Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

No one could quite pin down what was wrong with the trees around them. They were too straight. Too baren. Too… something. It was as if they had somehow noticed a change about this place which they had no familiarity with. Perhaps it was just the overcast day and the subtle winds which made the wood seem so ominous, or perhaps there was something more sinister going on. Either way, the feeling between the group was palpable- they were lost.

“You sure you know where we’re going?” Sora asked. “This doesn’t really seem like a trail anymore.”

“That’s because it’s a shortcut,” Lloyd assured her, holding up the map. “Or at least… I think it is.”

“I might have preferred the main path if it had less of a creepy forest vibe than this one,” Arin added, looking skeptically up at the trees.

Lloyd closed the map, confident in his direction. “Look, this will save us two whole hours, the only reason it’s typically avoided is because this forest is supposedly cursed.”

“You know, you had the option of not telling us that,” Arin groaned. 

“Trust me, the last thing you want is your teacher keeping things from you,” Lloyd mused. 

“Did you guys hear that?” Sora broke in. 

“Hear what?” Arin asked. 

Lloyd held his hand up, stopping the group. “No, I heard it too.”

The three stood in silence for a moment, listening for the sound to come again. It was hard to discern through the light winds humming through the branches, but it was there: the sound of living movement.

“You two stay close,” Lloyd instructed his students, continuing to scan the treeline. He squinted through the homogeneous rows of bark surrounding them, but still couldn’t see where the noise sourced from. Erring on the side of caution, his hand began to reach back for his sword. However, before he could even make contact with the metal, a flash of white burst towards him, knocking him to his back. The movement was accompanied by a deep growl, and a sharp scream from either side of him. 

Lloyd felt strangely overpowered by the weight which fell on his chest. It came in two pointed placements and pressed in a way which seemed to go through him, taking with it most of his breath. The noise he heard was unequivocally animal, and the vigor which restrained him matched that assessment. As he squinted upwards at his attacker he was able to make out the beast’s face. A wolf- but not just any wolf.

“Akita?” He used the last of his air to address the creature.

The growling stopped as the animal retreated, allowing Lloyd to sit up, and more importantly, breath.

The wolf now circled around him, bumping into his arms with a friendly familiarity. 

“Hey, it’s good to see you too,” Lloyd chuckled. 

“You know this dog?” Sora asked.

“I do!” Lloyd smiled. He looked into the animal’s eyes fondly. “She was, um…”

There was a bright flash of light as the form before him began to shift. As the shock from the shine subsided, he made out the image of a woman reaching down to help him up. It was a familiar face, but a changed one. Her wild raven hair was much longer now, tied back into a tight ponytail which exploded behind her, and topped with her familiar animal adornment. Her figure was clothed largely in black, and fit to her body much more closely. On her were obviously several weapons, along with a number of other useful objects attached to her person directly. But her face seemed much the same, her smile just as shyly offered, and the marks which framed it right where he remembered them. “I’m an old friend,” she finished. 

Lloyd took her hand as a pair of awed marvelings came from the kids. Her strength easily tugged him upward, their eyes remaining locked as he made his ascent. 

“I didn’t think you were- I mean-” Lloyd paused for a moment to avoid stumbling over himself any further. “I never thought I’d see you again.”

“I can’t say I thought the same.” Akita tightened her grip on his hand before finally letting it go.

“What does that mean?” Lloyd chuckled.

“It means Lloyd Garmadon seems like the type of person to turn up in unexpected places.” Akita smiled. “As you have!” She gestured to the forest around them.

“This is the girl from the Never-Realm!” Arin burst out, finally drawing their attention away from each other.

Lloyd glanced back and forth between him and Akita. “Yes, she is. How did you-?”

“Does this mean she’s the one that-”

“We don’t have to elaborate on that description,” Lloyd stopped him, feeling the blood rush to his cheeks. “Seems like you got it figured out.”

“I’m still lost,” Sora chimed in.

Lloyd let out a heavy sigh. “Sora, Arin, this is Akita, I met her on a mission a while back, she’s originally from the Never-Realm. Akita, this is Arin and Sora, they’re my… students.”

Akita was grinning wildly by this point. “Students, huh?” she turned her attention to the children in question. “What’s this idiot been teaching you?”

“He’s been training us to be ninja!” Arin jumped excitedly.

“He’s been training me to use my elemental power,” Sora added.

“I already taught myself the basics of spinjitzu,” Arin continued. “but it’s awesome having a teacher!”

“Self taught is the best way to learn,” Akita offered Arin a high five, which he eagerly reciprocated. “I like your ears,” Akita turned to Sora, pointing above her head. “You make them yourself?”

Sora reached up toward the accessory, pleasantly surprised. “Thank you, I… yeah.”

“What are you doing out here?” Lloyd asked, his attention still strongly attached to his rediscovered ally. 

“I live here,” She shrugged. “I’m out collecting tree bark.” She tapped a small pouch that hung at her side. “What are you doing here?”

“What do you do with the tree bark?” Arin cut in.

Akita smiled, pulling out her dagger. “You peel it off, very carefully,” She placed her blade along the nearest tree, carefully shaving off a long strip of bark. “You take it home, clean it, dry it.” She tossed the piece to Arin, who caught it easily. “And it makes an excellent tea.”

Arin’s eyes had grown wide, Sora looking at it over his shoulder, her hands reaching for her pocket knife.

Having distracted the kids, Akita again turned to her new-found companion, quieting her voice.

“What are you doing here? No one ever comes through here.”

“We’re headed to the First Realm.” Lloyd answered, matching her tone. “We’ve got a whole dragon problem going on, and we think the realm of Oni and Dragon might have some answers.”

Akita’s face ruffled in confusion. “The First Realm?”

“Yeah,” Lloyd answered, a strain of uncertainty entering his tone.

Akita stared at him a moment in thought. “You’re almost certainly headed the wrong direction.”

“Really?” Lloyd sighed, reaching for his map. 

“I told you we were lost!” Sora called over to them, now struggling with her knife against a nearby tree.

“We can’t be going the wrong direction. We’re right here,” Lloyd pointed on the map. “in the Unsleeping Woods-”

“No, right now we’re in the Forest of the Tamed.” Akita placed a finger a few inches away from Lloyd’s as his gaze froze on the spot. 

“How could we have…”

“You probably mixed up the Forbidden Path with the Forsaken Path.” Akita took the map from his hands, tracing along the two trails. “The Forsaken Path takes you much farther North.”

“That… would do it.” Lloyd sighed.

“I’m sorry, we were on something called the Forsaken Path?” Arin butt in. 

“Technically, I thought I was taking you on the Forbidden Path.” Lloyd corrected him. 

“You do know that’s not better, right?” Arin groaned. 

“Well, it’s far too late an hour for you to start that direction now.” Akita rolled up the map, handing it back to her companion. “But my camp is nearby, and I have plenty of extra space.”

Lloyd’s vision turned to his students, thinking for a moment.

“You are gonna let us hang out with the cool wolf-lady, right?” Sora asserted, bark strip in hand. 

“Wait, does that mean this forest isn’t cursed?” Arin spoke up.

“Well, it’s a different forest, but it could still be cursed.” Sora prodded him. 

Lloyd turned back to Akita, his eyes narrow. “You sure we won’t be a bother to anyone?”

Akita smirked. “No one to be a bother to, except me. I’m a scout. I’m camped by myself in an abandoned fishing village. It’ll be nice to have the company,” she assured him.

Lloyd smiled, his mind still a mush at seeing the face in front of him. “You’re sure?”

Akita rolled her eyes, walking past him. “Come on everyone! Camp is just a few minutes west of here!”

Akita gingerly closed the door on the common building, a targeted grin on her lips. “So… Kids?”

“It’s a new development.” Lloyd shrugged, shrinking back a bit.

“No, I like it!” she quickly clarified. “The responsibility seems good for you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lloyd chuckled, swinging off his backpack.

“It just means…” Akita thought for a moment. “Adulthood is a good look on you, that’s all.”

“Well, your new job looks good on you too,” Lloyd glanced up at her as he sat the pack on a bench near the door. “You seem like you make a great scout.”

“Well, I certainly did a good job of finding you,” she teased. 

“It seems like a pretty important role. I bet Kataru is really proud!” Lloyd continued.

Akita was quiet for a moment, her demeanor falling. “Yes…”

Lloyd paused, studying her face. “Or not?” He offered. 

Akita’s face hung before facing her companion. “Kataru didn’t make it through the merge.” The air in the room was suddenly filled with a thick stillness. “Most of my people didn’t.”

There was a beat of silence before Lloyd took her arm, guiding them both down to the bench. “Are you alright? I mean, I can’t imagine. Have you been by yourself all this time?”

“I’ve been fine,” Akita waved it off.

Lloyd’s face was stuck puzzled as he processed the new information. “I thought the Never-Realm had a lot of land carry over. The produce is all over the place.”

“Much of the realm did make it through.” Akita agreed. “But the majority of it is uninhabited wilderness… so that’s largely what survived.”

“Akita, I’m so sorry,” Lloyd placed a hand on her knee. “I had no idea.”

“My role as scout is the only reason I made it. If I had been home with my family, I would be gone with them.”

Lloyd felt the pain in her words, and could empathize all too easily. “You know, I lost my whole team in the merge. I thought I would never see them again. And I’ve found some of them since then, but I still remember how hard it was, thinking you’re absolutely alone like that. It can be so difficult just to find a reason to keep going.”

Akita looked back at her friend with pity. “Well, it’s nothing worth complaining about.” She pat his back as she stood, making her way further into the room.

“…what?” Lloyd turned over his shoulder to look back at her, thoroughly confused.

“Everyone lost things in the merge.” She shrugged. “We are not special. All that’s left to do is focus on what we do have.” Akita pulled out her dagger, moving to the water basin towards the back of the room to clean it. “I was lucky enough to make it through the merge, and with me came an abundance of territory I was familiar with and knew how to survive off of.” She glanced up from her work. “And now I’ve even found you. So that’s three things I have to my advantage.”

Lloyd sat on the bench, body twisted around, stunned for a moment. “I guess that’s one way of looking at things.”

“What’s the alternative?” Akita questioned. 

“I don’t know. Feel your feelings a bit?” Lloyd offered. “Didn’t losing so much ever make you feel a little… I don’t know. Lost? Scared? Hopeless?”

There was a breath of silence as Akita pinpoint her words. “Loss is unavoidably painful, and I am not immune to pain.” Akita dried her dagger, it shining in the dim lantern light. “But giving up hope is the coward’s way out. It means you’ve decided you will no longer fight.” She stood up, starting back towards Lloyd. “And I am no coward.”

Lloyd sat with the statement, his eyes still caught on the shine of the dagger as she again approached the bench. 

“You on the other hand,” she pointed the weapon at him with a smirk. “I’m not so sure.”

“Hey!” Lloyd laughed, standing to meet her height. “I’m plenty courageous!”

“Perhapps, but not that I’ve seen.” Akita shrugged, slipping the knife back into its scabbard. 

“Not true.” Lloyd shook his head.

“What was the brave part? When I had to save you from wolves, or from the giant ice bird, or when you spilled out your feelings to an animal you thought couldn’t understand you,”

“Okay, okay,” Lloyd waved her off, still chuckling.

“-when your supposed friend very easily captured you, or when you ran away after a girl kissed you?”

“To be fair, she was a very intimidating girl,” Lloyd beamed.

Akita grinned, a bit of blush sneaking onto her cheeks. “Well, I don’t think she was trying to be… at the time anyway.”

Lloyd’s face tensed for a moment, his words hesitating. “I feel like I might need to apologize-”

“No, no!” Akita quickly cut him off. “You don’t need to-”

“Well, everything just ended so abruptly,” Lloyd shrugged. “I feel like maybe we didn’t get any proper closure because I had to leave-”

Akita scrambled for words. “I knew what I was doing, and that it would leave things…” a sigh of defeat left her lips. “It was just one of those silly teenage impulses,” she chuckled. Her frame had softened a drastic amount over the past few exchanges. 

Lloyd sat with the statement for a moment, still unsure of how he felt about it. “Yeah… right,” he landed on matching her nervous chuckle, the room now palpably less fluid.

Akita leaned forward, attempting to ease the newfound tension. “Don’t worry, I’m sure it’s caused you much more distress than it ever has me.” A smile snuck onto her lips again. “Given your romantic history and all.”

Lloyd’s eyes playfully narrowed. “Low blow.”

“How has it been since then? Anyone else to add to the story?” Akita asked, starting towards one of the food storages. 

Lloyd laughed to himself, loosely following her movements over to the large table at the center of the room. “Yeah actually, it’s… Harumi.”

Akita looked up from her search for a snack. “Again?”

“Yep,” Lloyd nodded, leaning back on the table.

“I thought she died.” Akita returned to her search, thoroughly confused. 

“Well, she did. Or at least I think she did. But she got resurrected through like… dark magic I guess?” 

Akita pulled out an orange from the pack. “So she came back. Was she different?” she asked, beginning to peel her snack. “Like she didn’t want to kill you anymore after the building collapse or..?”

Lloyd’s mouth hung agape, trying to avoid stating the inevitable. “No she… she still wanted to kill me.”

“And you still liked her?” 

“Well, when you put it like that it sounds really bad!” Lloyd began to laugh.

“That is really bad!” Akita stressed, her too beginning to chuckle.

“Come on, I mean first crushes are always the hardest to shake, you know?”

“I do…” Akita’s smile landed quietly on her expression, her eyes darting back down to her orange as she finished peeling. “So, what happened with her?” She crossed the expanse between them to the table and leaned next to him.

“Well, she went to prison. She did a bunch of crazy stuff, so there was no way she was getting out of that.”

Akita offered him an orange wedge, which he promptly took. “Well, that will put a spike in things.”

He hummed in agreement as he finished chewing. “It’s probably for the better though. I do not think that relationship would have worked out.”

“No kidding,” Akita mused, popping another wedge into her own mouth. 

“I mean she had a lot of trauma related to me, and I had a lot of trauma related to her. And now I don’t even know where she is after the merge.”

“Did the prison make it through?”

Lloyd nodded. “It did, but there was also a massive jailbreak during the chaos, so she could be anywhere. It’s possible she didn’t make it.”

Akita stared down at the orange cradled in her hands. “Do you… think about her much?”

Lloyd breathed a heavy sigh. “It’s been less as time goes on. But it’s hard not to wonder about her.” His voice had quieted dramatically. “I don’t even know if she ever had feelings for me. But I think there’s part of me that will always care about her, despite everything.” He rolled his eyes. 

Akita held a glance over at him, her mind running with a thousand thoughts. “Maybe you just have a thing for women who try to kill you.”

His expression cracked again into laughter. “No, I don’t think so.”

“I don’t know, I don’t see any other reasonable explanation for your attachment to her.”

Lloyd smirked. “You know, you’re right. I can’t help it. I’m attracted to the danger.”

“No,” Akita shook her head. “I find it much more likely you enjoy feeling intimidated.”

“Is that why you attacked me out in the forest?” he teased. “So maybe your little crush would go somewhere?”

