y/n tensed. The remains of Morro’s mortal body, no doubt victim to the kethanol geyser. It was an absolutely terrible was to go, even for someone she despised.

“No one should have to suffer that,” Nya whispered softly, voicing Y/n’s thoughts. She nodded in agreement.

“Wait,” Jay blurted. “If Morro’s body is here, then that means—”

He was rudely interrupted by a loud, raspy voice. “It is trap!”

Y/n whirled around, eyes widening upon seeing the two specters hovering in the path they’d come from.

“Now you suffer same fate!” The larger ghost crowed, swinging his scythe into the rock wall.

But it never landed.

Y/n had crossed the space in the blink of an eye and grabbed onto the cold ghost scythe, blocking it from hitting the wall. The expression on the specter’s face was laughable had she not been in danger.

The other ghost released an ear-splitting scream. Y/n cried out and fell to her knees, hands pressed over her ears, and allowed the first ghost to get free. The other Ninja staggered around, equally disabled by the scream. Y/n glanced back, black spots in her vision, and met Nya’s gaze. Her fingers danced with water, but it evaporated before she could do anything with it.

The scream finally ended, but Y/n couldn’t get to her feet. The kethanol made her incredibly lightheaded and the scream disrupted her sense of balance. She managed to pry herself off the floor and onto the wall, but walking was a definite no.

Until she saw the ghosts approaching her helpless friends, still recovering just like her.

Her—her family.

Y/n released a battle cry and stepped forward.

Time seemed to slow down.

A step. A skip. Jump over the boulder on the ground. Land with a slight backwards kick to regain balance. Twist to avoid the closest ghost swinging their fist at her. Spin around to continue her trajectory towards the ghost with the scythe, the weapon aimed at Nya.

And then purple sparks flicked and spiraled around her body, whooshing upwards and enclosing her in a soft gray-purple vortex.

Y/n gasped as warmth surrounded her—but not the stifling heat from the kethanol geyser, but a life-giving warm that caressed her and gave her energy and strength.

Her speed increased and she slammed into the ghost before he could swing his scythe, sending him flying to the other side of the cavern. Y/n stopped just in front of the geyser in a steady half-crouch, glaring at the ghost and panting.

“Yes, Y/n!” Jay exclaimed, breaking her trance. She staggered to the side as a wave of intense dizziness made her vision spin but Kai stopped her from falling, his lantern falling to the ground. “You did spinjitzu!”

She tried to stand on her own and immediately tipped the other direction. Cole caught her this time.

“Easy,” he advised. “It’s not fun the first time.”

“No kidding,” she rasped, eyes squeezing shut to push against sudden nausea. “Where’s…where’s the ghost?”

Before anyone could reply, the second ghost hissed. “If you won’t die, then you will burn!” Y/n cracked open her eyes right as she flew over to Kai’s fallen lantern and threw it down the geyser.

The highly flammable kethanol geyser.

“Run!” Zane was the first to action, whirling around to the tunnel they’d come from. But the ghost with the scythe had recovered and hovered in their way, swinging his scythe.

“Not that way!” Jay yelped.

“What other way is there to go?” Nya demanded, running around the small space. The ground rumbled and the heat increased tenfold. Y/n swiped her eyes free of the sweat dripping down her face.

Zane also looked around, much slower. His gaze finally landed on the ceiling. “There!” He cried, pointing up to the vertical tunnel. “Pixal says that’s a way out!”

He and Jay immediately jumped into airjitzu and flew into the small space, vanishing in the darkness. “I haven’t done airjitzu!” Nya protested.

Jay’s face reappeared. Apparently there was a ledge up there. “I’ll catch you!” He promised, reaching a hand down.

Kai grabbed Nya’s hand and began the ascent before she could protest, but with the extra weight, he couldn’t make it far. About halfway to the tunnel, he all but threw his sister higher. Nya shrieked in alarm. But not a moment later, Jay had a firm grasp on her hand, and pulled her the rest of the way to safety.

Y/n shook her head slightly and regained her bearings. She nodded to Cole, who wasted no time using airjitzu to fly up into the tunnel.

As Y/n crouched to jump up, the scythe ghost charged her.

“Ghoultar make you pay!” He screeched, scythe coming down faster than she could move.

Until Kai put himself in the way and the weapon landed harmlessly on his deepstone armor.

“Kai!” Y/n gasped, alarmed, until she realized he was unharmed. “What are you—”

He grimaced and shifted his armor slightly before kicking the ghost away. The ground shook harder. “Learned a thing or two from you on the Wailing Alps,” he replied with a faint smile.

Y/n felt her heart leap at the more experienced Ninja using her moves.

“We should go,” he added.

The Spirit elemental nodded sharply and turned back to the vertical tunnel, where the others watched impatiently. She paused and glanced back at the Fire Ninja.

He nodded reassuringly. “I’ve got your back.”

Y/n gave him a genuine smile and leaped into the hole.

Funny how much she was smiling nowadays after joining the Ninja.

Kai joined them a second later and they ran.

A loud explosion rocked the ground.

“Faster!” Jay cried.

Y/n felt heat bake her from behind, very quickly growing hotter and hotter.

A sudden yell is all the warning she got before the floor vanished and she was falling—but not far, a couple feet, into a long-abandoned mine cart.

The momentum made the cart start moving down its track, picking up speed. Y/n jerked to the side and gripped onto the wall of the wooden cart, eyes blown wide. Everything was happening so fast—

“We need to slow it down!” Kai shouted over the wind and rumbling.

“No!” Zane rejected. “If we slow down, the fire will catch up!”

“What do we do?!” Jay shrieked.

They burst through the wooden planks marking the end of the rails. The walls glowed again and the smell of ash swept over them. Kai stiffened and glanced back, then forward. “There’s fire everywhere!”

The tunnel suddenly opened out into a huge cavern, glowing with the light of lava and stifling hot.

And no floor.

Y/n’s scream joined with the others as they free-fell straight towards the lava below.

This was how she died? Burned to a crisp in a deep cave with more fire behind her?

Apparently not, as a flying hunk of metal interjected their path down. Y/n scrambled for a handhold before she slid out the other side. Her fingers snagged a handle and she jerked to a halt. Nya screeched as she also started to slip out, but Y/n grabbed her wrist with her free hand. The sudden jerk in momentum wrenched her shoulder, earning a pained cry.

“Y/n!” Nya gasped, dangling over the lava.

The elemental couldn’t move, with one hand holding desperately to the handle and the other firmly around Nya’s wrist. She grimaced in concentration, her hands already aching from the effort.

“I’m slipping!” Nya yelped. Y/n’s clammy hand tightened and she groaned at the effort of keeping her friend anchored.

She risked a glance down, sweat stinging her eyes, and realized how close they were to the lava. Nya’s feet hovered only a person’s height above the molten rock, bubbling lazily as if they weren’t in imminent danger. “You’re not…going anywhere,” Y/n promised. But her other hand was losing its grip on the metal; her fist went to fingers desperately straining to hold on.

The metal shape—a flying ship—finally righted itself, making Y/n drape over the ledge of the open door, painfully pressing into her ribs. Jay held onto a rope ladder extended on the other side. Zane manned the controls, his hands flying over buttons and levers as he regained control of the vessel. Kai and Cole scrambled over to Y/n, the former reaching down to Nya. With their help, they managed to crawl onto the floor, safe.

Y/n rolled to her back, hand holding the injured one still as she panted in relief and strain and heat. Her arms trembled even after releasing their weight. She was spent.

“Get us out of here, Zane!” Jay cried as he climbed up. The sliding doors shut after they were all safely inside and the ship sped towards a tunnel leading out.

A loud rumbling echoed through the caves. Something shone so bright it was nearly blinding. Y/n squeezed her eyes shut.

“Fire, fire, fire!” Kai muttered, shifting from foot to foot.

The flying vessel burst out of the caves and shot into the sky, rocking as a massive explosion shook the ground.

Chapter Text

Tall walls barricading her from leaving. An island surrounded by water with no access to boats. Trees blocking the sun and stars. Enemies everywhere.

Y/n wilted when she realized she was back. Back on the island where Chen destroyed her life. Where she’d met the Ninja who changed everything. Where she learned the truth.

“Ah, finally.”

She stiffened in alarm as she spun around, facing Morro. The ghost hovered just above the ground with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. “I wondered how long it would take for me to catch you here.”

“Where is Lloyd?” Y/n demanded. Last time she’d been in a dream like this, Lloyd had found her first, not Morro. He’d been separated from the ghost while in her mindscape. But now, she couldn’t see her brother anywhere.

“Not here,” Morro replied. He drifted closer, an aura of satisfaction around him. “So, this island. Not the best place, was it?”

Y/n clenched her fists. “What’s it to you?”

Morro stretched nonchalantly. “A weakness. A way to get you out of my way. Why do you ask?”

“You’re not being very aggressive.”

Y/n was done with this ghost getting under her skin. She was done with her time at the island. It was in the past and she never had to go back and never had to see Chen or Clouse again. It was time to plant her feet in the ground and push back. She was sick of being the one controlled—now it was her turn. She crossed her arms and scowled at the ghost.

Morro’s brow twitched. Yeah, she was getting to him. Good. “You’re not scared,” he realized. His expression darkened. “You lied to me.”

“Lied?” Y/n echoed. “You’re the one who assumed I’d always be stuck in the past.” She approached the ghost, making sure her face showed her anger. “And I’m done letting you push me around.”

Morro actually hesitated, thrown off by Y/n’s newfound courage.

He finally found his voice. “You might not fear me, but your precious brother does. It’s only a matter of time before he’s gone and I win.”

