I just realized I forgot Charlie's supposed to be in jail

oops

Review replies:

Windy: YES that was ABSOLUTELY from HttYD and I cracked up every time after reading that again.

Ebony: He's stubborn.

PastelninjaMelanie: As long as it's understandable, I don't mind :)

Amber: Maybe. You never know. :)

Samantha: We'll see.

MLGBilCipher: I think it's Amino. Or Animo. Not sure which. Nicole works, right?

Chapter 36

"No offense, but this plan stinks." Indigo said bluntly as Kai locked black cuffs around her wrists.

"Full offense, but I agree." Cole 1 shook his head. "I mean, we're literally walking right into Bansha's base. In chains."

"Yeah, but not the way she thinks we are." Lloyd put his hands on his hips. "C'mon guys, it'll be fine."

"If you say so." Indigo muttered. After brainstorming for a few hours, the ninja had decided to pretend to surrender, locking themselves up in chains made of brittle, vengestone-lookalike metal that they could break easily, and then attacking and taking over Ninjago city. Bansha had called them again a couple hours before, expressing her approval when they told her they surrendered, and pressing them to bring all of their allies, leaving none behind who could rise up against her.

So they were bringing everyone, including the Senseis and Lloyd 2. They would have to help the latter across the desert, since he was still on crutches and couldn't walk by himself chained. Bansha had given them around three days to get there before she started killing hostages, so they planned to leave that evening so they could get across most of the desert at night.

Before they could leave, however, Lloyd had one more thing he had to do. Heading to the kitchen, Lloyd took a package of dried meat – well, fish, since they lived next to an ocean – and brought it to Morro 2 in the prison. The ghost was sitting up this time, leaning against the wall, and looked up when he entered.

"What's that?"

"Food." Lloyd replied simply, pushing it through the bars. "We're leaving tonight. I don't know when we'll be back, and I don't want you to go hungry."

"But why do you care? I'm your enemy." The former king frowned.

"You're still a person, and you don't deserve to suffer." Lloyd shrugged. "It's probably not very good, but it's dry, so you can't hurt yourself with it. Enjoy." The blond turned and left, heading back upstairs. Time to get this show on the road.

TheDarknessReturn

They had arrived.

Lloyd approached Morro's – well, Bansha's – castle for the fourth time in the last month. Time flies when you're trying to save the world. No one bothered them as they marched through the city, in chains, Bansha's guards following them at a distance. Probably watching for any sign of resistance.

Morro was lagging behind, staring listlessly at the ground as he put one foot in front of the other. It didn't look like he liked this plan any more than Indigo and Cole did. And, by the depressed look on his face, he was probably upset about being blind again. Lloyd slowed down to join him, just in time too as the ghost tripped on an uneven cobblestone and fell forward, fortunately into Lloyd's grasp.

"You okay?" The blond asked as he helped him stand up.

"Yeah, I'm fine." The ghost nodded. "Thanks for catching me."

"Good. But are you okay emotionally? You look kinda sad."

"I dunno. Just tired of being blind, I guess." Lloyd frowned.

"I could ask the other Morro if there's a cure when we get back."

"I doubt it. But you might as well, if there's any way I can see again, I'll take it." Morro closed his eyes. "Are we close?"

"To the castle?"

"Yeah."

"Kinda. But we've fallen behind the others. Let's get moving." Lloyd took his arm and they walked along together, hurrying to catch up with the rest of the group. Bansha's guards, he noticed, were gone. Either they had left, or they had noticed they had been seen and retreated out of sight. Either way, they were probably being watched somehow.

Bansha was standing at the gate, five more soldiers on either side of her as she stood with her hands behind her back. She was silent and expressionless as the guards next to her pulled the gate open, turning and walking back towards the castle as the ninja passed through it. An unspoken order to follow her. She lead them through the large doors into the main hall. Instead of heading into the throne room, however, she turned down and lead them down into the dungeon. Alone.

What was she planning to do? Even if these were real cuffs, they could still overpower her together if she was alone. Instead of attempting to lock them up, she stopped at the end of the hallway, gesturing to the cells on either side of the hall. A glance both directions revealed that they were stuffed full of prisoners, human men, women, and children, who were wide eyed and silent, probably threatened not to speak.

"Well?" Lloyd 2 broke the silence. "We're here. Let them go."

"No." Bansha 2 said bluntly. Lloyd narrowed his eyes.

"We followed your orders. We surrendered. What more do you want?"

"I told you to bring all your allies."

"…and? We did."

"You're missing one."

"What? Who?"

"The little girl I saw behind you when I spoke with you the first time."

"Wh- she's not an ally! She's just a kid that Morro possessed to try to get close to us!" Lloyd 2 protested. "We took her back to her parents!"

"Is she on my side?"

"Uh… no."

"Then she's on yours. She is an ally."

"She's just a kid! What use could you have for her?"

"I don't. But I told you to bring all your allies or I would kill the people."

"You're just making excuses so you can kill us all!" Lloyd snapped.

"Maybe I am. But since you wrapped yourselves up for me so nicely, what are you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to KILL YOU!" Lloyd yanked his wrists apart, the chain snapping easily as he shot a ball of green energy at her. She ducked under it, rolling forward and drawing her staff as the rest of the group snapped their cuffs as well.

"So you tricked me as I tricked you." She sounded amused. "What you don't know is I have a second trick up my sleeve." Her form flickered for a moment – was she trying to turn invisible? Whatever she was trying to do, it didn't do much, as she charged at them, her staff held in front of her. When Jay 1 raised an arm to block her strike, Lloyd was shocked to see that the blade went right through him. The blue ninja yelped, then turned around in confusion to face her.

"Did… you forget to turn off ghost mode?" He asked, tilting his head.

"No." Bansha's voice didn't come from her body, but behind him, and Lloyd whirled around to see her appear behind Kai 2 and press her blade to his neck. The red ninja went still, eyes wide as the fire in his hand went out. "You're not chained, but this works just as well."

"Let him go." Lloyd 2 growled, clutching Sensei's arm with both his hands to stay upright.

"I think not." Bansha pressed the blade harder against Kai's throat and a trickle of blood ran down into his shirt. "Not until you lock yourselves up- for real this time – and bring me all your allies, not just the ones in your base."

"…what other allies are there?"

"Ronin. Tara. The people of Stiix."

"Okay, first of all, Tara? What?" Lloyd broke in. "Secondly, you want us to convince the entire city of Stiix to come give themselves up to be tortured? That's totally gonna happen."

"So you refuse?"

"Yes."

"Very well then."

Bansha slit Kai's throat.

well I'm off to Tennessee

ta-ta

~FFF