Akita smiled, her gaze returning forward. “You know, I did have a crush on you when you left.” 

“Yeah?” Lloyd prompted her.

“I did.” Akita set the orange down next to her. “And I’ve spent most days after that wondering how on earth,” Lloyd began giggling. “that could ever have happened. I mean someone so annoying, immature, weak,”

“Okay-” Lloyd interjected.

“dorky, cocky, just generally unlikable as you,” Akita continued. “I wrote it off as a complete fluke fairly quickly.”

“Well, that’s great to know.” They both smiled at each other. Akita’s eyes broke first, a weakness entering her voice.

“But, I have to say, being here with you again,” She spoke, her voice almost a whisper. “…I get it.” 

Her eyes remained firmly forward, refusing to perceive whatever reaction might come from her words. 

Lloyd was pensive, a number of emotions beginning to manifest inside him. “You know, I meet a lot of people in a lot of different places doing my job,” he began. “And I always thought it was so unfair that the one person I wanted to see again the most, was the one person I couldn’t get to.”

Akita turned to glance at him again, his eyes ready to meet hers with an admiration that instantly encircled her gaze. A strain built between the two; she could almost swear it was physicalizing in the air around them.

Akita groaned, burying her head in her hands as her nerves caught up with her. “I did it last time- I’m not going to be the one to do it again.”

Lloyd giggled dizzily at her reaction. “You know, girls have only ever kissed me first. I don’t really have experience initiating things.”

Akita tilted her face back to him. “So, you’re saying you would want to kiss me right now?” she challenged. 

Lloyd felt the blood rush further into his cheeks as he struggled for an answer. “I’m not saying that I… I mean you-” 

Akita chuckled, straightening up to face him again, waiting for a response.

Lloyd sighed, his eyes refusing to leave hers as much as he wished he might be able to. “It’s just… silly teenage impulses.”

Chapter Text

“And you didn’t kiss her?!” Nya leaned forward, her eyes wide. 

“Could you maybe not scream it?” Lloyd groaned, his eyes darting over to the window. His teammate had made her way to meet him with a rescue crew in the Land Bounty once they noticed his tracker heading wildly off course. Nya had, of course, assumed the worst- that the group had been kidnapped or captured. But by the looks of things, perhaps this was equally bad in her mind.

“Sorry,” Nya sighed, leaning back on the blanket which they sat on, one of the few items in this building which still remained of the fishermen who once lived here. “It’s just, surprising, that’s all.”

“Should I have kissed her?” Lloyd whispered, his mind obviously replaying the events of the night before.

“I mean, that depends,” his companion shrugged. “Do you like her?”

“Of course I like her,” Lloyd rolled his eyes, a delightful frustration filling his tone. “It’s not even like I have a choice, she so smart, and clever, and witty, and beautiful, and she always keeps you on your toes in the best way possible-”

“And just to clarify,” Nya broke in. “You chose not to kiss her when nearly explicitly invited to.” 

Lloyd let out a defeated sigh. “I don’t know. I think maybe I’m just not ready for a relationship right now.”

Nya perked back up, a hefty defensiveness entering her tone. “Oh what, because you’re still recovering from the last relationship that you never actually had?” she scolded him. “Are you really still stuck on the whole Harumi debacle? That was years ago, it’s time to move on.”

“Yeah, I wish it were that easy.” Lloyd sent her back an equally hard stare. 

Nya’s tone softened as she continued. “I mean, what’s even the hang up? You think Akita is going to do the same thing? Say she never loved you and you were only a pawn in her grand evil scheme?”

“No, not really,” Lloyd pressed. “But every time I start to care about someone like this, I get this giant pit in my stomach. It’s just this automatic reflex where I start bracing for impact, imagining the worst scenario possible. I can’t stop it, I can’t face it, and I can’t in good faith be in a relationship when that’s where my head is at.” 

Nya sat with his statement for a moment, a sympathetic smile crossing her face. She leaned forward, placing a hand on his. “Look, I get it. Sometimes your emotions do weird things to people in your head, especially the people you love. But you can’t just wait forever for that to go away.”

“But what if it never does?” Lloyd whispered. The vulnerability which seized his voice was sudden and desperate. It was a tone which had obviously been there before, even if this was the first time the words which accompanied it were vocalizing. “What if I do everything I’m supposed to, I try to move on, and it just never goes away.”

“Then it’s just that much more important to not let it hold you back,” Nya returned, a comradery emanating from her as she gripped his arm. “Look, if you like her, you should tell her. In fact, I am going to make you tell her if you don’t do it on your own.” Lloyd sent an annoyed grin her way as she pushed, her own smile growing wider. “And if Zane and I had to come 100 miles out here just to make sure you do it, I’m still glad we made the trip!” She chuckled. “Because you deserve to give yourself a second chance.”

“And what if things do turn sour with Akita?” Lloyd pushed onward. “Maybe she doesn’t worship my evil dad, but what if we get together, and it ends poorly, what if there’s a messy break up, what if she decides she hates me, what if she abandons me because she can’t stand me anymore-”

Nya lifted her hands to his shoulders, gipping him firmly. “None of that is going to happen,” She met his eyes directly, emphasizing each of her words. “because that’s just your insane paranoia talking.”

“But what if the paranoia is right?”

“Lloyd,” She shook him, his face loosening a bit as she did. “You cannot let it win, you’ve got to take a risk at some point.”

“I know, I just…” Lloyd’s head sunk as his eyes began to water. “I can’t have a repeat of Harumi. I just can’t. I wouldn’t survive it.”

Nya leaned forward, touching her forehead to his, her voice now at a whisper. “You need to find a way to put her in the past, for good. You can’t keep carrying her with you like this.”

Lloyd raised his hands to Nya’s arms, bracing himself. “I’ve tried. I have. But she just keeps following me .”

Akita growled at the beast in front of her. Their eyes were locked, their stances matched as the tension built. The conflict was at a standstill, and whoever moved first was bound to escalate things. The newcomer made the first move, a mistake on their part. Akita swiped at the dragon before pinning it to the ground. She, however, had not factored in its wings. As they extended beneath them, the two toppled over, giving the advantage back to her opponent. Akita could see exactly where this was going, and decided to make a break for it. She knew she could outrun most anything this size, but she could tell that wasn’t about to dissuade him from chasing her. She tore off as fast as she could, her path beginning to curve to take her pursuer where she wanted him. She glanced back only to find she had once again miscalculated. She had correctly assumed that the wings would not provide flight at that size, but she still found her contender coming from above her. Evidently, this creature had quite the jump in it. The animal came down on top of her as she sent them both into a roll, and they began to wrestle. 

It was then that the smell hit her nose. Her body froze, her head perking up, a short whine leaving her airway. The body on top of her placated, now searching for what had caused her sudden stop. Akita transformed back into her usual body, still lying underneath the, now much smaller seeming, gray dragon which had challenged her. She sat up, scratching Riyu on the head with a wide smile, before making her way to her feet again. 

“I think we’re ready to serve!” She announced, walking back towards the campfire.

“My timer hasn’t gone off yet. You sure?” Arin asked, looking into the large pot over the flames.

“I’m certain.” Akita nodded, taking the large ladle which hung on the side and beginning to stir the mixture. “You can tell from the scent. The fragrance is ripe.”

Arin carefully wafted the smell towards himself, doing his best to savor its notes. His attention was captivated by the pot far more than any person might describe as reasonable. “This is so cool!” he grinned, reaching to grab his mug. “You know, Lloyd has made us all kinds of different teas, but he’s never taught us how to make one from scratch like this.”

“The stranger’s bark is packed with all sorts of great nutrients, it’s helpful for recovery and healing.” Akita explained, lifting the ladle to fill Arin’s cup. “If Lloyd doesn’t know how to make this one, he certainly should.” 

Sora approached with her own mug. “Well, now we’ll have something we can teach him for once.” Akita took her cup, filling it with a ladle full before handing it back. 

“Why is it called stranger’s bark?” Arin asked, sitting down on one of the rocks which circled the fire. 

“Well, the trees are called stranger’s trees.” Akita reached for her own mug, unhooking the shallow metal dish from her belt. “Supposedly, people would mistake the patterns on the bark for other people in the forest.” 

Both of the kids’ heads turned to the forest as Akita served herself. At this point it was impossible not to notice the very inquisitive dragon beneath her, begging to get in on whatever it was everyone else was getting.

“I’m not sure I see it,” Sora shrugged, sitting down as she took a sip.

“No, I get it.” Arin squinted at the trees intently before flicking his attention back to the camp. “Man, this whole place is so cool!”

Akita took one last ladleful of tea, carrying it over to one of the lower rocks in the circle, dragon at her heals, and poured it into a shallow divot in the stone. Riyu hastily jumped up, lapping at the pool of flavor.

“Why was it abandoned?” Sora questioned. “Everything seems in perfect condition.”

Akita sighed, returning the ladle to its hold. “It used to be a fishing village. They lived off of the fish from the river.”

“There’s a river near here?” Arin asked, looking up at her.

“Not anymore.” Akita shook her head, sitting back down on her own rock next to Riyu. “The merge cut off the river’s source, and with the water went the fish. And with no fish… the people had no choice but to leave.” She stared into the fire, the reality sinking into the group. 

“So how have you been living out here?” Sora asked. 

Akita thought for a moment as she sipped her tea. It seemed an odd question to her for some reason- she wasn’t too sure why. “It’s a lot easier to feed one person on odds and ends than it is a whole village. Besides, I move around quite often. This is only one of the camps I use.”

Arin looked around at the camp inquisitively. “So… you don’t really live here, you just camp here.”

“You could say that,” Akita agreed.

“You should totally come with us then!” Arin excitedly offered, placing down his mug as he stood. “We could use the help! And you seem like you know your way around the area.”

Riyu perked up, jumping over to Akita, and forcefully maneuvering onto her lap.

“You don’t have to do that,” Sora quickly added. “I’m sure you’ve got your own life going on.”

“Well, that, and I certainly wouldn’t want to impede on your team. You’ve already got a lot of people to juggle” Akita politely agreed, placing her free hand on Riyu’s back in an attempt to calm him.

“But, if you did, hypothetically, want to come,” Arin again insisted. “We could definitely make space for you.”

“I’m certain Lloyd wouldn’t mind bringing you along if you wanted,” Sora nodded.

Akita smiled quietly to herself, bringing her cup to her lips. “Yes, I’m sure he wouldn’t.” 

There was a moment filled only by the sound of the fire as Arin glanced between the girls on either side of him, finally landing on Akita.

“So, do you like each other?”

Sora’s hands moved to shove him. “ARIN!”

“What?” Arin recoiled defensively, retreating back to his rock. “It seems like they like each other, right?”

A bit of blush entered Akita’s cheeks as the two squabbled, knowing she couldn’t leave the question unanswered. Their eyes inevitably did turn to her as she struggled to think of an adequate response. “Lloyd is a very good man who I am very glad to have met.” She spoke very slowly, careful with her words.

Arin smiled, nudging Sora. “Yeah, they definitely like each other.”

Akita rolled her eyes as she took another sip. 

“Shut up,” Sora insisted, her tone getting lower. 

“I’m just saying-” Arin pushed back.

It was then that a call came from the distance. It was faint, but it was there. Riyu perked up, jumping down, and defensively facing the direction of the sound.

“Quiet for a moment,” Akita motioned to the other two, standing up, and listening for the sound again.

The camp stayed silent for a moment, all listening for the noise. Sure enough, a few seconds later, the call came again. It was a high, repetitive, human sound. And it was one Akita was all too familiar with at this point. 

An urgency entered her demeanor as the noise hit her ears for the second time. She moved toward the campfire, promptly flipping the pot, and extinguishing the fire. 

“Hey!” Arin jumped up. “What about-”

“We leave. Now.” Akita turned to the two, her eyes suddenly intensely focused. “Do you understand?”

Arin and Sora shared a glance, before nodding. 

“I’ll go get the others,” Sora stated, running towards the common building.

“The Land Bounty should get us out quick,” Arin assured her. “Our stuff is mostly in there already. Do you need help with yours?”

“I just need my pack,” Akita told him, beginning to back up towards one of the cabins. “But someone should get the engine started.”

“I’ll go tell Zane, he’s in there already. How much time do you think we have?” Arin asked. 

Akita looked from the boy out to the distance where the sound had come from. “...not enough.”

Lloyd stood at the back of the empty cabin, in front of a water basin. His figure hunched over the sides, staring into the mirror which sat behind it. A deep sigh left his lips as he looked at himself. He was tired, confused, dying for a way out of his current predicament, and it was all plain to see on his face. The skin around his eyes seemed thin, with a worn pink tint to it. His features seemed incapable of fully relaxing, and the panic that sat just beneath the surface bled out in small twitches and blinks. He was hiding in here. He knew it. He was already having enough trouble juggling his students, but piling on the sudden return of Akita and appearance of his teammates to try and clean up his navigation disaster was too much for him to handle all at once. Perhaps he thought being alone would give him some sense of clarity, but then again, his mind alone can be pretty crowded at times.

As Lloyd studied his reflection, they caught a familiar sour pop of red from the corner of the mirror. The color sent a sudden wave of dread through his body, the pit in his stomach growing deeper.

“I can’t do this right now.” He groaned, his eyes instinctively moving away from her.

“Oh, I think this is the best time for one of our little chats!” Her voice was smooth and slippery like usual. He watched from his peripheral as she moved closer, her reflection growing bigger. “You need to get your head on straight. And it seems like I’m the only one around here who cares enough about you to do it.”

“Can’t we just be done with this?” Lloyd closed his eyes, willing her away, but he could swear he could feel her presence behind him like some sort of sixth sense.

“You know you can’t trust her.”

“We have no reason to believe that,” Lloyd shook his head, eyes still closed.

“No, but you had no reason to disbelieve me, did you?” She chuckled. “Trusting people gets you hurt, every time. I’m only trying to protect you.” He could hear her footsteps as they drew closer. He opened his eyes to see her there, right behind him, her lifeless eyes meeting his, surrounded in their haunting, sickly, bloody mess.

“My mistake was trusting you ,” he asserted, straightening up.

“And trusting her could be just as big a mistake.” Her lips approached his ear, whispering quietly. “Do you really even know her? You haven’t seen her in years. You tried to protect her greatest enemy. She has plenty of reasons to betray you. This just sounds like a recipe for heartbreak all over again.”

Lloyd turned his face away from her, attempting not to let the words grip his mind any further.

“Besides, you don’t like her. Not really.” she added.

“And what if I do? What are you gonna do about it?” Lloyd questioned, keeping his head turned from her.

“I’m doing it now.” She pressed, placing her hands next to his. “You really shouldn’t let yourself get carried away. I mean, didn’t you hear her? You’re absolutely worthless!”

Lloyds eyes lifted again to the mirror “That was teasing-“

“But it was true, wasn't it? I mean, you’re so ugly, uncoordinated, clumsy, gullible, sensitive, what could you ever even offer her? She’s playing with you, just like I did, nothing more.” Her body danced around him, slowly making her way to his left side. “And even if she does have fun toying with you now, it’s only a matter of time before she gets bored with you. And then where are you? Alone. Abandoned. Betrayed. You know you can’t take that risk.”