Y/n grit her teeth. “It won’t be long.” She tried to force herself out of the dream, and to her surprise, her vision started to dissolve. Morro scowled at her. “I’ll make sure of it.” Then the island of torture and Morro disappeared.

~~~

“Y/n, are you okay?”

Soft thrumming and cold air caught up to her senses. A hard metal floor. Dampness that made her gi stick to her body. Hair plastered on her face. Smoke. Pain in her shoulder.

Y/n exhaled shakily and sat up slowly as her eyes opened to a dark, small room and the Ninja scattered around in various positions. Zane at the controls; Nya and Kai slumped in the corner, asleep. Jay standing next to Zane and looking at the controls, confused and intrigued. Cole crouched next to Y/n, scanning her face.

“I’m fine,” she replied tiredly. She felt a pang of pride at her firm stance against Morro in her dream. She’d made sure he knew she wasn’t afraid of him anymore. “What happened?”

Cole’s brow furrowed in concern. “What do you remember?”

“The—the lava,” Y/n recalled. It was all a blur. “Fire. Heat. I—I don’t know.”

The ghost Ninja sat next to her. “The Caves of Despair. Finding Morro’s mortal body. Ghosts attacking and you figured out spinjitzu. The kethanol exploded and we had to run, which led to the lava, and then Ronin’s ship caught us.”

The memories surged back as if they’d always been there. Y/n felt the heat and smelled the soot and saw the bright light of the explosion. And—she’d unlocked spinjitzu to save her friends. Family. Then the fall towards the lava, the pain in her arm, blacking out after the explosion.

Her arm pulsed with pain at the reminder and she grimaced. “Pulled it pretty good,” she muttered, gently rolling the shoulder. It hurt to move too much, but still had some mobility. And it seemed to be recovering quickly.

“Saved Nya though,” Cole reminded, and they both glanced over to where the Water Ninja rested next to her brother, safe. They looked exhausted.

“Yeah,” Y/n agreed softly.

“We’re on the way to the tomb,” the Earth Ninja added. “The real tomb.”

Y/n stiffened. “How do you know?” She blinked, remembering what he said before. “Wait. Ronin’s ship? How long was I asleep?”

The ghost shrugged. “A couple of hours. None of us wanted to wake you up. And yes, Ronin was apparently possessed when he gave us the message, so when he got free, he sent his ship Rex with the tomb’s location set in it.”

No wonder the candle flared during the message—Morro had left Lloyd to control Ronin. Y/n sighed through her nose and pulled her knees to her chest. “Alright. As long as it’s real this time.” Heat washed over her skin despite the cold air conditioning from Rex. She never wanted to go into a cave again. But she had a feeling she would be, soon.

The ship suddenly jerked and pointed down. Y/n leaned forward to see out the window. The cloudy daylight revealed a gray ocean—an ocean coming very close, very fast.

“Where are you going?” Y/n gasped, scrambling to her feet and stumbling over to the controls. Her heart pounded. They—they couldn’t go into the ocean, it was dark and cold and wet—

“Easy, Y/n,” Zane said calmly, gently guiding her away and allowing Jay to take over driving. “The tomb’s entrance is underwater. It is not far from here. We will not be down for long.”

The ship rocked as it plunged into the water and into the depths of the ocean. Y/n tensed and turned away, eyes wide, and refused to watch. Deep, dark, so much water, monsters waiting in the shadows—

“Heh,” Jay muttered. “Cole’s a ghost, Kai and Y/n can’t swim, we have no elemental powers or magical sword. What could go wrong?”

“We have the riddle,” Zane reminded him. To Y/n, he elaborated, “Misako and Wu are taking the Bounty to the tomb and will wait outside. And Misako told us a riddle to help with the three tests.” He paused, remembering. “‘A spinjitzu master can. A spinjitzu master cannot. To go forward, don’t look ahead, to find his resting spot.’”

“Wonderful,” Y/n muttered.

From the back of the ship, Nya suddenly shot to her feet. “Faster, now!” She blurted, darting forward to stare out the window. “Now!”

Startled, Jay slammed on the accelerator and Rex sliced through the water.

A moment later, a loud growling echoed around them.

Y/n went rigid. Monster in the shadows. Just what she wanted. She kept her eyes pinned on the floor.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah!” Jay yelped. “Definitely faster!”

Kai stirred from the commotion and stood, confused. “What’s going on?” He demanded. He met Y/n’s gaze—and took in her frozen form, pale face, wide eyes. He grimaced. “We’re underwater, aren’t we?”

Y/n managed a tiny nod.

Another growl.

“And there’s something chasing us.” Nod.

Kai exhaled shakily and put a hand to his head. “Fantastic.”

The ship jerked to the side and Y/n stumbled into the wall. “It’s on our tail!” Jay cried.

Something slammed into them from above, sending them spinning. Y/n shrieked and curled into a ball, arms protectively around her head. End this, end this, end this!

A drop of water hit her arm and she felt cold.

“Nya!” Zane called. “Keep the water out!”

Despite herself, Y/n’s eye cracked open. The glass windshield had cracked and leaked water in steady streams. Something dark and very big moved in the water.

Nya thrust her hands out, and the streams of water faltered to a drip. “I…I can’t keep this up,” the Water Ninja gasped out, already straining. “The ocean’s…really heavy.”

Fear swept over Y/n again and she buried her face in her arms.

“There!”

“Look out!”

“Starboard side!”

“English, Zane!”

Wordless yells.

And then dead silence.

Rex slowed and rose gently. Nya gasped as she released her powers and the Ninja let out a collective sigh of relief. The doors slid open and damp but refreshing air washed in. It smelled like wet rocks.

“We’re here,” Zane announced, stepping off the ship. The others followed and Y/n skittered out as fast as she could, refusing to look at the water that they’d come from. “The tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master.”

Unlike last time, Y/n could feel the power in the tomb. There was magic here, ancient magic. It radiated from the rocks, deep and old and strong. She ran her fingers over the cave wall, which sparkled faintly in the dim light of Rex’s headlights. This felt like a tomb.

A stray splash of green caught her eye.

Blood going cold, Y/n leaned down to pick up the fragment of green gi and held it up. “Morro’s here,” she hissed.

“There goes any hope he couldn’t find this place,” Jay grumbled.

“Hey, stay positive,” Nya insisted. “We need any hope we’ve got if we’re about to risk our lives going through traps we know nothing about.”

Jay sighed. “You’re right.” Sarcastically, he corrected himself. “We’re not alone! Yay! Now we’re gonna have to fight Morro again! Sure we got our tails handed to us last time, but you never know in the future, because ninja never quit!” He frowned at Nya. “Better?”

The Water Ninja shrugged. “I’ll take it.”

Jay seemed pleasantly surprised by this and his scowl lifted into a delighted smile.

“Look at this!”

Y/n glanced to the side, where Kai and Cole stood. A massive statue of her grandfather towered over them, his hands clasped loosely in a passive gesture and his head bowed. His face was mostly shadowed by his large stone hat, but Y/n could see his warm expression beneath it, looking down at those in front of him.

Despite not knowing him, Y/n smiled softly. Her grandfather looked like a kind person.

“The First Spinjitzu Master,” Cole breathed. Y/n tried to ignore the glance he sent her way. “Creator of all Ninjago.”

Kai murmured his appreciation as well, reverence clear in his gaze.

Y/n couldn’t help but wonder if any of them would be looked at like that in the future. The elemental Ninja who fought to save the world over and over. Who protected everyone and stood for justice and freedom. Would people remember them in thousands of years like they did her grandfather?

“Destination reached,” an automatic voice droned suddenly. “Auto return initiated.”

Y/n whirled around just as Rex’s doors closed and it sank into the water.

“No!” The Ninja all ran to the edge of the water and stared in shock at the vanishing form of the ship. “Our weapons were in there!”

“Not to mention our only way back,” Kai grumbled.

Jay forced a laugh. “Hey, stay positive! Who needs a way back when we gotta go that way!” He pointed to the dark shadow of a huge tunnel leading away from the ocean.

“No Sword, no powers, no problem,” Nya declared. “We can do this.”

“As long as we have each other,” Cole agreed. Was he looking at Y/n? No, that had to be a trick of the light. She glanced away, a weird feeling in her gut.

They plunged into the tunnel.

A short and silent walk later, they emerged in a circular cavern. Several doors lined the walls, each with a miniature FSM above them, holding a glowing blue gem in a slightly different position from the ones next to them. The door the Ninja came from closed behind them.

“Sixteen doors,” Zane mused.

“We probably have to pick one,” Y/n determined.

“What was it Misako said?” Jay asked, studying the doors.

Zane, ever the one with the best memory, recited the riddle. “‘A spinjitzu master can. A spinjitzu master cannot. To go forward, don’t look ahead, to find his resting spot.’”

“A spinjitzu master can,” Cole muttered. “Can what?”

Y/n brushed her hand on one of the doors and shuddered when an eerie and almost cursed feeling washed over her. The next one felt like magic. The one after burst with wildlife. “I think these doors lead to a different realm. Or at least, something dangerous from the realms.”

“Pick the wrong one and we’ll be in a realm of hurt,” Kai muttered.

Jay sighed wistfully. “The Sword would be nice right about now. We’d know what was coming.”

Y/n slowly continued around the circle, her fingers running over each of the doors. None of them felt right. She noticed Cole giving her a strange look. “What are you doing?”

“Feeling for the right one.” In the door she’d stopped at, she sensed death. “I think I can tell which realm is behind them.”

Cole raised a brow and copied her position. “It feels like stone. Basalt, if I had to guess.”

Y/n’s brow furrowed. “You can’t sense the death?”

Her ghost friend frowned. “No.”

Shaken, Y/n withdrew from the wall. How could she sense which realms were there and not Cole, the Master of Earth?

“That’s it!” Zane suddenly exclaimed. “Jay, do not open that door!”

The Lightning Ninja scrambled back at Zane’s urgent tone. He’d been about to open the door that Y/n had felt magic from. “W-what is it?” He demanded.

“We’re inside a zoetrope,” Zane explained. “The engravings make a pattern when seen in rapid succession. They create a moving image.”

“‘A spinjitzu master can’,” Kai echoed. His face lit up. “Do spinjitzu!”

They all backed away from the middle as Zane stood there. He assumed his pose before bursting into a brilliant white tornado that illuminated the cavern brightly. He spun in place for a moment before sliding to a halt, pointing at one of the doors near Y/n. The one they’d come through. “That one. That’s the way out.”

“Isn’t that the door we came from?” Nya questioned. “Are you sure?”

“Are you sure you want to doubt a nindroid?” Zane teased.

Kai nodded to Y/n, the closest to the door. “Open it. Let’s find out.”

The elemental frowned and placed her hand on the door. It felt…like normal. No power or magic radiated from this tunnel. Could that mean it was the one to the rest of the tomb? Taking a deep breath, she pushed the stone door open.

A gaping tunnel greeted them.

“That wasn’t there before,” Cole choked out. “How could it have changed?” Even in the dim cave light, Y/n could see his face pale. The Master of Earth not sensing the ground changing would be upsetting for anyone, she supposed.

“Welcome to the tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master,” Kai grumbled, entering the passage.

Jay tried for an optimistic outlook. “Nice one, Zane! Who needs the future-telling sword when you’ve got a nindroid?”

Zane seemed pleased with himself at this.

The second tunnel was just as short as the first. It ended in a smaller cavern covered in hexagonal tiles and a glowing golden staff at the far end. Y/n felt the power of creation wafting off the bamboo.

“His staff,” she breathed.

“This must be the second test,” Cole said. He glanced at the nindroid in the room. “Zane, what do you think?”

Zane studied the room for a moment, then sighed. “Neither myself nor Pixal can sense a pattern. For this test, I am at a loss.”

“This one must be ‘a spinjitzu master cannot’,” Jay determined brightly. Then he shrank back on himself. “Though, saying it aloud, I don’t like the sound of that.”

Nya stepped forward. “I’m not a spinjitzu master. Maybe I should give it a try.”

Y/n nodded in support and put herself behind her friend. “I’m with you,” she said. “I only just learned it. I can’t be a ‘master’ yet.”

Nya took one step forward onto a tile. It immediately fell from under her foot and a round of arrows flew through the air.

Y/n yelped and ducked as one shot over her head, though luckily, none followed. “Every step, a trap,” Jay squeaked.

“Every step closer to the staff leads to another trap,” Zane agreed. “This riddle is much harder than the last one.”

“How are we supposed to get the staff, then?” Cole asked to no one in particular.

Kai stepped forward, a determined yet slightly cocky grin on his face. “Watch and learn.” He used his airjitzu to fly over many of the tiles, but the one he landed on sent a spike flying through the air. His jump to avoid it led to a boulder crashing onto the platform, which the Ninja dodged. Y/n was forced onto a tile, which sank under her weight. She hurriedly leaped back to the main platform, smaller now with the boulder. It had crashed into the wall and created a leak of sea water.

“We’re that close to the ocean?” She shrieked. That alone was the most terrifying thing in the room.

She glanced to the other Ninja only for her heart to drop. They were all jumping from tile to tile, trying to find a safe spot to stand on. Projectiles flew throughout the room. More and more tiles fell into the dark abyss below them.

“Will everyone please stop moving!” Jay screeched.

Finally they all found a solid tile to stand on, though too far to jump to another one.

“I can make it!” Kai insisted, a desperation in his voice. “It’s just a hop, skip, and a jump!”

“Yeah, but what else comes with a hop, skip, and a jump?” Cole demanded. “We can’t trigger any more traps.”

“Why are we not listening to the clue?!” Jay cried. “It clearly said ‘a spinjitzu master cannot’!”

While the Ninja bickered about being able to make it, Y/n glanced at Cole. He’d gone quiet, studying the ground. She followed his gaze and saw nothing but darkness—though that didn’t really mean anything under the earth.

“What if…” His expression brightened. “What if the reason we can’t do it is ‘cause we’re never meant to reach the staff?” He turned towards the rest of the team. “What’s the first rule of being a Ninja?”

“A Ninja never quits,” they replied automatically.

“Exactly,” Cole agreed. “Which is why we can’t do it. Because a Ninja would never give up.” He looked into the pit again. “Trust me.”

“Cole, what are you—” Y/n’s warning stopped short when the elemental jumped into the pit.

She stared in shock where he’d vanished. Did he just…?

A moment of silence later, an excited laugh echoed up from below. “What are you waiting for? Come on down and enjoy the ride!”

Y/n cast a glance at her friends, who seemed just as mystified. But Zane shrugged. “Here goes nothing!” He stepped off and plummeted.

Jay went next. Then Nya. And before she could talk herself out, Y/n followed.

Her heart jumped into her throat as she free-fell into the blackness. But a moment later she landed smoothly on a slick and cold surface and began sliding rather than falling. Her hand rested on the surface and she felt the ice underneath.

It was a slide.

A slide made of ice in her grandfather’s tomb, hidden by a staff that taunted them to get it. She wanted to laugh and scream at the same time. Her grandfather had an interesting sense of humor.

She let herself have a little fun as she stood, sliding down on her feet like ice skates. Through flashes in the wall, she spotted Kai riding icicles like skis.

She liked this riddle.

At the bottom, she tumbled through a wall of snow and landed on another icy floor, this one glowing, with towering ice walls on either side. This cavern was huge.

“Everyone alright?” Cole asked. He stood down the path a little, giddy from his discovery. Y/n couldn’t blame him. “You didn’t have too much fun, did you?”

Several grumbles came from the Ninja, making Cole’s grin widen.

“Where are we?” Nya breathed, feeling the wall and glancing around.

Jay scrambled up the wall using little nicks and handholds. “Oh! A maze!” He exclaimed. “I’m great at mazes!”

“This one’s probably harder than the ones on the backs of cereal boxes,” Nya teased. Jay ducked his head sheepishly and slid back down.

“Whoa!” Y/n’s head snapped over to Kai’s sudden cry. “My reflection!”

She approached the wall and frowned. Her reflection frowned back at her—messy blonde hair, tired green eyes, dull deepstone armor. Then it rippled and shifted.

The elemental gasped. Her hair was longer, her eyes now a soft gray-purple. She had a scar on her cheek. Her features sharpened, her gaze as intense as it was caring. A small gold necklace hung from her neck, the pendant tucked under her gi where she couldn’t see it. The clothing itself was her  signature color and a scarf went up to her jaw. It looked rather comfortable.

And there was something else. Behind her, a shape shifted the air. Y/n peered closer, trying to make it out. Not one—two. Two large things centered on her back and taller than she was but also touching the ground. Gray and light purple in color, shimmering slightly as if iridescent. A similar color appeared on her head.

Y/n jerked back, heart pounding. No—no, that wasn’t possible. Those couldn’t be what she thought they were. There was no way.

“Our reflections show our future selves,” Zane breathed, his hand touching the ice in fascination.

“‘To move forward, don’t look ahead, to find his resting spot’,” Cole murmured, distracted. He glanced up next to Zane and froze. “Wait, why can’t I see my reflection?”

Y/n’s eyes locked onto hers. The shapes had vanished. She looked like herself again, just with the longer hair and different clothing. She couldn’t calm her racing heart. She knew exactly what those things were. And it scared her.

“It’s probably because you’re a ghost,” Kai’s voice broke through her spiraling.

“Ghosts cast reflections, Kai,” Zane denied. “Maybe you are looking in the wrong spot?”

Cole’s reply showed his evident distress. “I’m looking at the same place you are!”

Y/n staggered over to them to see what the commotion was about. She completely missed the alarmed looks at her pale face. “I-it’s probably a ghost ability or something,” she mumbled. Her frightened expression stared back at her.

…At least the scar looked cool.

“I get an eyepatch!” Jay gloated. “And…” his voice trailed off and his eyes widened.

Nya joined Y/n and the rest of the group. She, too, appeared shaken. “We should get out of here,” she urged. “Looking at the future is not doing anyone any good.” She met Y/n’s gaze and grimaced. Apparently they’d both seen something bad.

“Wait a minute,” Cole gasped. “I think I see me!” He leaned closer to take a better look, but straitened and backed away. Y/n felt the force of an element approaching—not one of their own. “It’s Morro!”

The ghost sliced through the wall with the Sword of Sanctuary. With his tattered mask pulled up and the shadows around his eyes, he truly looked frightening.

“All you Ninja do is talk!” Morro snarled. “Blah, blah, blah! I’ll stop you from talking!” He swung his weapon at Jay, who yelped and bolted. Morro followed hot on his heels.

The commotion snapped Y/n out of her shock. Screw her future reflection. It probably wouldn’t be accurate anyway. “Hang on, Jay!” She cried, running after.

“He’s attacking an unarmed man!” The Lightning Ninja shrieked, dodging the attacks by inches.

Zane, Kai, and Nya ran to catch up. “We’re coming, Jay!” Nya shouted. She turned down one of the paths in the maze but Kai and Zane continued straight. Y/n turned onto her own and hissed when it ended abruptly. She skidded back the way she’d come and tried to sense which direction she felt Morro’s element from. A faint tug led her to the side.

“Cole, where are you?” Jay’s voice echoed from everywhere.

“I don’t really know, but I’m coming!” Came the reply. Just as Y/n skidded to a halt in front of the fight—Morro versus Jay and Zane—Cole slid through the wall and careened into them, breaking up the battle.

“Why didn’t I do that sooner?!” He chastised himself.

Y/n launched herself at Morro and dodged his first swing. She tried to grab the hilt of the Sword, but Morro knew her move. He glared at her and she sensed it was for more than attacking. He was still mad at the dream. He kicked her away, sending her skidding across the slick floor.

“Hey, Morro!” Kai called. He stood to the side next to some icicles. “Come and get me! Unless you’re too afraid of losing.” Despite the ghost’s hold over Kai’s fear, the Ninja managed a provocative smirk.

“You—!” Morro ran over and slashed at Kai, who jumped back. The Sword went through the icicles—which immediately sprang back twice as many. Morro swiped at them to clear the way, but more took their place. He was trapped.

The ghost screamed in rage. “You can’t trap me!” He cried. “I’ll find you, Ninja. Just wait, you’ll see!”

“Quick, how do we get out of here?!” Jay demanded.

“‘Don’t look ahead’!” Cole repeated. He glanced skyward. Nothing but stone. He turned around to face behind him. Just ice.

Y/n glanced down at the glowing floor, shining blue light into the cavern.

Glowing blue.

The answer to the riddle in the first room had been glowing blue light.

“Look below!” She realized at the same time Jay did. They grinned at each other before snapping icicles off the walls and carving them into the floor.

Fortunately, it didn’t take long for the floor to give way. The Ninja jumped through the hole and landed in a dimly lit tunnel, blue iridescent moss illuminating the space. And down below, after a short staircase, was him.

“The First Spinjitzu Master. We’re here,” Kai breathed.

Y/n could feel the ancient power again, radiating around her, even stronger than before. It was a place of respect and honor. No one had been here since her grandfather himself built the tomb.

The Ninja headed towards him, staying silent in respect. They surrounded the skeletal remains in front of them and kneeled. It felt right. This was all that remained of the person who had created their world. Created them.

The Realm Crystal glittered mystically from his hands. With the utmost respect, Zane carefully extracted the artifact and held it up.

They’d done it.

They’d beaten Morro. He’d lost. He couldn’t unleashed the Cursed Realm.

“How does it work?” Nya’s question, despite being a whisper, echoed loudly in the cave.

Y/n suddenly felt cold. She could sense his power. Her candle burst to life, still dim and weak but must stronger than a moment before.

She didn’t need to look to know he was there. But she did. And she froze.

Holding the Sword of Sanctuary to Lloyd’s neck, Morro glared down at them. “How it works is you’ll hand over the Realm Crystal, or say goodbye to your friend!”

Chapter Text

“How it works is you’ll hand over the Realm Crystal, or say goodbye to your friend!”

Morro, out of Lloyd’s body, held the Ninja by his collar and dangled him over the river below. The Sword of Sanctuary rested on Lloyd’s neck, though he barely reacted.

Y/n’s vision seemed to shrink into a pinpoint. She barely heard Morro’s threats or the Ninja’s replies. Her gaze locked onto Lloyd and didn’t move.

He looked awful. He was covered in bruises and cuts, some still bleeding, and utterly exhausted. His normally bright blond hair was dull and his skin pale and sallow. His lips were chapped and an irritated red. He didn’t even flinch as Morro shook him, his head drifting to the side and his arms hanging limply. His glazed eyes, only opened a fraction, stared at nothing.

“What did you do,” Y/n snarled, cutting into the conversation with a question that sounded more like a threat. Her glare, sharp as daggers, cut into Morro’s smug face.

The ghost noticed her interest and grinned, holding Lloyd a little higher. The Ninja whimpered weakly in protest. “What, don’t like what you see?” His tone suggested that he knew Y/n did not. “Hand over the Realm Crystal and he’s all yours.”

Y/n stiffened, glaring at the ghost. She felt Cole’s cold hand on her shoulder, trying to ground her. But she was too angry. She vibrated with fury, her wrath finally allowed to escape. While it meant her powers retreated, her strength increased. “Wait, Y/n. We have a plan,” Cole hissed. She forced herself to nod slightly, fists clenching.

“Time’s up!” Morro cried, pressing the Sword of Sanctuary with more force into Lloyd’s neck, making his face twitch with fear as a thin trickle of blood ran down from the injury. Y/n’s eyes narrowed and she suddenly felt no emotion; just a single, fixed desire: Get Lloyd. “You give me no choice!”

“Wait!” Kai yelled. “We’ll give you the Realm Crystal.”

Do whatever Morro wants. Get Lloyd. Y/n didn’t even care if it meant the Cursed World could escape if they rescued her brother. ’Cause he needed all the help he could get.

Kai threw a red-hot Realm Crystal over her head, straight into Morro’s reach. But with Lloyd in one hand and the Sword in the other, he had to get rid of one to catch the Crystal. He chose Lloyd.

The limp Green Ninja plummeted with a weak cry into the river, sending a large splash onto the stone underfoot. Someone cried Lloyd’s name and Morro screamed.

Get Lloyd!

Before Y/n realized what she was doing, her feet were pounding on the stone and she dove headfirst into the water after her brother.

The cold almost made her gasp, and her muscled locked up. It stabbed into her, numbing her to the bone, dulling her senses. She couldn’t tell which direction she was going, only knowing one thing: she was cold.

But her desire to protect her brother quickly snapped her out of her stupor.

Squinting through the freezing, wet blurriness, Y/n spotted the green form drifting downstream and kicked desperately to catch up. She heard a roar, assumed it to be the blood in her ears, and kept going.

She reached Lloyd and wrapped her arms tightly around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck. Finally, finally, after days of being separated, she had her brother back, even if he was injured. She’d get back at Morro for doing that. He didn’t react.

After a moment, Y/n’s eyes widened in horror as she realized her predicament.

She was submerged in the water. She didn’t know how to swim.

Y/n choked in desperation and a stream of bubbles escaped her mouth. The burning need for air in her lungs came roaring to her consciousness. Her mind screamed in panic.

After two close calls in the past with swimming, Y/n knew she wouldn’t survive a third. As they say, the third time’s the charm. And her luck wasn’t that good. She’d reunited with Lloyd at last and she was going to drown.

…Wait.

Bubbles. Bubbles rose in water.

Through the sting in her eyes, Y/n locked her gaze on the little spheres of air and thrashed her feet wildly to follow them.

Her head broke through the surface and she gasped for breath, coughing heavily, but Lloyd’s extra weight dragged her down again. The cold water closed over her face once more.

Then someone grabbed her gi and yanked her upwards, out of the water. A flash of red fabric entered Y/n’s vision. Kai.

“Grab my hand!” Cole.

Y/n felt a tug as Kai jerked to the side, but she kept her arms wrapped firmly around Lloyd and she hugged him to her chest. She kept his head resting on her shoulder, as high out of the water as she could get it, and tried to stay out of Kai’s way as he tried to extract her from the river.

They reached the edge of the stream and anchored there. Y/n felt the river pull at her body as it sped past, but Kai’s grip on her gi was too tight for her to be swept away. Though she felt him straining.

Some distant part of her mind yelled at her to get it together and help him. But she couldn’t risk any chance of Lloyd slipping free. Her arms already were numb and weakening from the chill of the cave water.

Then two sets of hands pulled her and Lloyd from the river. Someone cried out in pain.

Y/n regained some of her senses as she fell onto her side, coughing and gasping for air, warm air flooding over her. She quickly remembered why she was soaked and scrambled to her knees, leaning over Lloyd, who lay unmoving on his back.

“Lloyd, wake up,” she rasped, gently shaking him. Water blurred her vision, but…That’s weird. I’m out of the river. “Wake up.” Her breaths came quick and shallow, her voice no more than a whisper.

“Nya!” Kai cried. “We need you!”

Y/n’s breath caught in her throat. Lloyd wasn’t breathing.

Her frozen mind fumbled for what to do, but couldn’t land on anything. She—she knew she had to do something, but she couldn’t remember what—it blanked and she hated it.

Nya’s footsteps pounded on the stone underfoot as she raced over and crouched next to Lloyd. She understood immediately and her hands hovered over his chest.

“I—I don’t know if I can control it,” she said shakily. “If it goes wrong it could make it worse!” Panic tainted her voice even though she tried to hide it.

Y/n grabbed Nya’s arm, her own shaking. The Water Ninja gave her a fearful look. “Just like with Ronin,” she breathed, somehow keeping her voice calm.

Understanding flashed in Nya’s eyes, though Cole and Kai seemed confused. Nya turned back to Lloyd and took a deep breath. “Here goes nothing.”

Y/n called on her powers. This time, they answered.

Her hand glowed its lilac color and Nya’s took up her bright blue hue. Her brow furrowed in concentration as her hand slowly moved up Lloyd’s sternum. With a flick of her wrist, she pulled up the water from inside his lungs and threw it back into the river. Y/n released her powers with a sharp inhale.

The response was immediate. Lloyd’s eyes flew open and he took a strangled gasp of air and began coughing harshly. Y/n and Kai gently turned him onto his side and the former exhaled with relief. He was breathing now. The immediate life-threatening danger had passed.

For them, maybe. Sounds of battle caught up to Y/n’s senses. She stiffened and peered back towards the depths of the cave where Zane and Jay battled Morro. Though outnumbered, the ghost was armed with a frost-covered Sword of Sanctuary. He was winning.

The roaring Y/n had heard drowned out the battle once she noticed it. Not the blood rushing in her ears. A waterfall.

She’d almost gone over a waterfall. And Kai, who was just as afraid of water as she, had jumped in to rescue her.

“Kai,” she breathed. “You saved me.”

He smiled uneasily but it fell. “Couldn’t let you face your fear and not me,” he chuckled without humor.

Y/n returned her attention to her brother, whose choked gasps finally lessened. She ever so gently rested a hand on his shoulder. “Lloyd?” She asked timidly.

Without moving, his dull eyes locked onto her face.

For a moment, nothing else registered. Y/n could hear her shallow breathing as hope flitted in her chest. Nothing else mattered. Lloyd was safe.

“Y/n,” he rasped. Barely a whisper of sound but she heard loud and clear. Her vision blurred and she let out a breathless laugh, pulling Lloyd up and wrapping her arms around him. He whimpered in pain but buried his face in Y/n’s shoulder. She could feel him shaking uncontrollably, too cold to radiate any heat. She was sure she was in no better condition. “Y/n, I—”

“Shh,” the elemental hushed. “Save your strength.” She glanced up when her and Lloyd’s gis moved on their own and droplets of water rose from the fabric. She gave Nya a grateful smile, then glanced at Kai. He settled next to them and embraced Lloyd from behind with the same caution as Y/n.

Lloyd shuddered in a full-body shiver. “I’m sorry,” he managed. His voice was growing weaker. “I-I couldn’t stop him.”

“Oh, buddy,” Kai breathed. “You did everything you could.”

Lloyd’s only response was a broken sob.

“Morro, stop!”

The alarmed cry made Y/n’s head snap up and her arms instinctively tighten around Lloyd. Morro had dashed past them and stood on the other side of the waterfall, gleefully holding the Realm Crystal high in the air. He sent the Ninja a smirk before turning and running out of the cave.

Jay and Zane ran up to the group, both winded. “He’s getting away!” Jay fretted.

“Let him go,” Cole said tiredly. His hands steamed slightly, though when he caught Y/n looking, he hid them behind his back. It worked somewhat, even though he was slightly transparent. “We can’t fight him right now.” His worried gaze landed on Lloyd.

Tired green eyes raised to take in the others surrounding them. Lloyd said nothing, instead resting against Y/n with fatigue plaguing his expression. The older sibling gave Kai a knowing look and he nodded in agreement.

“We need to get out of here,” the fare-maker urged. “It’s too cold.” Everyone knew it wouldn’t be cold for him, especially with his powers returning. No one argued.

Y/n glanced down at her brother. “Can you walk?” She asked quietly.

His face twisted in a grimace, and that was answer enough.

Kai extracted himself from their group hug but stayed near. “Alright, then. Up you go.” With Y/n’s help, they managed to drape Lloyd over Kai’s back. The Fire Ninja hooked his arms under Lloyd’s knees and bent forward slightly so he wouldn’t fall off. His arms hung loosely around Kai’s neck. His eyes slid shut. Y/n’s gut twisted with worry.

“Where do we go?” Kai asked, aimed at Zane. “We can’t go back the way we came.”

The nindroid pointed towards where Morro had left. “There is another entrance back that way.”

“You mean we could’ve skipped this whole thing?!” Jay demanded.

Zane shrugged. “Given that this tomb is already filled with magic and mystery, I would not be surprised if it only opened up after we came here.”

Jay crossed his arms with a huff. But even he couldn’t hold his irritation for long, his expression clouding with worry when his gaze landed on Lloyd.

The Ice Ninja took the lead with Kai and Lloyd right behind and Y/n and Nya following next to them. Jay and Cole brought up the rear. No one spoke as they ascended closer and closer to the bright sunlight at the end of the tunnel.

When they emerged, Y/n had to momentarily close her eyes from the sudden change in brightness. Heat washed over her and she realized then how cold she’d gotten from the river—enough to make her not feel it. She shivered as it surged back to her senses. Morro was long gone.

Jay sent a blast of lightning into the air as a signal to Misako and Wu. He grunted with exertion when the light faded. “Guess our powers aren’t fully back yet,” he complained.

Y/n spotted the Bounty sailing over to them and relaxed with a breath of relief. Help was on the way.

“Lloyd, you still with us?” Kai asked over his shoulder. He frowned when he didn’t get a reply. “Lloyd?”

Y/n carefully rested her hand on her brother’s arm. If it wasn’t for the evident injuries and sickly complexion of his skin, he almost looked peaceful. “He’s just tired,” she said quietly, remembering her last shared dream with him. He’d barely been able to keep his eyes open even then. “Let him sleep.”

She doubted they could wake him up, anyway.

Kai didn’t seem too pleased with this but didn’t protest. He looked exhausted, anyway.

The Bounty finally docked and the Ninja, all worn out and some with injuries, boarded. Kai found Wu’s gaze from the cockpit before he immediately turned towards the med bay belowdecks. Y/n stayed by his side as they descended into the dim light of the Bounty’s interior. At least it was leagues warmer than the cave.

Misako met them at the med bay and her eyes widened in horror upon seeing her son. She then focused on Y/n, who offered a strained smile. Grandfather Almighty she was exhausted.

“Bring him here,” Misako ordered, ushering Kai to one of the beds in the back—right next to the heater. Kai softly lowered him to the mattress while Misako brought out first-aid supplies. Y/n found herself standing close to the heater as she shifted out of her mother’s way. It made her skin prickle and sent shivers through her body as the heat chased away the cold.

“Y/n, could you get Zane please?” Misako didn’t even look up from her task as she and Kai gingerly unstrapped Lloyd’s shirt to access the injuries below. “And some water.”

Happy to have a guide for something to do, Y/n nodded and stumbled back the way she’d come. In the hallway, out of earshot and eyesight from anyone, she crashed into the wall as the situation finally caught up to her.

Morro had held Lloyd at sword point to get his way. They’d given him the Realm Crystal, possibly endangering every realm in existence. She’d put herself in a perilous situation to save her brother, and Kai had chased her. All three had almost drowned. Cole, despite being a ghost, pulled them out. That must’ve hurt him. She’d need to thank him.

And then Nya had saved Lloyd’s life by taking out the water in his lungs. Y/n had helped her control her powers. And she was chilled to the bone.

But whatever she felt, she knew Lloyd was in worse condition.

Sure, Kai probably used his powers to make himself a heater when he carried Lloyd out of the cave. Perhaps that’s why he fell asleep so fast. But Y/n knew that while she was tired and sore and cold, Lloyd had it worse.

Zane. She needed to get Zane. He was the team medic. He could help in a way she couldn’t.

Sucking in a sharp breath, Y/n shoved her panic to the back of her mind and pushed off the wall. Her footsteps continued, shaky and uncertain.

She must’ve looked worse than she felt, because when she emerged onto the deck, everyone stopped and gave her worried or alarmed looks. She ignored them and found Zane’s gaze. “My mom wants you,” she informed him dully.

Zane nodded and immediately headed over. “Oh. And water,” Y/n added. Her eyes strained with the effort of keeping herself focused. Lightheadedness crept around the corners of her mind, threatening to attack. She shivered.

Jay and Nya ran to the cabin to grab some and Y/n smiled in gratitude. She wasn’t sure she had the strength to get some.

Zane watched her carefully as they returned to the med bay. But he switched his attention to Lloyd when he entered. Misako and Kai had started on the simple scrapes, but Y/n guessed her mother wanted a thorough check-up on her son.

Nya breezed past a moment later with a large glass of water. Misako carefully trickled some into Lloyd’s mouth before resting it on the bedstand. The Ninja swallowed instinctively and shivered.

“Y/n,” a quiet voice said from behind.

The elemental turned much slower than normal and her half-focused gaze landed on Cole. “Hi,” she muttered.

“Don’t try to hide anything,” he started, and Y/n frowned. That wasn’t a very nice way to hold a conversation… “I know you’re tired. Get some sleep.” He almost seemed exasperated at the last word.

…Which maybe was her fault. Just a little. For having avoided sleep so much during the last several days.

“Don’t have to tell me twice,” she mumbled, stepping past the ghost Ninja towards her bed.

He held out a hand and she sent him a half-hearted glare. “No. In here.”

Y/n frowned. “Why?”

“It’s warmer.” Cole’s gaze trailed over to Lloyd and his voice softened. “And it’s near your brother.”

A faint smile tugged at Y/n’s lips. “Okay,” she agreed tiredly. She didn’t bother changing into more comfortable clothing. She sank onto the closest bed and pulled every blanket on it to her ears. It took a long time to heat up the nest she made herself.

On the other side of the room, she met Misako’s gaze. Her mother smiled softly before turning back towards Lloyd. Y/n couldn’t see her brother with the three people around him.

It didn’t matter. Sleep called and she listened.