“You’re projecting a bit, don’t you think?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugged, crossing her arms. “It’s your head. Maybe I’m wrong. But even if she does like you, just look at yourself.” Her face perched just behind his, forcing his eyes to his own reflection. “Look at that failure in front of you. Do you really think anyone could ever truly love that?”

His eyes stuck to the glass in front of him, tears welling up as her words hit him. They weren’t true. He knew they weren’t true. He had told himself a million times they weren’t true. He couldn’t let them be.

The door to the building burst open, a worried Sora on the other side. “There you are, we need to go!”

Lloyd remained still a moment as he adjusted back to the reality around him. “Why are we leaving?” 

“Akita says we’re in danger if we stay. Come on!” She waved for him to follow as she left the door frame. 

Lloyd remained in place, his eyes now wandering around the room, as if to force its emptiness into his mind. 

He slowly approached the door, turning around once he reached the threshold. He squeezed his eyes shut, his voice coming out in a soft whisper, pleading with his tormentor, the Master, or maybe just himself.

“Please, just let me leave you here.”

Chapter Text

“Get in! Get in!” Arin called to him as he reached the entrance.

Lloyd hopped into the Land Bounty, his eyes darting around the vehicle. “Is that everyone?”

“You’re the last one,” Nya nodded.

Lloyd hit the close door button, the metal of the rear snapping shut as he pointed towards the driver’s hatch. “Gunn it, Zane!”

“Hold on!” He warned as the vehicle jolted forward, sending everyone back, clinging to whatever seat or poll was positioned nearest to them.

“Where exactly am I gunning it to?” Zane asked.

“The First Realm, yeah?” Arin suggested. “That’s where we we're trying to get to?”

Lloyd’s eyes shifted over to Akita who stood in the corner, remarkably unbothered by the rocky ride. “That okay with you?”

“Better than being here,” she shrugged.

“To the First Realm it is!” Lloyd directed.

The Bounty took a quick turn, sending everyone stumbling to the right.

“And what exactly are we gunning it from, again?” Sora asked, raising her voice above the engine and positioning herself to catch Riyu, who was sliding frantically around the floor.

All eyes pointed to Akita. “Raiders. A large group of them. They come in, they take what they want, and they don’t care about casualties.”

“That warning call, was that them?” Nya asked her, the team beginning to stabilize as the vehicle found its path.

“That was the leader,” Akita nodded. “She runs the whole operation. The yell is a warning to leave, or else be collateral damage.”

Nya sighed. “I recognized it.”

“I didn’t hear it,” Lloyd butt in. “What was it?”

Just then, the sound came again, all heads turning to the back window to see its source.

“It’s Ultra Violet,” Nya confirmed, staring back at the approaching envoy with dread. There was a large hoard of raiders exploding out from the tree line, all moving in different directions, and some of which had certainly clocked the Land Bounty by now. At the center of the chaos was a familiar pale face decked in royal purple atop a monstrously extravagant motorcycle.

“Great,” Arin groaned, trekking his way toward the left side of the vehicle where the side door sat. “Just one more person trying to kill us.”

“Well, maybe not trying to kill us specifically,” Sora offered, squeezing onto Riyu as the bounty hit a bump.

“I don’t know. I feel like if she knew it was us, Ultra would definitely want to kill us specifically,” Lloyd bemoaned, attempting to keep hold of the back of one of the chairs, which aimlessly swiveled as the vehicle bounced.

“Well, I think they’re about to know that it’s us!” Arin warned, peering out the now open side door at several members of the raid who were quickly catching up to them.

It was only a second later that a large impact shook the vehicle from the right side, a number of warning signals flickering to life in the cockpit.

“What was that?” Sora yelled.

“An unfavorable amount of damage!” Zane answered.

“They’ve hooked us!” Arin added, still hugging the door frame.

Akita’s head flicked to the rear of the vehicle. “Open the doors!”

“What?!” Lloyd exclaimed.

“I’m doing it!” Nya yelled as she reached for the release button.

The back door once again snapped open, and without a moment's notice, Akita had transformed her body and leapt out the back.

“What is happening?!” Arin screamed, his voice now taken by the wind.

The wolf’s form landed atop the lead rider who had made contact, forcing him to swerve out of control, and crashing into the riders adjacent to him.

“Epic wolf stuff is happening!” Sora excitedly yelled back, letting go of Riyu, who chirped in delight at the action. Sora stumbled to her feet in the motion of the vehicle, casting her concentration to one of the bikers who remained in pursuit. Her eyes began to glow, as the bike beneath them stuttered before suddenly falling to pieces. 

It was then that a loud thud came from the roof, all eyes shooting upwards. 

Riyu growled at the impact, jumping into a defensive stance.

A blade burst through the ceiling, everyone scattering from its entry point.

“Okay, enough of this,” Lloyd yelled, shooting an orb of energy upwards as it phased through the metal.

A muffled yell came from above. A thud from the ship’s right followed shortly after. 

Nya had exited onto the side deck with Arin in an effort to observe the situation. “I think Akita’s got the last one on our tail!” she yelled back, 

“But who’s got Akita?” Sora questioned, looking out at the wolf which was slowly losing ground behind the Bounty’s speed. 

“Oh! That’s my turn!” Arin jumped, scampering to the backdoor, and shooting out his grappling hook. 

The canine seemed to recognize the gesture as it was thrown at her, her teeth taking hold of the rope without a second thought.

“One last thing!” Nya jumped forward before Arin could retract his weapon, flooding the ground just behind the vehicle, lifting Akita momentarily, and creating a miniature swamp to ensure any attempt to follow them would be more that much harder.

Arin quickly recalled the rescue rope, the now thoroughly muddied animal whipping into the Bounty, followed by the prompt snap of the rear and side doors. 

A brief flash of light, and the dog on the floor had transformed into an equally soiled personage, lying on her back alongside her rescuer.

“Heck yeah!”

“Yes!” 

“Great work everyone!”

The cheers filled the space as everyone acclimated to the adrenaline rush.

“Thanks for the quick thinking,” Akita smiled.

Arin sighed, staring up at the ceiling. “I’m just glad it worked.”

As Akita stood, she reached out a hand to the boy, helping him up.

“How far do you think we’ll make it today, Zane?” Nya called up into the diving chamber.

“We move until we get there.” Akita asserted. “We can’t risk stopping.”

There was a moment of silence before Lloyd spoke up. “Well, we will need to stop for the night. The Bounty is going to need repairs, we need to find and prep food, and all of us are going to need rest.”

Akita shook her head. “Right. Of course.”

“We should be fine though,” Sora reassured her, gesturing to the back window. “It doesn’t seem like anyone is interested in following us any further.”

“And if they are, we’ll move fast enough now that they’ll have a rough time tracking us,” Nya added. “I’m sure Zane’s already calculated the perfect spot for us to make camp and lie low while we pull ourselves together, right Zane?”

“I’m evaluating our options currently, but we have several of them,” Zane confirmed. “Regardless, we should be able to make it to our destination before tomorrow night.”

“Plus, we have enough of us now that we’ll be able to sleep in shifts pretty easily,” Arin added.

“See,” Lloyd pressed. “Nothing to worry about. We’re safe.”

Akita winced at his last statement, her eyes still frantically searching the vehicle. Everyone seemed to be aware of the newcomer’s heightened alert level, Lloyd most of all.

“Nya, how about you and Zane hammer out those plans for the night,” Lloyd suggested. “And you three go above deck to watch our tail and check for damage, okay?” He gestured to the kids.

A flurry of affirmations spread through the space, accompanied by an enthusiastic chirp from Riyu, before the group splintered across the bounty, Lloyd’s attention resetting back to the noticeably tense Akita in front of him. 

“It’ll be okay. We do this kind of thing all the time,” He offered a smile as reassuring as he could convey, the gesture recognized but not quite accepted by his companion. 

“Every time something like this happens, I have to move. Fast. And efficiently. And until I can’t anymore.” Akita stressed, her eyes still frantic. “I feel wrong just sitting here, I have so much energy,” She held up her muddied hands in front of her, both of them visibly shaking with adrenaline. “I need to do something-”

“Hey, it’s okay.” Lloyd quickly took her hands, gripping them firmly in his own. “You don’t need to worry about anything, we’ve got it all covered.”

“You’re not listening,” Akita shook her head, an increased panic entering her voice. “I need to do something, I need a place to direct my energy, something to focus on, give me something to focus on-!”

“Right, okay!” Lloyd agreed, his mind fully latching on to the problem. “Let’s get you something to focus on. Right now how about you just focus on me, and take some deep breaths, okay?”

“Okay,” Akita nodded, her lungs lurching for more air, her gaze focusing on the bright green eyes in front of her.

“Why don’t you try and remember all the insults you’ve wanted to call me since I’ve been here, I’m sure you’ve got plenty of those,” Lloyd grinned. 

Akita chuckled through her nerves. “You know I would have already said them if I had them.”

“Good point,” Lloyd nodded, his eyes too now focused on hers, strangely unable to break their connection. “Let’s think of something else then...”

A beat passed between them filled with heavy breaths and unblinking eyes, the tension slowly dissipating from Akita’s fingers. No matter how panicked her instincts told her she should be, she found her mind slowly calming as she centered her gaze where she was told. Maybe it was the act of focusing, but she couldn’t shake the idea that maybe it was just… him.

The air outside of the Land Bounty felt crisp. A slight breeze peppered the sky, and as the sun continued its descent for the day, the camp which the team had begun making for themselves was busy with movement. There was a group repairing and prepping the Bounty for sleep, a group starting dinner preparations, and a group who were in charge of the fire. Being very experienced with the last task, Akita found herself riffling through the firewood pile her group had collected, her attention quickly drawn by the dragon approaching on her right. Riyu’s trot came to a halt as he smiled through the large stick in his maw.

Akita quickly reciprocated his expression, reaching for his contribution. “Thank you! That’s a great one.”

Riyu squawked with pride at the complement.

“I think this should be enough for tonight,” Nya determined, following just behind the dragon with her own haul of branches which she promptly added to the stack.

“Let’s get things started then,” Akita agreed, now sorting through things in search of smaller tinder to start the fire. Nya knelt down to join her in her sort, and Riyu excitedly circled the pile in anticipation.

“If we have any wood that seems damp, let me know, and I should be able to dry it out,” Nya added.

Akita glanced up from her search, a small bundle of twigs in her hand. “That’s a nice trick to have up your sleeve.”

Nya grinned, nodding. “It’s come in handy a couple of times.”

“Well, I think this will be enough to start our flame,” Akita concluded, evaluating her selection. She shifted over to the center of their cleared fire pit, beginning to build a small cone of tinder. 

Nya shortly joined her with some slightly larger branches. “I’ve got some mid size stuff for once we get going. I can go get a lighter-”

“I’ve got it,” Akita cut her off, reaching for one of the pockets on her person, and pulling out a small block of flint. Her other hand reached for her dagger, and with no delay she began striking the two together. Nya sat down next to her, watching as sparks formed and then took hold on her tinder after only a few attempts. 

“You’ve certainly got a handle on that thing,” Nya commented, slowly introducing some new twigs into the flame.

“You get a feel for it when you do it every night,” Akita shrugged, gingerly returning her items to her person.

The two took turns sliding larger and larger branches into the fire, the dancing movement of the warmth the center of both their attention. Riyu had finally settled down, curling up next to them as the flames stretched further. Their silence had formed a rich lather before Akita eventually asked the question which had been sitting at the front of her mind. “So, you know the leader of the raiders?” 

Nya glanced up at her companion, her mind jumping back to earlier that afternoon. “Yeah,” she answered. “Ultra was a long-time thorn in our side back in Ninjago. Started out in the Sons of Garmadon, but kept kicking after they disbanded, managed to break out of prison multiple times; she was always up to something.”

Akita’s gaze turned down as she took in the information. 

“What’s she like now?” Nya asked, leaning forward to try and open the conversation. 

Akita glanced back up at her as she organized her thoughts. “She and her group are the reason I travel. I had tried to form a long-term lodging for myself, and made the mistake of trying to defend it when they came.” She lifted her chin, gesturing to a scar which was hidden just underneath.

Nya’s head tilted to get a view of it, her eyes narrowing “How long ago was this?”

“Just a few months after the merge,” Akita answered.

Nya sighed. “Yeah, I guess I’d have a hard time feeling safe after that too.”

“Safety is an illusion,” Akita countered, reaching for another branch to add to the fire. “The world is perpetually unsafe. Nothing can be protected for certain, and threats can appear from anywhere, at any time.”

Nya tracked her movements, unsure of her sudden hostility. “But hey, safety in numbers, right? It’s good that we’re all together now,” she offered.

Akita hummed in thought, angling her wood as it caught flame. “Increased numbers do provide increased protection, but they also create a larger target to aim at. It is a difficult balance to walk.” She glanced back at Nya as she let go of her addition, the bluntness of her words now registering. “But… your group seems increasingly capable, so that certainly helps level out the risk.”

Nya offered a shy smile. “Right.”

Akita resigned herself back to her spot on the ground, her eyes returning to the fire as she tried to course-correct the conversation. “I understand there are team members elsewhere. Is that all people I would remember or-”

“Most of them, yes.” Nya nodded. “There’s my brother Kai and then Cole. You would know both of them from the Never-Realm. And then we have another new recruit named Wyldfyre. I think you two would probably get along well,” she smiled. 

Akita sat for a moment, running some mental math. “You’re missing one then, aren’t you?”

“Yes, we, um…” Nya’s smile faded as she let out a sigh. “We lost Jay in the merge. I don’t know if you remember, he was the one with the freckles-”

Akita’s eyes lit up in recognition. “Fluffy hair, very loud.”

“That’s him,” Nya grinned at his description, her eyes lost in the distance.

Akita stared at her a moment as the memories from the brief time they had shared in the Never-Realm flooded back. “You two were partners, yes?”

Nya’s lips thinned as their relationship was mentioned, this time resigning herself to a simple nod.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Akita bowed her head in reverence.

Nya’s eyes stayed locked on the skyline, her lips finally opening again with a large gasp for air. “You know I still keep up hope that he’s out there somewhere,” the sudden strain in her voice was prominent. “But… somehow that makes it even harder, you know?”

Akita sat silent a moment, unsure of how much to say. “How long had you been together?”

“That's a bit of a complicated question,” Nya chuckled. 

“I didn’t mean to-” Akita quickly receded.

“No, it’s alright,” Nya sighed. “We've just been on and off over the years, but it started pretty much the moment I met him.” She laughed. “I was only fifteen.”

Akita studied her companion, the new rawness exposed feeling almost sacred to her. “Sounds like it was bound to work out if you kept finding your way back to each other for that long.”