~~~

The Bounty’s engines rumbled softly when Y/n forced open her heavy eyes.

For once, she hadn’t dreamed. It was a simple, deep sleep. But when she woke, fully buried in the blankets, her skin buzzed with warmth. She allowed herself a moment to soak in the heat before emerging from the cocoon of blankets.

She had no idea what time it was. It had been evening when they went into the Caves of Despair…and she’d slept through some of the night. When they’d left her grandfather’s tomb, it was daylight. So it must’ve been early morning. Meaning, given the faint sunlight that found its way past the curtain in the med bay, it was probably afternoon. Late or early, though, she had no idea. Unless it was the next day.

At least she felt less tired. Not enough to say she wouldn’t immediately fall asleep if she let herself. But enough so she wouldn’t pass out at any moment.

The elemental slid fully from the sheets and swung her legs over the side of the bed. The room was mostly dark, save for the window, and the door was shut. No one besides her and Lloyd occupied the space. Her armor rested on the table next to her—someone must’ve taken it off when she was out. She silently thanked whoever did that. Sleeping in armor would’ve left her sore.

Bracing herself for the worst, Y/n slid over to Lloyd’s side. He was still fast asleep, breathing thankfully deep and even, though his skin was flushed with fever and his forehead glistened with sweat. He was covered in bandages, both small and large, and wore a comfortable green hoodie instead of his gi. Overall, he looked only marginally better. Definitely more relaxed.

Y/n pulled up a chair and sat by his side. She slid her hand into his and exhaled shakily as she let her head drop forward.

He was back. He was safe. So why did she feel like they were in imminent danger? She needed to protect him. It would be a miracle if he was able to stand and fight by the time the Preeminent emerged.

The door softly clicked open. Y/n turned towards the noise and gave the visitor a wan smile. Kai returned it.

He sat on the other side of Lloyd’s bed and studied the younger’s face. “He needs more time than we have,” the Fire Ninja admitted after a moment. Distress shone in his amber gaze. “I—I don’t know how—” He cut off with a groan, burying his face in his hands.

Y/n frowned. Kai must’ve been holding that in for a while if he was acting like this as soon as he stopped moving for a moment. “You’ve made a plan then?” She guessed.

“Part of one,” he grumbled, lowering his hands and staring dejectedly at Lloyd. “We think Morro will attack on New Year’s Eve, when everyone’s out celebrating. That’s tomorrow night.”

“Where?” Y/n asked quietly.

“Well…” Kai winced. “That’s what we don’t know. It could be anywhere.”

Y/n frowned thoughtfully. Morro might try to go far inland where they couldn’t reach him in time to stop his plan. He could do it in Ninjago City, if destruction was his goal. He could start early.

But none of those felt right. Y/n had seen how he’d acted when she showed him she wasn’t afraid. So perhaps he would pick a spot that he knew she’d avoid if she could.

“Stiix.” As soon as she uttered the word, she knew she was right. “He’ll be at Stiix.”

“But that’s surrounded by water,” Kai protested. “Ghosts hate water.”

“So do we,” Y/n returned weakly. Kai’s face fell. “I bet he thinks he’ll have the numbers so water doesn’t really matter anymore. But it still does to us.” She ran a hand through her tangled hair. “Two Ninja who can’t swim and a ghost of our own. He’s at a disadvantage, but we’re more so.”

Kai couldn’t argue. “Fantastic,” he grumbled. “My favorite place.”

Y/n’s face scrunched with sympathy. “Well…maybe we could set up an ambush.”

The Fire Ninja didn’t disagree, but also didn’t look hopeful. He still watched Lloyd, who remained motionless. “I don’t know how to protect him and fight,” he admitted quietly.

For a moment, Y/n was struck with how helpless he sounded. He’d never been this way before, not while she was around. His normal cockiness and determination was gone, replaced with hopelessness and fatigue. Y/n wondered if he’d been this way around the others. If he hadn’t…well, their bond certainly had grown over this whole experience.

She reached across the bed and found his hand. She squeezed it hard. He startled, then met her gaze. She made sure only fierce determination showed. “We can do this,” she told him with certainty. “We’ll beat Morro. The Cursed Realm won’t take over. We won’t let it.” She said it so strongly because she knew it had to be true. They couldn’t lose.

Lloyd didn’t suffer just for them to fail.

Kai managed a thin smile, some of his torment eased. “Ninja never quit,” he offered shakily.

Y/n smirked and released his hand. “I’m staying with Lloyd until we get…wherever we’re going,” she declared.

“I’ll go tell the others about Stiix,” Kai decided, standing. His expression cleared of his emotions save a determinedness driven by anger. “We’re going back to the tea shop to restock and get some healing tea. Should be there tomorrow morning.” He studied Y/n briefly before stepping away. “Rest up if you can. It’s gonna be a long fight.” He backed towards the door. “See you later.” And he was gone.

Y/n sighed and returned her attention to Lloyd. She used a nearby cloth to gently sponge his face dry of the perspiration there.

“I’ll protect you,” she promised, even though she knew he couldn’t hear. “Just hang in there.”

The Bounty continued towards the tea shop, the hum of its engines lulling Y/n to sleep.

Chapter Text

When she woke up, Y/n felt marginally better. Some of her energy had returned with sleep—though her neck ached from the awkward position she’d fallen asleep in. Faint light shone through the window; not enough to be sunlight but too bright to be nighttime. Y/n would guess really early in the morning, meaning everyone should be asleep. Except maybe Wu.

The elemental grimaced and rolled her neck, relishing the popping that made it loosen up. She shook out her arms and stood, stretching. Time to start thinking of a plan.

First step: put her armor back on.

Y/n padded over to her bed from before and silently slid the armor over her gi. It was heavy and uncomfortable and restricive. But that meant protection. A small price to pay.

With the last of the straps put in place, she returned to Lloyd’s side. The fever had reduced overnight and Lloyd’s face was relaxed with sleep. One gentle touch to his hand revealed his temperature back to normal, with no trace of the icy river from the tomb.

To Y/n’s surprise, his fingers twitched when she touched his hand.

She gave it a careful squeeze. His fingers curled around hers.

“Lloyd?” She whispered hopefully, scanning his face.

Upon hearing her voice, Lloyd’s eyes cracked open. His expression remained void of emotion, but he watched Y/n as she moved up by his head.

“Oh, Lloyd,” she whispered, brushing hair out of his eyes. They closed briefly in bliss before locking onto her face again. They flickered dimly, much more dull than before. Faint red peeked out from behind the green. “I’m so glad to have you back.”

He glanced away guiltily. A cut on the base of his neck flared green, but he didn’t seem to notice.

“Now don’t you start that,” Y/n hissed, knowing what he must be feeling. “None of this was your fault.” Her anger immediately switched to choking guilt and she buried her face in her hands. “I—I knew you shouldn’t have gone alone. I could’ve stopped this. You—you would still be okay.” Her voice broke on the last word and she inhaled shakily, tears threatening to spill.

Lloyd grabbed her forearm. It was so much weaker than it should’ve been. But the action startled Y/n enough into removing her hands from her face to look at her brother.

“None of us knew,” he rasped.

Y/n took his hand and his arm immediately went limp. He was still drained of energy. “Even so,” she whispered, “we shouldn’t have let you go alone. Not being a Ninja. It’s too dangerous.”

Lloyd shrugged weakly, pain flashing across his face before he squashed it.

“You know Wu and Mom are going to make you drink that healing tea,” Y/n sniffed.

Her brother’s nose scrunched with distaste. If it wasn’t for the situation, Y/n may have laughed.

No one was laughing now.

“I think we’re arriving soon,” Y/n added, glancing at the window. More light than before. “How do you feel?”

Lloyd slowly pushed himself upright. Y/n watched carefully for any sign of distress, but her brother hid it well. And she knew he wouldn’t want help anyway. He bit back a hiss of pain and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

“I didn’t mean you should start walking now,” Y/n deadpanned.

“Morro is coming,” Lloyd returned flatly. “I need to face him.”

“No, you don’t,” Y/n denied. “We can deal with him. You need to stay and heal or you’re gonna make it worse.”

Lloyd refused to meet her eye. “This is my fight,” he insisted. Despite Y/n attempting to keep him down, he stood, using the wall for support. “I won’t let anyone else get hurt because of him.”

“Lloyd.”

He paused, startled by the desperation in Y/n’s voice. Her eyes stung and she tugged her hair. “Please.”

He forced a small smile and grabbed her hands. “The Preeminent is coming. She can summon every ghost from her realm. You need all the help you can get. I’ll be fine.”

Y/n inhaled shakily. “I know you can fight, Lloyd,” she replied. “But you’re tired and hurt. I can’t bear to see you like this.”

He shook his head once. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I can’t sit by and do nothing.”

Y/n’s brow pinched. She wasn’t going to be able to talk him out of this. Even if she somehow managed to keep him on the Bounty while the rest of the team fought Morro, he would find a way to join them. He was stubborn like that.

Something flashed in his eyes. He knew he’d won. “I’ll be fine,” he repeated. He limped past, one arm holding the other, but straightened. When he turned to look back at Y/n, her heart sank to see his expression devoid of emotion or pain. “I’m gonna give him a piece of my mind.” His eyes glinted dangerously.

The Master of Spirit frowned sadly and gently rested a hand on his shoulder. “Kai and Wu are going to try and stop you,” she warned. “The others, too.”

He shrugged her off. “You’re letting me,” he pointed out. “I can convince them, too.”

“On one condition.” He turned slightly to see her out of the corner of his eye. “You stick by my side.”

He dipped his head and approached the door to the med bay. “I will.”

Y/n followed him out onto the bridge. His pace was slow and uneven. He tried to hide his quick gasps of pain but Y/n still heard. She already dreaded this fight and his condition when they emerged—either victorious, or not.

When they emerged into daylight, Y/n realized the sun was higher than she’d previously thought. It must be about eight or nine in the morning. The others were long-since awake.

“Lloyd!” Kai was the first to notice. He ran over from sparring with Nya, dropping his weapon on the way, and pulled Lloyd into a loose hug. “Oh, it’s so good to see you.”

The other Ninja joined, letting out similar exclamations of joy. But through their group-up, Y/n could see how overwhelmed her brother was quickly becoming.

“Guys, give him space,” she pressed, inserting herself between the Ninja and Lloyd. Reluctantly, they backed off, but Y/n could see the questions they wanted to ask brimming in their eyes. She looped her arm through her brother’s, silently egging him on.

“I’m fighting,” he said flatly. Shouts of protest shot up from the team, but a glare from Y/n silenced them. “You can’t stop me.”

“He’ll stay with me,” Y/n added. She shook her head slightly. “Don’t try to talk him out of it. Waste of energy.”

“I do not think it is a wise decision, Lloyd,” Zane protested. “But…you should be allowed to make it yourself.”

Lloyd sent him a grateful half-smile.

Kai opened his mouth to add his opinion, but Y/n turned her stare to him, sending a clear message: Don’t. Kai snapped his jaw shut with a growl of irritation.

“This is no time for conflict,” Wu said shortly. “We must be united if we are to defeat this threat.”

“Master Wu’s right,” Cole said reluctantly. Y/n felt Lloyd subtly stiffen when he spotted the ghost Ninja, but he kept his expression neutral. She dropped her arm to reassuringly grab his hand. “Now that we’ve got our powers, we might have a chance.”

“Stiix is already being evacuated,” Nya added. “Let’s hope that’s really where he’s gonna attack.” She glanced at Y/n and the elemental winced.

They were going off a hunch, that was it. If she was wrong…

No. She couldn’t afford to think that way.

“He will,” she replied with as much determination as she could. “And we’ll be ready.”

Wu hummed in agreement. “We have some items to pick up at Steep Wisdom,” he informed them. “They will aid you in the fight.” He turned towards the railing.

Cole and Jay were the first to depart, jumping down to the ground. “Stock up on what?” Jay asked. “Magical tea that will make us invincible? Special powers, four arms?”

Wu shook his head with a small smile. Y/n guided Lloyd over to the edge of the ship. “Sadly, no,” Wu replied. “No magical tea today. I had to sell the rest of the merchandise…along with everything else.” He gestured towards the shop door as he leaped to the ground—and the red CLOSED sign over the door.

“What?” Zane gasped. “You sold your tea shop? But that was for your retirement!”

Y/n and Lloyd jumped down, the latter hissing and stumbling upon impact. He shook off Y/n’s help with a scowl. “Assistance for this battle is more important than a tea shop.” He folded his hands behind his back as the tea shop door swung open.

One Doctor Cyrus Borg of Borg Industries rolled out in a wheelchair.

“Hello again, Ninja!” He greeted chipperly.

Y/n stared in shock.

“While we were away,” Wu explained, “I had Borg use the money from the tea farm to create some new toys to balance the scales.” He chuckled at the Ninja’s stunned reactions. “They are expensive, you know.”

The Doctor Borg was helping them?

Cole nudged her shoulder with a laugh. “Surprised much, Y/n?”

She blinked and headed towards the courtyard with everyone else. “I—even on the island we know about Borg Tech. You’re telling me you work with him?”

The legend himself wheeled up to Y/n with a bright smile. “Miss Y/n! I have heard much about you.”

“You…have?” She echoed breathlessly.

His gaze softened at her reaction. “But of course! The new elemental master of Spirit who defied Chen and helped conquer his tournament. And Lloyd’s long-lost sister.”

“Pixal is his daughter,” Zane whispered into her ear. “You helped her escape.”

Oh. Well, that made sense.

“It’s nice to meet you, sir,” she managed.