“We had been pretty happy the last couple years,” Nya conceded, the ghost of a smile threatening to materialize. “Honestly though, I sometimes felt like I was just waiting for things to go sour again.” She paused, the silence heavy. “But maybe that wasn’t us, maybe that was just me, you know? And the last thing I want to do is start reinterpreting things now that he’s gone, but-” Nya’s thoughts were interrupted by a gasp for breath too shaky to ignore.

Akita quickly moved closer, her hand instinctively grasping Nya’s. “It’s okay,” she assured her. “I know how difficult loss can be, but just because they are gone does not mean they are not with us.”

“Yeah,” Nya sighed, her hand tightening grip, and a tear leaving her eye. “Anyway, you don’t need to hear about all that.” A pained chuckled left her lips as she attempted a smile, gently pulling her hand away. “I’m probably boring you to death.” She rolled her eyes, attempting to lighten the tone.

“I don't know. I’m always open to hearing a good romance story,” Akita offered. “Even if it doesn’t have a happy ending.”

Nya grinned. “You know, if you want to hear a great romance story, you should really be talking to Zane.”

Akita’s eyes shifted over to the droid across the camp preparing their food. “Zane has a partner?”

Nya sighed. “He and Pixal were the cutest couple you’d ever seen. And they’d been through some of the worst things imaginable together, but they were so stupidly in love that it always seemed to work out.” 

“Were they together when he was…” Her sentence trailed off, but her meaning was understood.

Nya hummed in affirmation, she too now tracking her teammate. “We lost Pix in the merge. I can't imagine it's been easy on him, despite how he plays it off.”

Akita’s gaze returned again to the fire as she thought. “I had no idea.”

“Honestly though, he’s the only one on the team who’s figured this stuff out,” Nya shrugged. “I’m a mess, my brother’s been stuck in a perpetual situationship for years, I’m not sure Cole even knows he’s actively in a relationship, and Lloyd-” Nya glanced at Akita. “Well, you know Lloyd’s whole deal.”

“I certainly do,” Akita nodded.

“I don’t suppose you’ve fared any better?” Nya asked.

Akita let out a deep sigh, her eyes sliding into the distance, reaching for somewhere else. “I’ve spent most of my life alone, struggling enough as it is just to survive. I haven’t had much occasion for… any men in general, none the less romance.” Her gaze drifted across the camp to the boy in green which had taken up so much of her brain space in the past few days. “I’m not sure I’d even know where to start.”

Nya studied her new friend for a moment, gauging how best to respond. “I hear that.” 

Akita’s attention tracked back to her teammate, a little more lost than when it had left.

“The only advice I can give you is that when it comes to this stuff, the only thing you really can do is trust your instincts.” Nya stole a quick glance over at Lloyd. “...wherever they might lead you.” 

Akita’s eyes sunk down to the fire, another sigh leaving her lips. “If you don’t mind, I think I just need to clear my head. I might go on a walk for a little while.”

“Sure,” Nya agreed. “I can keep watch on the fire.”

Akita made her way to her feet, glancing back at Nya. “Thank you.”

There was a second stir as Riyu perked up from his nap, now tracking Akita’s movement.

“I’ll make sure someone comes to get you once dinner is ready,” Nya added.

“Yes, that would be great,” Akita nodded, a newly invigorated Riyu now circling her feet. She chuckled a bit at her new play buddy. “I appreciate it, but I really just want to walk alone.”

Riyu tilted his head, a bit disappointed.

“Besides, Nya needs your help choosing the perfect sticks for the fire anyway.” He circled around her feet once more before trotting back over to the fire.

“Hey, stay safe out there by yourself,” Nya advised. “You know, even if safety is an illusion and all that…” she added, a sly smile on her lips.

Akita grinned, the illusion seeming to catch up with her. 

“Thanks.”

Akita felt her head far too clouded for comfort at the moment. She hadn’t talked to this many people in quite some time, and she knew that was a part of it, but there was something else. Something nagging. Something she’d never quite felt before. Well, that was a lie. She had felt like this before, she just wasn’t about to admit that to herself

because it was the last time she had been around him. 

She didn’t know what to make of the feeling. It was nerve wrecking, and giddy, and exciting, and sickening all at the same time. It was new, it was confusing, and worst of all it seemed completely out of her control. In fact, it appeared to be more in control of her than the other way around, and that felt very troubling. She certainly wouldn't say she enjoyed it, despite the fact that she had this strange impulse to keep running into it every time it approached her, and this twisted longing to feel it again whenever it ended. Regardless, it was now very clear to her that it was in fact him who seemed to make her feel this way. 

Surely this feeling could not be what she suspected it was… 

right?

Maybe it would be best to forget that right now. Find something else to focus on. Food. Maybe some food would help? 

After a quick glance at her surroundings Akita knew exactly what she was craving. She grabbed her katana from her back, slashing it through the fauna which surrounded her path. “There should be some around here,” she muttered to herself. 

Though her swings were aimed in front of her, her eyes scanned the ground hoping to find her prize. It was only a few strikes more before her sight met what she was looking for. 

“I knew it!” She slid her weapon back into its holster before reaching for a different one- her dagger. She used the smaller blade to skim off a wealth of bright pink berries from the small cluster of bushes she had found.

“You shouldn’t eat those,” A familiar voice came from behind her.

Akita threw her head back with a smirk. “You can’t tell me what to do.”

“They always do bad things to your stomach. You regret it every time,” he warned. 

“I don’t care, I like them.” She turned around, defiantly displaying the handful of berries she had pulled from the foliage and tossing them in her mouth.

Kataru smirked back, his arms crossed. “I reserve the right to say I told you so.”

“I would expect nothing less from you.”

Akita felt her smile melt into sincerity as she looked at her brother, his features just as distinct as the last day she saw him.

Kataru leaned back against a nearby tree. “Well, I’ll give you this, you did get to see those strange friends of yours again.”

“Don’t call them names!” Akita harped, turning back to the bush to harvest more berries. “I can’t understand why you don’t like them.”

“I never said I didn’t like them!” Kataru chuckled. “I just find them strange.”

“Well, for the record, it has been very nice to see them again,” Akita asserted, slipping the berries into a pouch at her side. “It’s been a while since I’ve had… actual people to talk to.” 

“Ouch,” Kataru droned.

“As sane as our little chats keep me, I can’t help but shake the feeling that sometimes we are speaking in circles,” Akita coyly remarked, playfully gesturing with her dagger. 

“I give the best advice, I’m your brother!” Kataru raised a smug eyebrow.

“No, you’re not,” Akita’s voice came out quick and pointed, her face softening as she realized how sharp she had spoken.

The face before her looked back knowingly. “Well, what would you tell him if he were here?”

Akita sighed, looking out into the trees. “I don’t know. But he was always better at these types of things.”

“What type of things?”

“Relations, romance, friendships,” Akita listed. “talking to people, all the human interaction parts of being a human.”

Kataru smiled back at her. “So, what is it? Friendship or romance?”

Akita side-eyed her brother. “I don’t know, that’s why I need you.”

Kataru looked at her skeptically. “You sure you don’t know? You’re still debating whether the optimistic idiot who couldn’t read a map is going to be good for you?”

Akita chuckled. “I can teach him how to read a map.”

“Uh huh,” Kataru nodded. “And what are you going to do about the idiot part?” 

Akita sighed. “Look, I don’t even know what these feelings I have are yet. Maybe it’s just a nostalgia rush. Maybe it’s talking to someone other than you for more than an hour. Maybe I’m sleep deprived, and I’ll feel normal about him in the morning,” she reasoned.

“Or maybe you’ve got a crush on someone from an entirely different dimension who hasn’t thought about you in almost a decade-”

“No.” Akita cut him off. “Don’t try that.” Her voice softened, looking down at her dagger still weighing in her hands. “We know he thought about me.”

“What are we thinking about?” A new voice came from behind her, making her jump. 

Akita spun around to face it, blade readied, doing a quick double take back to Kataru, now vanished from his spot by the tree.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to spook you-” Lloyd quickly apologized, arms raised in surrender, his cheeks reddening. 

“Lloyd,” Akita sighed, once again sheathing her dagger and hiding her face. “It’s fine, I was just… talking through some things.” 

“Hey, I totally get it,” Lloyd assured her. “I tend to do that a lot too.”

Akita let her hands slip from her cheeks, a smile peaking onto her lips. “Yes, I recall you having quite the chatty impulse when you think you’re alone.”

Lloyd shrunk, his hand instinctively running through his hair. “Well, I still do it, in case you were wondering.”

Their gazes lingered on each other as they shared a smile, having fumbled their way through the introduction of the conversation.

“Did you need something?” Akita broke first, glancing back at the path he had approached from.

“Right!” Lloyd refocused, his mind catching up with him. “No, I just came to tell you that dinner is ready, whenever you are. Zane and Arin put together a stew for us.”

Akita grinned. “I’m sure it will be delightful.” 

Their smiles both faded as the conversation lulled. “I’m sorry to drag you out with us like this,” Lloyd’s face turned apologetic. “I know you didn’t sign up to trek out to the First Realm-”

“It’s fine,” Akita cut him off. “If anything, I feel bad intruding on your mission. I hope I haven't slowed you down.”

“Of course not!” Lloyd assured her. “And you can stay as long as you like. I know the old team likes having you around, it seems like the kids already love you, and… I know you and I work well together.”

Akita stared at the center of her confusion in ponderance. “Do you like it?”

“Working with you?” Lloyd asked.

“With the kids,” Akita smirked, turning around. She lowered herself back down to her berry bushes to continue her harvest. “I never really thought of you as a teacher, but you seem to connect with them pretty well.”

“Yeah,” Lloyd followed her moves. “I like it a lot. It really gives you a sense of purpose, you know? They’re good kids. I love seeing them grow and realize all the potential they have inside them.” He lowered himself to join her on the ground as he rambled. “I swear they are going to be so much better than me someday. They’re already so bright.”

Akita paused her work to glance up at him. “Oh, they certainly seem brighter than you do.”

They both chuckled, the breeze that now surrounded them carrying their laughs somewhere distant.

“What about you?” Lloyd asked, his voice growing careful. “I don’t suppose you’ve met any new friends in the past few years you’d like to gush about.”

Akita grew silent, her hands now halted in their work. “No, not exactly.”

Lloyd looked at her intently, still searching for an entrance point. “Look, I don’t know what all you’ve been through, but it seems like things have been tough, and if you want to talk about it-”

“We don’t need to talk about it,” Akita stopped him.

“But do you want to talk about it?” he pressed.

Their eyes locked on each other for a weighted moment, both of them recognizing the minefield they had entered. “It’s been… difficult,” Akita placed her words, her eyes finally shifting. “But I’ve made it through so far. That’s what matters.”

“I don’t know,” Lloyd gently countered. “I’ve made it through some pretty rough stuff. That doesn’t always mean I was okay on the other end of it.”

Akita remained silent, refusing to meet his glance with one of her own, her fingers fiddling with the grass beneath her. 

“I mean, I can’t even imagine what it must have been like, being without contact for that long.”

“I have plenty of practice surviving on my own.” Her tone had a pinch of accusation in it. “It’s the only option I have.”

“What about one of the villages around?” Lloyd suggested, his voice still gentle. “I know it’s sparse out here, but communities have popped up everywhere-”

“And what?” Akita groaned, lifting her gaze to face him. “Travel thirty miles and try to fit into a population with no one I know, no one even remotely like me, and who might even see me as a threat? Who might unknowingly be a threat to me? Abandon the land, the last thing I have left of my people, and try to force myself into cultures I do not know, and people who will never understand me?”

Lloyd recognized the accumulation of years worth of struggle in her voice all too easily. “Maybe,” he pressed. “If it means finding a community. No one deserves to be alone that long, certainly not you.” 

Akita glanced away, refusing to entertain his opinions. 

“Look, I don’t know your situation as well as you do, but I remember what it was like being alone after the merge, and it’s the most miserable I’ve ever felt-”

“And so you’re here to chastise me?” Akita reeled up, her tone sharpening. “For what? Not going out and adopting unsuspecting children like you did?” She stood, beginning to storm off. 

“That’s not what I’m saying-” Lloyd closed his eyes in conflict.

“So why exactly are you talking to me?!” Akita stopped, spinning around to berate him.

“Because I care about you!” Lloyd rose to meet her. “And when you care about someone, you like to know if they’ve been hurting, so maybe you can help them!”

Akita’s eyes narrowed, a predator’s instincts lying behind them. “You think I need your help?”

“Yes, I do.”

“I need no one.” Akita asserted, stepping forward. “I survived on my own for sixty years in the cold of the longest and harshest winter any realm has ever seen without a single soul to aid me, so I certainly can manage a few years of some simple land disruptions.”

“And I’m sure you could keep yourself alive until the end of time if you needed to all on your own,” Lloyd conceded. “But I think you’d probably be a lot happier if you didn’t force yourself to do it on your own.”

“I do it on my own, because that’s how I know I can survive.”

“But you don’t have to be in survival mode anymore!” Lloyd pressed. “The world is healing! There are communities everywhere, and solutions being built, you should be a part of that!”

“And what is it you think I’d gain, thrusting myself into a society that does not know me?” Akita questioned.

“I don’t know. For starters maybe, a home?” Lloyd stressed, exasperation filling his voice. “A proper home, maybe with some furniture, and belongings, and people who you care about, instead of empty abandoned buildings that you run from every time a threat comes by-”

“You think I pulled us out too quickly.” 

Akita stepped back, her voice suddenly quiet, almost timid. Her hands instinctively hid her face, embarrassment catching up to her. 

“You think we should have stayed-”

“What? No-” Lloyd reached for her, attempting to keep up with the swerve in the conversation. 

“You think we could have fought them off-”

“I think you made a good call,” Lloyd stopped her, gently taking hold of her forearm, wooing her complexion back open.

Akita’s eyes peaked back out at him.

“We weren’t prepared for a fight. They were. You would have been the only one who knew what to expect, and there was nothing tangible even worth fighting for.” Lloyd took both her hands in his, tempting her eyes back towards him. “Look, this is what I’m talking about. I know you can make the right call to save your skin. You have nothing to prove on that front. Regardless of the situation, you don’t owe me a justification for what you do.”

Akita finally met his eyes, the sincerity of his intentions finally sinking in.

“You know why? Because-” 

Lloyd’s eyes caught on something else. Akita couldn’t tell what, but it seemed just over her shoulder. His eyes quickly wandered into the middle distance, their connection now completely detached. 

“Because I trust you.” The statement, though clearly meant for her, seemed almost to confuse him as he said it.

Akita, concern beginning to boil inside her, gripped his now limp hands in an attempt to draw him back to her. 

“Is everything okay?” she asked. 

Lloyd’s attention snapped back as she spoke, the look on his face still blank. “Yes, I… sorry,” He shook his head, a nervous laugh leaving his airway. “I just need to go. I’ll see you back at camp.” His presence pulled away from her, tugging her hands upward as he left. 

Stunned and confused, Akita glanced over her shoulder, looking for what it was that had caught his eye. There seemed to be nothing at odds in the trees behind her, or on the ground. As far as she could tell, the only thing of interest he would have seen was the end of her polished steel sword handle which poked out just above her shoulder.