Borg waved her off. “No need for formalities. It is my pleasure. Now, where were we?” He turned back towards the others. “It has been so long! Lloyd looks older—” the Green Ninja winced and suddenly found the ground very interesting. “—I see a water Ninja. A titanium Nindroid. Cole is a…ghost?” He frowned and Cole deflated. Y/n put a hand on his shoulder with a furrowed brow, and he tried for a smile, but it fell flat. “Jay looks shorter,” Borg continued, earning a scoff of disbelief from the Lightning Ninja, “and then there’s Kai.” He tilted his head fondly.

“I’m sorry, Dr. Borg,” Kai interrupted urgently, a twinge of irritation on his face. “But cut to the chase. We don’t have much time.”

“Yes, always the impatient one,” Borg chuckled. “Come, let me show you.” He beckoned for them all to step off the courtyard, and they did, though hesitant.

The tiles split in the middle, revealing an underground chamber. A platform rose out of the chasm, sporting several mechs on top. “I’ve made Jay a lightning-fast Ghost Taker. Front spectral intake, incorporeal storage in the rear. But it has limited capacity. I ran out of time to add more.” He shrugged apologetically.

Jay whooped and ran to his car, immediately revving the engine.

Borg gestured to the white humanoid mech near the Ghost Taker. “Zane’s Ice Mech. Similar, but upgraded. The underarms are equipped with deepstone particle shooters, allowing you to freeze the competition with deepstone-infused ice.”

“Cool!” Zane grinned. “And I mean that quite literally.”

Y/n shook her head at his pun, finally recovering from her shock at seeing Doctor Borg.

“Cole,” the scientist continued, “I’ve made you a Ghost Cycle. Twin carbine blasters, auto-evasive handling. Made entirely of deepstone.”

The ghost Ninja ran over to his new motorcycle and easily leaped into the seat. In seconds he was racing around the courtyard, testing out the controls.

Borg fished out two medallions from his pocket. “For you, Lloyd and Y/n. Break it and it will create a smokescreen infused with deepstone dust. Ghosts won’t be able to go through it.”

Y/n gingerly took the medallion. It was simple—round in shape with a black ring of deepstone as a border. An insignia of a star filled the center, tinged with a lilac color.

“Thank you,” she breathed, storing the weapon in the fold of her gi. Lloyd did the same with a single nod of appreciation.

“And finally, Kai,” Borg finished. He offered a red headband to the Fire Ninja. “I, uh, lost track of time when making the others, I apologize.” Kai grumbled under his breath but took the cloth anyway. “Personally embroidered. Thirty-two thread count and easy tie capabilities.”

“We’ll take all the help we can get,” Kai sighed.

Borg nodded. “If Morro is trying to create a bridge between two realms, it will take time to reach its full strength. You must go to Stiix without delay.”

“Then Lloyd or Y/n can destroy the Realm Crystal,” Wu added. “Before that happens. If Ninjago is cursed, the other realms are sure to follow.”

Lloyd frowned and Y/n’s brow pinched. “Why just myself or Lloyd? Aren’t any of us able to destroy the Crystal?”

Wu shook his head. “It is an object created by my father, the First Spinjitzu Master. It can only be destroyed by another item of equal power or one of his descendants. I feel you two will have an easier time getting to it than I.” His expression darkened. “Besides, I will have another task to complete.”

“Okay,” Y/n agreed quietly. “So you have a plan?”

“Yes,” Wu confirmed. “I will explain on the way.”

Nya crossed her arms. “Good, ’cause they’ll be expecting us. And they have the Sword of Sanctuary.”

“Not to mention an army of ghosts,” Jay added, having used up his initial enthusiasm over his car and rejoined the team.

Lloyd glanced at Y/n and she understood. “We need to get going,” she said urgently. “Morro’s probably started by now.”

“Yeah,” Kai agreed, shifting restlessly. “We’ve already been here long enough.”

Wu dipped his head, then bowed to Borg. “We thank you, Doctor,” he said formally. “This will be a huge help.”

Borg bowed in return. “I am happy to assist,” he replied softly, subtly glancing at Lloyd before back at Wu. Y/n noticed and hunched in on herself. Even the newcomer knew how bad shape her brother was in.

As they turned back towards the Bounty, Y/n gave Borg a bow of her own. He smiled at her and dipped his head. “Good luck, Ninja,” he breathed as they departed. “First Master be with you.”

~~~

On the way to Stiix, new vehicles stored in the hull of the Bounty, Wu told them the plan.

Nya would disguise as Lloyd. Morro would be after the green gi, and with Nya hidden inside, she could get close to get him away from the Realm Crystal. Kai, Jay, Cole, and Zane would disguise as civilians to assist Nya so she could sneak past any ghosts without being seen. Y/n and Lloyd would trail after, sticking to the shadows, and sneak past when Morro was distracted to reach the Crystal and destroy it. In the meantime, Wu would look for any civilians who had not escaped and free them.

“He will not leave the Realm Crystal unguarded until his master is freed,” Wu explained.

If that plan did not work, the Ninja would have to fight off an endless army of ghosts, a vengeful Master of Wind, and the Preeminent herself. They’d have to use moves Morro had never seen, tricks they hadn’t thought to bring to light. There weren’t many left.

“Family sharpens family,” Zane reassured them when Nya showed doubt and Lloyd couldn’t hide his fear. “We protect each other.”

Y/n grabbed Lloyd’s hand. Kai grinned at Nya and gave her a playful punch to the shoulder. They weren’t alone. Even if the group had to split up, someone else would always be within earshot.

Even so, everyone still looked unenthusiastic and hopeless.

“Our greatest power is a united team,” Lloyd added softly, playing the leader his team needed. His expression softened a touch. “Together, we can stop M—the Preeminent.” He tensed at almost saying the ghost’s name. Y/n squeezed his hand.

“You’ve got me by your side,” she reassured him. “I’m not losing you again.”

He pressed into her side and she gently ruffled his hair.

“We’ve got a plan and a backup,” Kai agreed, mustering a determined grin. “What could go wrong?”

“Kai,” Cole sighed in exasperation. “Did you have to say that?”

The Fire Ninja shrugged innocently as if he hadn’t just jinxed them. Playful protest rang out from the others, lifting the mood slightly, and Y/n couldn’t help the tiny smile that found its way onto her face.

It was time to test fate. After tonight, Ninjago would either succumb to the Cursed Realm or the sun would rise the next day.

Chapter Text

Stiix was already overrun when the Ninja landed the Bounty nearby in the evening, hidden from view.

They all wordlessly crept to one of the wooden bridges and observed the town without being spotted. Serpents flew through the skies, shrieking to one another. Ghosts roamed the streets, partying and dancing and eating food like a normal New Year’s night. Lanterns the citizens of Stiix had set up for their festivities glowed a sickly green.

Y/n’s eyes narrowed. The bridge was small. She might be able to shield them from sight until they could find places to take cover.

“I will attempt to reason with Morro,” Wu told them quietly, “and go my own way. You seven must find where the Realm Crystal is and get Lloyd and Y/n there to destroy it.”

“‘Reason’?” Kai asked incredulously. “I don’t think there’s anything left to reason with.”

Wu shook his head. “Perhaps. But I might try. He was once my student, after all.” Wistfulness shone in his eyes. “It will also let us see if they have any prisoners.”

“By becoming one?” Y/n demanded. “That’s not a plan, Master.”

The look on Wu’s face left no room for argument. “I will be fine, Y/n. Misako will be with me. We must go.” As if telling her that her mom putting herself in danger as well would calm her down.

She nodded shortly with a grimace and turned back towards Stiix. Wu and Misako went another way. The Ninja all tensed, prepared to fight.

“Our vehicles will come when we use the remotes,” Zane reminded them. “They are not far. If we cannot sneak through, we must use force.”

“Where is the Realm Crystal even being kept?” Jay asked in a loud whisper. “It would be nice to know where we’re going!”

Lloyd pointed before quickly retracting his hand. “The building that’s glowing blue.” His voice was quiet, almost subdued.

They all peered at Ronin’s old pawn shop in the center of the town. Of course it would be in the middle. Bright blue light shone from inside—the same color as the Realm Crystal. It seemed they were too late to stop whatever Morro was doing to summon the Preeminent…but maybe they could interrupt it before she crossed over.

“Okay,” Nya breathed. “We can do this.” She had a green hood pulled over her face, and if it wasn’t for the patch of skin visible through the mask, she would’ve looked almost exactly like Lloyd. Hopefully Morro would be too caught up in his hubris to realize the differences.

Lloyd himself was dressed in a casual dark green hoodie and black hat, his eyes dull and distant. He could almost pass as a normal person instead of the legendary savior of Ninjago.

“We got your back, sis,” Kai reassured her.

“We’ll have to cross when the ghosts aren’t watching,” Cole whispered. “There’s too many to fight without being seen by Morro.”

Y/n rose to a half-crouch. “I can cover us,” she said determinedly. “It’s a short run. I can make a shield around us to blend in.” If she had enough strength to last. Her powers were barely back.

“Invisible…” Cole mused. He glanced at his hands. “Maybe I can—” He concentrated, and a moment later, vanished from sight.

“Awesome,” Jay said with a grin.

Cole reappeared and nodded. “Yeah, don’t worry about me.” He smirked. “I can find my own way.” He glanced at Y/n. “You were right. I couldn’t see my reflection before ’cause of a ghost ability.”

Y/n smiled slightly and grabbed Lloyd’s hand. She was not letting him go. She studied his expression carefully.

Completely blank. Perhaps somewhat dazed. Bags under his eyes and skin a little too pale. But he showed no signs of distress.

Y/n decided that was not a good thing. No way he could’ve gone through days of possession and come out unscathed.

But this was not the time.

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. When he looked at her, she tried for a reassuring smile, then glanced up to the rest of the group. “One chance to stop everything from being cursed.”

“We can do it,” Kai replied immediately, hands balled into fists. He looked so ready to fight…too bad that was the opposite of his job. All he had to do was keep eyes off of Nya.

Y/n held up her free hand, ready to hide the Ninja from sight. Cole disappeared from view. The rest huddled closer to Y/n, reducing the range that her powers had to cover.

It was go-time.

With a hiss and something pulling in her mind, Y/n’s powers warped over the six visible Ninja to form a purple-gray dome. Everything outside became blurry and distorted, like looking through water, and tinged with the hue of the bubble. She stood fully, hand held high where her powers extended from her body to the shield, and led the group over the bridge.

No one spoke while they walked, their footsteps silent. Y/n held her breath for extra measure, the strain of her powers already making her tired. She quickened their pace slightly.

A ghost drifted past and they froze.

…The ghost continued humming an off-key tune and headed deeper into the city.

Y/n exhaled with relief and brought them the rest of the way across. As soon as they ducked into an alleyway, she dropped her arm and released her powers with an exhausted sigh.

“Time to be Ninja.” Jay grinned mischievously. “We’re gonna be the best party crashers ever.”

He earned several eye rolls and seemed very pleased with himself.

Y/n met Nya’s gaze. The newfound Water Ninja gave her a slight nod, hiding her fear well. In the mask, she had to act like the Green Ninja as much as she looked like him.

No one wished good luck or stay safe.

They all knew it would never be that easy.

With one final glance, they split ways.

Y/n waited until she heard the team heckling the ghosts. Nya slipped past large groups, the specters too busy partying to realize that the Green Ninja was right behind them. The Ninja of Creation hid themselves well before calling out to the ghosts, causing confusion. Kai threw some water on one of them, leading to the rest of the group chasing him—but he ducked out of sight before they could catch him.

Being a Ninja had its perks.

Y/n and Lloyd trailed after, timing it so they snuck past the chaotic ghosts before they could recover but far enough away from Nya to give her a descent head-start.

Jay called out to some ghosts from a crane, telling them to move as Zane piloted the machine. Nya slipped past, Y/n and Lloyd right behind. From the angle of the boxes on the crane, the ghosts couldn’t make out Jay’s gi to know to attack. Lucky him.

Zane almost managed to get rid of two ghosts by dropping a pail of water on them, but unfortunately, they noticed him. Still, the commotion drew their attentions away from the street.

Cole possessed a phonograph to make a bunch of dancing ghosts dance faster.

A serpent above let out an ear-splitting screech. Y/n gasped and jerked backwards into the shadow of an awning, her timing quicker than Lloyd’s. She peered out and saw the dragon circling Nya overhead…she’d been spotted.

The Water Ninja stood out in the open, carrying a look of confidence the Green Ninja was supposed to wear.

Y/n pressed forward.

Morro appeared from inside the pawn shop, which was one house over. He smirked and spread his arms as if welcoming the Ninja. Lloyd flinched at his arrival but said nothing.

“So rude, Green Ninja,” he mocked. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s not polite to be late to the party?”

Several other ghosts surrounded Nya. Y/n tensed when she recognized the two that had tried to trap them in the Caves of Despair. If they were back…the portal must’ve been opened longer than any of them realized.

They did not have a lot of time.

Morro drifted closer and Y/n would’ve liked to hear what he had to say. She feared for Nya’s safety. But Lloyd tugged her arm.

“She’s the Water Ninja,” he reminded quietly. “She’ll be okay.”

Y/n sighed and turned towards their destination. The door to the shop was ajar, almost calling them forward. “I know.” It didn’t stop worry from shining in her eyes. “It’s the others, too. They’re being risky. I just hope they know what they’re doing.”

Lloyd didn’t argue.

The duo waited for a stray ghost to float past before running forward to the shop. Y/n didn’t fail to notice how Lloyd almost stumbled in the short sprint, his expression tight with pain.

Inside, Y/n had to pause while her eyes adjusted to the bright light shining from the Realm Crystal. It sat on a pedestal, a bright blue beam shooting upwards into the ceiling, where a portal was forming. It has a black center and blue around the edges, and swirled like a hurricane. Y/n could feel the anger and impatience radiating from the being on the other side as it waited for the portal to strengthen.

Outside, sounds of fighting arose from both Nya’s battle and where the Ninja were.

“It’s now or never,” Y/n hissed, and they both approached.

But suddenly Morro was in front of them, and there was a powerful blast of wind, and Y/n lost her grip on Lloyd’s hand, and pain shot through her head—

The elemental pried herself off the ground with a groan. Her vision swam dizzyingly. In front of her, Lloyd and Morro were already fighting.

Morro held the Sword of Sanctuary. Lloyd’s powers were flickering unreliably. He couldn’t land a blow, and Morro seemed to know exactly how to dodge, battering Lloyd with wind and sword slices whenever he could. The Ninja somehow held his own, but he was becoming weaker with each passing second.

Y/n stumbled to her feet and formed a naginata with her powers. Shoving aside the pain, she charged.

As if they’d trained together for years, as soon as Y/n was within striking distance, Lloyd stepped back and let her take over the fight. His eyes blazed with anger, but he was panting hard, his clothes torn and a slice on his arm. Y/n took his place without missing a beat and stabbed her weapon towards the ghost.

He dodged and twisted to the side, slashing Y/n’s arm. She barely felt it, instead returning with an attack of her own. Morro barely avoided it, the dull side of the blade brushing against his chest. Furious, he went in for another strike.

His sword came downwards. Y/n raised her weapon to meet it, and they clashed with a spray of sparks.

Morro pushed. Y/n returned the gesture with equal force. She glared at the ghost, a few strands of hair falling in front of her eyes. They struggled for a moment, and Y/n felt her anger growing.

This was her chance to defeat the ghost that had haunted her brother for weeks. This was her chance to avenge his injuries. Her chance to show him how much pain they’d been through.

Morro backed away suddenly, eyes wide.

“What?” Y/n snapped. “Finally admitting defeat?”

The ghost shook himself out of his shock. “You are impossible,” he spat.

And somehow, Y/n knew he meant that literally. She shouldn’t be possible.

Or maybe he just didn’t know her story.

“I could say the same for you,” she hissed, lunging in for another strike. Morro met her attack with one of his own, then glanced in the blade. He smirked as Y/n prepared her attack and he easily dodged.

“Ah,” Morro smirked. “When your father opened the gate to the Cursed World, he should’ve been more careful what came out!”

Shocked, Y/n staggered back. Lloyd stood by her side, powers flickering. The sign of weakness made her snap out of her stupor and regain her senses—right in time to witness Morro create a twisting vortex of wind, making the building shudder and pulling it into the air.

Y/n stumbled as the floor tilted, forcing her and Lloyd to lose their balance. She used the handle of her weapon to steady herself, but Lloyd went tumbling towards a window. Y/n slid down and snagged his wrist right before he could fall, realizing distantly that he was really light.

Below, planks of wood twisted around a central tornado of wind. Beyond that, in the streets of Stiix, the Ninja fought the ghosts with their mechs—but they didn’t seem to be winning. Strength in numbers helped the specters overcome the deepstone weapons they faced. They were slowly being pushed towards the portal.

A final blast of wind had both siblings tumbling out of the house.

Y/n yelped in alarm and frantically looked for something to grab. Still holding Lloyd’s wrist, she stabbed her naginata into a floating plank of wood. Their fall came to an abrupt stop, and Lloyd slipped from Y/n’s grip.

“No!” She shrieked, trying to grab him to no avail. Her hand clasped around the handle of her weapon, her whole body dangling several stories of air. She might not survive a fall like that. Her gaze raked the whirlwind of debris before pinning on the green shape crouched on a piece of wood like her own, and she exhaled sharply with relief.

Arms shaking with weariness and the cut one stinging, Y/n hauled herself up onto her platform and made her weapon disappear. It was going to get in the way if she had to climb.

Above her was the broken shop, windows shining brightly with blue light. Was it brighter than before? …Yeah, it was. The portal was gaining strength.

Motion caught her attention and her gaze snapped to the side just as Lloyd leaped into the shop moments before a plank covered the door. Y/n gaped for a moment—when did he get the energy to move so fast? She snapped out of it when the other Ninja began ascending the tower, trying to reach the Crystal instead of fighting ghosts.

Shut down the source, stop the inflow of ghosts.

“Lloyd, get out of there!” Y/n cried, using airjitzu to ascend to the house. She pounded on the boards, but they didn’t budge. Nya and Kai joined her at the window and the others spread out around the house, trying to get in.

Cole tried to phase through the wall, but something pushed him back. A deep groan made the planks tremble, shaking the air, making the temperature drop. Y/n stepped back in alarm.

That couldn’t be—

There was a scream from inside.

“Lloyd!” Nya shrieked, summoning a ball of water to blast at the house. It did nothing. Kai tried to burn through the walls—but a small hole revealed a sickly green tendril pressed against the perimeter of the building.

The Preeminent.

“You’ll destroy any chance of ever saving your father.”

Y/n’s vision went white.

It only lasted a moment. But it felt like several minutes.

Morro was trying to stop Lloyd from destroying the Realm Crystal…because their father was inside the Cursed Realm. This could be his only chance to leave.

But he’d made his sacrifice. They couldn’t dishonor that. If they tried to get him back and it led to Ninjago being cursed…that wouldn’t be very respectful to Garmadon.

“He’d do anything to save Ninjago,” Lloyd replied, his voice almost drowned out by the wind and groaning. “You’d do anything to destroy it. The Realm Crystal can’t—”

Kai managed to burn through another part of the wall, revealing Lloyd with his fists glowing as he held the Crystal. From the way he stood, Y/n could see him favoring his left side, barely putting any weight on the leg. Morro stood in front of him, trying to stop him from destroying the Crystal.

Through the portal, green tendrils flowed out like snakes.

Four of them wrapped around Lloyd’s limbs and he screeched in pain. Another plucked the Realm Crystal from his grasp. More wrapped around his body and neck, and his eyes went wide.

“Lloyd, no!” Y/n threw herself at the wall, but it didn’t budge.

“It’s taking him!” Zane cried.

Kai let out a frustrated shout, his fire flickering. “I—it’s not strong enough!” He growled, a flaming fist punching the burned hole he’d made. Y/n realized then that if he was back to full strength, he’d probably be able to easily burn through the building—but Lloyd hadn’t recovered, so their powers were weak. And he blamed himself.

Her own powers flowed into her hands, responding to her desperation. She teleported inside the building and ran for her brother, surprising Morro as she went straight through him to reach Lloyd. But one of the Preeminent’s tendrils wrapped around Y/n’s neck, bringing her to the ground as she choked for air. Yet she still struggled towards Lloyd, her pace slowed to a crawl.

His wide, scared gaze locked onto Y/n.

The house plummeted towards the ground, the shock upon landing enough to make Y/n’s brain feel like it was rattling.

The Preeminent howled and pulled Lloyd into the portal.

Chapter Text

“NO!”

Somehow the cry escaped despite the lack of air making its way into Y/n’s lungs. She clawed desperately at the Preeminent’s tendril, but it had a thick skin and was slightly slimy, making it impossible to get a grip on it. Her lungs burned for air.

More tendrils escaped the portal, some way thicker than others. The blue light in the room grew blinding.

Y/n closed her eyes and keeled over, seconds from losing consciousness.

But then the bind around her neck disappeared and she could breathe. She gulped in air like there was no tomorrow, hands flying to her neck, coughing harshly. The Preeminent howled.

Someone pulled Y/n out of the building and onto a nearby dock. Her body shuddered as she tried to breathe. Distantly, she heard someone saying her name.

Her candle flickered and became weaker.

Lloyd…

“Y/n, get up!” She could finally register words. Wearily, the elemental pulled herself to her feet. Cole stopped her from falling. “You good?”

She didn’t answer. How could she be? She was no longer choking her life away, but Lloyd was gone, and the Preeminent was coming.

A groan drew her attention to the giant figure rising above Stiix. The Preeminent’s mouth kept opening and closing, releasing a ghost each time. Six claw-like spikes surrounded it like hooks keeping it in place. Dozens of tentacles whipped around the air, the largest ones keeping her massive form raised off the ground. She gave off a ghostly glow, the air around her slightly colder and mist seeping from her skin.

“The Preeminent!” Jay shrieked.

“The physical manifestation of the entire Cursed Realm,” Zane breathed.

Cole shuddered. “She ain’t pretty, that’s for sure.”

Y/n’s fingers curled into a fist. “Call your mechs!” She told them. “We’re gonna need ’em.”

A tentacle slammed downwards towards them. Y/n leaped out of the way, but a high-powered blast of water cut off the appendage before it could make contact. The Preeminent shrieked, reeling back; but at the sight of the wound, two more arms took its place.

“It’s like a hydra!” Y/n yelped, vaulting out of the way as the two tendrils smacked the ground. Another snuck up behind her and shoved her to the ground, but she kicked up and rolled to a stand. She sent a blast of her powers at the beast’s body, and the other Ninja did the same.

The Cursed Realm didn’t even flinch, her attention drawn away from them for a moment.

“Deepstone!” Cole called. “Try your amulet!”

Y/n’s eyes widened and she dug out the device Borg gave her. She needed to break it for it to work. Without really thinking, she charged head-on.

If anyone called for her, she didn’t hear over the sound of the Preeminent and her own heartbeat.

Using tentacles like stepping stones, Y/n leap-frogged her way closer to the Preeminent’s mouth. She used airjitzu to cross the larger distances. Her regular spinjitzu cut her way through any ghosts that tried to stop her.

She sprang up at the last arm, flying straight over the Cursed Realm. She cracked open the amulet and threw it downward.

The deepstone dust sprinkled into the Preeminent’s mouth. The two ghosts that tried to escape during that time immediately dissolved. But the Realm herself only hissed in annoyance.

A ghost slammed into Y/n, throwing her off her landing zone and into the ground. Pain shot through her right arm—the same one Morro had sliced earlier. But she couldn’t sit still—already, more ghosts converged on her. She scrambled to her feet and raced back to her friends.

“It needs a larger dose!” She panted, holding her injured arm.

Jay, on his cruiser, circled the group while sucking up any ghost that tried to attack. Zane hopped into his mech and began firing blasts at the Preeminent, his ice infused with deepstone. Cole revved his bike engine, expression thoughtful. Nya covered them from above, shooting small blasts of water at anyone who approached.

A few houses over, Y/n spotted her mother in the Preeminent’s grasp, Wu chasing after.

“We need something quick!” She cried.

“My bike is made of deepstone,” Cole thought aloud. “Maybe if I jam it down her gullet…”

“Just do it!” Y/n ran towards her mother.

Cole nodded and sped off to find a good angle to launch his bike at. Y/n clambered up on top of a house to roof-hop, her right arm sore and protesting every movement. But she ignored it.

Misako needed help.

Just as she was within airjitzu distance of her mother, the Preeminent screamed and the tentacle around Misako loosened. Y/n lunged forward and tackled her mid-air, making her land on the roof of the next house instead of falling to the ground. She quickly stood, panting.

Misako was on her feet a moment later, apparently uninjured. “Y/n,” she breathed, relief evident. “Thank you.” Her brow furrowed. “Are you okay?”

“I need people to stop asking that,” she grumbled dryly. “What do you think? Lloyd’s been taken and the Preeminent is here. How am I supposed to be?”

Her mother’s eyes widened and Wu joined them. “There are some citizens left,” he announced, saving Misako from a reply. “Ronin, Misako, and I will get them onto that ship.” He pointed to a paddleboat docked on the ocean. “You Ninja must keep the ghosts busy.”

Since when is Ronin…?

Shouts of defiance drifted over to them. Lightning flashed in the air. “What do you think we’ve been doing?” Y/n hissed, exasperated.

But she didn’t wait for a reply, instead pushing her weary muscles back into action as she ran back to her team.

Her candle gained some strength—though still way too small—and she let herself relax slightly.

“We have to protect that ship!” Y/n told them, using spinjitzu to slice through a tentacle attacking Kai, and landing next to him. “There’s people getting on it!” In front, Zane leaped out of his mech as several ghosts and the Preeminent tore it to shreds.

“We need to get closer to the Preeminent!” Kai shot back, his fire not really doing anything but be a distraction. “Cole’s bike only made her more mad. We need to find another way in so we can get Lloyd!”

Y/n didn’t argue. She formed a spear with her powers and chucked it at the ghosts flying around, making two disappear. They just came back from inside the Preeminent. “Kai, we can’t fight our way in! We’ve gotta protect the innocent people caught in the crossfire.” When he looked like he was going to protest, Y/n grabbed his shoulders and forced him to face her. “I want nothing more than to get Lloyd back,” she rasped, torment in her gaze. “But you know he’d rather have us save the people than himself.”

Kai turned away with a scowl. Y/n took it as a win.

The Preeminent growled as she noticed the boat.

“Go, Ninja!” Y/n screeched, feet pounding on the wooden planks of the dock. “Go!”

They all raced toward the paddleboat, which was just starting to move away from the docks. And much too slowly.

Zane, Nya, and Jay scrambled onto the ship, spreading out to defend the inhabitants. Cole and Kai continued a direct assault on the Cursed Realm. Y/n slowly backed down the dock, fighting hand-to-hand with any ghost that dared come close. Behind her, Ronin clambered into the ship, shouting for it to go faster.

Y/n would’ve loved to put up a barrier to stop anyone from coming towards them. But she was too tired to try and use her powers.

“Leaving so soon?”

Y/n whirled around just in time for a blast of wind to hit her square in the chest. She stumbled backwards, arms flinging out to her side to keep her balance. In front of her, Morro hovered above the dock with the Realm Crystal in one hand and the Sword of Sanctuary in the other.

“Where is Lloyd?” Y/n demanded, charging for an attack. Startled by her lack of hesitation, Morro backed away before he remembered he held a weapon and pointed it at Y/n.

“Where he belongs,” Morro replied with a sinister smile. “Do not despair, Y/n. Soon, you will be, too!”

She let out a battle cry and charged.

Her training from Chen’s island suddenly came roaring back.

All the times she’d faced his goons five-to-one. “Training” when she’d been unarmed while the others were. The way they’d taught her to be strong, attack without mercy, and not stop until her foe was defeated.

It all came back.

And she listened.

Y/n slid under the sword and punched upwards, connecting with Morro’s arm. He yelped and jumped away. Y/n shot to her feet and launched herself at him without giving him a moment to recover, becoming a flurry of punches and kicks. The ghost didn’t have time to look at the Sword of Sanctuary between attacks. Y/n was a blur of offense.

She felt like she was in a vicious dance as she smoothly went from one punch to the next, sidestepping Morro’s attempts to hurt her and knocking him off balance. Her mind went numb as she fell into the rhythm of battle, old skills surfacing.

She no longer had to hold back. Lloyd’s health wasn’t in the way. It was just her and the ghost.

The ghost who had ruined their lives in just a couple short weeks. Who’d almost killed her brother. And who was trying to condemn every realm to be cursed.

She. Didn’t. Hold. Back.

Morro screamed in rage and slashed the Sword at her. A gust of wind accompanied the attack, and Y/n went flying back. She landed hard but shot to her feet, barely noticing how the pain in her arm doubled.

“You insolent pest!” The ghost cried, stalking closer. “You are not going to stop me! Not when I’m so close!”

Y/n held out her fists, ready to fight.

“Y/n, come on!” That was Cole; he was on the paddleboat with everyone else, ready to defend the innocents on board. “Get out of there!”

She ignored his call. She needed to win.

But before she could move, something appeared next to Morro, kicked him away and grabbed the Sword, and stumbled over to Y/n.

“Lloyd!” She gasped, breaking out of her rage. She grabbed his shoulders just before he tipped sideways, expression dazed and dizzy and bruises on his skin. He was wearing—

He was wearing their father’s outfit from when he’d sacrificed himself.

Lloyd’s sword hand dipped but Y/n caught the handle and gently pried the weapon from his grasp. He nodded tiredly in thanks, struggling to stand upright, weight off his left side.

“You’ve got Dad’s robes,” she breathed. Her heart twisted. “You saw him.”

He nodded tiredly but turned his attention to the boat. The other Ninja watched them with relief, Jay and Zane waving to him. He forced a smile.

“Ninja,” he called, somehow sounding more confident than he looked. “Take out the stilts. We need to drop the Preeminent into the sea.”

Y/n beamed. It was nice to have him back.

“Why didn’t we think of that earlier?!” Jay scoffed, jumping from the boat onto the dock.

The team raced over and Lloyd straightened, trying to look less tired. Y/n knew he was faking. She didn’t call him out. “That’s why he’s the leader,” Cole replied with a grin, nudging Jay’s side.

“Be careful, Cole,” Y/n blurted as they moved to do as told. He paused and looked back. “With the ocean,” Y/n added. “Just be careful.”

He smirked. “Careful is my middle name,” he boasted. When Y/n sent him a deadpan look, his expression softened. “Don’t worry. I will be.” Then he was gone.

Y/n took a shaky breath and turned back towards Morro as the ghost recovered. She gripped Lloyd’s hand in her right while her left held the Sword of Sanctuary.

Not her ideal fighting hand, but with her right arm aching badly and still bleeding from the sword cut, she decided it wasn’t much of a loss.

“Look who showed up,” Morro snarled, less than impressed. Y/n’s hand grew warm as she called upon her powers, sending some of her energy into Lloyd like they’d done before. The ghost noticed the glow between the two siblings and his expression darkened. “Didn’t take you to be much of a cheater, Y/n.”

Her head felt like it was being squeezed with the headache that was forming. She released her powers. “When you took my brother, all bets were off.”

Morro scowled and wind swirled around his hand. “You want to play dirty? Let’s dance.” He charged.

Y/n raised the Sword in defense, anchoring herself to the docks as Morro’s wind blasted at her. When it let up, she released Lloyd’s hand in favor of running in for an attack. A flash of green beat her to it and Morro skidded backwards. Y/n tried to strike before he could recover, but the ghost rolled out of the way and shot to his feet.

He was in between Lloyd and Y/n, now. The siblings waited, ready, taunting Morro to make the first move. After Y/n’s power boost, Lloyd was able to steadily stand on his feet—and if she hadn’t known what he’d been through, she’d say he looked fine, except for the bruises on his face.

Finally Morro struck, aiming for Lloyd. The Green Ninja staggered out of the way and blocked his attacks, but couldn’t get in any of his own. Y/n ran over and careened into the ghost with a gray-purple vortex of spinjitzu.

The Preeminent tried to smash them. Y/n cut through the tentacle. Lloyd tried to blast Morro with his powers, but they were still weak, and the ghost easily avoided the attack.

The dock suddenly trembled and the Cursed Realm screeched.

“No!” Morro cried. “They’re taking out the supports!” He held up the Realm Crystal and jumped into the portal.

Y/n froze, putting herself in front of Lloyd with the Sword raised.

But the attack came from behind. A fierce blast of wind sent her and Lloyd stumbling forward.

Morro appeared in front of them and did it again, knocking them back into an alley. Y/n grimaced as she landed on her bad arm again. Lloyd groaned in pain, lying on his side, panting and face pale.

“Come on, bro,” Y/n hissed, tugging him to his feet. “We can’t stop now.”

He slumped against her upon standing. “I’m tired,” he protested into her shoulder, his gaze clouding again, red-rimmed green eyes bloodshot.

Y/n gave him a quick hug, mindful of the Sword of Sanctuary. “I know,” she murmured. He was shaking nonstop. “I am too. We’re almost done.” I hope. She took an unsteady deep breath. “We just gotta last a little longer.”

Weakly, Lloyd nodded once.

“Protect the Preeminent!” Morro shouted to his ghost friends. They echoed the order and buildings groaned as they bent out of shape.

Lloyd suddenly stiffened and slipped past Y/n, snatching the Sword of Sanctuary.

She heard his powers activate and Morro cried out in alarm.

She ran to help him too late.

A portal opened with the Realm Crystal snapped shut as Morro and Lloyd went through.