Chapter Text

Akita had stolen her supper away from the clamor and bustle of the main camp and was currently leaning against a large tree, bowl balanced between her legs as she neared the end of her meal. Though the stew had been delicious and the company great fun, her mind was far too noisy to enjoy both at once. The habit of solitude is not something one breaks easily. It had been a confusing couple of days full of delight, wonderment, and exhausting nerves which all ran wildly out of control. She of course had enjoyed her time with these friends, both old and new, but she could never be sure if her interactions with the party were as meaningful to them as they were to her, and it felt somewhat shameful to imagine these feelings which left her were stronger than the ones she was receiving back. Not to mention the interactions she couldn’t make heads or tails of. She had no clue how to even begin decoding her latest interaction with Lloyd. Why did he leave? Was it him? Was it her? Had she driven him away? Why hadn’t he come back yet? Would he even want to speak with her again? Though these questions inevitably ballooned in her mind, she did find solace in at least one thing: Soon enough she would have to part ways with her friends, at which point all of these questions would cease to matter. 

Though it was not necessarily a satisfying solution, it was an all encompassing one.

As Akita scraped the bottom of her bowl, licking up the last of the nourishment portioned to her, she found herself savoring the flavor- something she had done with most of her recent meals. It had been quite a while since she had tried such a span of delicious new dishes in such a short period. She glanced back up at camp, her eyes pinning down the one responsible for her culinary adventure. Arin had proved not only to be a great cook, but a curious soul, an avid student, and a rescue line to her: quite literally. It was impressive for a child his age, and certainly a proof point that Lloyd knew what he was doing with his pupils. Glancing back down at her empty dish, a box ticked in Akita’s mind. With one stimulus gone, perhaps it was time to return and engage with the other. 

She began her trek back toward camp, narrowing in on the object of her recent thoughts. He stood over a wash bucket, dropping in the few utensils which had been used to prepare their food.

“I understand I have you to thank for our dinner.”

Arin jumped at the voice which had snuck up behind him, quickly swerving to look the woman who approached him in the eye. 

“Oh! Yeah, that… that was Zane and me,” he stuttered. “Glad you liked it!”

“I don’t have the patience to cook, especially when it’s just for myself, so I don’t tend to get much variety.” She glanced down at her emptied bowl. “Your talents are much appreciated.”

Arin smiled, seeming to finally calm down from his initial shock. “You know, I could show you sometime if you want. Something like this really isn’t too hard.”

“Perhaps if our paths cross again, I’ll take you up on that offer.” Akita nodded, dropping her dishware into the tub.

“Again?” Arin asked, confused. “Aren’t you going to stay a little longer?”

Akita’s head dropped, the logic running through her head. “I am clear from any danger, and I’m afraid I shouldn’t follow where you travel to in the morning.”

Arin remained locked onto her expression, attempting to parse whether he should push further. “How come?”

“This is my home.” Akita asserted. “Ever since the merge, these lands are the one thing I have left of my family, and my people. It would take something of immensely great import to take me away from this place.”

Arin’s face scrunched in a compliant disappointment. “That makes sense.”

Akita now studied his expression, slowly chiseling away to find what lay underneath. “Where do you call home?” She began to stride away from the bin, her action inviting him to walk.

Arin moved to follow her, his focus returning to the conversation. “I’m from Ninjago, like the other ninja. I used to live with my parents just outside the city, but… I lost them in the merge.”

Akita’s heart swelled for the boy, the reason for his adoption into the team now depressingly clearer to her. “I’m very sorry to hear that.”

Arin’s eyes trailed the ground as they walked. “You know, it’s nice to be around someone else who gets it.” He shrugged, irritation beginning to infect his words. “Lloyd’s found most of the other ninja. Sora never liked her family to begin with. Sometimes it feels like I’m the only one here who remembers how much loss the merge caused.”

“I don’t think anyone could forget the impact that day had on this world,” Akita lamented. “It is a scar in reality too peculiar and too deep to ever fade from view.”

“It’s weird, you know?” Arin mused. “The way the merge took them from us? No warning, no trace. Just suddenly, all of them were gone.”

Akita pondered his words as they approached two tree stumps at the edge of the campfire’s light, a much better place to continue this conversation which was quickly becoming increasingly delicate. “It is something I think about often, how peculiar it is for a person to vanish like that. It seems to be somewhat of a pattern for me.” Akita sat herself on the far stump, lifting her legs to cross them on the base.

“What do you mean?” Arin asked, gently seating himself across from her.

Akita’s mind pointed inward as the memory revealed itself again. “When I was quite young, my entire tribe was frozen, imprisoned by the ice emperor in an eternal frost. You could see the bodies of everyone, petrified in these large bricks of enchanted ice. But there was one body I never found: my brother’s. I searched for days, convinced I would find him, crushed by the snow or frozen like the others somewhere in the blast, that I could at least give him a proper burial, or memorial, some way to gift his physical form some manner of respect back. I had seen where the dragon had killed him, but no matter how far I widened the search, there was no trace of him. He had just… disappeared. Vanished into the ice right before my eyes. And there was nothing I could have done to stop it.”

There was silence from the other stump, Arin’s eyes enduringly attached to her inflections as she spoke, sensing there was more to say. “...and then?”

Akita glanced back up, knowing the boy had already glimpsed her soul. “And once I got him back, the only friends I had made in ages disappeared through a portal, never to return, and impossible to follow… And then the merge.” Akita’s mind was caught in the emptiness, the years alone which numbed her mind beyond consciousness at times. “Sometimes I fear everything around me will inevitably disappear. That no matter what I do or how hard I try, one day I will be the only thing left in this world.”

“Like you’ve been left behind.” Arin added, his eyes finally drifting, longing for something quite distant. “A forgotten piece of a universe that’s always moving away from you.”

Akita studied her young companion, her heart aching at how true his words rang. “Something like that.”

Arin remained unresponsive, still lost in the distance. Akita felt a very distinct panic run over her as she realized how dark the conversation with this otherwise aggressively delightful boy had turned. She was not accustomed to working with children, but at the very least she knew it best not to let him linger in this headspace.

“It seems as if you have a wonderful world surrounding you now though.” She prompted him.

To her relief Arin glanced back up, a smile creeping onto his complexion again. “Yeah. It’s been pretty great.” They both turned to watch the camp as the team began to settle in for the evening. “And hey, you’re a pretty awesome part of that world too!”

Akita chuckled. “I’m honored.”

“I wish you didn’t have to disappear from it so soon.”

Akita turned to lock eyes with the boy yet again, the sentiment hitting her as strangely poignant. As she studied the grace decorating his expression, she felt she could understand, at least for that moment, why Lloyd had ended up doing this. “I only hope it will not take so many decades to cross your presence again as it did to meet you the first time.”

Arin’s brows furrowed as his mind caught on the phrasing of her sentiment. “How old are you?” 

“I’m not even 200 yet. I’m only 192.” Akita mused to herself, before her vision refocused on the boy. “How old are you ?”

He looked back up at her with eyes full of an intimidated wonder. “I’m 15.”

Akita shook her head, “Well, I suppose I have no context for that number-”

“I’m not a toddler.” Arin quickly clarified with a giggle.

Akita laughed with him. “You are a young adolescent, yes?”

“Yeah,” Arin nodded. 

“Well, you’re certainly quite talented for your age,” Akita concluded. “I’m sure your parents would be very proud.” 

Arin’s eyes darted away at the subject, his smile dimming as he considered the idea. “I don’t know. Seems like I’m the only one who wasn’t magically gifted an elemental power by the merge, and I still can’t even do spinjitzu despite having probably the best teacher for it on the planet.” 

“And yet, you were the one who saved my skin today,” Akita countered. 

His face tightened the sentiment, clearly being considered for the first time. 

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Akita leaned forward. “You have much power about you, even if it is less flashy than some of your peers’.”

His eyes remained distant, a desperation to believe the words spoken to him seeping through his expression, but insufficient to take hold.

“...and you certainly have much more skill than I had at 15.”

A laugh finally broke his features again, his eyes returning to his companion. “Maybe by the time I’m 200 I’ll be able to turn into a wolf too, huh?”

“Not sure Lloyd will be able to teach you that one.” Akita teased.

Arin’s posture snapped up, his head swiveling. “Hey, Where is Lloyd? ”

Just a flash. That was all it took. 

A flash of that particular shade of red from just out of the corner of his eye, and suddenly he felt so much 

heavier. 

“Because I trust you,” He forced himself to finish the thought, though the meaning seemed much more frightening to him now. He could swear he could feel breath on his neck already. 

He needed to leave. 

“Is everything okay?” His eyes darted back to Akita, a new layer of panic entering his limbs.

“Yes, I… sorry,” He did his best to blink away his nerves. “I just need to go. I’ll see you back at camp.” 

His body turned as quick as it could manage, and moved . It wasn’t clear where to, it just needed to flee what was coming for him. 

He could feel it. The pit. This awful, sickening pit in his stomach. The one that never failed to remind him of the mistake trust can be. It was sharper this time. A deeper, more material ache which he could have sworn was manifesting itself into reality. A ripping pain tearing at his insides just between his ribs. Like some awful premonition of the future, a dagger in his chest, it sat with him, deepening, pulsing, waiting to be made flesh the next time his guard was down. He couldn’t help it. 

He was already bracing for betrayal.

He had stumbled his way into earshot of rushing water. Surely if anything could snap him out of this delusion, a splash of cold liquid would be it.

He moved toward the sound, a small stream just on the other side of this bank. He knelt down at its edge, his ladened heart rate now echoing around his eardrums. As he went to touch the water, he was met with the reflection he was hoping to avoid. 

“We never learn, do we? ” 

He angrily pushed past her image, submerging his cupped hands.

“The one mistake you know you’ve made! That almost cost you everything!” The voice remained in his ear, berating him as he splashed his face- to no avail. “You open your heart up, and you leave it vulnerable to attack. Every. Time.” 

His eyes opened to the distorted curves of her complexion in the stream. Runs of water dripped from the edges of his downturned head: the tip of his nose, the peaks of his lips, the ends of his hair. He could taste the sweat they had displaced, and feel as their every movement now surrounded him.

The water had been a mistake. 

“Why are you still letting her cling to you like this? You don’t need her.”

He finally caught his breath enough to speak, his eyes narrowing. “I’m not listening to you. You’re just in my head.”

Her expression turned to a smile, all too pleased with itself. “Unfortunately for you, that does happen to be the one place you can’t exactly leave.”

He gave the reflection another disruptive hit before turning away from the stream. He braced his head between his knees in an attempt to keep the world from spinning.

“See, my question is, what is it that she wants from you? ” Her voice had quieted, bouncing from ear to ear. “Everyone always wants something.”

“What makes you so sure?” Lloyd asked, gripping his eyes closed once again.

“You’re the Green Ninja.” She chuckled. “Who wouldn’t want something out of you? There’s so much on offer!”

He ran his hands over his face again, trying to clear any lingering water.

“I used you for your father, Pythor used you for your map, how many others have used you for your destiny, and power?”

Still the water stuck to his skin, trailing down his neck, creeping onto his chest, enveloping him, suffocating him, he had never felt more like he was drowning.

“If you think about it, even your teammates use you for your abilities.” 

His eyes shot open at the suggestion. “That’s ENOUGH!”

He sprung to his feet, looking back into the river to confront her.

“Not everyone is playing the same mind games that you are!”

Her image was remarkably unbothered, eyes already staring back at him, tracking him.

“She could be harmless.” She conceded. “But you’re seeing the same woman I am. She’s a well trained weapon with nothing left to lose, and a growing number of reasons to dislike you. All I’m suggesting is that you ask yourself what she gains by interacting with you.”

“How about a friend?” Lloyd shot back, staring defiantly into the water.

“To my recollection, she made it painfully clear that she didn’t need any of those.”

Her eyes pressed into his for a moment as his breath struggled to grasp a response. With nothing materializing, her form slowly disappeared, sinking below the edge of the river bank, out of sight, but unavoidably still present. He could feel it. 

She was always there. 

Lloyd’s vision shifted across the water to a new reflection: The moon.

His eyes darted upward to the waxing visage in the sky, his mind now racing. How long had he been out here? When had it gotten dark?

“Lloyd!” A voice called from behind him. He turned to see the approacher standing at the top of the bank. 

“Zane?” he called out in return.

“Where have you been?” Zane moved down to meet him at the stream’s edge. “You missed dinner, and you’re going to be late for your watch shift.”

Lloyd shook his head, trying to recenter himself in the moment. “Right. Sorry. I… wasn’t hungry. Just came out here to think.”

Zane studied his friend as he reached his side. “What is troubling you?”

Lloyd sighed, struggling enough to make sense of his feelings on his own, let alone trying to vocalize them to someone else. His eyes turned back toward the water as he attempted to form a response. “Do you trust Akita?”

Zane remained silent for a moment. “Do I trust Akita?” he repeated.

“Yeah.” Lloyd confirmed.

“I think the better question is whether or not Akita trusts me.”

Lloyd turned back to his companion, past events returning to him. “Right, of course.”

“Why, do you suspect her of something or-” Zane pried.

“No,” Lloyd quickly corrected. “But just, in general… how do you know you can trust anyone, you know?” He folded his arms against his chest, his body curling inward.

“I suppose there is no way to know for certain,” Zane concluded. “Otherwise it wouldn’t be trust.”

Lloyd’s eyes sunk, the ache in his abdomen sharpening as he considered this answer. 

Zane could recognize the conflict in his teammate, carefully considering what he would say next. “Well, I spoke with Nya about what you said to her-”

“No!” Lloyd groaned, covering his face. “We don’t need to talk about it, I have everything under control-”

“I might have believed that had I not found you here, sweating your nerves out after abandoning Akita in the woods,” Zane pressed.

“I made a graceful, purposefully timed exit,” Lloyd insisted.

“That is not what I heard,” Zane countered.

Lloyd let out a deep breath, as if trying to expel the fog which clouded his mind. “I’m scared, okay?” He admitted. “I know it’s irrational, but how can I not be? The only other experience I have with this stuff is with the girl who started an underground crime ring to kill me .” His gaze returned to his companion. “It would almost be weirder if I wasn’t paranoid, right?”

“There are advantages to your first romantic interaction ending so disastrously,” Zane offered. “At the very least, if things go poorly with Akita, it is very unlikely to go any worse than it did with Harumi.”

“That’s not helping.” Lloyd shook his head.

“Understood,” Zane nodded, calculating the switch in approach required. “Every trust relationship is built on data. And the more time you spend with someone, the more data points you obtain on them, the more likely you are able to predict their behavior.”

Lloyd rolled his eyes. “I don’t know, I think I’m pretty awful at the whole prediction part no matter what.”

“I would not say that. Based on what you’ve relayed to me, that is how you eventually detected Harumi, is it not?” Zane rebutted. “You had collected enough data to see her underlying plan, and even though said plan ended up getting the better of us, you did catch her out in her lie before she chose to reveal it to you.”

Lloyd thought for a moment, considering the facts. “I guess so.”

“On the reverse side, this is why you trust me and the rest of the team. You’ve spent time with us and collected enough data to feel comfortable giving us your trust.” Zane placed a hand on his shoulder, lightly tugging on it. “If you find yourself conflicted on if your trust is appropriately placed, the only logical action to take is to collect more data points.”

Lloyd looks back up at him, trying his best to parse his words. “What are you saying?”

Zane sighed, a hidden pretense seemingly being dropped. “I’m saying that you’re paired up with Akita for first watch- and that should be just what you need.”

Lloyd made his way up the stairs on the side of the Bounty as quietly as he could manage, trying his best to not make a scene of his arrival. As his vision peaked over the top of the deck, he was unsurprisingly met with a pointed pair of dark irises, readily tracking his movement. The deck had only a small lantern at its center, its light barely grasping at the features of the woman who waited for him atop. She sat on the ground, limbs draped on top of each other in a haphazard formation, her face a wall impenetrable to any thought other than the impulse to watch him.

‘Collecting more data points’ might be a harder task than anticipated.

He dropped his gaze as he ascended the last few steps, his lips opening to try and explain himself. “I didn’t mean to be late, I just got distracted, um, I was-” he stuttered.

“Talking through something?” Akita finished, her eyes staring vacantly back up at him, holding his captive for a moment as he caught up to himself.

A wave of acceptance crossed him as he relented to his new station for the next few hours, lowering himself to the wood. “Yeah.”

The light which sat between them was soon accompanied by a weighted silence, the endless depths of the night gradually invading. Lloyd’s thoughts sat on the events of the day, still quite uncertain of where exactly his scattered feelings on the person in front of him would finally settle in his mind, and how parallel pieces might settle in hers. He hoped she would trust him, if for no other reason than that to cause her any worry would be a waste. And he wanted to trust her in return. Longed to trust her. Wished nothing more than for his inhibitions to melt so he could effortlessly give a part of himself away like that again. But no matter how easy it was to talk to her, how real a connection he swore was there, he couldn’t help but feel himself falling . He was walking toward a destiny which was all too comfortable and much too familiar. Doubt formed effortlessly like condensation on the edges of his every thought. It was impossible to prevent, and a constant battle to clear away. And so as he did his best to untangle the mess of emotions within him, there was only one thing he could think to say next.

“I’m sorry-” He stopped as his words echoed, being spoken at the exact same moment by the voice opposite him. 

Her expression had finally broken in a display of surprise. “ You’re sorry?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry for running off.” Lloyd explained. “What are you apologizing for?”

Akita’s eyes narrowed, again gauging his reaction “For yelling at you.” She answered. “You were only trying to help, but I treated you as hostile. I thought that might have been why you left.”

“No, that wasn’t you.” Lloyd quickly corrected. “That was…” His gaze trailed off as his words did, struggling to think of how to explain the demons which followed him. “Just some personal stuff I’ve been dealing with.”

“Regardless, I should not have acted that way.” Akita insisted. “I’ve just been on edge being around so many people again.” Her demeanor tightened as she spoke. “It is difficult to manage so many outside voices with clarity, especially when about my own life.”

“And hey, I’m sorry I pushed you on it in the first place.” Lloyd offered. “I mean, I tend to fall apart without other people around me, you know? Every time I’m at my worst is when I’m alone. But I should have realized you’re a lot different than me on that front.” He grinned. “You’re a lot stronger than I am.”

The remark seemed to land on deaf ears, something else clearly occupying Akita’s thoughts.

“I’ll be leaving in the morning.” She blurted out.

Lloyd took in the confession, an adrenaline suddenly flooding his thoughts. “So soon, I thought-”

“Since we’re out of danger, and you’re heading a ways elsewhere, I should part ways with you.” She explained.

“I hope I haven't scared you away,” Lloyd lamented.

“You didn't.” She gathered her knees between her arms, her vision searching for anything else to catch on but her companion. “I just… I can’t leave.” An err of disappointment colored her words.

“If that’s what’s best for you.” Lloyd’s tone mirrored her own. “I just thought…” He stopped unfinished as his thoughts jumbled, the emotions which plagued him earlier that night now turned on their head.

“Thought what?”

A steep breath left his airway. “I thought I’d have more time to figure you out,” he admitted. 

A shy smile crossed Akita’s lips, a slight bashfulness entering her demeanor for the first time he could recall. “I fascinate you then, do I?”

Lloyd could feel his body slow as he looked back at her, the night obscuring nothing but the two of them, stuck in this shallow void together. 

“You do.” He answered. “No matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to get inside your head.”

Akita leaned forward as the conversation loosened again. “I could say the same thing about you.”

Lloyd could feel himself go coy now, his eyes retreating to his hands as his cheeks no doubt flushed.

“I would suggest that perhaps we could arrange to meet again soon but… I suspect that would be wishful thinking.” Akita shook her head. “The next time we see each other will almost certainly again be by chance.”

“I-” Lloyd wanted to refute the idea on instinct, but the truth of the sentiment rang true. She had made clear she wasn’t leaving, and the last thing Lloyd was frequent to do was stay.

Akita’s thoughts obviously sat in the past as his silence lingered, and his breath finally broke. “You’re always moving so quickly,” she mused.

“There’s always somewhere else to be.” A pained acceptance underpinned his words. “That’s just… part of being the Green Ninja.”

He glanced back up at his companion, only to be met with a curiously blank stare. 

Her eyes searched his for a moment before responding. “What does that mean?” The question came with a sort of pent up exasperation, something which deeply confused her listener.

“...What?”

“The Green Ninja.” She repeated. “You’re always saying it, and I fail to see how the color of your clothing has any impact on anything .”

Lloyd stared at her, his mind desperately trying to find traction. “No, that’s not… you know what the Green Ninja is,” he shook his head in denial. “I mean, I told you my whole life story, you have to know what it is.”

Her expression crinkled in apology, unfazed by his insistence. “I know everyone seems to find it quite important, but I could not tell you what it actually means.”

Lloyd’s body shifted stance as he leaned forward, newly invested in the conversation. “I told you about the Green Ninja.” He asserted, still in disbelief. “The green orb thing I do, that’s the power of the Green Ninja.”

She stared back at him, eyes still blank. “...Is that supposed to be special, or-?”

“Yes!” Lloyd chuckled. “It’s a unique ability, it’s my power. You ever seen anyone else do it?”

“I can turn into a wolf, your companions can command the elements, we all have talents about us.” She shrugged. “What makes yours any more important?”

“Well, mine are…” Lloyd shook his head, still adjusting to the frame which his companion had set. “My grandfather, the First-”

“All of our abilities come from our ancestors!” Akita finally broke, letting out a laugh. “I do understand that your lineage invented the bazaar spin fighting that you and your friends love so dearly, but that does not make you some sort of divine prophet, or miracle worker!” Her grin was wider than he had ever seen it, a giddy sort of delight behind her visage. “It hardly even makes you a great fighter!”

Lloyd laughed along with her. “Woah! Okay, guess I should have seen that one coming.” He playfully rolled his eyes.

“To be fair, I do know a great number of excellent fighters. A fair amount of which you introduced me to,” she shrugged.

Lloyd smirked, his eyes narrowing. “Akita, are you saying that I’m not special?”

She chuckled, her hands reaching forward in a surprise offer of sincerity. “Of course you are.” She shook her head. “You are deeply special to me.”

“Why don’t you tell me then,” Lloyd insisted, leaning back. “What is it that makes me special?”

Akita glanced downward, a weight entering her disposition again. “You want to know?”

Her words were simple, but her expression challenged him, pressing the tangible uncertainty of the question. 

Lloyd’s demeanor shifted, his tone moving to match hers. “I do.” he affirmed. 

Her eyes strayed again, turning to the lantern. A heavy pause entered the space before she spoke.

“You stopped me from becoming a murderer.”

The statement sat, unchallenged.

“I was set on killing your friend, and even before you knew it was him, you tried to talk me out of it.” Akita seemed lost, mind transported back to the snow and the ice which surrounded them before; to the last time they had sat together around this lantern, alone, vulnerable, and cold. “And even after you learned of my target’s identity, you never turned on me. You held me back, tried to reason with me, stop me from making the worst mistake of my life, when you had no reason to.” She looked back up at her companion, now entranced by her soul bare in front of him. “I had deceived you, antagonized you, threatened you, you had every right to make me your enemy. Attack me. Kill me even.”

“I don’t know that any reasonable person would have killed you,” Lloyd countered on instinct.

“I would have.” Her words came out sharp, and certain, eyes unblinking, gaze unbroken. “I don’t know if I would now, but I certainly would have then.” Her demeanor shrunk as she imagined this former version of herself. “Your compassion saved me from becoming someone I would not recognize. That is intensely special to me. And it always will be.”

Lloyd could feel himself crumble at her words, something approaching guilt nagging at him. “My compassion has been a roadblock for me more often than not.”

“No,” Akita stopped him. “It is a gift. One far too rare, and much too overlooked.” Her words came with a power behind them- something more than certainty, something closer to truth itself. “I do not know what you saw in me to grace me with that gift, but I am forever thankful for it.”

Lloyd’s whole being was submerged in the ocean of sincerity which had ambushed him. The clarity of her words, the depth of her confession, and the endless density of raw humanity which sat within her irises wrapped him in their brisk, forceful current.

“It was your conviction.” The answer floated on his breath as if it had always been there.

Her expression indented, surprised at such an immediate response.

“Through everything, you always seemed so passionately driven about every single belief you had. I’ve never seen anything else like it. That sort of resolve is something… wondrous .” The words left his mind without effort, trapped in the trance which enveloped him. “I’m convinced there are very few things in the world powerful enough to keep you from doing something you have your mind set on.”

Akita stared back, the natural breath and pulse of her body the only movement in her power to make.

“If that’s true, then I suppose you must be one of them.”

Their eyes were locked by a thickening string of fate, being pulled further and further taut by the whims of the universe which had brought them to this moment. As the words hit Lloyd’s mind, the inevitability of it all seemed to click into place. He did not know how, he did not understand why, and he could not perceive what it spelled for his future, but he was suddenly unshakably certain of this: Akita was a presence in his soul that destiny would not allow him to ignore any longer.

“...I suppose so.”

Akita’s eyes faltered first, her body shifting all at once with them, as if realizing how still she had remained for so long now. “So, what is it you’re off to go do anyway?”

Lloyd chuckled at the question, running his hands through his hair as he snapped back to the current moment. “Right! I guess I haven’t really explained any of that.” 

“Unless it’s… classified information or-” Akita offered.

“No,” Lloyd stopped her. “It’s not a secret or anything. We’re just on the hunt for Source Dragon energy, and we have a lead on something in the First-Realm.”

“Source Dragon energy,” Akita repeated, the words obviously new to her. “What do you expect to do with it?”

“Well, we tracked down these cores with Source Dragon energy and managed to use them to put an end to the megaquakes just a few months ago.”

Akita lit up in recognition. “That was you?”

“That was us.” Lloyd nodded. “So we’re thinking if we get enough of the stuff, there could be a way to reverse the merge all together.”

Akita went strangely silent at the notion, an uncertainty quickly filling the air.

“Reverse the merge, as in…” She left space, not knowing what it could possibly be filled with.

“As in combine the merged realms back with all the lost lands on the other side in one way or another,” Lloyd mused, thinking out the mechanics. “Whether it’s an even larger mega realm or back to isolated single realms we don’t know yet, but-”

“Lost lands?” Akita asked.

Lloyd focused back in on her, her confusion rubbing off on him. “Yeah, you know, everything on the other side.” He waited for the concept to click, but her expression remained unresponsive, caught in a mess of thoughts all racing to piece things together. “Everything that the merge took away,” he elaborated. “Everything…” He paused, the pieces clicking together in his own mind. He quickly shifted across the deck to Akita’s side, taking her hands. “Everyone who went missing, that’s where they are.”

A tear broke from her eyes as he spoke. “They’re alive?”

“They’re alive.” Lloyd nodded, tightening his grip. “We’ve seen them. During mergequakes, we’ve seen people who were taken, so we know it’s possible to get them back.” He could feel himself choking up at the weight of her revelation, further water now pouring from her eyes. “I’m so sorry, I would have told you sooner if I knew you didn’t know.” 

Akita’s hands were suddenly ripped from his as her arms surrounded him. The warmth of her body submerged him as chilled tears began to dot his shoulder. “You have told me. That is more than enough.” Her words were muffled, but their joy couldn’t have been clearer.

Lloyd tightened his own arms around the embrace. “We’re doing everything we can to try and reach them.”

The two of them sat wrapped in each other for what could have been seconds or hours. It was impossible to tell with the veil of emotion so heavy around them.

Akita eventually broke first, her hands quickly moving to clear her tears as best they could, attempting to regain some amount of composure; though the wear which now encased her eyes surely wouldn’t fade until morning. She remained in a trance, staring out into the night, as if searching for something. “This power you look for, it helps us get them back?”

Lloyd hesitated, not wanting to make any promises he wouldn’t be able to keep. “We haven’t pinned down the mechanics of it yet, but we know any potential solution would require the Source Dragon energy.”

Her complexion turned to face him again. “Then I must go with you.”

“I don’t want you to feel like you have to.” Lloyd insisted, as gently as he could.

“I stay here to honor my people’s memory.” Akita retorted. “But if there is any chance to get them back, then the path to returning them is the ground my honor demands I walk.”

Lloyd again reached out a hand, gripping hers in a warm reassurance. “Then we’ll be glad to walk it with you.”

Akita studied him for a moment, an slight amusement crossing her complexion as she gripped him back. “I can’t believe you’ve done this to me again.”

“Done what?” Lloyd questioned.

Her eyes remained focused, something akin to fear peaking at their corners. “The last time I ran into you, it somehow resulted in my family being brought back from what I was certain had been their death.”

All the energy she held was currently pointed squarely at him, and the only message he could read from it was that she was looking at something she could not understand.

“If you somehow manage to do it again,” The weight of uncertainty in her voice had quieted it to a whisper. “...then perhaps you are some sort of miracle worker.”

There was a shift behind her eyes as she spoke, Lloyd suddenly becoming painfully aware of his being perceived. There was a hope decorating her gaze which he had seen so many times before. A belief in him, not as a person, but as a force of nature. 

He could feel his stomach turn, echoing whispers suddenly nipping again at his ears. It was her , for she had never left. And as he stared back at the woman who had softened him so completely in these past few minutes, the other one pressed her message unmistakably into his mind. 

“This is what she wants from you.”

Chapter Text

The air was hot. Something Lloyd hadn’t felt in a while. He lay on his bed, his body still confused at the sensation of needing to cool off. It had only been two weeks, but it somehow felt like a lifetime had passed while they were gone. The world he left behind surely should have changed while he was away; but his walls were the same color, his belongings right where he had left them, and his bed still the same worn mattress he remembered. 

The only thing that had changed was Lloyd. 