~~~

Y/n could only stare.

They’d just…

Lloyd had just come back and now he was gone again.

Even with her boost, he was still exhausted and in pain.

And this time he was with Morro going to who-knows-where.

Her worry spiked and her hands shook. Without Lloyd in her sight, she—she didn’t know how long he could last.

Something huge in the corner of her eye caught her attention. When she turned, she paled.

The Preeminent’s ghosts had attached buildings to her tentacles, acting as some kind of armor, and letting her fully stand in the ocean without problem. Ghosts flew around her like a swarm of flies.

She shrieked when she noticed the paddleboat getting away from her.

The sound tore into Y/n’s mind, rousing her to action. She couldn’t do anything to help Lloyd without the Realm Crystal—which Morro had. Her worrying wasn’t going to help anything.

But she could still fight.

The elemental ran closer to the action. She was tired and sore and her arm ached something fierce. She couldn’t stop worrying about her brother and dread plagued her mind.

She kept going.

Coming from behind the Preeminent, Y/n spotted the other Ninja—all five. Cole was okay and Kai hadn’t drowned. That was good. But they were falling behind the Preeminent, her size allowing her to take larger steps and travel faster. The ghosts also assisted her walking by pulling up the houses attached to her legs like stilts.

The Ninja used their airjitzus to jump onto her leg, attempting to climb up. Several ghosts descended upon them and more crowded the air. There had to be hundreds.

Y/n flew forward in a spinjitzu tornado and careered through several ghosts, scrambling for a handhold as she landed awkwardly.

“Y/n!” Zane said in surprise. “Where is Lloyd?”

She grit her teeth. “Fighting Morro in another Realm.” No one questioned her. “What’s the plan?”

“We need to destroy this thing before it reaches the ship,” Kai replied urgently, blasting fire at some ghosts.

Y/n raised her brow and glanced up at the beast. “With what surprise attack? There’s too many ghosts!”

A spray of water dissolved a ghost reaching for Y/n. “We don’t really have a choice!” Nya protested.

A ghostly chain wrapped around Zane, but a precise bolt of lightning had it snapping off and the ghost falling towards the sea.

They climbed halfway up the Preeminent’s leg-tentacle. “Doctor, it appears the patient needs his knee put on ice,” Jay said with a smirk.

Zane’s eyes flashed in understanding. “I am happy to help,” he replied, just as sarcastic, and his powers covered the Preeminent’s knee. They all yelped in alarm when the beast struggled and listed towards the side—but the ice shattered free. A shard sliced Y/n’s cheek, right above her mask, and she hissed in pain and irritation.

This was getting tiresome.

The Preeminent beelined for the paddleboat, an endless supply of ghosts feeding her strength and allowing her to walk in the ocean despite all the water. The Ninja began climbing higher to avoid the salty water as the ocean grew deeper and to get a better vantage. An arrow lodged itself into the wood next to Kai and Nya. From above, Y/n kicked at a ghost trying to pull her off.

Kai cried out as he was thrown free, barely managing to catch himself just above the ocean. But the piece of wood broke and he went down with a splash.

“Kai!” Nya yelled.

He popped up a moment later, clinging desperately to the leg of the Preeminent. The archer ghost pointed an arrow at him. But just as the ghost was about to fire, Zane shot a stream of ice at him. Kai added his fire. Together, a spray of water fell over the specter and he disappeared.

“Hah!” Jay grinned. “Fire and ice make water, nice!” He pulled Kai up and Y/n dropped down to join them. “And one more ghost is toast.”

“Not for long,” Y/n grumbled.

Zane and Cole climbed over to them, and the six Ninja stood together on the platform. “As iron sharpens iron, family sharpens family.”

Y/n tried very hard not to think about their missing family.

Her candle was getting weaker.

The Preeminent roared and the archer ghost came back.

“Are you kidding me?!” Kai groaned. “Even our coolest moves aren’t helping anything!”

They were close enough to the paddleboat for ghosts to fly over. Each step from the Cursed Realm had waves of water splashing into the back and forcing it forward.

“We aren’t doing any good over here,” Nya told them. “We need to protect the ship!” She used her powers to almost surf across the ocean, leaping nimbly onto the deck. The rest of the team crossed over with airjitzu just as the boat drifted into a fog bank.

Cole couldn’t contain a slight hiss of pain. Y/n whirled to him, eyes wide, and noticed the way his body steamed.

Fog. Water.

She extended her hand and formed a shield around him, preventing the mist from touching him. He glanced up in surprise, then sent her a half-hearted smile.

Y/n failed to return it, too concentrated on her powers. Her very soul felt like it was being torn apart. Her head hurt like she’d been run over by a truck. She needed a long sleep after all this. If she could hold out that long.

“We need more if we are to destroy the Preeminent,” Wu realized. He stood next to Ronin, who piloted the paddleboat.

The thief hummed in agreement, but his next words said otherwise. “What we need is more fuel,” he protested. “If we turn back now, we’ll have just enough to get us to shore. Otherwise, if we reach Hollow’s Trench, we’ll be sitting ducks out there.”

“Hollow’s Trench?” Y/n echoed.

“It’s a channel of deep water,” Misako replied. “It might be deep enough to drown the Preeminent.”

Their debate didn’t seem to matter to the Cursed Realm. Her clawed hand came down and smashed into the back of the boat, ripping off the engine. The steamer slowed to a standstill.

Above the Preeminent, a blue and black portal opened up. Y/n’s heart soared, expecting her brother—but only Morro fell through before it closed.

Her breath caught in her throat.

No.

This couldn’t be happening.

Nya drifted to the back, dazed.

Y/n looked away, breathing suddenly difficult. Her candle was still there, so she knew Lloyd was alive, but…by how much? How much would it take to snuff out that little ember forever?

The Preeminent loomed over them, a guttural sound echoing around her. She was laughing. She knew she’d won.

Y/n’s hands shook.

This couldn’t be the end.

She…she wanted to do so much. She wanted to spend more time with her brother. To train better, more honorable ways to fight. She wanted to read more about Ninjago’s history and know what she missed on Chen’s island. She wanted to…

She glanced at Cole again, and he met her gaze through the purple shield. He looked like he felt the same way.

Water swirled through the air.

“Morro?” Jay groaned.

“Not Morro,” Zane realized. “Nya!”

They all ran to the back, though Cole and Y/n stayed partially hidden around the corner. The former to get that extra bit of shielding from the water flying through the air, and the latter because she was too tired to be on the front lines anymore.

A spinning vortex of water surrounded Nya, blocking her from sight. “She’s unlocked her true potential!” Kai realized, his expression brightening.