The Never-Realm had been a wakeup call. It brought him back to his senses. The world had weight to it again, and his mind seemed to process everything with just a bit more clarity than before. The touch of the sheets against his neck. The whirr of the fan above him. The temperature of the air in his lungs. But despite his mind being unshakably stuck to the mission of saving Zane for the past fortnight, it now latched to a new subject. 

It wasn’t so much that the moment repeated in his head, but more that the sensations seemed stuck to his senses; the way her lips had pressed against his skin, the way her fingers had wrapped around his wrist, the way her eyes seemed so transparent as to allow viewing directly into her thoughts. It all had him caught in something of a daze, numb to any other thought, and emotions consigned to take a back seat to the experience of simply feeling it all.

“Are you alright?” 

Lloyd shifted his head against the mattress to see Pixal standing in his door frame, her eyes tinged with concern. “Yeah, I’m fine.” He shrugged. “Why?”

“You’ve been lying there, staring at the ceiling fan for about two hours now.”

Lloyd struggled against his limbs, pushing himself up to better speak with her. “No way, how would you even-?” Lloyd stopped to clutch his head, it suddenly feeling very light.

“I’ve been up and down the hallway and… your door is open.” She gestured at the entryway as Lloyd stabilized himself. “Are you sure you’re doing alright?” She gingerly stepped into the room to try and better gauge the situation.

“Really, I’m okay,” He assured her, looking back up. “Just got a lot on my mind, you know?”

“Perhaps you’d like to talk about it?” She suggested.

“No,” Lloyd instinctively countered. “Absolutely not. The last thing I want is to talk about this.” Pixal glanced back at him skeptically. “I don’t need word getting around, and everyone teasing me over something that doesn’t even matter,” he rambled. “Because it doesn’t, it’s nothing, no one else knows it happened, and I’ll probably forget about it soon anyway, so there’s literally no reason to talk about it-”

Pixal rolled her eyes, quickly cutting him off with a swift closing of the door. “If you’d like to make your confession to someone, I would certainly suggest myself over anyone else in the building.” Pixal took a seat at the edge of her bed, folding her legs underneath her as she looked back at him expectantly.

Lloyd studied the droid in front of him, weighing his options. She was right. If anyone in this monastery would be able to keep their lips shut, it was her. “Promise you won’t tell anyone else?”

She held up her hands in defense. “May I wipe it from my memory banks if you so wish.”

Lloyd took in a deep breath, his eyes darting up toward the ceiling as he collected his thoughts. “Okay, so when we were all going through the portal to come home, I was the last one through.”

“I remember,” Pixal nodded along. 

“Everyone else had left, but I was saying goodbye to Akita, because we had become good friends, and you know, I’m never going to see her again. So, I wanted to make sure we said a proper goodbye.” He explained. “But before I can get it out… she kisses me,” Lloyd finally locked eyes with the android across from him to gauge her reaction. A hand had risen to her lips as she considered the information. “On the cheek,” he quickly clarified. “But it was still… I mean it happened so fast, and the portal was closing, so I didn’t really have time-”

Pixal closed her eyes, now rubbing the bridge of her nose as he rambled. “What did you do to mess it up?”

“Nothing!” Lloyd quickly protested. “I didn’t mess it up! I don’t think so anyway.” Lloyd thought back, now paranoid about what unintentional signals he might have sent. “I was surprised, but I didn’t make it awkward or-”

“What happened?” Pixal pulled him back from his spiral. 

Lloyd sighed, clutching the throw pillow which had made its way into his lap as he tried to organize his thoughts. “I don’t know. We kind of had a moment. She was holding my hand, and we smiled at each other. It was like we both knew something.” Lloyd was uncertain of his words as he spoke them, unconvinced that what he had felt could ever be properly described. “I don’t even know what it is that we knew, but in the moment we both understood what it meant… And then I had to leave.”

Pixal studied his expression, her next words coming with some hesitation. “Seems like she might have had some feelings for you then.”

“Yeah,” Lloyd sighed, still entirely in his own head.

“And how does that make you feel?” Pixal carefully prodded.

“I don’t know,” He shrugged. “It’s kind of exciting and uncomfortable and confusing and reassuring all at the same time.” Lloyd fell back onto the pillows behind him in frustration. “I don’t know, I don’t know how to explain it! That’s why I’m in here staring at the ceiling.” He ran his hands over his face as he chilled from his frustration. “It’s not that I dislike the thought of her liking me, necissarily. She’s very interesting and honest and endearing, and there’s part of me that thinks I maybe could have even liked her back.” Lloyd's voice took on a softer quality as he continued. “But there’s something about that… about my feeling like there’s a chance it could have been something that feels uneasy.”

“Why would that be cause for unease?” Pixal questioned, her tone concealing a level of amusement about the predicament.

“Because it makes me wonder whether I learned my lesson the first time around.” Lloyd sat back up. “I think maybe the whole concept is just perpetually uneasy now.”

Pixal’s expression crinkled in sympathy, the problem becoming much clearer to her. “If it makes you feel any better, this sort of thing is usually accompanied with a certain amount of unbearable uncertainty. It is possible what you’re feeling here is all perfectly normal.” She tried to assure him. “If that’s what you’re feeling at all. It seems as if you’re undecided on the matter.” 

“Well, yeah.” Lloyd rolled his eyes. “I haven’t figured it out yet because the thought never even crossed my mind until the last five seconds I knew her!” He groaned, burying his complexion in his hands. “I just feel such an idiot for not noticing before. I mean we spent so much time together, alone, just talking about our feelings.” His face rose up again as he made a new realization. “We slept like three inches away from each other for a week straight, and not once did I consider-” His face scrunched in embarrassment as he stopped himself from ranting any further. “And it doesn’t even matter anymore because like… what if I do?” The deep resignation which had bubbled under his tone finally surfaced. “What if I do like her, then what? I’m never going to see her again. There’s no way to reach her. So, it’s meaningless now.”

Lloyd reached again for the throw pillow, quickly wrapping his arms around it and resting his head atop. The hopelessness of the whole situation which weighed down his spirit seemed to infect the room as the two sat in silence. Pixal watched as he folded inward, melancholy memories now trickling into her own mind.

“I spent almost a month thinking that Zane was dead.” The statement caught Lloyd’s attention, his eyes pricking upward once more to see Pixal’s as they wandered the middle distance. “He disappeared so suddenly, and there were so many regrets which flooded my mind once he was gone. Things we didn’t get to do together, things I didn’t get to say to him, the life we could have built together if only we had moved a bit faster.” Her gaze returned again to Lloyd, an air of challenge in her eyes. “Do you think if he hadn’t come back, that it would have all been meaningless?”             

Lloyd could feel himself regress into a little child, the adult in the room very patiently walking him towards an obvious conclusion he had refused to see. “Of course not,” he answered. “But that’s different, you had time to establish something together, you knew where you stood with each other-”

“It sounds like you and Akita had established something together.” Pixal countered. “A personally dedicated ally at the least and a very powerful and intimate kinship by my assessment of things.” Pixal sighed, her demeanor turning inward once more. 

“I never told Zane I loved him before he left.” 

The statement sank as it drifted into the air. “I’ve remedied that now, but what if I hadn’t gotten that second chance? I couldn’t let that make what I felt any less meaningful, and you shouldn’t let it either.” There was a sincerity of sorrow backing her voice as she spoke. “No relationships in this life last forever. Something inevitably comes between you, whether it be disagreements, life decisions, physical distance, or death.” Pixal leaned forward, forcing his eyes to connect with the soft green glow of her own. “Especially for people like us, the connections we have will always end before we do.”

Lloyd could feel his soul squirm at the implication, his mind instinctively moving away from the subject. “What am I supposed to get out of it then?” Lloyd relented. “What does that five seconds give me that I didn’t have before?”

Pixal gave a sympathetic smile. “I don’t know. That is for you to figure out.” She spoke the words as if they were obvious. “Perhaps the door has closed on your relationship becoming something serious, but if it was your first step into recovery after what you went through, then that means something,” she offered. “If she was your first crush you don’t have to carry resentment over, then that means something. If she’s simply an admirer you don’t have to fear, then that means something.” Pixal reached forward, prying his hands out from their grip to be cradled within her own. “If she’s someone who could have loved you, then it is proof that you are worthy of love, and if she is someone you could have loved, then it is proof that ability is still within your grasp.” Her words, bundled in such pure, tender affection felt unexplainably angelic to Lloyd. The cool chill of her fingers echoed through his nerves, his eyes misting over at the soothing, absolute power of her presence. “You cannot let an ending make something meaningless, or you will find your whole life adding up to nothing.”

His lips parted in attempt to respond, the words suddenly much more difficult to speak. “And… what if it does?” he breathed. “What if it adds up to nothing?”

Pixal’s smile straightened, her grip clutching him with a strength he had scarcely felt before. Her posture lowered, her eyes now square with his own. “Then we go into the void together.”

Lloyd fell forward into the arms of his sister, her head quickly covering his own as she instantly embraced him. The warmth which radiated from her on every level but physical was overwhelming. His soul sat cradled in hers as she tightened her grip around him, a veil of protection encompassing him in a way only Pixal had ever managed. He could almost feel the turning sensation in his stomach, the wind whipping through his hair, the press of hard metal to his chest as she once again caught him out of the air as he fell. 

Her voice tickled his ear in the gentlest of whispers. “I can purge my memory banks if you’d like.”

Lloyd giggled against her shoulder, slowly sitting back up. “No, no, please don’t.” He ran the end of his sleeve over his eyes to clear whatever tears may or may not have escaped him, a smile firmly placed on his complexion again. “It’s nice having someone else who knows.” 

“Rest assured, your secret is safe with me.” Her head bowed, fingers slowly retreating as her expression softened. “I know it’s difficult, but these things take time. I promise you, you will figure it out eventually.”

Lloyd’s lips peaked upward again. “Thanks.”

Pixal let out another sigh, her body shifting. “I should probably get going. I’m in charge of dinner tonight. Are you going to be alright?”

Lloyd felt something inside of himself lurch up in a way it wasn’t supposed to. “No!” He blurted out. The protest felt unnatural in his mouth, as if it didn’t belong there somehow. It certainly didn’t seem to have any effect.

Pixal gently pressed her figure off the bed, the world seeming to blur ever so slightly around her. 

“Don’t worry, you’ll know!” She laughed as she headed for the door. 

The air seemed to tense and thicken in the room as she began to leave, surrounding Lloyd in what felt like a quickly densening ethereal fog.

Suddenly, he was standing in attempt to stop Pixal- but she seemed unswayed by his efforts, his sense of panic only deepening. “You can’t leave yet, I’m not… I can’t-” His vision had now blurred significantly further, his mind now also seemingly filled with the invisible fog around him. Regardless, his body continued to follow Pixal toward the hallway, 

but it wasn’t there.

On the other side of the door where he could swear the hallway once had been, now stood nothing but endless space. A vortex of infinity which held within it the vastness of eternity. He could not see it, nor comprehend it, only feel as it thinned reality around him. Within this expanse was a light, small at first and horribly distant, but which quickly consumed his vision, his senses overrun by its power as the glow began to converse with him.

Lloyd could feel a deep pulse rush through his skull as it spoke, not in any language, but simply through raw inception. An overload of different sensations buried him. The pit in his stomach violently returned, a blade through his center, prodding at his insides. He could taste dirt. And Blood. There was a rush of images before his eyes. A bright orange glow. Deep shadows. There was a silhouette looming over him. Smears of red. Folds of green. The pain ached further at the figure’s presence, echoing through his body in sharp waves. He could feel himself on the brink of something final, something-

“Lloyd?” 

He jolted awake, his heart barreling in his chest like never before. Sweat coated his face, and energy filled his limbs only to paralyze him. He could feel himself breathing, but he could swear there was no air entering his lungs. 

“Lloyd, are you okay?” 

He started to double over as his mind raced to catch up with the sensations which smothered him. He gripped the side of whatever it was he sat on to brace from the weakness entering his form.

A gentle tap landed on his shoulder, the physical contact a sharp jolt forcing him back toward reality. “We’ve arrived.”

He looked over at the source of the sound, the voice finally familiar to him. It was Zane. He stood above him. They were on the Land Bounty. 

It had been years since he’d seen Pixal.

“We’ve reached the main encampment. It would likely be preferable if I announce our presence on foot before we go barreling in with a battle tank.”

Lloyd’s eyes found their way to the windshield, now seeing the settlement in front of them as the events of the past few weeks caught up with him. It was the First Realm. They had made it.

“Are you alright? You seem shaken.” Zane gripped the back of Lloyd's chair and leaned over to better meet his eyes, his face now soured with concern.

Lloyd stared back, finally managing to fire up enough neurons to produce a response. “Yeah, sorry. I guess I just dozed off on the drive.” He shook his head. “Had some… weird dreams.” 

“Well, if you’re feeling alright, I was hoping you would join me.”

Lloyd paused at the suggestion, his logical faculties still uncommitted to analyzing his current predicament. “Why? You’re the one who's been here before.”

“Yes,” Zane grinned. “So I know from experience that relatives of the First Spinjitzu Master tend to gain you extra favor with the locals.”

Lloyd’s eyes drifted back to the front window. Though he finally understood where he was, a part of him still seemed trapped in the past with Pixal: lying on his bed, stuck in a daze as he returned to a life where nothing had changed.

“I guess I’m going then.”

“All of this isn’t really necessary,” Akita insisted as she followed Nya, hurriedly scurrying toward the back of the ship.

“Are you kidding? We should have done this way earlier!” Nya countered. “It’s like a zillion degrees outside, and you’ve never lived somewhere that averaged above freezing for more than a day.” She turned around to look at her new project. “You’re already burning up, and we haven’t even stepped outside yet. You are going to get heat stroke if you go out there in all that.” Nya waved her hand along Akita’s forehead, dressing it in a scattering of dewdrops which, Akita hesitated to admit, did feel rather refreshing.

She did of course realize her garb wasn’t ideal. All her clothes were meant to conserve heat: black, thick, and insulating. She thought she might be able to simply tough out the temperature, but Nya seemed rather convinced otherwise. “I don’t want anyone to be short on clothes because of me.” Akita pressed.

“Don’t even worry about it,” Nya waved her off. “We always pack so many extra gis, it’s not even funny.” She opened up a chest at the back of the room filled with assorted clothing for everyone on board. “I know I’ve got a bunch of backups. Hopefully, those should fit you pretty well too.” She pulled out a neatly folded garment seeming to match her own and held it up, letting it unfold. “They’re full coverage so you won’t get burned, but super breathable so it won’t trap heat, plus they’re just ridiculously comfortable,” she gushed.

As Akita moved to grasp the fabric, Nya suddenly pulled back, her brows furrowing. “Although maybe we should stay away from all black for you.”

“It’s fine,” Akita insisted, reaching for the garment again. 

“You’re not taking on any more heat than you have to!” Nya chuckled, pulling the clothing to her chest. “I won’t have you fainting out there on my watch.” She turned back to the trunk, thumbing through the piles of fabric to get what she was looking for. “We need Zane’s. White is going to be best for you.”