A massive wave rose up behind the Preeminent. It was easily taller than the beast and crashed into her from behind, taking out the ghosts around her and knocking her forward, towards the paddleboat. But the wave whisked the boat out of the way, and the Preeminent fell into the ocean.

A few fortunate ghosts buzzed frantically around the top of the Preeminent as she desperately waved her tentacles through the air. One of them was Morro, still clinging to the Realm Crystal, using his powers to keep himself high in the air as apposed to just above the surface like the other ghosts.

They couldn’t fly, only hover. Morro could do both.

The water around Nya dissipated and she crashed to her knees with a groan. Jay grabbed her shoulder to keep her upright, and together, they looked up at the Cursed Realm.

The Preeminent howled in pain as her foot slipped and she sank deeper into the water.

Hollow’s Trench. They’d made it.

Sickly green steam wafted up from the water as the Preeminent dissolved, her struggles lessening. Only a few smaller tentacles appeared above the water, and they were shrinking rapidly. Debris from the houses she’d used as a shield floated to the surface.

There was one last groan before the air went quiet.

Until the citizens on the ship burst out cheering.

Y/n swallowed thickly. She had no reason to celebrate. From the forlorn expressions on the others, she’d guess they felt the same. Loss weighed heavily on all of them.

Wu jumped off the ship and summoned his elemental dragon. Y/n blinked hazily at it—she’d never seen the beautiful white-and-gold creature before. Her uncle flew over to the wreckage, avoiding the remains of the tentacles, and hovered near the surface of the water.

Y/n realized that the Preeminent had snagged Morro and tried to bring him down with her. He was using his powers to stay aloft, but the Preeminent was stronger.

From the ship, Y/n watched as they exchanged words. Then Morro gave the Realm Crystal to Wu and went underwater.

He was gone.

Bitter satisfaction squirmed in Y/n’s chest. She hated that ghost. She wanted no more of him. And now she wouldn’t have to deal with him again.

“We need to get back,” Misako told Ronin.

“No engine,” he replied curtly.

But all around, Stiix citizens were already pulling out long oars and setting them in place, rowing the broken paddleboat back to the docks. No one seemed upset by the extra work. They were just grateful to be alive.

Sunlight began burning through the fog, turning the air warm and humid. Y/n tipped her face back to soak in the sun, closing her eyes with a shaky exhale.

They had won. Despite almost falling to the Preeminent, being on the edge of defeat, they were alive.

She zoned out, but when the heat around her turned drier and more intense, she realized the fog was gone. Her hand lowered and her powers faded along with the shield around Cole. Dizzy, Y/n couldn’t determine his expression. But he gave her a grateful nod.

The Ninja huddled together around Wu, who held the Realm Crystal up to the sky. A portal opened to some realm.

They waited for Lloyd to appear.

Wu frowned and tried a new portal. Nothing but silence.

Y/n’s heart twisted. Why was Lloyd not coming back? How would they even know what realm to pick? And the portal could open anywhere—

“Y/n,” he called. She snapped out of her daze and glanced at the owner of the voice. Wu beckoned her closer. “You try.”

She crossed the space almost in a trance and gingerly took the Realm Crystal. It hummed with energy, its smooth surface warm with its own heat. Y/n held it up to the sunlight and concentrated.

She felt for her candle and locked onto it. The Crystal opened a portal.

An agonizingly long moment later, holding the Sword of Sanctuary, Lloyd tumbled through and landed harshly on the boat deck. He immediately fell to his knees.

Zane and Jay instantly ushered the Stiix residents away, leaving the Ninja in peace.

Y/n thrust the Crystal at her uncle and barely waited for him to take it before rushing over to Lloyd and throwing her arms around him, her speed impossible for someone in her state. His breathing was ragged and shallow and he trembled violently. But he was alive and he was out of danger.

“I told you that you’d make it worse,” she choked out, tears welling in her eyes. Lloyd’s frame was so skinny, his body ice-cold. “Oh, my god, Lloyd.”

He struggled to stand, eyes wide with panic. Kai approached from behind, hesitant, but ready. “M-Morro,” he gasped out. “W-where’s—”

Y/n rose with him, keeping her hand on his shoulder. “He’s gone,” she murmured. “There’s no one to fight anymore.”

Lloyd’s gaze flicked around for a moment, seemingly looking for a threat. But, seeing none, his eyelids fluttered and he collapsed.

Y/n surged forward and caught him before he could hit the ground. Kai immediately took his weight from behind, the Fire Ninja less tired than Y/n, and lifted Lloyd into his arms. The Green Ninja didn’t protest, his head falling against Kai’s chest. Kai’s brow furrowed worriedly. No doubt he noticed how light Lloyd had become.

“We need to get him onto the Bounty before people see him,” Nya said quietly, standing next to her brother, blue eyes filled with worry as she studied Lloyd’s condition.

“We parked it too far away,” Kai reminded her.

She nodded once. “I’ll go get it. Keep the paddleboat close to shore but not docked until I get back.” She ran to the edge without waiting for a reply and jumped off, surfing with water back to the shore.

Y/n went to tell her mother and Ronin Nya’s instructions. Her pace to the front of the ship was slow, every step painful. With her adrenaline fading, the pain in her arm slammed into her tenfold. Black spots danced in her vision, but she refused to succumb. There were still things to do.

“Y/n,” Misako greeted in surprise. “You should rest until we get to shore.”

The elemental shook her head. “Don’t dock yet,” she replied tiredly. “We need to get off before there’s a crowd.”

Her mother’s gaze clouded with worry. “Lloyd?”

Y/n nodded.

Misako mumbled something under her breath but turned to Ronin. “Tell everyone to stop rowing when we get close.” The thief had heard their conversation, his normally laid-back expression subdued with understanding. He nodded and went to tell the rowers. Misako took the other side, and the order spread quickly.

Heading back to the other Ninja, Y/n paused in a small section of the boat hidden from view. She sank down against the wall and drew her knees to her chest, burying her face in her clothes, and finally let out her stress-built cries.

She kept them silent, though, simply curled up and shuddering as sobs wracked her body. She could feel how tense her shoulders were, built up from the last couple weeks of stress. Her heart ached for Lloyd.

She felt herself get pulled into a hug. It wasn’t warm, but it was strong. Y/n wilted as her tears flowed harder and her nose stuffed up. She didn’t bother opening her eyes to see who it was. From the chill, she already had a guess.

When he let out a startled hiss of pain, Y/n immediately pulled away. Her eyes snapped open and landed on Cole’s arm, which he quickly hid—but not before she saw the faint steam rising from it.

“Oh—” Y/n quickly wiped her eyes and face dry. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Cole replied immediately. “It’s nothing, really.”

Y/n shook her head, breaths still shuddering. “I should’ve realized.”

The Earth Ninja sighed. “You don’t need another thing to worry about.” He gently fingered her arm, looking at the cut from Morro. She winced when he moved her skin a little too much, pulling at the wound. “This is bleeding. When did you—?”

“Before the Preeminent came through,” Y/n answered quickly, avoiding Cole’s gaze. “I, ah—I haven’t exactly had time to do anything about it.”

Cole nodded in understanding. “We’ll get it patched up when the Bounty gets here.” He released her arm and she slumped back into the wall, resting her chin on her knees. Her eyes felt so dry after crying.

“What’s going to happen?” She asked dully. When Cole hesitated, she elaborated. “With Lloyd.”

He grimaced, settling beside her. “I don’t know,” he replied warily, just as quiet, casting a worried look to the back of the boat even though they were out of eyesight.

Y/n’s fingers curled and her chest constricted with alarm. “Cole. What’s going to happen?” She was breathing too quickly, she knew that. “You—you were there after the Overlord. You must know something!” She bit her tongue at the increase of volume, more tears welling in her eyes.

Cole gazed at her sadly. “Are you sure—?”

“Please,” Y/n begged.

The Earth elemental sighed heavily. “Nightmares. He definitely needs sleep—and food and water, too. He had a fever before so I wouldn’t be surprised if it came back.” He rubbed his face, worry etched onto his features. “He might get really paranoid of the wind or—” He broke off, staring at his hands, but Y/n realized what he’d been thinking.

“Or you,” she finished quietly.

Cole’s heartbroken expression made Y/n’s insides twist unpleasantly. “Cole, you’re practically his brother. He’d never be afraid of you.” She gently touched the back of his hand in support. “You’re too nice for anyone to be scared of you. Well, except for your enemies.”

She tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach.

The elemental smiled half-heartedly. “He’ll get nervous around any kind of ghost,” he sighed. “And that’s okay. He just went through a lot.” The way he said it made it sound like it wouldn’t be okay, at least for Cole. He’d feel the need to distance himself from Lloyd.

Before she could say anything in reply, a warm wind buffeted the ship, smelling faintly of fuel. A deep rumbling made the ocean water vibrate. With difficulty, Y/n forced herself to her feet and followed Cole to the back of the boat.

The Bounty slowly lowered into the water and a plank fell between the two ships. Jay crossed first and held the end down while Zane anchored the other side, ensuring it didn’t slip as Kai hurried across with Lloyd. Wu followed as Misako and Ronin appeared to see them depart.

Y/n’s mother trailed after Kai down to the med bay. Zane boarded next, then Cole with a last glance back at Y/n, leaving her the last one on the paddleboat.

She turned back to Ronin. “Thank you,” she said with hesitation. “For showing us the tomb and helping here.”

The thief dipped his head. “I think I owed it to ya,” he responded.

“Will you be okay with the cleanup?” Y/n added with a moment of hesitation.

Ronin sent her a small smile. “We’ll make it work; we’re tough. Go rest. You all deserve a break.”

Y/n relaxed slightly knowing Stiix would be okay. “Thanks again,” she added finally, then carefully climbed over to the Bounty. Jay withdrew the plank and tucked it by the side, then waved to Nya. She nodded and turned the controls to lift the ship into the air.

Jay looked back at Y/n, who stared numbly at Stiix as it grew smaller and smaller. There were many houses missing and gaping holes in the wooden walkways. Ronin’s shop lay in pieces, completely obliterated. New Year’s decorations lay lifelessly on the ground.

“Y/n,” the Lightning Ninja said gently.

She flinched out of her daze and her shoulders slumped. “I know, I know,” she sighed. “I’m going.”

“Not that,” Jay said quickly. “Though you definitely need sleep. I was gonna say that he’ll get through this.” The way he kept glancing around betrayed his uncertainty.

Y/n drew her arms to her body. “I really hope you’re right, Jay,” she rasped. “For Lloyd’s sake, I hope you’re right.”

She headed towards the hatch to go to her bed when a wave of nausea swept over her.

Vision rapidly failing, Y/n slowly turned back to the Lightning Ninja. “Jay—” she rasped out. His eyes widened and he closed the distance between them in an instant, grabbing Y/n’s arms. “I don’t feel good—”

Her legs gave out and she slumped forward, black sweeping over her vision.

The last thing she hard was Jay shouting before unconsciousness swept her away.

Chapter Text

If Cole had to find something good about being a ghost, it was not able to be injured.

But after that fight, he was so sore.

So much for not feeling pain.

As the Bounty flew away from Stiix and his adrenaline wore off, the ache and burn set in.

The ghost Ninja grimaced and stretched. The fight had taken everything they had—weapons, mechs, powers, teamwork, energy—and now they were left with nothing but aches and injuries. Some more than others.

A flurry of nerves set in when he thought of Lloyd. He’d only seen the kid briefly before he’d left, knowing just the sight of a ghost would have him on edge. But he'd looked pale and sickly and hurt.

Cole hoped Misako knew what she was doing when she treated her son.

And then Y/n, too...he could tell she'd been pushing herself to the breaking point even before the fight. She almost looked more battered than her brother. Seeing her curled up and crying alone as they flew off made Cole's heart drop.

Which definitely had nothing to do with the butterflies he felt every time she smiled at him. Not at all. It was...just concern for his exhausted comrade, that's all.

Exhausted, yet still pushing on. Cole allowed himself a small smile.

It instantly faded, however, when he heard Jay’s shouts from the deck.

Cole had been watching the site of their battle face into the background from the stern of the Bounty. Stiix would go down in history, no longer a forgotten little town in the middle of nowhere. But as soon as he heard Jay yelling urgently, he ran to the deck.

Only to see Y/n slumped in his arms, unconscious.

“What happened?” He demanded, easily taking Y/n into his arms and relieving a panicking Jay of her weight. Y/n was light in his grasp, though, which concerned him.

“I don't know,” the distressed Ninja in blue fretted. “She looked fine, but said she didn’t feel good and just collapsed—”

“Calm down, Jay,” Cole said quietly, hiding the way his heart pounded at Y/n’s condition. “We’ll go to the med bay and see what's wrong.” And treat that sword wound on her arm, he thought, frowning worriedly at the still-bleeding gash. As fierce of a warrior as Y/n was, the amount of blood she’d likely lost from that injury could be enough to bring even the fiercest fighter to their knees.

He glanced at Y/n’s face. Even in sleep she looked worn out and stressed, her brow creased slightly and a frown playing at her features. She was pale, more so than when Cole had found her on the deck, her shallow breaths shaky and rasping. It gave the Earth Ninja a very bad feeling.

Jay shook out his hands as he tried to expel some nervous energy. “Right. Okay. Let’s go.” He sped towards the stairs without looking back for Cole—not that he needed to, since the ghost Ninja was hot on his heels. Zane and Misako were already in the med bay with Lloyd, so they would be able to help Y/n as soon as they got there.

Jay took the lead, filled with urgency only enhanced by his anxiousness for the situation. Cole couldn’t blame him. He’d been alone when Y/n had suddenly collapsed—that was enough to make anyone fill with worry. He’d informed the occupants of the med room by the time Cole arrived moments later.

Misako hid her worry well when she saw her daughter. She directed Cole to the bed next to Lloyd’s—the Earth Ninja refused to look, not knowing how much more he could take before he broke—and he gently placed Y/n on the mattress before stepping back.

Misako gently brought her daughter up and tugged her armor off and handing it to Jay, who placed it on a nearby table. Y/n remained unresponsive and limp despite her body moving against her will.

Zane finished up something with Lloyd before hurrying over to their newest patient. Without a word spoken, he grabbed blankets and began covering Y/n with them. Misako worked on her arm, placing butterfly bandages over the wound and wrapping it in gauze. She muttered something about possible stitches when her daughter awoke and could either accept or deny them.

“What’s wrong?” Cole demanded when the silence stretched on.

“Possible shock,” Zane replied bluntly. “She likely had the wound on her arm for longer than we realized and lost a lot of blood. That, and with fighting so long, lowered her blood pressure and prevented enough oxygen from circulating through her body.”

Cole frowned, thinking, then sighed in defeat. “English?”

“Blood loss,” Misako replied with a sigh.

The Earth Ninja grimaced. “Right.”

“We’ll keep an eye on her,” Zane added as he propped Y/n’s injured arm into a more comfortable position using pillows nearby. “She should be okay.”

For a brief moment, deeper concern flashed across his face, and Cole realized how much the blonde Ninja meant to the nindroid. She had been the first friendly face in Zane’s prison back at Chen’s island, and they’d helped each other escape that dreadful place. Even as the newest addition to their team, each of the Ninja already had a deeper connection with Y/n.

“What about Lloyd?” Jay asked timidly, his nervous gaze pinned on the other occupied bed in the room.

Cole steeled himself and finally looked over.

He almost wished he hadn’t.

Lloyd’s expression was pinched in fear, his skin flushed with evident fever. He was skinny even for him—ever since the Ninja picked him off the streets when Darkley’s had kicked him out, he’d always been small for his age—and had fierce bags under his eyes. His usually bright blond hair was dull and dirty. Bandages covered the worst of his injuries, but there were still plenty of bruises visible.

Zane was silent for so long, Cole began wondering if he’d even heard Jay, despite the nindroid having excellent hearing. But when he glanced at the Ninja’s face, he realized Zane was terrified.

Terrified of losing Lloyd.

Cole stiffened, gaze flicking between his leader, Zane, and Y/n.

Jay fiddled with his belt, waiting for an answer.

Finally Misako broke the boiling tension. “He will recover,” she said firmly, as if she could make it true with her words alone.

Jay looked like he wanted to believe her but didn’t. Either way, he forced a grim smile. “Right. Of course.” And he scurried out of the room before he could convince himself otherwise.

“Zane?” Cole demanded once the Lightning Ninja was gone.

The nindroid flinched—another sign something was wrong. “It’s nothing, Cole,” he muttered, and followed Jay out of the room.

Cole whirled to the only person left.

Misako grimaced. “Do not lose hope yet, Cole,” she tried, though her voice was strained. “He is the toughest of us.”

“No, he’s not,” Cole snapped. “If that’s anyone, it should be me. Lloyd’s the most powerful, but he’s just a kid.” The elemental let out a frustrated groan and rubbed his face, several emotions bubbling in his chest. “He’s a kid,” he whispered brokenly, hands dropping as he stared dully at the unconscious boy in the hospital bed.

He looked so small and…fragile.

“Get some rest, Cole,” Misako urged gently. “You may be a ghost, but you’re not immune to fatigue.”

Kai and Nya were already in their bunks, though Cole knew they’d be too stressed about Lloyd to fall asleep yet. Jay would likely have an energy crash once his adrenaline rush faded. Zane would also need to rest or recharge or whatever he did when he was tired.

And, despite hiding it from the others, Cole was exhausted. Apparently Misako noticed despite his best efforts.

“Call me if anything happens,” Cole requested eventually, his gaze lingering on the two unconscious siblings as he drifted towards the door. “Please.”

Misako smiled thinly. “I will.”

He didn’t know if the scholar was telling the truth or not, but he decided to let himself believe she was. He wouldn’t be able to sit still if she was lying.

The air in their sleeping quarters was heavy and filled with grief. Kai had his back turned to the center, refusing to look at anyone. Jay stared straight up at the top of his bed, expression blank. If Nya was asleep, Cole couldn’t tell, with how tense she looked. Zane appeared the only one able to actually rest.

Cole let out a slow exhale and flopped onto his bed, gazing up at the wood above him.

He didn’t think any of them slept well that night, even Zane.

~~~

A day later

Y/n sat at the bow of the Bounty, knees pulled to her chest and arms wrapped around her legs.

Her arm stung slightly with the pull of her skin and she strained the limb to keep around her legs. After waking up two hours ago, Misako and Zane had explained the she’d suffered from too much lost blood and it had made her pass out. She hadn’t reacted to their brief scolding—it had meant saving Lloyd and fighting Morro, so it had been worth it.

Then she’d taken one look at Lloyd still unconscious and needed fresh air.

The team had decided to stay on the Bounty instead of returning to the tea shop. It felt more like home, and they didn’t want to move any injured party.

Kai, Jay, and Zane managed to walk away with minor scrapes and aches. Cole had been hit by the ghosts in hand-to-hand combat, leaving some bruises, but otherwise he was uninjured.

Y/n was covered in abrasions and contusions. Her right arm had that nasty gash near her shoulder, deep enough to need stitches, and the original sword cut tore more open with all the times she’d fallen on it. A massive headache pounded her skull, accompanied by dizziness, and her stomach churned with nausea. A result of blood loss, Zane had told her. And despite sleeping for at least a day, she was still exhausted.

Lloyd, however, made Y/n’s condition not seem so bad.

The fight with Morro and traveling through realms left him even battered than when they’d started. With some prying, Y/n learned that his pulse and breathing had dropped alarmingly low, though after Zane put an oxygen mask on his face and Jay gave him a light shock, Lloyd had stabilized. His condition hadn’t changed since.

Which led Y/n to sit alone outside, trying to reduce her anxiety for Lloyd. Chilly wind nipped her skin beneath the clean hoodie she wore but she barely noticed.

The countryside they flew over was pretty. Undisturbed from Morro’s possession, unbothered by the Preeminent’s near-cross into their realm.

If only her mind would calm like the peaceful land below.

She internally grimaced when she heard footsteps and curled tighter into herself. She didn’t really want to be disturbed.

But the fact that she even could hear steps suggested that whoever it was didn’t want to startle her. Still groggy, she appreciated the gesture.

“Are you feeling alright, Y/n?” Zane asked quietly, sitting next to the blonde and studying her expression.

“Fine,” she mumbled dismissively, keeping her eyes pinned straight ahead.

Zane put a gentle hand on her shoulder but said nothing. Y/n eventually wilted and let herself lean on the nindroid, who readily shifted to better support the elemental.

Y/n bit her lip, several emotions surging into existence. Her vision became blurry and her headache worsened.

At her first shaky inhale, Zane immediately pulled her closer into a hug. Y/n went slack and no longer tried to contain her tears, letting them fall silently as Zane rubbed her back and her mind clouded with worry and uncertainty.

“Sorry,” she choked out eventually, craning her next to see Zane’s expression and trying to pull away. “I shouldn’t—”

The nindroid refused to let her go. “It is alright,” he replied gently, and after a moment, Y/n drooped in defeat. “Let it out.”

Y/n let her eyes shut, the breeze making her damp lashes colder.

She didn’t hear the next set of footsteps until another body collided with hers and joined in their hug. Y/n’s eyes snapped open in alarm only to see Jay attached to her middle, his face practically buried in her hoodie.

Moments later, Nya, Cole, and Kai joined.

Y/n let out a half-sob half-laugh as their pile grew in size. She was still pressed to Zane’s side, his arms around her; but Jay wouldn’t let go and Nya draped over her from behind, arms hanging over her shoulders. Cole crouched near Jay and Kai by Nya, both of them taking one of Y/n’s hands.

Y/n’s worry faded somewhat.

“Thanks, guys,” she whispered shakily.

Another few minutes of silence passed before Y/n’s nausea faded and hunger took its place.

She didn’t move, though, not wanting to disturb their brief circle of peace. It was only the gnawing hunger that kept her from falling asleep, but she let her eyes close and her body relax completely against the people around her. For once, her mind went quiet.

Until a low growl broke the quiet.

Jay stiffened before letting out a sheepish, “Uh—heh.”

Maybe it was the lack of blood or sleep or her frayed nerves, but Y/n couldn’t hold back her giggle. Then the dam broke and everyone started laughing quietly, even Jay, and the tension rolled off them.

“And I thought I was hungry,” Y/n hummed sleepily. “At least my stomach’s not doing that.”

“It was Cole,” Jay protested.

The ghost Ninja let out a scoff. “I don’t need to eat, bluebell,” he retorted. “And you kinda gave yourself away.”

Jay muttered something but it was lost in Y/n’s hoodie.

“Looks like Jay might take your spot as the hungry one, Cole,” Kai added.

“Impossible,” the ghost scoffed, indignantly crossing his arms. “If I ever get rid of this ghost thing, I will still claim the title.”

Y/n cracked open her eyes and gave Cole a worried look. He waved her off with a lopsided smile and she rolled her eyes. “When,” she corrected. “Not if.”

“Y/n being the optimist again,” Kai piped up. Y/n sent him a playful glare. “I guess she can learn.”

The elemental scoffed. “You’re ruining my stubborn and moody teenager vibe, Kai,” she protested.

Kai straightened proudly and Jay let out a muffled laugh from Y/n’s hoodie.

“Yeah, she’s no fun anymore,” Nya agreed.

Y/n would’ve punched her arm if she could move.

“I’ll have you know,” she retorted, “I’m very fun.”

“Oh, yeah?” Kai challenged. “Name your favorite movie or video game.”

Y/n tensed and felt Zane glance down in concern. She’d watched a grand total of one movie, and she fell asleep halfway through—the one on Halloween. Chen and Clouse never let her watch any.

And video games? Forget it. She hadn’t even known what they were until Jay mentioned it in a conversation, and she hadn’t paid enough attention to bother figuring out what a “video game” was.

At her silence, Jay craned his neck to see her expression better and Kai’s eyes widened. “You don’t have one?” He demanded.

“I’ve never played a video game,” Y/n replied slowly. “And I’ve watched part of one movie.”

Kai looked personally offended and Jay let out a strangled gasp.

“She has not had the same exposure as we have,” Zane reminded them, and Y/n nodded in agreement, refusing to meet Kai’s stare.

“Eventually, Y/n,” the Fire Ninja sighed finally, “we need to watch all of our movies and play our games.”

Her eyes flicked up again and she smiled faintly. “I’d like that.”

They fell back into a comfortable silence, simply enjoying everyone’s presence. Y/n let out a breath and her eyes closed again, on the verge of sleep and leaning completely on Zane. The nindroid didn’t seem to mind, though.

Maybe without realizing, Cole began running his thumb over the back of Y/n’s hand. It sent shivers up her arm—whether from the pleasure of the feeling, the strangeness of his ghostly skin against hers, or the fact that he was doing it, she didn’t know. But it was calming and therapeutic and made her even more drowsy.

“There you guys are!”

Y/n forced her heavy eyes open and craned her neck to see Misako running over, her expression difficult to discern. “Hi?” She questioned.

“Lloyd wants you.”

Y/n froze and every Ninja went dead silent. All sleepiness faded from her mind and she frantically extracted herself from the group. Zane and Jay both immediately released her without protest, and everyone suddenly looked completely serious instead of their comfortable humor.

“He’s awake?” Y/n demanded, ignoring how her voice trembled.

Misako nodded. It was all Y/n needed to forget her injuries or hunger and race belowdecks towards the med bay.

She stumbled slightly at the bottom of the ship’s stairs but kept going without missing a beat. She only slowed when she entered the med bay, not wanting to startle Lloyd.

Her eyes pinned on his bed when she neared, and he tiredly gazed back.

“You’re okay,” he observed, his voice weak and hoarse.

“Me?” Y/n scoffed. “What about you?”

Lloyd shrugged slightly. “Y’know.”

She did know. “Are you comfortable enough, at least?” She tried, reaching for his hand.

He met her hand halfway, already slightly stronger than before, though his skin radiated heat. “Yeah,” he replied softly. “I’m good.”

Y/n exhaled heavily in relief and sat next to his bed. His dull green gaze followed her movements. “You feel warm,” she pointed out.

Lloyd grimaced and shifted his gaze away from Y/n. “’m fine,” he mumbled.

She gently squeezed his hand. “It’s okay to not be okay, Lloyd,” she breathed. “I’m not. None of us are. But we will be.”

Her brother sent her a weak smile. “I’d like that,” he whispered, his eyelids fluttering with fatigue.

Y/n gently squeezed his shoulder. “Get some sleep. I’ll be here if you need anything.”

Lloyd relaxed immediately, his breaths evening out in seconds.

Y/n must’ve fallen asleep within the next few minutes, because the next thing she knew, the silence in the med bay was broken by a scream.

Chapter Text

Startled, Y/n shot to her feet. Vertigo clouded her senses for a moment before it cleared and she was able to identify Lloyd sitting pin-straight on his bed, eyes wide, chest heaving for breath. He stared at the far wall, eyes glassy and filled with fear, faint gasps of “Morro” breaking through his choked breathing.

“Lloyd, hey,” she called soothingly. “You’re okay, buddy.”

He didn’t react to her words, staring at nothing, as his breaths shuddered with his too-rapid attempts at proper breathing. Y/n shifted her chair closer to him and sat down again to make herself smaller. “Can I touch you?” She asked quietly.

Lloyd’s clouded gaze snapped to her for a moment and he nodded weakly, face pale.

Y/n grabbed his shaking hands. “Count with me,” she murmured. A panic attack she knew how to handle—and it was about time for her to return the favor of helping from when Lloyd was there for her after Chen’s island. “One to ten. Ready?”

He nodded again, still dazed, but didn’t start. He kept muttering the ghost’s name as if he was talking to him.

Just before Y/n could speak, Kai and Nya appeared next to the bed. Y/n glanced up in surprise, but the other siblings just found a way to settle next to Lloyd without overcrowding him. Y/n smiled softly as Kai played with Lloyd’s blond curls and Nya rubbed his back.

“Are you counting?” The Water Ninja asked quietly.

Y/n nodded. “Just about to start.”

“Alright, Lloyd,” Kai spoke softly. “What Y/n said. One to ten.”

Slowly, with all three of them prompting him, Lloyd managed to get through the set of numbers. As soon as he finished saying “ten,” he leaned into Kai and pinched his eyes shut.

“Hey, green bean,” the Fire Ninja soothed. “You’re alright.”

He weakly squeezed Y/n’s hand and she smiled slightly, tinged with bitterness. “I-is everyone o-okay?” He asked, voice wavering.

“We’re all okay,” Nya replied. Y/n pointedly avoided looking at any of their injuries. “Everyone’s safe.”

“Good,” Lloyd whispered, barely audible.

Kai frowned and gently touched the back of his hand to Lloyd’s forehead. “You’re burning up, Lloyd,” he told the younger Ninja, eyes widening.

Frowning, Y/n felt the temperature of her skin versus his. Kai was right—he radiated heat, unnervingly so.

“M‘ head hurts,” Lloyd slurred weakly.

Nya immediately shot to her feet and left the room with a purpose. Y/n scooted closer to Lloyd’s head and rubbed his shoulder. His face was pinched with pain and discomfort, his skin flushed and pale at the same time. It looked sickly with the bruises also still prominent on his face. He shivered lightly under her fingers, now that the panic attack wasn’t taking priority.

Kai tugged him closer, into a more comfortable position, and Lloyd grimaced at the movement. Y/n watched sadly, suddenly feeling disconnected from his family, but tried to shove the feeling away.

“Lloyd,” Kai pressed with underlying urgency in his voice, “are you okay?”

“Mm hmm,” Lloyd replied sleepily.

“Obviously not,” Y/n snapped at the same time, jerking to her feet. Kai watched with wide eyes and Lloyd’s brow pinched slightly at the commotion. “He’s—” She rubbed her face with a sharp inhale.

Before anyone could say anything to that, Nya reappeared with a bottle of water and an ice pack, Zane in tow. She glanced between Y/n and the Ninja on the bed and raised a brow, but said nothing. Y/n scowled and backed away to give them space.

But when she saw the gentleness that Nya helped Lloyd drink the water and Kai still holding him, she felt that cold pit reform in her stomach. She slipped out of the room without anyone noticing and headed to her room for some privacy.

The elemental sat with a huff on her bed, leaning back into the wall and pulling her legs to her body. Her arms crossed tightly over her chest and she glared at the floor.

Kai and Lloyd and Nya, they were so…close. They’d been through FSM-knows-what, and Y/n hadn’t been there for any of it. She was a stranger trying to force her way into a familial bond with Lloyd. But Kai and Nya already had that from being at his side for years longer than she had been.

How else would he have bonded so well with them? Y/n was just about to turn two years old when she left, and she hadn’t had a brother. Lloyd was at least three years younger than her, probably more if her parents took time to grieve before moving on. She wasn’t there for him for his life like the other sibling duo was.

They could help Lloyd. All she was doing was making everyone, especially herself, worried and upset.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you that mad since Chen’s tournament.”

Y/n’s gaze flicked up at Jay’s voice. She scoffed bitterly but said nothing, and returned to staring holes into the wooden floor.

Jay sighed and let himself in, lightly perching on the bed next to Y/n. “Okay, Y/n, out with it. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, Jay,” Y/n snapped.

He waited patiently, and each second made Y/n’s skin prick uncomfortably.

Eventually, she released an irritated huff and threw up her hands. “Fine!” She burst out. “You want to know the problem? Me! I’m the problem! I just showed up, the one who doesn’t trust anyone, and tried to force people to like me even though there’s nothing to like—I failed letting Lloyd go alone to the museum, failed to get him back, and now he’s sick and hurt and scared and I’ve had my powers but done nothing—!”

“Y/n!”

The elemental’s jaw snapped closed, her chest heaving at the exertion, hands shaking as she let out her frustration. Her green gaze locked onto Jay’s mismatched eyes, startled.

Seeing that she’d calmed down, Jay’s expression softened. “You’re not a problem, Y/n,” he replied quietly. “And you’re not responsible for what happened.” His face fell. “We are. Me, Cole, Kai, and Zane. We’re supposed to be his protectors.”

“I’m his sister,” Y/n shot back. “I think I should be a little responsible for what happens to my little brother.”

Jay winced. “Okay, bad choice of words. But, Y/n, you can’t blame yourself. We’ve been down that path already. It’s not a good one.” He grabbed her hands and gently lowered them, ignoring the trembling. “And, by the way, you don’t need to force anyone to like you. We do.”

Y/n stared at him in disbelief before turning away. “Why?”

She felt Jay frown at her back, and he took a moment before answering. “Because you’re nice and protective and caring. You wouldn’t have driven yourself into the ground for Lloyd if you didn’t care about him.” He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “And I saw him when you were fighting. You broke through to him. He cares for you, too, Y/n. You might not have been here as long as the rest of us, but we all care for you.”

Y/n bit her lip and pulled her hands to her chest, suddenly feeling raw and exposed. “But my powers,” she whispered hoarsely. “How can I say I tried when I never used them?”

“You did,” Jay returned immediately. “Back on the Wailing Alps. We didn’t have a way to stop Morro until you gave us one.”

“After that,” Y/n argued.

Jay sighed. “You were tired, Y/n. You—none of us—can use our powers very much if we’re too tired.”

Y/n scoffed again. “So I beat myself up and made everything worse,” she summed up. “Some Ninja.”

Jay was silent for a long moment. “Am I going to be able to change your mind at all?”

“No,” Y/n replied weakly, curling into herself again.

The Lightning Ninja sighed and stood. “Okay.” He headed over to the door and Y/n felt him watching her. “But I think I speak for everyone when I say we do like you, Y/n.” Without waiting for a reply, his quiet footsteps retreated.

Y/n swallowed thickly and squeezed her eyes shut.

Every time she repeated Jay’s words, her own mind shot back with counterarguments. Weak, failure, pathetic, coward—

Oh. Someone was sitting next to her again.

“Go away,” she grumbled, not moving.

“Nah,” Nya replied nonchalantly. “I think your bed’s softer than mine.”

Y/n sent her a half-glare half-shocked stare.

“Shouldn’t you be helping Lloyd?” She muttered, dropping her gaze.

Nya blinked in surprise. “What?”

“You know,” Y/n waved her hand erratically. “Since he clearly needs you and Kai more than anyone else.”

“Y/n, what—” Nya, unlike Jay, didn’t let her go so easily, and forcibly turned her shoulders towards the Water Ninja. “Lloyd needs all of us, Y/n,” she insisted, staring hard at her. “Especially you.”

“Why?” Y/n demanded, trying to pull away, but her friend’s grip was far too strong. “He knows you guys better—”

“He’s known us longer,” Nya interrupted fiercely. “But his bond with you isn’t weak. I’ve seen it, Kai’s seen it, Misako sees it.” Y/n frowned skeptically but Nya shoved a finger up in a classic ‘hush’ gesture. “And running away isn’t helping.”

Y/n gawked at her. “I—I’m not running away!”

Nya raised a brow.

The former huffed and crossed her arms. “I feel like an intruder.”

The Water Ninja sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes. It was the only warning Y/n got before she was tackled backwards onto her mattress with a yelp.

Nya pinned her down, eyes sparkling with mischief. Y/n scrambled to get out from under her and ended up snatching her pillow, then chucked it at Nya’s head. The Water Ninja shrieked in alarm as she ducked, then tried to wrestle the pillow away from Y/n. “Get your own!” The blonde cried, throwing her body into Nya to dislodge her grip. They wrestled for a bit before ending up in a pile with Y/n on top, triumphantly holding the pillow away from the ravenette.

Panting lightly, Nya stared up at her. Y/n, heart beating rapidly, tried to read Nya’s gaze for any hint why she had attacked her.

“Intruder, huh?” The Water Ninja giggled breathlessly.

Y/n fell back. “You jerk,” she muttered, but not angrily.

Nya’s giggles increased in volume, reluctantly chasing away Y/n’s misgivings.

“Let’s say I believe you,” Y/n grumbled. “What then?”

“Then,” Nya replied gently, “you go to your brother and you be there for him.”

Y/n wilted, staring at her hands, and let a few purple sparkles drift from her fingers. It felt nice to have access to her powers again.

“Go, Y/n,” Nya urged, standing and offering a hand. “And we’re all gonna be here for you, too.”

The elemental studied her friend’s—her sister’s—expression and found nothing but sincerity in her blue gaze.

Y/n reached up and fastened her hand around Nya’s.

Chapter Text

Lloyd was asleep by the time Y/n made her way to the med bay. Kai nodded to her once and left; Zane adjusted ice packs under his arms before taking his leave as well. Y/n padded over to Lloyd’s side without a sound and sat lightly on the edge of his bed.

She brushed some stray hair from his face, her fingers lingering; she didn’t really want to pull away. Being here with him reminded Y/n that he was okay and not fighting for his life. He still radiated heat, though, and the ice packs were melting quickly.

Y/n exhaled slowly and pulled her hand back, but Lloyd’s eyes fluttered open. “Don’ go,” he slurred, tipping his head towards her hand.

Y/n smiled softly and put her hand back on his head. He relaxed with a content sigh and his eyes closed again.

After several moments, he looked at her. His red-green eyes were bright with fever, but studied Y/n anyway. “What’s up?” Y/n prompted when he didn’t speak.

“Why’d you leave?” He asked quietly.

Y/n bit her lip and turned away, but when she pulled her hand back, Lloyd weakly grabbed it in his own. “It’s nothing,” she muttered, guilt pooling in her chest.

She didn’t look back until she felt Lloyd shifting around. Her eyes widened in alarm, but before she could speak, Lloyd beckoned to the open space he’d left.

With a little reluctance, Y/n lay down on her side facing him. She remained tense, unsure what he was doing, and he studied her.

“You should sleep,” Y/n whispered.

“I can’t,” he replied, equally as quiet, eyes filled with fear.

Y/n’s brow furrowed. “Nightmares?” She guessed.

Lloyd nodded shallowly. “I can just—” he shuddered. “Hear him.”

Y/n squeezed his hand. “He’s gone. And even if he wasn’t, I’m not letting anyone do that to you again.”

He looked like he wanted to believe her but couldn’t. Y/n didn’t blame him. She had no power to just magically wish everything away.

The elemental shifted nervously. “You want to know why I left?” She sighed. “I felt like a failure trying to force myself into place.”

She couldn’t meet his eyes. She had to leave, she couldn’t stay—

Lloyd suddenly shifted forward, burrowing into her, and her eyes widened in surprise. She held her arm out of the way as her brother settled, his head in the crook of her neck and half-curled up like a little cat. When he stilled, Y/n hesitantly draped her arm over his side.

“You’re not,” he murmured, half-muffled from his new position.

“Not what?” Y/n felt dazed with surprise at his insistence.

“Not a failure.”

Y/n studied him for a moment, but his closed eyes revealed nothing.

“Part of the reason I could fight back,” Lloyd added quietly, “was ’cause of you.”

At that, Y/n’s arm stiffened protectively over his shoulders. “Thanks, Lloyd,” she breathed with relief. It was one thing to hear it from Jay but another from the victim himself. He managed a small smile but it fell quickly and his expression tightened with uncertainty. “Is…there anything you need to talk about?”

She felt him stiffen and he didn’t answer.

“If there’s anything I’ve learned from this,” Y/n murmured, “it’s that holding it in makes it worse.”

Lloyd cracked open an eye and she steadily gazed at him.

“It hurt,” he managed eventually, semi-forced. “W-what he did to me.” The Ninja squeezed his eyes shut with a shaky inhale, and Y/n pulled him closer. “I was tired and I couldn’t fight back and it just led to people getting hurt and you almost died and—” he swallowed harshly. “And h-he made me d-drink and never gave me food ’cause that would’ve made me stronger and—”

This time Y/n cut him off by gently placing a “hush” gesture over his lips. He cut off with a shiver. Y/n’s heart had shattered all over the floor at his rushed words and hearing what Morro did to him, but she tried not to let it show. Instead, she fingered through his hair, and he shuddered again.

“You were so strong, Lloyd,” she breathed. “We couldn’t have done what we did without you fighting back, despite being tired and hurt.” Her voice caught and she had to force her emotions down. “I think that’s the bravest thing I’ve ever seen.”

When he opened his eyes next, Y/n’s heart dropped to see them shining with unshed tears. “I-I was scared,” he rasped, voice barely above a whisper.

Y/n folded her sleeve over her hand to clear away his tears. “That’s what made you brave,” she replied. “Not resisting him. But facing him despite being scared.” Her hand settled between the two of them, and for a long moment, neither spoke.

“Y/n?”

Lloyd’s voice was so small, she barely heard it. He sounded almost…nervous.

“Yeah?”

“I miss dad.”

The elemental bit her lip hard as emotion suddenly made her throat close up. What was she even supposed to say to that? She hadn’t known their father nearly as well as he did…but still, even the brief time she did, she formed some kind of connection.

“Me too,” she whispered thickly.

“H-he told me—” Lloyd squeezed his eyes shut, clearly struggling against his emotions. “T-that he’d a-always be w-with me—us—b-but he’s not here and—” He cut off with a broken sob.

Y/n immediately pulled him closer and he buried into her shoulder, tears soaking into her shirt. “You know he’ll always love you, Lloyd,” she forced out, barely able to talk but needing to stay strong for her brother. “No matter what.”

He didn’t reply, shaking, broken down and unable to patch himself together. Y/n resumed running her fingers through his hair, trying to somehow tell him that it’d be okay. She couldn’t even imagine what he’d be feeling—he’d seen Garmadon in the Cursed Realm. They’d known their father wouldn’t survive the Preeminent’s demise.

Before she could try to say anything, the door opened. Y/n remained motionless but Lloyd stiffened and tried to muffle his sobs. “Is everything okay?” Nya asked, her voice soft.

Neither sibling answered.

She appeared behind Lloyd. Y/n watched her but made no move to leave Lloyd’s side. The Water Ninja studied them for a moment before gently nudging Lloyd’s leg. “Make room, greenie.”

Lloyd sniffed and peeked out from Y/n’s shirt at Nya, who waited patiently. The Green Ninja curled his legs more, giving her space to sit, which she immediately filled, and began rubbing his back.

“Do you need a hug, Lloyd?” Nya probed.

He hesitated, then shook his head no.

Y/n exhaled and ever so gently pulled away. He watched her with disbelief as she sat up, then pushed him upright as well. “Yes, you do,” she deadpanned.

Nya didn’t let him escape and pulled him into her strong embrace. The young Ninja didn’t protest, instead going limp in her arms. Y/n shifted over and Nya opened an arm for her. She settled with her head resting on Lloyd’s shoulder and Nya’s head on hers. It didn’t take long for the silent tears to fall down Lloyd’s face.

“Hey, no one invited me,” came a sudden complain from Kai.

A wet laugh escaped Lloyd as they all looked up when Kai invited himself into the pile. He radiated warmth like a campfire, soothing and gentle, chasing away the cold. Y/n knew he was doing it on purpose instead of his normal high temperature.

“Is this better?” Nya whispered to Lloyd.

He nodded faintly, his head dipping forward onto Kai.

“You should get some sleep, green bean,” the Fire Ninja murmured. “You look exhausted.”

Lloyd stiffened, and Y/n saw alarm flash in the other sibling duo’s eyes. She internally sighed. Lloyd needed sleep to heal and recover, but if all it gave him was nightmares…

There was one thing she vaguely remembered from her youth. Before she and Skylor were old enough to understand control and were actually close to one another. Y/n had been afraid to sleep for fear of not being able to protect herself—it was the same day that Clouse had begun testing his dark magic on her, since she was “old enough to take it.” Skylor had found her in their shared room, crying but trying to hide it, frozen with fear.

The Master of Amber had rubbed her back and quietly sung to her until she’d relaxed and fallen asleep.

Y/n could never forget the words.

Her voice started quiet and unsure, stunning the others into silence. Their lack of reaction made her unsure. Back at the island, singing was punished…even if it was her only way to calm herself down some nights.

“Been torn apart,” she half-whispered half-sang, “got so many scratches and scares. Maybe they won’t all go away, but they’ll fade…”

She trailed off, uncertain. But then Kai and Nya exchanged awed looks.

“Maybe time can mend us together again,” they sang in unison, Nya’s voice higher-pitched and Kai’s medium.

Y/n’s heart warmed as she joined in, her voice slightly lower than Kai’s. “It’s not what we’ve done, but how far we’ve come.”

“We will recover, the worst is over, now. All those fires we’ve been walking through, and we still survive, somehow.”

“We will recover, the worst is behind. And it hurts, but in time, I know that we will recover.”

The continued in perfect three-person harmony for the rest of the song. Y/n’s voice trailed off last, exhaustion pulling at her, and slightly out of breath. She glanced down at the limp figure of her brother. He’d fallen asleep halfway through and now rested on all three of the others, completely relaxed.

“Y/n,” Kai breathed. “How do you…”

“When I was little,” she replied. “It used to calm me down if I didn’t get caught.” She shifted awkwardly at that lore drop. “How do you guys know it?”

Nya and Kai exchanged a look again and the former smiled fondly. “Kai used to sing it to me when our parents disappeared,” she explained.

Y/n blinked. “Uhm. Okay.”

Kai smiled wryly. “Conversation for another time.” He glanced down at the sleeping Lloyd and his expression softened. “Tonight’s for Lloyd.”

The trio carefully extracted themselves from the pile and gently laid Lloyd down for proper rest. He didn’t stir once at the commotion, too deeply asleep. Then they quietly filed out of the med bay, Y/n hesitating in the doorway with a glance back. But she slid out and soundlessly shut the door.

When she looked up, her eyes widened to see Cole watching them with a stunned expression.

“Who was singing?” He asked.

“All of us,” Y/n replied immediately.

“But mostly our lovely Y/n here,” Kai added, gesturing to the elemental with a grin.

Y/n ducked her head, embarrassed, as her cheeks heated up slightly.

“It sounded amazing,” Cole breathed.

“Thanks,” Y/n squeaked out.

Kai snickered but Nya punched his arm before looping her arm over Y/n’s shoulders. “C’mon, Y/n,” she announced casually. “We’re gonna have a girl’s night.”

Y/n’s brow furrowed. “Girl’s…night?” She echoed.

Nya frowned and began guiding her away. She risked a glance back to see Kai and Cole waving unhelpfully, both looking like they’d rather fight an enemy than interrupt Nya. “I’m gonna go off on a limb and guess you’ve never had one. Well!” She grinned. “This will be your first.”

“Okay,” she agreed, confused.

Nya led her off the Bounty and into the Steep Wisdom tea shop, where the ship was parked at. They passed Misako on the way, who looked like she wanted to question them, but Nya simply announced that it was “girl’s night” and the scholar’s expression cleared. Nya brought Y/n to her room in the tea shop and gathered bean bag chairs, nail polish, and face masks.

“Alright, Y/n,” she declared, practically shoving the elemental into a bean bag chair. “What color nail polish?”

And Y/n knew, with a fond smile, she was in for a long night.

Chapter Text

The next day, she found Cole training alone on the deck of the Bounty.

“Hey,” she called quietly. The ghost paused for a moment, then resumed swinging at a punching bag. “Mind if I join?”

She held the bag for him without waiting for a reply, and he nodded wordlessly.

After a few more well-placed punches, Y/n exhaled slowly. Cole hadn’t looked at her once, too focused on the punching bag, expression stiff. “Something’s bothering you.”

Cole paused briefly. “No. I’m fine.”

If he was expecting a snarky comeback, he didn’t get one. Y/n’s gaze dropped. “I said the same thing yesterday,” she murmured.

Cole’s movements halted again. “And now…?”

Y/n raised her gaze with a small smile. “And now I really am okay. Mostly ’cause Jay and Nya knocked some sense into me.”

“Good,” Cole replied with a snort. “Someone had to.”

Y/n stepped forward and caught his ghostly wrist before he could punch the bag again. The Earth Ninja reeled in surprise but stepped back. “I’m passing it forward,” she replied simply. “You’re worried about scaring Lloyd.”

Cole stared at her in shock, then turned away. “Yeah.”

“Then when we’re done, I’m gonna take you to see him,” Y/n declared matter-of-factly.

“Done with…what?” Cole asked, curiosity bleeding into his tone.

Y/n shuffled, suddenly anxious. “I want your help learning to fight better.”

Cole turned to her with surprise written all over his expression. “Fight ‘better’?” He repeated incredulously. “Y/n, you were the only one who could even get close to—”

“It’s not an honorable style,” Y/n interrupted, her words rushed. “They always taught us to take advantage of weak spots and go for the moments of hesitation, especially if the opponent is at a disadvantage. And to attack ruthlessly. But that’s not the Ninja way.” She wrung her hands nervously. “So..I was hoping maybe—”

“Of course, Y/n,” Cole gently cut in, smiling faintly. “I’d love to.”

Her own smile turned shy in thanks, and he began teaching her slightly different forms and other ways to beat an opponent with using their strength against them instead of brute force. They remained mindful of her still-healing arm and the blood loss, but neither proved to be a major issue.

And, if Jay and Nya watched them with mischievous smiles, no one noticed.