Akita crossed her arms as she watched Nya scavenge for her, the warmth trapped on her skin now more noticeable than ever. She was glad to be with her friends and to have a new sense of purpose about her. Certainly, to know that her family could still be alive was the greatest turn of events imaginable. However, the whole situation, the specific line of events she now found herself caught in, only served to make her uneasy. She was where she was supposed to be, she was certain of that, but so much change so quickly felt like it was giving her vertigo. She was someplace new, with new people, and new weather, and now even the clothes on her back would be stripped from her in favor of something new. 

“Here,” Nya announced, holding up a mess of white cloth. “Try this, I think it’ll be your coolest option.”

Akita sighed, looking at the garment, the task in front of her only growing ever more daunting. “Thank you.”

She took the pile into her hands, her presence in this place feeling increasingly unnatural. She forced herself to move, heading behind the folding screen in the corner to begin changing, her mind a buzz with frantic new feelings. She began detaching the many tools fastened to her body, each one feeling like a piece of armor being dropped, her form gradually growing more and more vulnerable to the world around her. As she came to the last item to be removed, she hesitated, this separation feeling particularly counterintuitive. Regardless, she unlatched the holster which held her dagger, clutching it tightly in her hands, still reluctant to let it go. After a deep breath, her grip loosened and she gently placed the weapon down, her attention now turning to her actual clothes. She peeled the fabric from her skin in smooth, sustained movements, it clinging to her flesh from the sweat which had soaked into it. The heat which had stuck to her body escaped with a surprisingly swift rush, and as marginally cooler air began to cradle her form there was a threatening sense of scope which hit her. The stranglehold which the temperature around her held was much more noticeable now that it had shifted. She could feel her throat tighten and swell the more she thought of it. The air around her, in her lungs, and through her blood was thick and heavy, weighted with far too much heat to be natural. It was an assault on her carnal form which was actively disarming her, and she hated feeling so at the mercy of something she had no recourse against. There was nothing she could do about it.

Nothing she could do.

Nothing.

She held up the white drapes of fabric that had been gifted to her- a strange remnant of the man she had yearned for so many years to kill, now to be wrapped around her indefinitely like some sort of sick ritual of shame. It was an echo of a dark time which her mind did not know how to begin to parse. The best she could manage was to try and disassociate the thought all together. She pulled the cloth around her, her body separating from her mind as it moved. Every emotion within her told her to stop what she was doing, but her limbs kept dressing regardless, her actions continuing without her consent. She couldn’t manage to purport herself as more than a passenger in this strange new anatomy she had dawned. Though this fabric was much lighter, its weight felt infinitely heavier. 

As she continued to struggle against the throng of textiles, it became abundantly clear that they were tailored for a frame much larger than her own. The fabric gathered in large bunches around her ankles and drowned her torso in cascades of pristine white waves. Akita could feel her breaths shallowing as she observed it all, her mind now desperately looking for an escape route.

“Nya, I don’t think this is going to work,” Akita called out into the room, her arms still struggling to snake through the sleeves. 

“How big is it?” Nya looked her over as she stepped out into the room, fully consumed by the clothing she had been gifted. “Well… we can hem the legs easily enough.” She shrugged. “But it’s probably best we get you a different top.” 

Akita’s heart only picked up pace at the statement, her head now dizzy at the amount of work continuing to be funneled into her. “Nya, I don’t think-”

“I swear, every time Zane rebuilds himself, he comes back just a little bit bigger,” Nya harped as she turned back towards the trunk to search for a new jacket.

Akita could feel as her chest tightened, the air growing thinner. “We don’t need to be altering any clothing on my behalf-”

“I’ve done it dozens of times before. It’s no big deal-” 

“Nya!” Akita asserted, finally catching full hold of her attention from her frantic need to help. Nya turned back to look at her as Akita could feel tears threatening to coat her eyes, a distant tremor entering her voice.

“I can’t have all this being done for me.”

It was a moment before the situation at hand seemed to click, but it was only a microsecond after that Nya had visibly reevaluated her strategy. “Then don’t think of it that way.” She waved her hands as if wiping a board clean, moving back toward her distressed companion. “I’m not doing it for you, I’m doing it… for me.” The slight uncertainty which bled through her words disappeared as she continued, her stature straightening to match.

“You’ve decided to help us on this mission, meaning you’re a part of the team now. That means you need to be comfortable utilizing team resources.” Her hands landed on Akita's shoulders with a weight only matched by her gaze, an authority which strangely seemed to quiet Akita’s nerves. “I need to make sure my teammates are operating at their best so that I know I can rely on them. If the heat takes you down out there because you’re too self-conscious to use the resources readily available to you, that makes you a liability to me, the rest of the team, and the fate of the operation.”

She leaned in, her face now measurably closer to her own. “So, if you are going to be in the habit of depriving one of my teammates of the tools she needs to do her job, you need to remove yourself from this mission right now.” Her demeanor faltered as a shy smile crept back onto her expression. “Also, I would really like my friend to have comfortable clothes, but that angle doesn’t seem to be working for you.”

Akita glanced back down at the cloth pooling at her ankles, the survival argument for it all opening some sort of missing door in her mind. Her hand instinctively reached for her dagger, instead simply gripping the fabric which sat in its absence to gather the courage she needed to push forward. Nya was right. This wasn’t about her- this was about her family. They didn’t have time for half measures. If she had any chance of doing this, she had no choice but to adapt.

Akita’s eyes rose again, newly opened. “What other jackets do we have?”

It seemed familiar to him. 

A strange thought to have about what he was looking at, but the image pinged some connection in the back of his mind, telling him that he couldn’t quite place where he remembered seeing this item before. A ridiculous feeling to have frankly, as he was looking at his own clothing. One of his very own gis in fact, which lay across the torso of the woman who scared him half to death last night. 

An interesting development to say the least.

Akita was the last one off the bounty, trailing behind his other teammates in what looked to be a bout of great hesitancy. Her body winced as she tried to look around, eyes squinting and blinking furiously. But he couldn’t stop staring at it. His clothes touching her skin. It was strange to see his attire on anyone else let alone… 

her.

“So, this is the mighty crew you’ve acquired, huh?” The grizzled voice of reality next to him snapped him out of his daze. He glanced over at Faith to see her expression skeptically matching her tone, her presence a mountain of gravitas which instantly demanded attention.

Zane’s voice stepped in, unusually chipper. “We may not look it, but we have a fairly meaningful track record.”

“Fairly meaningful?” Sora questioned as she hurried her way towards the growing group of allies, an adrenaline filled skip in her step. “Several realms saved from total destruction, an end to the mergequakes, countless criminals thwarted-”

“Okay little one, no need to boast,” Faith cut her off with an outstretched hand. “I’m sure you and your little dragon are quite a force to be reckoned with.” 

Riyu pranced forward to the middle of the quickly forming circle, giving his best defensive stance and growl to try and impress the new friend. 

“It’s so good to see you here, Faith!” Nya called forward as she approached.

“This one I know!” Faith pointed at her excitedly as she moved to meet her. “You were at the monastery when I came for my little visit.” 

“You’re looking a little better now,” Nya joked.

“I recover remarkably quickly from most things.” The two went in for a sturdy hug amidst the pleasantries.

“So how are things here?” Nya asked as they separated.

“Things are wonderful!” Faith laughed. “This tin-can I haven’t seen for ages suddenly wanders into town like a lost puppy.” She motioned over at Zane, the whole group tightening together as her story progressed. “He’s somehow gotten himself worried a lot of Dragon Hunters are going to be scared off by one little tactical vehicle showing up at their border. Which is an adorable thought to have.” Her words came with a heft behind them, none of them capable of being ignored. “It wouldn’t last a day in a recreational race around here!”

“Are you saying the Land Bounty isn’t up to standards?” Nya questioned, teasingly.

“No, no. I’m sure it’s perfectly functional for whatever pleasure cruise you’re on.” She smirked, moving back toward Zane, leaning on him as she finished her tale. “Lucky for you lot, I tend to call the shots around here, so I convinced everyone to keep from blowing you up,” she playfully rolled her eyes, “at least for now.”

“So, are you like, in charge around here?” Arin asked, eyes still wandering about the new surroundings.

“The Dragon Hunters have no official leadership titles any longer,” Faith shook her head, a more genuine form of pride slipping into her speech. “It was a position that had been abused for far too long, and so we found it best to eliminate it all together. We make our decisions collectively,” she explained. “That being said, my opinion does hold weight for many people, so I tend to have some pull.”

“So, basically you’re in charge?” Sora clarified. 

Faith smiled. “This one knows what she’s talking about.” She brushed a hand over Sora’s head, ruffling her bangs a bit. “So, who are all the new faces? I want to know everyone’s names!” Faith forcefully clapped her hands together, a sudden urgency about the situation. “Are these your children? Why are these two matching? Tell me everything!” She gestured to the kids and then to Akita, before landing on Lloyd, looking at the circle expectantly for some sort of answer. 

“Well, these are our students,” Zane began. “Arin is from Ninjago, Sora is from Imperium, and Riyu… I suppose is theoretically from here.” 

All eyes turned to Riyu, his tail waggling furiously and feet bouncing sporadically as his eyes tracked one of the dragons currently flying overhead.

“I am surprised you’ve gotten a hold on one this young.” Faith commented, her arms now crossed. “Dragons can be notoriously difficult to keep focused as children.”

“We haven’t done too much to keep him with us.” Arin mused, stepping forward toward the dragon. “We bumped into each other in a bit of trouble, and he’s just stuck around ever since.”

Riyu squawked as Arin reached out to scratch behind his head, Sora now also moving to sit next to him on the ground. “We sure are glad to have him though.”

Lloyd’s eyes drifted to the last member of the group yet to have an introduction, once again pulled to the bright green fabric she wore like a magnet. The concept seemed strangely novel to his mind, numbing it as it bounced around. It was only a moment before he noticed that her eyes had in turn landed on him, the panic of sudden attention rapidly hitting him.

“And this is Akita,” he quickly added, swerving around to look at Faith, “a longtime friend to the team who decided to join our mission just the other day.” His eyes returned to the woman in question, Lloyd struggling to finally vocalize the thought which had so thoroughly occupied his mind. “I’m… actually not too sure why we’re matching.”

Lloyd could feel a strain of embarrassment pass through him as he finally spoke the words, but it was instantly overshadowed by how swiftly Akita reddened as her attire was mentioned. She glanced down at herself in a rush of nerves. “I had no clothing suitable for the climate,” she explained, “so it was suggested I borrow some.” She glanced back up, her eyes bouncing from Faith to Lloyd in somewhat of a remorseful state, as if asking forgiveness for some error. 

“This is Akita’s first time out of the Never-Realm, so she didn’t exactly have warm weather gear on her.” Nya talked past the group toward Faith, still notably confused by the situation.

Akita’s eyes remained locked on Lloyd’s in uncertainty. He lifted his hands as the conversation continued around them, shaking his head with as nonchalant a smile as he could muster. ‘It’s fine,’ he mouthed.

Akita seemed to exhale in relief, a nervous grin sent back his way as her body self-consciously shifted in her new garb.

“The Never-Realm you say?” Faith eyed Akita, snapping her attention away. 

“Yes, it is my home,” Akita explained. “I am a formling.” 

Faith's eyes widened ever so slightly as she moved toward her. “So, you were alive for the great freeze?”

“One of the few who lived through it,” Akita nodded. 

Faith’s eyes now fully revealed her level of intrigue. “Really?” She moved to her side, her hand landing on the newcomer’s shoulder. “Now this is a woman who knows how to handle herself.” She turned to face the group again. “I hope you realize how valuable an ally you’ve gained yourselves.”

Nya smiled. “We do.”

Faith crossed her arms, a focus reentering her demeanor. “I am left to assume you have a mission of great weight to match the ‘fairly meaningful’ team you’ve brought along with you.”

A few glances scattered across the circle before Lloyd finally spoke.

“We’ve come for the Gift of the Beginning.”

Faith’s expression shifted rapidly, the suggestion seemingly a mix of shocking, audacious, weighted, and novel. But her eyes never broke with Lloyd’s, trained on his expression in attempt to detect any hint of irony. “This is not something you are likely to succeed in.”

“We’re aware.” Nya sighed.

“What is it you seek it for?” Faith questioned, still trying to wrap her head around the idea. “Do you really have good enough reason to risk contempt from the mother of all dragons?”

“We have reason to believe the gift is likely some sort of Source Dragon energy,” Zane explained. “Energy that could potentially be utilized to reunite us with the lands… and people lost in the merge.”

“What’s the Gift of the Beginning?” Arin muttered, looking up at the others around him. 

Faith’s attention finally flinched, landing on the boy. “When the Source Dragons created the very first being in their image, they placed within her a special power to be protected and held until an untold time. Legend says that one day the Firstbourne will gift this power to mortals. When this is, no one can tell. Some think it will come when the universe finds itself in crisis, others once we’ve finally proved ourselves by forming a utopia.” Her eyes narrowed, turning to the group. “And I suppose your friends here believe they might simply be given it if only they ask.”

“Half the world disappeared on us. If Firstbourne doesn’t think now is the time to use the gift, I don’t know when she would,” Lloyd argued.

“The only reliable stories we have about the Gift are that everyone who attempts to get hold of it ends up dead.” Faith pressed.

“We brought the grandson of the First Spinjitzu Master.” Nya’s hands grabbed hold of Lloyd’s right arm, gently shaking him in presentation. “Figured that might boost our odds a bit.”

Faith stepped forward, fully considering his presence for the first time. “Are you anything like your uncle?”

Lloyd’s insides squirmed as her focus concentrated entirely on him. “In some ways, I’d like to think so-”

“Because your uncle was a sentimental fool who nearly got us all killed, several times.”

Lloyd could feel himself shrinking under her gaze.

“Well, I-”

“He is the same,” A voice came from behind her, pulling everyone’s eyes. “I can confirm,” Akita continued. “A very naive and occasionally delusional man to be sure.”

Lloyd couldn't tell if this was worse, but it certainly didn’t feel any better.

Faith moved back toward Akita, seeming to take her word with a significant amount of weight. “Borderline incompetent without anyone’s help.”

“Oh, I saved his life several times in the first week I met him.”

“I see.” Faith nodded, the two seeming to have come to a thorough understanding extremely quickly. “However…” she prompted.

Akita’s eyes turned to Lloyd, her trademark certainty of purpose unmistakably present. “His peculiarities make him remarkably immune to follies which entrap most men.” Her eyes once again shifted to Faith. “If anyone is capable of getting it, I would bet my life on it being him.”

After only a brief pause, Faith turned back around, all eyes now fixed on the Green Ninja. “Very much like his uncle then.” She sighed, seeming to come to her conclusion. “Well, we have plenty of accommodations for you all. We will get you rooms and food, and everyone best eat plenty and rest early, because we leave to approach Firstbourne at dawn.”

She turned again to look at Lloyd, her expression flecked with curiosity.

“Let us pray this one is worthy enough for the rest of us.”