~~~

True to her word, after the session that would later leave her muscles sore (and a long, cold shower that felt heavenly), Y/n brought Cole to the infirmary.

He hesitated outside the door, several emotions dancing in his eyes.

“I’ll tell him,” Y/n whispered, and he nodded. She slipped into the darkened room, the smell of antibacterials and medicines slamming into her, and approached Lloyd’s side.

“Lloyd?” She asked quietly. “Are you awake?”

He muttered something and dramatically draped an arm over his eyes. “No.”

Y/n smiled fondly and gently pat his head. Lloyd’s arm dropped to send her a weak glare that held no heat. “There’s someone who wants to see you.”

Lloyd’s eyes widened and he struggled to sit upright. Y/n’s hands hovered near him, ready to help if he wanted it, but knowing not to force it. Her brother winced only once, his bruises fading quickly and the smaller cuts already almost healed. “Is it Cole?” He demanded, hope in his voice.

“Yeah,” Y/n confirmed. “You okay if he comes in?”

“Of course,” Lloyd replied immediately, even as a little residual fear flashed across his expression.

Y/n nodded and squeezed his shoulder briefly before returning to the door. Poking her head out into the hallway, she caught Cole’s eye. “C’mon in,” she invited.

She hoped one day they could laugh about how the ghost was the paranoid one here.

Y/n studied Lloyd’s demeanor when Cole approached. Her brother tensed ever so slightly, his flinch barely visible, the way his breath caught only noticeable by someone who was watching—but Y/n saw, and based on the way Cole deflated, he did too.

“Hey, green bean,” Cole greeted weakly.

“Hey,” Lloyd returned. Y/n sat on the edge of his bed and took his hand in hers. He squeezed ever so slightly. “Are you okay?”

Cole blinked in shock. “Me? What about you? You’re the one who—”

“Oh, FSM.” Lloyd let out a startled laugh, which in turn stunned both of the other Ninja. Y/n was so focused on the sound, she barely heard what came next, because Lloyd had laughed! “You and Y/n said the exact same thing.”

Her face heated up and she ducked her head, refusing to meet either of their gazes. Cole spluttered indignantly and Lloyd giggled again.

The sound was enough to draw Y/n’s attention away from the embarrassment her little brother seemed delighted in putting her through. She smiled at him and he smirked back, red-green eyes twinkling.

He turned back to the ghost Ninja. “I’ll be okay,” he replied, more subdued.

“It’s okay to not be okay with any of this or me—” Before Cole could start rambling, Lloyd held out his hand. His arm shook slightly—he was still exhausted and regaining strength—but he remained steadfast. Cole immediately grabbed his hand, eyes wide.

“I know,” Lloyd replied quietly. “But I will be. And I’m not gonna be scared of you."

The hope that appeared on Cole’s face made Y/n’s heart melt. “I-I can’t blame you if you are,” he protested. “After everything, the least you deserve is to let yourself be scared—”

“Cole,” Lloyd insisted. “You’re my brother. I refuse to be scared of you.”

The ghost and Y/n formed matching fond smiles at Lloyd’s endearing insistence. The Cole relented and settled next to Lloyd, who, relieved to settle back but trying to hide it, brightened.

“I need to know,” Lloyd added, forcing some of his cheeriness but not all of it now that he had settled things with Cole, “what’s the Temple of Airjitzu look like?”

And as Y/n and Cole began telling of their misadventure in the temple, Lloyd’s eyes eventually fluttered closed, and his grips on their hands slackened. Only when they were sure that he’d truly fallen asleep did they stop talking and gently maneuver him back down to rest properly.

They left the infirmary with barely a sound. Once out in the hall, Y/n sent a cocky ‘I told you so’ smirk at Cole.

“Oh, save it, Y/n,” he sighed. “Yes, you were right.”

“Of course I was,” she preened. Cole scoffed and lightly punched her shoulder—he knew his own strength—and she gasped in mock offense. The elemental tried to shove him back, but he formed his own cocky grin, and her hands phased through his shoulders.

“Ack!” Y/n yelped as she crashed into the wall, having gone through him. “Wh—Cole! Don’t ever do that again!” She shook out her arms as if they were on fire, staring in disbelief at the ghost.

Cole burst out laughing, then slapped a hand over his mouth when he remembered that they were right next to the room where Lloyd was sleeping. “What?” He teased. “Scared?”

Y/n gaped at him. “That’s not even—no,” she groaned, rubbing her face.

When her hands lowered, she found Cole studying her with a fond smile.

“What?”

“Nothing,” he replied hurriedly, spinning on heel and heading down the hall. “Last one to the lounge is a rotten egg!”

Y/n gaped at him, and after a quick glance back at the infirmary door, chased after.

As it turns out, the others had already selected several games for Y/n to play, so they could ‘finally’ teach her the ways of the video game. She dove headfirst into the couch where Nya was already comfortably seated, throwing her off with a yelp of surprise, but all Y/n could think about was that she won the race.

~~~

4 days later

“Are you sure you don’t need help?” Y/n pressed, watching worriedly as Lloyd slowly limped down the hall, one hand using the wood for support.

He nodded stubbornly, forehead glistening with perspiration. “I want to do this,” he insisted.

Y/n relented but remained by his side in case he suddenly keeled over, Kai behind him.

It had been his idea to leave the infirmary and go outside for the first time since the fight. It was four days after, and his injuries had healed at a remarkable pace. His temperature was almost back to normal, and his panic attacks were few and farther between. He’d protested loudly at Y/n’s and Kai’s requests to keep him bedridden for just a little longer—until he didn’t have a fever, according to Kai—but they had caved at the puppy-dog eyes he had given them.

Y/n grew worried when they neared the staircase, but Lloyd plunged onward, never complaining once despite how he was visibly in pain and shaking.

Out on the deck, Lloyd briefly closed his eyes against the sun with a sigh of relief, tilting his face up to soak in the rays. Zane, messing with the controls, noticed them and wandered over. His expression betrayed his confusion, though he did not voice it.

When the barest of breezes blew over them, Lloyd tensed.

Y/n gently touched his shoulder and he glanced back at her, clearly struggling to keep his fear from showing on his face.

Zane and Kai noticed. Because of course they did. “I was thinking about adding trackers in our gis,” the former spoke up suddenly, catching everyone’s attentions. “Do any of you object?”

Clever nindroid. Changing whatever Lloyd’s train of thought was to something positive and forward-thinking.

“Great idea,” Kai replied immediately, and Y/n nodded in agreement.

“Yeah,” Lloyd answered quietly. “That’s probably a good idea.”

“It would make finding each other much easier,” Zane added, “should we ever be split up again.”

Y/n nodded in understanding and a glimmer of relief shone in Lloyd’s eyes. With trackers, they wouldn’t have to worry about not knowing where and when an attack could come from.

“Also, Y/n,” the nindroid continued. The elemental raised a brow. “You wanted to learn how to cook. I have selected a recipe for tonight that you might enjoy trying.”

Y/n’s eyes widened and she glanced back at Lloyd and Kai. “Go on, Y/n,” Lloyd insisted. “I’ll be fine.” He smiled faintly and Kai planted himself at the younger’s side, a clear promise of protection.

“Don’t push yourself,” she reminded him with a knowing look, stepping towards Zane.

Lloyd smiled sheepishly and glanced away. Kai rolled his eyes and gently ruffled the younger’s hair, who protested and tried to free himself. Y/n bubbled with laughter but kept it in, instead allowing a grin to spread across her face.

Her brother would be happy with Kai. She knew that.

“Come, Y/n,” Zane encouraged, leading her to the kitchen inside the tea shop. “I will show you how to make chili.”

Y/n felt warm knowing that Zane had remembered his offer from before.

“What’s in chili?” She asked quietly.

“Ground beef, kidney beans, vegetables, and spices, to simplify it,” Zane replied without hesitation. “I believe it can be what you call a ‘comfort food’. We will also make cornbread to go with it.”

Y/n wrung her hands with excitement. “It sounds really good.”

Zane smiled warmly. “Quite. It was actually the first thing I taught Lloyd how to make as well.”

“Really?” Y/n’s eyes widened.

“Yes,” the nindroid confirmed as they stepped into the kitchen. “He had not known how to cook, just as you do not, and so I taught him.”

“That’s really cool,” Y/n breathed, eyes already darting around for what they could potentially need for supplies. “So…what should I get?”

Zane reached into a cupboard filled with cookbooks and selected one. He flipped it open to the recipe and pointed. “Everything in this list. I will tell you where the ingredients are, unless you would like to try and find them first.”

Y/n smirked. “I’ll look first. Could use the challenge.”

The Ice Ninja seemed entirely unsurprised by her decision. “Very well.”

He began retrieving measuring devices and pans to cook with as Y/n hunted for the ingredients. Luckily, once she figured out the pattern of sorting, they were easy to find. Then she gave Zane her rapt attention as he explained the steps.

When it was done and they let the chili simmer for an hour, Misako, Wu, and the Ninja—even Lloyd, with Kai’s watchful protection over him—sat around the dining table as Zane generously offered to serve.

Y/n ended up tuning out most of the multitude of conversations, instead focusing on the Ninja sitting around her. Cole and Jay certainly had a lot to argue about—random topics, too, like who was more adept at traversing the “digiverse” or whatever that meant. Y/n just enjoyed their friendly bickering, unafraid to admit her own opinions or laugh at someone’s expense.

Jay suddenly dove in for a second helping. “This is good, Zane,” he approved. “Did you do something different?”

Y/n bit back a giggle as Zane, Kai, and Lloyd all gave her knowing looks. The nindroid then turned to Jay with a pleasant smile. “I hardly did anything, Jay. Y/n is responsible for tonight’s meal.”

Jay whirled to the elemental, shock written on his face. “You made this, Y/n?” He demanded. Several other surprised gazes turned her way, but she focused only on Jay.

Y/n schooled her expression and tilted her head slightly. “Why, yes, I did,” she replied. “Not what you were expecting?”

“No,” Jay replied honestly, settling back in his seat. “I mean, Cole’s known how to cook for years and still gets it wrong.”

Y/n gasped, then burst out laughing when the ghost Ninja protested loudly. “Hey! My food is perfectly fine—!”

“No, Cole,” Lloyd interrupted, “it’s not.”

Y/n laughed harder at the dumbfounded look on his face when everyone chimed in their agreements.

“First time or not,” Misako spoke up from near the other end of the table, “it’s still very tasty.”

Y/n’s laughs quieted and she ducked her head. “Thanks.”

Nya leaned behind Cole’s chair, closer to Y/n, with a knowing glint in her eyes. “Y/n, if you ever want to take over Cole’s cooking nights, feel free.”

“No,” the Earth Ninja protested, shoving Nya back. The ravenette grinned, message delivered.

“We’ll see,” Y/n replied flippantly, but smiling all the same.

She gazed fondly around the room as conversations drifted away from the food and towards random subjects. It had been a while since they all shared a meal in comfort and peace, without the treat of world domination from their enemies.

She wished it could stay like that.